034A - Is a Christian Required to Use the Sacred Name?

 


https://www.ucg.org

https://www.ucg.org/united-news/is-a-christian-required-to-use-the-sacred-na  

  There are many names and titles of God in the pages of the Bible.

Thanks for admitting right at the onset of your article, that there is a definitive difference in a, “name” and a, “title”. Hence your opening statement of many names and many titles.

Some people believe that humans must use only one name when addressing God—the Hebrew word YHWH. This is known as the Tetragrammaton, Greek for "the four letters" or "the four characters." However, there are many other names and titles of God in the pages of the Bible.


How can there be many titles of another title that is God? It would be rather right to say that there are many titles for the Creator.

Some people still insist that this name is unique. Yet it can be clearly demonstrated that other names for God are also identified as unique, and identified by God as such, in Scripture.

Definition of Unique: being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else.

Please show me any title used for representing the Hebrew Covenant Elohim (God) more than 5000 times in the Hebrew, Aramaic or Greek scriptures? Only one only one distinctive name is represented by the Hebrew letters Yod-Heh-Vav-Heh (YHVH) more than 5500 times in the Bible.

So those some people you are referring to, are 100% accurate in considering YHVH as unique.

In Matthew 1 we find the story of Joseph and Mary. An angel appears to Joseph to tell him that he need not fear to take Mary as his wife, for she has become pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Then in Matthew 1:21 the angel says, "And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."

Jesus is not the name of our Messiah. First you don’t want to use the unique name of YHVH, for reasons considered valid by you. With one erring judgement, you move on to the second more serious error of calling our Saviour’s name as Jesus. This is 100% wrong and false. The etymology of the name Jesus does not mean - for He will save His people from their sins. Jesus has no meaning to its name. The name Yahshua means Yah Saves or Salvation is with Yahweh or Yahweh saves. Matthew 1:21“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name YAHSHUA: for he shall save his people from their sins”.

God could have easily allowed Joseph to name Jesus with whatever name struck Joseph and Mary as desirable. That’s exactly what you are doing and have done. Almighty Elohim named his son Yahshua a distinctive Hebrew name which has the name of Yah attached to the Saviour’s name

Yet we see God deliberately intervened and chose the name to be given to His Son. So we see the name of God in the flesh—Jesus the Christ—was significant and warranted direct intervention by God. Then why do you do this unwarranted action of reinventing a duplicate and meaningless name as Jesus? Before the 14th Century when the alphabet “J” never existed people like you were calling our saviour “Ieous”. Far more further from the truthful name of Yahshua and more closer sounding to the pagan God named Zeus. Zeus, Ieous, Jesus!!!!!

In Acts 4:12 the apostle Peter tells us just how unique and special this name Jesus Christ truly is: "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Certainly, this name is more important and significant than any other.

Since you are first comfortable in using any of the many titles instead of the Creator’s unique name, then furthermore it becomes easier for you to use whatever name you wish, using language as an excuse. Does your name on your passport Sir Ken Graham change when you travel to an Islamic country or Buddhist country or Hindu country or any country whatsoever? NO. Your name in any of the hundreds of countries speaking over thousands of languages, your name on your passport still remains the same. KEN GRAHAM.

Then in your words I repeat, verbatim, “Certainly, this name is more important and significant than any other”. Then what gives you the authority to change the name that the Creator gave to his Son our Saviour when he was born on earth. Elohim’s word was not inspired in Latin, Greek or English. It was inspired and written in Hebrew and Aramaic. Our Saviour Yahshua was a Jew. How would you feel if your name was changed in every language and in every country you visited? And every name was disastrously different from Ken. How about calling you Ba Ba Black Sheep instead of Ken?

But God makes it clear that He can be called by many names in the Scriptures. After all, it is God who first confounded the languages at Babel in Genesis 11:9. If He had not wished for the correct pronunciation and usage of the name YHWH to be lost in history, He could have seen to it that the word remained the same in all the languages of the peoples leaving Babel. Yet the all-powerful God did not choose to do so.

Wow. Ken, you are using the BLAME GAME ARGUMENT that Adam and Eve used in the Garden of Eden for eating the forbidden fruit. So you are in effect blaming Elohim for causing the pronunciation of his one sacred name to be lost. You don’t feel that humans like you in the present and many more in the past are to be blamed for this confusion?

Yes, names are important. The Bible places great significance on names. And we find God changing the names of individuals whom He chose. Abram's name was changed in Hebrew to Abraham, which meant "a father of many nations." Jacob's name, which meant "supplanter," was changed to Israel, meaning "prevailer with God." But both were changed within their native tongue, not into another language.

