Jesus Justus
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- For other uses of the name Jesus, see Jesus (disambiguation).
Jesus Justus or Iesous ho legomenos Ioustos (in Greek) is referred to by the Apostle Paul of Tarsus in Colossians 4:11.
Paul tells the Church at Colossae in his epistle (letter) from Rome that "Jesus who is called Justus" sends his greetings.
[edit] His Life
Justus is described as one of Paul's fellow "workers" in bringing Christianity to the people of Rome. Writing from prison, Paul recounts his difficulties and trials in spreading his message. Justus is shown as a friend, true to Paul while many others had either fallen away, or dismissed him outright. Although there are other men called "Justus" in the New Testament (Acts 1:23 refers to "Joseph called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus," and Acts 18:7 mentions one Titius Justus), there are no other biblical references to this Jesus Justus, and very little is known about his life.
The name Jesus was not uncommon at the time of Jesus the Christ, as it was a form of the Old Testament name Yahshua. In Hebrew (or Aramaic) the name means "Yahweh saves."
[edit] Yahudis by Birth
Justus is recorded as a member of the group of three Yahudis which included Paul's fellow prisoner Aristarchus, Mark (the cousin of Barnabas) and Justus. They are said by Paul to be the "only Yahudis among my fellow workers for the kingdom of Yah" and to have "proved a comfort to me." (Literally, they are said to be men "of the circumcision.")
