Matthew 1:21–The Precious Name And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Names in the Bible are full of significance. The Jews gave names to their children which expressed their gratitude to God or which indicated their children’s duty to serve the Lord. Here we learn of a child whose name came not from earth but from heaven, a name which is precious to everyone who is burdened by sin. These words are spoken by the angel of the Lord to Joseph, a troubled man. His intended wife is already with child. Being an upright man, Joseph is tempted to end their betrothal but the angel reassures him concerning the child to be born. He is to be named “Jesus” or “Saviour” on account of the special work He will do. The angel explains the full meaning of this wonderful name. What do we learn of Jesus? We learn of His strength. We are told that Jesus shall save – Jesus alone. All the power of God is in this man. Scripture makes clear that in the event of the Incarnation true deity and true humanity were joined together in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, although He was “crucified through weakness” (2Cor.13:4), He is indeed “mighty to save” (Isa.63:1). We see His sovereignty. He shall save “his people.” Who are they? The Jews were looking for a Messiah, hoping that he would deliver them from the Roman oppressor. They were clearly a favoured nation. But it was they who said of Christ, “We will not have this man to reign over us” (Luke 19:14). No, the people whom Jesus saves are those, whether Jew or Gentile, who put their trust in Him. And they put their trust in Him because they were chosen in Him for salvation before the world began (Eph.1:4). They are His church and He represented them in His obedient life and death. Most importantly for us, we are told about His salvation. In the Old Testament Joshua commanded Israel’s armies and delivered his people from the Canaanite enemy. But Jesus saves His people from a more deadly enemy – their sins. It is a very full salvation. What is involved? We need to understand two basic things. Jesus saves His people from the penalty of sin. Because of our sin in Adam we are all guilty before God when we come into this world. We spend our days as transgressors against the divine law, contracting further guilt. We are under the curse of a broken law but “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us” (Gal.3:13). Death, the wages of sin, was the payment He received on behalf of His own people. He has reconciled them to God by His righteousness. Jesus also saves His people from the pollution of sin. He not only pardons them but also cleanses them. Our hearts and natures are corrupt and defiled. Christ not only gives us His righteousness to justify us but also His Spirit to make us holy. He delivers us from the power of sin in regeneration and the pleasure of sin in sanctification. To believers it is said, “sin shall not have dominion over you” (Rom.6:14), for grace now reigns where sin once did. We are now the servants of Christ, “doing the will of God from the heart” (Eph.6:6). One day the believer will be saved even from the very presence of sin. He shall enter into heaven itself where “the unclean shall not pass over” (Isa.35:8). Glorified with Christ his state shall then match his standing for every trace of sin shall be gone out of his heart and the tempter shall be cast into the lake of fire never to trouble the child of God again. Do you know what it is to be saved from your sins and not in them? Many seem happy with the hope of escaping hell but show little desire to prepare for heaven. They are not truly saved, for heaven is a holy place for a holy people and Jesus saves sinners in order to sanctify them. May we love the precious name of Jesus.