We begin this post with a discussion of the text found in the 1611 KJV-AV:

Matthew 28:19 (1611 KJV-AV)
Goe ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghost:

Now there are those who say that this phrase didn’t exist in the original Greek (although it is found as such in the Stephanus Textus Receptus: πορευθεντες ουν μαθητευσατε παντα τα εθνη βαπτιζοντες αυτους εις το ονομα του πατρος και του υιου και του αγιου πνευματος – [pater, huios, hagia pneumatos]), and the objection is raised that it is this very phrase which is the basis and establishes the “Holy Trinity” doctrine favored by the Catholic church in its dominion over the Western World.

However, there is an assumption that is present in this understanding, and that assumption is that somehow there are three different names.  But this misunderstanding (in my view) has to do with the linear conception of the idea of a name; and the assumption that we are talking about three distinct entities; and as a consequence, must necessarily be discussing three different names. I don’t believe this is the case at all.

Let’s start with a little Hebraic understanding.  We know that the Talmudic edict of Rabbi Akiva created the ineffable name doctrine (the non-utterance of the name).  I believe this to be the ultimate tool in the prevention of the ascendancy of the RUACH to achieve a state of yachad with YAH.  It is by the exhalation of the breath of YAHUAH in the placing of the name within the nephesh that the dust of the earth becomes a living soul, and by utterance of the name in response that we achieve the fullness of YAH and the complete status of unity in yachad with YAH.

But what is a name?  In the Judaist world, the tetragrammaton is routinely pronounce ADONAI when spoken, and is referred to as Ha’Shem (the name) in passing.  Let’s look at this word shem.

Shem (שֵׁם) (Strong's H8034) is the word most often translated as “name” in the English language (861 times where it appears in the Tanakh).  Yet, it has a meaning as “an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, or character.”

So, understanding this broader concept, we can see that the name is the mark or memorial of the honor, authority or character of the subject in question.

This leads us to our discovery of the name used in Mattithyahu (Matthew) 28:19. 

Marqus (Mark)12:28-31
And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? 29 And YAHUSHA answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Yashar’el; YAHUAH ELOHAYNU, YAHUAH is one: 30 And you shall love את eth YAHUAH ELOHAYKA with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength: this is the first commandment. 31 And the second is like, namely this, You shall love your neighbour as yourself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Devariym (Deuteronomy) 6:4-5

שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוָֹה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָֹה אֶחָד׃

וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת יְהוָֹה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁךָ וּבְכָל־מְאֹדֶךָ׃

Vayiqra (Leviticus) 19:18

וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ

We see now the teaching from the gospel and the very utterance of YAHUSHA, that YAHUAH is one.  This is a difficult teaching given the number of names assigned to YAHUAH throughout the text, however when we consider the context of Ha’Shem, we will see that this is not difficult at all.

Let us begin with the letter yod (י) (pronounced “ē”).  This is a significant marker, relegated by the Masorites as a mere definitive article, while ignoring its spiritual connotation, as it shows the working hand of the creator bârâʼ (בָּרָא).

Let’s take a look at a couple of examples to see how this plays out:

Bere’shiyth (Genesis) 15:7
And he said unto him, I am YAHUAH that brought you out of Ur of the Kasdiym, to give you את eth-this land to inherit it.

In the Ivriyt (Hebrew) we find:

וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אֲנִי יְהוָֹה אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ מֵאוּר כַּשְׂדִּים לָתֶת לְךָ אֶת־הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת לְרִשְׁתָּהּ׃

We see here (underlined) the use of the term amar (ֹּאמֶר) but it is preceded by two prefixes: namely vav (ו) and yod (י); yet the interpreters readily transcribe this as “and (vav) he (yod – referring to YAHUAH, the speaker in this passage) said (amar) .  .  .”

From here, the concept of the noun identified in the yod (the working hand of bârâʼ) will become the name “I AM.”

Shemoth (Exodus) 3:13-14
And Mosheh said unto ELOHIYM, Behold, when I come unto the children of Yashar’el, and shall say unto them, The ELOHAI of your fathers has sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? 14 And ELOHIYM said unto El-Mosheh, EHAYAH ASHER EHAYAH: and he said, Thus shall you say unto the children of Yashar’el, EHAYAH has sent me unto you.

Take a look at the Ivriyt (Hebrew):

אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה

A close review shows three words all beginning with aleph (א).  The easiest way to understand this is to assign the vowels present here.

א = “eh”

ה = “ah”

י = “ee”

ה = “ah”

We may have one of several conditions here. 1) It could be a single word (Eh-Ah-Ee-Ah); 2) it could be a word with two prefixes (Eh’Ah’ EeAh); 3) it could be two words (Eh-Ah Ee-Ah); and 4) it could be the prefix (Eh) followed by the word (Ah-Eh-Ah). 

Working backwards, if the word is primarily hayah (הָיָה) (Strong’s H1961), then we have the aleph prefix before the word generally construed to be to exist, i.e. to be or become, or come to pass.  Therefore, the phrase in question would then mean: The Aleph exists (A’hayah)  who, which, what, that (asher) exists as the Aleph.

Looking at option number three, we find something quite interesting, assuming we are discussing the words EH YAH (ĒĂ).

