Trans-slay-tions
The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham: Matthew 1:1 NASB
Jesus the Messiah – What do we do with this expression from the NASB? Oh, we might look at the footnote too. That says, “Heb Yeshua (Joshua), meaning The Lord saves.” More confusion. Let’s be clear about the implications involved in the translators’ decision. First, his name cannot be “Jesus.” No such name existed in the first century in either Greek or Hebrew. In fact, the letter J was not invented until it was distinguished from the ancient ‘I’ in 1524. Let’s clear this up. “The record of the genealogy of Yeshua” is the proper translation. But look at the footnote. The NASB tells us that “Yeshua” is the same at “Joshua” (notice that J again) and that it means, “the LORD saves.” But this isn’t correct either. “Yeshua” is not “Joshua.” And while Yehoshua (the Hebrew name of “Joshua”) does mean “the LORD saves” (you can see the divine name in the Hebrew name of the man), Yeshua does not mean, “The LORD saves.” Yeshua means “salvation.” This is obvious from Matthew 1:21 which involves a wordplay on the Hebrew name.
Ah, I’m glad we got that straightened out. But wait! The word “record” in this translation also makes a mistake. You see, Matthew’s account is a Jewish genealogy. It is based on the use of the term “book of the generations” found in Genesis 5:1. The Hebrew is sefer (book), not “record.” Why does this matter? Because the root of sefer is safar which means “to count.” That’s why Matthew arranges the genealogy as gematria. This isn’t just a record. It is a “counting.” It has meanings deeper than just the names in the list.
OK, so we have another small correction. But now for the biggest mistake.
Gruber notes, “Certainly there are those who know that ‘Jesus Christ’ was a Jew, but that is not at all the same as recognizing that he IS a Jew. . . . The Jewishness of Yeshua is indispensable to his being the Messiah.”[1] The NASB translation attempts to put one foot in each world. “Jesus” is the Christian world. “Messiah” is the Jewish world. We end up with nothing. There is no “Jesus the Messiah.” There is only Yeshua HaMashiach. Anything else is trans-slay-tion. And, by the way, if the sefer of Yeshua HaMashiach is Jewish, then everything Matthew says about him presupposes a Jewish perspective, not a Christian one. He is the Jewish Messiah and he will return as the Jewish Messiah and everything he taught is Jewish in nature. Christians follow a “Jesus” that didn’t exist until the Church reconstructed his image according to its likeness.
So which is it? Do you follow the Jewish Yeshua HaMashiach or the Christian Jesus Christ? Does your faith begin with Moses or Justin Martyr? They aren’t the same.
Topical Index: Jesus, Messiah, Yeshua, record, sefer, Matthew 1:1
[1]Daniel Gruber, Copernicus and the Jews: The Separation of Church & Faith, p. 35.
Skip!!!! Thanks for making a punch-packed easy-to-read TW! I loved it! I loved the questioning that makes me get all “real” with myself……
Now that I have learned who the “church fathers” were and the main actors of this stage, I understand, although not fully yet, the serious derailment of today’s Church, the beliefs, the doctrine and all that has gone awry – so…….IS there a true translation without knowing how to fully read Hebrew yet?
I have come to the solid conclusion that Christianity is only loosely based on the Bible.
But tell that to any “pastor” or a member of his flock, and they would probably go ballistic.
Especially if it means that they are out of work. I know a few who have come to this conclusion. They left to find other jobs.
I totally agree.
An Open Invitation
“Go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in..”
Well Skip.. – oh! excuse me! That isn’t your ‘real’ name is it? but somehow (in any language) whether Portuguese or Swahili- you do have a name by which men call upon you- and somehow you answer to this name.
My “real name?” – it is unknown – and God alone knows it. It will be revealed at the time appointed. God (alone) will do this. God knows our name.
And.. “whosoever” Jew or Gentile shall call upon the name of the LORD- shall be saved.
If any man- anywhere should desire to study the Name of God, – it is much broader, deeper, amazing than that which we know now. God not only has a Name (which He alone knows) but to us God has (plural) names!
Redeemer? – that is His Name and His name alone! Savior? -only One Name qualifies! Sovereign Shepherd? – who else qualifies? (shall we continue?- is there more?