Yes. But you have changed the Jewish and Hebrew name that was directly given by the Creator via the heavenly angel from Yahshua to Jesus. Yahshua is a direct transliteration of the original Hebrew name of Jesus (Hebrew: יהושע‎), considered by Messianic Christians and Messianic Jews to be the Messiah. The name means Yahweh (Yah) is salvation (Shua).

The Son, Jesus Christ, came in His Father's name (John 5:43). What is that name? Unless you, too, bear the name of your Heavenly Father, you are not His son and heir. Jesus refers to Him as "My Father" in the Greek language throughout the New Testament. And that Greek word is pater or Father.

In your country and culture Sir Ken do your children call out directly to you in your first name? Do they lovingly and respectfully not call out to you as Father, Papa, Daddy etc.? Even in my country, India, it is considered extremely disrespectful to call out your Father’s name when speaking directly to him. That does not mean, that I do not know my earthly fathers name who gave me birth. That does not mean that I do not use my father’s name when speaking about him to others. In the same way, Yahshua (Jesus for you) referred to YHVH, lovingly as Father or Abba.

Think about this: Not many of us go around calling our parents by their first name. But out of respect for our parent(s) when addressing them, we say terms of endearment such as: “daddy”, “dad”, “father”, and “yes sir” when referring to our father. And when it came to our mother, we use terms like: “mommy”, “mom” “mama”, “mother”, “madear” and “yes mam”. We know our parents name and if need be, we are able to give others their name in an emergency if they can't speak for themselves.

Yahshua ABSOLUTELY knew his Heavenly Father’s name and used it to. Yahshua called his heavenly Father, by whatever pronunciation that was used for the Tetragrammaton of YHVH. Yahshua knew what his Father's name was and he made that name known to his followers and others (JOHN 17:26, PSALMS 83:18). It stands to reason that if Yahshua made his heavenly Father's name known to others he would have to know and be familiar with the pronunciation of that name and what his heavenly Father's name stood for.

Just as the Old Testament books were almost all written in Hebrew, the New Testament books were preserved in Greek. God inspired the Greek version to be preserved and canonized for us today.

Sir Ken, there is sufficient evidence that the original autographs were written in Hebrew and Aramaic only. The texts were mainly written in Biblical Hebrew, with some portions (notably in Daniel and Ezra) in Biblical Aramaic. Biblical Hebrew, sometimes called Classical Hebrew, is an archaic form of the Hebrew language. The very first translation of the Hebrew Bible was into Greek language which we call the Septuagint or LXX as there were 70 Translators involved in this project.

FALSE STATEMENT OF YOURS: “God inspired the Greek version to be preserved and canonized for us today”.

We find much evidence today that the most common language of the people of the Roman Empire of Jesus and Paul's day was Greek. Greek was the language of commerce and common to almost everyone. In John 1:41, we find that the Greek-speaking audience was not generally familiar with the meaning of the Hebrew word Meshiach, which means "the anointed." Messias is the Greek spelling of the Hebrew word Meshiach. Most Greeks were not familiar with that word, so John translates it into the Greek word Christos here, which means "the anointed one."

Yes. Christ comes from Christos in Greek language meaning Saviour. Messias comes from Meshiach which is totally similar to Messiah in English. But Yahshua (Jesus) did not speak in Greek language with the common people of the land that he walked on earth. Even his last words before dying are in Aramaic, “Eli, Eli lama Sabachtani” – My Elohim, My Elohim, why have you forsaken me? Or My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?

Names for God Other Than YHWH

Both Testaments of the Bible contain many names for God. Some people use the argument that the Creator's only true name is the tetragrammaton YHWH in the Hebrew, and that it is the only name we must use in referring to Him. This argument focuses on the English word "LORD" used in the Old Testament to translate YHWH.

The title of the LORD is derived from old English, being one who had aristocratic rank and had control over a portion of land granted from a king. The Land – LORD was subject to that king and would bow the knee before the king in subservience to his authority. Yet as believers, we know that the Almighty Creator of all things neither bows nor is subject to anyone!

The title of the LORD, by its origin and implication is totally blasphemous. The whole of Christianity is guilty through the lack of use of bringing the Name of YAHWEH to nothingness.

Not only that, but if you look up, “Baal” in a good dictionary you will find that it is Hebrew and means, LORD.

Baal: A male fertility god whose cult was widespread in ancient Phoenician and Canaanite lands. Origin: From Hebrew ba‘al‘lord’. Source of Information (Oxford Dictionary): https://www.lexico.com/definition/baal

However, the other names for God that occur in the Old Testament and New Testament are not just titles, as is sometimes alleged. God was also known by another "name" before Exodus 3:15, when He revealed Himself as YHWH to Moses. And it was a "name," according to the Bible, not a title. Notice Exodus 6:3. God tells Moses that He was not known by the name YHWH to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but by the name El Shaddai or El Shaddee.

