Why Is the Lord’s Name Translated Into Every Language?

Q

Why was the name of Jesus changed with the translation of scripture? When you translate what I’m saying in my mother tongue into English you don’t also translate my name into English. Why was His name is not kept in its Hebrew form since He was born a Jew?

A

I think the most important reason is in Phil. 2:9-11 where Paul said that because of the Lord’s faithfulness,

“God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

The Greek word for tongue in that passage is not just the name of that thing in our mouth. It also refers to the language we speak. The same Greek word is used in the phrase “speaking in tongues” which appears repeatedly in 1 Cor. 12-14 and means speaking in different languages.

Also, throughout the Book of Revelation John used “tongue” to show that he was including people of all languages. Therefore it’s reasonable to conclude that God wanted the name of Jesus to be spoken in every language as well as by every person.

It’s important to remember that however the Son of God’s name sounds in our language, it stands for every thought and feeling that comes into our mind whenever we mention it, or hear it, or remember it. And that’s the same in every language.

Therefore, we don’t bow before Him because He has a certain name. We bow before Him because He is a certain Someone. Someone who came to Earth and died for us so we could live forever in Heaven with Him.

For God made Him who had no sin to become sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21).