Category Archives: Bible

These Three Are One (Part 1)

For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one (I John 5:7).1

As we have seen, there is but one God. And yet, the Bible clearly teaches here and in the totality of its revelation that there are three Persons in the Godhead, or, in one God. The common word for this is the Trinity. Though that word is not explicitly found in scripture, the idea is there from the first verses to the last chapter of the Bible. While Moses (and Adam and Abraham and all other saints mentioned in scripture) may not have understood the triune nature of God, he speaks to it often, as do other Old Testament authors. In this installment, we will focus on one particular passage and then broaden our scope to cover more of the Old Testament landscape.

The very first verse of the Bible teaches so much. One very interesting aspect of this verse is that the word translated God, elohim, is plural. It literally means “gods.” This is the word translated most often in scripture as “God.” It is true that Hebrew sometimes uses the plural of some words to intensify the meaning. But it’s not the word elohim alone that is significant. It’s the connection of the plural noun “elohim” to the singular verb “created” (bara) that makes it so unique. In Biblical Hebrew, standard grammar demands that a singular noun govern a singular verb and a plural noun govern a plural verb.2 Moses was an educated man (Acts 7:22) and would not have made such a simple mistake as to confuse number grammatically. The text could literally be translated, “In the beginning, the gods He created…” To be grammatically correct, the text should read either “God He created” or “gods they created.”

Grammatically, there are no parallels in Hebrew to this construction which is consistently used in the Old Testament. There are instances of collective, plural nouns receiving the action of a masculine, singular verb (i.e., mayim and shamayim, Gen. 1:1, 7), but this is very different from the use in the elohim passages. And it wasn’t only Moses. Nearly every Old Testament book uses elohim and very often it is connected to a singular verb (i.e., II Chron. 26:7). The use of a singular verb with the plural elohim in scripture is not a mistake, it is intentional and suggests the idea of the Trinity. Furthermore, it is a testament to the inspiration of the scriptures that Hebrew authors and other persons in scriptures across the centuries and from various backgrounds utilized the same grammatical peculiarity in referring to deity. This, in itself, is astonishing.

A further support of this view is that Genesis1:26 contains the statement, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). This grammatical structure indicates a plurality of Persons. Some say God was using the majestic “we.” But God does not use the majestic “we” in other important passages, (ie., Ex. 20 “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me…”). Others say He was speaking to the angels. But angels are created beings and were not of the same nature as God. We are not made in the image of angels (Psalm 8:5;Heb. 2:7-9). It is better to take this as referring to the three Divine Persons of the Godhead. So from the very first verse of the Bible, and from the first chapter elsewhere, we are given a glimpse of the triune nature of God.

It is a glimpse. A foreshadowing of a truth more fully revealed in the New Testament. This is not unusual. Various prophecies, types and metaphors arising from the various tabernacle services and utensils and other forms of Old Testament worship revealed in parts the coming redemptive work of Messiah. These things were not fully understood until the Holy Spirit revealed them clearly in the New Testament. As Paul explained, “Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit” (Ephesians 3:5). And so it is with the triune nature of God. What was hinted at and suggested in the Old Testament regarding the nature of God, is now more fully revealed in the New Tesament.

Accordingly, we have also in connection with Genesis 1:1 the New Testament commentary on this passage in John 1:1-3. John says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” John clearly intends to comment and elaborate upon the Genesis text. While John’s purpose may have been to combat certain false doctrines regarding Jesus’ nature, he nevertheless corroborates the view that Genesis 1:1 is meant to encompass the triune nature of the Godhead.

John’s statement is just as unique as the Genesis passage. John states the Word was both with God and was God. Now, in our world and reality it is not possible to both be with and be the same thing. I am myself. I am not with myself, not in any sense about which we normally speak (unless we speak in euphemistic way, i.e., we might say someone is beside himself). But both of these things were true of the Word Who became flesh (John 1:18). He was with God and He was God. This explains how God could say, “Let us make man in our image and after our likeness…” (Gen. 1:26). God the Father was speaking to at least the Second Person of the Godhead, the Logos or Word. John emphasizes this once again in his first general epistle ( I John 1:1-3).

Even standing on its own, it seems to me to be clear that the use of the plural elohim with a singular masculine verb in Genesis 1:1 (and throughout the Old Testament) is speaking to, at the very least, a plurality of the singular God and, in its fullest revelation, the triune nature of the Godhead. We have not even touched upon the fact that Spirit of God is explicitly mentioned in the Text as a separate quantity (Gen. 1:3). More will be said about the Spirit in future installments. And more will be said about other Old Testament passages that add to the doctrine of the triune Nature of God.

