Have you ever heard someone say, “Hey, you can call me anything you want… just don’t call me late for dinner.” Well, that is our word for today: Called.
Jesus was called by many names. In Isaiah 9:6 it says, “…And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Now this is not suggesting that Jesus would actually be called by these names, but it is saying that He would be worthy of them. Well, in like fashion the angel Gabriel told Mary what her son would be called.
In Luke 1:35 the angel said, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.”
Now in the original Greek text, here is what it literally says. Wherefore also, the thing being born Holy will be called Son of God. The words will be called are surrounded by the words Holy and Son of God. In other words, the child will be called Holy but he will also be called Son of God. In essence then, he will be called the Holy Son of God.
The words will be called is one word in the Greek text. It is the verb kaleó which means to call out loud, to address, to name. So, here in Luke 1:35 it is referring to specific designations that would identify the child. The child would actually be called Jesus of Nazareth, but his true identity would be the Holy Son of God.
Now you know the real meaning of the word.
Jesus of Nazareth just tells you where He lived. The Holy Son of God tells you who He really is.