THE TRIUNITY OF YHVH ELOHIM

+================================================================+ | / | | ____/_ ____ | | ___ / | | !!!!!!! / / / / !!!!!!! | | ||||||| / /__/_/ ||||||| | | ||||||| /__ _____ ||||||| | | | ***W*** / ***W*** | | | _-_ T / T _-_ | | | |———————————————-| | | | | | Sh’ma Yisrael YHVH ELOHEINU YHVH Echad | | | | | | V’ahata et YHVH Elohekha b’khol l’vavcha | | | | | | oovkhol nafsh’kha ovvkhol me’odekha | | | | | |———————————————-| | | | -_- -_- | | | | | |It has been said: The Father spoke, and the Word is Messiah, and| | the breath that carries the Word is the | | Ruach HaKodesh-(Holy Spirit). |

+================================================================+ Part I THE TRI-UNITY OF YHVH ELOHIM

{Trinity or Modalism? (or) Is there a road between these two ditches}
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There are two main ideas expressed in “Christian” understanding on the nature of YHVH ELOHIM {(the) L-RD G-D} today: Trinity – The idea that there are Three absolutely distinct Persons which together are the One G-d; and Modalism – The idea that the One G-d is an absolute singularity Who manifests to mankind as either the Father, the Son, or the Holy Spirit, but that because G-d is a singularity, then Each is actually the Other, and that the Son while on earth was all Three.

It is my contention both of these ideas have some truth, and as a result, can both be argued from a Scriptural viewpoint. There IS ONLY One G-d/Elohim! And yet the One G-d/Elohim shows Himself to mankind as the Father, the Son/Messiah, and the Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit, -{not assuming these three “modes” one at a time, but expressing Himself to mankind, and from eternity, as Three}. This idea is called the Unity, or the Tri-Unity of HaShem/YHVH, and I believe it is closer to the Biblical understanding, and perhaps is closer to what the origonal idea of the Trinity was, before it digressed into a type of ‘polytheism’ expressed by certain of the more modern understandings of the G-dhead.

First, let me try to illustrate all three of these ideas by a physical illustration -{noting that the physical is a poor representation, (at best), of the Spiritual}.

TRINITY: {Modern}: Three seperate candle-holders with three candles in them burning, and together understood as representing G-d. {Ancient}: The ancient idea, I believe, was closer to the idea of one menorah/ candle-holder with three branches, holding three burning candles, and so, was closer to the idea of the Tri-Unity of HaShem, as follows:

TRI-UNITY: One candle-holder, holding three candles braided into one candle; or else: one candle with three wicks burning with one flame.

MODALISM: One three branched candle-holder, with one candle that moves back and forth between the three branches.

First, before I go on, we should establish some things expressed in Scripture that all three of these ideas hold. First: Yeshua-(Jesus) is G-d! The Father is G-d, and the Holy Spirit is G-d. This is a given understanding in all three of these viewpoints above, but it is also where the similarity ceases. As one who holds to the Tri-Unity stance: I believe that Yeshua Messiah’s Divine nature IS TOTALLY G-d/ Elohim; but NOT THE TOTALLITY of Elohim, (which is NOT in conflict with Scripture that states that Yeshua/Jesus is the fullness of the G-dhead bodily!) Also I believe this concerning the Father and Ruach HaKodesh/ The Holy Spirit – that Each is Elohim; yet: Each is not, (neither in specific nor in absolute reality), completely and totally the Other, -{as would be expressed by the Hebrew word yachid: an absolute singular one). Rather I hold that the Hebrew word which is used Biblically, Echad -(a composite/Unity One – as in evening/morning echad/one day; man and wife echad/one flesh; Hear O Israel YHVH ELOHEINU YHVH Echad/ One.), provides a correct understanding of the Tri-Unity. And as a result, each One is never apart from the Other, -{as that would be a wrong idea of three absolute singular-(yachid) beings, that collectively are called the Echad-(One) G-d/Elohim.}

I will attempt to show this from a Biblical, ancient Rabbinic, and historical stance. Let’s start at Genesis -{in Hebrew: Beresheet = (In the beginning). A good place to start <grin>}.

Gen.1- In the beginning Elohim created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form and void; and darkness was on the surface of the waters. And the Ruach/Spirit of Elohim moved over the surface of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light…

In the beginning Elohim… No one really has a problem in under- standing here that Elohim includes the Father, {some would say that G-d here is only the Father}. Then we see …the Spirit of God moved…, which is held by some to be the Holy Spirit, by others the Spirit of King Messiah -{the ancient Rabbinic stance is that this Spirit is none other than the Spirit of King Messiah}. Then we see: …And God SAID… -and many would agree that included in this “SAID” is the idea of the Word/Davar/Memra of Elohim, the pre-Incarnate Word of Elohim, Who became Yeshua the Messiah. But whatever viewpoint is adopted, it is clear that the idea of the “Spirit of Elohim”, is a distinct Manifestation of Elohim, not expressing the totality of Elohim, but yet His Spirit. This passage is paralled in John 1- In the beginning was the Davar/Word/Memra, and the Davar was with Elohim, and the Davar was Elohim. The Same was in the beginning with Elohim. …All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made….

