Throughout the millennia there has been endless discussion, research and debate concerning the identity of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, and Jehovah of the Old Testament. In more recent years debates increasingly question his identity as a real historical figure. Where Jesus is accepted as a genuine historical person, his characteristics are often sifted and academically sanitized to the point of unrecognition as the Only Begotten Son of God, the Redeemer of Mankind, and our Lord and Savior. On a number of occasions in the New Testament, the Savior testified that He was the promised Messiah. The Prophets of the Old Testament so testified of Him as well. Furthermore, a number of Roman and Jewish historical records attest of him as a genuine character. This article will briefly explore some of those passages guided as always by The Joseph Smith Translation (JST). 
As we transition into the Old Testament with the 2026, Come Follow Me curriculum, we continue our study of Jesus Christ in these articles, guided by scriptural passages from The Joseph Smith Translation, Red-Letter Edition, Old Testament & New Testament.1 As in previous articles, red text illustrates the alterations made by the JST while blue text are the original corresponding words or phrases of the King James Version (KJV). Black text was unaltered by the JST.
The historical Jesus Christ
There are a number of ancient writers, historians, who validated Jesus Christ as an authentic historical figure of some influence. Following are the comments of several of those writers.
Flavius Josephus 2 (c. 37 – c. 100 CE); Jewish Antiquities (Antiquitates Judaicae), Book 18, Chapter 3; Jewish priest, scholar, and historian. Captured by the Romans, he later worked under imperial patronage.
“Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man; for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.” (italics are mine)
Cornelius Tacitus 3 (56-120 CE); Tacitus, Annals (Annales), Book 15, Chapter 44; Roman Senator and Historian who described how Nero blamed the Christians, followers of Christus, for the great fire of Rome.
“But all human efforts, all the lavish gifts of the emperor, and the propitiations of the gods, did not banish the sinister belief that the conflagration was the result of an order. Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judæa, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired.” (italics are mine)
Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus 4 (c. 69 – after 122 CE), The Lives of the Caesars (De Vita Caesarum), “Life of Claudius” (Claudius, 25.4); Roman Historian and chief secretary to Emperor Hadrian also references the Christ whose name he misspells as Chrestus.
“Since the Jews constantly made disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus, he [Emperor Claudius] expelled them from Rome.”
Pliny the Younger 5 (Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus, 61 – c. 113 CE); Letters (Epistulae), Book 10, Letter 96; Roman governor of Pontus/Bithynia (in modern Turkey). Correspondence with Emperor Trajan on his handling of the Christians who were being tried in his province.
“They asserted, however, that the sum and substance of their fault or error had been that they were accustomed to meet on a fixed day before dawn and sing responsively a hymn to Christ as to a god, and to bind themselves by oath, not to some crime, but not to commit fraud, theft, or adultery, not falsify their trust, nor to refuse to return a trust when called upon to do so. When this was over, it was their custom to depart and to assemble again to partake of food–but ordinary and innocent food. Even this, they affirmed, they had ceased to do after my edict by which, in accordance with your instructions, I had forbidden political associations. Accordingly, I judged it all the more necessary to find out what the truth was by torturing two female slaves who were called deaconesses. But I discovered nothing else but depraved, excessive superstition.” (italics are mine)
Lucian of Samosata 6 (c. 125 – after 180 CE); The Death of Peregrinus (De Morte Peregrini); Greek satirist who wrote in the Roman Empire;
“The Christians, you know, worship a man to this day—the distinguished personage who introduced their novel rites, and was crucified on that account.”
The Great Jehovah (YHWH, הָהוְי)
In the Jewish Tanakh (the Old Testament) the word Yahweh, transliterated as Jehovah in English, is never found because of the sacred nature of the word as the personal name of God. It always appears as YHWH7 (הָהוְי )in the written text and when reading the text, it was replaced with the Hebrew word Adonai (יָנֹדֲא )translated in English as Lord. Incidentally, the word Jehovah was created by medieval scholars who did not always follow the Hebrew Qere/Ketiv 8 substitution method when they were translating the Tanakh. The vowel points underneath the Hebrew word YHWH (הָהוְי), were used to remind the Rabbi or other Hebrew readers to substitute in the word Adonai (יָנֹדֲא), Lord in English. The following passage in Exodus provides us with an example of the JSTs use of the word Jehovah, giving us an alternate, albeit subtle, view of the passage.
Exodus 6:3-8
3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob. I am the Lord
by the name ofGod Almighty, the Lord Jehovah. And was notbut bymy nameJEHOVAH was I notknown untotothem?4 Yea and
AndI have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan; the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers.5 And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant.
6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments;
7 And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God; and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
8 And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage; I
amthe Lord will do it.Lord.
A subtle change here by Joseph Smith defines more clearly our understanding of verse 3 by changing the statement, “…by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.” into a rhetorical question “I am the Lord by the name of God Almighty, the Lord Jehovah. And was not but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known unto to them?” In other words, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob knew the Lord as Jehovah (YHWH).
Understanding that in the Tanakh the word Yahweh is always written as YHWH and read as Adonai, Lord, we find numerous Old Testament passages, especially in Isaiah, that verify Jesus’ identity as Yahweh. Here are several of the more definitive verses. YHWH in parenthesis shows how it is written in the Tanakh.
Exodus 6:6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the Lord (YHWH), and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments;
Isaiah 41:14 Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the Lord (YHWH), and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
Isaiah 43: 11 I, even I, am the Lord (YHWH); and beside me there is no saviour.
Isaiah 43:14 Thus saith the Lord (YHWH), your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships.
