Apologetics for the Masses #435 - Is "Jesus" a False Name for the Messiah?

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Topic

Is it wrong to call Jesus..."Jesus"? Is that not really His name?

General Comments

Hey folks,

If you're in the Birmingham area, I invite you to join me for a luncheon featuring a dialogue between a rabbi and a priest. The title of the dialogue is: Do This in Remembrance of Me. It will focus on Passover and the Eucharist. It should be fascinating to listen in on.

The luncheon is next Friday, December 2nd, 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM at the Vestavia Country Club. Cost is $25/person. You can register here:

"Do This in Remembrance of Me" - A Priest, a Rabbi, Passover, and the Eucharist

Introduction

Since it's the day before Thanksgiving, this is going to be a short newsletter. But, I'm going to give you something to think about over the long holiday weekend. The argument I'm responding to below is one I've never heard before. And I'm assuming most of you have never heard it either. So, I'm going to give you a challenge (see below). The first person who emails me with the correct response to the challenge gets a free copy of my book - Blue Collar Apologetics - or both seasons of my EWTN series by the same name...your pick.

Below is the first part of a recent dialogue I had with a guy who calls himself - Jim the Bookman. He's a Protestant who sent me an email, out of the blue (receiving emails from Protestants out of the blue is pretty much a weekly occurrence), asking about what name we Catholics use for Jesus in our "services". Based on the argument he is making, it seems to me that he could very well be a Messianic Jew - i.e., he follows some semblance of Judaism, yet believes in the Messiah...Jesus. And he calls Jesus by His Hebrew name - Yahshua. And, here's the thing, he believes that if you don't call Jesus by His Hebrew name, then you are using a false name for Jesus. You are not using the name by which everyone will be saved (Acts 4:10-12). And if you are not using the right name, you will probably not be saved. That's a new one to me.

So, here's the challenge. I answered his question about the name of Jesus, but I held back in my initial responses from making an argument that absolutely obliterates his position that we should always and everywhere use the Hebrew name for Jesus - Yahshua - and that it is wrong to use any other name for Jesus because any name for Him other than His Hebrew name - the name His momma called Him - is a "false" name. Your challenge is to figure out what that argument I'm holding back is. I'll give you a hint: It relates to Acts 4:10, and to every other verse in the New Testament where Jesus' name is mentioned. I hit him with the argument in my follow up replies - which you will see in next week's newsletter - and, so far, he can't answer it.

Again, 1st one to email with the correct argument gets either the Blue Collar book or the Blue Collar TV series.

His remarks are in italics

Challenge/Response/Strategy

Jim the Bookman

Thank you for your time.

The speaker at a seminar recently was addressing the topic “Name of Jesus”.

He said that there was no letter "J" equivalent or "J" sound in Hebrew, Aramaic, Latin, Greek, or English (before the 17th century) so the name for salvation (see Acts 4:10+) could NOT be 'JESUS’ because Peter was talking to the Sanhedrin council (All the uppity-ups of the Hebrew religion and government) "and all the people of Israel"; Hebrew and Aramaic speakers.

It was said that the name Peter (Holy Spirit) was talking about (Acts 4:10+) was 'YAHSHUA' and that all seminary trained pastors, teachers, priests, etc have been taught this.

Do you use the name YAHSHUA, (historically and linguistically correct) during your services?

If not, Please explain why not.

Again, thank you for your reply,

My Response

Dear Jim,

Yes, we use the name Yahshua in our "services," but in its English form - "Jesus". Why do we use His name in its English form? Because we speak English, not Hebrew or Aramaic. In English, my name is John. In Spanish, it is Juan. In Italian, it is Giovanni. In Polish, it is Yosh. Same name...different languages...same person.

I noticed you mentioned the name of "Peter". You are aware, are you not, that there is no such name in Hebrew, Aramaic, Latin, or Greek? It is Petros in Greek. Kepha in Aramaic. Which, by the way, means "rock". Jesus said to Peter in Matthew 16, "Thou art Kepha and upon this kepha I will build My church." Kepha (Peter) is the rock the church will be built on, at least, according to Jesus.

