What's in a Name?

The ancients thought that to know someone’s name was to have power over them. That is beautifully illustrated in the wonderful story of Jacob wrestling with the angel in Genesis 32. When Jacob refuses to let the man go unless he is first blessed, the man asks him his name. “Jacob,” he replies – and is promptly given a new name, Israel (one who strives with God). Yet when Jacob in turn asks the name of the man with whom he has been wrestling all night, the man refuses, saying “Why do you ask?” Here the power relationships are quite clear: the man (angel? God?) has power enough to rename Jacob, but will not let a human have power over him.

This all sounds a bit quaint. Yet there’s a sense of vulnerability when a stranger knows one’s name. Just try walking up to someone who has not met you and calling him or her by name! There will be a look of confusion, possibly fear, followed by “How did you know my name?” and likely a request for yours. Names have power.

Sunday will be the Feast of The Holy Name of Jesus, as the church calls January 1. (The church’s new year began the first Sunday of Advent, remember?) It’s a Christian celebration based on an old Jewish tradition: the circumcision and naming of baby boys eight days after birth. Blessedly, we no longer use the old name for the day (the Circumcision of Christ).

Names have meaning as well as power. Jesus was a common name at the time Christ was born, just like Jesus (hay-ZOOS) is among Hispanic families today. It is equivalent to the Jewish name Joshua (or Yeshua), meaning “The Lord saves.” Not a bad choice for someone who was going to be the world’s salvation! That salvation appears to be in the background in both Matthew’s and Luke’s accounts of the birth of Jesus, where it is overshadowed by the appearances of Magi and angels.

Paul’s letter to the Philippians gives the significance of the name of Jesus, at which every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Many commentators believe that Paul was quoting an early Christian hymn, which itself quoted Isaiah 45:23. Just the name will evoke humility and a confession of praise. This Name has power over us; we do not have power over it.

The power of the Name shows up in the Acts of the Apostles. Peter heals a man crippled from birth by invoking the Name (3:6) and gets arrested for his trouble. Paul casts out spirits using the Name (16:18). Only believers could use the Name’s power, however; when “some itinerant Jewish exorcists” used it, the man they were trying to exorcise overpowered them all and sent them packing, “naked and wounded” (19:16).

Some Christians still use the name of Jesus, repeated quietly over and over, as a form of contemplative prayer. It seeps down into the heart until every stroke beats “Jesus.” Others bow their heads at every mention of Jesus. Both of these are quintessentially Anglican actions, embodying what we believe.

Yes, it may seem odd to have a day dedicated to a name when everyone else is celebrating the New Year. But that Name is above all other names. It has power to heal, power to transform, power to make us into the people whom God knows us to be. When we know the Name of Jesus, we don’t have power over him; he has power over us. Would that everyone knew that Name!

[Feast of the Holy Name: Numbers 6:22-27; Psalm 8; Philippians 2:5-11; Luke 2:15-21.]