Key Scripture: “Therefore 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.” (Philippians 2:9-11)

The objective of The Divine Name Approach is to show Jehovah’s Witnesses that, while it is fine to refer to God as “Jehovah,” it is not necessary. In fact, in the New Testament the name that is above every other name is “Jesus.”

Why it matters

The Watchtower claims no one can have a close personal relationship with God unless they know and use his name, “Jehovah.” Prayer is to be directed to Jehovah by name. One of the Witnesses’ primary missions in life is to make Jehovah’s name known.

They believe that use of and reverence for the name “Jehovah” is a major difference between their true Christian religion and the counterfeit Christianity that comprises Christendom. They will present you with around half a dozen Watchtower arguments to try to persuade you that true worshippers of God must use and exalt the divine name. Of course, if they could convince you that they are right, you would be well on your way to becoming a Jehovah’s Witness. (pp. 211-212)

 The unexpected approach

Jehovah’s Witnesses will expect you to be uncomfortable with referring to God as “Jehovah.” To the contrary, you will neither show discomfort nor in any way try to discourage them from using that name. Rather, your approach will be to show them many Scriptures that call into question the claim that the divine name must be used. Encourage them to give you reasons why they think knowing and using the name is so important.

Most likely, they will present you with one or more of the following claims:

Watchtower Claim #1: Jesus mentioned God’s name repeatedly in his own prayers. (pp. 213-214)

Witnesses will tell you that Jesus believed the name “Jehovah” was of critical importance, and therefore we should also. They may also tell you that God’s name “was clearly of crucial importance to him since he mentioned it repeatedly in his own prayers.”

Ask them to show you one passage where Jesus begins one of his prayers by saying by addressing God as “Jehovah.” They won’t be able to find one. Instead, he addressed God as “Father” or, when he was dying, as, “My God, my God”—never as “Jehovah,” not even in the Watchtower’s own translation.

Also ask them to show you any verse where Jesus taught his disciples to begin their prayers by saying, “Jehovah…” In the Lord’s Prayer (Model Prayer), Jesus said to address him as “Father.” Apparently, “sanctifying God’s name” did not require them to address him by the divine name.

In Luke 2:29, godly Simeon addressed God as “Sovereign Lord” (Watchtower translation). Ask them to read aloud Acts 4:24 and Revelation 6:10, where the disciples and tribulation martyrs call him that as well. Nowhere are they rebuked for failing to address God either as “Jehovah” or as “Father.”

Say, “I certainly don’t criticize you for beginning your prayers with, ‘Jehovah…’ but do you see why from the verses we just looked at I don’t think that is required or more spiritual than other respectful forms of address?

Watchtower Claim #2: We must use the name “Jehovah” in order to have intimacy with God. (pp. 214-215)

The Watchtower has said, “Think of an intimate friend of yours. How close would you really be if you never learned your friend’s name? Similarly, when people are kept in ignorance about God’s name, Jehovah, how can they become truly close to God?”

You can respond by saying, “Is use of someone’s personal name the most intimate way to address them? My children don’t call me [insert your name]. They call me ‘Dad/Mom.’ In a similar way, isn’t it more intimate to address God as “Father” than as ‘Jehovah’?”

How did Jesus’ closest friends address him? Have one of them read John 13:13 aloud. There Jesus said that it was proper for his disciples to address him as “Teacher” and “Lord.” Even his inner circle of disciples—Peter, James, and John—addressed and referred to him in this way. (Matthew 14:28-30; Luke 9:54). Ask, “Since Jesus’ closest friends properly called him by titles of respect instead of by his name, why would it be wrong to refer to his Father as “God” or “Lord” instead of using the name “Jehovah?”

Study Questions

  1. How would you respond to a Jehovah’s Witness who claims that Jesus mentioned or referred to the importance of God’s name repeatedly in his prayers? (pp. 213-214) Examples:
  • Matthew 6:9: “Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified.”
  • John 12:28: [Jesus] “Father, glorify your name.” [Jehovah]: “I both glorified it and will glorify it again.”
  1. How would you respond to a Jehovah’s Witness who claims that we must use the name “Jehovah” in order to have intimacy with God, citing the following Watchtower quote?
  • “Think of an intimate friend of yours. How close would you really be if you never learned your friend’s name? Similarly, when people are kept in ignorance about God’s name, how can they become truly close to God?” (pp. 214-215)