Consider the word EHI (אֱהִי) (Strong's H165). This word, appearing only in the Cepher Husha (Hosea) is apparently an orthographical variation for H346 (which we will discuss); meaning I will be (Hosea 13:10,14) (which is often the rendering of the same Hebrew form from H1961). Adding the “hey” to end (option 1) likely signifies the breath of the RUACH HA’QODESH. Consequently, the meaning of the phrase becomes: I will be (in the breath of the RUACH HA’QODESH) that I will be (in the breath of the RUACH HA’QODESH).

Looking at option number two, we find two prefixes: Eh (א - aleph) and Ah (ה - hey).  Setting aside the aleph for a moment, we know the prefix “hey” means “the”. The last portion of the word is of course YAH.  Therefore, we have the Aleph, ha’YAH, meaning the Divine I AM. 

Now, we embark on an interesting inquiry, visiting the creation story again in Bere’shiyth.

Bere’shiyth (Genesis) 1:1
Bere’shiyth bara ELOHIYM eth shamayim u’eth ha’arets.

בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ׃

While we are given a pronunciation of Bere’shiyth, the word appears to be the feminine plural of the word ro’sh with the prefix beyt meaning “in”.

The word ro’sh (Strong's H7218) is spelled (רֹאשׁ) (rôʼsh) בְּרֵאשִׁית. Our distinguishing mark has to do with the yod appearing in the plural rather than the vav (iyth rather than oth). The word ro’sh is from an unused root apparently meaning to shake; (the head). It also means  beginning, captain, chapiter, chief(-est place, man, things), company, end, × every (man), excellent, first, forefront, (be-)head, height, (on) high(-est part, (priest)), × lead, × poor, principal, ruler, sum, top.

So, a closer interpretation given the plural, would be to say in the beginnings! Or, in the shakings!  But of course that reduces the concept of whatever was occurring as being best described by the word shakings. 

However, consider that the next word – bara – does not just mean to create, but also Creator!  Whoa!  So we may have the following:

In the shakings [is] the Creator, ELOHIYM, the heavens and the earth.

Ignoring this for a moment, let’s move on to that famous passage:

Bere’shiyth (Genesis) 1:3
And ELOHIYM said, Let there be light: and there was light.

However, a closer look at the underlying Ivriyt reveals something a little different:

וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי אוֹר וַיְהִי־אוֹר׃

Again we see the phrase v’y’amar (And he said), followed by ELOHIYM. Now what follows is construed by the interpreters as hayah or v’hayah-or.  But that is not what is written there, is it? What actually appears is YAHI or v’YAHI or.

Where YAH is often construed as I AM – there is an underlying truth to that statement, a fundament axiomatic premise of existence.  The I is a possessive suffix, meaning mine. YAHI is therefore my I AM. Better stated: my existence. 

Therefore, we see the phrase: And he ELOHIYM said, My existence [was] light, and my existence [is] light! While we can bicker about whether or not this phrase says this (or not), what we find in this verse is the first sighting of the word YAH (with its possessive suffix), not the word hayah.

Some people believe that the use of the word YAH is somehow a nickname or slang term.  But this is not the case. The name YAH stands alone 45 times in the Tanakh, Ex 15:2; Ex 17:16; Ps 68:4; Ps 68:18; Ps 77:11; Ps 89:8; Ps 94:7; Ps 94:12; Ps 102:18; Ps 104:35; Ps 105:45; Ps 106:1; Ps 106:48; Ps 111:1; Ps 112:1; Ps 113:1; Ps 113:9; Ps 115:17; Ps 115:18; Ps 116:19; Ps 117:2; Ps 118:5; Ps 118:14; Ps 118:17; Ps 118:18; Ps 118:19; Ps 122:4; Ps 130:3; Ps 135:1; Ps 135:3; Ps 135:4; Ps 135:21; Ps 146:1; Ps 146:10; Ps 147:1; Ps 147:20; Ps 148:1; Ps 148:14; Ps 149:1; Ps 149:9; Ps 150:1; Ps 150:6; Isa 12:2; Isa 26:4; Isa 38:11.

We see therefore the fundament here as YAH, spelled in the Ivriyt (יה) (pronounced (ĒĂ). This fundamental will be expanded to the Tetragrammaton (יהוה) in Bere’shiyth chapter 2 to identify YAH as the one who breathes life (ELOHIYM being the breath itself!) in the name YAHUAH (pronounced ĒĂŪĂ), meaning I AM he who breathes life.

Returning for one moment to EH-YAH – I will be – or better stated – I will that I AM – we see that the concept of a self-contained existence is found in this identifier; yet it also demonstrates an impetus; I will.

Whereas the yod as a prefix or suffix demonstrates the possessive, the yod hey (YAH) is the progenitor identifier of Bara (the Creator). 

Now we see the following:

YAH                I AM

YAHUAH          I AM he who breathes life

YAHUSHA        I AM he who brings salvation

YASHAR’EL       I AM has marked the prince of his people with his breath (RUACH)

YAHUD            The doorway to the kingdom of I AM

YAHUDAH        The people of the doorway to the kingdom of I AM

Let us return to our question at the outset:

Mattithyahu (Matthew) 28:19 
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, immersing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the RUACH HA’QODESH:

We see here in the Greek the word ὄνομα (ónoma) meaning name (in the singular); not names.  There is but one name as the progenitor of sacred identifiers.  It is the name YAH.