[From ws12/15 p. 9 for February 8-14]
“The word of God is alive.” – He 4:12
One laudable feature of the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (NWT) is its restoration of God’s name to its rightful place. Many other translations substitute LORD where the Tetragrammaton is found in the original.
Paragraph 5 lays down the principle that continues to guide the New World Translation committee[i] to this day.
Why is the inclusion or omission of God’s name significant? A skilled translator knows the importance of understanding the intent of an author; such knowledge affects many translation decisions. Countless Bible verses show the importance of God’s name and its sanctification. (Ex. 3:15; Ps. 83:18; 148:13; Isa. 42:8; 43:10; John 17:6, 26; Acts 15:14) Jehovah God—the Author of the Bible—inspired its writers to use his name freely. (Read Ezekiel 38:23.) Omitting the name, found thousands of times in ancient manuscripts, shows disrespect for the Author.
Let us examine the first boldfaced section. It is true that a translator is greatly aided by understanding the intent of the author. I worked as a professional translator as a young man and often found that a phrase or even a word in the original language carried an ambiguity that was not carried over into English. In such cases, I had to choose between two different words and knowing the author’s intent was crucial in deciding which to use. Of course, I usually had the benefit of having the author at hand, so I could ask him, but a Bible translator does not enjoy that advantage. So it is misleading to say, that “such knowledge affects many translation decisions.” It is not knowledge when you cannot ask the author what he means. It is conjecture, belief, perhaps deductive reasoning, but knowledge? No! Such a statement presupposes a level of understanding that can only come by divine revelation, and the translation committee hardly possesses that.
The second boldface section seems to be axiomatic, though I’m sure those who support the removal of the divine name from Bible translations would disagree. Nevertheless, I doubt that most of us would have a problem with it. It is how it is used in the article that presents the problem. To explain, have a look at the question for the next paragraph.
“Why does the revised New World Translation have six additional occurrences of the divine name?”
The eight million Witnesses studying this article are sure to assume from this that only six new occurrences are in question, while all the other 7,200 occurrences are the result of not “omitting the name, found thousands of times in ancient manuscripts”. Thus, my JW brethren will continue under the misconception that the more than 200 insertions of the divine name in the Christian Scriptures are the result of finding ancient manuscripts that include it. This is not the case. There are over 5,000 manuscripts and manuscript fragments of these Scriptures in existence today and not one—let’s repeat that for clarity—not one includes the divine name.
Paragraph 7 states that “appendix of the 2013 revision of the New World Translation contains updated information on” the significance of the divine name. What it doesn’t state is that all the “J” references found in Appendix 1D of the previous edition have been removed. Without these references, a Bible student using the new translation will simply believe that every time the name Jehovah appears in the Christian Scriptures, it is there in the original manuscript. However, if he goes back to the old version and looks up the now-removed “J” references, he will see that every occurrence is based on someone else’s translation, not an original manuscript copy.
The process of changing a translation to read differently than it does in the original is called "conjectural emendation." This means that the translator is amending or changing the text based on conjecture. Is there ever a valid reason for adding or subtracting from God's word based on conjecture? If this is really deemed as necessary, wouldn't the honest thing be to let the reader know we are making a change based on conjecture and not lead him to believe that we have special knowledge of what the author (God) intends and/or imply that there is no conjecture at all, but that the translation is of something actually found in the original?
However, let us not blame the committee. They have to get approval for all these things as stated in paragraphs 10, 11, and 12. This approval comes from the Governing Body. They have a zeal for God's name, but not according to accurate knowledge. (Ro 10:1-3) Here is what they overlook:
Jehovah is the almighty God. Despite the best efforts of the Devil, Jehovah has preserved his name in ancient manuscripts that predate Christianity. The first Bible books were written 1,500 years before Christ walked the earth. If he could preserve his name thousands of times in manuscripts that were ancient in Jesus’ time, why could he not do the same for those that are more recent? Are we to believe that Jehovah couldn’t preserve his name in even one of the 5,000+ manuscripts available to us today?
The zeal of the translators to “restore” the divine name appears to be actually working against God. His name is important. There is no question about that. For this reason, why he has revealed it over 6,000 times in the pre-Christian Scriptures. But when Christ came, Jehovah wanted to reveal something else. His name, Yes! But in a different way. When Messiah arrived, it was time for a new, expanded revelation of God’s name.