First of all, we know that Elohim/G-d alone is the Creator, and so relating back to the idea in Gen. of: …And God said:…, we see from a physical illustration, that once you as a person speak, your words are both you, and with you. -[in other words: you couldn’t hear your own words, nor could the person you are speaking to, unless your words-(which are a part of you) were external to yourself!] Man is created in the image of G-d, and you illustrate the idea of the Davar/ Memra/Word of G-d, (in a very limited sense of course), every time you speak! Your words are both with you, and are you, yet they are external to you, as they are heard by your own ears!

It has been said: The Father spoke, and the Word is the Messiah, and the breath that carries the Word is the Ruach HaKodesh/The Holy Spirit.

But, here we must state that no ‘part’ of Elohim, should ever be stated as being “dumb/non-intelligent”, rather: the Word, and the Breath of Elohim are not simply “active forces”, (as the Holy Spirit is stated to be by Jehovah witnesses), but instead, are Each: expressive, conscious, and communicative. -[Who would say that a part of Elohim is non-conscious, or only a force?! Any Manifestation of the True G-d/ Elohim must of Itself hold the nature of the True G-d/Elohim: all knowledge, wisdom and understanding!]

We are created in the “image” of Elohim/G-d, and this “image” can show forth, (in part), the state of the Creator; but since we are fallen from His “likeness” we are not able to understand His nature from the natural man. {Spiritual things are Spiritually discerned}.

Part II

In this second part, we’ll continue by looking at both early quotes from Believers which show the idea of the Tri-Unity, as well as ancient Rabbinic writings which shows this, in connection with Scripture from Tanach [Old Covenant].

The verse in Genesis 1:26a-27: Then God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness, … So God created man in His Own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them; -has always been one that is disputed with theological gymnastics by those who deny the Tri-Unity of HaShem/Y’hovah Elohim -{YHVH G-d}. Saying all sorts of things, such as: G-d is talking in the “royal we” tense, -[fine for King’s English, but no cigar in Hebrew tenses 🙂 ]; or that G-d was in some way consulting the angels in this discussion, hence “let us”. But, due to the construct of the passage, G-d would then be including the angels in the creation itself, which flies in the face of Scripture! This verse was a difficult ones for the Rabbi’s as well, as we see following: Rabbis Samuel bar Nahman in the name of Rabbi Jonathan said, that at the time when Moses wrote the Torah, writing a portion of it daily, when he came to this verse which says, ‘And Elohim said, let Us make man in Our image after Our likeness,’ Moses said, Master of the Universe why do You give herewith an excuse to the sectarians -(who believe in the Tri-Unity of G-d), G-d answered Moses, You write and whoever wants to err let him err.

Here we see, that, {in this case}, the Rabbi’s, (while disagreeing with the Messianic Jews {Natzratim} over the issue of the Tri-Unity), can offer no direct rebutal to their stance, and rather has Moses himself questioning G-d concerning it, & him stating that it is: “an excuse” to believe this! While this does not absolutely ‘prove’ anything, it does show that the Rabbi’s were having difficulty disproving the stance of the Tri-Unity based upon the construct of this verse, and were in an off-hand way agreeing with the Natzratim understanding of the language used here, by not directly refuting it.

A side note on this verse, we are created in the ‘image’ of Elohim. It is obvious from various verses of Scripture, that we are a three-fold being, soul/spirit/body. We are yet only one person, but capable of expressing ourselves from all three aspects of our being at the same time. Should one doubt this, consider the state of your soul in dreams when you body is unconscious. Or even better, praying in the Spirit/spirit, while feeling joy in your soul as you hold your small child in your arms, while speaking out loud in the flesh. (…I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding -1Cor.14:15b; …the mind controled by the Spirit/spirit is life and peace.; etc., etc…). But all these illustrations, showing in what ways we are similar to G-d, {in us being created in His image}, do not do justice to the nature of Elohim, -we being only but a small image after all.

Let’s take a look at another passage:

In the Soncino Chumash on portion Wayyera Beresheet-{Genesis} Chapter 18, we find some very interesting commentary…

V.1 “And HaShem/YHVH appeared unto him…”

Rashbam, in the commentary on verse 1 does comment that the usage of HaShem is connected to the rest of the story, relating to the three angels in verse 2, now while this is not the only Rabbinic thought, {others thinking that it is a seperate occurance}, at least one Rabbinic thought is that it is connected and not a seperate appearance.

