Category Archives: Trinity

These Three Are One (Part III)

The New Testament clearly teaches these facts: The Father is God (John 6:27; I Pet. 1:2). But Jesus is also identified as God (John 1:1-3; 20:28; cf. also, e.g., John 12:37-40; Is. 6:1-10). And the Holy Spirit is also identified as God (Acts 5:3,4; II Cor. 3:17; cf. Psalm 139:7). However, the Father is never identified with Jesus or the Holy Spirit, nor is Jesus ever identified with either the Father or the Holy Spirit, nor is the Holy Spirit ever identified with either the Father or the Son.1 There are three divine Persons in one God. This is what the Bible teaches, though we may not fully comprehend it.

No analogy is ever perfect but when I think of ways to explain the relationship of the three Persons of the Godhead I think of few analogies. First, I think of a triangle. A triangle consists of three sides, three vertices (the points at which the sides meet) and three angles. If you do not have these three parts, you do not have a triangle. Yet, they make up only one triangle. Another analogy that is often used is an egg. An egg has three parts: The shell, the white and the yoke. The three parts make up only one egg, yet each part is the egg. You cook the yolk and not the shell, but you still say you cooked an egg. Another analogy might be a musical chord. A chord consists of three distinct notes that harmonize to create one unified sound. Each note is fully present, yet together they form a single musical entity. Finally, I think of our own human nature. We have a body, soul and spirit. We are a triad, as it were. In fact, we are created in the image of God. Now none of these analogies are perfect because the triune Godhead is unique, but they do help to visualize in our own minds what can be very difficult concept to grasp, namely, God’s triune nature.

The best thing we can do is to look at the scriptures which either explicitly state or are consistent with the verses given above. Let’s begin with Jesus’ baptism. The Bible tells us that Jesus approached John the Baptist to be baptized (Matt. 3). Immediately after He was baptized, as He was stepping up out of the water (Mark 1:10), the heavens opened and the Spirit of God descended in a bodily shape like a dove and the voice of God spoke from Heaven, saying, This is my Beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased (Matt. 3:16,17). There are three distinct Persons in this account. There is the Father, the Spirit, appearing as a dove, and, Jesus. They are in three, separate locations. The Father is in Heaven. The Son is in the Jordan river and the Spirit is moving from Heaven to where the Son is. The Father speaks from Heaven identifying Jesus as His Son, in Whom He is well pleased. The Holy Spirit is seen descending and lighting upon Jesus and remaining there, thus indicating His distinction from the Son (John 1:33).

Another instance worthy of note, is the Great Commission. In giving the great commission (Matt. 28:18-20), Jesus commanded baptism. Notice how Jesus expressed this command. “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:18-20). Jesus commanded baptism on the authority of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. In doing this, Jesus placed the Son and the Spirit on an equal level of authority with the Father.

When we think of the nature of the Spirit described in the scriptures, we should realize that the Spirit has “personhood.” That is, He has traits that indicates He is an individual with will, rationality and feelings. The Holy Spirit is always spoken of as an He, not an it. The Holy Spirit can be grieved (Eph. 4:30), He has the potential of being lied to (Acts 5:3), He can be vexed (Is. 63:10), He has intention and is responsive to human action (Is. 63:10), He speaks (Acts 13:2), He teaches (John 14:26), He testifies (John 15:26), He strives (Gen. 6:3), He commands (Acts 8:28), He intercedes (Rom. 8:26), He sends workers (Acts 13:4), He calls (Rev. 22:17), and He works (I Cor. 12:11), etc. We will delve more into the nature of the Spirit at a later time in greater depth but for now it is important to note that He is not a force, but a person, separate from the Father, yet God. He has all the attributes of deity, including omnipotence (Luke 1:35; Rom. 15:19 ), omnipresence (Ps. 139:7-13) and omniscience (I Cor. 2:10 ), just as does the Father and Son.

Jesus stated that when He went back to the Father, that the Holy Spirit would be sent to the apostles. “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me” (John 15:26). This statement of Jesus’ clearly identifies three Persons of equal divine status but with different work. After Jesus completed His work here and He returned to the Father, He would send the Spirit of Truth from the Father to the apostles. The Spirit would then testify of Jesus to and through the apostles (John14:26:16:3, etc).

