In the Christian Science Bible Lesson December 26, 2011 ISSUE

'What's in a name?'

For the lesson titled "God" from December 26, 2011 - January 1, 2012

By Ann Edwards

Many people today would cite Juliet’s words from Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet “What’s in a name?” to downplay the importance of names. The ancients, however, took names seriously, believing that a man’s name described his very essence.

This week’s Bible Lesson, titled “God,” leaves us in no doubt that the children of Israel, especially, took the name of God very seriously. They regarded a breach of God’s Fourth Commandment against taking His name in vain no less seriously than the commandment prohibiting murder and adultery. Christ Jesus also hallowed God’s name (see Matt. 6:9, citation 16). Such reverence is worth remembering at this time. Resolving to utter His name, verbally or silently, with a spiritual understanding of who He is, may be the most powerful New Year’s resolution we could make.