The Hebrew name Yehoshua (יְהוֹשׁוּעַ) is rendered in English as "Joshua." It comes from two root words: YHVH (יְהוָֹה) - the name of God yasha (יָשַׁע) - to save, to help, or to deliver So the name means literally "God saves," "God helps," or "God delivers." The Greek form of this name is Iésous (Ἰησοῦς),... Continue Reading →
What Does It Mean for Jesus to Be Our Advocate?
An advocate is someone who pleads for or promotes your cause. The term comes from the Latin word advocatus, which is a combination of ad ("to") and vocatus ("called") (Online Etymology Dictionary). An advocate is a person you would call to your side to defend you when you are under attack. The apostle John identified... Continue Reading →
Why Is Jesus Called the Great Mediator?
Mediation is the process of intervening in order to resolve a dispute or heal a broken relationship. To be successful, the mediator must have the trust of both parties and must be able to understand what is required to repair the breach between them. Isaiah prophesied that the Savior would come to earth, "[pour] out... Continue Reading →
How Is Christ Like a “Refiner’s Fire” and “Fuller’s Soap?”
Last week, I wrote about how Isaiah used parallelisms to clarify his message. The prophet Malachi also used this technique in his writings. In a passage which was quoted by the Savior during His visit to the American continent, Malachi asks a question about the Savior's Second Coming: "But who may abide the day of... Continue Reading →
How Is Christ the “Messenger of the Covenant?”
We receive messages in many forms. Some are written, some are spoken, and some are delivered by actions. When the Savior appeared to a group of people on the American continent following His death and resurrection, He quoted two chapters from the book of Malachi, asking them to write the words down. The name Malachi... Continue Reading →
How Is Jesus Both “the Father and the Son?”
Yesterday, I wrote about a phrase used by the prophet Abinadi to describe the Savior: "the light and the life of the world." Today, I'd like to talk about another pair of titles Abinadi also applied to Jesus Christ: "the Father and the Son" (Mosiah 15:2). What did he mean by that? After quoting Isaiah's... Continue Reading →
How Is Jesus Christ “the Light and the Life of the World?”
The priests of King Noah believed that we are saved by the law. The prophet Abinadi pointed out their hypocrisy: "If ye teach the law of Moses why do ye not keep it?" (Mosiah 12:29). But he went on to teach them a fundamental principle of the gospel: "Salvation doth not come by the law alone;... Continue Reading →
What Is the Significance of the Name “Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace?”
In Isaiah 9 (which is quoted by Nephi in 2 Nephi 19), the prophet Isaiah provides a long name for the Messiah. Most of the time, names are not translated. For example, the name Immanuel, which means "God is with us," is left untranslated in the King James Version of the Bible. However, the name... Continue Reading →
What Is the Significance of the Name “Immanuel?”
Immediately after describing how the Lord called him to be a prophet, Isaiah tells the story of an assignment he received from the Lord. He was to deliver a message to Ahaz, the king of Judah. The Lord told him where to meet Ahaz (at the upper pool, just outside of Jerusalem) and who to... Continue Reading →
Why Is Jesus Called “the Good Shepherd?”
Since ancient times, prophets have compared God with a shepherd in order to emphasize His gentle leadership. King David began a psalm of trust and gratitude with the words, "The Lord is my shepherd" (Psalm 23:1). Sheep are largely defenseless against their predators. An important role of a shepherd is to to protect his sheep... Continue Reading →
