Lesson No. 23 

Lesson No. 23 Concerning The Doctrine of The Trinity

For a better understanding of this topic, we will begin our study by taking into account first, the details concerning the divinity of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.

Let us see what the following biblical passages tell us about Jesus Christ:

Isaiah chapter 9: verse 6: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace”.51

First John chapter 5: verse 20: “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life”.51

Titus chapter 2: verse 13: Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ”.51

Romans chapter 9: verse 5: “Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen”.51

Colossians chapter 2: verse 8 y 9: “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily”.51

The apostle Peter, in his epistle to the Church, literally declares Jesus Christ as God and Savior: Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: (Second Peter chapter 1: verse 1).51

An important piece of information regarding the divinity of the Messiah and the Holy Spirit is found in the cited passage according to Colossians chapter 2: verses 8 and 9.51 The literal translation here is Deity. Interpreted from the term "θεότητoς", rooted In "θεότης" (theótes: [“divine essence”]). According to Saint Augustine, this was created by Christian apologists to differentiate our Divinity from pagan divinities. Therefore, this clearly shows that when the New Testament Scriptures refer to them as divine, they do not allude to another divinity, but to the same one as God the Father from whom they proceed as His essence.62 (trans.)

Before beginning the analysis of the read passages, I want to remind the students of lesson No. 2 regarding the divine inspiration conferred upon the translations of the Bible into other languages, where I pointed out at the end of the topic, the need to compare some words and expressions in light of the text in the original languages.

The passages read according to our version declare that Jesus Christ is God. This truly confirms that He is divine. According to The Vine's Complete Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words 3 the Hebrew term: "אֵל" ( )el),4 from which the term *God* is translated according to Isaiah chapter 9: verse 6,4 is used in the original Hebrew text to refer to a divinity. In this case, it alludes to the Messiah, the Son of God, as part of the divine essence of the Deity. Likewise, according to Isaiah chapter 7: verse 14, the prophet refers to Him as divine, declaring Him "עִמָּנוּ אֵל" (Imanu )el / Immanuel: [“God with us”]).7

According to The Vine's Dictionary 3 the term "θεός" (theós: ["God"]), is utilized in the Greek New Testament16 to reference, "the divinity of the Supreme Creator. However, it is clear that, on occasion, it refers to any other divinity". But in this case, according to the cited biblical passages, it refers to the Messiah as *divine* by the already known concept. Therefore, the power and authority conferred to Him. See Ephesians chapter 1: verses 20 to 22,51 and Daniel chapter 7: verses 13 and 14.51

Nevertheless, in all these passages, both from the Old and New Testament, translators interpret it as God, for being the most known term in our language to refer to Divinity; it is also translated into Greek as "θεός" (theós: ["God"]), and into Latin as “Deus”: ["God"]. Since each one attributes it to the name of their own divinity.

The truth is that the theological interpretations related to the Son and the Holy Spirit were essentially about the concept of their divinity. On the other hand, the conceptions established by the Church regarding this, until the 5th century, were based on Greek and Latin languages, given that English underwent its formative process in the 5th century AD. Therefore, everything we received from them has been attributed to "God", which is, in fact, a term derived from the Latin "Deus".56 See confirmation details.

But evidently, the correct translation of the referring Hebrew and Greek terminologies does not allude absolutely to God, but to a divine entity. When the term is translated according to the corresponding entity, everything is okay. But if we translate it as God without it alluding to the Supreme Being, we are referring to polytheism. See what it says in First Timothy chapter 2: verse 5,51 and John chapter 17: verse 3.51

Now then, how can three divine beings be, and only one be God? This is understood from the conception of the Church of the first centuries before the trinitarian debates and the philosophical concepts issued by Origen and others. The Son and the Holy Spirit were considered as derived from the Father, who is the only source of divinity, and from whom They receive everything they have and are. Therefore, they are considered divine by essence, that is, by consubstantial concept. This concept seems to have its base in the words of the Lord as stated in John chapter 14: verses 8 to 11,51 where he reiterates that He is in the Father and the Father in Him. Similarly, according to Zechariah chapter 12: verse 10, God Himself says: ... And they shall look upon me whom they have pierced... This clearly indicates that the Son is in the Father and the Father in Him as a reciprocal immanence.51