V.2 three men…One to bring the tidings that Sarah would give birth to a son, the second to overthrow Sodom, and the third to heal Avraham; the last also went on from there to save Lot (R, E). {This commentary by Abraham Ibn Ezra & Rashi, will come into play later, as we see the identity of the angel according to the Text later}. V.3 my L-rd*. {first we have the one of the traditional understandings that Avraham addressed the chief angel,(so some say he’s not signifying G-d),[another one puts it, a word* in Torah is profain], HOWEVER, if we look at another commentary from the Chamush we see…}, Another interpretation: He spoke to G-d, praying Him to wait until he had attended to his quests (R). {Again by Rashi, we see that according to him,the usage of Ad*nai here is not profain, but rather is then Avraham talking to G-d! [although he does’nt mean it as in person toward the angels, but in a vision if you will, HOWEVER…], the next commentary states…He recognized that they were angels, and therefore called them by their Master’s Name, L-rd (N). {Here Nachmanides throws the hat back in the ring, stating that Avraham did address the angels, and intended to use Ad*nai when speaking to them! Now of course, the Messianic interpetation would be that all three are correct! That Avraham addressed the Chief Angel, that He spoke to G-d, [or more specific, to HaMemrah shel Elohim/the Metatron/HaTzimtzim/The Angel of the Covenant] and that in fact he wanted to address Him, [not with a profane scribal error*], but with the word Ad*nai!

V.10 and He said: I will certainly return unto thee. According to R the subject of said is the angel who spoke as G-d’s messanger; hence the I refers to G-d. N observes that R construes I as G-d, because we do not find that the angel returned the following year. The fulfilment of the promise can only be lie in the statement, The L-rd remembered Sarah as He said (xxxi. I). {Now it gets even more interesting, let’s look at the speach of this Angel starting in verse 13….} [side note: of course no conflict here if the Angel is HaMemrah, as then the visit would have been b’Ruach shel Elohim, and would have been the Angel, HaTzimtzim being a Ruach being, not a mere angel either.

V.13 the L-RD/HaShem. i.e. the chief angel (Sh). {well…not too much question here as to Rashbam counts this as, of course, he is not taking a direct relationship here between the Angel and HaShem, right?!…} But let’s look at the passage itself….vaiyomer HA-SHEM el-Avraham, Now this is quite clear who is speaking here folks, and in light of the above commentary and the various Rabbinic quotations on this passage following, it is very plain to see. “And HaShem said unto Avraham: Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying: Shall {…} V.14 Is any thing too hard for HaShem?” [please look at the word construct closely here, to [BTW…notice also in commentary on verse 15. Sforno states…Avraham knew that G-D’S rebuke was well founded and could therefore deny her statement. (S). {But remember, the rebuke was from the angel?!}].

V.16 the men rose up. Two of them went on to Sodom, but the Chief remained with Abraham to inform him of Sodom’s destruction. In the conversation that follows it is he who spoke (Sh; […] {Now here we have Rashbam clearly stating who is speaking, even though he [Sh] does’nt agree that it is HaShem, look at how this Angel speaks…

Again the Angel speaks in V.17 as… And the L-RD/HaShem said… Again the Angel speaks in V.20 as… And the L-RD/HaShem said… Still speaking in verse 21., …I will go down now, and see whether they have […], which is come unto Me {CAPPED in the Chumash}; [now, the two are just leaving, prior to this they had been looking out toward Sodom and listening to the Angel Who speaks as HaShem] 22.

And the men turned from thence, and went toward Sodom; but Avraham stood yet before HaShem, [already identified in Rashbam’s commentary as here being the Angel who remained] {At this point please note, Avraham talks directly to the angel, asking HIM to spare Sodom, now… all through the verses 23-25 the discussion continues with Him, all referrances to the One addressed in the passage by Avraham CAPPED btw, then we come to 25b…that be far from Thee; shall not the Judge of all the earth do justly? [still addressed directly to the Angel] {the Angel replies} 26. And HaShem said: […] then I will forgive… [NOTE: Avraham’s reply to the Angel…] 27. And Avraham answered and said: ‘Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the L-RD, who am but dust and ashes…, and continues to address the Angel as Ad*nai till verse 33, which ends it with …v’ai’aelek HaShem> And HaShem went His way, as soon as He had left off speaking to Avraham; and Avraham returned unto his place.

Well folks if you don’t see how we get this interpetation by this time!

Now to conclude with Rabbinic Commentary on the nature of this ‘Angel’ Who is called the Angel of the Covenant, [and appears again as the Angel of the L-rd, or the Angel of the Covenant when Avraham was to offer up Yitzchak], we read in the Zohar, {which is one of the writings used by many sects of very Orthodox Jews today, and is stated to have it’s origions in 1st century Rabbinic writings}:

There is a man, if a Man He is, Who is an Angel.This Angel is Metatron, the Keeper of Israel; He is a man in the image of the Holy One, blessed be He, Who is an Emanation from Him [from G-d]; yea, He [the Metatron] is Jehovah. Of Him cannot be said, He is created, formed or made; but He is the Emanation from G-d. [Zohar, chapter 67, page 130/ Amsterdam version].

