(lessons 104-107 are taken largely from Wayne Grudem’s Bible Doctrine published in 1999 by Zondervan.)
The doctrine of the Trinity can be summarized as follows: God eternally exists as three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and each person is fully God, and there is one God. (Grudem, p. 104)
Trinity means “triunity” or “three-in-oneness.” The actual word is not found in Scripture, but the Bible does reveal this truth.
Old Testament Revelation of the Trinity
This doctrine is somewhat hidden in the Old Testament but can be derived from various scriptures when we use New Testament revelation to explain them. One of the basic rules of hermeneutics is that the New Testament explains and expands our understanding of the Old. Everything in the Old Testament pointed to Jesus and the New Covenant.
Our first example is from Genesis.
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image...” Genesis 1:26a (NASB95)
Some try to explain the use of the plural here as what is called “plurals of majesty,” but there are no instances of this elsewhere in the Hebrew Old Testament. Others have suggested that the angels were included, but nowhere does the Bible say that angels contributed in any way to creation. The best solution is one held by early church fathers that this was a reference to God’s plurality of persons. The same usage is found later.
Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— Genesis 3:22 (NASB95) Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6:8 (NASB95)
There are also Old Testament verses that differentiate between God the Father and another divine being.
Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom. 7 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of joy above Your fellows. Psalm 45:6–7 (NASB95)
“God” is this passage is the Hebrew word “Elohim,” which is itself plural. Elohim refers to two separate persons here. The one whose throne is eternal and the one who anointed him. The author of the letter to the Hebrews informs us that this verse refers to our Lord Jesus.
But of the Son He says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, And the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom. 9 “You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness above Your companions.” Hebrews 1:8–9 (NASB95)
In Psalm 110:1, David wrote:
The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.” Psalm 110:1 (NASB95)
Jesus used this passage to silence his critics by showing that David’s descendant, the Messiah, was more than merely human.
Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question: 42 “What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?” They said to Him, “The son of David.” 43 He said to them, “Then how does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying, 44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Until I put Your enemies beneath Your feet” ’? 45 “If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his son?” 46 No one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question. Matthew 22:41–46 (NASB95)
It seems that David was also aware of God’s plurality of persons.
Psalm 63:10 suggests that the Holy Spirit is a distinct person, too, who has emotions and can be “grieved.” In other passages, the “angel of the Lord” is equated with God and is a divine person. Compare…
Then the angel of the Lord came and sat under the oak that was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite as his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press in order to save it from the Midianites. Judges 6:11 (NASB95)
With…
The Lord looked at him and said, “Go in this your strength and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?” Judges 6:14 (NASB95)
In conclusion, we cannot derive a complete doctrine of the Trinity from the Old Testament, but it certainly contains significant hints.
New Testament Revelation of the Trinity
There are passages in which all three persons of the Godhead are present at once. In the following, we have the Father, Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit together in one place at the same time.
After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, 17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.” Matthew 3:16–17 (NASB95)
This passage nullifies the heresy of modalism, which states that there is only one person of God, who merely appears in different forms.
This clearly cannot be the case, since all three persons are present at the same time. In addition, modalism makes Jesus’ prayer in the garden non-sensical. Was he talking to himself? Was he pledging to do his own will, when he said, “Not my will…?”
When Jesus gave us his baptismal formula, he differentiated between the three persons of the Trinity.
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Matthew 28:19 (NASB95)
Jesus lets us know that the Father, Son, and Spirit are distinct persons.
Some modalists teach that it is only proper to baptize in the name of Jesus. They propose that Jesus only is God, there is no Trinity, and Jesus’ name is the only name of God that we are now allowed to use. However, this disagrees with Jesus’ own command to his disciples. Although Acts records that the early apostles baptized in the name of Jesus, we are not to infer from this that Jesus’ formula is wrong or not used by the early church. However, if we understand that water baptism is primarily a declaration of allegiance to Jesus the Lord, it makes sense that people were baptized in the name of Jesus.
Other passages also mention all three members of the Godhead.
God the Father is usually referred to as “God” or theos in Greek. The Son is called Lord or kurios. The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit or pneuma.
