Minor Festival: The Circumcision of our Lord and the Name of Jesus

January 1 -- The Circumcision of our Lord and the Name of Jesus

               Lutheran worship is liturgical.  While that often refers to an order of worship, it can also refer to the calendar of the Church Year.  The Church Year includes major festivals, such as Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, Pentecost, etc...  On Sunday, January 1 we recognize a minor festival, the Circumcision of our Lord and the Name of Jesus.

               In order to fulfill all righteousness, Jesus’ parents had him circumcised on his 8^th day.  It was at that time that a Jewish child was named.  In obedience to God’s command, Joseph named him Jesus.  Jesus (or Yeshua, as it would most likely have been pronounced in Arabic) was a pretty common name.  However, for this child, it was most appropriate.  The angel told Joseph why: “You are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21) In the case of our Lord, Jesus was not merely a name, but an identity.  “Jesus” (Greek) means “Savior.”  “Yeshua” (Hebrew/Arabic) means “the Lord saves.”