This may sound odd to a modern ear, because we view a name as a mere appellation, a label—a means to distinguish person A from person B. Not so in the ancient world. It was not the actual name, the Tetragrammaton, that was unknown. It was the character, the person of God, that men did not grasp. Moses and the Israelites knew the Tetragrammaton and how to pronounce it, but they didn't know the person behind it. That is why Moses asked what God’s name was. He wanted to know who was sending him on this mission, and he knew his brothers would want to know that as well. (Ex 3:13-15)
Jesus came to make God’s name known in a way that had never occurred before. Humans ate with Jesus, walked with Jesus, talked with Jesus. They observed him—his conduct, his thought processes, his emotions—and came to understand his personality. Through him, they—and we—came to know God as was never possible before. (John 1:14, 16; 14:9) To what end? That we might call God, Father! (John 1:12)
If we look at the prayers of faithful men recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures, we do not see them referring to Jehovah as their Father. Yet Jesus gave us the model prayer and taught us to pray this way: “Our Father in the heavens…” We take this for granted today, but this was radical stuff in his day. One did not risk calling oneself a child of God unless one be taken for a presumptuous blasphemer and stoned. (John 10:31-36)
It is noteworthy that the NWT began to be translated only after Rutherford came out with his antitypical teaching that the other sheep of John 10:16 were not God’s children. What child calls his father by his given name? The JW Other Sheep call Jehovah by name in a prayer. We open the prayer with "Our Father", but then revert back to a repetitious recitation of the divine name. I've heard the name used over a dozen times in a single prayer. It is treated almost as if it were a talisman.
What meaning would Romans 8:15 have were we to cry out “Abba, Jehovah” instead of “Abba, Father”?
It appears that the goal of the translation committee was to give the JW Other Sheep a Bible all their own. It is a translation for people who consider themselves God’s friends, not his children.
This new translation is intended to make us feel special, a privileged people out of all the world. Notice the caption on page 13:
“What a privilege to have Jehovah speak to us in our own language!”
This self-congratulatory quotation is there to instill in the reader the idea that this new translation comes right from our God. We would not say anything like this about any of the other excellent modern translations available to us today. Sadly, our brothers do view the latest version of the NWT as a “must use”. I’ve heard friends tell how they were criticized for using the older version of the NWT. Imagine what would happen if you went from door-to-door using another version altogether, the King James or the New International Version.
Truly, the brothers have bought into the idea carried by the page 13 caption. They believe that Jehovah is speaking to us through this new translation. With that view, there is no room for the idea that maybe some of the texts are poorly translated or that some bias might have crept in.
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[i] While the members of the original committee were kept secret, the general feeling is that Fred Franz did almost all the translation, with others serving as proofreaders. There is no evidence that the current committee includes any Bible or ancient language scholars and it is believed to be largely a work of revision rather than translation. All non-English versions are translated from the English and not form the original tongues of Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic.
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Comment by Nick_O on 2016-02-09 08:27:58
As always Meleti, your continuous hard work shows through. Nice job with the new site!
Regarding the subject at hand, while it is good that efforts have been made to restore the divine name, we have allowed the pendulum to swing too far in the other direction, crossing the line of amending God's word based on speculation. In addition to the fact that in the New Testament God's name is not found, we take a dangerous position by choosing in which instances Kyrios refers to Jesus, and when it refers to the Father.
In some scriptures the context make's it clear, such as in Luke 5:17, where Jesus clearly is described as receiving power by the Lord - Kyrios (the Father). In other instances it is clear that Lord - Kyrios refers to Christ, such as in Acts 2:36.
But another dangerous line is crossed when one chooses, based on speculation. In many instances in the NT, the writers allowed the word to represent either the person of Kyrios (Jesus) or the one identified as יהוה (God) and did not differentiate between the attributes or prerogatives of one or the other in those indistinct cases.
In forcing one or the other we are putting words in Jehovah's mouth. In fact when we let God's word read as HE had it written, we come to another important truth: that Jesus shares Jehovah's eternal attributes, and that honor to the son is the same as honor to the Father. Phil 2:11 , Hebrews 1:3
Comment by Buster on 2016-02-09 18:34:12
My friend also you forgot to point out the blatant decit or I will say it a lie the Organization trys to pull in paragraph 3 and 4, talking about the RSV bible and in 1952 where in the preface it talks not using the divine name.
