Part 2 Biblical Meaning and Implications for the Word "Name", Including Praying in the "Name" of Jesus

Biblical Meaning of the Word “Name”

Part 2: Praying in the “Name” of Jesus

An important scripture in the New Testament that is directly related to the discussion of the Biblical meaning of the word “name” in Part I of this article, a scripture that has been incorrectly translated and interpreted historically is:

“Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.   If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” John 14:13-14 ESV

And there are numerous other scriptures in the New Testament that you can explore when I AM Saves (Jesus) refers to prayer, include praying in His “name”.

But to review, let’s return to the meaning of the word “name” in the Old Testament which would be the way that I AM Saves (Jesus) and his followers would have understood it.  The meaning of the word “name” in the Old Testament, particularly as it refers to the Godhead, is the identity.

If I take John 14:13-14 and look into the more accurate and deeper meaning than has historically been promoted (“In Jesus name, Amen”) it would look like this:

And whatever you may ask within my nature/character/identity, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified within the Son.

As fearful, fragile, vulnerable humans who have been placed in a dangerous universe (ultimately for all and quickly for some leading to death), we are naturally and understandably interested in getting what we want/need for our fleshly comfort and survival – and that of other humans that we value, so we have been told, and had modeled, to mechanically use “In Jesus name” at the end of our prayers to at least help insure that we get what we are asking for/want/need from God. 

But if we take the above scripture with the interpretation of the word “name” that we explored as it’s accurate meaning biblically – the requisite for I AM Saves (Jesus) doing what we are requesting in the prayer, according to John 14:13-14, is that we be within his identity/nature/character.

So what does scripture say about how we can be/or are - within the identity/nature/character of I AM Saves (Jesus)?

·         John 1: 1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.  All through Him came into existence; and without Him came into existence not even one (thing) that came into existence.

·         Colossians 1: 16-17 …within Him was created all, within the heavens and upon the earth; the visible and the invisible; whether thrones, or lordships, or rulers or authorities; all has been created through Him and into (Greek: eis) Him.

·         2 Timothy 1:9  …He rescued us and called us with a unique calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and gift [which was] given to us within Anointed I AM Saves (transliterated in most “translations” as: Christ Jesus) before the ages of the ages times. ( i.e. before “time” began).

·         Isaiah 46:10 “Remember former things from forever for I am God and none else is God, even none like Me, declaring from the beginning to the end and from the past those things which were not done, saying, ‘My purpose shall rise; and I will accomplish ALL my good pleasure….Yes I have spoken (His Word); yes, I will cause it to come; I have formed: yes, I will do it.’”

·         Isaiah 14:24 I AM Always AM (YHWH) of hosts has sworn saying, “Surely as I have thought, surely it shall be;”

·         Acts 17:28 For within Him we [all] live and are moved about and exist. [Paul was speaking to Athenians who had not yet been persuaded to accept his message.]

·         Romans 11:32 For from out of Him [God] and through Him and into Him is ALL.                   [this statement includes the second person of the Trinity, the I AM Saves, the Living Word of God].

·         Isaiah 55:11 So will My Word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return  without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

·         I AM Saves (Jesus) last words on the cross: John 19:30 "It has been completed/fully realized/perfected/repaid [Greek: Tetelestai]." [many translations: “It is finished.”]

·         John 17:4 “I glorified You on the earth, completing (Greek: eteleiosa: accomplishing, perfecting, finishing) the work which You gave to me that I should do.”

·         2 Peter 3:9 The Owner/Lord/Master…not desiring/being willing for any to be lost/stray, but all to come into change of understanding/mind/intellect.

·         1 Timothy 2:4 “For good and acceptable in the sight/judgment/decision of God our Rescuer who desires/wills all men to be rescued and to come into a full knowledge of truth."

·         Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified; I live and no longer I but Christ [Greek: Anointed] lives within me, but now the life I live within the flesh, I live by the faith/persuasion of the Son of God; He caring for [Greek: agape] me and giving Himself over on my behalf.

·         John 14:13-14 And whatever you may ask within my nature/character/identity, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified within the Son.

·         John 5:18-19 Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of His own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever He [The Father] does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all that He Himself is doing;” 

·         Matthew 6: 10 “Your will/desire is done on earth as it is in heaven.”

·         Luke 22:42 He prayed, saying, “Father, if you will/desire, take away this cup from Me; but not my will/desire but [you will] let be Your will/desire.

