(Continued-Chapter IV-The Triune Nature of the God of the Universe)

Throughout this period the Lord raised up prophets who denounced the evils of their day and showed the folly of idolatry. It was with the greatest difficulty that the prophets engaged in their ministry, because of the terrific opposition on the part of the people. Among these messengers of God Isaiah stands foremost as a great statesman-prophet who championed the cause of the Eternal God and condemned idolatry constantly. His ministry was during the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. The dates, given in terms of the Ussher chronology, fall in the latter half of the eighth century before Christ. One of Isaiah's famous statements setting forth the true God is found in Isaiah 43:8-13.

8 Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears, 9 Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the peoples be assembled: who among them can declare this, and show us former things? let them bring their witnesses, that they may be justified; or let them hear, and say, It is truth. 10 Ye are my witnesses, saith Jehovah, and my servant whom I have chosen; that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. 11 I, even I, am Jehovah; and besides me there is no saviour. 12 I have declared, and I have saved, and I have showed; and there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith Jehovah, and I am God. 13 Yea, since the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who can hinder it?

In this passage the prophet said that the people were blind and deaf. Nevertheless he, in his oratorical manner, called for a great assembly of the nations. It is altogether possible that the historical contest which Elijah had on Mount Carmel with the prophets of Baal furnished the imagery that appears in this passage (I Kings, chap. 18). In verse 9 of our quotation Isaiah called upon the imaginary assembly of the Gentiles to present their cause in order that they might demonstrate the correctness of the position which they had espoused and prove that their idols which they were worshipping were indeed real gods. Without waiting for them to answer in this great conclave of dignitaries, he hurled a challenge at them, demanding that they either show the future in prophetic utterances or be quiet and admit the truth of that which he was speaking. Turning to Israel, the prophet declared that they are the Almighty's witnesses and are His servants whom He has chosen that they might know Him, believe in Him and understand that He is the true God; for before the Eternal God there was no God formed, neither shall there be any after Him. He existed before the creation of the world, and He will remain in the plenitude of His life and power after the present material order has passed out of existence. To these solemn, eternal truths the nation of Israel is to bear witness.

According to verses 11-13 the Almighty declared "I, even I, am Jehovah; and besides me there is no saviour. I have declared and I have saved and I have showed; and there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith Jehovah, and I am God. Yea, since the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who can hinder it?" In these verses the Almighty declared that He, even He, is the Eternal One. The word appearing in the original is: יְהוָה (Jehovah). Here Jehovah declared that He is the only one who makes revelations and can save. He works and there is no one who can hinder.

When the Almighty asserts that He is the Eternal One, we must interpret this language in the light of Israel's Great Confession which was discussed in the section above. The reader will recall that Moses declared to Israel, "Hear, O Israel, Jehovah our Gods is Jehovah a unity." Since Moses affirmed, as we have already seen, that the Eternal, Israel's God, constitutes a unity, we must interpret this statement of Isaiah, which he uttered in his fight against idolatry, as having the same significance as it does in Shema'--her Great Confession (Deut. 6:4). In view of these facts we see that the prophet in his condemnation of idolatry at large was setting forth the unity of the Divine Being, who, as we have already seen, consists of the three personalities appearing in the passages discussed above.

Again, in his fight against polytheism, the prophet set forth, as we see in Isaiah 44:6-8, the teaching regarding the true God; "Thus saith Jehovah, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, Jehovah of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and besides me there is no God. And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I established the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and that shall come to pass, let them declare. Fear ye not, neither be afraid; have not I declared of old, and showed it? and ye are my witnesses. Is there a God besides me? yea, there is no Rock; I know not any." Let us remember that this is the Eternal One, concerning whom, Moses declared: "Hear, O Israel, Jehovah our Gods is Jehovah a unity."

Once more we see the prophet presenting the teaching concerning the oneness of the God in Isaiah 46:8-13.

