As I said last week, I have always been intrigued by the many names of Jesus because each name gives us a picture of who He is. We have looked at some of the names which declare his identity. Today, let’s look at names which declare the character of Jesus.
Last week, we read how John named Jesus “The Word”. He goes on to tell us that
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 1:14
Our Jesus is full of grace and truth. Does that alone not fill your heart?! However, there is so much more we can learn about the character of Jesus just by learning more about the names he has been given.
The Good Shepherd
A good shepherd doesn’t just watch over the sheep. He makes sure they have plenty of food to eat, protects them from those who would do them harm, searches for them if they wander off from the flock, and cares for them if they get injured.
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.”
John 10:27-28
As The Good Shepherd, we see the character of Jesus as a loving caregiver who will protect us and provide for us.
The Prince of Peace
One of the actual definitions of peace is “a state of harmony between people or groups”. As the Prince of Peace, Jesus restores our relationship with God. He brings us into a “state of harmony” with our Creator. One that is impossible without Jesus bridging that gap created by our sinful nature.
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…”
Romans 5:1
Peace is also “a state of stillness, silence or serenity.” When we rest in Jesus, we rest in that sweet stillness that is Jesus.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33
As the Prince of Peace, God has declared the character of Jesus as one who will provide the peace that makes us whole with him.
Wonderful Counselor
“Wonderful” in Hebrew is pala, which translates as something “uncommon” or something that is “unexplainable”. While we know Jesus is the son of God, we cannot completely understand or explain the fullness of who this Wonderful Jesus truly is.
When we ask for someone’s counsel, we are asking for some knowledge and wisdom that we cannot find on our own. Before Jesus’ birth, God declared Jesus as Wonderful Counselor because he possesses knowledge and wisdom that is beyond our understanding.
“The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him – the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—”
Isaiah 11:2
Everlasting Father
Many of us are blessed with loving earthly fathers and can associate the characteristics of that father with Jesus. For those who did not have the privilege of learning what it means to be a good father, this can be a hard concept to fully understand.
A father is supposed to be loving, kind, supportive, and protective. He teaches with patience and gentleness, and is not mean, cruel, or spiteful. A father’s love never ends while he is still on this earth.
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!”
I John 3:1
As our Everlasting Father, Jesus is all of these things and even more, and the best part of all, is that there is no end!
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:38-39
As Everlasting Father, God declared the character of Jesus as a father with unending love which goes on forever and ever.
I believe Jesus has many names because we need many ways to help us understand all that he is.
We are not capable of comprehending the entirety of this one called Jesus. However, through his names we can begin to get to know him just a little bit better.
Click on the links below to find the other posts in this series:
Names of Jesus: His Purpose
If you are looking for other Advent or Christmas resources be sure to check out the links below.
You can download a free Advent Hymn study for you and your family here.
Learn a little bit of how to put family time back into the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season here.
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