Johann Reuchlin on the name that saves (1484/1485) / Ο Γιόχαν Ρόιχλιν σχετικά με το όνομα που σώζει (1484/1485)

Reuchlin’s letter to Rudolf Agricola of 1484/1485, ms. 332b (= K892 k).

Jo[hann] Reuchlin of Pforzheim sends many greetings to his highly to be respected Rudolf Agricola.

I am not sure whether you have received the letter which I recently had sent you. In it I beseeched you to write to me your opinion in full about the following controversy. When it is said in, I believe, Psalm 54 [verse 3 [54:1], in Hebrew letters: אלהים בשמך הושיעני]: “O Elohim, by your name save me,” what or which name is meant here in which our salvation is to be expected; is it יהושע [Yehoshuah] or rather יהוה [Yehouah]? For, with respect to the first [Yehoshuah], it is written: “nor is there any other name [under heaven] given to the human race by which we are to be saved” [Acts 4:12, in Geek letters], whereas to the second [Yehouah] there is this [verse] to be had: “Happy is the man who trusts in the name of Yehouah [יהוה]” [Ps 40:5 [40:4], in Hebrew letters: אשרי הגבר אשר שם יהוה מבטחו]. Please, please solve this variance for me. Fare well! From Stuttgart.


* Franz Posset, Respect for the Jews: Collected Works, Volume 4, pp. 50, 51.

Psalm 40:4a:
Wycliffe:
Blessed is the man, of whom the name of the Lord is his hope.
Douay-Rheims:
Blessed is the man whose trust is in the name of the Lord.