God has revealed Himself -on many multiplied occasions. Over and over- and over again, in the O.T. and the New (er- but one “event” stands out above all, revealing the heart of Elohim. (God is a plurality in unity).
That one event in all of human history is Calvary. If, we would wish to be “correct” in calling upon Him, the One who was present before, during and after the Creation, then let us (all) speak of Him, refer to Him as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Yes, the world. Jewish sins, Gentile sins, – all sins of every man from and since Adam. Christ (the very Jewish Messiah) died for sinners. His words? ~ For this cause came I into this world.
“This” IS a faithful saying – and worthy of ALL acceptation (by Jew and Gentile alike)- Christ Jesus is come into this world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. We (all) have a Redeemer. We (all) have a Savior. We (all) have an (always) Good Shepherd, and we (all) now have no excuse! – “For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the LORD shall be saved..”
Do we have a prayer? Should we, – may we pray? God, be merciful unto me! – “the” sinner.. Yeshua HaMashiach, Thou son of David, -have mercy on me! For the scriptures simply say, “Ask, and you will receive!” ~ For You, O LORD, are good and forgiving, – abounding in steadfast (covenant) love to all who call upon You ~
~ O Thou that hearest prayer, unto Thee shall ALL flesh come ~ (Psalm 86.5)
In the words of Rabbi Sha’ul (the apostle Paul to the Gentiles)- For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: -first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.
(Romans 1.16)
Yes, (Hallelujah!) “Whosoever will”- may come! ~ And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let him that hears say, “Come.” And let him that is thirsty come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
OK, Carl. When we meet (finally) if you address me as “George” I will know that you really don’t me. And if you use my legal name, Arthur, I will know that you recognize me but you still don’t actually know me since only strangers use that name. So, “Jesus” is not a name that He would recognize unless He translates His own name into whatever you happen to think it is. But whatever you happen to think it is is not what He would have been called in the first century. Just like even if you call me “Benny” I might know you are talking to me but that would not mean my name is whatever you happen to use. It should be a really simple thing to actually use the name He was given in Hebrew. But apparently tradition is stronger than the text even on this one point. If you want to keep calling Him “Jesus,” please do so, but don’t think anyone who lived in the first century would have any idea who you are talking about.
Who Are These People?
My son is currently studying in Tokyo. He is “immersed” in the Japanese culture, language, customs and people. He is living today “in the midst” of them. In English, his name is Kaylor. In Japanese, His name is ??? In Hebrew, or in the Greek culture- he might have a different name or even a “nickname” but as he would be addressed by his friends, I’m sure he would know when any person of any culture is attempting to communicate with him.
I remember when I was in the early years of my marriage, my wife would have her back turned toward me and while standing at the kitchen sink, with the water running out of the faucet would “out of the blue” begin to tell a tale. Meanwhile, I am sitting at the kitchen table, reading a newspaper or the mail or whatever- and all of a sudden – it would dawn on me..- hey!- my wife is attempting to communicate with me! My request to her was – please use my name! Say, “Carl.” Honey, when you do this, it will “tune me” just like tuning a radio to the proper frequency, so that I may focus on what it is you are saying!. My mind is currently engaged elsewhere, but when you say, “Carl”- I will (for lack of better vocabulary, – “tune in.”
The Name of the LORD- (in Hebrew) is quite long. And the child shall be called … “Pele-yoez-el-gibbor-Abi-ad-sar-shalom..” This, from Isaiah. Or, “and you shall call His Name ” !!! ” for He will save (or deliver) His people from their sins. (Matthew 1.21)
Isaiah lived quite a long time ago, and (all) we have come a long way since he was alive and well. In order for us (today) to call upon the Name of the LORD (as we are enjoined by the scriptures to do) – then God must reveal His Name to us in order for us to obey this imperative: ~ Call to Me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known ~ (Jeremiah 33.3)
Now, the real question is- to whom is YHWH addressing this? Is this “command” for Jeremiah only? Or is this for “whosoever will?” May a Jew pray to God? May a Gentile pray also? Who may pray? Who may call upon the Name of the LORD? – (all men everywhere!)