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit [pneuma]. 5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord [kurios]. 6 There are varieties of effects, but the same God [theos] who works all things in all persons. 1 Corinthians 12:4–6 (NASB95) The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14 (NASB95) There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. Ephesians 4:4–6 (NASB95) God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. May God give you more and more grace and peace. 1 Peter 1:2 (NLT) But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. Jude 20–21 (NASB95)
God Is Three Persons in One Essence
The doctrine of the Trinity says that even though God is one essence, he is three distinct persons. Perhaps no passage illustrates this mystery better than John 1:1-2.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. John 1:1–2 (NASB95)
The Word (logos) was both “with” God (theos) and “was” God. We would never say such a thing about a human being. We cannot be someone while at the same time being with ourselves. Other verses in John clearly show that Jesus and the Father are distinct persons while being one.
Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. John 17:24 (NASB95) “I and the Father are one.” John 10:30 (NASB95)
The following verse distinguishes between the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. John 14:26 (NASB95)
The Holy Spirit is called “he” in this passage. Even though the Greek word for spirit (pneuma) is neuter, the pronoun “he” (Greek – ekeinos) is masculine. Other characteristics of a person are applied to the Holy Spirit. He teaches (John 14:26), searches (1 Cor. 2:10), knows God’s thoughts (1 Cor. 2:11), is willing (1 Cor. 12:11), speaks (Acts 8:29), forbids (Acts 16:6-7), evaluates and approves (Acts 15:28), and can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30). (Grudem, p.107)
Each Person Is Fully God
God the Father is obviously fully God. Jesus is also God according to various scriptures.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1 (NASB95)
After his resurrection, our Lord appeared to unbelieving Thomas, telling him to put his fingers in his wounds. Thomas exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28) Jesus did not correct his disciple for calling him God. Hebrews 1:8 calls Jesus God, too.
But of the Son He says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, And the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom. Hebrews 1:8 (NASB95)
The Holy Spirit is also revealed to be God in such verses as follows.
But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? 4 “While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” Acts 5:3–4 (NASB95)
The Spirit lives inside every believer, making the church a temple of God.
Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16 (NASB95)
Being born again by the Spirit is also called being born of God.
Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. John 3:5 (NASB95) No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 1 John 3:9 (NASB95)
There Is One God
While consisting of three distinct persons, the Trinity is one God.
“Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! 5 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Deuteronomy 6:4–5 (NASB95)
When God speaks, he does so as a singular voice.
I am the Lord, and there is no other; Besides Me there is no God. I will gird you, though you have not known Me; 6 That men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun That there is no one besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other, Isaiah 45:5–6 (NASB95)
The New Testament affirms God’s oneness, too.
For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 1 Timothy 2:5 (NASB95)
In the above verse, Jesus’ manhood is preeminent, highlighting his role as mediator between God and mankind.
You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. James 2:19 (NASB95)
Analogies Fall Short
Sometimes we use analogies to try to convey the mystery of the Trinity, but they almost always come short of relating the complete truth. For example, the three-leaf clover that St. Patrick was said to have used to teach the Trinity in Ireland, is an imperfect analogy. Each leaf contributes to the makeup of the entire clover, but each leaf is not the clover.
Others use the three forms of water – ice, liquid, and vapor – to represent the Trinity. This one conveys part of the truth, but it is not possible to speak of one “water.” In addition, water cannot be all three at the same time. This analogy more closely corresponds to the modalistic heresy than to the truth. Perhaps the best analogy is the tripartite makeup of human beings. We are spirit, soul, and body. The three together make up the person, but each part is distinct; nevertheless, we are one person.
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NASB95)
Heresies Usually Deny One Strand of Trinitarian Truth
Modalism
This heresy teaches that God is one person who appears in three different forms or modes – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This heresy is attractive in that it stresses God’s oneness and seems to overcome the claim that Christianity is a polytheistic religion. This heresy runs into big problems trying to explain the atonement (Isaiah 53:11). Into whose hands did Jesus commit his spirit when ready to expire on the cross? To whom was Jesus praying when he addressed the Father? Why did Jesus say that the Spirit of God was upon him (Luke 4:18), if he and the Spirit are one? Modalism forces us to believe that God deliberately deceives us in these instances and dismisses the clear relationships between Father, Son, and Spirit.
