Aineo, glad to hear from you.
Aineo, I didn't quote any sources or Bible footnotes for my postings. But I do need to learn how to put the Scripture names and chpt. and verses in the little quote box.
You seem to want to stress that the Father has no name and if he had a name, it would be IAM. Are you sure that this expression is not owned by any other?
You aslo seem to be pushing the point that Jesus is only a "traditional" name. You say that his human name was Joshua or Jehoshua.
This reminds me of a man (Jose Arce) and the Yahweh movement that has been going around for awhile. That if you don't believe that Yâhuwshú`a is Savior AND he is Yahweh you are in believing a lie.
Be careful Aineo about some of these people and their findings.
Scholarship goes so much against them? I pray you're not going that way.
Here is another point of view concerning the name Jesus.
Yehoshua in the Hebrew Bible
As far as the Hebrew Bible is concerned, it is important to note that in the early books, the name Joshua is spelled as ( yod-hey-waw-shin-ayin) or on rare occasions as ( yod-hey-waw-shin-waw-ayin). However, in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, the high priest is named Jeshua the son of Jozadak ( yod-shin-waw-ayin); whereas in the contemporary books of Haggai and Zechariah, the same high priest is named Joshua the son of Jehozadak ( yod-hey-waw-shin-ayin beth-nun). Thus, it can be concluded that in post-exilic times of the Biblical era, the namesYeshua and Yehoshua were regarded as equivalent.
Yehoshua in the Talmud
Another interesting passage indicates that the Talmud regarded the changing of the spelling of a name to be a sign of divine disapproval. The following passage discusses the change of a name from Yehoshua to Yoshua. Arachim 32b
And the other?13 - He [Ezra] had prayed for mercy because of the passion for idolatry and he removed it, and his merit then shielded them even as the booth. That is why Scripture reproved Joshua, for in all other passages it is spelt: Jehoshua, but here, Joshua.14
The editor's footnote reads:
[(14) For his failure to implore the Lord to remove the passion for idolatry from the heart of the people. Just as with Abram the enlargement of his name into 'Abraham' was an expression of divine approval, so did this diminution of Jehoshua into Joshua express divine disapproval. The reason for Joshua's failure to implore the Lord to remove the passion for idolatry was his assumption that he possessed the land in its pristine holiness, so that it would in itself help Israel to overcome its idolatrous tendencies.]
Perhaps that is the reason why the Talmud altered the spelling of the name Jesus of Nazareth from Yeshua ha-Notzri to Yesu ha-Notzri. However, it is clear that the editor of the Talmud regarded this as the equivalent of Yeshua ha-Notzri
From this evidence it can be concluded that in post-exilic Bible times the names Yehoshua and Yeshua were regarded as equivalent names of the same person. Also the Talmudic evidence indicates that historically the Jews regarded the name of Jesus as Yeshua, perhaps omitting the *hey* as their sign of divine disapproval, and then subsequently omitting the *ayin* as further disapproval.
James D. Price
Dr. Price is Professor of Hebrew and Old Testament at Temple Baptist Seminary in Chattanooga, TN. He holds the following degrees:
B.S. in Electrical Engineering, Purdue University
M.Div. Northwest Baptist Seminary
Ph.D. Dropsie College for Hebrew and Cognate Learning
Aineo, in a debate each side can go back and forth using theologians, doctors, researchers, scholars, you name it and support their point of view.
You can source all you desire. But it can always be countered. And it leads to nowhere.
You said:
Since man has not yet been created your explanation of what happens during creation is rather esoteric.
That's a sad commentary Aineo. I explained that definitively. But you choose to distort the reason of it's usage. I can do no more.
You stated
God has revealed Himself to mankind over time. Jesus is the "image" of the Father; as are you and I because God created man in His image.
Where does it say that Jesus is the image of the Father Aineo?
And where do you read that man, after his fall into sin, remains in the image of God?
Your Statement:
"The concept that Jesus is the name of the Trinity is not substantiated in Scripture because Paul, Peter, John, and etc. continue to refer to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit as distinct and individual personalities throughout the NT".
The concept that the Godhead has no name except, maybe, the Father (I AM) and the Son's name is not really his name is not substantiated either.
[/quote]If the name of the Trinity is Jesus then each personality is also named Jesus, however the Bible writers do not write Jesus the Father, Jesus the Holy Spirit, or Jesus the Son.
Aineo, outside of God the Father, they don't write, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit either. Yet you and I both believe they are God. And if each personality is seperately and distinctively an individual or being (God divided in parts) you have polytheism. And the Trinity does not believe that there are three Gods. They believe in One.
DMP