Again, out of interest I asked ChatGPT about the divine name in the NT. I think the argument for the divine name in the NT could be asserted more strongly, but overall it seems a fair summary:
Was the divine name originally used in the New Testament?
The question of whether the divine name (YHWH) was originally used in the New Testament remains unresolved, as there is no definitive evidence in the earliest surviving manuscripts. However, scholars and researchers have proposed several possibilities, based on the cultural, religious, and textual context of the time. Here's a detailed look:
Arguments Supporting the Use of the Divine Name in the New Testament
- Jewish Context of Early Christianity:
- The New Testament writers were primarily Jewish and would have been familiar with the use of the Tetragrammaton in the Hebrew Scriptures.
- Early Christians may have initially followed the Jewish custom of preserving the divine name in scriptural quotations.
- Evidence from Early Septuagint Manuscripts:
- Some early copies of the Greek Septuagint, the Old Testament translation used by many early Christians, retained the Tetragrammaton in Hebrew letters (e.g., יהוה) or transliterated into Greek characters.
- If the New Testament writers quoted from such manuscripts, they may have included the divine name in some form.
- Theological Implications:
- The presence of the divine name in the New Testament could have emphasized the link between the Hebrew Scriptures and the Christian message, underscoring the continuity of divine authority.
Arguments Against the Use of the Divine Name in the New Testament
- Absence in Surviving Manuscripts:
- The earliest extant New Testament manuscripts (dating from the 2nd century CE onwards) consistently use κύριος (Kyrios, "Lord") or θεός (Theos, "God") in places where references to YHWH might be expected.
- No manuscript contains the Tetragrammaton in Hebrew or transliterated form.
- Greek Linguistic Tradition:
- By the time of the New Testament's composition, the Greek-speaking Jewish and Christian communities commonly used "Kyrios" as a substitute for YHWH, following the practice of the Septuagint.
- Jewish Practices and Christian Adaptation:
- Jewish reverence for the divine name led to its avoidance in speech and its replacement in writing with substitutes like "Adonai" or "HaShem." Early Christians, many of whom came from Jewish backgrounds, likely adopted similar practices.
Theoretical Scenarios
- Some scholars hypothesize that the Tetragrammaton might have appeared in the autographs (the original writings of the New Testament) but was replaced with "Kyrios" or "Theos" during later copying and transmission, reflecting the broader scribal practices of the time.
- Alternatively, the New Testament authors may have followed the established Greek translation tradition and used "Kyrios" or "Theos" from the outset.
Conclusion
There is no concrete evidence that the divine name was originally used in the New Testament, but it is plausible that early drafts or quotations of Scripture could have included it, especially if the writers were quoting from Hebrew texts or early Septuagint versions retaining the Tetragrammaton. The consistent use of "Kyrios" and "Theos" in surviving manuscripts suggests that, even if the divine name was present initially, it was soon replaced as Christianity spread into Greek-speaking contexts.