This is the Tzimtzim that is spoken of in Rabbinic lit. as being the angel Metatron, who according to Jewish theology, discoursed with Moses, and the Angel in whom G-d placed His Name. It is interesting to note, that the ancient understanding of the Tzimtzim, was one of a ‘part’ of G-d, {“…Who is an Emanation from Him…”}, and considered G-d, but never thought of as the totality of Elohim/G-d. This idea is expressed somewhat as well in the Aramaic understanding of the Memra-[along with the dual meaning of the Hebrew word Davar/Word], and is treated quite fully in Edershiem’s: The Life And Times Of Jesus The Messiah, so I will not go into more depth on it here.

I think that by now, it should become somewhat clear that all is not as it is often presented, when one starts to dig into this subject!

Let’s look at a couple of other Judaic statements: “He has no difficulty as the Jewish Encyclopedia also says, (Vol.12, page 261), ‘The Cabala, on the other hand, especially the Zohar, its fundamental work, was far less hostile to the dogma of the Trinity, since by its speculations regarding the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, it evolved a new trinity….'” As the Zohar says: How can three be one? Are they verily One because we call them One? How can three be One, can only be known through the revelation of the Holy Spirit-(Zohar, vol.2.p,43, versa,p.22)/Forward in The Great Mystery, How Can Three Be One? by Rabbi Tzvi Nassi/Hirsch Prinz.

This is an EXCELLENT BOOK! And in my opinion proves once and for
all that the Tri-Unity stance is the correct one. Another good book that gets into this subject is: Messiah -A Rabbinic And Scriptural Viewpoint, by Burt Yellin. But I chose this reff., since you’ll note:
…even a non-Rabbinic Judaic source, {The Jewish Encyclopedia}, shows
that the idea of a ‘Trinity’ in certain Judiac thought is valid.

Before moving on, let’s look at two more quotes from the Zohar showing this idea:

ZOHAR[TO DEUT. 6:4]: Hear O Israel:HaShem our G-d,HaShem is One. Why is there a need of mentioning the Name of G-d three times in this verse? The First HaShem is the Father above.The Second is the Stem of Jesse, the Messiah Who is to come from the family of Jesse through David. And the Third One is the Way which is below [meaning the Holy Spirit Who shows us the way] and These Three are One.

[Zohar vol.III]…The Ancient and Holy One is revealed and described as being Three; it is because the Other Lights are Two complete Ones, yet is the Ancient and Holy One described and complete as One, & He is One, positively One; thus are the Other Lights united and glorified in One, because They are One…[Rabbi Simeon further states]…Thus are the Three Lights united in One. The Spirit which is downward, Who is called the Holy Spirit, the Spirit which is the Middle Pillar, Who is called the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, also called the Spirit below. The Upper Spirit is hidden in secret; in Him are existing all the Holy Spirits [the Holy Spirit and the Spirit that is the middle pillar], and all that is light.”

Also, here are a few {of many such} quotes that are from various ancient Rabbinic sources showing various aspects of this idea:

MIDRASH MISHLE[10:21];Rab Huna counted amongst the seven Names of Messiah also: HaShem-(YHVH Zidkenu), [Referring to Jer.23:6].

R.JOSEPH ALBO OF TOLEDO[SEPHER IKKARIM 28:54] The Scripture calleth the Names of Messiah also: L-rd Zidkenu, because He is the Mediator through Whom we shall get the righteousness of the L-rd.

[On Is.9:6; R.Aben Ezra:]…There are some interpreters who say that ‘Wonderful, Everlasting Father’ are Names of G-d and only ‘Prince of Peace’ is the Name of the Child. But according to my view the interpretation is right (which says): all are the Names of the Child.

[Midrash Echa (1:51):]…What is the Name of King Messiah? To this answered Rabbi Abba bar Kahana: HaShemis His Name, for it is written: ‘This is the Name whereby He shall be called: HaShem Zidkenu’.

[See also, Midrash Rabbah 999:8), (Ps. 45:6), (Prov.30:4), (Ps.2:7), (Sukkah [52a]), (Zohar [part III, fol.307, Amsterdam edition]) (Ps.2:12 Lesser’s trans.)…{ect…… also, verses in Tanach may be one or two verses differance depending upon your translation}.

[Rabbi T. Nassi on Rosh HaShannah]…the three-fold sound of the ram’s horn which is sounded on Rosh Hashanah, is an emblem of the Three-fold nature of G-d.

