The Beautiful Names of Jesus in the Bible

Throughout the Bible, the name of Jesus resonates as readers discover him as the One who was prophesied about in the Old Testament: the long-awaited Messiah, the Savior of the world.

The Book of Isaiah, one of the most profoundly prophetic books in the Old Testament, creates a portrait of Jesus the Messiah through names and titles that foreshadow his coming. These names are not just descriptors but carry deep theological significance, revealing various aspects of his character and mission. The New Testament writers also point us to more descriptors of our living and loving Savior. We will examine just a few of the many names of Jesus in this short post.

The Messiah in Isaiah

First, in Isaiah, we find Jesus called:

The Branch of the LORD (Isaiah 4:2)
This title portrays Jesus as the righteous shoot from the lineage of David, who will bring life, renewal, and restoration to his people. The Messiah’s Jewish ancestry is carefully detailed in the genealogy in Matthew 1:1–17. This is critical as it places Jesus squarely in the lineage of the Jewish nation, God’s chosen people, from which God had promised to deliver the world (see Genesis 12:1-3).

Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14)
Isaiah wrote, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” (7:14). This name, meaning “God with us,” encapsulates the incarnation of Christ, emphasizing that Jesus is not just a messenger from God but God himself: the very Creator of the universe, the all-knowing God of the Bible, dwelling among and interacting with humanity. This was true when Jesus was born as a baby (see Luke 2) but is still true today as Jesus himself superintends the universe and offers us his love, comfort, instruction, and guidance through his Holy Spirit (see John 14:26-27).

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6)
These four authoritative titles provide a multifaceted view of Jesus. As a Wonderful Counselor, he sees and knows about our strengths and weaknesses; he administrates our lives and helps people to live for him as he guides those who follow him with divine wisdom. The title Mighty God affirms his deity; Everlasting Father speaks to the unchanging nature of his eternal care for his people. Finally, as the Prince of Peace, Jesus brings reconciliation between God and humanity—and eternal peace as we consider what his work in the world has done for us in this life and the next.

The Servant of the LORD (Isaiah 42:1)
This title reflects the humility and mission of Jesus, who came not “to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). Please read Isaiah 42 for a beautiful description of Jesus as God’s beloved Servant.

This intention of Jesus was exhibited in his washing of his disciples’ feet when he was just hours from his crucifixion. After he did so, he said to his followers, “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you” (John 13:14–15). To read the full account of the Creator of the universe humbling himself to serve his creatures, see John 13:1–17.

The Light to the Nations (Isaiah 49:6)
“I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6). Jesus, as the Light of the World (see John 8:12), brings the hope of salvation not just to Israel but to all nations, fulfilling God’s promise to Abraham that through his offspring, all nations would be blessed.

Each of these names in Isaiah offers a glimpse into the multifaceted role that Jesus plays in God’s redemptive plan. They point to his divinity, his role as a Savior, and the fulfillment of God’s promises to humanity. Through these titles, Isaiah not only predicts the coming of the Messiah but also reveals the profound nature of who Jesus is and what he would come to accomplish in the world and for all those who would believe in him.

Jesus’ Claims About Himself

Turning to the New Testament, we find Jesus making claims about himself, where he clearly describes to his listeners who he is and what he came to do. The book of John carefully records the names that Jesus claimed for himself, pointing to Old Testament fulfillments as he announced to his hearers who he knew himself to be:
• “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35)
• “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12)
• “I am the gate for the sheep” (John 10:7, 9)
• “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11, 14)
• “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25)
• “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6)
• “I am the true vine” (John 15:1, 5)

We understand that these claims are true; they were visibly and audibly confirmed by the voice of God himself when he said from the heavens, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17; Luke 3:22).

God’s confirmation of Jesus’ identity echoes the Old Testament promise of a prophet who would be like Moses coming to the world to proclaim God’s plan for his people. Moses wrote, “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him” (Deuteronomy 18:15-19).

Other Names of Jesus in New Testament

The New Testament writers echoed the prophesies of the Old Testament when they described their beloved Savior. Matthew especially depicts Jesus as the promised Messiah for whom the Jewish people had eagerly awaited over the centuries.

Each name recorded by the Gospel writers reveals a different aspect of who Jesus is. As stated before, these names are not just labels; they are profound expressions of Jesus’ divine nature, his relationship with humanity, and his work of salvation. Listen as the words of Isaiah and other Old Testament prophets resonate in these names.

Immanuel — God With Us (Matthew 1:23)
The name “Immanuel” in this passage echoes the prophecies of Isaiah 7 and declares Jesus’ presence as being equal to God’s presence with humanity. Set in Gospel accounts of his birth, such as Luke 2, we see the Father’s tender love for his people in sending his very own Son into a world relentlessly marked by distance and separation from God himself.

Jesus came into the world not only as a child, but also as the One unique individual in all of history who was at the same time both God and human (see Philippians 2:6–8).

