On November 19, 2008, the Vatican issued a decree that the Name of God, Yahweh, can no longer be used in the Catholic liturgy. The Curia thereby fulfilled a request by the Jewish rabbis who had presented the argument that the holy Name of God may only be proclaimed once again in the new Temple that is to be built in Jerusalem. In the Hebrew Bible this name is represented by only four consonants — Y H W H (Yod Heh Waw Heh). It was pronounced by God Himself: “And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the Lord: And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name Elohim Yahweh was I not known to them.” (Ex. 6:2-3).

When introducing the Ten Commandments, the Almighty said, “I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt …” Then He commanded, “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” The covenant Name of the Lord God is so very holy that it could only be pronounced in reverence during a worship service. God Himself ordained it like this and said, “… in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.“ (Ex. 20:24).

This holy Name was not allowed to be spoken when a dead person was carried from the house, for God is not the God of the dead, but of the living: “Hold thy tongue: for we may not make mention of the name of the Lord.” (Amos 6:10). This Scripture was misunderstood by the Jewish scribes to the effect that the holy Name Yahweh was no longer permitted to be spoken at all. Around 270 BC, when the Hebrew Bible was translated by 70 or 72, respectively, Jewish scribes in Alexandria, Egypt, into the Greek language, they made a big mistake: In the Septuagint (Greek version of the Old Testament) they translated Yahweh as “Kyrios.”

The Jewish scribes in Tiberias were not at all in agreement with the translation of the Septuagint and the term “Kyrios” for Yahweh. However, even the Jews later substituted “Adonai” where YHWH was written when reading the Torah. Until today the Jews pray “Elohim Adonai” instead of “Elohim Yahweh.” All three designations for Lord — “Adonai,” “Kyrios,” and “Dominus” — have no direct connection to God. Adonai can be a man with authority, Kyrios a ruler, Dominus a commander, but not one of them is in direct relation to the only true God Who revealed Himself with His covenant Name “Elohim Yahweh.” The designation “Jehovah” also derived from a misinterpretation and has only been used since 1518 AD.

On November 19, 2008, the Vatican issued a decree that the Name of God, Yahweh, can no longer be used in the Catholic liturgy. The Curia thereby fulfilled a request by the Jewish rabbis who had presented the argument that the holy Name of God may only be proclaimed once again in the new Temple that is to be built in Jerusalem. In the Hebrew Bible this name is represented by only four consonants — Y H W H (Yod Heh Waw Heh). It was pronounced by God Himself: “And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the Lord: And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name Elohim Yahweh was I not known to them.” (Ex. 6:2-3).

When introducing the Ten Commandments, the Almighty said, “I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt …” Then He commanded, “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” The covenant Name of the Lord God is so very holy that it could only be pronounced in reverence during a worship service. God Himself ordained it like this and said, “… in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.“ (Ex. 20:24).

This holy Name was not allowed to be spoken when a dead person was carried from the house, for God is not the God of the dead, but of the living: “Hold thy tongue: for we may not make mention of the name of the Lord.” (Amos 6:10). This Scripture was misunderstood by the Jewish scribes to the effect that the holy Name Yahweh was no longer permitted to be spoken at all. Around 270 BC, when the Hebrew Bible was translated by 70 or 72, respectively, Jewish scribes in Alexandria, Egypt, into the Greek language, they made a big mistake: In the Septuagint (Greek version of the Old Testament) they translated Yahweh as “Kyrios.” 

The Jewish scribes in Tiberias were not at all in agreement with the translation of the Septuagint and the term “Kyrios” for Yahweh. However, even the Jews later substituted “Adonai” where YHWH was written when reading the Torah. Until today the Jews pray “Elohim Adonai” instead of “Elohim Yahweh.” All three designations for Lord — “Adonai,” “Kyrios,” and “Dominus” — have no direct connection to God. Adonai can be a man with authority, Kyrios a ruler, Dominus a commander, but not one of them is in direct relation to the only true God Who revealed Himself with His covenant Name “Elohim Yahweh.” The designation “Jehovah” also derived from a misinterpretation and has only been used since 1518 AD.