And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of El Shaddai, but by my name Yahweh was I not known to them. – Exodus 6:3 (Restoration Study Bible 04th Edition)

Why do you ignore the scripture where Elohim mentions his name and says it will remain so FOREVER?

And Elohim said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, Yahweh Elohim of your fathers, the Elohim of Abraham, the Elohim of Isaac, and the Elohim of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.Exodus 3:15 (RSB 04th Edition)

Before the Almighty deciding to declare his personal name, he did not mind Abraham, Isaac and Jacob calling him out as the El Shaddai (Almighty). But then he mentions so clearly at Exodus 3:15, “THIS IS MY NAME FOR EVER, AND THIS IS MY MEMORIAL UNTO ALL GENERATIONS”. (Caps are mine for emphasis)

Those who insist that Christians today use the name YHWH in reference to God do not, for whatever reason, insist that we must use the earlier name, the covenant name by which He made Himself known to our covenant father Abraham. It is, after all, through Abraham (ultimately through Christ, of course) that our blessings flow.

Christians argue that Jesus is God since he is said to be the Savior whereas Scriptures in the Old Testament says Yahweh is the only Savior (Isaiah 43:11; 45:21; Hosea 13:4). This argument overlooks the fact that although Yahweh is the only Savior he does use agents to accomplish his purposes. For instance, the Old Testament says that Yahweh used an Israelite named Othniel to deliver his people Israel. He is even called savior! (Judges 3:9; Obadiah 1:21)

The above shows, that when it says that Yahweh is the only Savior it really means that he is the only Source of salvation and others can be used as Saviours but connected to the same source of salvation that is in Yahweh itself.

In reference with the above, even Yahshua (Jesus) is referred to as Saviour.  Let’s read Acts 4:12 for another enlightening and eye opening understanding how the Messiah Yahshua being called as Savior does not conflict with Yahweh being earlier called as our only Saviour too.

There is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved!" – Acts 4:12

FIRSTLY please note that most of the above statements are made by Almighty Creator Yahweh long before the Messiah was born into Flesh as Son of Man and Son of God on Earth. So from a TIME STANDPOINT before Yahshua being born on Earth, all the Scripture references referring to Yahweh as Only One Savior is 100% accurate.

SECONDLY, the confusion created by Trinitarians and Binatarians is that because Yahshua (Jesus) is called as Savior by Yahweh’s inspired word that too in the New Testament, they make the wrong claim that Yahshua is Yahweh.

We all know that Almighty Creator resides in Heaven which is outside this earth and universe. So there is one and only one Yahweh as Savior from that Heavenly abode. But when Yahshua came on Earth as the Only begotten Son of Yahweh, then as Son or Agent of Yahweh he was the Only Saviour on Earth.

Yahweh – Only Savior – From Heaven Domain

Yahshua – Only Savior – From Earth Domain

There is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven that is given among men, by which we must be saved!" – Acts 4:12

See the Emphasis of mine in the above same Acts Scripture again. The answer is right in front of your eyes itself.

Keywords

Yahshua’s is the Saviours name UNDER HEAVEN. And AMONG MEN.

Yahweh, before sending his Son Yahshua thousands of years ago mentioned that at THAT MOMENT OF TIME, he Yahweh was the ONLY SAVIOR. This is so right. Isn’t it? Also this Saviours name is from THE HEAVENS ABOVE.

If we are only to address God by YHWH, then apparently Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will not be saved, because the name YHWH had not been revealed to them! They knew God not only as El Shaddai, but also by the name Elohim, as is proven in Exodus 3:15, when we look at the verse word by word in Hebrew. The name for God in this verse is Elohim throughout (although the word LORD in the King James Version is the Hebrew word YHWH by which Moses knew God).

In the Hebrew Bible, the Tetragrammaton occurs 6828 times, as can be seen in Kittel's Biblia Hebraica and the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. In addition, the marginal notes or masorah indicate that in another 134 places, where the received text has the word Adonai, an earlier text had the Tetragrammaton.

(YHWH is used in the book of Genesis, but this is apparently because Moses, who wrote the book, was inspired by God to use it in relating the stories of the patriarchs.)

Aramaic

In the later books of the Old Testament (like Ezra and Nehemiah), we do not find God referred to by the name YHWH at all. We find that by this time the language of the Israelite peoples was Aramaic. And so the Aramaic names Elah, Eloah or Elaw are used and no longer Elohim or YHWH.

