podcast 321 – Evaluating Minton’s Three Arguments that Jesus is Yahweh

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In this episode I interact with some arguments from the interesting blog post “3 Syllogistic Arguments For Jesus’ Deity” by apologist Evan Minton (also posted here).

I evaluate the arguments according to whether or not they are valid (i.e. whether the premises really imply the conclusion) and sound (i.e. valid and the premises are each true). For more on the concepts of validity and soundness, see this.

Since the validity or invalidity of an argument can be determined even by a machine, I make use of my trusty, crusty old Logicbot 2000.

In this blog post I list all the arguments discussed and my verdicts on them, but you’ll have to listen to the episode to hear my scriptural reasons for holding various premises to be true or false. The three arguments Minton actually makes are labeled with his name below – but each has a crucially ambiguous term, and when you disambiguate that term in various ways, different arguments result – hence, the herd of arguments which follow each argument of his.

To properly work through this episode, you may want to print it; look for the green print button on the lower right of this post, which will create a printable version.

I start with a kind of argument which I think he is presupposing:

The “God” Argument

1. Jesus can be referred to as “God.”
2. Therefore, Jesus is Yahweh.

Verdict: Unsound because invalid (2 doesn’t follow from 1).

The Improved “God” Argument

1. Jesus can be referred to as God.
2. Any being which can be referred to as “God” is Yahweh.
3. Therefore, Jesus is Yahweh.

Verdict: valid but unsound; according to the Bible, 2 is false.

Minton’s Savior Argument

1. Yahweh is the only Savior of mankind.
2. Jesus is the Savior of humankind
3. Therefore, Jesus is Yahweh.

Verdict: Valid, but “Savior” is ambiguous, and however it is disambiguated (see the following four arguments), the resulting argument is is unsound.

The Source of Salvation Argument

1. Yahweh is the only ultimate source of human salvation.
2. Jesus is the ultimate source of human salvation.
3. Therefore, Jesus is Yahweh.

Verdict: valid, but unsound because according to the Bible 2 is false.

The Direct Agent of Salvation Argument

1. Yahweh is the only direct agent of human salvation (i.e. the one who died for us and now mediates for us).
2. Jesus is the direct agent of human salvation.
3. Therefore, Jesus is Yahweh.

Verdict: Valid but unsound, as according to the Bible 1 is false.

The “Savior” Argument

1. Yahweh is the only “Savior” (i.e. the only one who can truly be called that).
2. Jesus is “Savior.”
3. Therefore, Jesus is Yahweh.

Verdict: Valid but unsound; 1 is false according to the Bible.

The Mixed Sense of “Savior” Argument

1. Yahweh is the only ultimate source of human salvation.
2. Jesus is the direct agent of human salvation.
3. Therefore, Jesus is Yahweh.

Verdict: Unsound because invalid (3 does not follow from 1 and 2).

Minton’s Creator Argument

1. Only Yahweh created the universe.
2. Jesus created the universe.
3. Therefore, Jesus is Yahweh.

Verdict: Valid, but “created” is ambiguous, and however it is disambiguated (see the following four arguments), the resulting argument is is unsound.

The Ultimate Source Argument

1. Only Yahweh is the ultimate source of the cosmos.
2. Jesus is the ultimate source of the cosmos.
3. Therefore, Jesus is Yahweh.

Verdict: Valid, but unsound because premise 2 is false according to the Bible.

The Instrument of Creation Argument

1. Only Yahweh is the one through whom another created.
2. Jesus is the one through whom another created.
3. Therefore, Jesus is Yahweh.

Verdict: Valid, but unsound because 1 is false according to the Bible.

The Involved in Creation Argument

1. Only Yahweh was involved in creation (i.e. either as the ultimate source of it or as the one through whom the creation was done).
2. Jesus was involved in creation (i.e. either as the ultimate source of it or as the one through whom the creation was done).
3. Therefore, Jesus is Yahweh.

Verdict: Valid, but unsound. Given the way that Minton is reading the alleged Christ-creator texts, 2 will be true but 1 will be false.

The Mixed Sense of “Created” Argument

1. Only Yahweh created (i.e. is the ultimate source of) the universe.
2. Jesus created (i.e. is the instrument through which another created).
3. Therefore, Jesus is Yahweh.

Verdict: Unsound because invalid (1 and 2 do not imply 3).

Minton’s Worship Argument

1. Anyone who accepts worship other than Yahweh is a blasphemer.
2. Jesus accepted worship.
3. Therefore, Jesus was either a blasphemer or he was Yahweh.
4. Jesus was not a blasphemer.
5. Therefore, Jesus is Yahweh.

Verdict: Valid, but “worship” can be either just religious worship or “God-worship” – a sort of honor which is by definition can only be given to God. To evaluate the truth of premises 1 and 2, we must disambiguate the term “worship” – hence the following two arguments.

The Religious Worship Argument

1. Anyone who accepts religious worship other than Yahweh is a blasphemer.
2. Jesus accepted religious worship.
3. Therefore, Jesus was either a blasphemer or he was Yahweh.
4. Jesus was not a blasphemer.
5. Therefore, Jesus is Yahweh.

Verdict: Valid but unsound, because according to the New Testament 1 is false.

The God-Worship Argument

1. Anyone who accepts God-worship other than Yahweh is a blasphemer.
2. Jesus accepted God-worship.
3. Therefore, Jesus was either a blasphemer or he was Yahweh.
4. Jesus was not a blasphemer.
5. Therefore, Jesus is Yahweh.

Verdict: Valid, but according to the New Testament 2 is false.

Finally, I discuss this argument, which is not one which Minton would make, but one which might occur to a hasty listener:

The No-Sound-Arguments-So-Far Argument

1. The arguments we’ve considered so far for the conclusion that Jesus is Yahweh are unsound arguments.
2. Therefore, Jesus is not Yahweh.

Verdict: Unsound because invalid.

Am I right? Are none of Minton’s arguments sound? Let us know what you think in a comment below.

Links for this episode:

“3 Syllogistic Arguments For Jesus’ Deity“

Evan Minton’s cerebralfaith.net

podcast 224 – Biblical Words for God and for his Son Part 1 – God and “God” in the Bible

podcast 124 – a challenge to “Jesus is God” apologists

podcast 258 – Who is the one Creator? – Part 1

podcast 259 – Who is the one Creator? – Part 2

Tuggy and Date, Is Jesus Human and Not Divine?

podcast 227 – Who Should Christians Worship?

worship and Revelation 4-5

Hurtado on the early worship of Jesus

evangelical apologists take note: Hurtado on Jesus and God

a reading of Philippians 2:5-11

the apologetics blind-spot on numerical identity

Kermit Zarley on “My Lord and my God.”

podcast 176 – Photinus of Sirmium

This week’s thinking music is “Private Hurricane (Instrumental Version)” by Josh Woodward.