Jump to content
The World News Media

Evidence that the "New Testament" contained the Divine Name (YHWH)


JW Insider

Recommended Posts

  • Member

How good is the evidence that the Christian Scriptures contained YHWH or some variation of that Divine Name?

There are probably some non-JWs who believe that there is absolutely no reason at all to even entertain the possibility, and there are probably some JWs who believe manuscripts have already been found with YHWH in the NT.  For most of us, the real answer lies somewhere in between. There is a lot of good research on the issue, and this research might be interesting to some of us, whether or not it is compelling enough for anyone to change their mind.

A previous discussion on the topic became very long and veered off into other topics, too. Hopefully, this attempt will not result in multiple topics or judgmental attitudes about people, and we can focus on the validity of the research itself.

If anyone wishes to participate, they should feel free to copy anything they wrote in a previous thread. A topic about YHWH in the NT will likely also include topics about the pronunciation of YHWH, YHWH in the OT (LXX, Masoretic, DSS, and other manuscripts), the earliest NT and OT meanings of "name," historical linguistic trends, Greek abbreviations, NT translations, usage by early "Ante-Nicene Fathers," and the various alternatives to YHWH, and comments made by anyone else that might seem partly relevant or interesting (Philo, Josephus, Ebionites, Talmud, Gnostics, etc.). It's still a big topic.

The arguments that many find relevant are found in Gerard Gertoux, which can be seen here: http://areopage.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Gertoux_UseNameEarlyChristians.pdf

He references G. Howard, of course, which might even be a better place to start. (HOWARD, Biblical Archaeology Review Vol IV, No. 1). His ideas can be found online here: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3265328?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • Views 1.9k
  • Replies 2
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Posts

How good is the evidence that the Christian Scriptures contained YHWH or some variation of that Divine Name? There are probably some non-JWs who believe that there is absolutely no reason at all

If one were to start with a blank slate on this subject, we might start with all the different "names" by which God is called in the Bible. One might also look at all the names that start with "Jeh...

  • Member

If one were to start with a blank slate on this subject, we might start with all the different "names" by which God is called in the Bible. One might also look at all the names that start with "Jeh..." or "El..." or "Adon.." or "Baal..." all those that end with those same letters ("...jah" "...el" "...baal"). Of course, you'll also come across some special cases, too, like Adonijah, Elijah. One might also compare all the variations of similar language (and quotations) across several books of the Bible to get a sense of the historical trends with divine names and secular names containing divine names.

Of course, that might take some time, which is why it's nice to find research where other people have already done things like that. And since even the "best" of research is not always accurate, it's nice to find multiple sources and critical reviews, and feedback from others when something we might have overlooked just doesn't quite ring true to someone else.

For the first step, I thought it might be good to go to a couple of well respected Jewish sources to help understand the thinking behind most Jewish scholars when they develop teachings about "YHWH" in their own language. I found several, but wanted to start with what can be learned from these two sources, because they both reference several Jewish and Hebrew-based sources:

THE NAME OF GOD, A STUDY IN RABBINIC THEOLOGY
Author(s): SAMUEL S. COHON
Source: Hebrew Union College Annual, Vol. 23, No. 1, Hebrew Union College Seventy-fifthAnniversary Publication 1875-1950 (1950-1951), pp. 579-604
Published by: Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion

THE DIVINE NAME YAHWEH
Author(s): Raymond Abba
Source: Journal of Biblical Literature, Vol. 80, No. 4 (Dec., 1961), pp. 320-328
Published by: The Society of Biblical Literature

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member

    I think that is a good point on theophoric names. Not only does it show God's name in the New Testament since some there have the Divine Name within their name but since Jesus also does shows that he was not named after a "cannanite god" as someone once said. lol. {of course that would mean most of the Bible characters were named after a false god named YHWH. Of course Satan being the ultimate deceiver and angel of light can make good appear bad and vice versa just as other apostates do. So naturally satanist can use YHWH or tetragrammaton just as anyone can. Satan also quoted Scripture and that dosen't mean we should avoid the Bible or that it is Satanic.}

   Of course I realize the original pronunciation is not important since "Jesus" was obviously not the original pronunciation of his name but what are you thoughts on the name YHWH originally being three syllables based on the theophoric names?

