- Hebrew: Yeshua (ישוע)
- Greek: Iēsous (Ἰησοῦς)
- Latin: Iesus
- English/Tagalog: Jesus
“So ibig mo bang sabihin, lahat ng Kristiyanong tumawag sa Kanya bilang ‘Jesus’ mula Pentecost hanggang ngayon ay lost?”
Eh ‘di parang sinabi mong walang ligtas sa buong church history. That’s not just wrong, that’s pride disguised as piety.
As Acts 4:12 says:
“There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Dagdagan ko na nang klaro at maayos. Short, pastoral, taglish, pero may solid linguistic, historical/exegetical notes so klaro:
Una ang punchline: “Yashua” is not the normal Jewish/Hebrew form; the historically and linguistically attested form is Yeshua (ישוע), derived from Yehoshua (יהושע, “Joshua”).”
Ngayon, bakit ganun? Step-by-step:
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Hebrew forms & grammar paano nagbago ang pangalan
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The older, full form is Yehoshua (יהושע), yom-Hebrew for “Yahweh is salvation” (short: Yehō-shu‘aḥ). This is the name we meet in the OT as Joshua, Moses’ successor.
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In late 2nd Temple Hebrew / Aramaic speech, the name often appears in the shortened form Yeshua (ישוע). Grammatically, ito ay isang natural contraction: the medial waw (ו) + vowel pattern of Yehoshua is elided, and the result is Yeshua, still carrying the root ישׁע (y-sh-‘, “save, deliver”).
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Spelling: Yeshua = יֵשׁוּעַ (yod-shin-vav-ayin). This is the form attested in many Jewish and Christian sources for the historical Jesus’ Semitic name.
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“Yashua” (ייָשור-style) would require a different vowel/pattern and is not the common historical form in Hebrew/Aramaic documents; it’s rare or anomalous in the Jewish onomastic record.
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Church history & manuscript pathway (how Yeshua → Iēsous → Jesus)
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Jewish/Palestinian Aramaic/Hebrew speakers in the 1st century used Yeshua. Greek scribes transliterated that into Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous) because Greek lacks the exact consonant/vowel system and the final ‘ayin’ sound; Latin then rendered it Iesus, which developed into English Jesus.
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So “Jesus” in English is simply the normal Greek/Latin transmission of the Semitic Yeshua. Language shift, not name-theft.
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Jewish witnesses/authorities (ancient & modern) — why they support Yeshua as the normal form
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Ancient: The Dead Sea Scrolls and other late Second Temple inscriptions show the name Yeshua/Yeshu as a common Jewish personal name in that period (many priests and laymen bore that name). (Scholarship on DSS notes multiple Y-sh-‘ names.)
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Rabbinic literature sometimes uses shortened or polemical variants (e.g., Yeshu), but that reflects polemic, not a neutral onomastic practice. Be careful: medieval and later Jewish anti-Christian traditions sometimes deliberately altered the name; that’s not the same as the historical Semitic name.
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Josephus (first-century Jewish historian) uses the Greek form Iesous when referring to Jesus — that corroborates the Greek transliteration route from a Semitic original.
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Modern Jewish & Christian scholars (e.g., Geza Vermes, E. P. Sanders, and others in historical Jesus scholarship) treat Yeshua (ישוע) as the historically probable Semitic name of Jesus of Nazareth. They analyze onomastics, inscriptional evidence, and manuscript tradition to show this.
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Exegetical caution: what this means theologically
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Correcting the pronunciation/spelling is helpful for historical precision: Yeshua better reflects the man’s Semitic name.
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But beware of two errors: (a) name-mysticism claiming salvation hinges on pronouncing “Yahusha” or “Yeshua” exactly; (b) overreaction, saying “Jesus is a wrong name” in a condemning way to people who worship the same Person but in another language. Bible and church history demonstrate that the same Person is referred to across languages.
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Theologically, what matters is the Person confessed (Acts 4:12), not the phonetic form you use.
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Practical, pastoral wrap: what to tell folks who insist on “Yahusha / Yashua”
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If someone prefers Yeshua (ישוע), that’s fine and historically defensible.
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If someone insists that Yashua is the only “true” form and judges those who say “Jesus,” that claim is both linguistically weak and pastorally harmful. We shouldn’t make salvation depend on a pronunciation.
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Use the correct Hebrew term, Yeshua, when teaching a Semitic background; explain the Greek/Latin/English transmission so that people see the continuity rather than an alleged corruption.
From Yehoshua to Jesus: The Real Story Behind the Name
Main Point:
The name “Jesus” (Greek Iēsous, Latin Iesus) faithfully comes from the Hebrew Yeshua (ישוע), not “Yashua” or “Yahusha.” There’s no conspiracy, just language history and proper Hebrew grammar.
1. The Hebrew Roots
| Form | Script | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yehoshua | יהושע | “Yahweh is salvation” | Original full Hebrew form (e.g., Joshua son of Nun) |
| Yeshua | ישוע | Shortened late Hebrew/Aramaic form | Common in post-exilic times (Nehemiah 8:17; Ezra 3:2) |
| Yashua / Yahusha | ❌ Not attested | — | Grammatically and historically incorrect Hebrew form |
Hebrew Grammar Insight:
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The prefix Yeho- often contracts to Ye- in later Hebrew speech (like Yehonatan → Yonatan).
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That’s why Yehoshua → Yeshua is natural, but Yashua doesn’t follow the pattern.
2. Ancient & Modern Witnesses
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Dead Sea Scrolls: Contain the name Yeshua for several Jewish men.
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Josephus (1st century): Uses Iēsous (Greek transliteration).
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Rabbinic texts: Sometimes shorten it to Yeshu, a later polemical abbreviation, not the real name.
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Modern Scholars (Jewish & Christian) like Geza Vermes, Craig Evans, and Larry Hurtado all agree that Yeshua was the historical form.
3. The Language Lineage
יהושע (Yehoshua)
↓ contraction
ישוע (Yeshua)
↓ Greek transliteration
Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous)
↓ Latin form
Iesus
↓ English
Jesus
Acts 4:12 – “There is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
→ Same Person. Different language. Same salvation.
4. Beware of “Name Legalism”
Some groups (Sacred Name movements) claim only “Yahusha” or “Yashua” saves. But salvation isn’t a phonetic test, it’s a matter of faith in the Person (Romans 10:9–13). Even the apostles preached Christ in Greek, not Hebrew, because they knew His identity mattered more than the syllables.
Pastor Ronald’s Takeaway
“Jesus, Yeshua, Iēsous — all point to the same Lord and Savior.
The power is not in the sound of the name, but in the Person behind it.
If the early Church used ‘Iēsous’ and heaven understood, then the point isn’t pronunciation — it’s relationship.”
Former Adventists Philippines
“Freed by the Gospel. Firm in the Word.”
For more inquiries, contact us:
Email: formeradventist.ph@gmail.com
Website: formeradventistph.blogspot.com
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