Another instance of the triune nature of the Godhead being mentioned is found in Paul’s three-fold blessing in II Cor. 13:14. Much like the three-fold formulas found in the Old Testament discussed in a previous installment, Paul includes all three Persons of the Godhead in his blessing. “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen” (II Corinthians 13:14). In this three-fold formula, Paul places each of the three on an equal footing while differentiating their separate works.

John’s symbolic description of God’s throne in the Revelation also gives a glimpse of the triune nature of God. In this vision, John saw One that sat on a glorious, heavenly throne (4:2). This is presumably God, the Father. Before the throne were seven lamps, which are said to be the seven Spirits of God (4:5). This is a symbolic way of representing the Holy Spirit. Also in the midst of the throne stood a lamb as if it had been slain (5:6) which is an obvious reference to the Son (Is. 53; John 1:36; I Pet. 1:19,20; Heb. 12:2, etc.). So we have in John’s vision all three Persons of the Godhead symbolically represented. Furthermore, we have the three-fold praise directed toward the throne, Holy, Holy, Holy (4:8).

Besides these texts there are many other passages which reference all three Persons of the Godhead in some way. This site lists 58 Triadic passages and answers some objections to them. There are other sites which provide passages which support the triune nature of God. It is a doctrine clearly taught in scripture, but it is not always easy to grasp all that it entails.

“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).

Eric L. Padgett

Endnotes

There are certain exceptions to this (Is. 9:6, e.g.) but they do negate the overall tenor of this point, that the divine Persons of the Godhead are separate from each other while all being God. Each of those passages need to be examined more closely and independently to understand them more fully.

These Three Are One (Part II)

Beyond the Genesis elohim passages, there are many other passages which add detail to the doctrine of the triune Godhead. In this installment, we will look at some other Old Testament passages. Again, it is not suggested that the writers of these Old Testament passages understood clearly all that they were speaking or writing, but in the light of New Testament revelation, they all become much clearer to us. In our third installment we will look at the New Testament on the subject.

The Plurality of the Godhead in Genesis 11

In Genesis 11 we have another reference to the plurality of the Godhead. When man in his hubris tried to build a tower that would reach to heaven, God said “Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech” (Genesis 11:7). It has been suggested that the plural used here is a mere literary device, the so-called “Majestic We.” Kings and those in power will sometimes speak in the plural to emphasize their authority. It is believed that this practice began because God used it that way in these passages (see here). The first problem with this is that in scripture no Hebrew king ever followed such an example and identified himself with a “royal we.” Actually, neither did the kings of the east like Darius (Ezra 6:12) or Artaxerxes (Ezra 7:21). Second, God could very well speak in the royal we precisely because of His triune Nature not in spite of it.

A Revealing Encounter in Exodus 34

Another tremendous passage that is often overlooked is found in Exodus 34. Moses had requested to see the glory of God (Ex. 33:16). God told Moses that no one could see His face and live but that there was a place by Him (33:21) and he could stand in a cleft of a rock (33:22) and God, after covering Moses with His hand (33:22) so he couldn’t see God’s face, would allow him to see His hinder parts as He passed by and would cause all His goodness to pass by and proclaim the name of the Lord (Ex. 33:19-23). The Text tells us that the next morning Moses went up the mountain and “LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there” (Exodus 34:5). At the same time that the Lord stood with Moses there, the Lord also passed before him and proclaimed the name of the Lord (34:6,7). And then Moses, after bowing his head, said, “O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us” (Ex. 34:9).

There are at least two things worthy of note pertaining to the topic of the triune nature of the Godhead in this passage. First, the Text seems to clearly say that the Lord stood by Moses at the same time that the Lord passed by Moses declaring the name of the Lord. This is reminiscent of John 1:1-3 where the Word was both God and the Word was with God at the same time. In this instance, the Lord was both standing by Moses and passing in front of him at the same time.