8 Remember this, and show yourselves men; bring it again to mind, O, ye transgressors. 9 Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me; 10 declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done; saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure; 11 calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country; yea, I have spoken, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed, I will also do it. 12 Hearken unto me, ye stout-hearted, that are far from righteousness; 13 I bring near my righteousness, it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry; and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.

According to verse 9 the Lord said, "Remember the former things of old: for I am God [Elohim], and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me." The one who is speaking is this same Eternal God concerning whom Moses said, "... Jehovah our Gods is Jehovah a unity" (literal translation).

Since Moses, the great lawgiver was very specific and declared that Jehovah, the Gods of Israel, constitutes a unity, we are to understand that Isaiah in this passage was not contradicting him. There is perfect agreement and harmony between these great inspired men of God. Isaiah evidently used the name Jehovah with the same meaning which it has in Israel's Great Confession. All who trust God and are willing to receive His revelation will accept the statements of Moses and all the prophets.

In our investigation thus far we have seen that Moses and the prophets used plural nouns, pronouns, and verbs in referring to the One Eternal God. Moreover they spoke of two divine personalities at various times. On certain occasions they referred to "the angel of Jehovah" and in the same context spoke of Him as Jehovah himself. In other passages we see that these messengers of God also spoke of "the word of the Lord Jehovah" as one of the divine personalities. Furthermore they thought of the "Spirit of Jehovah" likewise as a divine personality. Moreover there are certain passages, as we have also seen, from Moses and the prophets which speak of three divine personalities working in conjunction one with the other. In addition to these facts we see in certain blessings a threefold request, which, for instance, is clearly discernible in the priestly blessing found in Numbers 6:24-26. Also in the scene of Isaiah, chapter 6, we hear the pronouncing of the triple holiness which would, in the light of the other facts presented be echoes of the three divine personalities.

On the other hand, we hear a clear note sounded, setting forth the position that the God of Israel is a unity. Such is the significance of Israel's Great Confession (Deut. 6:4). Isaiah was a great monotheist who emphasized the unity of the Divine Being in his fight against idolatry. At the same time, according to the statements and facts seen above, there are three divine personalities. In order to be scientific we must accept all the statements of Moses and the prophets, and seek for a harmony of the seemingly contradictory statements.

Having seen these facts in the writings of Moses and the prophets, we shall now turn to the Christian Scriptures to discover what they teach.

The Hebrew Scriptures point forward to things in the future. If the revelation of God stopped with them, they would be incomplete; because many of the things forecast by Moses and the prophets are still in the future. The Christian Scriptures are called the New Testament and supplement or complete the picture presented in the Old. In making this statement, I do not mean to imply that all the predictions found in the Old Testament have been fulfilled and that the record of them is given in the New Testament; but that those predictions of Messiah's redemptive career which pertain to His first appearance upon the earth have been fulfilled completely according to the New Testament, in the coming of Jesus of Nazareth nineteen hundred years ago. After His rejection by His own people, He returned to glory where He has been seated at the right hand of the throne of God during the last nineteen hundred years. As we shall see in Chapter XII, He is awaiting the time for His beloved people Israel to see the truth regarding Him and His redemptive work, to acknowledge her national sin, and to accept Him in order that He may return to earth and fulfill all the predictions made by Moses and the prophets.

With this understanding of the matter, let us now look to the testimony of the New Testament concerning the one true and living God and its teaching relative to the divine personalities.

As we have already seen, the Hebrew Scriptures teach that there is a plurality of divine personalities. If the New Testament is the true revelation of this one Supreme Being, we shall find the same teaching in it. To its pages therefore let us turn.

In the following passages we see a plurality of divine personalities: "And the angel [Gabriel] said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David; and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end ... The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee; wherefore also the holy thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of God" (Luke 1:30-35). In verse 30 the Father is seen. According to verse 32 the child, whose name was to be Jesus, was to be called "the son of the Most High." In verse 35 the Holy Spirit is seen and the part He was to play in the birth of the Son of God is foretold. In this passage therefore we see three divine personalities; "the Lord God," verses 30, 32; "the Son of the Most High," verse 34; and "the Holy Spirit," verse 35.

