Reset Password
Reset Link Sent
| Blogs > Katididaustralia > Katididaustralia |
|
What Is The Origin Of The Trinity Doctrine? The New Encyclopoedia Britannica says: Neither the word trinity, nor the explicit doctrine as such, appears in the NT, nor did Jesus and his followers intend to contradict the Shema in the OT: Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord (Deut. 6:4).....The doctrine developed gradually over several centuries and through many controversies.....By the end of the 4th century...the doctrine of the trinity took substantially the form it has maintained ever since." - (1976), Micropaedia, Vol. X, p. 126. The New Catholic Encyclopedia states: The formulation one God in three Persons was not solidly established, certainly not fully assimilated into christian life and its profession of faith, prior to the end of the 4th century. But it is precisely this formulation that has first claim to the title the Trinitarian dogma. Among the Apostolic Fathers, there had been nothing even remotely approaching such a mentality or perspective. - (1976), Vol. XIV, p. 299. In The Encyclopedia Americana we read: Christianity derived from Judaism and Judaism was strictly Unitarian(believing that God is one person). The road which led from Jerusalem to Nicea was scarcely a straight one. 4th century trinitarianism did not reflect accurately early Christian teaching regarding the nature of God; it was, on the contrary, a deviation from this teaching." - (1956), Vol. XXVII, p. 294L. According to the Nouveau Dictionaire Universel, The Platonic trinity, itself merely a rearrangement of older trinities dating back to earlier peoples, appears to be the rational philosophic trinity of attribute that gave birth to the three hypostases or divine persons taught by the churches of christendom......The Greek philosophers(Plato, forth century BCE) conception of the divine trinity....can be found in all the ancient (pagan) religions. - (Paris, 1865-1870), edited by M. Lachatre, Vol. 2, p. 1467. John L. McKenzie, S.J., in his Dictionary of the Bible, says: The trinity of persons within the unity of nature is defined in terms of person and nature which are Greek philosophical terms; actually the terms do not appear in the Bible. The trinitarian definitions arose as the result of long controversies in which these terms and others such as essence and substance were erroneously applied to God by some theologians. - (New York, 1965), p. 899. If the is equal to the Father, how is it that the Father knows things that the does not? If it is true only regarding Jesus human nature, why does the Holy Spirit not know? Psalm 83:18(King James Bible) That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the Earth. John 4:23 + 24 (King James Bible) But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. A person who is seeking to know the truth about God is not going to search the Bible hoping to find a text that he can construe as fitting what he already believes. He wants to know what Gods Word itself says. He may find some texts that he feels can be read in more than one way, but when these are compared with other Biblical statements on the same subject their meaning will become clear. It should be noted at the outset that most of the texts used as proof of the trinity actually mention only tow persons, not three; so even if the trinitarian explanation of the texts were correct, these would not prove that the Bible teaches the trinity. If you cling to the belief in the trinity you are in a very dangerous position. The evidence is indisputable that the dogma of the trinity is not found in the Bible nor is it in harmony with what the Bible teaches. It grossly misrepresents the true God. Jesus made it clear that those whose worship is not in truth and not in harmony with the truth set out in Gods own word are not true worshippers. To Jewish religious leader of the first century, Jesus said - For the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God....and...well did Isaiah prophesy of you when he said This people honors me with their lips but their heart is far from me and in vain do they worship me. Teaching as doctrines the precepts of me.(Matthew 15:6-9 RS). That applies with equal force to those in christendom today who advocate human traditions in preference to the clear truths of the Bible. Regarding the trinity, the Athanasian Creed(in English) says that its members are incomprehensible and teachers of the doctrine often state that is is a mystery. Obviously such a trinitarian god is not the one that Jesus had in mind when he said...We worship what we know.(John 4:22, RS) Do you really know the god you worship? |
|||
|
the trinity was the greek logical answer to the dillema of the ONE god of judiasm. i think it was tertullian (a latin philosopher) that coined the phrase. one of the earliest councils of the church adopted the concept and it was part of the original nicean creed. you are correct, it is only implied in the bible and never explicitly described. nor does the bible demand the concept be followed. for a LONG while after nicea, the church killed EVERYONE who did not accept the trinity as heretics. that went a long way in securing trinity doctrine as the only way to look at god.
| ||
|
Hi Blue, Dear, I have been studying with Jehovah's Witnesses for some time now. I just haven't progressed to Baptism yet altho' I surely hope to be in the very near future. I have no qualms about being proud to have learned the Truth of the Scriptures and associating my brothers and sisters or with letting others know my position. Nullus Anxietus. Grin. As to your reference to John 10:30. Tis a lovely verse but when saying this, did Jesus mean that he and Jehovah were equal? Some, such as yourself, think so, but at John 17:21+22, Jesus prayed regarding his followers: 'That they may all be one', and he added, 'that they may be one even as we are one'. He used the same Greek word 'hen' for 'one' in all these instances. Obviously, Jesus' disciples do not all become part of the trinity but they do come to share a oneness of purpose with The Father and The Son, the same sort of oneness that unites God and Christ. Jesus, being the 'first of creation' was with The Father for untold eons before he came to be transferred to a human form. Being with Jehovah for so long, being given the authority to be Jehovah's Master Worker in the creation of all things and learning, all that time, about Jehovah God's qualities, characteristics, standards and principles, it can be said that He and God are one simply by virtue of the fact that Jesus completely loves The Father and follows Him in all His ways. Like an earthly son of whom people may say ....'Gee, you are just like your Dad'....it does not mean that he and his Dad are one and the same person....It just means that he may look like his Dad or more commonly...that the son shares the same attributes as the father because of having learned from his father. He may copy other attributes of his Dad like gestures and mannerisms which would compound the likeness. I have many reference to further this study if are interested Blue. Such questions as: Does the Bible teach that the Holy Spirit is a person?, Does the Bible agree with the teaching that the Father and the Son are not separate and distinct individuals?, Does the Bible teach that all who are said to be part of the trinity are eternal, none having a beginning?, Does the Bible teach that none of those who are said to be included in the trinity is greater or lessor than another, that all are equal, that all are almighty? Does the Bible teach that each of those said to be part of the trinity is God?....and more. It is a very big subject for study and comparison, there is no doubt about that Blue. I am a bit 'not quite myself' today dearheart, I've been working hard raking soil we put down in the yard last week, getting it ready for laying turf...I'm a bit tired. So I will close this communique for now. Hope this gives you lovely spiritual food for thought. Love Katidid.
|
×
×