The Case Against Replacing "Jesus" with "Yeshua" in Contemporary Christian Practice: A Historical and Linguistic Analysis

Recent years have witnessed a growing movement among certain Christian denominations to replace the traditional English name "Jesus" with "Yeshua," reflecting a perceived return to the Hebrew roots of the Christian faith. This paper argues against this shift, drawing on historical, linguistic, and theological evidence, including the analysis of the Deir Ali Marcionite inscription (318 CE). It contends that "Jesus" is the historically validated English transliteration of the Koine Greek Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous) and was adapted to the linguistic and cultural contexts of early Christianity. The use of "Yeshua" risks anachronism, theological misalignment, and a misrepresentation of early Christian identity, particularly in light of sectarian variations like the Marcionites.