And to the original question... Yhwh was never the name of the Christian God as the Greek New Testament makes clear. This of course doesn't rule out marginal uses of the name in some Hebrew or Aramaic-speaking "Jewish-Christian" circles, or even in Hellenistic esoterical or magical circles.
Is God's name Jehovah, Yaweh, or simply Lord?
by pr_capone 90 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Sam the Man
If he doesn't exist, who gives a shit what his name is?
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Evanescence
I think the jews replaced the word Yahweh with the word LORD because there was so much controversy back then because eversince God's name was so holy they were afraid that they might mis-use it, they felt they were not even worthy to mention it....
so even if the name "Jehovah" was right, but I believe his name to be "yahweh" "I am who I am" it may not be right to misuse it....
the link I posted earlier has some good points on his name
Evanescence
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jwfacts
I have written an article about Jehovah at
http://jwfacts.com/index_files/Jehovah.htm
Almost certainly is was pronounced as Yahweh or Yahuweh. Definitely not Jehovah. However as English does not have to be the same as the original language JW's argue that there is nothing wrong with saying Jehovah.
The names such as Jehosophat are wrong for the same reason Jehovah is wrong. -
jwfacts
To the other queststion, the Christian name for God is Lord. There is no evidence whatsoever that Jesus ever pronounced YHWH out loud. Remember that Jesus would have be stoned for blasphemy if anyone heard him say YHWH. No known ancient NT documents have ever been found that contain the name of God.
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Undecided
It seems to me if God gave a damn he would just let us know what his name was. Oh! I forgot, he appointed the WT society as the governing body to tell us. Russel probably heard it as he was visiting one of the pyramids. Does God speak Hebrew, or English? That might make a difference.
Ken P.
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Narkissos
Philo is a good example of how Greek-speaking monotheistic Jews in the first half of the 1st century felt about this issue (On the Change of names, 10ff)
And what wonder is there if the living God is beyond the reach of the comprehension of man, when even the mind that is in each of us is unintelligible and unknown to us? Who has ever beheld the essence of the soul? the obscure nature of which has given rise to an infinite number of contests among the sophists who have brought forward opposite opinions, some of which are inconsistent with any kind of nature. (11) It was, therefore, quite consistent with reason that no proper name could with propriety be assigned to him who is in truth the living God. Do you not see that to the prophet who is really desirous of making an honest inquiry after the truth, and who asks what answer he is to give to those who question him as to the name of him who has sent him, he says, "I am that I Am," which is equivalent to saying, "It is my nature to be, not to be described by name:" but in order that the human race may not be wholly destitute of any appellation which they may give to the most excellent of beings, I allow you to use the word Lord as a name; the Lord God of three natures--of instruction, and of holiness, and of the practice of virtue; of which Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob are recorded as the symbols. For this, says he, is the everlasting name, as if it has been investigated and discerned in time as it exists in reference to us, and not in that time which was before all time; and it is also a memorial not placed beyond recollection or intelligence, and again it is addressed to persons who have been born, not to uncreated natures. (13) For these men have need of the complete use of the divine name who come to a created or mortal generation, in order that, if they cannot attain to the best thing, they may at least arrive at the best possible name, and arrange themselves in accordance with that; and the sacred oracle which is delivered as from the mouth of the Ruler of the universe, speaks of the proper name of God never having been revealed to any one, when God is represented as saying, "For I have not shown them my Name;" for by a slight change in the figure of speech here used, the meaning of what is said would be something of this kind: "My proper name I have not revealed to them," but only that which is commonly used, though with some misapplication, because of the reasons abovementioned. (14) And, indeed, the living God is so completely indescribable, that even those powers which minister unto him do not announce his proper name to us. At all events, after the wrestling match in which the practicer of virtue wrestled for the sake of the acquisition of virtue, he says to the invisible Master, "Tell me thy Name;" but he said, "Why askest thou me my name?" And he does not tell him his peculiar and proper name, for says he, it is sufficient for thee to be taught my ordinary explanations. But as for names which are the symbols of created things, do not seek to find them among immortal natures.
Inasmuch as most of NT Christianity emerged from the same Greek-speaking milieu, it is hardly surprising that the articulation of some specific name for God is not an issue in the NT. All NT references to "God's name" (e.g. the Lord's Prayer or John 17) are clearly figurative.
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Elsewhere
Re: Is God's name Jehovah, Yaweh, or simply Lord?
You can just call me Elsewhere.
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Narkissos
The names such as Jehosophat are wrong for the same reason Jehovah is wrong.
Not really (let alone the transliteration of the Hebrew yod by the latin letter "j," which was phonetically correct in Latin but wrong in English): Yeho- in Yehoshaphat stands for the letters yhw. Yeho- in Yehowah would stand for the letters yh... and this doesn't work.
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inquirer
pr_capone
So then are the JW's right when they call him Jehovah?
As you can see we all have different opinions on this subject! I believe that I'm right, while Narki believes that he's right.
But, I think Jehovah is more correct because it sounds like other theophoric names (names that contain the divine name in the Hebrew Scriptures like Jehoash, and Jehosophat and also John.) There's something to think about. Jehovah is at least based on something biblical! Jehovah is telling us because the people in the Bible contain his name! This was the first way to translate this name into English going way back to Tyndale. (same pronunciation different "symbols" -- IEHOUAH...)
Actually the letter "J" was just starting to be used back then, but for some reason, he didn't use it in his translation. Just like in the King James Version, the "Shakespeare English" was already archaic back then, but they chose to use still keep the "thee's," "thine's" and "thou's."
I know Narki is going to disagree, but Jews have always favored the "e, o, a" combination. I think the Bible shows which name is more correct!
I disagree with everyone here. But I don't want to debate this with anyone. Sorry pr_capone.
Also, on a more humorous note: Why was the form "Iehovah" used in that Indiana Jones movie "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade", YOu can bet your life the director knows this is the true pronunciation! Why would he use it in his film?