We also observe three divine personalities in Matthew's record of the birth of Jesus: "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise; When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But when he thought on these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she shall bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus;¹ for it is he that shall save his people from their sins. Now all this is come to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, And they shall call his name Immanuel; which is being interpreted, God with us" (Matt. 1:18-23). In verses 18 and 20 the Holy Spirit appears. The Lord God is seen in verse 22, and Jesus, the child, born of a virgin, who is none other than Immanuel, which means "God is with us," is presented in verse 23. Thus there appear in this historical record the three divine personalities.

Jesus began His personal ministry by submitting to baptism at the hands of John. This event is recorded in Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11, and Luke 3:21,22. Though the Apostle John in his record does not give an account of the baptism, that event nevertheless is echoed most clearly in John 1:29-34. A study of these passages shows that there were present on that occasion three divine personalities. God the Father was in heaven. God the Son was baptized by John in the presence of vast multitudes of people. God the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descended out of heaven and lighted upon Jesus. At that time the voice of the Father from heaven declared, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." The mention of the three divine personalities in these passages, without any explanation, shows that the doctrine of the Trinity was accepted by the Jews of the first century and needed no argumentation to convince them on this point. The Evangelists assumed on the part of their readers (Matthew wrote especially for the Jews) a knowledge of the three personalities in the Old Testament Scriptures.

The words of our Lord to His disciples, when He met them in Galilee just before His ascension, are of special import regarding the subject under consideration: "And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world" (Matt 28:18-20).

The wording of this sentence is most important. According to this record all authority in the heavens above and upon the earth beneath has been given to Jesus of Nazareth. In view of this fact He commanded the Apostles to go forth and proclaim in His name the message of salvation to all nations. Furthermore, they were instructed to baptize all who accepted the message into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. The word name is in the singular number, which fact has a profound significance. In this connection let us note that He did not say into the names of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Neither did He say, into the name of the Father, and into the name of the Son, and into the name of the Holy Spirit, which statement likewise would have indicated three separate deities. Neither did He say that they should baptize the believers into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, which words would have indicated that there was a single person known by the three designations.

On the contrary, He selected very definite and impressive language to indicate the unity of the three--"baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." The use of the word name in the singular number emphasizes most emphatically the unity of the three personalities referred to and at the same time and with equal clearness and distinctness, it affirms the individuality and personality of the three--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There is therefore standing out in bold relief the idea of the unity of the three personalities, who are from one standpoint, a unity but, viewed from another angle, are also a trinity. Beyond controversy the three--the Father, The Son, and Holy Spirit--are separate and distinct; and at the same time they are one in that they subsist in the one divine essence or nature.

To appreciate the significance of this remarkable language, one must understand the use to which name was put in the Old Testament. On this point an Old Testament scholar has made this observation: "for the Hebrew did not think of the name, as we are accustomed to do, as a mere external symbol; but rather as an adequate expression of the innermost being of its bearer." According to this conception, the being and existence of God finds expression in the name. For instance, we see it in the following quotation: "If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, JEHOVAH THY GOD" (Deut. 28:58). Another illustration of this usage is found in Exodus 23:20,21: "Behold, I send an angel before thee, to keep thee by the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Take ye heed before him, and hearken unto his voice; provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgression: for my name is in Him." Let the reader note that the Almighty according to this passage, said that He was sending an angel before Israel to guide her and keep her in the way. She was warned to take heed to her thoughts and actions, and to hearken to this one, being careful not to provoke him; for "he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him." The name of God was in this angel. He was to guide and keep Israel in the way. His anger could be stirred, and there was a possibility that He would not forgive her sins. We know that God alone forgives sin and that He does not grant such a prerogative to a subordinate being. In view of these facts we can be certain that this "angel" in whom was the name of God was indeed a Divine Being. In order that the reader might understand more fully the Hebrew usage of the word name, I wish to quote Isaiah 30:27-33:

