Most modern scholars believe that "Jehovah" is an ERRONEOUS English transcription of God's Hebrew name, resulting from combining the anglicized consonants of God's name, Jhvh, with the modified version of the vowels of the word adonai, "Lord", which scholars believe the Masoretes had placed above and below the consonants of God's name, to indicate to the Jewish reader that he was to substitute ’adônây for the proper name in reading the scriptures."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahweh
Yahweh and Jehovah are two different English transcriptions of ???? [ i.e. the Tetragrammaton ], which is accepted by both Jews and Christians as being God's preserved Hebrew name. It should be noted, however, that ???? is a non-vocalized form of God's Hebrew name.
Yahweh is believed [by modern scholars] to be the likely original pronunciation of ????.
Under the heading "????" [i.e. the Tetragrammaton],
the editors of the Brown-Driver-Briggs Lexicon write:
"i.e. ??????? n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel."[1]
Jehovah is an English transcription of the Biblical Hebrew name ??????? based on the Masoretic Text.
Under this same heading "????" [i.e. the Tetragrammaton],
the Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon also writes that: ??????? occurs 6518 times in the Masoretic Text.
I personally have no problem with others using it. I have heard the name Jehovah and even used it many times as well. Where JW's and I may differ however, is that I cannot see the see objection to other educated ones choosing NOT to use the divine name for the very simple reason that that, we cannot be certain what that name is. I would personally hold back from judging such ones adversely or place any negative labels on their relationship with God. (Not that you have done this by the way...
Jesus' name is different. They did have vowels in Greek. It's simply which language do you speak, in which decides how that name is used. With Jehovah, nobody knows for certain. This is a very reasonable reason, in my opinion, that some choose not to use it, or instead replace it with a very respectful and appropriate titles such as were used by Christ Himself.
Rules from a group of men that have been flat out WRONG too many times to just give them some kind of free pass today.
But keep asking questions. Because once you check in as a JW, by going under the water, you cannot check out without significant consequences.
Happy trails,
Vinny
Why isn' the name "Jehovah" used?
by MichaelM 24 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Vinny
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Narkissos
What may retrospectively appear as a "blurring" of the difference between Yhwh and Jesus happens to be an integral part of the earliest NT writings, as the rhetorical analysis of Romans 10, for instance, shows even better that the wealth of manuscript evidence. The fact that the Pauline argument makes sense only with the use of kurios in the LXX quotation conclusively proves (1) that it is part of this original NT text, and (2) that the use of kurios for both the "OT God" and "Christ Jesus" is an essential element in the foundation of Christian theology. Iow, without that "blurring" Christianity as we know it would simply not exist.
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Watkins
Didn't I read somewhere that the letter "J" wasn't even invented until around 700 AD? Yumpin' Yehosophat! So how could Yehoshua possibly have ever uttered the name of his Father as "Jehovah"??? When he said in prayer that he'd made his Father's name known to his disciples - how do we know he didn't instruct them to use the name 'Father'? My Dad's name was Kenny - but I called him father, never his given name - that would've been seen as very disrespectful. Just a thought...
I once read a website that proclaimed of The Name YHWH: 'it's pronounced just like it's spelled' - that being Yahoweh, or (YHVH)Yahoveh.
That makes sense to me.... but I could be wrong. I'm pretty sure God knows exactly Who's being addressed as He listens to prayers... he reads the heart's intent, and understands all of mankind's languages, especially the 'pure language' of love.
It's still pretty unbelievable to me that Israel 'lost' the proper pronunciation of the Name - inconceivable to my mind... but maybe they intentionally obscured or hid it - I just don't know. I do think that whatever we believe the Name to be and whatever Name we use in prayer and worship - He still knows we're talking to Him. I often tell Him that I love all of His Names because I believe they are spoken by those who love Him with only the best of intentions and love and respect for Him.
Watkins
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Sunspot
It is a very important point to recognise that the word Jehovah YHWH has not been found in a single New Testament ancient document, and raises the question as to why Jesus and the Apostles never used it.
Obviously YHWH was 'illegal' to pronounce out loud by the first century and had been removed from most Septuagint versions of the Old Testament, so the simple answer is that Jesus did not use it as it was not commonly being used.
Another explaination is that Jesus used the far more endearing expression Father. YHWH conjoured up images of the Jewish God of war that would have alienated the non Jews. Jesus wanted his followers to recognise God as a loving father that all could have a relationship with.
JWFacts and LiveLife have most accurately pointed to MY personal views on this. In my days of when was "defending the WTS" it was brought out to me that nowhere in the New Testament was the actual NAME of Jehovah was spoken in scripture. I found this hard to believe....but it was right!
Even when Jesus was instructing HIS followers in the proper way to pray---He addressed the Lord's Prayer to "Our Father in the heavens" and the "NAME" was never mentioned.....and wouldn't you think that if it was all THAT IMPORTANT--- that THIS would have been THE place and circumstance to emphasize this for all time?
Once the Mosaic Law was nailed to the Cross and made obsolete, we also are made aware that:
"Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave HIM the name that is ABOVE every name", (Phil 2:9) so that the constant almost "mantra-like" use of the name "Jehovah" is also made obsolete. It is the name of Jesus we see:
"that at the NAME OF JESUS every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth" (Phil 2:10),
How often did we "study" this scripture at Phillipians when we were caught in the WTS trap? How often did we read and study anything that pointed to Jesus as being the "top dog" now? The men of the WTS have worked very hard to demote Jesus as a poster-boy to get thier followers to place WTS literature and gain converts for the Watchtower Society. Oh, yes---they end their prayers in His name, and then prop Him back on the shelf.
The WTS has built a false "quasi-religious" empire on the stressing and the over-emphasizing the name "Jehovah" ad-nauseum, to purposely deceive their followers into actively being pulled AWAY FROM the praise and worship of Jesus Christ.
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LiveLife
Sunspot (Annie),
[*applause*]