The Jews during this period of the book of Nehemiah had voluntarily gone away from the one true Elohim Yahweh. The book covers the period from the fall of Babylon in 539 BC to the second half of the 5th century BC, and tells of the successive missions to Jerusalem of Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah, and their efforts to restore the worship of Elohim Yahweh of Israel and to create a purified Jewish community. So how do you expect a people who have abandoned the one true worship of their one true god to truly use his sacred name in such conditions?

Again, in the New Testament we have many passages like Mark 9:38, where John told Jesus of "someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name." It is likely that the spoken language was Aramaic much of the time. And Jesus does say that they did these miracles in His name.

Few paragraphs above in this article of yours, you claim that Yahshua (Jesus) was speaking the common language of Rome that was Greek. Now here you are contradicting yourself by jumping back to claim that Yahshua (Jesus) was speaking the common language Aramaic. Really? Sir Ken. Please do get your facts right.

Someone who verbalized the name YHWH at this time would have been arrested, tried and perhaps stoned by order of the Sanhedrin (backed up and supported by the Romans).

How is it possible that God would perform miracles in this (undoubtedly Aramaic) name if He only honors the name YHWH? Would Christ have allowed such a thing in a name of His, other than YHWH, or would His Father back up and support such a thing if God the Father did not want to be honored and called by any name other than YHWH? This example is repeated many times in the New Testament.

Make up your mind please. For your requirements, when you want, Yahshua (Jesus) spoke in Hebrew, Greek or Aramaic.

Hebrew Pronunciation Lost

The Old Testament text was preserved for centuries with only consonants. The exact pronunciation of the words, with their vowels, was preserved only by oral usage. They were passed down from one generation to the next.

These vowel sounds were not written down until sometime around the sixth or seventh century. At that time, the Jewish scholars of the day, known as Masoretes, created symbols to represent the vowels that they were using by oral tradition. They added these symbols or points to the text of the Old Testament, which had only contained consonants up to that time.

Unfortunately, the tetragrammaton YHWH, the name of the Creator, considered too sacred to be uttered, ceased to be pronounced by the Jews long before the Masoretes.

Whenever the Jews recited the text of the Hebrew Old Testament orally, they substituted the word Adonai ("Lord" in English). (The King James Version uses LORD in small caps for YHWH.) Later on the Masoretes, whenever they encountered the word YHWH, inserted the vowel points for Adonai or Elohim into the word YHWH. Hence, the original vowel points for YHWH are not found in any text.

This gave the synagogue ruler or reader of the text the cue to pronounce either Adonai or Elohim instead of YHWH. Most Hebrew scholars today admit that the exact vowel sounds and pronunciation of YHWH are not certain. Even the consonants are uncertain and YHVH or JHVH could be possible. If people tell you that they know how to pronounce it, they are only making a random decision. Most feel that Yah-weh is a close approximation of the way the word was probably pronounced. Other scholars disagree and feel it is pronounced Yaho, Yahwo or Yahu. There is no way to be certain, unless God reveals it.

The Jews in Jeremiah's time understood the pronunciation of YHWH. But the dreams of their false teachers misled them into believing that YHWH should not be pronounced! Thinking that it was too holy a word to be uttered, they stopped using it. And after the centuries its true pronunciation was lost.

If it were essential that we know the exact pronunciation, we would need to know exactly how the Creator pronounced it to Moses when He introduced Himself to him. Even Ezra, who later edited and compiled Moses' writings, would have only had tradition as his source for pronouncing the word Moses wrote (which contained no vowels).

Even today, Jews in different parts of the world have different pronunciations for the Hebrew vowels and even some consonants. Judges 12:6 indicates that there were variations in dialect at the time in the area between the Nile and the Euphrates.

The ancient Jews then and many modern day Jews today do not use YHWH name in their regular conversations because of superstitious manmade ideology. Others say that the correct pronunciation of the Divine Name is unknown, thus they feel it improper to use the Creator’s name at all. What's interesting is that no one knows where certain vowels go or the correct pronunciation of Jesus’ name, nor Jeremiah's name, nor Joshua's name, to mention a few, yet these names are still used and mentioned by those who claim to know their Bibles. If so called religious persons like Sir Ken Graham refuse to use the Creator’s  name Yahweh because of not knowing where the correct vowels go in YHWH, why are they still using other names like Jesus, Jeremiah and other faithful men of old names if they don't know where the vowels were placed in their ones names either?

