
Concerning your contention that the Hebrew personal name for God, i.e. Yahweh, was not used in the New Testament; you have not considered the fact Yahweh was not just a ‘personal name’, but it was also a “statement of being.”
And therefore, with an understood meaning, His name translates as it crosses language & cultural boundaries.
God’s answer is a statement to Moses question.
And it is understood to be God’s “raison d’etre.” God’s very existence is self-sufficient for all matters that Moses can imagine. “I am, that I am!” “That is enough!” by God’s perspective.
- Look at Exodus 3:14-15, 14 God replied, “I Am the One Who Always Is.*(Or I Am Who I Am, or I Will Be What I Will Be.) Just tell them, ‘I Am has sent me to you.’ ” 15 God also said, “Tell them, ‘The Lord,*(Hebrew Yahweh; traditionally rendered Jehovah.) the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ This will be my name forever; it has always been my name, and it will be used throughout all generations.
Now, if we start with the right premise we may stand a better chance at getting to the right answer, as you, quite appropriately, have stated.
Do we see, in the New Testament, the Hebrew words for “I am”? The answer is obviously “No”, but you wouldn’t logically expect to see the New Testament people speaking Hebrew in conversations, since the Jewish people spoke principally Aramaic in all daily activities.
This is an important issue.
It would be similar to future generations looking at our American language of 2006 and making the claim that “thou” did not exist in America in 2006. We might want to tell them ‘Hey, we use the word “You” in America of 2006, not “thou”.’ Good translation skills are in order. Right?
The Jewish people spoke Aramaic, because Babylonians, Medes, and Persians had ruled them for hundreds of years. Each of these nations spoke Aramaic. However, the Greeks crushed the Persians, Alexander crushed them, to be precise. The Jews had to learn a new language. And they did just that. Greek was the language of “Law and Commerce”, but Aramaic was still the spoken tongue in Judah. Then along came Rome, and you can guess what happens. A new language is introduced to the milieu.
Latin was just beginning to displace the previous two languages, i.e. Aramaic & Greek.
So, obviously, there are factors to the claim that you’ve posed. Is “Yahweh” mentioned in the New Testament or not?
The answer is “Yes”! Emphatically “Yes”!
Where then is Yahweh mentioned?
Well, since we know that the words that were put together by God mean “I am”. Those are the words we should look for.
Right?
God made a statement of His Being.
So, are there any statements of God’s being in the New Testament?
As you mention you should get out your Strong’s Concordance and look up “I am.” You will find it all over the Gospels.
Look at Matthew 22:32 and Mark 12:26-27
- Mark 12:26, But now, as to whether the dead will be raised—haven’t you ever read about this in the writings of Moses, in the story of the burning bush? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said to Moses,* ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’* 27 So he is the God of the living, not the dead. You have made a serious error.”
- Look at Mark 14:62-63, 62 Jesus said, “I am, and you will see me, the Son of Man, sitting at God’s right hand in the place of power and coming back on the clouds of heaven.” 63 Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, “Why do we need other witnesses?
Why do you suppose that the high priest tore his clothing? It is because the high priest heard “Yahweh” from Jesus lips. The high priest knew what it appears that you have misunderstood.
Look at the Gospel of John all through this gospel account we read Jesus telling us and His hearers that “I am.”
- John 6: 35, 41, 48, 51, Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. No one who comes to me will ever be hungry again. Those who believe in me will never thirst. 41 Then the people began to murmur in disagreement because he had said, “I am the bread from heaven.” 48 Yes, I am the bread of life! 51 I am the living bread that came down out of heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; this bread is my flesh, offered so the world may live.” 58 I am the true bread from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever and not die as your ancestors did, even though they ate the manna.”
- Look at John 8:12, 18, 19, 23, 24, 28, 29, 30 12 Jesus said to the people, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” 18 I am one witness, and my Father who sent me is the other.” 19 “Where is your father?” they asked. Jesus answered, “Since you don’t know who I am, you don’t know who my Father is. If you knew me, then you would know my Father, too.” 23 Then he said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not. 24 That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am who I say I am, you will die in your sins.”
John 8:24 is a perfect Aramaic and Greek translation of the “statement of being” that God made to Moses at the burning bush.
- John 8:28, So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will realize that I am he and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak what the Father taught me. 29 And the one who sent me is with me—he has not deserted me. For I always do those things that are pleasing to him.” 30 Then many who heard him say these things believed in him.
They heard Jesus make the claim of “BEING.” And many believed in Him. The I AM keeps telling us that HE IS. I hope that I have spurred you to reexamine what the conjoined Hebrew words Yahweh really means. Because, the New Testament is as full of the I AM (Yahweh) as were the writings tribal Hebrews.
I may continue this latter, but I think that you have enough information.
But, the paradox is undeniable, from a human stand point. Even if, one understands Yahweh to be a different entity than God/Jesus/Eloahim/Holy Spirit/Father/Dios/Theos/Deity/Trinity.
God bless,
DSM
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I think John 8:58 solidifies your point: ”before Abraham was, I Am.”
Matt
Yes, thanks Matt for saying it. You have set the exclamation point just where it needs to be.
There is reason for faith in the Son. Those who refuse to accept Him, must be willing to believe anything, except He who is.
Mystery remains for faith to lead.
I have knowledge enough to know that I cannot know all. And I need not know all. Theology of Nuance says that I may only see the back of the Glory of God as he passes by.
I embrace the Mystery of the “Face of God the Father”, and I guess that one of my goals with this blog is that I might encourage others to stop trying to know all.
It is a sure way to rob yourself of the joy that is available.
We, who profess faith to a lost world, must not hypocritically assume that we should or can know all.
I am finding more believers who have discovered this as well.
God bless,
DSM
I have a topic request. If you have the time and the inspiration, would you please write about about ”Why I Believe.” I know you’ve probably covered this idea in fragments on most of your blogs, but I would like to hear a complete position on why you believe that God exists, the bible is His Word and that Christ is His Son ect… Thanks.
Matt
What you have asked is a not easy.
I have told my wife that my faith is a tapestry, as opposed to a net. My meaning is that I had a net faith when I left home for college. And when it was a net it unraveled fairly quickly when just a few of the strands were cut. As a tapestry many more threads hold the whole of my belief together. If there is a failure by a spiritual mentor now, my faith will not soften as it did twenty some years ago.
Everything in my life, now tells me that my belief in Jesus is the truest thing. Even the time that I was trying to make it without God is now part of what makes my faith sure and gives me an ability to understand others who are outside of hope.
So, I will be giving a brief autobiography as much as a statement of faith.
Finally, you should not expect my statement of faith to be sufficient for your faith.
My faith is unique and until I owned it for myself, it was teetering. No one person can give the answer that will steady any other believer.
I can look at the life and teachings of faithful people and draw strength and courage.
But, this is only by the same Holy Spirit that made those folks strong and encouraging. I, you and all other faithful believers in the Messiah Jesus, possess the same gift of grace, who is the Holy Spirit who created life in the Beginning and then life a new in Jesus’ resurrection from the devil’s domain. We must take hold of the gift of grace, i.e. God’s Holy Spirit. We must be confident in Him to do exactly what He has promised to do. This is what Abraham did, and all of the faithful who have come since him.
I will write it but it will be several essays.
Thanks for asking.
DSM
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