Written by Dr. Barry Waugh, B.B. Warfield |
Wednesday, January 10, 2024
Consider the greatness of the Son of God….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.

“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.
The Names and Designations of Jesus in the New Testament
AdvocateAdvocate with the FatherAlpha and OmegaAmen, the Faithful and True WitnessApostle and High Priest of our ConfessionAuthor and Perfecter of our FaithAuthor and SaviorAuthor of LifeAuthor of SalvationBeginning and the EndBeginning of the Creation of GodBelovedBishop of our SoulsBread of GodBridegroomBright and Morning StarCaptain of SalvationChosen One of GodChristChrist a KingChrist JesusChrist Jesus our LordChrist Jesus our SaviorChrist Jesus the LordChrist of GodChrist the King of IsraelChrist the LordChrist the Son of the Living GodComforterComing OneDespot [a household master or lord]DoorEffulgence of God’s GloryElect of GodEternal LifeFaithful and TrueFaithful and True WitnessFaithful WitnessFirst and the Last and the Living OneFirstbornFirstborn of the DeadGloryGodGod and Savior, Jesus ChristGod over allGod’s ChristGod’s Own SonGod’s Son, JesusGood ShepherdGood TeacherGreat God and SaviorGreat Shepherd of the SheepGuideHe that hath the Keys of DavidHe that hath the Seven Spirits of God and the Seven StarsHe that hath the sharp, two-edged SwordHe that Holds the Seven StarsHe that is Holy and TrueHe that Loved us and loosed us from our sinsHeir of all thingsHigh PriestHoly and Righteous OneHoly OneHoly One of GodHoly ThingHouse MasterImage of GodImage of God’s SubstanceImmanuelJesusJesus ChristJesus Christ our LordJesus Christ our SaviorJesus Christ the LordJesus Christ the NazareneJesus Christ the RighteousJesus Christ the Son of the FatherJesus MasterJesus of NazarethJesus our LordJesus, surnamed ChristJesus, the GalileanJesus, the King of the JewsJesus, the NazareneJesus, the Prophet from Nazareth of GalileeJesus, the Son of DavidJesus, the Son of GodJesus, the Son of JosephJesus, the Son of the Most-High GodKingKing of IsraelKing of Kings and Lord of LordsKing of the JewsLambLamb of GodLamb that hath been slainLifeLife EternalLightLight of ManLight of the WorldLion that is of the Tribe of JudahLiving OneLordLord and ChristLord and GodLord and SaviorLord and Savior Jesus ChristLord ChristLord JesusLord Jesus ChristLord of GloryLord of Lords and King of KingsLord of the HouseLord’s ChristManMan ChildMasterMaster and Lord Jesus ChristMaster of the HouseMediator of the New CovenantMessiahNazareneOnly begottenOnly begotten from the FatherOnly begotten GodOnly begotten SonOnly begotten Son of GodParacletePriestPrincePrince and SaviorPrince of LifePrinciple of the Creation of GodProphetRabbiRabboniResurrection and the LifeRighteous OneRoot and Offspring of DavidRuler of the Kings of the EarthSaviorSavior of the WorldSent of GodServant of GodShepherdShepherd and Bishop of our SoulsSonSon of AbrahamSon of DavidSon of GodSon of JosephSon of ManSon of the BlessedSon of the Living GodSon of the Most HighSon of the Most-High GodTeacherTrue God and Eternal LifeWordWord of GodWord of Life
AMEN, AND AMEN
Dr. Barry Waugh attends Fellowship PCA in Greer, SC. This article is used with permission.
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