The Name "Jesus"
Since the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, many people have come to view the New Testament writings in a different way. Some scholars, like the late Dr. Robert Lindsey, believe that (other than Paul’s writings) most all of the books of the New Testament were originally written in Hebrew.
But wasn’t Greek the language used by Jesus and his followers? Can we know for sure what language Jesus spoke? Let’s look at Acts 26 when Paul was on the road to Damascus.
Acts 26:14
14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking to me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the pricks.”
15 And I said, “Who are you, lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus
whom you persecute.”
Notice whose voice this was and what language it was being spoken in. Most of the evidence we have today indicates that Jesus
was a Hebrew speaking, Torah observant Jew, who conducted his life in a very Jewish way. Over the years, both his words and deeds have been presented in a very Greek way. Even the name “Jesus” is part of an inaccurate presentation. The Hebrew name
Yeshua (meaning salvation), transliterated into Greek is
Iesous, transliterated then into English is Jesus.