The watchtower tries to use there famous ......... But they are being deceitful, and if you look at the simplified watchtower for this week it is even more deceitful.
This is the context of the quote of the RSV Bible preface about not using the divine name
The form “Jehovah” is of late medieval origin; it is a combination of the consonants of the Divine Name and the vowels attached to it by the Masoretes but belonging to an entirely different word. The sound of Y is represented by J and the sound of W by V, as in Latin. For two reasons the Committee has returned to the more familiar usage of the King James Version: (1) the word “Jehovah” does not accurately represent any form of the Name ever used in Hebrew; and (2) the use of any proper name for the one and only God, as though there were other gods from whom He had to be distinguished, was discontinued in Judaism before the Christian era and is entirely inappropriate for the universal faith of the Christian Church.
Well we all know they were not gonna use the first point but to take off the second point and cut it up now correct. And they pulled this kind of trick in the march 15 2013 watchtower page 24, first paragraph.
Look we all know we don't know the exact way to use our heavenly father name, but for sure it ain't Jehovah, look I dont mind if anybody uses it, but scholars ( not all 100 percent) say that closest thing is Yahweh, heck even the watchtower admits this, in the 1950 christian Greek scriptures, yes the one mentioned in last week article says yup Yahweh is the more correct way, but we use Jehovah cause it is popular. And OK almost all translations put it why they don't use it in the Hebrew scriptures , we all probably don't agree but they list why. Heck even in the broadcast last year Mr. Jackson said we use Jehovah cause it is more popular... Right Jesus always reached that.
And also there are many bibles that use Jehovah, and many more now that ate using the more correct Yahweh, hcsb ( only near 600 times, yeah makes no sense), world English bible, and more then a few others.
Watchtower knows what type, and just last week when i was going to the meeting ( by the way the end time for my going is up this year, can't take the nonsense anymore) people were starting to bash the king James bible, and starting to talk how the NWT bible is great, really even you pointed out the article for last week was starting to lead to this week article, and how awesome the NWT Bible is, even when people forget the Mother Organization used the King James bibles as the main bible up until 1950, check out watchtower 1959.
Love to all from buster
Comment by Joshua on 2016-02-10 00:44:36
Jesus made God's name known to his disciples by fulfilling his Father's word. Jehovah, He Causes To Become, fulfilled his word. Messiah was present, God's Son, the Son of David, was among them. He Causes To Become himself was with his people in the person and name of his Son, Jesus, which means He Causes To Become Salvation.
(John 17:26) . . .And I have made your name known to them and will make it known, in order that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in union with them. . .
Jesus made his Father's name known in the first century by his physical presence as Messiah and he makes his Father's name known to all those today who are blessed to receive his Father's spirit! It is in this way that they also come to know He Causes To Become by the presence of his spirit which makes known to them their union with Christ and through Christ his God, He Causes To Become, his Father.
(John 17:12) . . .When I was with them I used to watch over them on account of your own name which you have given me; . . .
Jesus, by means of his Father's spirit and his Father's love, has Caused To Become all that his Father has said will be. We honor the Son as we honor the Father because the Father has given him his own name!
He Causes To Become said to Abraham that his children would inherit the land. Though Abraham knew He Causes To Become would fulfill his promises, Abraham himself did not see God at work fulfilling that promise. He Causes To Become caused his promise to Abraham at exactly the right time, the time of freedom from the bondage God knew they would suffer. They were no longer a family of around 70 souls but rather a multitude of people who having experienced the trials of slavery were eager to enter the Promised Land God had given to Abraham. They were now also of sufficient number to handle the task. When they finally entered their land the word, the promise, of He Causes To Become found fruition. They had come to know their God as well as seeing the meaning of his name, He Causes To Become, take shape before their very eyes.
When the Promised Messiah arrived, also right on time, God's name, the fulfillment of his name, again became known to his people. The Jews were again blessed with seeing the fulfillment of God's word, his promise, of Messiah coming to fruition. It is in this way that Jesus made He Causes To Become known to his people, the Jews.
Though well meaning, the Watchtower misunderstood.
