Acts Theology 18: No Other Name

Acts 4:12 declares, "There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." This statement emphasizes that salvation is found exclusively through the authoritative person of Jesus, not merely in a set of letters or a word. This idea of the "name" of God being embodied as a person is also seen in Peter's explanation of Jesus as the "stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone" (Acts 4:11).
In the Old Testament, God is sometimes referred to as "Ha Shem," "the Name," and in some passages, "the Name" is personified, even depicted with anthropomorphic language. This concept is evident in Exodus 23, where God says to Moses, "My name is in him," referring to an angel that would lead the Israelites, implying the angel was an embodiment of God. When New Testament writers use "the name" in relation to Jesus, particularly to a Jewish audience, it triggers these Old Testament theological ideas of God's embodiment. Additionally, the reference to Jesus as the rejected stone that became the cornerstone in Acts 4:11 directly quotes Psalm 118:22, which in its original context speaks of a king giving thanks for victory after being doubted. New Testament writers like Peter repurpose this imagery to highlight Jesus' rejection and subsequent vindication.
Understanding this "name theology" and the Old Testament background helps us grasp the profound nature of the early church's message. Confessing Jesus' name means acknowledging his divine authority and unique role in salvation, before whom all must ultimately bow. The New Testament consciously applies Isaiah 45:22-23, where Yahweh declares "To me every knee shall bow," to Jesus in Philippians 2:9-11, indicating Jesus' universal rule.
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