Our Wonderful Rose: A Note on Our Daughter's Name
Natalie and I have been slowly slipping our daughter’s name amongst our friends as we eagerly await her arrival in February. We thought we would share in written words what could be missed by simply hearing it. Her name is Magnalia Rose Hawkins. Most have probably heard it as Magnolia Rose. The difference in pronunciation is almost undetectable, but the meaning is quite different.
Magnolia is a rich Southern name stemming from an elegant flower that flourishes in our southeastern states. The bloom first appeared with this name in 1703 in honor of a French botanist, Pierre Magnol (1638–1715). Magnalia, on the other hand, has a much more ancient history. Roughly two thousand years ago, in an upper chamber overlooking Jerusalem, a band of spiritual brothers and sisters had converted the place into a waiting room. Their dearest friend, and now their crucified and risen Lord, left them for his Father’s throne but promised to send his heart by sending another. Luke records the end of their waiting in his divinely inspired history of the early church:
1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:1–4).
Jesus was true to his word. The disciples became a bonfire for the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit himself, that has not been quenched to this day. The Spirit came in power to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ in endless tongues. The diaspora of Jews present for festivities in Jerusalem were dumbstruck by this supernatural preaching of God’s redemptive history in their own languages. Luke describes their reaction:
5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine” (Acts 2:5–12).
As they marvel at the fountain of God’s Spirit pouring forth the good news through country Galileans, they describe the content of these tongues of fire as “the mighty works of God” (Acts 2:11). The Greek reads, τὰ μεγαλεῖα τοῦ θεοῦ. The adjective of God’s work is megaleia, an adjective meaning “magnificent, splendid, mighty, wonderful.” God’s deeds in Christ being proclaimed in a thousand tongues must be adorned with beautiful modifiers. The Latin Vulgate translates the last sentence this way: …audivimus loquentes eos nostris linguis magnalia Dei (Actus Apostolorum 2:11). English: “....we have heard them speak in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.”
Magnalia Dei. Here is where our baby girl’s name emerges. Magnalia is an adjective that adorns the deeds of our God. It is not the head noun, it is the supportive adjective. In other words, it is not the star of the show, it is God’s ornament. Our child is a wonderful work of God simply by him gifting her to us, and we hope her name inspires her to beautify God and his gospel through a bold, Spirit-filled heralding of the good news (Acts 2) and a gentle, Spirit-filled integrity of character:
3 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious (2 Peter 2:3–4).
I [Caleb] first came across this great Latin line of Acts 2:11 in one of my most cherished theological books by one of my most beloved theologians: The Wonderful Works of God by Herman Bavinck. In his 1907 edition, the title was simply Magnalia Dei. Below is the explanation of his choice to coin the book with these words.
The name is taken from Acts 2:11. There it is told that the disciples of Jesus, as soon as the Holy Spirit had been poured out on them, began to proclaim the great works of God in languages understood by all. These great works of God certainly do not refer, as is sometimes the case elsewhere, to one specific event, such as, for example, the resurrection of Christ, but to the entire household of salvation which God had brought about through Christ. And the Holy Spirit was poured out precisely in order that the congregation might learn to know these works of God, glorify them, and thank and praise God for them.
Therein lies the idea that the Christian religion does not exist merely in words, in a doctrine, but that it is, in word and fact, a work of God, which was brought about in the past, is being worked out in the present, and will only be completed in the future. The content of the Christian faith is not a scientific theory, nor a philosophical formula for explaining the world, but a recognition and confession of the great works of God, which are being created through the ages, encompass the entire world, and will only be completed in the new heaven and the new earth, wherein dwells righteousness (Herman Bavinck, Foreword to Magnalia Dei [1907]).
Bavinck is right when he says the works of God are “the entire household of salvation which God had brought about through Christ.” God is still doing glorious deeds, saving and sanctifying sinners from every tribe and tongue through the person and work of Christ and the filling of his Spirit. Our daughter’s name is a prayer of faith that she would be a wonderful work of God through salvation in Christ. After that, she can begin to be an adornment of the God who wonderfully worked in her life.
Now and then, we will call her our Wonderful Rose.
We love you Magnalia and are ready to praise God as you burst into this world and our hearts.
–Caleb & Natalie