Arianism
This heresy denies the full deity of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Arius, bishop of Alexandria in the fourth century, is credited with developing this false doctrine, which was condemned at the Council of Nicea in 325 AD. Modern exponents of this heresy include the Jehovah’s Witnesses. This error teaches that Jesus is a created being, not the eternal Son of God. They believe the Greek term “monogenes” (only begotten) means that Jesus was created. We can properly interpret this word in three ways. First, Jesus’ body was created when the Spirit impregnated Mary at the Incarnation. Secondly, Jesus is the first-born from the dead (Colossians 1:18), meaning he was the first to rise again from the dead permanently, making him the first-born of (the new) creation (Colossians 1:15). Additionally, the first-born of creation can mean the one having the privileges of the first-born, which includes being in charge. Thirdly, the word can also mean “one of a kind,” in a class all by itself. It is clear from other scriptures, which we covered earlier, that Jesus is indeed God and truly man.
Subordinationism
This heresy holds that, even though Jesus is divine, he is not equal to the Father. This false teaching was also rejected at the Council of Nicea. This one is interesting in that it relates to the relationship between a natural father and son and a man and his wife. The Father in heaven is not superior to the Son, but he is called “greater” by the Son out of respect. Natural children are to honor their parents, but no one would ever say that they are not equal to their parents. Equality of being is not the same as having equal roles. The same is true regarding man and wife. The man is given headship and is respected and obeyed by the wife, but he is not superior to her. These are God-given roles we play. Subordination in role is not equal to subordination in being.
The Jewish leaders understood that Jesus claimed to be equal with God and condemned him for it.
For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God. John 5:18 (NASB95)
Tritheism
No group today holds this view, but other religions, such as Islam, accuse Christians of worshiping three Gods.
Roles within the Godhead
Creation
- God the Father spoke creative words to bring the world into being. (Genesis 1:3, 2 Corinthians 4:6)
- The Son is the eternal Word or logos through whom the Father’s decree was carried out. (John 1:3, Colossians 1:16)
- The Holy Spirit’s role was more mysterious. He is said to have “hovered” or “moved” over the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:2 – rachaph – grow soft, relax, tremble)
Redemption
- God the Father planned redemption. (Ephesians 1:3-5, John 3:16)
- Jesus carried out the Father’s plan by dying for our sins and rising again. (John 6:38-40, Hebrews 10:5-7)
- The Holy Spirit is a sort of executor who applies the merits of Christ’s sacrifice to those whom the Father elected and draws them to Christ. (John 3:5-8, 1 Peter 1:2)
Equality of deity does not prohibit the persons of the Trinity from serving in subordinate roles. For us to operate with proper humility toward one another, it is important for us both to recognize and embrace this distinction.
The Eternal Existence of the Three Persons of the Trinity in Their Roles
Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians informs us that the Father chose us in the Son before he created the world. This indicates that their respective roles preexisted creation.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, Ephesians 1:3–5 (NASB95)
The different functions of the persons of the Trinity reveal the nature of their eternal relationships. Their respective roles are essential to who they are in the Godhead. In being they are the same, but in roles subordination comes into play.
Subordination does not imply inferiority.
In marriage God brings male and female into a unity in which the two become one flesh. This unity is symbolic of the relationship between Christ and his church, which is also a unity. It also reflects the unity of the three Persons of the Trinity.
“But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. 7 “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, 8 and the two shall become one flesh; so they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 “What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.” Mark 10:6–9 (NASB95) For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. 32 This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. Ephesians 5:31–32 (NASB95)
This unity in diversity is also reflected in the church which is one body but has many members.
For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Romans 12:4–5 (NASB95)
The doctrine of the Trinity is an important lesson in humility. If the Persons of the Trinity are able to subordinate themselves to one another, surely we can do the same.
Jesus was the perfect example. Paul wrote:
Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. 9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:6–11 (NLT)
The ability to humbly function in subordinate roles when appropriate is perhaps the greatest takeaway for us in the doctrine of the Trinity. God is humble while being unfathomably great and powerful.
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28–30 (NASB95)