·         John 4:34 And I AM Saves (Jesus) said to them, “My food is that I may do the will/desire of Him who sent me and that I may accomplish/complete/finish His work.”

·         John 10: 25 & 30 “The works that I do in my Father's name (identity/nature/character) bear witness about me.” ^“I and the Father are One.” "If you have seen me, you have seen the Father."

·         John 14: 10 “So long a time I AM with you, and not you know me, Philip?  The (one) seeing Me has seen the Father; and how do you say ‘Show us the Father?’ Not do you believe (persuaded) that I (am) within the Father and the Father is within Me? The words which I speak to you I do not speak from Myself but the Father who exists/indwells Me. He does the works.”

·         John 17:22 "And I have given them the honor/praise/glory which You gave to Me that they may be One as we are One; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in One and the universe/world may know that You sent Me  and loved them, even as You loved Me.

·         John 6:38 "I have descended out of heaven, not that I may do my own will/desire, but the will/desire of the (One) sending Me."

 

In the light of the scriptures above, looking again at John 14: 13-14

And whatever you may ask within my nature/character/identity, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified within the Son.

1.      We all (all humans and all that has ever been created) ARE within Him/His identity/His nature and have always been (including when we are “fallen”, good, bad or ugly).  Being within Him is NOT something that we need to work on or can achieve, because it already (since before the universe/world began) IS.  Everything God has ever intended/desired/thought/spoken has always existed/been accomplished outside and not dependent on our chronological/historical time.

2.      Since we all are within Him, we can ask nothing of Him OR the Father that He will not do, if it is according to God’s will/desire and plan (which has been accomplished/ existed since eternity past); and we can ask nothing of Him OR the Father that He will do if it is not in accordance with God’s will/desire and plan.  THAT IS THE IDENTITY/NATURE/CHARACTER/RELATIONSHIP TO THE FATHER OF I AM Saves, The Word of God, THE SECOND PERSON OF THE TRINITY.  Who says, “If you ask me anything within my identity/nature/character, I will do it.”

3.      We ALL have our existence within Him and when we ask anything of Him, in the framework of formal prayer, or ever, He is faithful to only perform those things that are in accord with His identity/nature/character (“name”) which only and always does those things which are His Father’s will/desire and plan.  And since His Father IS LOVE, He always does what is in His children’s spiritual best interest.  "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18

A Useful Scriptural Pattern for Prayer: Philippians 4:4 & 4:6

A useful scriptural pattern for me is:

Philippians 4:4 Rejoice within the Owner/Master/Lord always!  Again I say, Rejoice!

Philippians 4:6 Be anxious about nothing but within everything, by prayer and request with thanksgivings, make your requests known to God. 

We can (and God commands us to) bring everything that we have “anxiety” about to Him in prayer.  We can do that with the confidence (no matter how small, great, fleshly, selfish, spiritually worthless or negative the issue) knowing that He will always answer the prayer in the way that is the very best for us (and every other human) with His eternal priority of what is best for us (and all) for the eternal joy agenda that He has always had in mind/intent/thought for ALL of Adam's race (Romans 5:18) since before the universe/world began. And because He is outside of time, the I AM Always AM that agenda always has been accomplished.

And just briefly looking at what the “with thanksgiving” means in Philippians 4:6: Along with our prayer/request we are thankful that our God will only answer every prayer for our (and everyone’s) eternal best.  That is His identity/nature/character, “Name”, whose identity is also, at the deepest core, "Agape": the fact of being always caring and taking care of (translated into the KJV as “Charity” and into the modern versions, unfortunately as “love”, about which we have such inaccurate perceptions.  But that would be another articleJ

So, the natural consequences of this commanded freedom in prayer, since we can rest that He always and only gives what we truly need the most, is Philippians 4:4 Rejoice within the Owner always! Again I say, Rejoice! (Especially when life and circumstances SUCK!)  Or as said in Psalm 23:1 The I AM Always AM is my Shepherd.  I have no lack.

An additional supportive scripture: Romans 8:28 "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  We do not now what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intersedes for us through wordless utterances.  And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the S;irit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God."

