these facts, Matthew’s Gospel (quoting Isaiah 7:14) uses the Greek word par·theʹnos, meaning “virgin,” to translate ʽal·mahʹ, saying: “Look! The virgin [par·theʹnos] will become pregnant and will give birth to a son, and they will call his name Immanuel!” (Matt. 1:22, 23) In no way was this taking liberties or distorting the text. Over a century earlier the Jewish translators of the Greek Septuagint had also used par·theʹnos in rendering Isaiah 7:14.

This identity of Jesus Christ as Immanuel did not mean he was the incarnation of God, ‘God in the flesh,’ as proponents of the trinity teaching claim is implied by the meaning of Immanuel, namely, “With Us Is God.” It was a common practice among Jews to embody the word God, even Jehovah, in Hebrew names. Even today Immanuel is the proper name of many men; none of whom are incarnations of God.

If there seems to be a conflict between the angel’s instructions to Mary (“you are to call his name Jesus”) and Isaiah’s prophecy (“she will certainly call his name Immanuel”), let it be remembered that Messiah was also to be called by yet other names. (Luke 1:31; Isa. 7:14) For example, Isaiah 9:6 said concerning this one: “His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” Yet none of these names were given to Mary’s firstborn as personal names, neither when he was a babe nor after he took up his ministry. Rather, they were all prophetic title-names by which Messiah would be identified. Jesus lived up to the meaning of these names in every respect, and that is the sense in which they were prophetically given, to show his qualities and the good offices he would perform toward all those accepting him as Messiah. So also with his title Immanuel. He measured up to and fulfilled its meaning.

Worshipers of Jehovah have always desired God to be with them, on their side backing them up in their undertakings, and often he reassures them that he is, sometimes giving them visible signs to this effect. (Gen. 28:10-20; Ex. 3:12; Josh. 1:5, 9; 5:13–6:2; Ps. 46:5-7; Jer. 1:19) If today the personal identity of Immanuel in the days of Ahaz remains uncertain, it may be that Jehovah so directed in order not to distract the attention of later generations from the Greater Immanuel, when he put in his appearance as a sign from heaven. With the coming of his beloved Son to earth as the promised Messianic “seed” (Gen. 3:15) and rightful heir to the throne of David, Jehovah was furnishing his greatest sign that he had not forsaken mankind or his Kingdom covenant. The title-name Immanuel, therefore, was particularly appropriate to Christ, for his presence was indeed a sign from heaven. And with this foremost representative of Jehovah among mankind, Matthew under inspiration could truly say, “With Us Is God.”

IMMER

(Imʹmer) [sheep, lamb].

1. A descendant of Aaron designated head of the sixteenth priestly division in David’s time. (1 Chron. 24:1, 6, 14) Apparently 1,052 of his descendants returned with Zerubbabel from Babylon in 537 B.C.E. (Ezra 2:37; Neh. 7:40) Two of the “sons of Immer” were among those putting away their foreign wives in Ezra’s time.—Ezra 10:20, 44.

2. Father of Meshillemith (or Meshillemoth); possibly the same as No. 1 above.—1 Chron. 9:12; Neh. 11:13.

3. Father of the priest Pashhur, an opposer of Jeremiah who had the prophet put in stocks. Jeremiah prophesied that Pashhur and all his house would be taken to Babylon. (Jer. 20:1, 2, 6) If the designation “the son of Immer” is to be understood as denoting a descendant rather than an actual son, this Immer may be No. 1 above.

4. Father of Zadok, one who shared in repairing Jerusalem’s wall. (Neh. 3:29) This Immer may, however, be the same as No. 1 above, if the designation “the son of Immer” is to be regarded as meaning a descendant.

5. Seemingly a place in Babylonia from which certain priests returned who were unable to prove their genealogy.—Ezra 2:59; Neh. 7:61.

IMMERSION

See BAPTISM.

IMMORTALITY

[Gr., a·tha·na·siʹa].

The Greek word is formed by the negative prefix a followed by a form of the word for “death” (thaʹna·tos). Thus, the basic meaning is deathlessness.

The expressions “immortal” or “immortality” do not occur in the Hebrew Scriptures. They do show, however, that Jehovah God, as the Source of all life, is not subject to death, hence, is immortal. (Ps. 36:7, 9; 90:1, 2; Hab. 1:12) This fact is also emphatically stated by the Christian apostle Paul in referring to God as “the King of eternity, incorruptible.”—1 Tim. 1:17.

As the article on SOUL shows, the Hebrew Scriptures also make plain that man is not inherently immortal. References to the human soul (Heb., neʹphesh) as dying, heading for the grave and being destroyed are numerous. (Gen. 17:14; Josh. 10:32; Job 33:22; Ps. 22:29; 78:50; Ezek. 18:4, 20) The Christian Greek Scriptures, of course, are in harmony and likewise contain references to the death of the soul (Gr., psy·kheʹ). (Matt. 26:38; Mark 3:4; Acts 3:23; Jas. 5:20; Rev. 8:9; 16:3) Therefore the Christian Greek Scriptures do not controvert or alter the inspired teaching of the Hebrew Scriptures that man, the human soul, is mortal, subject to death. The Christian Greek Scriptures, however, do contain the revelation of God’s purpose to grant immortality to certain of his servants.

CHRIST’S IMMORTALITY

The first one described in the Bible as rewarded with the gift of immortality is Jesus Christ. That he did not possess immortality previous to his resurrection by God is seen from the inspired apostle’s words at Romans 6:9: “Christ, now that he has been raised up from the dead, dies no more; death is master over him no more.” (Compare Revelation 1:17, 18.) For this reason, when describing him as “the King of those who rule as kings and Lord of those who rule as lords,” 1 Timothy 6:15, 16 shows that Jesus is distinct from all such other kings and lords in that he is “the one alone having immortality.” The other kings and lords, due to being mortal, die, even as did also the high priests of Israel. The glorified Jesus, God’s appointed High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, however, has an “indestructible life.”—Heb. 7:15-17, 23-25.

The word “indestructible” here translates the Greek term a·ka·taʹly·tos, meaning, basically, “indissoluble.” The word is a compound of the negative prefix a joined to other words relating to a “loosening down,” as in Jesus’ statement regarding the loosening down or throwing down of the stones of the Temple at Jerusalem. (Matt. 24:1, 2) Also, in Paul’s reference to the loosening down of the earthly “tent” of Christians, that is, the dissolving of their earthly life in human bodies. (2 Cor. 5:1) Thus, the immortal life granted Jesus upon his resurrection is not merely endless but is beyond deterioration or dissolution and beyond destruction.

KINGDOM HEIRS GRANTED IMMORTALITY

For the anointed Christians called to reign with Christ in the heavens (1 Pet. 1:3, 4), the promise is that they share with Christ in the likeness of his resurrection. (Rom. 6:5) Thus, as in the case of their Lord and Head, the anointed members of the Christian congregation who die faithful receive a resurrection to immortal spirit life, so that “this which is mortal puts on immortality.” (1 Cor. 15:50-54) As with Jesus, immortality in their case does not mean simply everlasting life, or mere freedom from death. That they, too, are granted the “power of an indestructible life” as fellow heirs with Christ,