# "The LORD" in OT translated as "Jesus"



## Abd_Yesua_alMasih (Nov 28, 2006)

I came across a Bible translation today at work which replaced "LORD" in the Old Testament with "Jesus" so that you got situations where it read like "Now Jesus told Noah and his family to get in the Ark". What are your thoughts and comments?


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## C. Matthew McMahon (Nov 28, 2006)

Ahhhhhhh, no.

Get rid of it.


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## Semper Fidelis (Nov 28, 2006)

That's the Bizarro translation picked up on the square planet called Htrae.


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## Jerusalem Blade (Nov 29, 2006)

Because "Jesus" pertains to the God-Man, to God the Son incarnate as a human being. I do not think it correct to refer to the _pre-incarnate_ Son by the name given Him as the Mediator.

While Paul _does_ say in 1 Cor. 10:4 that the spiritual Rock the Israelites drank from "was Christ", this is as by faith their trusting in "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Rev. 13:8) which Christ the Law of Moses did "prophesy" concerning (Matt 11:13), and all OT sacrifices were typical of. Nonetheless, "Jesus" is the name given to the "_man_ Christ Jesus" (1 Tim. 2:5).

Neither is "Jesus" (or "Joshua") a correct translation of the Tetragammaton, YHWH, which "the LORD" (in caps) is meant to signify in English.

Steve


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## Abd_Yesua_alMasih (Nov 30, 2006)

Do you think it is based on 'error' or upon false doctrine?


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## WrittenFromUtopia (Nov 30, 2006)

Abd_Yesua_alMasih said:


> Do you think it is based on 'error' or upon false doctrine?



The latter.


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## Abd_Yesua_alMasih (Nov 30, 2006)

Any particular belief system this could reflect?


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## Archlute (Nov 30, 2006)

Actually, I had one of my profs mention something similar to this, without suggesting that we actually change the language of our translations. He stated that since YHWH is the covenantal name for God, whenever we read this name in our Hebrew bibles, our mind's should automatically be drawn to think of Christ speaking in that interaction, the great keeper and mediator of the Covenant of Grace. 

He said this in a chapel, or a preaching class once (I can't remember which, since they're both held in the same building), and nobody fell out of their seats. I thought it was a great insight, and quite thought provoking, myself. I believe that this was the basis, although not necessarily the motive, for Watts' inserting the name of Christ into his version of the Psalter.


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## ChristopherPaul (Nov 30, 2006)

This has often puzzled me.

Instead of translating “YHWH” to “LORD” why not simply insert the inspired Hebrew name?

Or in the case of the other names for God (Elohim, Sabaôth, Eliôn, Adonai, Jah, Shaddai, etc) that are also translated to the same, why not simply insert the actual name? Is it to escape potential confusion? In that case, are we “dumbing” down scriptures by translating God’s names to simple words, such as “LORD”, “Lord”, or “God”?


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## R. Scott Clark (Nov 30, 2006)

I wouldn't change our translations partly because it is a question how to point the vowels in YHWH. Yahweh is widely accepted, and Jehovah is an artificial word) but the old ASV did use Jehovah for YHWH or Yahweh. The JW's used to keep it in print to use as their English Bible.

I agree with Adam's prof and am arguing a similar case in a forthcoming article in EVANGELIUM. 

We've always had to do with the Son. True, God the Son became incarnate at a certain time, so strictly speaking, it wasn't "Christ," i.e., God the Son incarnate, but nevertheless, we had to do with the same God the Son who became incarnate. Thus, as has been noted, Paul says "that Rock was Christ." He doesn't say "that Rock symbolized Christ." 

We've always had to do with God the Son. He didn't become Mediator in the incarnation. He has always been the Word, not just in the incarnation.

After all, no one has seen the Father...the Son has made him known. 

I don't quite know what would motivate such a Bible translation, however. I would wonder whether it's published by some Jesus-only sect.

What is the name and publication info for the translation?

rsc


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## CDM (Nov 30, 2006)

R. Scott Clark said:


> I wouldn't change our translations partly because it is a question how to point the vowels in YHWH. Yahweh is widely accepted, and Jehovah is an artificial word) but the old ASV did use Jehovah for YHWH or Yahweh. The JW's used to keep it in print to use as their English Bible.
> 
> I agree with Adam's prof and am arguing a similar case in a forthcoming article in EVANGELIUM.
> 
> ...



Maybe this translation was made as an overreaction to the JW's?


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## crhoades (Nov 30, 2006)

Would it be better to think "Trinity" when reading LORD or YHWH?


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## Abd_Yesua_alMasih (Nov 30, 2006)

I would have to find out the translations name. It was not English. Sorry I did not add that point earlier but it did not seem to make much difference.

It was an interesting point about YHWH/LORD etc... but do you think people would, as these names are not English, start thinking of them as mystical in some way? You can see already where these names are widely used (some Pentacostal, Messianic groups) there is a habbit of using them a bit too much as if they are the magic powder to be thrown in the pot. My understanding is that the names often translated into 'God' at least have meanings which can be translated into English? Can we do it this way?


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## R. Scott Clark (Nov 30, 2006)

In some places perhaps where it is not clear which person is in view. As I recall, Cocceius said something to that effect.

rsc



crhoades said:


> Would it be better to think "Trinity" when reading LORD or YHWH?


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