June

 

 

Part 1 Biblical Meaning and Implications for the Word "Name", Including Praying in the "Name" of Jesus, Part I

The Biblical meaning and implications for the word “Name” including Praying in the “Name” of Jesus (and other implications of the use of the “Name/Names” of God the Father and Jesus the Son)

Part I – Biblical meaning and implications for the word “Name” [Part 2 to be posted when complete – Praying in the “Name” of I AM Saves (YHsua, Jesu, Jesus)]

First, what is the Biblical meaning of the word, “name”?

Shm - In the Hebrew of the Old Testament (which is also the way the word/concept would have been used by Jesus and the disciples), the word shm means “name” – and signifies, not primarily the verbal sounds of the letters making up a “name” (as it might in English i.e. Fred) , but infers the nature/character/essence of someone/something.  Another statement related to the word’s derivation in Hebrew is: Shem is derived from the verb Shiym "to place" and carries the meaning of "position, rank, honor, fame, reputation and authority".  

An excellent synonym for the meaning of the word “name” would be identity.  One dictionary definition for the word identity targets this: identity - the fact of being who or what a person or thing is.

 Hence, going to the very important passage in the Old Testament where Moses asks God “Who shall I say sent me? (The way that Moses was to “identify”, both to the Israelites and later to Pharaoh, the nature/character/essence/identity of the being that was sending the message to them). 

Exodus 3:14 “And God answered unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM – YHWH (I AM WHO HAS ALWAYS EXISTED; I AM ALWAYS AM).  And He said, “Thus shalt thou say unto the sons of Israel: I AM has sent me unto you.”

He didn’t say:“Thus shalt thou say unto the sons of Israel: ‘The LORD has sent me unto you.” OR ‘God has sent me unto you.’ OR ‘Jehovah has sent me unto you.’

It seems to have been important to Him that He identify Himself (“to ALL generations”) using a “name” that would identify Him always according to an aspect of His core nature.

So sad that translators were caused (by Him) to undermine that intent (of course, with His Sovereignty, this would have always, in ways we do not yet understand, been ordained as part of His Plan).

So God’s “name” was not just the verbal letters/words assigned by Him about Himself.  Both Moses and God understood that the question and answer was about God’s identity (nature/character/essence) – who or what He was.

UNFORTUNATELY, in almost all Bible translations since the original Hebrew, which was rendered into Greek, then Latin and then into English in the long standing King James Version, the actual “name” with which God identified Himself to Moses (Exodus 3: 13-15) as a “memorial name" (nature/character) to the people of Israel, was taken out of almost all  translations, and in the approximately 5,500 instances in the Old Testament where YHWH occurs, the word “LORD” (in capital letters) was put in its place, stripping it of the meaning that God Himself revealed for it.  Even most current "literal" translations, including those that support Universal Reconciliation/Universal Salvation, generally continue this sad substitution.  See discussion below of a few English translations transliterate the Hebrew YHWH to Jehovah (or a variation thereof), continuing to omit the actual translation of God's memorial name.

The use of the word “LORD”, as a poor and inadequate substitute for YHWH, which should have been appropriately translated into the script as “I AM Always AM”, possibly comes from two sources.

1.       A myth that has existed in Judaism historically, and that continues to the present in many geographical locations and/or congregations, including modern day Israel, is that the personal “name” given by God to Moses was too “holy” to speak aloud.  And for hundreds of years the common Jew has been forbidden to use it verbally and often in writing, only the High Priest being allowed to utter it once a year.  This seems to me to contradict what God told Moses: “this is my name (nature/character) forever, and this is my memorial unto all generations."

 

A significant root cause for the erroneous concept of the “Name” being too “holy” speak or even write, may be that in the Hebrew alphabet, the four letters Y, H, W, and H, used to represent God’s name (nature/identity) are identified to be verbalized as “breath sounds”. In contrast, most of the other letters of the Hebrew alphabet have specific “pronounceable” sounds (like our English vowels and consonants).  Hence, the four letters Y-H-W-H would not be “pronounceable” as words that have specifically “pronounceable” sounds, but could, very interestingly, sound like breathing.

 

 Some translators, if they used the YHWH at all, rather than substituting the completely inaccurate word, LORD,  tried to make the “Name” pronounceable by inserting sounds that make the word pronounceable in English transliterating it into English (Ex: Jehovah, Yahweh, etc.) rather than translating it into English (I AM Always AM).  Again, as the word YHWH occurs approximately 5,500 times in the Old Testament, this is a HUGE error in omitting God’s apparent initial intent for revealing a specific core aspect of His nature/character to Israel (and hence to all humanity) for “all generations”.

