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Recently someone asked me whether the inscription (or sign) on the Cross of Yeshua formed an acronym for the Sacred Name YHVH. This would be highly unlikely, despite some talk out there. Here are the relevant texts from the New Testament:
- In Matthew 27:37 the statement is: "THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS."
Greek: οὗτός ἐστιν ᾽Ιησοῦς ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν ᾽Ιουδαίων
Hebrew: זֶה הוּא יֵשׁוּעַ מֶלֶךְ הַיְּהוּדִים - acronym = ZHYMH
- In Mark 15:26 the statement is simply, "THE KING OF THE JEWS."
Greek: ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν ᾽Ιουδαίων
Hebrew: מֶלֶךְ הַיְּהוּדִים - acronym = MH
- In Luke 23:38 the statement is recorded as: "THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS."
Greek: ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν ᾽Ιουδαίων οὗτος
Hebrew: זֶה הוּא מֶלֶךְ הַיְּהוּדִים - acronym = ZHMH
- In John 19:19 the statement is: "JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS."
Greek: ᾽Ιησοῦς ὁ Ναζωραῖος ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν ᾽Ιουδαίων
Hebrew: יֵשׁוּעַ הַנָּצְרִי מֶלֶךְ הַיְּהוּדִים - acronymn = YHMH
Common to each of these is the essential descriptor: "The King of the Jews." The only way to get YHVH out of the inscription on the Cross would be to go with John's account (i.e., with the prepended "Jesus of Nazareth") and then rely on a faulty Hebrew construction -- Yeshua ha-Notzri u'Melekh ha-Yehudim: YHVH. Unfortunately, this phrase would mean "Jesus of Nazareth and a king of the Jews" (or its equivalent), and this is certainly not the intent of the message of the New Covenant....
Based on explicit and implicit references in the Scriptures made regarding the Mashiach, we understand that Yeshua is indeed none other than YHVH come in the flesh; however, appealing to the Sign or Inscription of the Cross is not a fruitful way of demonstrating this fact. Shalom, chaverim.
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