Endnotes

  1. I know this verse is controversial with many. However, I hold it to be sacred scripture. You may find part of my reason for holding it thus here (https://mtvchurchofchrist.org/wp/?p=594). Just because many do not find it authoritative, doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be used in defense of the truth it states. I will not let other Christian’s skepticism of this verse dictate my use of it any more than I would let modernists skeptics doubts of other passages limit my use of them. I have found that many merely follow what they have been told rather than do their own research and come to their own conclusions, unfortunately.
  2. ”A good command of Hebrew also requires proficiency in using grammatical gender and number correctly, as nouns, verbs, and adjectives are all gendered and must agree in terms of number.” from https://www.hebrewpod101.com/blog/2021/03/18/hebrew-grammar-overview/#2; A Concise Hebrew Grammar Guide

Eric L. Padgett

Read The Bible Through This Year

Bible study is not just reading the Bible. Bible study is much more. In effective Bible study, you must study the whole literary landscape associated with the particular passage under study. This involves understanding the immediate and greater contexts. It involves understanding who is doing the writing and for whom it is written. We must understand the kind of literature and the purpose of the writing. It involves understanding why this particular work was written. The historical context is important and lexical definitions can play a very important role. There is much, much more. I only mean to point out that Bible study is very much a matter of work, it is an intellectual endeavor that far too many people pass over lightly.

Again, Bible study is not just reading the Bible. However, that doesn’t mean that reading the Bible isn’t important in and of itself. Reading the Bible daily, or consistently, apart from studying the Bible, is important because it lays the foundation of good Bible study. First, reading the Bible regularly provides one with a host of wonderful and powerful stories to delve into and that help establish doctrinal truths. The Bible is full of historical accounts of God’s people that help to establish the importance of things like faith and trust. Paul said that whatsoever things that were written afore time were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope (Rom. 15:4).

Reading the Bible also facilitates memory. By reading these stories over and over again, they stick in our memory. Key phrases will stick in our minds and will readily come to the forefront as we face daily obstacles to living the Christian life. “Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee” (Psalm 119:11). Memorizing God’s word is not just the responsibility of the preacher, it is the responsibility of every faithful chid of God.

Reading the Bible is also exciting. There are no better stories in all the world than in the Bible. The Creation, Cain and Abel, Noah and the flood, Abraham, Joseph, David, Peter and Paul, and the list goes on and on. These stories touch on themes that address every aspect of our lives and nature. They are universal stories that address human nature and man’s place in the world. He who has these stories at his mental disposal has not only a much richer knowledge of God’s word, but a much richer understanding of life.

For these reasons and more I encourage you to read the Bible through this year. In our weekly newsletter, we have a plan to read the Bible through and there is always also in the newsletter a question associated with the text. If you chose not to use the plan in the newsletter, I still encourage you to read the Bible through. You will not regret it

In Christ and for the Faith,
Eric

Bible Authority

The religious world in general does not understand what it means to have authority in religion. They understand it when it comes to their work or family matters and civic responsibilities but most religious people, even many within the Lord’s church it seems, just act on their emotions instead of on their reason or on biblical revelation. They have no real grasp of having a “thus saith the Lord” in religion.

Yet the Bible is clear on this issue. Paul wrote “Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Colossians 3:17). To do something “in the name of” is to do something by the authority of that thing. The old expression, “Stop in the name of the law” simply means stop based on the authority of the law or the person acting in its behalf.

Very soon after the establishment of the church, the apostles, while in the temple, had occasion to heal a man born lame in his ankle and feet. When the man asked them for alms, Peter responded “Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk” (Acts 3:6). They healed this man in the name of Jesus.

After the apostles had healed a man born lame, the Jewish leadership confronted them and asked “by what power, or by what name, have ye done this” (Acts 4:7). Even the Pharisees understood that one should only act in religion on the basis of some recognized authority. The apostles responded that they acted in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 4:7-10).

Peter told the people who were wondering at the miracle performed that they should not think that the apostles had done this by their own power or holiness (Acts 3:12). Rather it was the name of Jesus and faith in that name that brought about his restoration of health (Acts 3:16). He further explained that Jesus was the Prince of Life and that Prophet of whom Moses spake who be heard and obeyed (Acts 3:22,23). The Lord had the authority and power to do these things.

After His resurrection and before He left this earth, the Lord announced to His apostles that He had been given all authority and power. “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth” (Matthew 28:18). God had raised Him and set Him at His own right hand and, having been given such power and authority, He became the head over all things to the church, His body (Eph. 1:22,23).

Furthermore, He delegated authority to His apostles to speak in His name (Matt. 28:19,20). The apostles were witnesses and ambassadors of His gospel, calling the world to repentance from sins and reconciliation to God (II Cor. 5:19,20). The apostles were empowered by the Holy Spirit, sent to them in His name, to speak for the Lord (John 14:26). The Holy Spirit would bring to their remembrance all things that the Lord had spoken and guide them into all truth (John 16:13).

The apostles and certain, select inspired men committed the things which they were inspired to speak to writing, producing inspired scriptures (II Tim. 3:16,17; cf. II Pet. 3:15). Today, God still speaks to us through His Son (Heb. 1:1-3). It is the Lord’s words that will judge us in the last day (John 12:48). It is the same truth that the Lord promised to give them through the Holy Spirit (John 14:26; 16:13; Acts 2:38). Now those words are committed word for word into our New Testaments which is our standard of authority (Rom. 15:4; Heb. 9:15,16; II Cor. 5:10,11). Now if any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God (I Pet. 4:11).

So, if any man transgress and abides not in the doctrine of Christ that man has not God (II John 9-11). If any preach anything other than the gospel of Christ, he is accursed (Gal. 1:6-9). Whatever we do must be done in the name of, or by the authority of, the Lord Jesus Christ (Col. 3:17).

Eric L. Padgett