27 Behold, the name of Jehovah cometh from far, burning with his anger, and in thick rising smoke: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue is as a devouring fire; 28 and his breath is as an overflowing stream, that reacheth even unto the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of destruction: and a bridle that causeth to err shall be in the jaws of the peoples. 29 Ye shall have a song as in the night when a holy feast is kept; and gladness of heart, as when one goeth with a pipe to come unto the mountain of Jehovah, to the Rock of Israel. 30 And Jehovah will cause his glorious voice to be heard, and will show the lighting down of his arm, with the indignation of his anger, and the flame of a devouring fire, with a blast, and tempest and hailstones. 31 For through the voice of Jehovah shall the Assyrian be dismayed; with his rod will he smite him. 32 And every stroke of the appointed staff, which Jehovah shall lay upon him, shall be with the sound of tabrets and harps; and in battles with the brandishing of his arm will he fight with them. 33 For a Topheth is prepared of old; yea for the king it is made ready; he hath made it deep and large; the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of Jehovah, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.

The reader should note the fact that in verse 27 the expression, "the name of Jehovah," is said to be coming from afar. This one is filled with rage and with indignation and will enter into judgment with the nations of earth. According to verse 29 Israel will be looking forward to the coming of "the name of Jehovah" and will be rejoicing in anticipation of His advent. In the next verse this one who is thus designated is called Jehovah, who will cause His glorious voice to be heard and will show the lightning down of His arm in His indignation against the wicked.

Again we see the same usage of name in Isaiah 59:19: "So shall they fear the name of Jehovah from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun; for he will come as a rushing stream, which the breath of Jehovah driveth." As is well known by all Hebrew scholars, the Book of Isaiah, with the exception of chapters 36-39, is Hebrew poetry, the fundamental principle of which is parallelism. In the first statement of this quotation "the name of Jehovah" is the same as "his glory" in the second. This fact shows that the Hebrews used the phrase "name of Jehovah," as a synonym for Jehovah himself. Once again, we see this same idea appearing in Jeremiah 14:9: "Why shouldest thou be as a man affrighted, as a mighty man that cannot save? Yet thou, O Jehovah, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; leave us not." God's being in the midst of Israel in the first statement is paralleled by the second clause which declares that she is called by His name. Literally rendered, the last clause should read: "... and thy name is called upon us; leave us not." The significance of this idiom may be seen from (II Samuel 12:26-28, which states that "Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon" and was about to take it. He therefore called upon David to come and superintend the last phase of the battle, "lest I [Joab] take the city and my name be called upon it" (literal translation). For David's name to be called upon it was for him to take possession of it. Thus when Jeremiah spoke of the Lord's being in the midst of Israel and of His name's being called upon her, the prophet meant to say that she became the personal possession of Jehovah. Name therefore unmistakably in these and similar passages always indicates God himself. The same usage appears in Isaiah 63:19: "We are become as they over whom thou never barest rule, as they upon whom thy name has not been called" (literal translation). The same idiom appears in Jeremiah 15:16. From these and many other examples it becomes clear that name in the Hebrew language often signifies God himself. For His name to be called upon certain ones meant that they became His personal property. Their entering this relationship was expressed by the custom of having God's name called upon them as in the baptismal formula.

