TUESDAY
On the significance of names in Scripture let’s look at a couple of places where names are changed.
Jacob
Jacob means he takes by the heal or he cheats. It can imply deception and trickery. At the birth of Jacob and his twin brother Esau we see how Jacob got his name.
Genesis 25:26 26 Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob.
Jacob certainly lived up to his name as his brother Esau will say after Jacob had deceived their father Isaac into giving him Esau’s blessing and birthright.
Genesis 27:36 36 Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me these two times. He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing.” Then he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?”
Later on in Jacob’s life he wrestles with a man, likely the pre-incarnate Christ, and the man changes his name to Israel.
Genesis 32:27–30 27 And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28 Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. 30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.”
Daniel
Daniel’s is a case of a negative name change. Daniel lived in the time that Judah was taken captive by Babylon. Daniel as among the young men taken to serve the king of Babylon in his palace. He
Daniel 1:6–7 6 Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah. 7 And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego.
This was the practice of the Babylonians when they took captives to their city. By changing their name they were hoping to change their identity and how they perceived themselves. Daniel sounds similar to Hebrew words that mean either God judges or God is mighty. Belteshazzar on the other hand begins with the Babylonian deity bel and sounds similar to other Akkadian words that mean protect the life of the king. So the Babylonians attempted to change his identity by changing his name. However, this did not take with Daniel. God still revealed himself as mighty through Daniel’s life and Daniel remained faithful to Yahweh even as a slave in a pagan culture.
Peter
Next we come to Peter. Peter’s name was previously Simon. Simon was a popular name in the first century as Jesus had another disciple named Simon among the 12. It could have been taken from the Hebrew word that means “he has heard”.
After Simon boldly declares that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, Jesus changes his name.
Matthew 16:17–18 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
His name change signifies his new role in the church. He is to have the most prominent role among the disciples in the early years of the church. His sermon at Pentecost reveals him stepping into this role that Jesus gave him (Ac 2). The gospel of Mark is likely the accounting of Jesus’ life through Peter as he dictated the events to Mark. The other 2 synoptic gospels, Matthew and Luke, relied heavily on Mark as a source. So here again Peter’s account is foundational in the writing of the gospels.
Reflection
Imagine yourself as one of the characters listed above. Imagine your name being changed and the new identity that that conferred upon you.