Exodus 6:3Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

What does it signify when it is stated, ‘The Lord will not reveal My name’? Moses recounts the honor and grace that God granted him. The name that had not been disclosed to the patriarchs was revealed to him, as God proclaimed, ‘I am He’ (Ex. 3:14). For the Jews, this name is referred to as unspeakable. It is prohibited to vocalize it, yet it is composed of four letters, leading them to call it the four-lettered name. This name was engraved on a golden plate, attached to the headband worn on the forehead of the high priest. The Samaritans articulate it as Jabba, while the Jews pronounce it Aia.

The Lord Christ is indeed the supreme God among all deities. Alongside the Father and the Holy Spirit, He rightfully bears the title of God of gods, although this designation falls short of fully capturing the majesty of the Divine, as human language is inadequate to articulate His greatness. In Greek, the term for ‘God’ conveys the idea of ‘fear,’ highlighting that He alone is worthy of reverence, thus transforming the verb into a noun. The Book of Exodus tells us, “My name Adonai I have not revealed to them,” reminding us that His name is sacred and remains hidden even from His chosen servants. He has communicated through the prophets, through the apostles, and most significantly, through His own being.

I revealed Myself to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty, Shaddai, but they did not know My name, Jehovah. The patriarchs were unfamiliar with the name Jehovah, not in terms of its letters, but in the context of the realization of the promises, particularly concerning their liberation from the bondage of Egypt. This assertion is supported by similar verses in Isaiah 52, which state that the captive daughter of Zion will recognize the name of Jehovah when she is freed from her chains. Furthermore, the literal interpretation is inconsistent since the name Jehovah had indeed been made known to the patriarchs, as evidenced in Genesis 15:7 and 28:13. Additionally, the clarity of expression aligns with this interpretation.

The commentators state that God proclaimed, "I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, being their God," while Aquila expresses it as, "I was seen by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the strong God." This indicates that it was not the Supreme Being, the Only God who exists, that revealed Himself in the same manner as He did to Moses and the patriarchs, in the guise of an angel, a burning bush, or fire. Instead, it was "in the strong God," illustrating that through the Son, the patriarchs were also able to behold the Father, as affirmed in the Gospels: "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9). It is in Him and through Him that the knowledge of the Father was made manifest.

God identifies Himself as Lord, a name He did not disclose to Moses' forebears: "And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the Lord," and He appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as their God; yet His name, the Lord, was not revealed to them. This divine name is referenced in various sections of the book of Genesis, notably during the encounters with the patriarchs, as seen in Genesis 18:18.

Previously, we discussed the significance of God's names (see Gen. i, ch. 3, note 3). Elohim represents the overarching concept of the divine nature, the Creator God known even among the nations. However, in His design for the future well-being of humanity, the Creator engages in a unique and gracious relationship with a particular lineage, making specific promises and establishing a covenant. In this covenant, He is Jehovah—the Eternal One, the ever-living and immutable Being who is. Yet, as this verse illustrates, the profound mystery of this name was not fully disclosed to the patriarchs. It was only in the fullness of time that Moses came to understand it.