The authentic meaning of INRI

INRI and Jehovah

The Romans often attached a sign above those they crucified identifying their name and charge. The Gospel of John 19:20 tells us the famous INRI sign above Jesus’s cross contained the same phrase in Hebrew, Latin and Greek. In Hebrew, the words “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” translates to ישוע הנצרתי ומלך היהודים. Shortening these four words into an acronym, we get יהוה (YHWH), the holiest name of the Lord in Scripture. 

An Unchanging God

This is not the first time that Jesus alluded to himself using the sacred name YHWH. Earlier, he said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am” (John 8:28). The phrase “I am” alludes to the divine name that God first revealed to Moses at the burning bush: ehyeh asher ehyeh - “I am what I am” (Ex. 3:14). These names have something in common; the Hebrew root HYH (היה), meaning “to be”.
  

Deepen your Biblical understanding

Jesus was careful not to explicitly refer to himself as God for fear of offending the authorities. Instead he did so subtly, by using names that point to the Hebrew name YHWH. His disciples understood these references, but if you do not understand Hebrew, you cannot appreciate these levels of meaning. Enroll in our live online Biblical Hebrew courses and give yourself the gift of true Biblical understanding!