“Call upon Me” is a universal invitation. It is for “whosoever will.” This includes only those who currently are breathing. Is the gospel, – the good news of a Savior- for the Jew? Absolutely. Is the gospel – the good news of a Savior- also for all Gentiles? Hallelujah!- Yes!. ~ Whosoever will may come! ~
Friends, ~ If any man be *in Christ* he (or she) is a new “creation!” Location-location-location! Are you *in?” Do you know Him? ~ Now this is eternal life: that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent ~ (John 17.3)
Is this Paul’s “testimony” only?- or may we also know “Him” as well? ~ What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my LORD, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ. ~ (Philippians 3:8)
Is Christ worth knowing? There are certainly many who would say “yes!”
Who are these people?
Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.” And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.” (Revelation 5.11-13)
See that red box over there? It’s really green. But feel free to call it blue, yellow or even pink. But it still has a box around it. Not sure what color the box is though, fer shure.
WHAT CONFUSION?
“Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language,
that they may not understand one another’s speech.” Gen 11:7
Jesus? Yeshua?
“And when he brings out His own sheep, He goes before them;
and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice.” Jn 10:4
KNOW HIS VOICE.
Excellent Skip. NASB also goofed up our Creator’s name. NASB says Yeshua means “the LORD saves”. The divine name is “the LORD”?
Gentiles who follow Y’shua have always been required to break from popular Gentile cultural traditions that oppose Mashiyach and Torah; nothing in this regard has ever changed. However,nowadays the Christian majority is in clear opposition to the original Hebrew/Aramaic-based lifestyle of Y’shua and his followers in favor of traditional Gentile lifestyles. Apostle Paul gave a clear warning against this; “For if he that comes to you,had proclamined to you another Y’shua, whom we have not proclaimed; or if you had received another Spirit which have not received, or another gospel, which you have not accepted, you might well have given permission(2Corinthians 11:4). The irony is that anti-Torah Christianity views its Gentile traditions and culture as though it were the original faith, and shows very little regard for the Ancient Paths of YHWH(Jeremiah 6:16) that have progressively been revealed since the dawn of time. Faith in Mashiyach is not a doctrine, but an action and lifestyle that is conformed into the Image of Elohim. Amamaic English New Testment page 890. I was Greek taught for 25 years and have followed Yeshua for about 17 years, and still being corrected in my thinking from Greek to Hebrew. I have so prayed for truth that when it comes I have to learn to walk in it. Shema Hear Listen and Obey. It is not always an easy thing to do but Yeshua walks with us through it. All I want is to walk closer to my Creator and it takes alot of changes on my part but thank Yahweh that is helping me to change. Thank you so much for this word today
I can testify to this. Yeshua answered me when I cried out to Him 30 years ago in the name of Jesus (along with a few 4 letter words). Yes, I now use His Hebrew name of Yeshua but, I have no doubt He knows when someone is addressing their prayers to Him, even if they don’t pronounce it correctly or use a name that we can all agree on. I mean so many slaughter even His Hebrew name. Like using Yahshua or Yahushua or whatever the case may be but, none of them fit proper Hebrew syntax nor do we have a single instance in the Hebrew scriptures, that I’ve yet to see, of a proper Hebrew name having “Yah” as a prefix rather then as a suffix. So do we think He doesn’t know to whom their addressing?
I don’t ever get into debates anymore over His Name. I’ve found it just isn’t worth it. Especially in a internet debate.
I really like what David says in Psalm 139:4 the NET bible has it “Certainly my tongue does not frame a word without you, O LORD, being thoroughly aware of it”. In other wards, He who searches and knows the heart of mankind is completely capable to know when someone truly cries out to Him, even if it isn’t with His true and proper Name, before a word even leaves their lips.
At least that’s my 1.5 cents worth.
What is even more disturbing is that even in the best translations, such as the ESV and the NASB, not only do they mess with the name Yeshua, but it seems like in every other verse, words are either added or deleted to bolster the theology of the translator(s).
“Do you follow the Jewish Yeshua HaMashiach or the Christian Jesus Christ?”
