I Know a Name

Yeshua HaMashiach is a Hebrew phrase that translates directly to "Jesus the Messiah". 

• Yeshua (יֵשׁוּעַ): The Hebrew and Aramaic personal name for Jesus, which is a shortened form of Yehoshua (Joshua). It literally means "salvation" or "Yahweh saves".
• HaMashiach (הַמָּשִׁיחַ): Composed of the definite article ha ("the") and mashiach ("messiah" or "anointed one"). In ancient Hebrew culture, anointing with oil was done to set apart kings, priests, and prophets for a sacred office. 

Historical and Theological Context

• Not a Last Name: "Mashiach" is a title rather than a surname, equivalent to the Greek Christos (Christ), meaning "the Anointed One".
• Connection to Mission: In biblical tradition, naming him Yeshua reflected his role as the promised spiritual deliverer and embodiment of rescue for humanity.
• Linguistic Evolution: The name Yeshua transitioned into Greek as Iēsous, Latin as Iesus, and eventually English as Jesus, while HaMashiach transitioned into Greek as Christos and English as Christ