God is a complex and multifaceted being, and it is no surprise that the people of the New Testament came up with different names for him. The following are some of the most common names used in the New Testament to describe God:
Father: This is probably one of the most common names for God in all of literature. It’s also one of the most literal names for God, since it refers to his role as creator and nurturer of mankind.
Lord: This name for God refers to his role as sovereign over all creation. It also emphasizes his power, which he uses to bring order out of chaos and restore order when it has been lost or destroyed.
Jesus: Jesus Christ was one of God’s many incarnations on earth, during which time he showed us what it meant to be human by literally taking on our sins so that we could be forgiven when we ask for his mercy (see John 17:3).
Studying the Bible is essential because of how important God is.
We should give our full attention to the Bible since it contains God’s message to humanity. We need to get in touch with him. Since we aim to take his words to heart, we will be giving them our full and undivided attention.
What a priceless piece of advice! A biblical passage describes them as “more to be desired than gold, even much fine gold; also sweeter than honey and drippings of the honeycomb” (Psalm 19:10). More than the biggest joys that our world wants—money and food—the Bible satisfies us.
Paul told young pastor Timothy that “all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). As you speak, God “breathes out” each individual word in the Bible. It is absolutely original in this respect. That statement is true of the Bible but not of any other literature.
Reading the Bible is not the same as studying it.
The Bible is just another document, therefore we read it as quickly as possible. In contrast, we don’t rush through Bible study. We search for answers to the world’s mysteries as we attempt to make sense of it. What they say is given serious consideration.
Ephesians 1:1-14 can be read in 30 seconds, yet the lessons it contains will last you a lifetime. The Gospel of John can be read in its entirety in roughly two hours. But its complexity ensures that you’ll never get bored exploring it.
The reward of maturing in God’s word will be ours for as long as we live.
It’s important to devote a lot of time to Bible study and have faith in what you’re reading.
We put in the time and effort necessary since we value education highly. However, relying on God also calls for us to ask for wisdom.
Paul urged Timothy to “think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything” (2 Timothy 2:7). God endows us with wit, but we have to put it to use.
The evangelist George Whitefield began devoting himself to reading the Bible on a regular basis once he became a Christian. Author says, “I began to read the Holy Scriptures upon my knees, laying aside all other books and praying over, if possible, every line and word… I daily received fresh life, light, and power from above.” Take note of how modest he is.1
Whether or not we choose to get on our knees to study, that’s where our focus ought to be.
Names For God In The New Testament
Introduction
We are all familiar with the most common names for God, such as Jesus and Yahweh. However, in the New Testament there are many names for God that we may not be familiar with. Each of these has a unique significance and meaning which is important for us to explore. I will be going over ten of them here today so let’s dive right in!
Jehovah-Shalom
The name Jehovah-Shalom combines two Hebrew words: shalom and Jehovah. The word shalom means “peace.” As for the second part of this name, Jehovah means “Lord,” or “God.” In fact, this combination can be translated as either “The Lord is Peace” or just plain old “Lord God.” The New Testament uses this word to refer to God in several places, such as in Romans 15:33 (where it says that we should seek peace among all people) and 1 Peter 3:15 (where Peter writes about our need for holiness).
Jehovah-Rapha
The name Jehovah-Rapha is the Lord who heals. This name is used in Exodus 15:26, Isaiah 30:26, Jeremiah 30:17, and Ezekiel 20:34.
This name emphasizes God’s power to heal and bring wholeness to His people. Jehovah-Rapha can be translated as “the Lord our Healer” or “the Lord our Physician.”
Jehovah-Tsidkenu
The name of God Jehovah-Tsidkenu is found in Isaiah 43:3, and Isaiah 44:6. It is translated as “Jehovah our righteousness”. These verses describe how God’s righteousness was given to the people of Israel, and how we can come to know him as our righteousness.
In these passages we learn that God is righteous, but he also seeks out those who will be righteous to show them his love.
Elohim
Elohim is the name of God in the Old Testament, and it is plural. Elohim also means gods.
In Hebrew, eloah is translated as both “god” and “gods” depending on context. The word for god in Aramaic is baal, which has become our modern day “baal” or “bailiff.” In Hebrew, it means “master.” Baalzebub was a heathen deity worshipped by the Philistines during biblical times; therefore, when Jesus calls him Beelzebub (Greek: Beelzebul), he means that he has power over demons like those found at this Philistine temple (Mark 3:22).
