Most Holy Name of Jesus, Reflecting "אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה"(I Am) - IHS, YHWH

On the tenth day of Christmastide (January 3), the Roman Catholic Church celebrates the feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus. This is not only the most holy name but also the most powerful name to conquer the darkness of the world by the light of Christ.

The most holy name of Jesus was first brought to Mary by the archangel Gabriel at the annunciation of her virgin pregnancy with the Son of God to name him (Luke 1:31). So she and her husband, Joseph, gave the newborn incarnated Son of God, upon completing brit milar (circumcision) , the name, “Jesus”, as told by the angel (Luke 2:21).

What is so special about the name of Jesus, calling it the Most Holy Name?

These words of Paul from the First Reading (Philippians 2:1-11) give a good reason:

Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.

Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:5-11).

It was, indeed, God the Father, who sent the Son as expiation for our sins (1 John 4:10), exalted him, bestowing the name, Jesus, for his utmost humility and obedience, through which he did the Father’s will to save us by shedding his blood and dying on the Cross (Matthew 26:39//Mark 14:36//Luke 22:42; cf. John 6:38), fulfilling the Messianic suffering prophecy (Isaiah 52:13-53:12). In fact, the Most Holy Name, Jesus, was given to the Son for this reason, as the name in Hebrew, Yeshua, means, “Yahweh is salvation”, as well as, “Yahweh saves”.

Because he is one with the Father, consubstantial with Him (John 10:30), being in the hypostatic union with him, he in Him and He in him (John 10:38), Jesus identifies himself with “I Am”(John 8:24, 28, 58), as God the Father did to Moses with “I Am” (Exodus 3:14). In fact, “I Am”, as spoken by the Father and by the Son, is a very powerful assertion of God’s self-existence.

At the burning bush, Moses asked God what he shall tell Israelites in Egypt when they ask “What is His name?”(Exodus 3:13), God replied to him, “אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶֽהְיֶ֑ה /ehyeh asher ehyeh (I am who I am)” and instructed him to tell the Israelites, “‘אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה /ehyeh’ (I Am) has sent me”(Exodus 3:14). “I Am”( Ehyeh/אֶהְיֶה‎) is the first person singular imperative form of hayah/ הָיָה , which means “to be”. And the name, “Lord” is יְהוָֹה /Yhwh, (e.g. Exodus 6:2), the tetragrammaton of Yahweh, as יְהוָֹה /Yhwh is pronounced, “yud-hey-vav-hey”.

The Most Holy Name, Jesus (Yeshua) is indeed, “I Am” Ehyeh/אֶהְיֶה‎, who is also the Father and to be the Holy Spirit, as well, because Jesus is the Parakletos (1 John 2:1) and the Holy Spirit is another Parakletos (John 14:26). And it was, indeed, Yahweh (Yhwh) , who sent Godself in the Son, incarnated (John 1:14)  in the human flesh of a man, given the Most Holy Name, Jesus (Luke 1:30-33, 35), to save us with his Most Holy Name, “Yahweh saves”.

Being devout Israelites, Mary and Joseph gave circumcision to baby Jesus on the eighth day from his birth (Genesis 17:10-12; Leviticus 12:3) and official gave him the Most Holy Name, “Jesus”(Luke 2:21).  Giving the name until the completion of the circumcision reflects a rabbinic tradition of Abraham’s circumcision reflects God changing his name from Abram to Abraham (Genesis 17:5-10). And they brought him to God for the firstborn dedication for redemption of mankind (Luke 2:22-23), according to the Law (Exodus 13:2, 12, 15).

Therefore, the Most Holy Name, Jesus, evokes the most powerful salvific and redemptive power of Yahweh (Lord), who is and to be, “I Am” who “I Am” ehyeh asher ehyeh). And this is true because of Jesus’ humility and obedience to have died to save and redeem us.

It was St. Bernadine of Siena who promoted the veneration to the Most Holy Name of Jesus, reflecting these words of St. Paul of Tarsus:

The name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11).

St. Bernadine of Siena also devised a monogram symbol for the Most Holy Name of Jesus: IHS,  trigrammaton of the name of Jesus in Greek, "ΙΗΣΟΥΣ", ΙΗΣ. The Greek letter Σ corresponds to Latin letter, S. Thus ΙΗΣ is IHS. 

And the Most Holy Name of Jesus is to be invoked as we fight sins and evils, because we are Ecclesia militans (Militant Church) fighting to become Ecclesia triumphans (Triumphant Church)(Revelation 7:9-17), because it is the name of the most powerful victor, Christus Victor(Christ the Victor). Jesus is the Most Holy Name of the victorious King. And we see the Most Holy Name of Jesus in the monogram form, IHS (ΙΗΣ), engraved in the crucifix, because it is also the most powerful and victorious name of all, because Jesus died on the Cross and resurrected on the third day, for our salvation and redemption.