In his incarnation, work, death, and resurrection, Jesus embodies the truth that God is not far off but near. Through his Holy Spirit, Jesus lives in our hearts and empowers us to do his work. Through that Spirit, he has never left those who choose to believe in his saving work. Jesus’ name Immanuel reassures us that God has fulfilled his promise to be intimately involved in our lives, understand our struggles, and offer us his constant guidance and presence.

King of the Jews — The Ruler of the Nations (Matthew 27:37; Mark 15:26; Luke 23:38; John 19:19)
Jesus fulfilled the Messianic expectations of the nation of Israel in his life, death, and resurrection. Knowing what had to be accomplished to fulfill his mission of bringing redemption to the world, Jesus carefully orchestrated his own crucifixion. (The Gospel of John, with its perspective of time as it was written some 30 years after the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, carefully details Jesus’ intentionality in this regard.)

Pilate, the Roman official who reluctantly presided over Jesus’ crucifixion, placed a placard on the cross that held Jesus temporarily suspended between earth and heaven. That sign read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews” (Matthew 27:37). While the Jewish leaders protested that the sign should say that Jesus only claimed to be the king of the Jews, Pilate refused to change it (see John 19:16–25). The story of what was written on that placard stands through the centuries as a telling monument to the reality of Jesus’ continuing position in the world and the universe (for more on this, see Romans 11).

The Lamb of God — The Sacrifice for Sin (John 1:29)
When John the Baptist saw Jesus, he declared, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). This title highlights Jesus as the perfect and ultimate sacrifice for sin. In the Old Testament, unblemished lambs were offered as sacrifices for sin; but Jesus, the Son of God but also the Lamb of God, offered himself once and for all to take away all of the sins of humanity. This name speaks to his purity, his willingness to suffer for us, and his role as the perfect and final atonement.

The account of Jesus’ life and death in the book of John reinforces, in many different ways, the fact that Jesus offered himself as our Passover Lamb—the one single perfect sacrifice for our sins. As he entered Jerusalem during his Triumphal Entry, scholars tell us he was likely accompanied by hundreds if not thousands of sacrificial lambs that were headed into the city as well for the celebration of Passover (see John 12:12–19). He celebrated the Passover meal with his disciples (see John 13) and was crucified on the Friday of one of the holiest festival weeks in the Jewish religious tradition. In so doing, he paid the price for the sins of all humanity—for all who will turn to him (see Romans 6:23)—at a critical time in the Jewish nation’s history, all in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.

The Living Stone — The Foundation of God’s Kingdom (1 Peter 2:4–6)
This title emphasizes Jesus’ foundational role in the faith as the one who established the world at Creation and who underpins and oversees the church today. As the living Stone, Jesus is the cornerstone upon which the Christian church is built—symbolizing strength, stability, and the eternal nature of God’s kingdom. It is on this living Stone that believers over the centuries have built their trust for this life and the next.

This title also highlights the contrast between human rejection and divine selection, reminding believers that though Jesus was dismissed by many (see Matthew 21:42), he is the central cornerstone of God’s redemptive plan—unshakable and ever-present in the lives of those who follow him (see also Isaiah 28:16).

The King of Kings and Lord of Lords — Supreme Ruler (Revelation 19:16)
This majestic title declares Jesus’ supreme authority over all earthly powers and kingdoms. As the “King of kings and Lord of lords,” Jesus reigns over all creation with unmatched power and glory. This name reassures us that no matter how powerful earthly rulers may seem, Jesus is the ultimate Ruler who will establish his kingdom of justice and righteousness forever.

David succinctly and clearly reflected the truth of this name for Jesus when he wrote Psalm 2. For David’s insight into the Messiah as Ruler, please take a minute to read that psalm.

The Alpha and the Omega — The Beginning and the End (Revelation 22:13)
Finally, Jesus refers to himself as the “Alpha and the Omega,” the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, signifying that he is the beginning and the end of all things. This name speaks to his eternal nature, his sovereignty over history, and his role as the creator and consummator of the universe. It reminds us that Jesus is the ultimate authority and the fulfillment of God’s plan to redeem and restore creation.

Those who follow Jesus can integrate this title into their own lives and hearts as they lean upon and trust Jesus for every decision and every care and concern in their lives. Jesus calls us to trust in him in prayer, making that the first (Alpha) response we have to a new celebration or complication in our lives, and to trust him and his Word as the last (Omega) word for our life and the practice of our Christian faith.
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The names of Jesus in the Bible are more than just titles; they are windows into his divine nature, his mission of love and redemption, and his relationship with all those who believe and trust in him. These and many other names of Jesus in the Bible reveal different facets of his character, offering us a window into who Jesus is and leading us to experience comfort, guidance, and hope in our relationship with him.

As we meditate on these beautiful and amazing names, may we be drawn closer to understanding the depth of Jesus’ love for us and the incredible gift of his presence in our lives. Whenever we call him Immanuel, the Good Shepherd, the Light of the World, or the Prince of Peace, we can be confident that Jesus our Messiah is everything we will ever need and more.

By Mike Vander Klipp, a senior editor with the Zondervan Bible Group, where he’s been privileged to work for the past three decades. He and his family live in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

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