I would like to respond to this in two ways: 1) By showing, from Scripture, that JESUS IS THE MESSIAH; and 2) By showing that THE NAME JESUS REVEALS THAT HE IS GOD. We will read from the New King James Version.

Regarding #1, let’s look at two accounts in the gospel of John that proves, beyond a doubt, that JESUS IS THE MESSIAH. In John 1:35-42a we read, “Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, ‘Behold the Lamb of God!’ The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, ‘What do you seek?’ They said to Him, ‘Rabbi’ (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), ‘where are you staying?’ He said to them, ‘Come and see.’ They came and saw where He was staying and remained with Him that day…One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him. ‘WE HAVE FOUND THE MESSIAH’ (which is translated, the CHRIST). And he brought him to Jesus.” Later, in John 4:25-26, 28-29 we read, “The woman said to Him (Jesus), ‘I know that MESSIAH is coming’ (who is called CHRIST). ‘When He comes, He will tell us all things.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you am He.’…The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, ‘Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?”

We see that in both cases (of Andrew and the Samaritan woman) Jesus was revealed to them as “the Messiah/Christ.” He was the long-awaited Messiah which was predicted for centuries by Old Testament prophets. He not only declared Himself to be the Christ, but after people confessed Him as the Christ, He never rejected this profession of faith in Him as their Messiah; He gladly accepted it.

Now let’s look at a few passages of Scripture to prove that the name “Jesus” reveals that “He is God.” In Matthew 1:21 we read, “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS.” Now let’s read John 1:12, “But as many as received Him (Jesus), to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who BELIEVE IN HIS NAME.” Finally, let’s read Isaiah 45:21-22, “Tell and bring forth your case; Yes, let them take counsel together. Who has declared this from ancient time? Who has told it from that time? Have not I, the LORD? And there is NO OTHER GOD BESIDES ME, a just GOD and a SAVIOR; There is none besides Me. ‘Look to ME, and BE SAVED, all you ends of the earth! For I AM GOD, and there is no other.”

In the first passage Joseph was told to name Mary’s Son JESUS. Why? Because He would “SAVE His people from their sins!” In other words, He would be their Savior and the very name “Jesus” means “Savior.” In the second passage we learn that to become a child of God one must receive JESUS by BELIEVING IN HIS NAME, which simply means, one must BELIEVE HE IS YOUR SAVIOR. In the third passage we learn that GOD IS THE SAVIOR OF MEN! He is “a just GOD and a SAVIOR.” We can rightly conclude then that JESUS IS GOD, for He is the SAVIOR!   (452.5)  (DO)