Joshua
Comment by Menrov on 2016-02-10 07:33:26
I recently has a discussion around the topic of God's name in the bible. The same argument was made, that NWT is the bible that has the name restored and other translations have removed the name. My argument was that none of the claims are true. The NWT did not restore the name because only the tetragrammaton is known and the spelling of the name is not know. So, the NWT and various other bibles have chosen to use a name they believe is most appropriate (Jehovah). But others have chosen to use another name (Yahweh, other spelling). And others have decided not to choose a Western spelling but continue with the tetragrammaton or other variations. And yes, it has also been a choice to use a title instead of a chosen name. In all instances though, these translations acknowledge that the tetragrammaton is found in the scriptures and have instructed the reader (in most cases) how they have translated the tetragrammaton. In other words, as a translator you can choose a (western) type of name for the tetragrammaton, or a Hebrew name or just keep the tetragrammaton or use a title for it. Because the true pronunciation is unknown, any representation of the tetragrammaton is a personal choice of the translator(s). None can claim it is "the truth". May be to maintain the tetragammaton would have been the best choice but makes reading a bit more difficult I guess.
However, the practice to add the tetragrammaton (or its of the Western or Hebrew name for it) to scriptures that do not originally have that, is going beyond the freedom of a translator. Actually, by adding words or names to a text that did not have these words or names, is actually an act of rewriting, or editing. Like one is proof reading the scriptures and making adjustments. In my view, such a bible should actually not be called a translation of the scriptures but an interpretation of the scriptures.
Comment by sackcloth on 2016-02-11 00:58:41
WT: :May we be determined to take advantage of every gift from Jehovah, including this translation that honors his name. WT para 17
WT :“What a privilege to have Jehovah speak to us in our own language!”
Meleti: “This self-congratulatory quotation is there to instill in the reader the idea that this new translation comes right from our God. “
God’s thoughts: ‘The Sovereign Lord Jehovah has sworn by himself,’ declares Jehovah the God of armies,‘ “I detest the pride of Jacob, I hate his fortified towers, And I will hand over the city and what fills it.“‘“And if ten men are left in one house, they will also die. A relative will come to carry them out and burn them one by one. He will bring their bones out from the house; then he will say to whoever is in the inner rooms of the house, ‘Are there any more with you?’ And he will say, ‘Nobody!’ Then he will say, ‘Keep silent! For it is not the time to make any mention of the name of Jehovah.’” For it is Jehovah giving the command, And he will strike down the great house into rubble, And the small house into debris. Amos 6:8-11 RNWT
This sounds pretty true in translation. But notice a little softening in Prov 16:18
"Pride is before a crash, And a haughty spirit before stumbling." RNWT
" Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall"….which fits more compatibly with God’s thoughts. NKJV
Believe me, I take God's thoughts seriously; I hope others do also.
Comment by Tadua on 2016-02-12 09:04:50
Dear all i would recommend reading this article on the history of jehovahs name. The writer finds evidence for the pronunciation and its prescence in the hebrew scriptures, but as you said meleti, none for its prescence in the greek scriptures. Its well worth a read. https://www.academia.edu/14029315/The_Name_of_God_Y.eH.oW.aH_Which_is_pronounced_as_it_is_Written_I_Eh_oU_Ah._Simplified_edition
Reply by Vox Ratio on 2016-02-12 12:45:06
Hi Tadua,
Thank you for bringing this out. Gertoux is a fine scholar, and his book - upon which this monograph was based - is one of the most informative investigations on the pronunciation of the divine name available in English. I second your recommendation.
Comment by Tadua on 2016-02-14 22:32:02
Further to the point Meleti made about Exodus 3:13-15. Moses being educated by the Egyptians would have known all their Gods, as would the israelites. But most EgyptIan gods had limited power to one or a few aspects. E.g. god of the Nile, of crocodiles, of cattle, of firstborn, of rain, etc. Therefore jehovahs reply was not to reiterate his label, after he had already been the god of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob , but to make clear that he would do whatever he needed to do to accomplish his purpose. In an English idiom, Jehovah would prove to be more than a one trick pony like the so called other gods.
