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.)