One God - Three Persons
Transcript
Can the three persons of God be found in the bible? Were they invented in the New Testament? Is the Holy Spirit really a person, or just the power and energy of God?
ACCUSATIONS & DOCTRINE
We’re going to look at what we commonly call the doctrine of the Trinity.
As Christians, or followers of Jesus, we worship One God.
Accusations float around of us believing in three gods. Being polytheists or tri-theists. Which we don’t and we are not.
We believe in a triune God which we refer to as the Trinity, or Tri-unity.
Some Jews say you cannot be Jewish and believe in the Trinity. Well let’s take a look.
Some say the word trinity is not in the bible. The word bible is not in the bible. The English word trinity is simply a title given to a set of beliefs about the nature of God. Doctrinal titles can be helpful in communication with one another.
THE PLURALITY OF GOD
Let’s examine some keys descriptions of God.
Our English translations can be trusted. I know very little biblical Hebrew and Greek but when I look up a word in a lexicon, I am amazed how well translated our bibles are. It’s like, yeah that’s what it means, at least, the word for word translations anyway.
When it comes to such important topics such as this, it’s good to dig into the original language and lean on the hard work of those who have researched this – in this case Arnold Fruchtenbaum – I give him credit for the shape and many of the selected passages. But I have been through ever single verse and checked myself to make sure the Hebrew in particular is correct. We are so blessed today to have online resources and software now that can assist with research.
So, let’s look.
THE WORD ELOHIM
We don’t have to search far. The first verse of the Bible reads, “In the beginning, God [Elohim] created the heavens and the earth” (Gen 1:1). The name Elohim is a “plural noun having the masculine plural ending “im.”[i]
To prove this, look at the first verse of Psalm 82: “God [Elohim] has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods [Elohim] he holds judgment” (Ps. 82:1). We would all agree the second use of Elohim is referring to a plurality of false gods [or more precisely the divine council but not God himself], and yet the first instant of Elohim is written as the one true God.
You may think, perhaps there isn’t a singular noun for God and therefore Elohim was the only choice. Except there is. Eloah is the singular noun for God and it is employed in the Old Testament. For example:
“But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked; you grew fat, stout, and sleek; then he forsook God [Eloah] who made him and scoffed at the Rock of his salvation” (Deu 32:15).
“Let that day be darkness! May God [Eloah] above not seek it, nor light shine upon it.” (Job 3:4)
“God [Eloah] came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. His splendor covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise” (Hab 3:3).
So, the singular noun for God does occur 250 times, but Elohim the plural noun is used ten times that. Why not always make use of the singular if the Godhead is not plural in some form?
One objection is that Elohim is usually followed by a singular verb when speaking of the one true God, whereas a plural verb is employed when speaking of false gods. So, for example Genesis 1:1 says “Elohim bara”, God created. The word created is singular, so it renders ‘he created’ rather than ‘they created’. However, our proposition is that bible describes one God of three persons and therefore we would expect a general pattern of plural noun followed by a singular verb.
Having said that, there are examples where Elohim is followed by a plural verb. Take a look at this:
Genesis 20:13: “And when God [Elohim] caused me to wander
It literally means - They caused me to wander.
Genesis 35:7: “because it was there that God [Elohim] revealed himself
Literally translated - They revealed/appeared to him.]
2 Samuel 7:23: “God [Elohim] went to redeem”
Literally translated - They went to redeem.
Psalm 58:11: “surely there is a God [Elohim] who judges”
Literally - They judge.
PLURAL PRONOUNS
In Genesis one we read, “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). “Let us”, “in our”, “after our”. Plural pronouns. It makes perfect sense when you understand the Godhead to encompass three persons.
There’s more.
“Then the Lord God [YHVH Elohim] said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:22).
“And the Lord [YHVH] said… Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another's speech” (Genesis 11:6a,7).
Then we have an interesting construction of a verse in Isaiah 6: “And I heard the voice of the Lord [Adonai] saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” (Isaiah 6:8). There is the use of “I” which is singular, and then “us” which is plural. Which kind of sounds contradictory unless you understand as Christians do that there is plurality in unity. One God, three persons.
You don’t have to be an expert in Biblical Hebrew to see this. I’m glad this can be confirmed by scholars, but the English translations are good, and you can see it as clear as day.
PLURAL DESCRIPTIONS
Where researching the Hebrew can help is taking a look at the nouns and adjectives.
Ecclesiastes 12:1: “Remember also your Creator…” Literally - creators.
Psalm 149:2: “Let Israel be glad in his Maker.” Literally - makers.
Joshua 24:19: “…holy God…” Literally - holy Gods.