When therefore the Lord Jesus of Nazareth said for His disciples to baptize those who accepted Him "into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," He meant that the believer being thus baptized entered into a special relationship with the triune God--with Him who is one in a particular sense and also three at the same time in a different sense. Thus the baptismal formula of Matthew 28:19,20 is but a Hebrew idiomatic expression which connotes the same thing as entering into special relationship with the name of Jehovah, the Holy Trinity. Upon this point the late B.B. Warfield, of Princeton Seminary, made the following observation: "He (Jesus) could not have been understood otherwise than as substituting for the name of Jehovah this other Name of 'the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost'; and this could not possibly have meant to His disciples anything else than that Jehovah was now to be known to them by the new Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. The only alternative would have been that, for the community which He was founding, Jesus was supplanting Jehovah by a new God; and this alternative is no less than monstrous. This is no alternative, therefore, to understanding Jesus here to be giving for His community a new Name to Jehovah, and that new Name to be the threefold name of 'the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost.' Nor is there room for doubt that by 'the Son' in the threefold Name, He meant just himself with all the implications of distinct personality which this carries with it; and, of course, that further carries with it the equally distinct personality of 'the Father' and 'the Holy Ghost' with whom 'the Son' is here associated, and from whom alike 'the Son' is here distinguished. This is a direct ascription to Jehovah, the God of Israel, of threefold personality, and is therewith the direct enunciation of the doctrine of the Trinity. We are not witnessing here the birth of the doctrine of the Trinity; that is pre-supposed. What we are witnessing is the authoritative announcement of the Trinity as the God of Christianity by its Founder, in one of the most solemn of His recorded declarations. Israel had worshipped the one only true God under the name of Jehovah; Christians are to worship the same one only and true God under the name of 'the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost.' "

In John 16:1-15 we see three divine personalities: the Father (vss. 3,10, and 15); the Holy Spirit (Comforter, vs. 7: the Spirit of Truth, vs. 13); and the Lord Jesus Christ, who is speaking throughout the passage. Not only in this section of Scripture but in others (especially in this same Gospel) do we observe the three personalities of the Father, the son, and the Holy Spirit.

The three divine personalities of the Trinity appear in II Corinthians 13:14: "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all."

Passages that refer to the Trinity are found in many places in the New Testament. The same order, however, is not always maintained. Sometimes the Father is mentioned first; the Son second; and the Spirit, third. In other passages the Son is first; the Spirit, second; and the Father is third. Sometimes the Spirit is mentioned first, the others following Him. This variation in the mention of the three indicates that they are equal in person and rank; otherwise there would not be a variation in the order of mention.

The Apostle Paul wrote thirteen epistles, and possibly also Hebrews. It is quite interesting and instructive to note how he began each of his epistles. Usually he started by uttering a prayer for grace and peace from two persons of the Holy Trinity. Generally he closed with a similar petition or doxology. There is reflected in all of his epistles a consciousness of the three divine personalities, for mention of them creeps out constantly in what he writes. For instance, examine such passages as Ephesians 2:18; 3:2-5; 4:4-6; and 5:18-20.

As a matter of fact one sees the doctrine of the Trinity reflected in all the epistles of the New Testament. Likewise it is very pronounced in the Book of Revelation. In fact, this doctrine constitutes the basic conception of the writers of the New Testament as it was with Moses and the prophets.

One of the most marvelous statements regarding two of the divine personalities appears in the prologue of John's Gospel (John 1:1-18):

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not. 6 There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came that he might bear witness of the light. 9 There was the true light, even the light which lighteth every man, coming into the world. 10 He was in the world and the world was made through him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and they that were his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth. 15 John beareth witness of him, and crieth, saying, This was he of whom I said, He that cometh after me is become before me: for he was before me. 16 For of his fullness we all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

Three statements appear in verse 1 of this quotation which are: first, in the beginning was the Word; second, the Word was with God; and, third, the Word was God. The expression, in the beginning, is an echo of Genesis 1:1: "In the beginning Gods created the heavens and the earth" (Literal translation). John asserts that the one of whom he was speaking and whom he calls "the Word" was in that portion of eternity which was prior to the creation of the universe. The Greek word rendered was is in the imperfect tense and denotes the existence of this Word throughout eternity of the past. The second momentous utterance is that this Word was in association with God during that past eternity. In other words, he was and is co-eternal with God and was in the most intimate fellowship and association with Him. The last statement is also a mighty utterance: "Divine was the Word." This clause literally declared "And God was the Word." From this verse we learn that these two divine, co-eternal, co-equal Beings were in the most intimate fellowship throughout the eternity of the past. Verse 2 re-emphasizes the fact that the Word was in the beginning in association with God.


Footnotes:

¹ Jesus means "Jehovah's salvation."

(Continued on the next page)