Apologetics
The Trinitarian Doctrine has gone through many redefinitions throughout the ages, but what remains the same, is the understanding there are three together, which are separate, but are One.
One person will tell you that it isn't historical, another will vehemently say it is. This is all very nice in an academic setting to fight over, but reality has to begin somewhere. Hopefully my two cents worth will be meaningful to someone.
I am not going to pretend to be a Theological whizz, or someone who even cares very much about whether or not the Trinitarian Doctrine is important to God or not. What I desire is for people to serve God with their hearts, not just their minds. This is a discussion where people usually leave their hearts at the door, and come in fighting.
I will present a couple points below, I feel is important to this discussion, and leave it at that. My understanding about what the Apostle Paul and Rabbi Maimonides taught us, was to believe and then do, if we do this our Eternal home is guaranteed.
1. Genesis 1:26 says "Let us make man in Our image, according to our likeness,"
The Christian church, from the time of Origen and Tertullian, to the First Council of Nicaea until now, says this means God the Father, was talking with God the Son, and God the Spirit. If we look at ourselves this could be true, we have a Spirit (Holy Spirit), Soul (Father), and Body (Son).
A very accepted view of this Scripture within Christian circles, and also quite logical. There are some Scholars who dispute this and say different, but reality is most Christians believe this to be God talking within a Triune Godhead.
a. Judaism says that this verse means God was talking with the 24 Elders around the Throne or the Heavenly Court (to be precise). Now this is also plausible, as even Revelation intimates there are these Elders or Heavenly Court who Worship God. (Rev 4:10).
The Other plausible repudiation within Judaism of the Christian take on this verse is God nowhere in Scripture talks to Himself in this manner.
b. Christians would argue these 24 Elders are people who were born after the Creation of the World, and God is clearly talking before He Created, which would seem to negate these Elders from being around.
My objection to this thinking is these Elders are not explained. Are they Human, Angels, something else, we do not know? All we know is there is a Heavenly Host which is around God.
2. What is a Godhead?
This is a very hard thing to nail down. Many people from the two Religions which sprang up from the Bible (at least the two religions which follow the Bible only), will say it is not specifically stated in the Scripture, but is definitely implied, thus understood to be true. With this I concur.
a. Within Judaism there is much conjecture about the Godhead, most come from mystical books called the Kabbalah.
Which are from a mystic teacher or Teachers, from the first or second century. Some believe they are only a compilation of teachings he or they, had received from his or their own Teachers, which went back to Moses.
The Kabbalah today has gotten varied press, some calling it antiquated gibberish, to others saying it is nothing but a spell book, to many who follow its tenets like a Religion unto itself.
The Kabbalah in essence, is deep teachings from the Torah, mostly about the Torah Portions or weekly studies every Rabbi teaches. I have found the Zohar to be the most authoritative in Judaic thought about the Godhead.
In it, the Writer, or writers, on this I am not too sure which it is, explains the Godhead as the Ein Sof, or that which is unknowable about God.
The Sefirot, or Names (Attributes) of God) is the knowable things about the Godhead.
Both of these parts are somewhat explained within the Zohar, by interpreting passages in Scripture. From my reading these interpretations say basically, the Godhead is anything connected to God.
There is a sort of pyramid shape to the Godhead. You have the Creator or Father (who is God), then you have on the right side the Messiah, and the left the Matrona or Spirit of God, then under these are Israel and other righteous Nations.
If your connected to God through either Israel or the Messiah, then you are part of the En Sof which is connected to the Ein Sof, complicated I know, but sound in scriptural logic amazingly.
Suffice it to say the Bible as I read it does not go into the minute detail as much as this theology of the Godhead does, but it is sound logic and based on Scripture.
b. Christians say the Trinity is a Separate Entity in need of nothing or no one. The Trinity is God, or the Godhead.
There are many Scriptures to cite this understanding, I will give you a few and you can look them up.(MT 28:19 Jn 10:30-38, 14-26, Col 2:9, Heb. 1:1-4).
At the center of the Trinity for the Christians is the belief that Jesus, the Messiah and one of the parts of the Godhead, is indeed the one who allows us to enter into the Godhead.
Christians would not refer to it in this exact way, but it can be said Jesus has brought many brothers into the Kingdom, making them Sons themselves, thus equal to Himself, thus a part of the Godhead too (Heb 2:1-3:2).
In any event, to my small brain, it seems the same logic about the Godhead exists between Judaism and Christianity.
Whoever is connected to the One True God. By One True God here, I mean the one who the Bible says Created the Universe according to the Genesis narrative and gave the Torah on Mt Sinai as Genesis - Deuteronomy explains. If your One with this God then you are connected to God, thus a part of the Godhead.
The Godhead, is always a singular entity in each religion as well, no matter how many parts there may be within it.
To Sum up my point, I do believe the Christian view about the Trinity is correct in a Biblical sense. It does mean you have to understand the Bible is a book meant to be lived. As you live out its teachings and beliefs, you come to understand its logic.
This logic seems to revolve around humans becoming part of God, thus becoming part of the Godhead, not in human terms or ideas, but Godly ones.
I know, clear as mud, which is why Theology is a bunch of gobbly gook anyway.
Just believe and follow and you will be fine!
Sources: Jewish Encyclopedia, Tovia Singer, Chabad.com, Nicene Creed, Tertullian, Origens Writings,
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I'm sure that Trinity is important for our salvation otherwise the bible would not have taught it, that the Godhead is plural in its singularity.
God The Father is The Truth
God the Son is The Truth of God's Love, and God The Spirit is The Father (The Truth) and The Son (God's Love) in Spirit/life/actuality/action.
These Three make One whole.
However ALL in ALL must be achieved - Hear O Israel the Lord you God is One!
Lies and their spiritual manifestations are not God and never will be, yet they are in God, us believing so much crap and clinging to untrue thing.
Revelation teachers us how Life is build/shaped - see Rev 4-7, such is not God, but the Life that Jesus gained for all of us, from God and only came into Being after Christ arose from the dead.
People will never be part of the Godhead, but will inherit His Kingdom nevertheless.
All in all now isn't that an interesting singularity to ponder on?