Help with a reference...

[faithymom]

For the first time in 4 years I have been blessed with the opportunity to witness to the Witnesses. A couple nice ladies are visiting my home once a week.

During our last meeting I mentioned that the name YHWH does not appear in the Greek text of the NT even when the writers were quoting OT verses that contained the name. We are both supposed to be looking into the accuracy of that claim. When I looked up the reference in the book I read it in it simply referenced another book.
Can you direct me to a place that has some research into the earliest reliable manuscripts and the existence (or lack thereof) of the Tetragrammaton?

Thanks in advance.

[apostoli]

For the first time in 4 years I have been blessed with the opportunity to witness to the Witnesses. A couple nice ladies are visiting my home once a week.

During our last meeting I mentioned that the name YHWH does not appear in the Greek text of the NT even when the writers were quoting OT verses that contained the name. We are both supposed to be looking into the accuracy of that claim. When I looked up the reference in the book I read it in it simply referenced another book.
Can you direct me to a place that has some research into the earliest reliable manuscripts and the existence (or lack thereof) of the Tetragrammaton?

Thanks in advance.

Have a look at this link written by an ex-Bethelite (regional JW HQ member)
http://www.jwfacts.com/index_files/Jehovah.htm

[faithymom]

Thanks! That site has some good info.

[apostoli]

Thanks! That site has some good info.

Also have a read of this pdf...
http://www.catholicresponse.org/arti...ivine_Name.pdf

Apparently, the WT&TS has no manuscript evidence, merely text created in medieval times. The J docs they refer to for support. Also, apparently there are occurances in these that the society excluded as they would have Jesus identified as YHWH. It would be interesting to get a JW response to this accusation.

[faithymom]

Thank you.
I'll let you know what they say when I bring it up.

[apostoli]

Thank you.
I'll let you know what they say when I bring it up.

That second pdf I refered you to, may have some inaccuracies...

The pdf made some of its critical comments about what the WT&TS doesn't say based on the 1985 edition of KIT (Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures) which are not valid if one uses the 1969 edition (the one I have).

The following link both compliments and criticises the NWT in their "restoration" of the tetragrammaton. Worth a read. Especially the comments on 1 Peter 3:15 (from p26). In your discussions with your visitors, it would be interesting to find out why the WT&TS don't translate Jehovah in places that meet the translators stated criteria and have strong support. After all they do translate Jehovah in places, even though there is minimum support.
http://www.tetragrammaton.org/DivNameNWT.pdf

I checked KIT: For 1 Peter 3:15 the NWT renders "but santify the Christ as Lord" based on the majority of manuscripts. However, KIT 1969 notes: textus receptus renders "santify the Lord God" and J7,8,12-14,16,17 renders "santify Jehovah God".


____________________


There is an electronic edition of KIT 1969 available for download here
http://www.archive.org/details/Watch...tchTowerpubs_0

It is well worth reading the Forward, which says that in the J series there are 307 instances where YHWH has been "restored" in the NT. However, the commitee based on their editing criteria "restored" it in only 237 places and admit that 2 of these has no external support = Eph 6:8 & Col 3:13.

The note for Col 3:13 says "Jehovah: to compare with Ephesians 4:32". the note for Eph 6:8 says "Jehovah (to correspond with Colossians 3:22-24)"

Peace

[faithymom]

Well, they said that since Jesus repeatedly says that he glorified the Father's name that means he used it often and brushed over the fact that no manuscript evidence records his use of YHWH...
In essence they didn't actually answer the question.

They also ended the 'study' but the older lady said she would call me.
I ended it with emphasizing that you can know with certainty that when you die you will live forever in the presence of God, in contrast to their maybe you can live on an earthly 'paradise'...but God will not be there.
So sad.

[apostoli]

Well, they said that since Jesus repeatedly says that he glorified the Father's name that means he used it often and brushed over the fact that no manuscript evidence records his use of YHWH...
In essence they didn't actually answer the question.

They also ended the 'study' but the older lady said she would call me.
I ended it with emphasizing that you can know with certainty that when you die you will live forever in the presence of God, in contrast to their maybe you can live on an earthly 'paradise'...but God will not be there.
So sad.

Hmm. Sounds like yo have been put on the "black list", err i mean call back list. Could be another 4yrs until you hear from them again ;-)

If the older lady does call back, ask her: If the Father's name is Jehovah, what is the Son's name? Then point to John 17:11 in the NWT...

"Also, I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world and I am coming to you. Holy Father, watch over them on account of your own name which you have given me, in order that they may be one just as we are. "