Why the Bible Emphasizes the Name of Jesus

Why is there such an emphasis throughout the Bible on doing things in the name of Jesus? We pray in His name. We are saved by His name. We preach, baptize, heal, and suffer in His name. This isn’t a mere formula or tradition it’s a spiritual reality rooted deeply in Scripture and theology.

As Jared from South Carolina asked, why does Scripture stress the name of Jesus rather than simply pointing to His person? The answer, as we’ll see, isn’t that power resides in the name apart from the person of Christ. Rather, the name signifies and encapsulates the fullness of who Jesus is His essence, His authority, His glory. When Scripture talks about the “name,” it is speaking about the person in the fullest possible way.

1. Names Represent Essence

Throughout the Bible, names are more than labels. They communicate identity and destiny. When God changed Abram’s name to Abraham (Genesis 17:5), it marked his calling to be the father of nations. Jacob became Israel because he had striven with God and prevailed (Genesis 32:28). These aren’t random title swaps they are divine revelations of a person’s purpose and essence.

The most profound example comes from God Himself. In Exodus 3:14, when Moses asks for God's name, God replies, “I AM WHO I AM.” The Hebrew name Yahweh is rooted in that phrase. Every time we read “LORD” in all caps, we are meant to remember God’s eternal, unchanging being. His name is not merely what we call Him it is a revelation of His nature.

Likewise, when the Son of God entered the world, He was named Jesus “for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). His name means “Yahweh saves.” He is also called Immanuel, “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). In other words, His names declare His mission and identity.

2. The Name of Jesus Stands for His Person and Authority

When the apostles preached and performed miracles “in the name of Jesus,” they were invoking not a magical phrase, but the authority of the risen Christ. In Acts 3:6, Peter says to the lame man, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” And the man walked. Why? Because Peter was acting in union with Jesus, under His authority.

Paul affirms this in Colossians 3:17: “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.” And then he adds, “giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Here, “in His name” and “through Him” are synonymous. The name of Jesus is shorthand for Jesus Himself His person, His power, His presence.

3. Public Praise Requires a Name

Why not simply say, “Do all things in Christ”? Why this persistent return to His name?

Because names make persons known.

Imagine a world with no names no way to refer to one another, to get someone’s attention, to speak of someone with affection or admiration. Names make communication and relationship possible. They anchor identity in the public sphere.

God intends for His Son to be publicly known, addressed, and praised. As Romans 10:13 declares, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” And Romans 1:5 explains the purpose of the gospel: “to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of His name among all the nations.”

In other words, the name of Jesus is central to God’s mission in the world.

4. His Name Embodies His Fame

Philippians 2:9–10 says:

“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow.”

Here, the “name” is not just the word “Jesus” it is the total recognition of His exalted status, His divine identity, and His sovereign reign. Paul draws this language from Isaiah 45:23, where the same bowing was reserved for Yahweh. This means the name of Jesus now carries the full weight of Yahweh’s identity.

The name of Jesus goes hand in hand with the fame of Jesus. To proclaim His name is to proclaim His glory. That’s why we sing, shout, and spread His name it is the vehicle by which His person is made known and magnified.

5. The Name Invites Both Personal Access and Global Worship

When we pray “in Jesus’s name,” we are not tacking on a religious catchphrase. We are acknowledging our access to the Father comes only through Christ. As Jesus said in John 14:13–14, “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do.” His name is our confidence before the throne of grace.

At the same time, His name is meant to be exalted among all peoples. Revelation 7:9–10 gives us a vision of every tribe, tongue, and nation crying out, “Salvation belongs to our God... and to the Lamb.” That Lamb has a name. He is Jesus.

According to a 2023 Barna study, 73% of U.S. adults say they pray regularly, but only 54% say they believe in the exclusive power of Jesus’s name. This reflects a cultural drift from biblical clarity. The early church didn’t pray in vague spirituality. They prayed in Jesus’s name. And when they were persecuted, it was because they refused to stop speaking and healing in His name (Acts 4:18; 5:40–41).

So Why Does Scripture Emphasize His Name?

Because His name makes His person known. It makes access possible, fame visible, worship personal, and glory global.

To know His name is to know Him. To call on His name is to enter His presence. To glorify His name is to reflect His worth to the world.

Christian, let your lips honor not just a title, but a Person. Let your prayers end with a name not out of routine, but reverence. Let your worship rise not to a vague deity, but to Jesus, whose name is above every name.

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