{see also, (Bereshis Rabba 2), (R.Simeon on Song of Songs 2:6, Zohar Tanchuma), (R. Tzvi Nassi’s book, The Great Mystery), (Burt Yellin’s book, Messiah, A Rabbinic & Scriptural Viewpoint, {available locally only}) (Sukkah 52a; Rabbi Dosa), (Rabbi B’rekhyah: From the Suffering Servant of Isaiah, S. Driver & A. Neubauer, Hermon Press, New York, 1877.)….ect…ect…ect…. Behold, I will send my messenger, and He shall clear out the way before me: and suddenly will come to His Temple the L-rd Whom ye seek; and the Messenger of the Covenant Whom ye desire, for behold He is coming saith the L-RD of hosts. -Malachi 3:1 Lesser’s The L-rd is the King Messiah; He is also the Angel of the Covenant. -Kimchi The L-rd is both the Divine Majesty, and the Angel of the Covenant, for the sentence is doubled. -Aben Ezra The L-rd may be explained of the King Messiah. -Mashmiah Jeshua, fol.76 The Most Holy is the Messiah, for He is more holy than the sons of David. -R. Nachman For to us a Son is born, to us a Son is given: and He shall receive the Law upon Him to keep it; and His Name is called from of old, Wonderful, Counselor, ELOHA, The Mighty, Abiding to Eternity, The Messiah, because peace shall be multiplied on us in His days. -Isaiah 9:6 Targum Jonathan For those who cannot look upon the Son Himself, behold Him in His reflected light, even thus do they regard the image of G-d, Who is His Angel, the Word [Logos], as G-d Himself. -(De Plant Noe) Philo Judaeus There are it seemeth two Temples of G-d. The one in this world, in which also there is a High Priest, His First Begotten Divine Word (Logos). -Philo Judaeus

*[Ps.2:12 Heb. ‘Bar’ = 202]…Thou art the Son, the faithful shepherd; of Thee it is said, ‘Kiss the Son’. {note: this has been removed in English in many new Jewish Tanach translation, but it is there in the Hebrew!} Thou art the Governor of the Universe, the Head of Israel, the Lord of ministering angels, the Son of the Highest, the Son of the Holy and Blessed One, yea the very Shechinah. { note: The Shechinah is the VERY HOLY SPIRIT OF HA-SHEM!}. Our Doctors expound the Psalm of the Messiah. -(Jarchi (Maas) [ref.Ps.2] *This is the faithful Shepherd; Of Thee it is said, “Kiss the Son,” Thou art the Prince of the Israelites, the L-rd of the earth…..The Son of the Most High, the Son of The Holy G-d…..and the gracious Shekinah. -Zohar (Gen.fol.88, c.348) [ref.Ps.2] It is well known that in the coming of the Messiah is (included) the coming of the Blessed G-d into the world. -R. Alschech

Of course, one could go on and on, but I hope I’ve showed that this idea is not foreign to ancient Judaism. One more quotation before leaving this aspect of the discussion: . The Dead Sea Scrolls/The Melchizedek Scroll. page 188

…According to the fragment, Melchizedek is the eschatological judge; ‘it is written of him in the songs of David, who said: “G-d [Elohim] has taken His place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods He will hold judgement”‘. Melchizedek is here called G-d [Elohim]… The author of the text, to clarify his idea, quotes [in lines 10-11] a further verse from the Psalms as referring to Melchizedek: ‘For their sakes, return on high, the L-rd will judge the nations’ [Ps. 7:7-8]. This Last Judgement will, therefore, take place on high, and on that occasion–as we learn from lines 9 and 14–Melchizedek will be assisted by all the celestial powers. ‘Belial, and the spirits of his lot’, will then be judged, ‘and Melchizedek will vindicate G-d’s judgments’ [1,12]. He will thus not only pass judgment but also execute it. If the editor of the text has reconstructed line 8 correctly, this will be the time ‘for the atonement of all children of light and those who belong to the lot of Melchizedek’; in any case, line 5 mentions ‘the heritage of Melchizedek’. During the last judgment, therefore, Melchizedek will seperate the righteous, who are his lot and heritage, from the wicked, among them Belial and the spirits of his lot,…on whom he will wreck vengeance for transgressing G-d’s judgment. Melchizedek thus appears here as very similar to the Son of Man of the Book of Enoch and of the Gospels: ‘When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on his glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and he will seperate them one from the other as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and He will place the sheep at His right hand, but the goats at His left…’ [Matt. 25:31-46]

page 190

The story of the miraculous birth of Melchizedek is based upon a difficult verse of Psalms 110 [verse 3]. The Hebrew text has ‘…’. The LXX translates, ‘From the womb, before the morning star, I have begotten thee.’ The rendering ‘I have begotten thee’ is based upon the spelling ‘…’. If one begins with the assumption that, in Psalms 110, G-d addresses Himself to Melchizedek, the text from which the LXX translated almost compels the conclusion that ‘the Word of G-d has created’ Melchizedek in the womb of his mother [as in the ‘Book of the Secrets of Enoch’, page 81]…. It is clear, however, that they believed–like the author of Hebrews– that Melchizedek was immortal as Enoch and Elijah were. Only on that premise is it possible to explain their view that Melchizedek will be judge in the Last Judgment….

This is only part of discussion in this chapter on recent published material from the Qumran find of The Melchizedek Scroll, showing that in 1st century Israel, even amongst this ancient community, this idea was not outside of ancient Judaic thought, (though admittedly, one will not hear of it in modern Judaism, except for ‘some’ of the very Orthodox Jewish groups, -if you could get them to talk to you about it!).