Isaiah 54:5: “For your Maker is your husband…” Literally - makers, husbands.
It’s all there.
ECHAD AND YACHID
Are you familiar with the Sh’ma? It’s the Jewish prayer and great confession: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deu 6:4). Amen. We agree the Lord [YHVH] is One. This passage doesn’t contract our proposition in fact it affirms it. The Hebrew word used for one is echad. Echad is not a numerical one but in fact a compound one. Yachid is the word used in scripture for absolute unity, but here in the Sh’ma, not yachid but echad is used.
Let me show you. Turn to Genesis 1 “And there was evening and there was morning, the first [echad] day” (Genesis 1:5). The day comprises evening and morning.
Turn to the next chapter. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one [echad] flesh” (Gen 2:24). The person of the man in unity with the person of the woman become one [echad]. The three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit together joined in unity are one [echad]. Sh’ma yisrael, adonai eloheinu, adonai echad. Although actually it’s YHVH eloheinu, YHVH echad, it’s just that in Jewish tradition they use Adonai, Lord, because they don’t wish to mispronounce YHVH.
So YHVH is one [echad].
I witnessed my Jewish friend who is a follower of Jesus explain this to an orthodox Jew in Jerusalem and he looked like, yeah that’s interesting. It is for us to as Christians. The more I dig into scripture the more I’m amazed by it.
Ezra 2: “The whole assembly together [echad] was 42,360” (Ezra 2:64). The ESV has translated echad as together. That would make sense. The body of Christ is echad. Multiply persons together in unity as one.
Ezekiel was told by God to take two sticks, “And join them one to another into one stick, that they may become one [echad] in your hand” (Ezekiel 37:17). The sticks represented the northern and southern tribes of Israel coming together as echad, one. The chosen people of God will one day become echad again. Multiple chosen people of God joined together in unity to form a whole.
I was thinking about the word community when I was putting this video together, I wondered if the word was made up of comms short for communication and unity. Communication + Unity = Community. They may not be the correct root words but it’s an interesting play on words at least.
By the way, when it says, “our God” in the Sh’ma, it is in the plural, literally meaning “our Gods”.
MULTIPLE PERSONS OF GOD
MORE THAN ONE PERSON OF GOD IS SEEN IN THE SAME PASSAGE
Look at this verse that reveals two persons in relationship are called Elohim:
“Your throne, O God [Elohim], is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness; you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore God [Elohim], your God [Elohim], has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions” (Psalm 45:6-7). The first instance of the person God [Eolhim] is being anointed by the second instance of the person God [Elohim]. We understand it as God the Father anointing God the Son to receive his everlasting throne. The plurality of persons is there in the passage.
Take also Hosea 1: “But I will have mercy on the house of Judah, and I will save them by the Lord [YHVH] their God [Elohim]. I will not save them by bow or by sword or by war or by horses or by horsemen” (Hosea 1:7). Bear in mind this is God speaking. So, the person of God will save them by another person of God, YHVH their Elohim.
We also see the name of God applied to two different persons: “Then the Lord [YHVH] rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the Lord [YHVH] out of heaven” (Gen 19:24). The first mention in this verse is a person of YHVH (who must be in close proximity to the earth) is raining judgment from the second mention of the person YHVH who is in heaven. We understand as the Son, the preincarnate Jesus who ordered the judgment which comes from the Father in heaven.
Again take Zechariah 2: “For thus said the Lord [YHVH] of hosts, after his glory sent me to the nations who plundered you, for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye: “Behold, I will shake my hand over them, and they shall become plunder for those who served them. Then you will know that the Lord [YHVH] of hosts has sent me” (Zech 2:8-9). Did you catch that. YHVH being sent by YHVH for a specific purpose.
IDENTIFYING THE FATHER, SON, SPIRIT
Only three distinct personalities are identified in scripture as divine.
The first is the most common reference as Lord YHVH. The Father, the first person of the trinity.
The second is the Angel of YHVH we recognise as the Son, the second person of the trinity. The Angel of YHVH is distinct from all other angels (who are created being). In Genesis 16 The Angel of YHVH is the one who speaks to Hagar (“The angel of the Lord [YHVH] also said to her” Gen 16:10), then in verse 13 this same Angel of YHVH is YHVH – “So she called the name of the Lord [YHVH] who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” (v13a).
Exodus 23 houses an interesting passage: “Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him” (Ex 23:20-21). This isn’t a typical angel. This angel sent by God is able to pardon sin, which only God can do. Yet he can because God’s name, YHVH is in him. YHVH is saying the angel of YHVH is YHVH, so pay special attention to him.
