Yeshua

Yeshua, spelled יֵשׁוּעַ in Hebrew, is believed by some scholars and religious groups to be the Hebrew or Aramaic name for Jesus. It is extensively used by Messianic Jews and Hebrew Christians, as well as others, who wish to use what some believe to be the original Hebraic pronunciation of Jesus' name. This pronunciation and spelling, as with many religious and scholarly issues, remains the subject of ongoing debate.

Etymology

Among the Jews of the Second Temple Period, the Biblical Aramaic/Hebrew name יֵשׁוּעַ "Yeshua`" was common: the Hebrew Bible mentions several individuals with this name. This name is a feature of biblical books written in the post-Exilic period like Ezra and Daniel and was found in the Dead Sea Scrolls. Strong's Concordance identifies the name יֵשׁוּעַ Yeshua`, in the English form Jeshua (as used in multiple instances in Ezra, Nehemiah, and 1 and 2 Chronicles), with the meaning "he will save" -- Hebrew word number 3442 and the same lettering in its Aramaic form -- Heb. 3443. "The New Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers 1990). This comports with the Hebrew rendition of Matthew 1:21: "She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus [Yeshua` means "he will save"], for He will save His people from their sins" (NASB).

The name יֵשׁוּעַ "Yeshua" (translated into English Old Testament as Jeshua) is a late form of the Biblical Hebrew name יְהוֹשֻׁעַ Yehoshua (Joshua), spelled יְהוֹשׁוּעַ. The Late Biblical Hebrew spellings for earlier names often contracted the theophoric element Yeho-. Thus יהוחנן Yehochanan contracted to יוחנן Yochanan.

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