Names for God in Languages of the Day

Nowhere in the Bible are we commanded to use only the Hebrew form of His name. In fact, we are given many positive examples of these names and titles being translated into other languages. There are portions of the Old Testament where Aramaic is the original language rather than Hebrew (Daniel 2:4 through 7:28; Ezra 4:8 through 6:18; 7:12-26). Nowhere in these portions of Aramaic do we find the Hebrew words for the Deity, but instead we find the Aramaic form Elah.

If we examine the New Testament, we find a similar story. No Hebrew names are to be found.

The Greek terms Theos (God) and Kurios (Lord) are used. When passages from the Old Testament are quoted in the New Testament, the word Kurios is substituted for what would have been YHWH in the Old Testament. An example would be Matthew 3:3, quoted from Isaiah 40:3.

Restoration Study Bible (04th Edition - http://m.restorationstudybible.com/)

Isaiah 40:3 - The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of Yahweh, make straight in the desert a highway for our Elohim.

Matthew 3:3 - For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of Yahweh, make his paths straight.

Sir Ken Graham, Please use an accurately translated English version of the Hebrew & Greek Scriptures. Otherwise you full faith and theology and teachings will be in great error, claiming to be based on the inspired word of God.

Unfortunately, there are some who present impressive-sounding arguments that the New Testament is corrupted (and therefore unreliable) and that the Old Testament Hebrew name of God (YHWH) has been removed from all 5,500 or more manuscripts of the Greek New Testament (not to mention more than 8,000 manuscripts of the New Testament in Latin). This would have been a greater task than was humanly possible. The editors would have had to gather all of these manuscripts from all over the civilized world and carefully remove all trace of the Hebrew tetragrammaton, substituting the Greek Kurios or Theos in its place.

Kurios occurs 665 times in the New Testament and Theos occurs 1,345 times.

The editing necessary is beyond the realm of possibility, especially without leaving behind any evidence of edits having been made anywhere.

Jesus said, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away" (Matthew 24:35). If the name YHWH had been used, it would have remained in the texts of the New Testament.

Should the Name Jehovah Appear in the New Testament?

Article source of information: https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2008567

DOES it matter whether God’s name appears in the Bible? God obviously felt so. His name, as represented by the four Hebrew characters known as the Tetragrammaton, appears almost 7,000 times in the original Hebrew text of what is commonly called the Old Testament.*

Bible scholars acknowledge that God’s personal name appears in the Old Testament, or Hebrew Scriptures. However, many feel that it did not appear in the original Greek manuscripts of the so-called New Testament.

What happens, then, when a writer of the New Testament quotes passages from the Old Testament in which the Tetragrammaton appears? In these instances, most translators use the word “Lord” rather than God’s personal name. The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures does not follow this common practice. It uses the name Jehovah 237 times in the Christian Greek Scriptures, or New Testament.

What problems do Bible translators face when it comes to deciding whether to use God’s name in the New Testament? What basis is there for using God’s name in this part of the Holy Scriptures? And how does the use of God’s name in the Bible affect you?

The divine name in original Bible texts : A Translation Problem

The manuscripts of the New Testament that we possess today are not the originals. The original manuscripts written by Matthew, John, Paul, and others were well used, and no doubt they quickly wore out. Hence, copies were made, and when those wore out, further copies were made. Of the thousands of copies of the New Testament in existence today, most were made at least two centuries after the originals were penned. It appears that by that time those copying the manuscripts either replaced the Tetragrammaton with Kuʹri·os or Kyʹri·os, the Greek word for Lord, or copied from manuscripts where this had been done.*

Knowing this, a translator must determine whether there is reasonable evidence that the Tetragrammaton did in fact appear in the original Greek manuscripts. Is there any such proof? Consider the following arguments:

When Jesus quoted the Old Testament or read from it, he used the divine name. (Deuteronomy 6:13, 16; 8:3; Psalm 110:1; Isaiah 61:1, 2; Matthew 4:4, 7, 10; 22:44; Luke 4:16-21) In the days of Jesus and his disciples, the Tetragrammaton appeared in copies of the Hebrew text of what is often called the Old Testament, as it still does today. However, for centuries scholars thought that the Tetragrammaton was absent from manuscripts of the Greek Septuagint translation of the Old Testament, as well as from manuscripts of the New Testament. Then in the mid-20th century, something remarkable came to the attention of scholarssome very old fragments of the Greek Septuagint version that existed in Jesus’ day had been discovered. Those fragments contain the personal name of God, written in Hebrew characters.

Jesus used God’s name and made it known to others. (John 17:6, 11, 12, 26) Jesus plainly stated: “I have come in the name of my Father.” He also stressed that his works were done “in the name of [his] Father.” In fact, Jesus’ own name means “Jehovah Is Salvation.”John 5:43; 10:25.

