Together, the names
“Jesus” and “Christ”
mean one Divine
Being, the single God
to be worshiped. This is
what the Lord’s advent
brought to mankind.
meaning that Jesus would be a spiritual
savior even as Joshua had been a
natural savior, preserving them from
the enemies in the land of Canaan. His
kingdom was not of this world, but of
the spiritual world, bringing spiritual
freedom and thus salvation to the souls
of all people.
Yet “Jesus” has more meaning than
this. It brings to mind the name of the
Divine that had been the God of the
Israelites and Jews for generations. For
Jesus (or Joshua) means “Jehovah saves.” By using the name “Jesus” it declared
He was the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. So the
name “Jesus” signifies Divinity in the person Who walked the earth many
years ago. (Apocalypse Explained 10; Arcana Coelestia 9809:9) The central
truth about Jesus is that He was Jehovah in the flesh, the Divine on earth, Who
became human in order to become fully God and fully Human.
So Jesus came to give us a new way of connecting with the God of heaven
and earth. The human form that had been presented to ages past was no longer
sufficient to guide people in paths of truth. The previous names He employed
were forgotten or abused. And so He came as Jesus. When we hear the name
“Jesus” we can think of Him as Divine good – that Divine impetus to approach
us, to communicate with us, and to lead us to genuine and lasting happiness.
(Arcana Coelestia 3004) This is how He appears in the New Testament. It was
how He wants us to know Him.
The other name attached to Him is “Christ.” He is called that in the infancy
narratives and then again in the crucifixion stories, where it became a central
point in the desire of the religious leaders to destroy Him. “Christ” means ѡ