Putting the choice that way doesn’t leave much option. If the Jewish Yeshua HaMaschiach is a created being, I’ll stick with the Christian Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the uncreated ontological Trinity. 🙂
At least we know that you are willing and able to call yourself by that very strange name, “Christian.” Frankly, I’m not so confident these days. There is so much about “Christian” that is problematic (to say the least). I certainly don’t want the historical baggage of the name, and I suspect you don’t either. After all, “Christians” have done some pretty terrible things in the name of their Lord. Can we really just sweep all that away with the excuse that those people really weren’t what they said they were? And theologically I find quite a bit of Christian doctrine and thinking very disconcerting. I know you don’t agree with the replacement of Torah. I am pretty sure you don’t agree with the typical stance of Christian theologians on the role of women. I guess I just don’t want to carry the weight of all this nonsense by using a name that really can’t be disconnected from the loud voices shouting stupid doctrine. I am sure you know what I mean.
But my problem, not yours, is what to call myself if I don’t want to be called by a religion that has such a terrible history. Jew? No, that doesn’t fit. Ethnically or religiously. Messianic? No, that movement seems to be fracturing into the same power struggle I see in the history of the church. I guess I am left with Paul – a follower of the Way.
Doctrinally? Some things I think are very clear. Torah matters. Today! Yeshua (and all the rest of them) IS Jewish. He is the JEWISH Messiah. Everything in the Bible is conditioned on understanding what it means for the Jew. Women are equal participants in God’s Kingdom. The JEWISH Messiah will return in power and glory. YHVH is one. Obedience is an expectation of Kingdom citizens. YHVH loves His creation. Yeshua volunteered to be the atonement for sin before the foundation of the world. Death is defeated.
But if I were pressed to agree with John MacArthur that I must believe in the Trinity or I am not saved, then I would have to walk away. I am not convinced on biblical grounds (I didn’t say doctrinal grounds). That doesn’t mean I have made up my mind. It means I have problems with the arguments. But that does NOT mean I deny Yeshua was divine! His relationship with the Father is unique. I’m just not sure about the “3 in 1” stuff. Divinity is not the issue for me.
Now I’ll go to work on the “uncreated” bit. Give me a year. 🙂
” … a religion that has such a terrible history.”
Sometimes you have to separate the man from the beast. There have been those who have identified themselves as Christians who have done terrible things, just as there are those who don’t identify themselves as Christians who have done terrible things.
But the glass can be half full or half empty. For the very fabric of our Western culture and its concept of liberty for the individual, unique in the history of man, flows right out of Christian doctrine and application thereof. The application of Torah as the laws of England by King Alfred, though at times inconsistent, went a long way to establishing a social order that attracts millions from around the world because of the way the individual (the Many) is treated in contrast to totalitarian (the One) regimes. Unity or anarchy? The One or the Many? Which shall predominate? And the doctrine of the Trinity provided a transcendental answer to that question.
What you see so clearly is the contemporary Christianity that has really departed from its historical position (which, by the way, needed improvement). The current view that in order to be saved you have to do nothing for Jesus has done it all, is NOT the message of earlier times. In the words of J.A. Froude (1890),
“To do our duty has become a deadly thing. This is what, after three centuries, the creed of Knox and Luther, of Coligny and Gustavus Adolphus, has come to. The first Reformers were so anxious about what man did, that if they could they would have laid the world under a discipline as severe as that of the Roman
Censors. Their modern representatives are wiser than their fathers and know better what their Maker requires of them. To the question, ‘What shall I, do to inherit eternal life?’ the answer of old was not, ‘Do nothing,’ but ‘Keep the commandments.’ It was said by the Apostle from whose passionate metaphors Protestant theology is chiefly constructed, that ‘the Gentiles who did by nature the things contained in the law,’ were on the road to the right place.”
But the times they are a’changing. Keep up the writing. I’ll try to stick around long enough to read your commentary on the ‘uncreated’ bit. 😉
What matters is Who He says He is.
Nice word Skip
I have associated this topic much like the tradition of believeing and or teaching our children about Santa Claus that we see rooted deep throughout the world . Although we as adults are aware of this fable …, many still turn a blind eye to the truth and teach their children this fairy tale. It is positive reinforcement of a lie. Some would argue that it is not that big a deal.., while some may become very zealous for the truth of the matter. REGARDLESS .., the TRUTH could care less about your opinion. Truth is a stand alone reality and always will be .., what matters in the end , is what side of the truth you stand on. Same concept YAH uses. Life – Death . Truth – Lie , Yes or No, Good or Evil … no gray matter there.
