The Name: How to pronounce or transliterate The Name of our Messiah
Set Apart Ministries Position on the Use of the Hebrew Name of Y'shua and His Deity
We are clear that our Savior is Hebrew and that His Name is Hebrew. We know that the transliteration we have all grown up with, Jesus, cannot be correct as there was no "J" sound in Hebrew and no "J" in the English language until the 15th century. Yet, we know and recognize that we first came to know Him in that Name. In His mercy, He has been gracious to us during our exile!
And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the LORD their God. (Lev. 26:44)
He has, and still does, answer prayer in the Name of Jesus of Nazareth for those who have not yet understood.
We also know that there is disagreement as to how to transliterate His Hebrew Name most correctly: Yahshua, Yeshua, Yehoshua, and so forth. (S.A.M. had originally chosen to use the transliteration of Yahshua and Yahweh (YHWH) when we refer to Him. Later we learned that this carries an association with those who view the Sacred Name as having only one correct transliteration. Since we do not believe this should be at issue, we have since chosen to use other ways, and in truth, would prefer to just keep the Hebrew letters if this webhost could support the Hebrew font.)
Occasionally, in our worship praise times, we may choose to use a few songs that do not contradict Messianic understanding, but may use the Name Jesus. Judah maintained knowledge of Torah but "missed" Messiah while Ephraim "lost" Torah and has had only a limited, distorted understanding of Messiah. Yet, YHWH has used Ephraim to keep knowledge of Yeshua alive! In His time, He is removing the veils from the eyes of both houses! He has been gracious to us in our ignorance and we believe we can do no less. Therefore, we believe that both houses have valuable things to offer as we come together. S.A.M., as an equipping ministry, will encourage study and understanding of Y'shua our HEBREW Saviour, using His Hebrew Name, however, we will not disparage anyone who, as they begin to learn, finds comfort in the familiar transliteration "Jesus" or who prefers Yeshua or Yehoshua rather than Yahshua; HaShem, Yahoweh or Yahweh.
We believe that each community will establish their own halacha/way to walk as was true in first century times. Many good hearted and scholarly people can make a case for different viewpoints on the way to transliterate or pronounce the Name or the way to observe a moedim/feast. Our thought is that this is our YHWH's way of testing the hearts, to see if we will fall into the snare of contentiousness or not. Our choice is to remain open, holding things like this "loosely" so as not to become rigid or dogmatic in error. We do have to make a choice for our own community as a general practice, for instance, in celebration of Feasts for without this determination, chaos would reign. But we have no intention or desire to enter into contentiousness over these matters with anyone.
In the case of worship music lyrics, we often see that the Name is extolled without every actually using His Name. Accordingly, we have encouraged worshippers to replace one of the many "replacement" tags-- such as Lord, Ha Shem, or God--with YHWH, Yah, Yeshua as it fits into the line somewhere within a song that never actually uses His Name. There is not a hard and fast "rule" on this; just our desire to remain clear and focused on Who it is we worship.
One day, our Messiah will come. When He is here, there will be no more doubt or confusion as He will make all such matters clear. Kumi ori, Y'shua!
For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now stays faith, hope, charity, these three, but the greatest of these is charity. (I Cor. 13:9-13)
We would further state that when one understands personally and deeply that the name Jesus holds "baggage" from our distorted, veiled, exile traditions that to personally address Him by a name that a person believes incorrect would be offensive to Him. Therefore, in worship times together, everyone is encouraged to address Him as they know Him to be no matter what someone next to you may do. Thankfully, YHWH, our Father, will know our hearts.
Back in 2011 as we were updating this site, and again now in 2022-23, we are seeing the controversy over our Messiah intensifies, just as we are told it would as we draw nearer to His return. There is a resounding crash going on between those who see Him as a Prophet and those who see Him as the Son of God. There is perhaps a more subtle crash as people debate whether He is actually God or a representative of God. We are hearing from more people and fellowships again that have been torn apart as some decided to renounce Yeshua, thinking only YHWH is needed. We continue our efforts to provide apologetic support for those who are facing these issues, and have become 'single standing stones" without a supportive fellowship of like minded people.
So that there would be no confusion as to where we stand on this issue, let it be known that we firmly declare Him, Y'shua ha Maschiach, (Jesus of Nazareth as we formerly knew Him) to be fully God and fully man. He is the fullness of the Godhead bodily as written in Colossians 1:13-20. We declare Him to be One with the Father as He Himself declared as recorded in the words of John 17:21-23. The plural unity is described in Hebrew as echad and seems to lack a comparable word in the English language.
A simple analogy that has helped make the picture more clear for some is as follows: If we were to consider all of the Red Sea to be our Elohim, then we were to remove a cup of the Red Sea to represent the Son; it could be said that the Son/water in the cup is ALL God but it is not all OF God.