 

The divine name appears in its abbreviated form in the Greek Scriptures. At Revelation 19:1, 3, 4, 6, the divine name is embedded in the expression “Alleluia,” or “Hallelujah.” This expression literally means “Praise Jah, you people!” Jah is a contraction of the name Jehovah.

Early Jewish writings indicate that Jewish Christians used the divine name in their writings. The Tosefta, a written collection of oral laws completed by about 300 C.E., says with regard to Christian writings that were burned on the Sabbath: “The books of the Evangelists and the books of the minim [thought to be Jewish Christians] they do not save from a fire. But they are allowed to burn where they are, . . . they and the references to the Divine Name which are in them.” This same source quotes Rabbi Yosé the Galilean, who lived at the beginning of the second century C.E., as saying that on other days of the week “one cuts out the references to the Divine Name which are in them [the Christian writings] and stores them away, and the rest burns.” Thus, there is strong evidence that the Jews living in the second century C.E. believed that Christians used Jehovah’s name in their writings.

The divine name in original Bible texts: How Have Translators Handled This Issue?

Is the New World Translation the only Bible that restores God’s name when translating the Greek Scriptures? No. Based upon the above evidence, many Bible translators have felt that the divine name should be restored when they translate the New Testament.

For example, many African, American, Asian, and Pacific-island language versions of the New Testament use the divine name liberally. (See chart on page 21.) Some of these translations have appeared recently, such as the Rotuman Bible (1999), which uses the name Jihova 51 times in 48 verses of the New Testament, and the Batak-Toba version (1989) from Indonesia, which uses the name Jahowa 110 times in the New Testament. The divine name has appeared, too, in French, German, and Spanish translations. For instance, Pablo Besson translated the New Testament into Spanish in the early 20th century. His translation uses Jehová at Jude 14, and nearly 100 footnotes suggest the divine name as a likely rendering.

Below are some examples of English translations that have used God’s name in the New Testament:

A Literal Translation of the New Testament . . . From the Text of the Vatican Manuscript, by Herman Heinfetter (1863)

The Emphatic Diaglott, by Benjamin Wilson (1864)

The Epistles of Paul in Modern English, by George Barker Stevens (1898)

St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, by W. G. Rutherford (1900)

The Christian’s BibleNew Testament, by George N. LeFevre (1928)

The New Testament Letters, by J.W.C. Wand, Bishop of London (1946)

Recently, the 2004 edition of the popular New Living Translation made this comment in its preface under the heading “The Rendering of Divine Names”: “We have generally rendered the tetragrammaton (YHWH) consistently as ‘the LORD,’ utilizing a form with small capitals that is common among English translations. This will distinguish it from the name ʹadonai, which we render Lord.’” Then when commenting on the New Testament, it says: The Greek word kurios is consistently translated Lord, except that it is translated ‘LORD’ wherever the New Testament text explicitly quotes from the Old Testament, and the text there has it in small capitals.” (Italics ours.) The translators of this Bible therefore acknowledge that the Tetragrammaton (YHWH) should be represented in these New Testament quotes.

Interestingly, under the heading “Tetragrammaton in the New Testament,” The Anchor Bible Dictionary makes this comment: “There is some evidence that the Tetragrammaton, the Divine Name, Yahweh, appeared in some or all of the O[ld] T[estament] quotations in the N[ew] T[estament] when the NT documents were first penned.” And scholar George Howard says: “Since the Tetragram was still written in the copies of the Greek Bible [the Septuagint] which made up the Scriptures of the early church, it is reasonable to believe that the N[ew] T[estament] writers, when quoting from Scripture, preserved the Tetragram within the biblical text.”

Two Compelling Reasons

Clearly, then, the New World Translation was not the first Bible to contain the divine name in the New Testament. Like a judge who is called upon to decide a court case for which there are no living eyewitnesses, the New World Bible Translation Committee carefully weighed all the relevant evidence. Based on the facts, they decided to include Jehovah’s name in their translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures. Note two compelling reasons why they did so.

(1) The translators believed that since the Christian Greek Scriptures were an inspired addition to the sacred Hebrew Scriptures, the sudden disappearance of Jehovah’s name from the text seemed inconsistent.

Why is that a reasonable conclusion? About the middle of the first century C.E., the disciple James said to the elders in Jerusalem: “Symeon has related thoroughly how God for the first time turned his attention to the nations to take out of them a people for his name.” (Acts 15:14) Does it sound logical to you that James would make such a statement if nobody in the first century knew or used God’s name?

