“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
— John 1:1 (NRSV)
1. Introduction
If the Father is the eternal Source, the Son is the Word (Logos) through whom that Source is expressed and revealed. Christian theology calls the Son the second Person of the Trinity, co-eternal and consubstantial (homoousios) with the Father. He is not a created being but the eternal self-expression of God who entered human history to redeem it (Athanasius 1980). This article examines the divine and human natures of the Son, the evolution of His name, and His saving role in both biblical and linguistic perspective.
2. Biblical Foundation
From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture identifies the Son as God’s active Word:
- Pre-existence – “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58).
- Creator – “All things came into being through Him” (John 1:3).
- Image of God – “The Son is the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15).
- Redeemer – “Through His blood we have redemption” (Ephesians 1:7).
- Mediator – “There is one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).
These texts present the Son as divine in essence yet personal and relational, acting as God’s revelation to creation.
3. Name and Linguistic Development
3.1 Hebrew: Yehoshua / Yahshua / Yeshua
The Hebrew name Yehoshua (יְהוֹשֻׁעַ) means “Yahweh is salvation.”
During the post-exilic period the shorter forms Yahshua or Yeshua were common.
When the eternal Word took human flesh (John 1:14), this was the personal name assigned to Him (Matthew 1:21).
“You shall call His name Yeshua, for He will save His people from their sins.”
Thus His very name declares His mission: salvation through Yahweh.
3.2 Greek: Iēsous (Ἰησοῦς)
In the New Testament the Hebrew Yeshua was transliterated as Iēsous, the standard Greek form used by early Christians.
Greek had no “sh” sound, so Iēsous approximated the Hebrew pronunciation while adapting to Greek morphology (Bauer et al. 2000).
3.3 Latin and English: Iesus → Jesus
When the Scriptures moved into Latin, Iēsous became Iesus; later English adopted Jesus after the letter J emerged as a distinct consonant (Tyndale 1526; KJV 1611).
Hence, Jesus is the English form of the ancient Hebrew-Greek sequence Yehoshua → Yeshua → Iēsous → Iesus → Jesus.
3.4 Title: Mashiach → Christos → Christ
“Messiah” (Mashiach, מָשִׁיחַ) means “anointed one.”
Greek translators rendered it Christos, from which Christ derives.
Therefore, Jesus Christ literally means “Yahweh’s salvation, the Anointed One.”
The name describes His identity; the title describes His mission.
4. Nature of the Son
The Council of Nicaea (AD 325) affirmed that the Son is “begotten, not made, of one substance with the Father.”
This expresses two simultaneous truths:
- Eternal Divinity – The Son shares the same divine essence as the Father (John 1:1).
- True Humanity – In the incarnation He assumed full human nature (Philippians 2:6–8).
This union of divine and human natures in one person is called the hypostatic union (Chalcedon 451).
Through it the invisible God became visible without ceasing to be divine.
5. Functions and Roles of the Son
| Function | Description | Scriptural Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Revelation | Makes the Father known | John 1:18 |
| Creation | Agent through whom all was made | Col 1:16 |
| Incarnation | God entering humanity | John 1:14 |
| Redemption | Sacrifice for sin | Romans 3:24 |
| Mediation | Intercedes for believers | Hebrews 7:25 |
| Kingship | Reigns eternally | Revelation 19:16 |
The Son reveals God’s mind, redeems the fallen world, and governs creation toward its restoration.
6. Analogy and Understanding
In the natural analogy of sun, light, and heat:
- The sun = the Father, source of being.
- The light = the Son, visible expression revealing the sun’s glory.
- The heat = the Spirit, the felt presence and energy.
The Son is the light through which the Father’s nature becomes visible.
As sunlight carries both brightness and warmth, the Son carries divine truth and love to the world.
7. Worship and Relationship
The Son receives the same honour as the Father:
“That all may honour the Son just as they honour the Father” (John 5:23).
Christian worship addresses the Father through the Son, yet also glorifies the Son as Lord (Philippians 2:10–11).
Believers pray in Jesus’ name because His mediation provides direct access to the Father (John 14:13–14).
The Holy Spirit enables this worship by revealing Christ’s lordship (1 Corinthians 12:3).
8. Glossary
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Logos | Greek “Word”; divine reason or expression (John 1:1). |
| Yahshua / Yeshua | Hebrew “Yahweh is salvation.” |
| Iēsous / Jesus | Greek and English forms of Yeshua. |
| Messiah / Christos / Christ | “Anointed One”; royal–priestly title. |
| Hypostatic Union | Unity of divine and human natures in Christ. |
| Mediator | One who reconciles God and humanity. |
9. Reflection Questions
- How does understanding the linguistic path from Yeshua to Jesus enrich faith and biblical study?
- Why is it important to affirm both the divinity and humanity of Christ?
- In what ways does Jesus reveal the character of the Father to the world?
10. Conclusion
The Son—Yahshua ( Jesus Christ )—is the eternal Word made flesh.
He is fully God and fully human, revealing the Father’s heart and redeeming creation through His death and resurrection.
His name proclaims salvation; His title declares anointing.
Through Him believers encounter the living God, receive forgiveness, and share in divine life.
He remains the radiant Word through whom the Father speaks and by whom the Spirit works.
References
Athanasius (1980) Orations against the Arians. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Bauer, W., Arndt, W.F., Gingrich, F.W. and Danker, F.W. (2000) A Greek–English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd edn. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Chalcedonian Definition (AD 451) in Creeds of Christendom, Schaff (1877).
Holy Bible (NRSV 1989; KJV 1611; Greek Text Nestle-Aland 28th edn).
Tyndale, W. (1526) The New Testament. London: Bagster Facsimile Edition.