bwaugh“What’s in a name?” asks Juliet as she speaks to Romeo from the balcony in Shakespeare’s tragedy Romeo and Juliet. Whether a rose be called by another name, it would still have its sweet fragrance. But when it comes to the designations or names of Jesus in the New Testament there is quite a lot in a name with each one fully inspired and providing information about his person and work.
The list of designations for Jesus that follows this introduction was drawn from the “Index of the Designations of our Lord” on pages 307-11 of The Lord of Glory, which was written by B. B. Warfield and published by the American Tract Society of New York in 1907. The book was written to show the abundant evidence from Scripture testifying to the divinity of Christ in an era when his identity as the Son of God was not only increasingly questioned by some professing Christians but also denied. Editor John H. Kerr of the American Tract Society compiled an index of the designations for Jesus in the book with page references for the purpose of locating occurrences, so since the references are not needed for the current purpose, the page numbers have been removed. Some designations have been relocated in the list and use of “the” has been eliminated because it occurred repeatedly and interrupted the flow. For example, instead of listing “Author (the) and Perfector of our Faith,” for “the Author and Perfector of our Faith,” as did Kerr, the entry is written “Author and Perfector of our Faith.” Warfield was grateful to Kerr for his indexing work.
Any value the book may have is very greatly increased by the full and accurate index of the passages of Scripture cited, which has been prepared by the Rev. Dr. John H. Kerr, Secretary of the American Tract Society, to whom also is wholly due any accuracy which may have been attained in printing the book. The great pains which Dr. Kerr has taken in verifying the numerous references with his own hands and otherwise watching over the actual printing of the book, have made the printed volume almost as much his as the author’s; and the author takes this opportunity of acknowledging them and returning his thanks for them. There are two other indexes, one of which gives a list of the designations our Lord employed in the New Testament, while the other notes the authors cited.
The list that follows includes 163 designations for Jesus in the New Testament. Some of the terminology could have been updated but I wanted the list to read as the designations were presented in The Lord of Glory. Note that the list includes only those designations mentioned by Warfield in the book and may not be a complete list of New Testament terminology about Jesus . Clarification comments are included in brackets.
It is a devotional experience to read through this list and consider the aspects of Jesus’ person and work brought out by each one. The terminology is rich in its theology with an abundance of Old Testament language that looks forward to and describes Jesus. You might find it beneficial to read the list aloud and consider the greatness of the Son of God particularly in our era of suspicion regarding the supernatural. Even though Bible readers will be familiar with the terms, it is a different experience to read them gathered in a list. As the Crucifixion and Resurrection remembrance called Easter approaches, it is hoped this list of designations helps readers to think of the greatness of the Incarnation, Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus.
Barry Waugh
The Names and Designations of Jesus in the New Testament
Advocate
Advocate with the Father
Alpha and Omega
Amen, the Faithful and True Witness
Apostle and High Priest of our Confession
Author and Perfecter of our Faith
Author and Savior
Author of Life
Author of Salvation
Beginning and the End
Beginning of the Creation of God
Beloved
Bishop of our Souls
Bread of God
Bridegroom
Bright and Morning Star
Captain of Salvation
Chosen One of God
Christ
Christ a King
Christ Jesus
Christ Jesus our Lord
Christ Jesus our Savior
Christ Jesus the Lord
Christ of God
Christ the King of Israel
Christ the Lord
Christ the Son of the Living God
Comforter
Coming One
Despot [a household master or lord]
Door
Effulgence of God’s Glory
Elect of God
Eternal Life
Faithful and True
Faithful and True Witness
Faithful Witness
First and the Last and the Living One
Firstborn
Firstborn of the Dead
Glory
God
God and Savior, Jesus Christ
God over all
God’s Christ
God’s Own Son
God’s Son, Jesus
Good Shepherd
Good Teacher
Great God and Savior
Great Shepherd of the Sheep
Guide
He that hath the Keys of David
He that hath the Seven Spirits of God and the Seven Stars
He that hath the sharp, two-edged Sword
He that Holds the Seven Stars
He that is Holy and True
He that Loved us and loosed us from our sins
Heir of all things
High Priest
Holy and Righteous One
Holy One
Holy One of God
Holy Thing
House Master
Image of God
Image of God’s Substance
Immanuel
Jesus
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ our Lord
Jesus Christ our Savior
Jesus Christ the Lord
Jesus Christ the Nazarene
Jesus Christ the Righteous
Jesus Christ the Son of the Father
Jesus Master
Jesus of Nazareth
Jesus our Lord
Jesus, surnamed Christ
Jesus, the Galilean
Jesus, the King of the Jews
Jesus, the Nazarene
Jesus, the Prophet from Nazareth of Galilee
Jesus, the Son of David
Jesus, the Son of God
Jesus, the Son of Joseph
Jesus, the Son of the Most-High God
King
King of Israel
King of Kings and Lord of Lords
King of the Jews
Lamb
Lamb of God
Lamb that hath been slain
Life
Life Eternal
Light
Light of Man
Light of the World
Lion that is of the Tribe of Judah
Living One
Lord
Lord and Christ
Lord and God
Lord and Savior
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
Lord Christ
Lord Jesus
Lord Jesus Christ
Lord of Glory
Lord of Lords and King of Kings
Lord of the House
Lord’s Christ
Man
Man Child
Master
Master and Lord Jesus Christ
Master of the House
Mediator of the New Covenant
Messiah
Nazarene
Only begotten
Only begotten from the Father
Only begotten God
Only begotten Son
Only begotten Son of God
Paraclete
Priest
Prince
Prince and Savior
Prince of Life
Principle of the Creation of God
Prophet
Rabbi
Rabboni
Resurrection and the Life
Righteous One
Root and Offspring of David
Ruler of the Kings of the Earth
Savior
Savior of the World
Sent of God
Servant of God
Shepherd
Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls
Son
Son of Abraham
Son of David
Son of God
Son of Joseph
Son of Man
Son of the Blessed
Son of the Living God
Son of the Most High
Son of the Most-High God
Teacher
True God and Eternal Life
Word
Word of God
Word of Life
AMEN, AND AMEN