(2) When copies of the Septuagint were discovered that used the divine name rather than Kyʹri·os (Lord), it became evident to the translators that in Jesus day copies of the earlier Scriptures in Greekand of course those in Hebrewdid contain the divine name.

Apparently, the God-dishonoring tradition of removing the divine name from Greek manuscripts developed only later. What do you think? Would Jesus and his apostles have promoted such a tradition?Matthew 15:6-9.

Call “on the Name of Jehovah”

Really, the Scriptures themselves act as a conclusive “eyewitness” statement that early Christians did in fact use Jehovah’s name in their writings, especially when they quoted passages from the Old Testament that contain that name. Without a doubt, then, the New World Translation has a clear basis for restoring the divine name, Jehovah, in the Christian Greek Scriptures.

How does this information affect you? Quoting the Hebrew Scriptures, the apostle Paul reminded the Christians in Rome: “Everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be saved.” Then he asked: “How will they call on him in whom they have not put faith? How, in turn, will they put faith in him of whom they have not heard?” (Romans 10:13, 14; Joel 2:32) Bible translations that use God’s name when appropriate help you to draw close to God. (James 4:8) Really, what an honor it is for us to be allowed to know and to call upon God’s personal name, Jehovah.

A TRANSLATOR WHO RESPECTED GOD’S NAME

Hiram Bingham II

In November 1857, Hiram Bingham II, a 26-year-old missionary, arrived with his wife in the Gilbert Islands (now called Kiribati). The missionary ship on which they had traveled was sponsored by meager donations from American Sunday School children. It had been named the Morning Star by its sponsors to reflect their belief in the coming Millennium.

“Physically, Bingham was not strong,” states Barrie Macdonald in his book Cinderellas of the Empire. “He suffered from frequent bowel ailments, and from chronic throat trouble which affected his ability to speak in public; his eyesight was so weak that he could only spend two or three hours a day reading.”

However, Bingham set his mind to learning the Gilbertese language. This was not an easy task. He started by pointing at objects and asking their names. When he had collected a list of some two thousand words, he paid one of his converts a dollar for every one hundred new words he could add to the list.

Bingham’s Gilbertese Bible

Bingham’s perseverance paid off. By the time he had to leave the Gilbert Islands in 1865 because of his deteriorating health, he not only had given the Gilbertese language a written form but had also translated the books of Matthew and John into Gilbertese. When he returned to the islands in 1873, he brought with him the completed translation of the New Testament in Gilbertese. He persevered for a further 17 years and by 1890 completed the translation of the entire Gilbertese Bible.

Bingham’s translation of the Bible is in use in Kiribati to this day. Those reading it will notice that he used Jehovah’s name (Iehova in Gilbertese) thousands of times in the Old Testament as well as over 50 times in the New Testament. Truly, Hiram Bingham was a translator who respected God’s name!

LIST OF 99 LANGUAGES THAT USE A VERNACULAR FORM OF THE TETRAGRAMMATON IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

CHIHOWA: Choctaw

IÁHVE: Portuguese

IEHOUA: Mer

IEHOVA: Gilbertese; Hawaiian; Hiri Motu; Kerewo; Kiwai; Marquesas; Motu; Panaieti (Misima); Rarotongan; Tahitian; Toaripi

IEHOVAN: Saibai

IEOVA: Kuanua; Wedau

IHOVA: Aneityum

IHVH: French

IOVA: Malekula (Kuliviu); Malekula (Pangkumu); Malekula (Uripiv)

JAHOWA: Batak-Toba

JAHUÈ: Chacobo

JAKWE: (Ki)Sukuma

JAHVE: Hungarian

JEHOBA: Kipsigis; Mentawai

JEHOFA: Tswana

JEHOVA: Croatian; German; Kélé (Gabon); Lele (Manus Island); Nandi; Nauruan; Nukuoro

JEHOVÁ: Spanish

JEHÔVA: Fang; Tsimihety

JEHOVAH: Dutch; Efik; English; Kalenjin; Malagasy; Narrinyeri; Ojibwa

JEOVA: Kusaie (Kosraean)

JIHOVA: Naga (Angami); Naga (Konyak); Naga (Lotha); Naga (Mao); Naga (Ntenyi); Naga (Sangtam); Rotuman

JIOUA: Mortlock

JIOVA: Fijian

JIWHEYWHE: Gu (Alada)

SIHOVA: Tongan

UYEHOVA: Zulu

YAHOWA: Thai

YAHVE: Ila

YAVE: Kongo

YAWE: Bobangi; Bolia; Dholuo; Lingala; Mongo (Lolo); (Lo)Ngandu; (Lo)Ntumba; (Ke)Sengele

