Generally speaking, names have far greater significance in ancient society than in Britain today.
Exploring the meaning of the names of biblical characters and how that relates to unlocking theological truths is a fascinating exercise. Here then is a snapshot survey of some key Scripture names culminating with the Lord Jesus Christ, the name above all names.
The family of Adam
Some words in Hebrew and Greek are almost impossible to describe with a single English word. The name Adam means ‘red earth, dust, clay and man’. ‘Adam called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all the living’ (Genesis 3.20). The Bible teaches that Adam was the first representative of the human race, formed from the dust and that the Lord Jesus is the Second Man and the Last Adam and that, as a result of Adam’s sin, sin entered the world and death spread to all men, yet through the Second Man, grace abounded to many (1 Corinthians 15.45-49; Romans 5.12-15).
