ead of "a certain sorcerer, a
false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-Jesus," _i.e._, son of
Jesus. Josephus mentions many of the same name. Thus our Lord took
a common name, but a Name which henceforth was to be above every
name.

As the Name _Jesus_ is the same as Joshua, its {153} significance may
be learned from its derivation. Joshua the son of Nun was first
called _Oshea_, but Moses changed it to Jehoshea, (contracted to
Joshua) from _Jah_, (Jehovah) and Oshea, Saviour, and meaning, "He
by whom _God will save_ His people from their enemies." Thus Joshua
was a type of the spiritual Saviour of the world. The name as borne
by our Lord means "God our Saviour," as the angel declared, "for He
shall save His people from their sins." The ancient prophecy that
He should be called "_Emmanuel_, God with us," was fulfilled when
our Lord was called JESUS. When then we profess our belief in JESSU
as we do in the Creed, it is as if we said, "I believe that JESUS,
in the highest and utmost importance of that Name, to be the Saviour
of the world. I acknowledge there is no other way to Heaven beside
that which He has shown us; there is no other means which can
procure it for us but His Blood; there is no other person who shall
confer it on us but Himself. And with this full acknowledgment I
_believe_ in JESUS." (See HOLY NAME.)

John Baptist, Saint.--The forerunner of our Lord who was sent to
prepare the way for His coming. He was miraculously born of Zacharias
and Elizabeth, both being "old and well-stricken in years." Although
he suffered martyrdom, he is commemorated on the day of his
Nativity, as his birth heralded the Incarnation. The Festival of the
Nativity of St. John Baptist has been observed since the fourth or
fifth century on June 24th, as this was undoubtedly the day of his
birth, since he was six months older than our Lord. This date, also,
is supposed to be {154} connected with his words, "He must increase,
but I must decrease." The days after June 24th begin to decrease in
length, but after the Christmas Tide they begin to increase. St.
John was beheaded by Herod Antipas, when he was about thirty years
old. He was a Prophet, the greatest of all--the last Prophet of the
Old Dispensation and the first of the New, and our Lord declared
that among all previously born of women none was greater than John
the Baptist. In ecclesiastical art St. John Baptist is variously
represented, with a lamb on a book, small cross, c