The second interesting thing is that Moses asked the Lord to let “his Lord” go among them. Previously, Moses had said to the Lord “Thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me” as he led the children of Israel to the promised land (Ex. 33:12). The Lord assured Moses that His Presence would go with Moses and Israel (33:14). This precipitated Moses asking God to see His glory. Now that Moses had seen it, he said “Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us” (34:9). Who was Moses’ Lord? It was the Presence of God (33:14). It was the Angel of His Presence that saved them (Is. 63:9). It was the second Person of the Godhead by Whom Moses stood.

Psalm 110:1 – A Divine Conversation

In a very similar way, David wrote, “The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool” (Psalm 110:1). David said the Lord (Jehovah) said to his (David’s) Lord (Adonay) “sit Thou on my right hand until I make Thy enemies Thy footstool.” Who was David’s Lord (Adonay)? Jesus said this passage was speaking of Messiah, of Himself (Matt. 22:42-46; Mark 12:35-37). Peter and Luke applied the passage to the resurrection f Christ (Acts 2:30-36). But it shows a conversation between two lords, between the Father and the Son within the Godhead. The verse implies that “the LORD” (Jehovah) speaks to “my Lord,” pointing to a distinction of persons within one divine essence. It is the same distinction that Moses had made (Ex. 34:9).

Isaiah 6 and the Triune God

In Isaiah 6, Isaiah sees a glorious vision of God, of Jehovah, and of the triune nature of the Godhead. Isaiah saw “the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple” (6:1). Isaiah sees the Lord (Adonay) sitting on a throne. In response, Isaiah says “mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD (Jehovah-ELP) of hosts” (Isaiah 6:5). So Isaiah sees the Lord (Adonay) and identifies Him as Jehovah. Jehovah is spoken of in the singular, i.e., His (Second person singular) train filled the Temple (6:1). And yet the Lord asks, “Whom shall I send” (singular) and then “who will go for us?” (plural). Here again, the Lord speak of Himself in the plural. This combination of singular and plural pronouns is intentional. It indicates a plurality in the unity and suggests the triune nature of the Godhead.

Just as an aside, the word translated “train” in the KJV is elsewhere translated as robe or hem. But Isaiah chose the plural shulayv instead of the singular shulo to indicate the glory of Adonay in the temple. The usage of the plural could be just a Hebrew literary device to emphasize God’s majesty, but it is also consistent with interplay of plural and singular terms in relationship to God’s triune nature.

But we are not left to guess about whom Isaiah saw in his vision for the apostle John, in describing Jesus’ miracles applies this passage (Isaiah 6) to Jesus and says “These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him” (John 12:41). Isaiah says he say the Lord, Jehovah (6:5) and John says he saw Jesus, or the Second Person of the Godhead (John 12:41). Furthermore, it is interesting to note John quotes from the LXX. In that text there is a shift from the one blinding their eyes and dulling their hearing and hardening their heart to the one healing them. It is “He” who blinds (that is, God, cf. II Thess. 2:11; Psalm 81:11,12; et. al.) but “I” (that is, Christ, cf. Mal. 4:2; Is. 53:5) will heal. This is also consistent with the plurality of the Godhead.

Finally, while repetition is one form of emphasis, given all the other nuances and intracasies of this passage, it seems significant, or at least consistent with the triune nature of the Godhead to repeat the holiness of God thrice, Holy, Holy, Holy (cf. Rev. 4:8).

Conclusion

Other Old Testament passages address the plurality of the Godhead in various ways. We have examined various Christophanies in the Old Testament of One who was worshiped as God yet distinct from Him (i.e., Gen. 32 where Jacob wrestles a “man” Who is identified as God, or Manoah and his wife who see the angel who is called God (Jud. 13:22). There are also verbal formulas that are of a triune nature, such as the Holy, Holy, Holy of Isaiah and the triple blessing of God commanded of Aaron (Num. 6:24-26). Additionally, like the word “Elohim,” the word “Adonay,” used about three hundred times in the Old Testament, is also plural and is used with singular verbs (e. g., Isaiah 6:1). Finally, references to God’s Spirit suggest that He is both God but separate from Him (Is.48:16; 63:10; Gen, 1:3; II Sam. 23:2; etc.).

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.