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Hi,
Why is the name of our Savior written and transliterated from the Hebrew
Scriptures as “YAHWEH.” What is the connection to Jesus and Yashua?
I understand that there is a great importance in a name.
My understanding is that the “J” sound was part of the Greek
alphabet. That at the time the scriptures were written, and the Father
told Moses the Name to take back to the people, Hebrew was the language
used. Why has the name changed? Doesn’t Yahweh have significance towards
the word Father, and Yashua as Son and Savior? I am presently reading 3rd
Nephi. I mean no harm to the LDS Church, for I have loved ones in the
Castle Rock Ward and respect Bishop Davis and the Council. My research has
been part of a long journey and I only need know that my family and I are
on the right path. Sincerely, W.R.T., from Washington State |
Dear
W.R.T.
The
word, Yahweh, is one way of writing the Hebrew for Jehovah. This word was
written without the vowel points—only the four consonants were used. Because
of its sacred nature it was not to be pronounced by the Hebrews. Without the
vowel points we have no idea how it would have been originally pronounced.
“The four consonants are variously written IHVH, JHVH, JHWH, YHVH, YHWH.
Numerous attempts have been made to represent the supposed original form, as
Jahaveh. Jahvah,
Jahve, Javeh. Yahve, Yahveh, Yahwe, Yahweh, etc.” (Joseph
Fielding Smith Jr., Doctrines of Salvation, Vol.3, p.120, Notes).
That
word is represented in the Old Testament by “Jehovah.” In the Kings James
translation of the Old Testament, written in English, except in four
locations, the word Jehovah is rendered as LORD, with all the letters
capitalized. If only the first letter is capitalized, as Lord, the word is
translated from the Hebrew, Adonay, and is a title of respect, not necessarily
referring to Deity. As an example, see Genesis 18:1-3, below.
And
the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door
in the heat of the day; And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men
stood by him: and when he saw [them], he ran to meet them from the tent door,
and bowed himself toward the ground, And said, My Lord, if now I have found
favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant.
The
word Jehovah or LORD in the Old Testament refers to the pre-mortal Lord, Jesus
Christ, who is the God of this earth under the administration of the Father.
Jehovah represented himself to the ancients as God Almighty, which would refer
to the Father. However, he clarified to Moses who he was and by what name he
was known. In Exodus 6:3 we read,
And
I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by [the name of] God
Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.
That
Jehovah is indeed the pre-mortal Savior is amply clarified in his words to
Zachariah—
In
that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is
feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David [shall
be] as God, as the angel of the LORD before them. And it shall come to pass in
that day, [that] I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against
Jerusalem. And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me
whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for [his]
only [son], and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for
[his] firstborn. (Zechariah
12:8-11).
In
this scripture it is clear that the LORD (Jehovah) is speaking; and referring to
himself in both the first and third person, he says, and they shall look upon
me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for
[his] only [son], and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in
bitterness for [his] firstborn, clearly identifying himself as the Savior
who was to be crucified.
When
Jesus was born in mortality to the Virgin, Mary, the angel of the Lord appeared
to Joseph and told him that the child should be called Jesus (Matt 1:20-21). But
again we are reading the English language bible which was translated from the
original Greek. Jesus is a translation of the Greek word Iesous, and Iesous is
the Greek translation of the Hebrew Yeshua. The English translation of Yeshua is
Joshua. So the Savior was probably called Yeshua by his contemporaries. And had
we received the New Testament as a translation from the Hebrew rather than from
the Greek, the Savior would probably have been known to us as Joshua the Messiah
(from the Hebrew) rather than Jesus the Christ (from the Greek).
In
the Book of Mormon the Lord revealed to Nephi some 550 years before the birth of
the Savior that he would be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God (2 Nephi 25:19).
Again we have a translation problem. Nephi spoke Hebrew, but he recorded his
writings in the Egyptian language. So in the plates of the Book of Mormon the
inscription for the words, Jesus Christ, was undoubtedly the Egyptian equivalent
of Joshua the Messiah. Those Egyptian words written on metal plates by Nephi
were translated into English by Joseph Smith, “by the gift and power of
God.” It is logical that the English term for Joshua or Yeshua be used in
order to give meaning and understanding to the passage in English.
Gramps