It was a common Jewish name, but seems to have been almost abandoned
since then by Jews from abhorrence, by Christians from reverence.
The Jewish fanatic who during the siege stalked through Jerusalem
shrieking, 'Woe to the city', and, as he fell mortally wounded, added,
'and to myself also,' was a Jesus. There is a Jesus in Colossians.
We find it as the usual appellation in the Gospels, as is natural. But
in the Epistles it is comparatively rare alone.
The reason, of course, is that it brings mainly before us the human
personality of Jesus. So when used alone in later books it emphasises
this: 'This same Jesus shall so come'. 'We see Jesus, made a little,
etc.'
Found in frequent use by two classes of religionists--_Unitarian_ and
_Sentimental_.
We should seek to get all the blessing out of it, and to dwell, taught
by it, on the thoughts of His true manhood, tempted, our brother, bone
of our bone.
We should beware of confining our thoughts to what is taught us by that
name. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Even with thoughts of His
lovely human character let us blend thoughts of His Messianic office and
of His divine nature. We shall not see all the beauty of Jesus unless we
know Him as the Christ, the Son of the Highest.
And besides the name written on His vesture and his thigh, He bears a
name which no man knoweth but Himself. Beyond our grasp is His
uncommunicable name, His deep character, but near to us for our love and
for our faith is all we need to know. That name which He bore in His
humiliation He bears still in His glory, and the name which is above
every name, and at which every knee shall bow, is the name by which
Jewish mothers called their children, and through eternity we shall call
His name Jesus because He hath finally and fully saved us from our
sins.