 

Definition of transliterate versus translate:

Transliterate - to write words or letters in the characters of another alphabet.  Example of transliteration: Yeshua (Hebrew) transliterates as Jesu (Yay-su) into Latin or transliterates from the Hebrew as Joshua into English OR as another attempt to transliterate through the Latin, Jesu into the English Jesus (Gee sus).  Transliteration simply takes the sound of a word in one language and attempts to make it sound as closely as possible to the sound of the word in the original language.  It does NOT translate the word (give the meaning) from the original language into the secondary language.

 

Translate – to express the sense (meaning) of words or text from one language into another language.  Example of translation: Yeshua (Hebrew) translates into English as I AM Saves! NOT “JESUS”; Example of translation: YHWH – I AM Always AM/I AM who has Always Existed! NOT “JEHOVAH”!  AND CERTAINLY NOT “LORD”

 

Related Possibility for the concept of God’s name and His Breath:

A very startling and exciting place to go with this concept of God’s “memorial” name being breath sounds is to the Garden of Eden. The word in Greek for the “Spirit” of God, pneuma means “wind” and “breath”, and its’ parallels in the Old Testament “neshamah”, the “Breath of Life” that God breathed into Adam and the word for God's personal Spirit/Breath, "ruwach".   In Genesis 2:7 “Then the I AM Always AM (YHWH) Ruler (Adonai – Foundation, Master, Ruler) formed the man of dust of the ground [there is wordplay between “ground” (adama) and “man” (adam)] and blew into his nostrils the Breath of Life, and the man became a living soul/personhood (comprised of mind and emotions).”

 

So the quite extraordinary thought is that when God blew the Breath of Life into the man, was God breathing His OWN NAME into the man (THE breath sounds Y-H-W-H)?  I AM Always AM?  And given the concept of the second person of the Trinity, the Son, the Logos (The Living Word of God; the ACTION force of the Godhead that when God “spoke” anything into being, we understand that it was the accomplishing/action force (The Word) emanating from God’s “mouth” that accomplished that action) John 1:3 “ALL through Him came into [existence/be-ing] and without Him came into [existence/be-ing] not even one [thing] that came into [existence/be-ing].

 

So, what emanated from the Godhead (from God’s “mouth”, out of which His Word is spoken) into man’s nostrils that brought man into existence as a living being?  What came from God’s “mouth” was: The Breath of Life, The Logos (The Living Word of God), God the Son (the action, creating form of the Godhead), who was “spoken” forth from the Godhead as The I AM Saves (Yahsua/YHsua – Jesus) nature/aspect of the Godhead.  Who is also "I AM the Life."ie the I AM Always AM Word of God spoken/breathed into Adam, also known as I AM Saves (Jesus).

 

And what were the specifics of the form of the “Word” that was breathed into man? Y-H-W-H “I AM Always AM”.  Breath sounds (remember, the "Holy, Greek -Set apart for special use/unique, Spirit is also translated as Wind and Breath)

 

Using His "memorial name", God defined many additional "nuances" of His nature to the Israelites: I AM Always AM (YHWH): Your Strong Tower, Your Banner, Your Provider, Your Healer, Your Shepherd, Your Righteousness, Your Peace, Your Light, Your Savior, Your Rock, and I AM Always AM There -  As well as many others.  Again unfortunately (except that God has ordained ALL that EVER occurs as part of His Plan), these names were also incorrectly transliterated: the YHWH as Jehovah or similar transliterations (Jehovah Rapha – I AM Always AM your Healer) and the characteristic of Healer transliterated as Rapha, rather than giving them the beauty that God gave them in expressing more of His attributes/nature/character to the Israelites by accurately translating, rather than inaccurately transliterating them.

 

2.       A second likely source of the use of the word “LORD”, as a poor and inadequate substitute for YHWH in most of the 5,500 occurrences in the Old Testament is again the prejudices/misperceptions of the translators. Those who translated from the Hebrew Old Testament into the Greek Septuagint version, apparently following the tradition of not writing or uttering the YHWH, likely used both the Hebrew word, “adonai” and the Greek word, “kurios” to justify their search for a substitute for YHWH. 

