The Incomprehensible Name of God: YHWH

By Andrew M. Greenwell, Esq.
2/21/2013
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

The next word in this series we will explore is, without doubt, the most ponderous we shall ever address in this series Tres Linguae Sacrae. In fact, it is not really a word; it is a name, but not any ordinary name. It is the very name of God: YHWH (יהוה), which translated means something along the lines of "He who is," Eis qui est.

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CORPUS CHRISTI, TX (Catholic Online) - The next word in this series we will explore is, without doubt, the most ponderous we shall ever address in this series Tres Linguae Sacrae. In fact, it is not really a word; it is a name, but not any ordinary name.

It is the nomen ineffabile, the ineffable name.
It is the nomen incommunicabile, the incommunicable name.
It is the nomen terribile, the terrible name. (Ps. 99[98]:3)
It is the nomen sanctum, the holy name. (Ps. 111[110]:9)

It is the very name of God: YHWH (יהוה), which translated means something along the lines of "He who is," Eis qui est.

The Jews call it "the Name," or Hashem (Lev. 24:11, 16; Deut. 28:58), and indeed the unutterable name, Shem Hameforash.

St. Thomas Aquinas agrees with the traditional Jew. In his Summa Theologiae, St. Thomas Aquinas says this name is the most suitable name for God--more suitable than its translation "He who is," and more suitable than the word God itself--since it signifies "the substance of God itself," and is "incommunicable, and, if one make so speak, singular," incommunicabilem, et, ut sic liceat loqui, singularem. (ST Ia q. 13 a. 11, ad. 1).

It is a wonderful patrimony that Christians have inherited from the revelation of God to Moses and for which we ought to be forever grateful: "The God of our faith has revealed himself as HE WHO IS," YHWH, the One with the ineffable, incommunicable, terrible, and holy name. CCC � 231.

The word YHWH comes to us from Hebrew, and is composed of four Hebrew letters. Yod, He, Waw, and He. For this reason, it is called the Tetragrammaton, a word that comes from Greek meaning "four letters." In his Stromata (V.6), St. Clement of Alexandria calls it the "mystic name of four letters," to tetragrammon honoma to mystikon.

Because Hebrew originally did not have vowels, there is some uncertainty and therefore dispute among scholars as to how the name is actually pronounced: Yahweh or Yawveh are the most likely possible alternatives. It is exceedingly unlikely that the popular Jehovah is the correct pronunciation.

The name of God--YHWH--is found over 6,800 times in the Old Testament. It appears approximately 650 times in the Psalms alone. It first appears in Genesis 2:4. The only books of the Old Testament in which the unutterable name does not appear are Ecclesiastes, the Book of Esther, and Song of Songs.

God revealed Himself in this manner when He revealed Himself to Moses on Mount Horeb in the theophany of the Burning Bush (Ex. 3:1-22). In response to Moses' question as to what he should tell the oppressed Israelites when they ask him the name of the God who had appeared to Him, God responded.

"I am who am."
Ehyeh asher Ehyeh
Ego sum qui sum (Vulgate)
Εγώ εἰμι ὁ ὤν (LXX)

"This is what you shall tell the Israelites," God continues. "I AM sent me to you. . . . this is my name for ever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations." (Ex. 3:14-15) "I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob," God tells Moses, "but my name, YHWH, I did not make known to them." (Ex. 6:3)

So it is that the first person "I am," EHYEH (אֶהְיֶה) becomes the third person YHWH (יהוה), which translated means something along the lines of "HE WHO IS," Eis qui est.

What is the significance of God having a name?

In his book Introduction to Christianity, before he was Pope Benedict XVI, Joseph Ratzinger broached the issue of the revelation of the name of God, Yahweh, and what "specifically new element was expressed" by that name. The various answers that might be given to this question Ratzinger said are many. The Catechism of the Catholic Church puts forth the most common:

God reveals his name to Moses to show that he is a personal God that wishes to make Himself known to mankind. "God has a name; he is not an anonymous force. To disclose one's name is to make oneself known to others." CCC � 203.

God's name is an expression of his faithfulness. "The divine name, 'I Am' or 'He is,' expresses God's faithfulness." CCC � 211.

God's name suggests that he is unchangeable and unchanging, is subject to "no variation or shadow due to ...

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1 - 3 of 3 Comments

Steven
3 months ago
Louis,
While do take exception with you statement about God being a triune God, i find it better to correct what see as false statements being repeated as facts.

Lucifer is not the name of that angel who rebelled against God. We do not know this creatures name. He is called "the Devil" which is a title meaning "liar". He is also described as a resister or opposer which why the name Satan is used to describe his disposition.

The word or title satan is a universal word meaning that anyone or anything can be a satan. In many places in the Hebrew Scriptures, the word satan appears without the definite article. Used in this way, it applies in its first appearance to the angel that stood in the road to resist Balaam as he set out with the objective of cursing the Israelites (Numbers 22:22, 32). In other instances it refers to individuals as resisters of other men ((1 Samuel 29:4; 2 Samuel 19:21, 22; 1 Kings 5:4; 11:14, 23, 25). But it is used with the definite article ha to refer to Satan the Devil, the chief Adversary of God (Job 1:6, Zechariah 3:1, 2). In the Greek Scriptures the word sa·ta·nas' applies to Satan the Devil in nearly all of its occurrences and is usually accompanied by the definite article ho.

So, Lucifer is translated from Hebrew word heh·lel', "shining one." Heh·lel' is not a name or a title but, rather, a term describing the boastful position taken by Babylon's dynasty of kings of the line of Nebuchadnezzar. It is only in some Bible translations where the Latin Vulgate term is retained.

That the description "shining one" is given to a man and not to a spirit creature is further seen by the statement: "Down to Sheol you will be brought." Sheol is the common grave of mankind, not a place occupied by Satan the Devil. Moreover, those seeing Lucifer brought into this condition ask: "Is this the man that was agitating the earth?" Clearly, "Lucifer" refers to a human, not to a spirit creature (Isaiah 14:4, 15, 16).
abey
3 months ago
By saying "I am who I am" to the question from Moses God was searching himself to mean He is God , which is to say He is The God & there is no other. However in terms of His name He told Moses "Go tell them "I AM'' send you. So the revelation to His name is "I AM' understood as Life that has no beginning or end which is His state for His name is His state, so is His state His name, meaning He is one in state & name . As far as the Jews name "hashem" read backwards more or less is to the pronunciation- Mesiah. This is like god instead searching himself to reveal "I am" is saying "am I" to questioning himself. On this there sure is a lot of difference, the difference between true & false.
Louis Barta
3 months ago
Splendid article, but slightly misleading.

From the Old and New Testaments, we know with certainty that God exists as a Trinity. But all the various "names" granted to man by which to know God are actually titles with meanings. For example, the name "Jesus Christ" is a title translated to mean "the anointed one through whom God grants salvation." However, God has an actual personal name that He has not revealed to mankind. "He has a name written which no man knows except himself." (APOC. 19:12)

Upon entering the "holy of holies" in ancient Hebrew temples, the Jewish high priest's deepest aspiration was to be told God's true name, yet no high priest was ever granted that privilege. Neither will anyone be granted that privilege until being invited to the Wedding Feast of the Lamb in Heaven after the Final Judgment, at which time God will reveal His secrets to the saved. "There is nothing hidden that will not be made known."

Lucifer and his rebellious angels will not be invited to that holy event. Hence, for all eternity they will never learn God's personal name, nor will they ever see Him in the fullness of His glory. The closest Lucifer has ever come to God was to speak with Him through a obscuring veil.

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