Michael 🙂
I so agree, absolutely!
For me, there is one major take away from reading many of John MacArthur’s books and listening to his sermons. He worships the idol of human doctrine. He lives and breathes and preaches his doctrines, ad nauseam, so much, that he pushes Jeshua to the fringes. Oswald Chambers wrote: “If we have made up our mind about a doctrine, the light of God will come no more to us on this line, we cannot get it.” The Apostle Paul wrote: “For now we see through a glass, darkly.” The MacArthur doctrine that you must believe in the trinity to be saved shows just how dark our lenses can become, no matter how well meaning or rhetorically eloquent our presentations may be.
“Does your faith begin with Moses or Justin Martyr? They aren’t the same.”
Since I can’t find Justin Martyr in the Scriptures, I think I’ll stick with Moses! 🙂
Skip,
You mention the distinction between the hebrew spelling (and meaning) for Yehoshua and Yeshua. My question is to ask if there is (or should be) such a distinction? I ask this in light of Hebrews 4:8, which references Yehoshua (Joshua). If I have looked at the original Greek correctly, the Greek spelling of Iesous used for Yehoshua (Joshua) in Hebrews 4:8 is identical to the spelling used for Yeshua in other parts of Hebrews (and elsewhere in the B’reit Hadasha). If the names are different, then couldn’t we expect the writer of Hebrews to understand this distinction and differentiate the transliteration of the Hebrew name into Greek? Can you speak to this?
Oh, and I agree with you about the infamous letter “J” (my own name is a victim of this corruption). The enemy nudges us more off course at every turn, and we need only to look at a seemingly innocent change to the english alphabet nearly 500 years ago to see the corruption sown by it. Mark 7 remains true today, the religious leaders continue to elevate the traditions of men over the Word of YHVH, even to the point of using the corrupt transliteration of the name of YHVH’s chosen one over his actual name when the truth is clearly known to these so-called “teachers”. Thankfully, when the new covenant comes to fulfillment upon YHVH’s return all this will be made clear, including those things which you and I remain ignorant of today.
Thanks for your efforts.
The Scriptures tell us that the Son came to restore His Father’s Name. “O righteous Father, indeed the world did not know You, but I knew You, and these knew that You sent Me. And I have made Your Name known to them, and shall make it known, that the love with which You loved Me might be in them, and I in them.” John 17:25-26.
Israel had profaned Yahuah’s Name by replacing the Name in the sacred writings with Adonai, (a word we translate Lord). Fearing to profane the Name, (because of sin) it became an offense worthy of death if someone other than a priest spoke Elohim’s Name. Sounds rather popish, does it not? The Hebrew word for profane is halal which means “to dissolve”. If something is dissolved it comes to naught. “You do not bring the Name of Yahuah your Elohim to naught, for Yahuah does not leave the one unpunished who brings His Name to naught.” Exodus 20:7
“For then I shall turn unto the peoples a clean lip (language), so that they all call on the Name of Yahuah, to serve Him with one shoulder.” Zeph. 3:9
The Scriptures state that Yahuah will return a pure language that we may call upon the Name of Yahuah (Zeph. 3:9); that He will remove from our mouths, the names of Baals, that we will remember their names no more (Hosea 2:17). But in the meantime may He “fill our faces with shame, that we may seek His Name”, (Ps. 83:16-18). And upon finding His Name, we ought to do the same as His Son Yahshua: “I made known to them the Name of Thee and will make known”. John 17:26
What may happen as a result of making these Names known to others?
“They were strictly commanded not to teach in this Name.” Acts 5:28. And how did the disciples reply? “We ought to obey Elohim rather than men.” Acts 5:29. Part of the Spirit’s work is to prepare a people to meet their Elohim and as such, we may be a “chosen vessel to bear the Names of our Elohim before nations, kings and sons of Israel.” Acts 9:15.
Skip, I really appreciate your mining for truth. One day, we will all have to answer the question Yahshua asked of his disciples: Mat 16:15 He said to them, “And you, who do you say I am?”
I believe the Scriptures reveal the answer.
Shalom
I stand with you in your comment. Shalom!
