Immanuel
Immanuel means “God with us.” In Scripture it points especially to God’s presence with His people and, in Matthew, to Jesus Christ as the fullest fulfillment of that truth.
At a Glance
Immanuel means God with us and points to Jesus Christ.
Description
Immanuel, meaning “God with us,” is a biblical name found in Isaiah 7:14 and cited in Matthew 1:23. In Isaiah, the name functioned as a sign that God was present with His covenant people and would accomplish His purposes despite immediate political threats. Christians have historically understood Matthew’s use of the name to show that this theme reaches its fullest realization in Jesus Christ, who is truly God and truly man. The term therefore does not merely express divine help in a general sense, but points especially to God’s saving presence with His people, climactically revealed in the incarnation of Christ.