Isaiah 49: 24-26 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? 25 But thus saith the Lord (YHWH); Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered; for the mighty God shall deliver his covenant people, For thus saith the Lord,
forI will contend with themhimthat contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.26 And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine; and all flesh shall know that I the Lord (YHWH) am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.
Hosea 13: 4 Yet I am the Lord (YHWH) thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me; for there is no saviour beside me.
Zechariah 12: 7 The Lord (YHWH) also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah.
8 In that day shall the Lord (YHWH) defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the Lord before them.
9 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications; and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. (italics are mine)
(אֶ הְ יֶה אֲשֶ ר אֶ הְ יֶה ) I AM THAT AM I
In Exodus 3:13-15, Moses was called by the Lord to affect the release of his people, Israel, from the Egyptians. Biblical scholars are divided on the length of Israel’s sojourn in Egypt. Some consider that it was 400 or 430 years as stated in the Bible, and others as few as 215 years.9 As Moses conversed with the Lord about his call to free Israel, he immediately began to protest. (see Genesis 3:11, 13; 4:1, 10) One of his excuses to the Lord was how he was to get the Israelites to recognize that he had been called to fulfill that role. The Lord responded by telling Moses “I AM THAT I AM”10 and that he was to inform the Israelites that “I AM hath sent me unto you”.
Exodus 3:13-15
13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?
14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM; and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, the Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you; this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.
In the preceding verses we are introduced to the name of the Lord being “I AM”, written הֶי ְה ֶא, “eheyeh”, in Hebrew. It is a first-person singular verb derived from “hayah” (to be). The origin of this name and why the Israelites would recognize it is uncertain. Some scholars say Yahweh derives from “hayah” as well, partly because it bears some sound resemblance to “eheyeh”. Unfortunately, that is about all that is known about the name “I AM”.
The Messiah or Christ
The biblical Hebrew word Mashiach (קריסטוס) or “Messiah” in English, is “Christos” (Χριστός) in Greek and transliterated as “Christ” in modern English. Both words mean “anointed” or “the anointed one” and carry the sense of one who would come to restore, redeem, or save Israel.
In the New Testament as Jesus began openly to allude to his true nature as the Son of God, and the promised Messiah, his message was received with mixed reactions among the Jews. The Rabbis, Priests, Scribes, and others who should have understood, began to realize that Jesus was referring to himself as the promised Messiah of ancient Hebrew scripture and the “I AM” (John 9:58). Jesus’ rebuke of their unbelief and their efforts to sabotage his church and his teachings, added to their intense hatred for him. This they could not tolerate. This was a group who scripturally understood where Jesus was to be born, raised, and all that he would do in his earthly sojourn. They could never resolve themselves to a Messiah who came as a teacher having authority expressing compassion, humility, gentleness, and kindness rather than as a King, conqueror, and warrior, sent to free Israel, God’s chosen people, from the tyranny they had become subject to. A tyranny, incidentally, that they may have avoided had they followed the commandments God gave them through Moses.
In the following verses, the Savior was being accosted by the Scribes and Pharisees in the Temple. Almost the whole of John Chapter 8 is a crescendo of implied accusations by those Jewish leaders and the Savior’s response with answers that are some of the most direct and clear found in the New Testament regarding his identity. Jesus made it very clear to those leaders who he was and why he was there.
John 8:53-59
53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead; whom makest thou thyself?
54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing; it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:
55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him; and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you; but I know him, and keep his saying.
56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it, and was glad.
57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
59 Then took they up stones to cast at him; but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by. (italics are mine)
As it dawned on the Scribes and Pharisees that Jesus was claiming divinity, their indignation rose to rage at what they considered was his audacious and blatant blasphemy. Finally, Jesus said to them “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” That was the trigger. Jesus just named himself the I AM, YHWH, Jehovah of the Jewish Tanakh! In their self-righteous rage they could no longer tolerate what they chose to believe was blasphemy worthy of death and “Then took they up stones to cast at him”. The power and intensity of this confrontation with the Scribes and Pharisees is breath-taking.
On another occasion the Savior clearly revealed himself in a far more peaceful, and pastoral incident with a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. Jesus had been preaching and baptizing in Judea “And he He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee, And he saith unto his disciples, I must needs go through Samaria. Then he cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground which that Jacob gave to his son Joseph; the place where Jacob’s well was.” (John 4:3-5)
The Lord’s revealing interaction with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well is beautifully captured in the JST. The aftermath of that conversation was completely different from that of the Scribes and Pharisees in the Temple.
John 4: 24-26
23 And
Butthe hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship him;24 For unto such hath God promised his
God is aSpirit. Andandthey whothatworship him, must worshiphimin spirit and in truth.25 The woman said
saithunto him, I know that Messias cometh, whowhichis called Christ; when he is come, he will tell us all things.26 Jesus saith unto her, I who
thatspeak unto thee am the Messias.he
By identifying himself with the Hebrew word “Messias”, Jesus clearly and emphatically revealed his identity to the woman, a Samaritan no less. The woman was receptive and conversant enough in both Greek and Hebrew to make the statement “I know that Messias cometh, who which is called Christ”. Remarkably the woman and the people of Sychar embraced Jesus as the true Messiah, the Christ, “the anointed one”.
In brief, or perhaps not so brief, we have identified the historical Jesus Christ, shown that he was the great Jehovah of the Old Testament and the Christ, or Messiah, of the New Testament. Along the way we gained some subtle insights of our Lord and Savior through Joseph Smith the Prophet, Seer, Revelator and Translator.