Before we move on to part III, with discussion of the Tri-Unity from other passages in Tanach as well as in the New Covenant; let’s look at two more ancient quotes from Believers around the 1st/2nd century, as found in the Apostolic Fathers [Lightfoot] The Reliques of the Elders, Perserved in Irenaeus:

In the same way also did that older talmid/disciple of the Emissaries/Apostles reason about the two Testaments: declaring that both are indeed from One and the same God; and that there is no other God, besides Him who made and formed us, nor any strength in their argument, who say that this world of ours was made either by angels, or by any kind of power, or by some other god.

For since by wood we lost Him, by wood again He was made manifest unto all, showing forth the length and height and depth and breadth in Himself; and as one of those who have gone before said, by the Divine extention of His hands, gathering the two peoples together unto One God.

While these two quotes don’t in and of themselves address the issue of: Tri-Unity vs. modalism; they do address the Arian heresy as is it is held by the Jehovah witnesses, -by showing instead the Divine nature of the Son, as Him being Elohim. This from an ancient Believer historian, quoting even more ancient Believers. There are a great deal other quotations from early writers around the 1st/2nd century period, {& ABSOLUTELY prior to the 4th cent.}, that show that the idea of the Tri-Unity is NOT a 325 AD/ce invention!…

*Clement wrote his Letter to the Corinthians about 80 AD: “The Apostles received the gospel for us from the Lord Jesus Christ; and Jesus Christ was sent from God…Receiving their instructions and being full of confidence on account of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, and confirmed in faith by the word of God, they went forth in the complete assurance of the Holy Spirit… Do we not have one God, one Christ, and one Holy Spirit poured out upon us? … Accept our counsel, and you will have nothing to regret. For as God lives, and as the Lord Jesus Christ lives, and the Holy Spirit…” *Ignatius, 3rd Bishop of Antioch, hearer of the disciple John, martyred in the arena by Emperor Trajan (c 110 AD). He wrote 7 authenticated letters during his journey to Rome. The following in his Letter to the Ephesians: “There is one Physician, who is both flesh and Spirit, born and not born, who is God in man, true life in death, broth from Mary and from God, first able to suffer and then unable to suffer, Jesus Christ our Lord. … I have learned, however, that certain persons from elsewhere, who have evil doctrine, have stayed with you; but you did not allow them to sow it among you, and you stopped your ears so that you would not receive what they sow. You are like stones for a temple of God, prepared for the edifice of God the Father, hoisted to the heights by the crane of Jesus Christ, which is the cross, using for a rope the Holy Spirit.” *Apologia of Aristides the Athenian, to the Emperor Antoninus Pius, {mid-2nd century, usually ascribed to ca 140 AD:} “Christians trace their origin to the Lord Jesus Christ. He that came down from heaven in the Holy Spirit for the salvation of men is confessed to be the Son of the Most High God. He was born of a holy Virgin without seed of man, and took flesh without defilement; and He appeared among men so that He might recall them from the error of polytheism. When He had accomplished His wonderful design, by His own free will and for a mighty purpose He tasted of death on the cross. After three days, however, He came to life again and went up into the heavens. … It is possible for you, O king, to learn to know the report of His coming in the holy gospel writing, as it is called by us– should you chance to come upon a copy. He had 12 disciples… These are they who, above every people of the earth, have found the truth; for they acknowledge God, the Creator and Maker of all things, in the only-begotten Son and in the Holy Spirit…. Other than Him, no god do they worship…”

*175 AD. Athenagoras, a Greek Christian, to the Emperor Marcus Aurelius: “…I have sufficiently demonstrated that we are not atheists, since we acknowledge one God, unbegotten, eternal, invisible, incapable of being acted upon, incomprehensible, unbounded…We recognize also the Son of God. Let no one think it laughable that God should have a Son. For we do not conceive of either God the Father or God the Son as do the poets, who, in their myth-making, represent the gods as no better than men. The Son of God is the Word of the Father…By Him and through Him all things were made, the Father and Son being one. Since the Son is in the Father and the Father is in the Son by the unity and power of the Spirit, the Mind and Word of the Father is the Son of God. And if, in your exceedingly great wisdom, it occurs to you to inquire what is meant by ‘the Son’ I will tell you briefly: He is the First- begotten of the Father, not as having been produced…but as coming forth to be the model and energizing force of all material things, which were like a nature without attributes…, …The Holy Spirit also…we regard as an effluence of God, flowing out and returning like a ray of the sun. Who, then, would not be astonished to hear those called atheists, who speak of God the Father and of God the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and who proclaim Their power in Union and Their distinction in order?…”

Let me leave you with an observation:

The early Apostolic father historians deal with two groups of Believing Jews: the Natzratim and the Evionim-(Ebionites: a group that broke off from the Natzratim/Nazarene Jewish Believers, and followed Evion the Apostate). By all accounts, the Evionim were a development AFTER the Natzratim-(who held to an orthodox understanding of the Divinity of Yeshua, that He was Elohim in the flesh at conception). Considering this, we are shown an ancient, -but LATER Arian doctrine developing, & NOT the other way around, -(as the Jehovah witnesses would have you believe).