However, this idea confers a character of plurality to Divinity, although it is not a diversity of Gods. And this seems to go against what God Himself says according to Deuteronomy chapter 6: verse 4, that He is one.51

Nevertheless, something very curious and significant that several theologians and writers have referenced is related to the evidence provided by the following grammatical analysis of the Hebrew text: according to the explanation of authentic language experts, in that language, two different terms are used to indicate the meaning of "one". The word one, in the sense of unique, is determined by the term "יָחִיד " (yajid: 2 ["unique"]). In contrast, when two or more elements or things become *one* through intimate identification, the term employed is not "yajid", but "אֶחָֽד" , (ejad): 2 which means (“one composed of several”), similar to when we say: a chord, an army, a bunch, etc. Let us see regarding what the text in the original language tells us, according to The Hebrew-English Interlinear ESV Old Testament,7 in Deuteronomy chapter 6: verse 4, as follows, written according to Hebrew, in direction from right to left, word by word:

(Hear) שְׁמַ֖ע

(Israel)יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל

(Yahweh/ The LORD) יְהֹוָ֥ה

(our God) אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ

(Yahweh/ The LORD) יְהֹוָ֥ה

(is one). אֶחָֽד

Note: I clarify to the reader who knows the grammar of the Hebrew language, that the term YHVH used in all the above-cited passages in that language is pronounced “Yehováh” (Yejováh), but the translator of the cited Interlinear transcribes it as “Yahweh,” forcing the translation, evidently due to the tendency of his preference. However, it is evident that the term of reference lacks the vowel sign “o” above the first “H,” due to the Jewish tendency not to reveal the sacred name as it is pronounced.

Evidently, in this passage, the term used by Moses to denote God as “one” was not "יָחִיד" (yajid), but "אֶחָֽד" (ejad), since according to the evidence provided by the text in the original Hebrew language, the term "יָחִיד" (yajid), is not used throughout the Old Testament to reference God as one or unique. The use of such a term, however, can be found in different passages, but never referencing God. As an example, see: Jeremiah chapter 6: verse 26.4 See it also, combined with its corresponding grammatical nuances according to the text in the original Hebrew language, according to Genesis chapter 22: verses 2, 12, and 16; 4 Proverbs chapter 4: verse 3.4

Let us now see some examples of the use of the term *ejad*, in other applications of the Holy Scriptures, according to the following passages, equally word by word: Genesis chapter 2: verse 24:4

(Upon thus) עַל־כֵּן֙

(he shall leave) יַֽעֲזׇב־

(a man) אִ֔ישׁ

(his father) אֶת־אָבִ֖יו

(and his mother) וְאֶת־אִמּ֑וֹ

(and he shall cleave) וְדָבַ֣ק

(to his wife) בְּאִשְׁתּ֔וֹ

(and they shall become) וְהָי֖וּ

(into flesh) לְבָשָׂ֥ר

(one). אֶחָֽד

See the next passage, according to: Genesis chapter 11: verse 6:4

(And said ) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר

(Yahweh: the LORD ) יְהוָ֗ה

(Behold) הֵ֣ן

(people) עַ֤ם

(are one) אֶחָד֙

(and language) וְשָׂפָ֥ה

(have one) [feminine term] אַחַ֖ת

(for all of them) לְכֻלָּ֑ם 

(and this) וְזֶ֖ה

(is their beginning) הַחִלָּ֣ם

(to do) לַעֲשׂ֑וֹת

(and now) וְעַתָּה֙

(nothing will be withheld) לֹֽא־יִבָּצֵ֣ר

(from them) מֵהֶ֔ם

(all) כֹּ֥ל

(which) אֲשֶׁ֥ר

(they purpose) יָזְמ֖וּ

(to do) לַעֲשֽׂוֹת

Let us now see the interpretation of these dreams, given by Joseph, where he declares to the king that both dreams are one, according to Genesis chapter 41: verses 25 and 26:7

