I saw a video recently from Brad Lea describing his belief that Jesus’ name isn’t really Jesus, somebody just made it up and it stuck, and we are turning our backs on the Third Commandment by using it.
Well… let’s talk about that.
Please note that since I originally wrote this, I discovered that his videos regularly twist the scriptures. So, whether this is intentional or not, please do your own research. Check with the scriptures and reliable sources who stand on a foundation of BIBLICAL TRUTH, not personal beliefs. His claim to faith is apparently through a near death experience – which is a totally valid beginning to a relationship with Christ. That’s amazing. But it is not an excuse to act cocky and pretend he has all the answers. Ok thanks for coming to my Ted Talk we can move on to my response now 🙂
Also yes, the featured pic for this post is a square of strawberry shortcake. Do with that what you will, I do not care.
You can find the link to his original Instagram reel here. I have not seen the full podcast, this is just my thoughts on that specific reel.
About translational details: you are correct to an extent. Jesus’ name was traditionally Yeshua (a shortened version of Yehoshua), which would be directly translated in English to Joshua. But the name Jesus is not an obscure, profane nickname that someone made up. It did come through a series of language transitions – and the result of that is what most of us use. It went from Hebrew/Aramaic, to Greek, to Latin, to English. (Beginning with Yeshua, ending with Jesus.) It’s still his name, just not a straight-shot from the original Hebrew. I’m not going to explain it in detail here – a basic Google search can dig up more accurate results than what you’re claiming. So imma move on, because there is power in the name of Jesus. And that’s the focus point here.
Although he was not called that during his time on earth, the name is not redundant. God has many, many names – a lot of which were created by people he touched or inspired. For example, this is Hagar’s response to feeling seen and loved after her interaction with the Lord:
“She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.””
~ Genesis 16:13
~ El Roi. The God who sees me. (Genesis 16:13)
~ Adonai. My Lord. (Genesis 15:2)
~ Yahweh. I Am. (Genesis 2:4)
~ El Shaddai. God Almighty. (Genesis 17:1)
~ Immanuel. God with us. (Isaiah 7:14)
~ Yahweh Elyon. Lord Most High. (Psalm 7:17)
~ Yahweh-Nissi. The Lord is my banner. (Exodus 17:15)
~ Jireh. God will provide. (Genesis 22:14)
These are some of his names. But he has so, so many more.
People gave God names from their personal interactions with him and his character. And as far as my memory stretches, he never had a problem with that. He never admonished anyone for saying, “This is who you are to me.” And God gave himself names (plural) for us to use, just like he named us. So before you sit back in your chair and smugly remark “only his true children know his name” (which is a Bible reference, Isaiah 52:6, but it has a very different tone than what he implies here), remember that personal interactions shape how we each know the Lord. Some call him Jesus. Some Yeshua. Some Immanuel. He has many names, and HE KNOWS ALL OF THEM. They are ALL referencing the same person. Do you think he would cast someone aside just because they call him by a different name than you do? That is heartbreaking.
Your approach is not encouraging people to get to know him better. It is making them feel stupid and could cause them to question their salvation entirely.
I already knew his Hebrew name – yet I have also personally experienced demons flee at the name of Jesus Christ. They don’t only recognize his Hebrew name as something to be feared.
I’m not saying you have to use it. If you feel it is inappropriate, inadequate, or inaccurate, that’s your business and you are free to call him whatever you like. (In this case that would be Yashua… which most linguists and scholars believe is not even how it was spelled or pronounced. But again, it’s up to you.)
My issue is not your preference. My issue is that you got in front of a camera and implied that people are not a child of God unless they know and call the Lord by the same name you do. Not everyone knows and/or understands all the background history of translational changes – that does NOT mean they are not his child! You are not encouraging them to dig deeper. If anything this video could be a massive stumbling block to their desire to keep pursuing him.
Additionally, please remember that Jesus doesn’t stop being Jesus just because we don’t always use his Hebrew name. We all know exactly who we’re talking about – and so does he. We are not making his name useless. If that were the case, demons would not react. Prayers would not be answered. Miraculous healings would not occur.
I love you as a brother in Christ, but I encourage you to stop trying to limit our awareness of the power of our Lord. God has many names in the Old Testament, and he responded to all of them. His Son Jesus, Yeshua, Immanuel… he is one and the same. He, like his Father, called himself “I AM.” He and the Father are one, and they know every name we give them. So EVEN IF Jesus was just some made up name with no historical/translational backing (which it’s not), God still knows and responds to it as a name we use when calling out to him.
In conclusion:
Please stop trying to put God in a box.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
~John 3:16
The most well known verse in the entire Bible sums up the gospel perfectly – and it doesn’t call him Jesus or Yeshua, or any other name for that matter. Because it doesn’t have to. We know who it’s talking about. We don’t believe in a specific name to save us – we believe in the personage of our Lord.
Our God has boundaries, and he has commandments we are called to obey. But he isn’t petty. He doesn’t close his ears to those who call on him just because they don’t use his Hebrew name. You have personal beliefs, and that’s fine. But, said with love, you don’t get to pick and choose who God accepts as his child just because they know him by a different name.
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”
~2 Timothy 2:15
“But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.”
~ Titus 2:1
“In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.”
~ John 16:26
That’s as far as I’m going to go today. I’m still boiling a little from his smug attitude, and since speaking in love is a priority for me, imma stop there. I desperately pray that I haven’t gone too far as it is 😅 But I hope yall have a wonderful wonderful day and can find some peace in our amazing Father, who has many names. 🙂
♡~ Skippy
P.S.
Please note that I do not know everything, and I learned a lot about the names Yeshua/Yashua/Jesus while I was researching Brad’s claim. I used Google to find references (specifically verses that I couldn’t remember lol) for quite a bit of this. I am not an expert, nor do I pretend to be. I just like to learn. So I would encourage you to do your own research as well!
Due to the OUTRAGEOUS number of spam garbage I get, I have decided to disable comments on all of my posts – but if you have additional thoughts on this, feel free to hit me up on instagram (@skippy_trippy_clumsy_bones_) and let me know what you think! Have a blessed day!
