Apologetics for the Masses #436 - Is "Jesus" a False Name for the Messiah? (Part 2)

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Topic

The Name of "Jesus" Won't Save You?

General Comments

Hey folks,

I hope all of you had a happy and holy Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends. We now have a little over 3 weeks to lose all the weight gained over the long weekend so that we can gain it back again at Christmas and New Year's!

The 4th video in my series on Accessible Apologetics, that I did for the Diocese of Birmingham's Apologetics/Evangelization Institute, is now available for viewing. This one is titled: Sin, Salvation, and Scripture. You can see it here: https://youtu.be/GA-FYRW9Zpk

Introduction

This week I continue my dialogue with Jim the Bookman about the "correct" name of Jesus. Jim claims that "Jesus" is not the name of the Messiah and that if we use the name "Jesus" instead of His Hebrew name - which he claims is spelled "Yahshuah" - then we are putting our salvation in jeopardy, because Acts 4:10 tells us that "Yahshua" is the only name by which we will be saved.

The first half of the dialogue was in last week's newsletter: Apologetics for the Masses #435. Also, in the last newsletter, I asked you if you could figure out what argument it is that will absolutely rip his argument to shreds. A good number of you sent me emails with your thoughts on that, and a whole bunch of you hit it dead on. By the way, the winner of the Blue Collar Apologetics book, or DVD series, was Matthew F. for being the first one in with the correct answer.

See below for the simple argument that completely unravels Jim the Bookman's claim, and for which he apparently has no answer.

Challenge/Response/Strategy

Jim the Bookman

(Here are the 5 questions I had asked him at the end of the last newsletter, with his response - in italics - after each one):

1) Why do you call Peter, "Peter"? Don't you know his name is Kepha? At least, that's what Jesus called him - "Thou art Kepha and upon this kepha I will build My church." (Matt 16:18).

Jim the Bookman:

I am aware that those names are not the original, historically.

My question is about the name for salvation as spoken in Acts 4:10+.

2) Can you give me book, chapter, and verse from the bible that tells me Jesus is to be referred to only by His Hebrew name?

Jim the Bookman:

Names don't translate meaning for meaning, names transliterate (sound for sound). your name is John no matter what language you are using. You may accept being called Juan ... but your name is still John.

Try signing your next paycheck with Juan and tell me what the bank has to say.

The language is irrelevant, the name is the name, no matter what language

3) Can you tell me why the demons fear the name of Jesus if it is a "false name"/

4) Can you tell me what authority you, or your "seminar speaker" have, that gives you the right to tell me, and anyone else, what is the proper name to use in English for Jesus?

Jim the Bookman:

"JESUS" is not the English version of the name YAHSHUA.

Spreading the truth, backed by the Law & Prophets is my authority. (see IS 8:20).

5) The Church founded by Jesus, and guided by the Holy Spirit - the Catholic Church - has the authority to bind and loose on Earth. That Church says it's okay to use the English version of Jesus' name in our services. By what authority do you say otherwise? I have not seen your name in the Book that gives you the authority to bind and loose on Earth.

Jim the Bookman

I don't have the authority to bind or loosen, only YAHSHUA.

I only care that my name is written in the book of life.

Who is Yosh?

My Response

Acts 4:10, in the original Scripture, which is in Greek, spells Jesus' name as "Iesous". Acts was not written in Hebrew. If any name for Jesus is a false name, except the one you claim He was called by in Hebrew, then why does the Word of God use a "false name" - Iesous - when it speaks of the Savior? That seems really strange to me. Can you explain that, please?! The Word of God tells me Jesus' name is Iesous, transliterated into English as Jesus. The Word of Bookman Jim tells me that "Iesous" is a "false name" for our Lord and Savior. Yet, it is the name that appears in the actual Word of God. So, should I believe the Word of God, or the Word of Bookman Jim?

You say your authority is the law and the prophets. Really?! I see your name in neither the law nor the prophets. And, nowhere in the law or the prophets does it say one must use the Hebrew rendering of the name of Jesus. Again, give me book, chapter, and verse to prove me wrong.

I also noticed that you did not answer the question regarding the demons fearing the name of "Jesus" and how that could be possible if it is indeed a "false name". They should laugh at the exorcists who use it instead of flee from them.

You say that only "Yahshua" has the authority to bind and loose. Yet, "Yashua," in both Matthew 16 and 18, says that the church He founded has that authority. It seems that you do not know your Scripture all that well. Why should I listen to the arguments of someone who is so obviously ignorant of the Word of God?

How is it you claim to know that your name is written in the Book of Life? Have you seen the Book of Life? Have you read your name in there? And, if that is all you care about, then why are you wasting my time with this foolishness about the name of Jesus? Obviously 1 Timothy 6:4 describes you as well as your "seminar speaker".

I am Yosh. That is my name in Polish. I am John, I am Juan, I am Giovanni, I am Yosh, and my name is spelled and pronounced differently in many other languages. Yet, it is still me.