(And said וַיֹּאמֶר)x25     

(Joseph) יוֹסֵף

(to Pharaoh) אֶל-פַּרְעֹה

(The dream) חֲלוֹם

(of Pharaoh) פַּרְעֹה

(one) אֶחָד

(it is) הוּא

(*this is just an idiomatic addition*) אֵת

(that) אֲשֶׁר

(God) הָאֱלֹהִים

(is doing) עֹשֶׂה

(has declared) הֶרְאָה

(to) אֶת-פַּרְעֹה

(seven) שֶׁבַעx26

(cows) פָּרֹת

(the good) הַטֹּבֹת

(seven) שֶׁבַע

(years) שָׁנִים

(are they) הֵנָּה

(and seven) וְשֶׁבַע

(the ears of grain) הַשִּׁבֳּלִים

(the good) הַטֹּבֹת

(seven) שֶׁבַע

(years) שָׁנִים

(are they) הֵנָּה

(the dream) חֲלוֹם

(one) אֶחָד

(it is) הוּא

Let us see what the next passage tells us according to Genesis chapter 1: verse 5:

(And called) וַיִּקְרָא

(God) אֱלֹהִים

(to the light) לָאוֹר

(Day) יוֹם

(and to the darkness) וְלַחֹשֶׁךְ

(called) קָרָא

(Night) לָיְלָה

(And there was) וַיְהִי

(evening) עֶרֶב

(and there was) וַיְהִי

(morning) בֹקֶר

(day) יוֹם

(one: [the first]). אֶחָד

In this way, we understand that these passages allude to one flesh but composed of man and woman; one people but mixed with many people; one same dream contained in two different revelations; one day but combined of evening and morning. One God (YHVH), but His divinity also encompasses the Son and the Holy Spirit.

The use of the term אֶחָד (ejad), is clearly identifiable in each of these cases, by the red color assigned by me, according to the reflected Hebrew text.

I will now cite some passages from the Old Testament, which, when compared with others from the New, will help us understand very clearly that the Divinity has always maintained a defined character of plurality. Let us consider the following references:

Genesis chapter 1: verses 26 and 27: “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them”.51

Genesis chapter 3: verse 22: “And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever”.51

Note that in the read verse 26, it says: “Let us make man,” which means that this was made by more than one person. And when it says: “In our image, after our likeness,” it is indicating that man was made in the image and likeness of more than one person.

Observe that according to verse 27, man was created by God and was made in His image. See also the use of the plural "Us," reflected in the citation of Genesis chapter 3: verse 22.51

Let us consider the next passage of the Scriptures:

Genesis chapter 11: verse 7: “Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech”.51

This biblical passage also clearly reflects the use of the plural in the action taken by God when it says: "Let us go down and confuse their language there".

All of this suggests to us that God has been represented by more than one person, even from the beginning.

Let us compare the previous passages with the following:

John chapter 1: verses 1 to 3, 10, and 14: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2The same was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 10He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth”.51

Now let us consider the following passage from Scripture:

John chapter 17: verse 5: “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was”.51

Let us now take into consideration the following passage:

Genesis chapter 1: verse 1 and 2: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters”.51

The comparison of these biblical passages with the previous ones provides us a clear reflection that the only persons to whom participation in the creative activities of the universe is attributed, along with God the Father, are the only begotten Son of God (the Messiah) and the Spirit of God (the Holy Spirit).

Specialists in the language of the original text explain that the term from which "God" is translated in each of the verses related to the creation of the universe according to Genesis chapter 1,51 is Elohim. They assert that this word is not a personal name but a title and attribute expressing authority and judgment. They allege that the fact that the word Elohim is in plural form does not necessarily mean it refers to several people or a set of personalities. This is seen in the case of Moses according to Exodus chapter 4: verse 16 and chapter 7: verse 1,51 who was nothing more than one person, yet he obtained the position of being Elohim before the king of Egypt.

They state that the term Elohim is related to authority in abundance and a set of powers to assert its will. Elohim encompasses within itself all infinite and eternal forces.

However, this is not proof that the event of the universe's creation was carried out absolutely by the Father. This is confirmed by the expression referred to by God himself when he said: Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness…; when he said: Behold, the man has become like one ofus…; and when he said: Now then, let us go down and confuse their language there… With whom was Elohim speaking when he said all this? The Scriptures do not reference anyone else who could have participated in said creative activity, except the Messiah the Son and the Holy Spirit, to whom, according to our study, the title of Elohim is also conferred.

