Did Jesus Have a Last Name? (Special Podcast Highlight)

Image via Joan Sutter / Shutterstock.


Here’s the rundown from this great moment on The Patrick Madrid Show.

So, a young caller named Ezra from Naperville, Illinois, jumps on the line and asks:

“Um, hi, Mr. Madrid… Did Jesus ever have a last name?”

Great question, Ezra! Patrick jumps in with his usual mix of smarts and warmth.

Short answer: No, Jesus didn’t have a last name like we do today.

Longer answer:

Back in Jesus’ time, people were identified by who their dad was or where they were from.

So instead of “Jesus Christ” like it’s a last name, He might’ve been called “Jesus bar Joseph” — which literally means “Jesus, son of Joseph.”
(Bar means “son of” in Aramaic.)

Patrick Madrid is an acclaimed public speaker and has authored or edited 26 books, which have sold over a million copies worldwide, including foreign-language editions. He hosts The Patrick Madrid Show daily on Relevant Radio.