Pharaoh asked who is this Jehovah? But he knew the label name of the god of the israelites, as he went on to say "that I should obey his voice and let his people go." What he didn't think he would see to his and the land of Egypts cost, was such a display of power from Jehovah where he would through the ten plagues humiliate a wide range of EgyptIan gods who proved powerless to stop him.
Comment by Mowani on 2016-02-15 06:46:27
Thank you for this analysis. During the WT study in our congregation the comments to par. 3 and 4 revealed that many do not grasp that the original manuscripts of the the greek scriptures do not use the tetragramm, some seemed quite surprised when I pointed that out. The WT did not really help to understand that.
What I found shocking is that in par. 7 talking about examples how Jehovah has become what he chooses to become, Noah, Bezalel, Gideon and Paul were mentioned, but NOT Jesus Christ who is the supreme example of this. In him Jehovah has become everything he is and stands for. What is the goal in leaving him out of the picture?Reply by sackcloth on 2016-02-16 16:50:36
Perhaps it should be asked, what is Satan’s goal? If Satan’s primary goal is to kill off those in Christ (his Body, Temple, New Covenant woman, Gen 3:15), wouldn’t his greatest deception be in the midst of them, or they within the midst of the deception? As we look throughout all the temptations he has devised – those we deal with day to day – what would escape our notice, primarily, if not the least obvious one?
A deception is like a sparkling veil that we can desire, grab hold of; even choose to wear. Once the glitter begins to fall away it is easier to see the truth behind the veil. Too many sugary candy bars make us sick; too much money spent puts us in a financial bind and with hindsight we realize how we arrived at our sorry state. Too many lies should (but do they?) cause us to question the motives behind them.
If Satan demands to sift us as wheat (Luke 22:31) how would he do so? He has created every avenue of deception and corrosion possible. For those who desire to follow in Christ’s footsteps, how would he offer them the “kingdoms of the world” as he did to Christ, if not through a spiritually deceptive “kingdom” – a proposed “earthly Zion” – one requiring the submission of its followers to bear its mark? ("Do you understand that your dedication and baptism IDENTIFY you as one of Jehovah's Witnesses in association with God's spirit-directed organization?") Rev 13:17; 19:20
Traps, and the captivity as a result, are referenced throughout the bible, all attributed to Satan. 2 Cor 10:4,5; 2 Tim 3:6,7; 2 Pet 2:19; Rev 13:10 As we approach the time of Christ’s appearance, wouldn’t we expect him to work even harder to bring down the unsusceptible along with him; and by doing so, successfully killing off as many as possible of the “woman’s seed”? Rev 12:9,12; 12:13,17 Could we not come to the conclusion that his greatest deceptive trap would be his last, using the truth in the bible as bait; with the offering of peace, eternal life, salvation, even making evident the destruction of himself as well as teaching about the God he knows well? Zeph 3:1-5; Ezek 13:8-12; Rev 8:11
Since Christ is his greatest enemy, he undoubtedly chooses to manipulate those in Christ to work against the Anointed One, those given the outpouring of Holy Spirit, his anointed ones within the Body. Christ’s own chosen priests turn into false prophets. Deut 13:13; 1 John 4:1; Jer 5:31
“He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power.” Dan 8:25
These anointed ones can fall from God’s grace, and hard. 1 Cor 10:9-12; Rev 12:4; Heb 12:15; 1 Tim 6:9; 2 Pet 3:17; Phil 2:15
Smoothly and carefully over time, I believe the truth about the Christ has been “thrown to the ground”. Dan 8:12; Ezek 8:5,6; Dan 8:12; Isa 59:13-15; Jer 7:28 It seems evident to me that the path leading one to Christ is a crooked one within the organization; made impossible to stay on without disconnecting oneself completely from that crooked way. Acts 13:9,10; John 14:6; Matt 3:3
It is appropriate that you question why Christ wasn’t mentioned in the article. I believe it is in these ways that Christ makes his ways known to those who care to know.
And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. Then you will defile your carved idols overlaid with silver and your gold-plated images. You will scatter them as unclean things. You will say to them, “Be gone!” Isa 30:21,22
“Therefore, lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.” Heb 12:12,13; Isa 52:2; Rev 3:18;
Luke 4:18; Rev 18:4Reply by Meleti Vivlon on 2016-02-16 20:22:32
Well said. Thanks for bringing all those Scriptural references to bear.