The third distinct person is Ruach Ha-kodesh, the Spirit of God, who makes an appearance in just the second verse in scripture (Gen 1:2). The New Testament calls the third person the Holy Spirit.
Some falsely teach that the Holy Spirit is the power of God but not a person.
The bible describes the Holy Spirit in way that is personal and relational. For example, the Holy Spirit teaches and reminds (John 14:26; 1 Corinthians 2:13;), He speaks, (Acts 8:29; Acts 13:2), He makes decisions (Acts 15:28), He feels emotion such as grief (Ephesians 4:30) and outrage (Hebrews 10:29), He can be lied to (Acts 5:3, 4), He can forbid speech or prevent action (Acts 16:6-7), He “searches everything” and “comprehends the thoughts of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10-11), He apportions spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:11), He helps, intercedes, and has a mind (Romans 8:26-27), “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:16), He bears witness about the Son of God (John 15:26), He glorifies the Son (John 16:14).[ii] Clearly this cannot be an emanation of God but rather the third person of the Godhead.
From the Scriptures we see three distinct persons who are God: the Lord YHVH, the Angel of YHVH and the Spirit of God.
WE SEE ALL THREE PERSONS IN THE SAME PASSAGE
In Isaiah 48 one of the persons of God is speaking saying, “Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called! I am he; I am the first, and I am the last. My hand laid the foundation of the earth” (Isa 48:14-13a). And then a few verses later in the same passage he says, “And now the Lord God has sent me, and his Spirit” (v16).
This is the Son of God, declaring He called Israel, He was the agent of creation, He was sent by YHVH, and so too His Holy Spirit. Three distinguishable persons. The Father, Son, and Spirit in the same sentence.
In Isaiah 63 we see the three persons again in the same passage:
“steadfast love of the Lord [YHVH]” (v7)
“the angel [of YHVH] of his presence saved them” (v9)
“But they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit… Spirit of the Lord gave them rest” (v10,14)
The Father, Son, and Spirit were all active and given credit in the Exodus events.
The New Testament affirms and continues the concept of the trinity.
Jesus the Son of God said, “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me” (John 15:26).
“And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matt 3:16-17)
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt 28:19).
“he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:1:4-5).
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14).
And there are many more.[iii]
IN CONCLUSION
Dr Fruchtenbaum concludes: “The first person is consistently called YHVH while the second person is given the names of YHVH, the Angel of YHVH and the Servant of YHVH. Consistently and without fail, the second person is sent by the first person. The third person is referred to as the Spirit of YHVH or the Spirit of God or the Holy Spirit. He, too, is sent by the first person but is continually related to the ministry of the second person.”[iv]
This Diagram on the screen should help in our understanding. You can pause the video if you like.
It is the essence of who he is. We may not fully understand God’s ways and his descriptive terms – but it’s how he has chosen to reveal himself to man. We don’t get carried away with thinking if one is called Father and the other Son that means one must have been born and therefore where is the mother. No! These are words to help us comprehend the relationship within the Godhead. All three are God who have eternally existed.
When you think about it, if the concept of the trinity is untrue, then who was loving before creation? Who was God communing with before creation? It makes sense with the concept of a compound unity allowing for a plurality in the Godhead.
This isn’t a case of flipping Judaism on its head. Jesus didn’t come to start a new religion. The tri-unity of the Godhead is Jewish. It’s all there in the Hebrew. The NT simply expounds on the mysteries of the OT. Jesus the Messiah was and is Jewish. He revealed himself in angelic form in the OT and then humbled himself to come in human form in the NT. He fulfilled the prophesies of his first coming and will fulfil the rest of the prophecies in his second coming when he returns to Jerusalem and resurrects the Davidic throne.
To the Jewish people listening – the second person of YHVH was the one who walked in garden of Eden, the angelic figure who was your saviour in the Exodus, the one who was with you in the wilderness. He came as your king, but most rejected him. And yet he has not forgotten the promises he made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the words of the prophets. He is the one who will “come from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran.” (Hab 3:3) And His splendour will cover the heavens, and you will accept him as the rightful heir to the throne, and the earth will be full of his praise, and your nation will be exalted throughout the earth. He is YHVH and his earthly kingly name is Yeshua.
[i] https://jewsforjesus.org/publications/issues/issues-v01-n08/jewishness-and-the-trinity/
[ii] https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justin-taylor/how-do-we-know-the-holy-spirit-is-a-person/
[iii] https://overviewbible.com/trinity-bible-verses/
[iv] https://jewsforjesus.org/publications/issues/issues-v01-n08/jewishness-and-the-trinity/