{Thou shalt call his name Jesus} (Kalesies to onoma autou
I(8873)oun). The rabbis named six whose names were given before
birth: "Isaac, Ishmael, Moses, Solomon, Josiah, and the name of
the Messiah, whom may the Holy One, blessed be His name, bring in
our day." The angel puts it up to Joseph as the putative father
to name the child. "Jesus is the same as Joshua, a contraction of
Jehoshuah ( Nu 13:16  1Ch 7:27 ), signifying in Hebrew, 'Jehovah
is helper,' or 'Help of Jehovah'" (Broadus). So Jesus is the
Greek form of Joshua ( Heb 4:8 ). He is another Joshua to lead
the true people of God into the Promised Land. The name itself
was common enough as Josephus shows. Jehovah is Salvation as seen
in Joshua for the Hebrews and in Jesus for all believers. "The
meaning of the name, therefore, finds expression in the title
_Saviour_ applied to our Lord ( Lu 1:47  2:11  Joh 4:42 )"
(Vincent). He will save (s(9373)ei) his people from their sins and
so be their Saviour (S(9374)(8872)). He will be prophet, priest, and
king, but "Saviour" sums it all up in one word. The explanation
is carried out in the promise, "for he is the one who (autos)
will save (s(9373)ei with a play on the name Jesus) his people from
their sins." Paul will later explain that by the covenant people,
the children of promise, God means the spiritual Israel, all who
believe whether Jews or Gentiles. This wonderful word touches the
very heart of the mission and message of the Messiah. Jesus
himself will show that the kingdom of heaven includes all those
and only those who have the reign of God in their hearts and
lives. {From their sins} (apo t(936e) hamarti(936e) aut(936e)). Both sins
of omission and of commission. The substantive (hamartia) is
from the verb (hamartanein) and means missing the mark as with
an arrow. How often the best of us fall short and fail to score.
Jesus will save us away from (apo) as well as out of (ex) our
sins. They will be cast into oblivion and he will cover them up
out of sight.