The plural form of Elohim indicates majesty or grandeur; thus there are many references in scripture where YHWH refers to Himself as plural: Genesis 1:26-27 (God created man); Exodus 6:2-3 (God told Moses who He was); Deuteronomy 13:1-5a(Deuteronomy 13 contains several verses about false prophets who teach other things than what God had commanded).
The I AM
“I AM” is God’s name in the New Testament. It’s a translation of the Greek word “ego eimi,” which appears in the book of John. The phrase is used in reference to Jesus’ claim to be both the Messiah and God’s Son, but it also refers back to Exodus 3:14 where Moses asks for God’s name and receives this response: “I AM WHO I AM.” In his Gospel account, John uses this verse as proof that anyone who believes in Jesus will likewise be given eternal life; he writes, “[Jesus] said these things so that you may believe that ‘I AM’ (that is, Yahweh) has sent me.”
Adonai
One of the most common names for God in the Old Testament is Adonai, which means “Lord” or “Master.” This name was used by God to refer to Himself, and it also became an acceptable way for Jews to address Him (Exodus 20:7). We see this use of the word in all four gospels. Jesus’ disciples referred to Him as Adonai when they asked Him who He was (Mark 6:52), and Peter did so when he called on Jesus’ name at his trial (Matthew 26:63).
While some have argued that this title should only be used when referring specifically to Jesus Christ, others believe it can still be applied as a general term for anyone who serves as our Lord and Master.
The Lion of Judah
The lion of Judah is a symbol of the tribe of Judah and more broadly, the messiah. The lion was also one of the symbols used during Jesus’ ministry, but how did it come to represent Him?
The lion was first used by Jacob in his vision as he wrestled with an angel (Genesis 32:23-30). Then God told Jacob that from then on he would be called “Israel”—which means “a prince with God.” Afterward, God gave him a new name: “Judah—because you have struggled with God and men, and have prevailed.” The tribe of Judah followed after their father Jacob when they left Canaan for Egypt because Joseph had become governor over all Egypt under Pharaoh (Genesis 46:13-14). They remained in Egypt until Moses led them out at the Exodus (Exodus 3:1-6).
When we read about Israel/Judah/Jacob wrestling with God and prevailing against His enemies—it reminds us that we are not supposed to be defeated; rather we should stand firm against our spiritual enemies like sin, temptation, discouragement etc., just like Israel stood firm during his battle against Esau (Genesis 32).
The Mighty God
The Mighty God
In Mark and Matthew, Jesus refers to God as the Almighty. But in Revelation, John uses a different title: The Mighty One. In Greek, this is “ho poppuon,” which means “the powerful one.” In Hebrew it’s “El Gibor,” meaning “mighty warrior.” What do these titles mean for us? They remind us that when we’re up against something big (like sin) or outmatched by someone else’s power (such as those who don’t think like we do), we can call on God’s strength and trust him to get the job done!
The Everlasting Father
The New Testament makes it clear that God is an everlasting father. He is the father of all creation, and this includes all mankind. But in addition to being the creator of everything, God has a special relationship with Israel and Christians—and Muslims, Hindus, etc.
The Holy Spirit  (also known as the Spirit of the Lord)
The Holy Spirit is also known as the Spirit of the Lord. He is a person of the trinity, but he has a different role than that of Jesus and God the Father. The Holy Spirit is responsible for creating all things, including us (John 1:13). He gives life to everything that exists (Romans 8:2-11). He’s also the one who gives believers gifts like prophecy, speaking in tongues and many other gifts we can use to help others (1 Corinthians 12:4-11).
The Holy Spirit makes us holy by convicting our hearts so that we can change our ways (John 16:7-9) and giving us power over temptations that would otherwise lead us into sin (Hebrews 4:14).
There are many different names in the New Testament for God and each one has a meaning of its own.
There are many different names in the New Testament for God and each one has a meaning of its own. The names of God in the New Testament are derived from the Old Testament, but they also contain some Greek words that were translated into Hebrew by ancient scholars. For example, Jesus refers to God as “Father,” where “Father” is actually a translation of the Hebrew word “Abba.”
The following list contains some of the most common terms used to refer to God in this book:
- Father (Gr., Pater)
- Lord, Christ or Christos (Gr., kyrios)
- Son (Gr., huios)
Conclusion
In the end, each of these names for God has a meaning and purpose behind them. They are not just words that we use when we talk about faith or religion—they have an impact on our daily lives as well. The next time someone asks you “What do you call this?” remember these names so they can be used appropriately in conversation with others.