Add to this, that the early, -(shown to be early by the times the various Rabbi’s spoken of lived), stories of the Rabbinic Jews talking with the Messianic/Natzratim Jews in Talmud are all discussion with Natzratim Jews who held to the idea of the Tri-Unity, [when this subject in Talmud comes up, of course], we are left with the obvious conclusion, even from this source, {and indeed from all available sources}, that the Arian stance was later than the Natzratim stance.

Part III

THE TRI-UNITY OF YHVH ELOHIM

{Trinity or Modalism? (or) Is there a road between these two ditches}

The best illustration of the Tri-Unity of HaShem by natural means I believe is shown by the ancient understanding from the equilateral triangle: / a/d b —— c First, please note: there is only ONE triangle! ‘a’

is directly connected to both ‘b’ & ‘c’; while ‘b’ is connceted to both ‘a’ & ‘c’; as well as ‘c’ directly connected to both ‘a’ & ‘b’. Neither a, b, nor c is the other, yet each is never apart from the other. Collectively a, b & c are d, yet each apart from the others would not not be d -they are inseperable! But each are a part of d!

One triangle, ‘d’, having three equal manifestations: a, b, c; -each one with the other, and yet: -each not the other; and also: each not apart from the other!

Simple geometry! So…, what’s the problem! If we who hold to the Tri-Unity of HaShem want to take a literal Biblical understanding of: And Elohim said, let Us… {and again}: YHVH Eloheinu-(plural form of more than two) YHVH Echad-(composite Unity) [as well as various other Biblical applications]; according to the above understanding, why are we faulted for believing in our heart that this is true, since we have Biblical evidence to back it up! Think about it! And consider this in the rest of this study, as we examine other verses in Tanach-[O.T.] as well as in the New Covenant following; and see if the above model aligns with the understanding of ALL of the viewpoints on the Nature of Elohim/G-d. We have already discussed many verses from Tanach, so I will use only a few more, (out of various remaining examples), to show this idea further: Come near unto me, hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I; and now the Lord God, and His Spirit, hath sent me. (Isaiah 48:16)

Here Yesha’yahu-(Isaiah) speaks of being sent, not just from the Lord God, but also from His Spirit. If They were absolutely in all ways the same, why did he chose to list “His Spirit” again? Behold, I will send My messenger, and He shall clear out the way before Me: and suddenly will come to His Temple the L-rd Whom ye seek; and the Messenger of the Covenant Whom ye desire, for behold He is coming saith the L-rd of hosts. (Malachi 3:1)

Here Mal’akhi-(Malachi) directly quotes YHVH as saying that His messenger, “the Adon Whom you seek”, He shall come. Ask yourself a simple question: -Would YHVH, L-RD of all, call another Adonai if He wasn’t a part of Himself?! If you answer: no He wouldn’t; GOOD… now ask yourself one more question, why would He say: …for behold He is coming saith the L-rd of hosts; if they were both actually totally the same?! This should remind us as well of:

Tehillim-(Psalms) 110:1 The YHVH said to my Adonai, Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool. And again, with Psalms 45:6-7(7-8) we see Elohim speaking concerning the Son {See: also Hebrews 1:8-9}: Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions.

Here we see Elohim speaking, and talking about One as God, and yet as having God over Him! Ask yourself a question: Would G-d call another G-d?! If you answer: no He wouldn’t; GOOD… now ask yourself one more question, why would He say: Your throne O God; -with Himself doing the speaking, if they were actually totally the same?!

Now let’s turn to only a few of the many verses from the New Covenant that make the reasons for this even more clear:

The Good News According To

MATTITYAHU {Matthew}

Literal MNV from the Greek |Ancient Hebrew trans. from Shem Tov

CHAPTER 3 -GR. | CHAPTER 3 -Heb. 3 For this is he spoken of by the |3. To complete what was said by prophet Yesha’yahu, saying, A voice|Yesha’yahu the prophet: A voice of
of (one) crying in the wilderness, |one crying in the desert, prepare Prepare the way of HaShem/YHVH, |the way of HaShem, make straight in
make His paths straight. |the wilderness a path for our God.
11 I indeed immerse you in water |11.[ST> & Lk.3:16] And Yochanan unto repentance: but He coming |answered all of them, Behold in after me is stronger than I, whose |truth I immerse you in the days of
sandals I am not worthy to bear: He|repentance, and another comes after
shall immerse you in (the) Ruach |me, stronger than I, the thong of HaKodesh/Holy Spirit, {and fire}: |whose sandal I am not worthy to

