On what exegetical grounds is 1 Corinthians 8:6 interpreted as an “expansion” of the Shema?
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In a recent debate between Dr. James White and Dr. Justin Smith , Dr. James White argues for a Trinitarian interpretation of 1 Corinthians 8:6, claiming that Paul deliberately echoes the Shema (“Hear, O Israel: YHWH our God, YHWH is one” – Deut 6:4) and “expands” it.
According to this argument, Paul:
- Retains the Shema’s monotheistic framework
- Identifies “one God” with the Father
- Identifies “one Lord (κύριος)” with Jesus Christ
- Uses the same κύριος / θεός vocabulary found in the Septuagint rendering of
Deut 6:4
This is taken to imply that Paul includes Jesus within the unique divine identity of YHWH, without abandoning Jewish monotheism.
**My question is directed to Christians who affirm the doctrine of the Trinity:**
**Apart from later creeds or patristic theology, what exegetical and hermeneutical arguments support reading 1 Corinthians 8:6 as a deliberate reworking or “expansion” of the Shema?**
More specifically:
- Does the immediate literary context of 1 Corinthians 8 support this reading?
- What linguistic or intertextual indicators suggest Paul is intentionally alluding to Deuteronomy 6:4?
- How should the distinction between “one God, the Father” and “one Lord, Jesus Christ” be understood without collapsing them into modalism or separating them into two gods?
Would you agree with Dr. White’s interpretation? If so, on what biblical and contextual grounds, rather than post‑biblical theological developments?
Asked by Js Witness
(2752 rep)
Feb 24, 2026, 11:47 AM
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Last activity: Feb 24, 2026, 03:04 PM