To the Manger and Beyond
A Devotional for Advent and Epiphany
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18. Name Him “Jesus” Scripture Readings: Matthew 1:21, 25; Luke 1:31 What’s in a name? Oftentimes today, names mean nothing, but in the Bible, a name usually says something about the nature of the person it is given to. Take the name “Abraham” for instance. In Hebrew, it means “father of a multitude” (Genesis 17:56). God promised to give Abraham a multitude of descendants and a multitude of nations. God kept his promise and did just that. The name of the Apostle Peter, as well as his other name, Cephas, means “rock.” Jesus said Peter would be the foundation stone of the church (Matthew 16:18). Peter lived up to his name. Conversely, in 1 Samuel 25, Jabal, a man whose name means “fool,” lived up to his name and acted foolishly toward David. He treated David’s men harshly after they had treated him with kindness. His foolishness cost him his life (see 1 Samuel 25:14, 25, 3638). In today’s Gospel of Matthew reading, an angel of the Lord told Joseph in a dream that Mary was pregnant with a son conceived of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20). He told Joseph to name Mary’s baby “Jesus.” Similarly, Luke says the angel Gabriel told Mary to call her baby Jesus. “Jesus” was a common name in New Testament times. It is the Greek form of the Hebrew name “Joshua,” which means “Yahweh saves.” If names mean something, then what will “Yahweh saves” save us from? In the Old Testament, Joshua, “Yahweh saves,” saved the people of Israel from the wilderness. As for this little baby, the angel told Joseph, “He will save His people from their sins.” Jesus’ name declares Jesus’ mission. It is the gospel in a nutshell. Jesus brought salvation to all of the world, to those who will believe. Sin permeates the Old Testament. The Covenant tried to deal with it, but the Covenant was nearly impossible to keep. The world needed a new way. God sent it in His Son named “Yahweh saves.” Do you have a name that you have to live up to? Probably not. That’s a concept not considered in the modern world where names are simply a designation, not a description. But Jesus had such a name, a name of meaning, and live up to it He did! He became the blood sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins. He provided salvation to the world. Yahweh saves! He saves! Notes: 22. The Manger Scripture Reading: Luke 2:67 A manger is literally an animal feeding trough used for feeding sheep, goats, cattle, donkeys, and horses. Isaiah mentions a manger used for a donkey (Isaiah 1:3) and Proverbs for an ox (Proverbs 14:4). Archaeologists have found mangers at Megiddo in Israel. These feeding troughs were often cut out of a rectangular limestone block, a common stone in Israel. They measured about three feet long, eighteen inches wide, and two feet deep. Mary chose to use the manger as much out of utility as anything, since not much was available to be used as a baby bed in a stable. However, this contraption, if clean and lined with soft, cushiony cloths, would be a cozy and safe place for a baby to sleep. When we gaze into the stable, if all we see is a quaint stone feeding trough conveniently used as a crib, then we have missed the point. Luke mentions the manger three times in this sparsely detailed story—2:7, 12, and 16. It purposefully stands out as a very odd place for the “King of the Jews” to rest, and a stable seems to be an inappropriate place to find royalty, particularly one of the ancient lineage of David. Yet here He was. This King was going to be different, very different. In addition to a baby bed, the manger served as a sign in several ways. The shepherds knew they had come to the right place when they saw the baby Messiah lying in this rock box, just as the angel had said He would be. This was their neon light saying, “Here He is!” The manger was also a sign of the nature of the baby lying in it. This King didn’t make His home with the elite in a palace, but rather with common people in a lowly farming village. Just as King David did, the Messiah began his journey spending time among sheep. This marked Him as a Messiah for everyone, regardless of social status. Jesus Christ was a man of humble origins heading toward a humiliating ending (the cross). That was the nature of this Messiah. Mangers were feeding troughs for lambs. This manger held the Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world (John 1:29). In this sense, lying in the manger in a dusty stable was the most appropriate place for the newborn King. Notes:
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About the Book
To the Manger and Beyond: A Devotional for Advent and Epiphany is a Scripture-centered devotional that guides readers through the biblical story of Jesus’ birth, from Old Testament prophecy to the return of the holy family to Nazareth. Organized as a chronological journey, the book traces God’s redemptive plan across nearly 1,800 years, beginning with messianic promises in the Hebrew Scriptures and culminating in the incarnation of Christ. The devotional is divided into five major sections: prophetic foundations for the Messiah, the birth of John the Baptist as forerunner, the annunciation to Mary and Joseph, the birth and early presentation of Jesus, and the visit of the Magi. Each devotion focuses on a specific biblical passage, offering historical, cultural, and theological insight to deepen understanding of the text. Rather than following traditional Advent themes, the book emphasizes close reading of Scripture and situates each event within its broader biblical and historical context.
About the Author
Terry W. Eddinger, a native of Thomasville, North Carolina, retired as the Benjamin Miller Professor of Old Testament and Vice President of Academics at Carolina Graduate School of Divinity, where he taught for 19 years. Dr. Eddinger graduated from Gardner-Webb University with a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Education, from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity, and from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary with a Doctor of Philosophy in Old Testament Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern History. Dr. Eddinger is a retired Rear Admiral from the U.S. Navy Reserve Chaplain Corps with 28 years of service. As a chaplain, he served with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Coast Guard. He is a combat veteran of the Iraq War, serving with Marine Air Group 26, reinforced, in Al-Anbar, Iraq, in 2005. He was the Deputy Chief of Chaplains for Reserve Matters on his final tour. His military biography is available at: https://www.navy.mil/Leadership/Flag-Officer-Biographies/BioDisplay/Article/2366677/rear-admiral-terry-w-eddinger/. Presently, Dr. Eddinger is an on-call member of Samaritan’s Purse DART (Disaster Assistant Response Team), where he responded to the Hurricane Helene disaster in western North Carolina. Also, he serves parttime as a grief counselor for the Office of Military Commissions, Victim and Witness Assistance Program, providing care for 9/11 and USS Cole victim and family members who travel to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to view the Military Commissions. Dr. Eddinger has over 170 publications on a variety of subjects, including a Hebrew translation guidebook titled Malachi: A Handbook on the Hebrew Text with Baylor University Press. He has participated in archaeological excavations in Israel, Jordan, and Greece. He has served at First Baptist Church, High Point, North Carolina, as a Sunday School teacher and special studies instructor for over 25 years. He has served as guest speaker at a variety of church, civic, and military organizations. He is a member of Global Strategy Forum, Military Mountain, a Christian think-tank, and a member of Project Recover, a non-governmental organization that searches for America’s missing-in-action service members. He is married to Cynthia, and has one adult child, Hunter.