This Week's Watchtower: Subtle New Light on what Jesus meant by "I have made known your name known." This was used prove that Jesus used God's personal name. New light: Jesus was not referring to God's personal name at all, God's reputation
For many decades, Watchtower has used John 17:6,26 as proof that Jesus not only used but also made known God's personal name, Jehovah, citing this as one evidence that Jehovah's Witnesses practice true worship: They're the only ones who make the name Jehovah known in imitation of Jesus.
But now the Watchtower says that Jesus was not actually referring to the personal name Jehovah.
In the past, articles directed to the public interpreted the verse as making the personal name Jehovah known. However, articles directed at the rank and file often expanded the application to God's reputation AS WELL in addition to the personal name application. Below are examples:
NWT Appendix to prove that Jesus made know God's personal name
Jesus was referring to God's personal name, Jehovah
The current study book, Enjoy Life Forever references the video below which uses the verse to argue that Jesus used and made know the personal name:
https://reddit.com/link/1ml7cb6/video/qrqr26xnxuhf1/player
Other articles like the ones below apply the name to both the personal name and God's reputation or qualities:
Study Notes on verse in NWT:
He made known the name by BOTH using the personal name and revealing the person behind it.
He made known both the personal name and God's qualities
Ironically the only GB member who held a similar view to what is presented in this week's Watchtower was branded as an Apostate. Incidentally, the article he wrote in the Aid to Bible Understanding book and which was retained in the Insight book also makes a similar point to this week's Watchtower article: (See highlighted portions)
Posted Aug 8, 2025, 9:16 PM UTC