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The Jewishness of the "Trinity"
Although the word "Trinity" (Hashilush Hakadosh) does not directly appear in the Scriptures, it is an entirely Jewish concept, derived from both the Tanakh and the B'rit Chadashah. Scripturally, God is revealed as "triune" in some of the following ways:
- Plural Names - Elohim (אֱלהִים), the third word in the Tanakh, is a plural form. This Name is often associated with singular verbs, though interestingly sometimes appears with plural forms (as in Genesis 35:7, Psalm 58:11).
- Plural Pronouns - The LORD God, speaking in Genesis 1:26, says "Let us make man in our image and in our likeness" / נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ (see also Genesis 3:22, 11:7, Isaiah 6:8).
- "Creators" - In Ecclesiastes 12:1 it is written, "Remember your Creators (בּוֹרְאֶיךָ, a masc. pl. noun with 2ms ending) in the days of your youth," and in Psalm 149:2 Israel is commanded to rejoice in his Makers (בְּעשָׂיו, a masc. pl. noun with 3ms ending). In Genesis 1:1-3, God (Elohim), the Spirit of God (Ruach Elohim), and the Word of God (and God said...), are all involved in the creation of the universe.
- Plurality within the Godhead - King David writes: "The LORD (YHVH) says to my Lord (Adonai): sit at my right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet (Psalm 110:1), and Psalm 45:6-7 says "Your throne, O God (Elohim), is forever and ever....therefore God, Your God (Elohim), has anointed You with the oil of joy more than Your fellows."
- Isaiah 48:12-16 - In this passage, the "First and the Last," declares that "the Lord God has sent Me and His Spirit. The Creator who is speaking claims to have been sent by the Lord God (YHVH) and His Spirit (Ruach).
- The Angel of the LORD - This mysterious Angel was treated as God Himself, exercising divine prerogatives and receiving worship (see Genesis 16:7, 9, 11; Exodus 3:2-6; Judges 13:21-22).
- Oneness (Achdut) - In the Shema we read, "Shema Yisrael (Hear, 0 Israel): Adonai Eloheinu (the Lord our Gods), Adonai Echad (the Lord is one)." Interestingly, the word echad in Hebrew can imply a unity in diversity (the word for one and only one, i.e., unique, is more often rendered as yachid). For example, in Exodus 26:6 the parts of the Tabernacle (mishkan) are to be constructed so that "it shall be one (echad) tabernacle," and Ezekiel spoke of two "sticks" (representing fragmented Israel) as being reunited into one: "and they shall be one (echad) stick in My hand" (Ezekiel 37:19). Moses also uses echad in Genesis 2:24 when he says: "And they (husband and wife) will become one flesh (basar echad)."
- The Tevilah (Baptism) of Yeshua - At the baptism of Yeshua we see the Holy Spirit descending as a Dove and the Father proclaim, "You are my well-beloved Son; in You I am well pleased" (Luke 3:21).
- Yeshua Revealed the Trinity - Yeshua the Mashiach plainly spoke of the Trinity by commanding His disciples to baptize others in the Name (singular) of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19). He also equated Himself with the Father (John 8:58; 10:30; 14:8-9).
- The Father is God - Isaiah 64:8; Malachi 2:10; John 8:54; etc.
- Yeshua is God - 1 Tim. 3:16; John 1:1-14; 9:38; Titus 2:13; Heb. 1:8,9, 5:6; John 5:18; Rom.9:5; Phil 2:5-11; etc.
- The Holy Spirit is God - Acts 5:3-4; John 4:24; Luke 12:10; 2 Cor. 3:17;
cp. 1 Cor. 3:16 and 6:19; Acts 13:2; Heb. 3:7-11; etc.
- Yeshua's Followers Taught the Trinity - Yeshua's followers ascribed to Him divine status as co-equal with the Father. Many "triadic" formulas also appear in the B'rit Chadashah, such as 1 Cor. 12:4-6, 2 Cor. 13:14, 1 Peter 1:2, Eph 4:4-6, and Matt. 28:19.
- Philosophical Justification - Though a mystery, the Trinity is itself a coherent concept once you consider that there are various "tri-unities" in our own experience as human beings. For example, we experience the world around us as a triunity of space, time, and matter. Space is also three dimensional (width, height, and depth); and time is composed of past, present, and future. Matter itself is composed of proton, electron, and neutron. We also experience ourselves as a triunity of body, soul, and spirit.
- The Marriage Union is a picture of the Trinity - When a man and woman are joined in the bonds of holy marriage, they are said to be basar echad - one flesh. This union itself, however, constitutes the spirit of the love that itself is creative and life-giving.
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