Jehovah
An anglicized pronunciation of the Hebrew tetragrammaton, YHWH, which are the four consonant letters used to spell God’s name in the Hebrew Bible (Exodus 3:14). The Hebrews considered the name of God too holy to pronounce and susbstituted the word “Lord” (adonai) when the text was read. The vowels of the word “adonai” was combined with YHWH to get the word “Jehovah” which was first used in the 12th century. A more accurate pronunciation of YHWH would be “Yahweh.” Howver, the exact and proper pronunciation has been lost.

Jesus
According to most Christian teaching Jesus is God Incarnate, He is fully God and fully human (Col. 2:9); thus, He has two natures: divine and human. He is not half God and half man. Some Christians, who emphasize the divinity of Jesus are comfortable with the declaration: “Jesus is God.” They see Jesus on an equaly par with the God, the Creator and the Holy Spirit as part of the Trinity. For more on the range of views within Christianity on the identity of Jesus. For more on the Trinity. For more on the Holy Spirit.

Jesus Only Movement
This is a movement in some Pentecostal circles. It reflects a somewhat unusual understanding of the nature of the Trinity. The biblical Trinity consists of three persons simultaneously and eternally existing in one God. The Jesus Only Movement maintains that there is only one person in the Godhead: Jesus. It teaches that the person of the Father became the person of the Son who then became the person of the Holy Spirit and that the persons are consecutive not simultaneous. Most denominations would describe this view as heretical. For more on the Trinity. For more on pentacostalism.

Jews
Originally, a Jew was a member of the state of Judah during the period of the division of Israel into two nations: Judah and Israel. It became a common reference from the 8th century B.C. Today it is used of those who identify with Judaism as a religion or culture. For more on the relationship between Christians and Jews.

Judgment
The word appears often in the Bible and the meaning varies according to context. There are several judgments: the judgment of the believer’s sins (John 5:24), the judgment of the believer’s self (1 Cor. 11:31-32), the judgment of the believer’s works (2 Cor. 5:10), the judgment of the nations (Matt. 25:31-46), and the judgment of the wicked (Rev. 20:11-15). There is intense debate within theological circles as to the implications and interpretations of these and other texts. The common theme of most of those who reflect upon the notion of God’s judgement is that there are consequences resulting from our behavior, and that God can be trusted to act consistently with both love and justice which are the essential aspects of God’s character.


Just, Justice
The due reward or punishment for an act. Justice is getting what is deserved. God is merciful but also just (Deut. 32:4 – righteous) and, as indicated, there are consequences for those who act in ways that are contrary to the will of God. The biblical notion of justice is framed both by the laws of the Torah, and most specifically the Ten Commandments, but also a more general understanding of the nature of God. The notion of justice in the Bible includes a strong emphasis upon the notion of addressing the wrongs of the world with special emphasis upon the exploitation of the poor by the powerful.

Justify, Justification
To be justified is to be made righteous. It is a divine act through which God liberates and individual to be and become all that he or she is meant to be, allowing the individual to act fully and completely “in the image and likeness of God.” For Christians, justification is made possible through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Justification is a gift of grace (Rom. 3:24) rather than an achievement or accomplishment of the individual. Those who are justified may be expected to act with the same loving kindness, regard for the poor, and love of peace that Jesus so powerfully exhibited.