Call The Son* Of God By His Real Name
- Tammar
- Dec 23, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 26, 2024
Let's Start By Setting The Record Straight:
It is not Jesus - It's Yeshua.
It is not Mary - It's Miriam.
It is not Anne (St. Anne, Miriam's mother) - it is Channa (or Hanna, for those who insist on not pronouncing the Hebrew sound CH).
I have a feeling that a lot of Christians, who believe and follow Yeshua (Jesus) don't know all this.
So here are the facts**:
1) Jesus, Mary, Anne - These Are Not Their Real Names.
Their true names are originally Jewish and Hebrew, which is overlooked due to the translations and adaptations made over centuries to suit Greek, Latin, and Western languages.
Jesus' real name in Hebrew is Yeshua (ישוע, and sometimes in short - Yeshu), which means "salvation" or "to save." The name "Jesus" is a Greek transliteration of Yeshua, adapted to Latin as "Iesus," and later became "Jesus" in English. Yeshu (ישו) is a shortened form of Yeshua used colloquially.
Mary's real name is Miriam (מִרְיָם), a common Hebrew name that appears in the Old Testament (was also the name of Moses' sister).
Anne's real name (traditionally believed to be Mary's mother) is Chana (חַנָּה), meaning "grace" or "favor." In English, this often becomes "Hannah" for easy pronunciation, especially for those who find the guttural "CH" sound challenging, for some reason.
2) Yeshua (reminder - 'Jesus') and Miriam WERE JEWISH, NOT CHRISTIAN.
Yeshua himself never identified as a Christian; that term only came into use later, describing his followers in the early church (e.g., Acts 11:26: "The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch").
Yeshua's Identity as Jewish:
- Yeshua was born into a Jewish family, lived as a Jew, and followed Jewish customs, laws, and traditions.
- He participated in Jewish rituals like circumcision (brit milah), celebrated Jewish festivals like Passover (Pesach), and taught in synagogues.
- His teachings were deeply rooted in the Torah and Jewish thought, aiming to inspire reform and a return to the core principles of Judaism.
Miriam's Identity as Jewish:
Yeshua's mother, Miriam, was also Jewish. She would have observed Jewish dietary laws (kashrut), kept the Sabbath (Shabbat), and followed the Jewish traditions of her time.
Christianity was a Later Development:
- Christianity as a distinct religion began after Yeshua's death, when his followers (primarily Jewish at first) started to believe that he was the Messiah and the Son of God.
- Over time, as non-Jews (Gentiles) joined the movement and Roman and Greek cultural influences grew, the movement evolved into a separate religion, distinct from Judaism.
3) The Origin and Meaning of The Terms CHRIST and CHRISTIANS
The term "Christian" was not one Jesus or his Jewish followers would have used initially.
It emerged later as a label for those who believed Yeshua was the Messiah, distinguishing them from other Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews) in the Roman Empire. Over time, it became the formal name for the religion built around Yeshua's teachings. But here's what's interesting:
Christ is derived from the Hebrew word Mashiach (Messiah)
The word "Christian" comes from the Greek word Χριστός (Christos), which means "anointed one,". It is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Mashiach (משיח, which means Messiah.
The suffix -ianos means "follower of" or "belonging to."
So, "Christian" essentially means "follower of the anointed one (followers of the messiah)."
Christian was initially a derogatory label - history tells us that early Christians were a minority group, and their beliefs were considered strange or radical by the surrounding pagan and Jewish communities.
Similar to how groups often receive labels from those outside the group, "Christian" was initially a dismissive term that was later embraced by the followers themselves. Despite its initial use as a label of disdain, the term 'Christian' eventually became a badge of identity for Yeshua's followers.
4) Distancing From Judaism
Initially, Yeshua's followers were seen as a sect within Judaism (sometimes called "The Way").
However, as Gentiles (non-Jews) joined the movement and theological differences emerged, the term "Christian" helped distinguish Jesus' followers from traditional Jewish groups.
This historical separation DOES NOT erase the Jewish origins of Yeshua and his teachings.
These are the facts.
Based on these facts - here is what I value and stand for:
I am not a believer*. I am a factual person.
But if I were pushed into a corner and asked what I believe in, I would say this: I believe in the power of belief. This power inspires individuals, shapes communities, and drives humanity forward and, unfortunately, also backward. And that is why I think both believers and non-believers should acknowledge the facts above.
If you truly believe in God - you should call his son* by his real name: YESHUA.
More importantly, acknowledge that as a Christian, your faith is rooted in the teaching of a Jewish person, which you follow and believe in.
Think about it. Really think about the meaning of this: the next time you witness or hear about acts of ANTISEMITISM, consider this connection between Christianity and Judaism.
Reflect on your role as a believer, in standing against hate and supporting the Jewish heritage that underpins your faith.
If you are a believer and a follower of Yeshua, a Jewish person who you admire - how can you remain silent when hate against Jews arises?
Recognizing this connection is not only an act of faith but also an act of justice.
More than that - even if you are not a person of faith, understanding and acknowledging these HISTORICAL FACTS will, undoubtedly, lead to JUSTICE.
* And one more thing for clarification: despite the title of this article - I don't believe that Yeshua was the son of God. And I'm not going to debate about that so please don't comment about this issue. I'm here to state facts and nothing but the facts. So help me.
** These facts have been cross-verified through historical and linguistic research (see link below), including tools like ChatGPT and Grok.
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