In Jesus,

Giovanni

My Comments

The single biggest problem with Jim's claim that "Yahshua" is the only correct name to use for the Messiah, is that the Holy Spirit-inspired, inerrant, authoritative, Word of God, uses the Greek name "Iesous" for the Messiah. So, Jim the Bookman is essentially claiming that the Holy Spirit got it wrong. That God Himself incorrectly called the Messiah by a "false" name. The Acts of the Apostles was originally written in Greek by its Gentile author - Luke. Luke was inspired by the Holy Spirit - God Himself - to use the Greek rendering for the name of the Messiah - "Iesous". Which means that Acts 4:10 was also originally written in Greek. So, if Jim the Bookman is going to go with the Word of God, instead of his own word, he should be claiming that the only name by which one is saved is "Iesous". But, logic is quite often the victim of ones acting upon one's own authority in matters of religion.

And notice that the "Law and the Prophets" are his authority for making his claim as to the correct name of Jesus. So, he's an Old Testament kind of guy when it comes to authority. Yet, as I pointed out to him, Matthew 16 and 18 both give the church founded by Jesus the authority to bind and loose on earth - something which Jim was apparently unaware of. Authority, folks...get to the issue of authority as quickly as possible in these kinds of discussions. It will confound them every time.

After not hearing from him for a few days, I sent him the following email to try and provoke a response:

"So, nothing to say about how the Word of God uses a 'false name' for the Savior?! Calling Him 'Iesous' instead of 'Yahshua'?! Why do you think the Holy Spirit inspired the New Testament writers to use a false name for the Savior? But, since He did, then shouldn't you and your seminar speaker be telling everyone that the name by which everyone will be saved is Iesous?

In Iesous,

John"

Jim the Bookman

Sorry, I'm going with the name that the Holy Spirit said was the only name for salvation; YAHSHUA.

I'll hang onto the the name that Joseph was given; YAHSHUA.

Sticking with the name YAHSHUA who's principles I have forun in the law & prophets; YAHWEH is salvation.Good luck explaining why you DON'T use the name YAHSHUA ...

Peace in Yahshua, the Messiah,

⌡im

My Response

In other words, you are going with the words of man instead of the Word of God...sort of how Satan does things.

C'mon, Jim...answer the question: What is the name that the Word of God uses for the Christ? Is it not the Greek, "Iesous"? Yes or no? If the God-inspired text uses the name Iesous for the Christ, which means the Holy Spirit-inspired name for the Christ is Iesous, you're telling me it's a false name? The Holy Spirit inspired the sacred writers to use a false name for the Christ?!

Man, your man-made religion is truly messed up if that's where it has gotten you.

In Iesous,

John

My Comments

Boiling everything down to the one question: Why, in the original Holy Spirit-inspired New Testament Scriptures, is Jesus' name written as the Greek, "Iesous," if that is a false name for Jesus? Why?!

Jim the Bookman

IS 8:20; To the LAW & Prophets, if they speak NOT according to this word, there is no light in them.

'THEY' = anyone that wants to tell you anything about the Creator, His purpose and plan.

'No light' =(eg. Zondervon) = no revelation of truth

I have investigated the L&P for the principles of YAHSHUA (Yah(weh) is Salvation, liberation, freedom, ...) and come up with ~1000.

I have also looked for the principles of the name Jesus in the L&P and come up with the conclusion that the principle of "Savior" is there, but fails to tell WHO the savior is!

By using the name Jesus, you are removing the Father's name, ergo, calling the Messiah a bastard.

• John 5:43 I come in my father's name

• Joh 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My Name, shall teach you all things,

I am following the Word of YAHWEH (Elohim, not the English or any translation of the Bible).

NO, the Holy spirit knows the correct name of the Messiah: Yahshua.

The translators have erred when it comes to transliterating the names. The big question is WHY ?

I refer back to Acts 4:10+; If the only name for salvation can be eliminated, there will be a lot of people very disappointed at the universal revelation in the near future !

Peace to you in the name of YAHSHUA,

⌡im

My Response

1) "The translators have erred when it comes to transliterating the names." Are you saying the author of Acts 4:10 "erred" by writing the name Iesous in the original copy of the Book of Acts?

2) "NO, the Holy spirit knows the correct name of the Messiah: Yahshua." Then why did He inspire Luke, the author of the Book of Acts, to write the Messiah's name as Iesous?

3) "I refer back to Acts 4:10+; If the only name for salvation can be eliminated, there will be a lot of people very disappointed at the universal revelation in the near future!" You keep referring back to the name in Acts 4:10+; however, the only name in Acts 4:10+, in the original Holy Spirit-inspired Scripture, is written as Iesous. So, are you using the name, "Iesous," in your worship services? If not, why not?!

In Jesus,

John

My Comments

As you can see, and as happens pretty much every time you start asking questions regarding Protestant beliefs, their answers/arguments eventually just collapse into illogical, if not irrational, nonsense. He can't answer the question I'm asking, so he tries to shift the focus by talking about all the research and study he has done. In other words, "I've studied Scripture in depth, therefore you need to listen to and follow what I say because I know oh so much more than you do, you ignorant unsaved Catholic person you."

It's an easy question. A direct question. It should have an easy and direct answer. If "Yahshuah" is the only name by which we should call the Messiah, then why does the Bible itself call Him, "Iesous"?

It is just that easy, folks, to confound those who speak error to truth - those who usurp the authority of the Church, and set themselves up as the infallible arbiters of doctrinal truth.

Closing Comments

Haven't received anything else from him so far. If he does attempt to answer, I will definitely share it with you. Hope ya'll have a great week!

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