Orthodox Outlet for Dogmatic Enquiries About God

 

Is the Holy Trinity mentioned anywhere in the Holy Bible?

By Papyrus 52 

 

 

In a previous article, we revealed the absurdity of the argument “Where does the Holy Bible say something about the Holy Trinity?”  We had also presented a host of Scriptural verses that evidenced the Triune status of God, in very many articles....  Herebelow, we shall take a look at a few more items that pertain to the link between the Holy Bible and God as a Triad/Trinity.

“Triad” is a Greek word, which is interpreted as “a whole, comprised of three” – a word, however, that is not dependent on one’s religious beliefs, but instead can apply to all, given that in many verses of the New Testament we can see a specific triad of names mentioned therein:

Matthew 28:19

a) of the Father, and b) of the Son, and c) of the Holy Spirit

2 Corinthians 13:13

a) of the Lord Jesus Christ, b) of God, c) of the Holy Spirit

 1 Thessalonians 1:3-5

a) of our Lord Jesus Christ, b) of our God and Father, c) in the Holy Spirit

 1 Peter 1:2

a) of God the Father, b) of the Spirit, c) of Jesus Christ.

These names of the Triad (Trinity) – the Father, the Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit – pertain to Persons, given that Scripture indicates the Holy Spirit as also being a Person, inasmuch as He too speaks and gives instructions:  Said the Holy Spirit, you must appoint for Me Barnabas and Saul, for the work that I am inviting them to” (Acts 13:2).

 

Furthermore, these three Persons are also holy:

Holy is the Father  (John 17:11),

Holy is the Son (Luke 1:35),

Holy is the Spirit (Matthew 1:18).

 ... which is why they are also referred to as a Holy Trinity.

 

In fact, according (again) to the New Testament, God is not only the Father; God is also the Son:  

 “... looking forward to the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.... » (Titus 2:13).

 

...but so is the Holy Spirit:

“But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and [...] Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”  (Acts 5:3-4)

 

This faith in the New Testament has existed in the Church since ancient times. Saint Ignatius, who was Bishop as early as 70 A.D. and who was acquainted with the Apostles, tells us:  For, our God, Jesus Christ, was carried in the womb of Maria, by the providence of God”. (Ephesians 18:2, Patrologia Graeca 5,660A).

 

Hippolytos of Rome (ca. End of the 2nd century A.D.), long before the Church “became stronger”, wrote:  

Besides, we cannot believe in one God, unless we actually believe in the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit  (Patrologia Graeca 10,821B).

 

In our Category “About God” here, there is a multitude of evidence on the Church’s perennial faith in the Holy Trinity, as well as hundreds of scriptural verses that evidence this fact.  You are cordially invited to browse through it.

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The Holy Trinity in the Bible

Excerpt from the Greek post : http://o-nekros.blogspot.com/2010/12/blog-post_4933.html

When our muslim brethren have before them the Hadiths, they appear to be absolutely certain of their authenticity – or at least of the authenticity of the ones that their spiritual teachers have acknowledged and have recorded as authentic.  Of course they can find many “rational” arguments in order to support their views, but the truth is: they TRUST the Hadiths, because - by definition - they regard as trustworthy the compilers and the commentators of those texts.

However, when we invoke the words of Jesus, unfortunately there are those who easily “dismiss” them, by regarding them as myths and forgeries.  When we invoke the words of His Apostles – those blessed eyewitnesses of Jesus – they lightheartedly characterize them as forgers.  Also, when invoking the words of the holy Fathers of the Church, they are quick to slander them with all kinds of accusations, in their persistent attempts to demote the validity of Christianity’s basic teachings...

Inside the New Testament, Jesus Himself asks for faith in Him (for example, John 3:29 and 9:35-38), and in fact stating that when honouring Him, the honour should be equal to the honour bestowed on the Father (John 5:23 - “so that everyone honour the son as they honour the father”). How, then, could this be considered as “idolatry” and an “offense” to God?

Christianity’s Triadology was not concocted during the 1st Ecumenical Council; it was the revelation of God by Jesus Himself - and (on the Pentecost) by the Holy Spirit – a revelation that is continuously experienced by the saints of every generation.  It is the unshakeable faith and teaching of the Christian saints, since the beginning of Christianity, and it of course constitutes progress when compared to the Old Testament, inasmuch as the people of that time were not yet “spiritually mature” in order to properly perceive such important information.  If the Old Testament had contained God’s perfect revelation, there would have been no need for Christ to come – even as a mere prophet.

In the New Testament, triadology is not expounded or formulated analytically, precisely because it is an experienced fact, beyond all doubt.  But it is also testified, in a host of triadological references, such as the most familiar excerpt: “...baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:29), and “May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God and Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all (2 Corinthians 13 : a phrase which – according to Biblical scholars – belongs to the proto-Christian (Apostolic)  Divine Liturgy).

 

 

Translation :  A.N.

Article published in English on: 14-11-2018.

Last update: 14-11-2018.

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