Names of Jesus in John 1 (Part 1)

          What’s in a name?  In the Bible the Holy Spirit often reveals an attribute or role of a person through names.  In addition to “Jesus”, John 1 uses at least 19 different names for Jesus.  Each of these names reflects an important and particular characteristic of Jesus that the Holy Spirit through John wants us to know.  John introduces Jesus to us and reveals who He is before he presents the rest of the gospel.

Jesus

(John 1:29,37,38,40,42,43,45,47,48,50)

Luke 1:31 states, "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus."

The angel Gabriel came before Mary to foretell the conception and birth of her son. Gabriel told Mary that she was to name her son, Jesus.

The Word 

(John 1:1,14) The Word eternal, the Word is not created. [Implied Creator] (John 1:3,10)

John 1:14 reveals Jesus as “The Word.” Jesus is not created and is co-eternal with the Father and Holy Spirit.

“For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.”
(Colossians 1:16 ESV)

One you do not know 

(John 1:26)

          One of the threads John weaves throughout his gospel repeatedly shows that most religious Jews of his day completely fail to grasp who Jesus is--the promised and long-awaited Messiah, the only Son of the living God.

          So who does believe in Jesus? “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the Prophets, "And they will all be taught by God." Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me.” (John 6:44,45)

          And, "I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.” (John 17:6)

Lamb of God 

(John 1:29,36)

          John uses imagery from Isaiah 53:7 that prophesied Jesus’ death, “like a lamb that is led to the slaughter”, to reveal the perfect and only acceptable sacrifice for our sins.  God provides the “Lamb of God” to save us just as God provided the ram for Abraham to save Isaac.

“And Isaac said to his father Abraham, "My father!" And he said, "Here am I, my son." He said, "Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" Abraham said, "God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." So they went both of them together.” (Gen 22:7,8 )

Later, John, in Rev 5:8-10 says of this same Jesus:

“And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth."

Click here for John Notes #1 "10 points on the disciple John, son of thunder..."