Link to comment
Share on other sites





  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Popular Contributors

  • Topics

  • Posts

    • By the way, if you're into stuff like this, you might wanna check out https://thepythagoras.com/. They have some neat articles about ancient civilizations and their contributions to science and math. It’s really interesting how much we owe to these early thinkers.
    • The Dendera Zodiac is such an amazing piece of history. Imagine ancient Egyptians looking up at the same stars we do now and creating this detailed map. It's mind-blowing! So, what do I think about it? I think it's a fascinating blend of art and astronomy. Those ancient folks really knew their stuff. The way they incorporated their gods and mythologies into the constellations is just brilliant. And it's not just about the stars, it’s a glimpse into how they viewed the universe and their place in it.
    • FIFA's collaboration with Algorand represents a significant milestone for blockchain technology. Algorand will serve as the official blockchain platform for FIFA, supporting events such as the FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in 2023 and the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022. This partnership is poised to enhance FIFA's digital asset management while boosting Algorand's visibility through advertising and promotional opportunities. On another note, I've been tuning into African football recently. The match between Kanifing East FC and Latrikunda United was unexpectedly impressive. African football often goes underappreciated, yet the skill and enthusiasm in these matches are evident. We can expect even more significant development and excitement in African football with increased attention and support.
    • The partnership between FIFA and Algorand is a big step for blockchain technology. Algorand will be the official blockchain platform for FIFA, sponsoring events like the FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in 2023 and the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022. This partnership will help FIFA with digital assets and provide advertising and promotional opportunities for Algorand. 
    • Are you  excited for the upcoming Euro Cup?
  • Members

    • linwllc

      linwllc 0

      Member
      Joined:
      Last active:
    • JW Insider

      JW Insider 9,925

      Member
      Joined:
      Last active:
  • Recent Status Updates

    • Gilles h  »  jpl

      Bonjour mon frère 
      J'espère que tu vas bien 
      Aurais-tu les points actualités et culte matinal en transcription.
      Je te remercie d'avance 
      Merci de partager avec nous
      Un très belle journée 
       
      · 2 replies
    • lauleb  »  misette

      merci pour ton travail très utile. tu es une aide qui fortifie
      · 0 replies
    • Pamela Dunston  »  T.B. (Twyla)

      Hi, TB
      I would like to get the weekly meeting and watchtower materials  and the 2024 convention 
      Attend the 2024 Convention—“Declare the Good News!”
      notebook, I just recently got a new computer, If don't mind my brother to add me on and allow me access to our study again.
       
      Thank you, so much
      Sister Dunston
      · 2 replies
    • SpiritualSister 24  »  DARLENE2022

      Hello, Darlene, I just love your name, I had a cousin named Darline, and had a classmate also named Darlene! It's a pleasure to know another Darlene! Especially a Spiritual Sister! There's some websites, Ministry Ideaz , JW Stuff.com, and Etsy that I use to order my yearly buttons for the Conventions! They always send me what I order, and their also Jehovah's Witnesses, that send us the merchandise we order!  You can check out these websites, and they might have what your looking for! I hope I have been helpful in assisting you, Darlene! Agape love, Shirley!😀
      · 1 reply
    • SpiritualSister 24

      2024"Enter Into God's Rest" Circuit Assembly! 
      · 0 replies
  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      65.4k
    • Total Posts
      158.9k
  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      17,711
    • Most Online
      1,797

    Newest Member
    lissabelgium
    Joined
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Service Confirmation Terms of Use Privacy Policy Guidelines We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.