256 BOYS OF THE BIBLE.

Jesus, the name assigned to him by the Angel Gabriel in the
vision of which Matthew speaks.

This name, Jesus, was not an uncommon one in Pales-
tine in those days. It was an adaptation of the name of the
great leader, Joshua, the successor of Moses, who completed
the work of God’s law-giver, and brought the children of
Israel into the promised land. The name really means—for
all Jewish names are full of meaning —‘“ Whose salvation is
Jehovah.” In a broader and wider sense, in the light of
Joshua’s illustrious career, the name came to mean ence a
‘“Deliverer.” So the ee in the vision says: “Thou shalt
call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their
sins.” The name of this wondrous child of Bethlehem is
now publicly announced for the first time. That common
name has become most uncommon now, all because Jesus of
Nazareth invested it with such divine meaning. It is now
the one immortal name. Men would think it sacrilege to
give that name to their children now. We call the children
David and Joshua, Daniel and Abraham and Paul, but not
Jesus! That name is too high, too sacred. Through twenty
centuries that name has been gathering strength and glory,
till at last the word of the Apostle has been realized and.
the name of Jesus is high above all other names that fall
from mortal lips!

The days pass on. One month more, and Jesus is
brought again to the Temple. This time it is for the service
of dedication. All souls are God’s. But from the very
dawn of ancient Judaism this doctrine was taught, that the
first-born son was God’s, in a sacred, special sense. From
the days of Hannah until this day, devout mothers the wide
world over have cherished the desire that thir first-born sons
might minister at God’s altar as Samuel did. The first