YEHÓA: Awabakal

YEHOFA: Southern Sotho

YEHOVA: Chokwe; Chuana (Tlapi); (Ki)Kalanga; Logo; Luba; Lugbara; (Chi)Luimbi; (Chi)Lunda (Ndembu); (Chi)Luvale; Santo (Hog Harbor); Tiv; Umbundu; (Isi)Xhosa

YEHOVAH: Bube; Mohawk; Nguna (Efate); Nguna (Tongoa)

YEHOWA: Ga; Laotian; (Ki)Songe; Tshiluba

YEKOVA: Zande

YEOBA: Kuba (Inkongo)

YEOHOWA: Korean

YHWH: Hebrew

YOWO: Lomwe

ZAHOVA: Chin (Haka-Lai)

The Tetragrammaton refers to the four letters, YHWH, that represent God’s name in Hebrew. It is commonly translated as Jehovah or Yahweh in English.

Although the apostle Paul spoke Hebrew, he didn't use the Hebrew YHWH in any of his 14 letters. The apostle Peter uses the Greek form Yesous Christos for Jesus Christ in Acts 4:10. Salvation is only through the name Jesus Christ! The Hebrew word Yehoshua or Yahshua is not used here at all. The Holy Spirit inspired these words to be written in Greek, not Hebrew.

Joel 2:32 - And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of Yahweh shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as Yahweh hath said, and in the remnant whom Yahweh shall call.   

Romans 10:13 - For whosoever shall call upon the name of Yahweh shall be saved.

God's Word nowhere says that it is wrong for people to read the Bible, which includes His name, in their own language.

Ken your name of a mere mortal human being, on your Passport should not get changed and does not get changed when you travel to foreign language speaking countries. But the original author of the Bible, his one and only holy and sacred personal name designated by the creator himself, you and other humans have the liberty and right to change in different language bible translations. WOW!!!!

Nor is it wrong for them to refer to their Creator in their own language in preaching or prayer. Salvation is not based upon a secret or mysterious word or pronunciation.   

For whosoever shall call upon the name of Yahweh shall be saved.Romans 10:13

There is authority and power in the name of Jesus Christ. Whether the name is in Greek or English or any other language does not matter. People were healed and demons were cast out in His name.

Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

Many will tell me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?'

Then I will tell them, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.' Matthew 7:21 to 23

So Ken it does not matter to you what Yahshua calls people like you who abuse the name of Jesus in any language and in many types of names other than the true & original Hebrew name of our Messiah. Yahshua (Jesus) calls them workers of LAWLESSNESS, workers of INIQUITY, workers of Sin.

Jesus said that He came to reveal the Father to His followers (John 1:18; 17:6, 26). Yet in all that the apostles wrote of Jesus in the New Testament, we find no trace of any reference to the Hebrew word YHWH. Jesus revealed to His disciples the way of life that the Father would have been pleased for them to lead: "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven" (Matthew 7:21).

Please read above. You are passing judgement on yourself on your wrong teachings.

The Name in Other Languages

Perhaps the strongest evidence against the sacred name theory in the New Testament is the fact that on the Day of Pentecost, everyone understood the preaching in his own language. So when Peter spoke and used the name of God, everyone heard it in his own language.

Getting the name "just right" seems to have been very important in paganism. If we study the Bible carefully, we find that the Creator has many names and titles and provides no restriction or command not to translate those names and titles into other languages.

Jesus prayed that the Father would keep those whom He had given to Jesus, in the Father's name. The Father's family name is God in English. In Greek, it is Theos. Twelve times in the New Testament the name of the Church is stated to be the Church of God (Theos). Jesus called Himself the Son of God (Theos) numerous times in the New Testament. Many times He said He came in His Father's name.

Please get your English right Sir Ken Graham. There is a big difference in Titles and Names.

Definition of Title: The main difference between Title and Name is that the Title is a prefix or suffix. For Example: Doctor is a title and there are many doctors everywhere. But Doctor Ken Graham is one specific doctor whose name is Ken Graham. Same with Elohim (God). There are many God’s but one and only one True God Yahweh.

Definition of Name: A name is a term used for identification. For though there are things that are called "gods," whether in the heavens or on earth; as there are many "gods" and many "lords;" 1 Corinthians 8:5

Yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we live through him. 1 Corinthians 8:6

Before we accept the theories of some that it is wrong to use anything but the Hebrew word YHWH, or that salvation is only possible through the correct use of one name, we need to recognize the overwhelming evidence that is contained in the New Testament to the contrary. UN

I leave this discussion with the above overwhelming evidence, but if truth is not in you, then the truth of Elohim’s (God’s) word will also not be sufficient to set you free. John 8:32