St. Paul exhorts of the importance of the Holy Name of Jesus: “At the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven, on earth and under the earth (Phil 2:10).
Name is so closely associated with identity of a person in all cultures. In Israel, a year-old male lamb without blemish is prescribed for the Passover feast which celebrates God’s deliverance of his people from the Egyptians (Ex. 12:5). The blood of the Lamb applied to the doorsteps of their houses spared the Israelite firstborn when the angel of the Lord struck down every first born in Egypt. Now, John the Baptist points to Jesus coming to him as the ‘Lamb of God’ who takes away the sin of the world. Jesus is the Paschal Lamb without blemish whose blood saves the new Israel from sin and death.
Holy Name is all powerful because of the person who bears it. Bible witnesses three benefits by the power of the Holy Name of Jesus.
1. In the power of name of JESUS, we have “deliverance from evil”. Exorcism formula of the church always uses the name Jesus. “There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death” (Rome 8:1).
2. In the power of name of Jesus, we have “salvation.” Acts 3:6, Peter said to the man, In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise and walk!”
3. In the power of the name of Jesus we have “forgiveness of sins”. Acts 2:38, which says, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" Acts 2:38).
Fr. Jerry Joseph Vallomkunnel MCBS