THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
ammi, " uncle," and the like. From the time of Moses with increasing frequency names were compounded with forms derived from the divine name Yahweh. The formation of new names continued until postexilic times — a proof that the significance of these names remained a living factor in their application, though it is a fact that family names were often chosen which carried with them historic reminiscences. Among the later Jews choice was often made of forms which had come down from earliest times, such as Jacob, Joseph, Mary, and the like; alongside these were others which came from Aramaic sources, such as Martha, Tabitha, Caiaphas, and also those which had Greek or Roman origin, such as Alexander, Andrew, Mark, and those which embodied the names of heathen deities, such as Bacchides. This last tendency is shown in another direction, namely, the Grecizing of Hebrew names, as Jason from Joshua, as well as in making translations of Hebrew names, such as Dositheus and Theodotus for Nathanael and Elnathan. Many Jews added to their Hebrew names others from a Greek or Roman source.
Among the Hebrews then was especially true the maxim nomina sunt omina, since to the Israelite the name was the expression of personal- 3. Person- ity; were there disagreement between ality name and character, it was fitting to Expressed, change the former (Ruth i. 20-21). Indeed a change of name under new circumstances was no novelty (Gen. xli. 45; II Kings xxiii. 34). Sometimes teachers gave to their disciples appellations which expressed the latters' spiritual peculiarities (II Sam. xii. 25; Mark iii. 17). Inasmuch as between the person and the name a living connection existed, it wras regarded as of great importance that the name be transmitted to posterity (Gen. xlviii. 16; Deut. xxv. 6-7). With a purpose similar to this, yet at the same time marking distinctions, was the practise of adding the father's name to the child's, connecting the two with the words " son of." Later such names were formed simply from the father's, preceded by the word for son, e.g., Bartholomew, from Bar Talmay, Barabbas from Bar Abba. A related custom is that of Arabs, who sometimes take the name of the son with the prefix " father of." Going back to the fact that the name expressed the individuality is the frequent statement that God calls men by name (Ex. xxxi. 2, xxxiii. 12; Isa. xlv. 3^4); while sometimes " name " stands for " person " (Rev. iii. 4, xi. 13 margin).
From the foregoing it would be expected that the name of deity would be of especially high significance. This is brought out in the urgent request of Moses that he be told the name of God in order that with authority he might appear before the people with the message he was charged to 4. The deliver. It is not to be inferred from Divine this that every new name meant a Name. new deity; but just as a new name for a man might imply new environment or new relationships, a new phase of knowledge of deity may be marked by a new form of address. While it is true that the name of God was
sacred, this sanctity did not take the form of taboo of pronunciation in the early Hebrew religion; such ideas came only in late Judaism. It is true that there were appearances of heavenly beings at times whose names it was forbidden to know, but this was that their essential nature should remain hidden (Gen. xxxii. 30; Judges xiii. 18). But the most holy name of the covenant God was in most constant use, not only in prayer but even in oaths. On the other hand, grave indeed was his sin who used the name lightly or in a false oath. And the divine name was employed not only in prayer but in giving a blessing. When this name was spoken over a land, it indicated that the land had become his, had come into close intimate relations with him (Deut. xxviii. 10; Amos ix. 12); it is equivalent to the human proclamation of a proprietor or regent. It follows that such a relation is not of human but of divine initiative, and this is especially true when the spot is a sanctuary (cf. Ex. xx. 24). So the ark bore Yahweh's name, and his name abode in the temple (II Sam. vi. 2; I Kings ix. 3); indeed the significance of a sanctuary was that it was built in his name, which name was a revelation of himself. Hence the altars built to mark some special manifestation of deity bore an appellation which carried with it the memory of the fact. It was because of the special presence of Yahweh's name at Jerusalem that at the temple was concentrated worship of him, and Levi became the holy tribe for a like reason. The name of God is not a thing arbitrarily thought out, it is of the essence of deity, a revelation of himself and so self-expressive; it imparts knowledge of him and guides in the way of his service (Mic. iv. 5). Abuse of it or of his rights or disregard of the holiness of his belongings is a sin against the name which partakes of his own attributes as being " glorious and fearful " (Deut. xxviii. 58). Israel's greatest guilt was that it forgot his name. Regard for his name was one of the motives God had in protecting his people (Ezek. xx. 9, 14). His name is said to dwell in the angel of the presence sent to guide Israel, who became therefore a manifestation of the divine self. Hence the face of God and his name are applied to manifestations of his presence even in heathen religions, as when in a Sidonian temple Astarte is called " the name of Baal," by which was meant that the goddess was a manifestation of the Baal himself, and similarly in Carthage Taanit was called the " face of Baal."
The New Testament shows the same emphasis upon and usage of the word name. The name Jesus Christ embodies the whole content of his person
and sums up the knowledge of him and
5. The Name his work. The apostles spread this
of Jesus name throughout the earth; believers
Christ. rely upon it (John i. 12) and in it are
blessed (Acts iv. 12); by it miracles were wrought (Acts xvi. 18), though not as by a formula of magic (cf . John xiv. 13) ; but in ort'er to accomplish this an inner connection with J .m is needful (Acts xix. 13). Baptism is in his name or in the triune name (Matt, xxviii. 19; Acts ii. 38) — a usage, however, which goes back to Jewi -h custom of baptizing '' in the name." All of these