When an Old Testament verse about Yahweh becomes a New Testament verse about Jesus

There are many astonishing instances where Hebrew Scripture verses about YHWH are turned into verses about Jesus in the Christian Scriptures. 

A small sample of examples follows. (And I’ve gone for a bunch of out of copyright translations for these six examples.) To give this a purpose, here I answer whether all application of texts about YHWH to the person of Jesus can be explained away as examples of an agent carrying out a task for a principal. Of course, there are situations where Jesus does act as his Father's agent to do something, as the 'agent' for the 'principal.' But that doesn't explain the extraordinary scriptures here.

So below, you'll see a Hebrew Scripture that is about the biblical God Yahweh (YHWH), where Christian Scripture then does that extraordinary thing, and says it's about Jesus.

Where I use the word 'ontology' below, I mean that Jesus is somehow identified with the very being of YHWH. 

 Here's the sample:

“for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me [YHWH].” (KJV Isaiah 49:23)

“For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him [Jesus] shall not be ashamed.” (KJV Rom. 10:11)

Interesting to note that Paul is not saying that Jesus is fulfilling an agency task. Paul is specifically stating that the scripture about YHWH is about Jesus. This is very clear indeed.

 

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“But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord [YHWH]…” (KJV Jeremiah 9:24)

“That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord [Jesus].” (KJV 1Cor 1:31)

“But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord [Jesus].” (KJV 2 Cor 10:17)

Again, if of interest, Paul is not saying that Jesus is fulfilling an agency task. Paul is specifically saying that the scripture (“as it is written”) is actually about Jesus, where in the Hebrew text it says it is about YHWH.

 

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‘neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. Sanctify the Lord [YHWH] of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.’ (KJV Isaiah 8:12-13)

‘and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; but sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord... yet with meekness and fear’ (ASV 1 Peter 3:14-15)

This too is not about an agency task, but rather tends towards ritual meaning and ontological sameness, being about one towards whom the believer's heart is sanctified.

 

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‘The table of the Lord [YHWH] is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible.’ (KJV Malachi 1:7,12)

‘ye are not able of the table of the Lord [Jesus] to partake, and of the table of demons.’ (YLT 1 Corinthians 10:17,21)

This matching ritual presence of YHWH and Jesus would of course need a better explanation than agency, and tends towards ontology.

 

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‘O taste and see that the Lord [YHWH] is good’ (KJV Psalm 34:8)

‘ye have tasted, that the Lord [Jesus] is sweet’ (Wycliffe 1 Peter 2:3)

Again, if I may make the same point, this is not about an agency task. It needs another explanation. It is devotional material. The weight of applying to Jesus this and similar material about YHWH tends towards ontology.

 

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‘those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord [YHWH], which run to and fro through the whole earth.’ (KJV Zechariah 4:10)

‘a Lamb [Jesus] as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.’ (KJV Revelation 5:6)

There is something profoundly ontological in a shared way about YHWH and Jesus both being described as having seven eyes.

I could go on, but the point is made in these six examples. Not all of the application of texts about YHWH to the person of Jesus can be explained away as examples of an agent carrying out a task for a principal.

Here's a different kind of example. In Hebrews 1:10, God the Father essentially calls Jesus 'YHWH' (if you cross-check the Old and New Testaments). God the Father says this to Jesus: “In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands." If God says it, Jesus did it. God said to Jesus, the heavens are the work of your hands. Jesus wasn't just an agent. God the Father gives Jesus the credit for creation. They are co-creators.

And here's the second thing. Hebrews 1:10-12 contains a citation from Psalm 102:25-27. When you cross-check, you see it's deliberate that the 'YHWH' of Psalm 102 is the 'Lord' of Hebrews 1:10. So, if you cross-check this with the Old Testament, you will see that it plainly means this: God the Father said to YHWH, the heavens are the work of your hands. Jesus is Jehovah-Jesus, or Yahweh-Jesus. 

Since it's God the Father who calls Jesus 'Yahweh,' this naming can't be explained away as Jesus being an agent. 

The obvious conclusion is that the New Testament authors are perfectly happy for us to conclude that in some way, Jesus is the embodiment of YHWH, Jesus is Yahweh in some real sense.