Pre-conceived Name

“And she will have a son, and you [Joseph] are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)

“You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you [Mary] will name him Jesus.” (Luke 1:31)

Mary and Joseph both got the angelic memo: Mary the Virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Yeshua/Jesus/Rescuer. In Matthew, Joseph is told that you-singular will name him Jesus. In Luke, the surprised virgin is told upon visitation, you-singular will name him Jesus. So, they both had the same direction and order!

Interestingly, it’s not:

one member of the couple knows what’s coming and the other doesn’t;

one has insider information to the special name, and the other is out in the dark;

one will be left to explain why they named him Jesus, and the other shrugs, when asked, and says, “I have no idea; ask Mary/ask Joseph…that’s not my deal.”

It was actually both their deals. Phenomenally, they were both told. They were both let in completely—at separate times—on the name of the most important baby who would ever be born. And this telling of the name happened before he was conceived. It was a pre-conceived name.

Usually, pre-conceived means that a conclusion is formed beforehand, especially before one has evidence to support its truth or usefulness. Interestingly, it usually means an idea hatched and believed in advance and is usually wrong. It usually goes with pre-conceived idea, or pre-conceived notion. Thus, an idea or notion that is a given, or a conclusion, but before anything else has been explained or worked out. The one speaking it says that it’s already done and understood, of course! But in this case, the name was literally pre-conceived. The angel knew the name of the baby before Mary knew she would become pregnant—as a virgin!

The baby’s name wouldn’t be announced when he was flopping around and crying on the delivery room table. His name was identified and known long before that.

There was no sonogram or ultrasound that would let them know the sex of the baby in advance. It was old school. As my dad said about not knowing in advance of the birth whether it was a boy or girl: “There are some things you are supposed to wait to find out.”

But the word of the angel was the ultimate sonogram. (And by the way, I assume the same angel—Gabriel—who told Mary was also the angel who told Joseph? Matthew’s account doesn’t identify the name of the angel. But I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s the one, sharing the same info.) Before the child is even in the womb, virgin take note:  you will give birth to a baby boy, and the name is picked out already: Jesus. Yeshua. Rescuer. “Emmanuel, God with us.” Just a further note on that, while you are still collecting your thoughts: “He will save his people from their sins.”

That’s your baby! Complete knowledge in advance of what sex, and with what name, and what it means!

No pressure, Mary! Take heart, papa Joseph. The pre-conceived name of the baby is the heart of the all-time, world-changing message. The baby named Rescuer, who will change the world. Forever.

Isn’t it nice to receive multiple confirmations on what to do next?

“Father, thank you for giving this same naming message at separate times to the mother and to her fiancé. The more we read this story, the more we pinch ourselves and try to absorb all the ways that you orchestrated the coming of such a special baby. We are yet again thankful for the assurance you give us your people of the steps to take, especially when we are fearful or unsure.”