Let us now see the initial reflections of the mentions made by the apostles about certain joint activities related to the plurality of persons conceived in the Deity. In this respect, let us consider the following passages from Scripture:

Titus chapter 3: verses 4 to 7: “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life”.51

Second Corinthians chapter 13: verse 14: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen”.51

Jude chapter 1: verses 20 and 21: “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, 21Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life”.51

These biblical citations mention certain divine activities attributed in common form, to both the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Activities of The Holy Spirit That Reflect His Divinity

The New Testament Scriptures refer to God on various occasions concerning the Holy Spirit, in the same way, they refer to the Messiah. They attribute to the Holy Spirit a specific activity that the Old Testament Scriptures confer to God:

Old Testament: Jeremiah chapter 31: verses 33 and 34: “But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more”.51

New Testament: Hebrews chapter 10: verses 15 to 17: “Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, 16This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 17And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more”.51

Old Testament: Isaiah chapter 6: verses 8 to 10: “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. 9And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. 10Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed”.51

New Testament: Acts chapter 28: verses 25 to 27: “And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, 26Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: 27For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them”.51

In these comparisons the authors of the Old Testament attribute the words described to God the Lord, while in the New Testament they are attributed to the Holy Spirit.

Let us also keep in mind the following biblical citation:

New Testament: Acts chapter 5: verses 3 and 4: But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God”.51

In this passage, it is implied that the apostle Peter must have referred to the Holy Spirit as the Divinity, since in the Greek text it is translated as "θεῷς" 6 (theós: [“God”]), For this, he must have used the Hebrew term "אֱלֹהִים" (Elohim: [“God”]). Evidently, the conception of the divinity of the Father revealed in the Son and the Holy Spirit according to this study gave rise to the development of trinitarian thought in the church of the early centuries following the conclusion of the apostolic writings.

Authentic historical data indicates that the first evidence of its origin was in the word “trias,” whose Latin translation is trinitas, first found in Theophilus of Antioch around the year 180 A.D. And although it is claimed that this term was already used before his time, it later appears in its Latin form of “trinitas” in Tertullian. But in the following century, the word is in general use. It is found in many passages of Origin's writings composed between the years 260 and 270 A.D., where he writes the following:

“Therefore, there is nothing created, nothing subject to another in the Trinity: nor is there anything that has been added as if it never existed, but later entered: therefore, the Father has never been without the Son, nor the Son without the Spirit: and this same Trinity is immutable and unalterable forever”.(trans.)

The conceived idea is that, although there is only one unique and true God, the Deity is integrated by the unity of the three divine Beings, who, according to Origen's statement, are coeternal and coequal, in divine perfection and in essence, of the same nature and the same substance.

However, according to data from the Enciclopedia Católica, 47 several Church Fathers, including those from the Council of Sardica, in their synodal letter, discussed the words of our Lord, according to John chapter 14: verse 28: "...For my Father is greater than I”.51

Additionally, in various passages of the New Testament, the Son of God declares the supremacy of the Father and his total dependence on Him. (John chapter 8: verse 28; John Chapter 5: verse 19 51 and Matthew chapter 24: verse 36.51 See also, First Corinthians chapter 11: verse 3.51 among others.

Despite this, and a series of well-known opponents, the concept of the Trinity ended up being adopted as part of the Church's liturgy in the fourth century, according to the definitions given regarding the Son at the Council of Nicaea (325 A.D.). As well as in Constantinople (381 A.D.), where it  was indicated that the Holy Spirit is worshiped and glorified along with the Father and the Son, suggesting that it was also consubstantial with them.

This great mystery of the existence of three divine Beings as components of the Deity seems to have its reason in the fact that, having conceived from eternity itself, God's purposes for man, knowing the tragic process through which he would have to pass, saw the necessity from the infinitude of time, to manifest to him in three different stages or dispensations. Which was also necessary to do through three different persons, in a perfect representation of the same God. Thus the concept of theology, in the first dispensation, God the Father, dealt directly with man, while in the second, He dealt with him through the Son, due to the need for his redemption. However, in the third dispensation, He has dealt with us through the Holy Spirit, via the marvelous renewing work in our hearts for our conversion. Thus complementing the plan of salvation intended for humanity.

Clearly, the trinitarian concept of the Christian Church, whether or not accepted by many, originated from the various declarations presented in the Holy Scriptures, according to our study, and has nothing to do with the ideas of pagan trinities, such as the Egyptian trinity, the Babylonian trinity, and the Assyrian trinity.