Can you tell me please, is there somewhere in the Bible that says Jesus must be referred to in all countries, in all languages, by His Hebrew/Aramaic name? If you give me book, chapter, and verse on that one, I'll be happy to comply. Did the speaker at the seminar reference a particular Bible verse that says such a thing? If you can't give me book, chapter, and verse from the Word of God, then please tell me what authority the "speaker at a seminar" has to declare it a dogma that everyone, in every country, in every language, has to refer to Jesus by His Hebrew/Aramaic name and not by the name He is known by in various languages?

This speaker you are referring to could well be described by 1 Tim 6:4, "he is puffed up with conceit, he knows nothing; he has a morbid craving for controversy and for disputes about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, base suspicions..." You do realize that countless exorcisms have been performed using the name, "Jesus," and that name has driven out countless demons, do you not? You would think that if it is dogma that we have to use Jesus' Hebrew/Aramaic name, and that His name in other languages is counterfeit, that the demons would know that and they would laugh at people using the name of "Jesus". Yet, that doesn't happen. They flee in fear at the name of Jesus.

That seminar speaker was simply trying to rile people up, to make a name for himself, and probably out to make a buck or two.

In Jesus,

Juan

My Comments

I answer him first with some common sense. Then I turn his argument around on him in regard to Peter. Why does he call Peter, "Peter," when, according to his own logic, it is "historically and linguistically correct" to call him Kepha? And, if you recognize that he was indeed called "Kepha" in the Aramaic, then you should recognize that in Matthew 16:18, Kepha (Peter) is indeed the kepha (rock) upon which Jesus will build His church.

Then I go to the issue of authority. Some "speaker at a seminar" has the authority to issue dogmatic decrees in regard to Jesus' proper name? Really?! Where does the Bible say what the seminar speaker was saying? Give me book, chapter, and verse. Then I close by using a little more common sense - we know, from witnesses too numerous to count, that during exorcisms demons flee from the name, "Jesus". They recognize the name, "Jesus," as having power and authority. If "Jesus" is a false name for the Messiah, then demons would laugh when his name is invoked. Instead they flee.

Jim the Bookman

Thank you.

My question remains; Why do you use a false name during your services? From your message, you know that the name used in ACTS 4:10+, Matt 1:21, and many others is not 'JESUS'. Aren't you, a leader in the church, supposed to be teaching/preaching the truth ?

Thank you, again,

⌡im

My Response

I answered your question - which part did you have trouble understanding?

You, however, did not answer any of mine:

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).

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?

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?

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.

Answer the questions, or this conversation is over.

In Jesus,

Yosh

My Comments

I answered his question directly and succintly. We call Jesus, "Jesus," because that is His name in English. Then I asked him some questions. Since I answered his question, and he didn't answer my questions, I did what I always tell people to do - repeat your questions until you get them answered. And I told him that if he doesn't answer the questions, the conversation is over.

So, in this next response of his, he copied my questions and then at least makes an attempt to answer them (his responses are in italics).

Jim the Bookman

I answered your question - which part did you have trouble understanding?

You, however, did not answer any of mine:

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).

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.

Answer the questions, or this conversation is over.

In Jesus,

Yosh

BTW, who is Yosh ?

My Comments

Well, he attempted to answer 4 out of the 5 questions, so I give him some credit for that, even if his answers leave a good bit to be desired. So, what did I do by asking these questions? I got him to give me more information, more information than I gave him. I put him on the defensive. I made him defend his position just like he was trying to make me defend mine. And the result? His argument about calling Jesus, "Yahshua," and only "Yahshua," is now set up in such a way that it can be absolutely nuked with my next response. It's going to be like shooting fish in a barrel.

And remember, 1st one to correctly anticipate what my next argument is going to be, and send me an email about it, gets either my book or my DVD series.

Closing Comments

I hope all of you have a happy and holy Thanksgiving holiday. My family will be praying for you and yours. Please keep us, and the Bible Christian Society, in yours.

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