 

Adonai by itself is not really a proper name but rather a title like “Sir”, Doctor, “Madam”, Mr./Mrs. It is used to show deference or respect for someone’s position/autiority.  It literally means 'mister' or my lord, master or owner (and has additional roots in its meaning related to “fundamental/foundational, father).  So Adonai YHWH could translate literally as “Mister/Owner I AM Always Am.”  So “adonai” when combined with God’s personal, memorial name, “I AM Always Am” (YHWH), added an address of additional respect to His memorial name.

 

The New Testament Greek, “kurios” (“owner, master, lord [of the feudal manor], sovereign, supreme ruler, potentate) came into the New Testament in English as Lord (first letter incorrectly capitalized) a translation choice related to the authority of the lord of the feudal manor.  BUT it incorrectly picked up the idea, through years of usage, as inferring diety, which it never possessed in the original Greek.  The word for God in Greek is “theos”, and is the Greek word that references the characteristic of deity. 

 

Because the word “Lord” in the New Testament has been so misinterpreted as referring to the characteristic of diety rather than authority (ownership, control, rule), it is has been exciting to me to select a different choice from the meanings for “kurios” that I believe is much truer to the original meaning.  I use “Owner” where “Lord” has been translated from “kurios”.  And I find new and heightened meaning and power from this translation of the original into English.

 

Some scriptural examples of accurately translating YHWH in the Old Testament and “kurios” in the New Testament:

 

Old Testament: (accurately translating rather than transliterating God’s “memorial” name)

·         Exodus 15:26 “For I am I AM ALWAYS AM, your Healer.”

·         Psalm 23:1 “I AM Always AM is my Shepherd.  I have no lack.”

·         Isaiah 45:6-7 “I am I AM Always AM and there is no other, forming light and creating darkness; making well-being and creating calamity; I, I AM Always AM do all these things.

 

New Testament: (dropping the word “Lord”, to omit the erroneous historical trappings of diety, incorrectly connected to the translation of “kurios”, rather than the correct implication of authority)

·         John 13:13 “You call me the teacher and the Owner/Master.  And you say well, for I am.” (Interestingly logical that Jesus is referring to Himself also as the eternal "I AM" as He does in other passages.)

·         John 21:17 [Peter speaking] “Owner/Master, you perceive all things.  You know that I love you.”

·         John 20:28  “And Thomas answered and said to him, “My Owner/Master and my God (Gr for God: theos – which actually does express diety, whereas Kurios does not)!

Summary: A New Practice for using the accurate names of the Godhead (Suggestions/thoughts – and You may have more):

So, as individuals and fellowships, how can we begin to use the names of God accurately (including the name of the action entity of the Godhead, the Word of God, through whom God accomplished the reconciliation/salvation/rescue of Adam’s Race: I AM Saves (YHsua, Jesu, Jesus)?

•    When we read the word "name" in the Old or New Testament, or talk about God's "Name(s)" substitute the word "Identity", "Nature", Character, etc.

·         When we address the persons of the Godhead aloud or use their names personally in prayer, thought, etc., use their accurate and actual names

·         When we read scripture, as much as possible, substitute their accurate/actual names for their transliterated inaccurate names

·         Teach others the reasons for the historical inaccuracy and the beauty clarity and deep truths in returning to the accurate names

·         As God provides opportunity, encourage/support efforts to produce written translations that use the accurate names

·         Keep the accurate names in mind as you read hymns/songs/literature that may not use the accurate names

• An addition: 2/26/17 An important "name" that I accidentally omitted from this article in Part I and I will include more in Part II is that, in the New Testament when the disciples asked I AM Saves (YHSUA- Jesus) how to pray, He began: "Our Father".  In another scripture, I AM Saves (YHSUA) addressed the First Person of the Trinity as "Abba" - close to our English word for "Daddy".  So, where I AM Always AM (YHWH) gave the that "name" as a memorial name (identity) to the Jews and to all generations, Jesus gave us the understanding of God's character /nature/identity in an even more personal way in the New Testament, as it relates not only to Jesus himself, as "Father"/"Daddy" but for us also since ALL humanity is in Him (Acts 17:28 "In Him we live and exist and are moved about.") And that is possibly an even more important name for us because it shows us our character/nature/identity in relationship to YHWH. JA

 

Note from June:  It will likely take me several more weeks of work to get Part 2 of this article posted: Praying in the "Name" of Jesus.  But I hope I have "wetted" your appetite.