“I AM”/Ehyeh asher Ehyeh translated as HE Was, He Is, and Is To Come meaning that YAH is The Beginning and The End/ Aleph v’Tav, as well as Without Beginning and Without End, the author of all existence, The Creator, and that He is supreme, the very notion of being and existence. No time restraint with YHWH.
My stand- ABBA speaks Hebrew! And our Meshiach IS Hebrew.
An amazing language!
I am sure you realize that all the suggested translations of ‘eheye(h)’ ‘asher ‘eheye(h)’ are in some sense flawed because of the significant difference between Indo-Eurporan verb tenses and Hebraic verbs. It is so difficult not to import our constructions of time and relationship into the text.
One fact we all can be assured of is our Emmanuel was never registered in the temple at Jerusalem as a first-born Son with a Greek name. So why would we want to call Him by such? And, guess what? I believe the 144,000 know the Father and His Son’s names and will tell those who are willing to shema. I am looking for the day of their appearing. One gets awfully tired of sorting through all these suppostions of men: Greek as well as Jew.
Shalom
Hi Skip,
I’ve gotten behind on my reading and I’m just getting to this 6/23/14 TW.
For many years now, I’ve been referring to Jesus as Yeshua HaMashiach and am more comfortable doing so, now that I know the difference. But quite frankly, I don’t understand why you think it’s such a BIG deal to do so. I find it hard to believe that Yeshua wouldn’t understand and accept his translated name. After all, we translate the whole of scripture (not just names) into English and many other languages. Do you think he will be that nit picky in the end.
ie…when a Mexican named Miguel, Juan or Pablo comes to the U.S., they often are called by Mike, John or Paul. The same for all other countries.
If God is truly looking at our heart and our behavior…why do you think it’s so important HOW we pronounce his name. Most Christians have never even heard of the name Yeshua Ha Mashiach. Are you saying Yeshua will deny knowing them?? It feels like an insult to our Messiah to think he would judge us for mispronouncing his name.
I don’t think anyone who sincerely follows the Messiah will be turned back because of a name issue. It is the expression of the heart that matters. But when I discover that Juan’s name is really Juan, not John, do you think that I will continue to Americanize his name rather than treat it as a name in his culture? Furthermore, if Juan was the head of a worldwide organization, and a leader of millions, and I was to introduce him to my friends, would I call him “John Gomez”? And if he actually rescued me from death and offered me a life of blessing and strength, how would he feel if I knew his name was Juan but insisted on calling him “John” because a teacher that I had when I was three told me a story about someone named John who looked just like him?
Perhaps it’s just a question of spreading the news. Hopefully, with time, more and more will come to know the name of Yeshua. But now,…most Christians say, “Huh????” when they hear the name.
Judi,
It’s interesting that you used the words, “Hopefully, with time, more and more will come to know the name of Yeshua.” That sounds like the concluding sentence of a pamphlet promoting the “Great Commission” to an evangelical seminar, sans the name Jesus. 🙂
deferring. Sorry.
Michael… “That sounds like the concluding sentence of a pamphlet promoting the Great Commission to an Evangelical seminar sans the name of Jesus.”
Soooo….is that a good thing or a bad thing???? 🙂
I don’t know. It just struck me as funny, sort of. Talking about those who know the name Jesus then coming to know the name Yeshua, as in the “other” Jesus. Weird, I know. Just a passing thought.
It seems differing to the traditional name of Jesus is in the same category of errors that Yeshua taught against those that elevated the father’s traditions over the simple Torah. To me it now borders on a bit of arrogance to some degree. If I learned his name to be Jesus since my youth, then find out, in fact, that isn’t he real name, what is so hard, difficult, mind-melting to simple revert to the genuine as opposed to the false?
I use it in my conversation as if it is normal. If and when someone asks, I just tell them and move on. It’s their choice what to call his name. But then I think of all the statements of “There’s no other name…,” “At the name of . . .,” “In your name I pray. . .,” etc., etc. I would think it would be an issue to get that name correct.
But who am I to tell them otherwise? I try. It’s up to them in the end.
Like Skip, I shudder at the disrespect of calling him something other than that which is biblical.
Considering the last president and this current, well, the current guy in office . . . what citizen would walk up and call them George or Barry? Just sayin’.