Wisdom In The Word

There are many discussions around this topic and I’m sure that if you are reading this, you are either curious about the origins of the word according to our faith, don’t believe in the Trinity, or have been having disagreements with someone on the subject. My purpose here is not to undermine any doctrine or denomination but my goal is to show you with biblical understanding what the Trinity is and also what it is not. It’s a mystery in itself and it is difficult to fathom with the natural mind so before diving into this topic please say this simple prayer with me for guidance and understanding.

Prayer for Clarity

Dear Lord Jesus we thank you for who you are and have no choice but to honor your presence out of respect and love. Right now I seek understanding and biblical wisdom that only comes from the Holy Ghost. At this moment I yield my mind, my previous thoughts, my understanding, my entire theology, and surrender it to you. Guide me through your Word and give me understanding that opens my spiritual eyes even more to receive the revelation of this mystery. Show me your truth which is the Truth and silence any pushback from my own thoughts, the enemy, or the doctrines of men. Help me build a foundation that is only on You and let this new light become a deeper revelation of who You are. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.

The Beginning

If we are going to dive into this, let’s look at this from the very beginning. In Genesis we see the creation of the heavens and earth and also see that all the planets, stars, the moon, animals, plants, trees, and other formations have been made. After all of this we see in Genesis 1:26 says “Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

We will break this verse down at the beginning and find out who is talking. Of course the verse starts off to say “God said”. There are many names of God and there will be an article for that eventually but let us see what specific name is used here in the Ancient Hebrew.

It’s better to show you than to tell you and as you can see, the word God in verse 1:26 in the Hebrew texts says “Elohim” which is a very interesting word in itself. If you look up the meaning of Elohim you will see that it is a word used for “gods” plural, or “God” singular. A person who practices Judaism will tell you that they only worship one god which is also called monotheism. So let’s eliminate other avenues. Scripture shows us that our God is the only God.

• Isaiah 46:9- “Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.”
• Isaiah 43:10-11 – “You are My witnesses,” says the Lord, “And My servant whom I have chosen, That you may know and believe Me, And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, Nor shall there be after Me. I, even I, am the Lord, And besides Me there is no savior.”
• Ephesians 4:6 – “One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”
• James 2:19 – “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.”
• Deuteronomy 6:4 – “Hear, O Israel: The LORD thy God is one LORD.”

This is only a short list of verses that talk about God being the only god but you see the point that scripture is making. If there are no other gods then that means that God is the only Creator. So now this brings us to the next question…Why does He say “let us”? Even if you think you know where I’m heading with this, stay with me on this journey because the Spirit will continue to reveal. Scripture gives us more clues and if you take a look at Deuteronomy 6:4 one more time you see that it says “God is one Lord”.

In the Ancient Hebrew text we see Lord translated as Yahweh which is a word that means “To be”. This was previously spelled as YHWH which made this name unpronounceable but biblical scholars were able to bring out this name in the English translation. So who is Yahweh? Are Yahweh and Elohim different gods? No these are not multiple gods because by the previous verse and other verses, Yahweh and Elohim are one. Jesus quotes the previous verse in Mark 12:28-34

28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’

31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

32 “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him.

33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

In verse 29 Jesus answers the question by quoting the scripture we looked at in Deuteronomy 4 and the scribe responded wisely by reinforcing that statement. Jesus approves and then tells more mysteries in the following verses.

God said “let us make man in our image.” This grammatically creates a scene in our heads that there is more to this than what we can comprehend.

The Name of Jesus

The name Jesus in English is translated from the Hebrew name Yeshua. I believe that Jesus in Mark 12 was hinting at His divine position in the statements that He was making especially in Mark 12:35-37

35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, “Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David?

36 David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared: “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’

37 David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?”The large crowd listened to him with delight.

Jesus asks a question about the identity of the Messiah and points out with a pivoting question. “How can He be David’s son if He is His Lord?” Based on this statement we know that Jesus is not just a mere man with divine talents and wisdom but He is a or we should say the Supreme being of our universe. Let’s try to wrap this around our brain with a breakdown of the name Jesus.

As said earlier Jesus comes from Yeshua. Yeshua in English, which is Joshua, means “God is salvation”. English again doesn’t help us get to the root until we go back to Yeshua, which means “Yahweh saves”. This name definition is completely different when it comes to the authentic truth. Who is the one who saves us? Who is the Messiah which means “Savior”? The answer is Jesus Christ. Jesus is Yahweh! Before the name was hidden but then it was revealed.

“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” – Matthew 1:21

So what is the proof that Jesus is Yahweh and that He was with Elohim in the beginning? Simply put, John 1:1-5 says

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

The Word is Jesus Christ because it says the Word became flesh and this is the same Word that was there in the very beginning. This points out that throughout all time and even from the very start before time existed, Jesus (Yahweh) was already there with God and was God. How does this make sense? How can God be a multiple forms? Jesus talks about His position numerous times.

• John 5:17-19 – “In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” 18 For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. 19 Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.”
• John 14:7 – “If you really know me, you will knowmy Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
• John 10:30 – “I and the Father are one.”
• Matthew 1:23 – “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name, Immanuel (which means, God with us).”
• Mark 2:5-7 – “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

These verse are not the only indications of Jesus’ deity. Even the letters of Paul teach that Jesus and the Father are one.

• Philippians 2:5-6 “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.”
• Colossians 2:9-10 “For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily. and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.”
• 1 John 5:20 “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.”
• 1 Corinthians 8:6 “Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.”

Fullness of God

The Trinity is a word that is not used in scripture but was created as a term by the early Christian church as a word to describe the mystery of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the 3rd form of God which I will be describing who was also there from the very beginning.

“Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” – Genesis 1:2

The Spirit of God was already upon the earth in the beginning and also was among the stories of the Old and New Testament. I