|unfasten. And He shall immerse you

|in (the) fire (of) Ruach HaKodesh.
16 And Yeshua, being immersed, |16. And immediately when He came up
went up at once from the water: |from the water, were opened to Him
and, behold, the Heavens were |the Heavens and ‘He saw (the) Ruach
opened unto Him, and He saw the |(of) Elohim descending-[the entire
Ruach/Spirit of Elohim/God |fountain of Ruach HaKodesh descending as a dove, and alighting|descended]’ as a dove, and It dwelt
upon Him: |-[abode] upon Him. [+> And said to

|Him:] ———————————–‘——————————— *RABBINIC: The ideal King to whom Isaiah looks forward will be a scion of the stock of Jesse (The Messiah) on whom will rest the Spirit of God….[also Is.9:1-6] -Jewish Encyl.vol.8 pg.506,c1.

17 And behold! A voice out of the |17. And behold a voice from the Heavens, saying, This My Son the |Heavens was saying, This is My Son, Beloved, in whom I have found |My Beloved, He is loved very very delight. |much, and My pleasure is in Him. CHAPTER 4 -Gr. | CHAPTER 4 -Heb.

1 Then was Yeshua led up by the |1. Then Yeshua was taken by ‘Ruach
Spirit into the wilderness to be |HaKodesh/the Holy Spirit’ into the tested/tempted by the Accuser |desert [+> of Y’hudah] to be -<Traducer>. |tested/tempted from haSatan. One of the first things to note is where it says: And He

saw the Ruach/Spirit of Elohim/God descending as a dove…. Since this is a visible Manifestation of the Ruach HaKodesh-(The Holy Spirit), it right away addresses the false Arian notion that He is simply some type of “active force”, in His taking on a visible Manifestation and being addressed as the Ruach/Spirit of Elohim. Interesting to note that Yeshua SAW the Ruach of Elohim as a Dove, if they are one in the same, as Modalism holds, then how did Yeshua-(Jesus) behold Himself? Along with this, the Voice was heard from the Heavens saying: This is My Son

…. Was G-d trying to trick mankind, being totally in Yeshua, yet speaking at the same time as the Father, and the Spirit of Elohim as a Dove, AT THE SAME TIME?! NO, rather the Three ways that the One G-d /Elohim has shown Himself to mankind, as spoken of in Scripture, were revealed at His mikvah/immersion! NOT ‘three gods’ ONE G-D! Yet NOT individual here-again there-again ‘modes’ that each held the totality of each other; but Three distinct visible/audible eternal conscious Expressions of the One True G-d/Elohim. -Spoken of time, and time, and time again in Scripture as the Abba-(Father), HaMashiach-(the Messiah) Yeshua the Son, and the Ruach HaKodesh-(The Holy Spirit)! {Also interesting to note is the Hebrew in Genesis 1, where it says the Ruach/Spirit of Elohim “brooded/hovered” over the face of the water; with: the Ruach of Elohim who appeared as a Dove and alighted/ dwelt on Yeshua Messiah in the water}.

Tri-Unity states this from a LITERAL reading of Scripture, the other ‘methods’ of explaining the nature of Elohim require translational gymnastics to skirt the obvious sense of these various passages. There is much more that could be said, and this is only a brief overview of this subject, and we’ve looked at only a few of the many verses that clearly show the idea of the Tri-Unity of YHVH Elohim.

r1 Cor. 12:3b …and no man can say that Yeshua/Jesus is YHVH/LORD,

except by Ruach HaKodesh/The Holy Spirit. .
Shalom

QuickBBS 2.76 Ovr (Gamma-1)
- Origin: Theo-logically Midrash in Denver (8:7002/6.0)

BC> No, the Tri-Unity stance of Elohim DOESN’T believe in Three BC> “Persons”, it believes in one G-d.
.
CS> Since when was the Trinity not a belief in one G-d?

.
Since when was the Tri-Unity belief the same as modern digressed Trinity belief? The modern belief has digressed to the point of Three totally seperate “persons”. That is NOT the ancient Trinity stance, nor the stance of the Tri- Unity belief. G-d is not Three totally seperate “persons”, He is One Spirit.

BC> Persons is a name given to created people,

CS> Where is that written? Are you saying that G-d is impersonal?

In just about any 2nd grade English grammar book! Am I saying that G-d is impersonal – no; Am I saying that He is “Three seperate ‘created’ PERSONS? – NO! Spirit is above flesh, to state it that He is Three “seperate persons” is to limit G-d, both to our concepts of the creation, and away from the idea of the Echad nature of the One G-d.

.
Even Yeshua/Jesus’ body was not G-d, His Ruach/Spirit is G-d; His body is part of the creation. That is what is so special, that G-d would take on the tent of Avraham to come to man-kind – to PERSONS!

BC>I believe the One G-d has Three eternal distinct conscious BC>Expressions HaAbba, HaBen v’HaDavar Yeshua HaMashiach, v’Ruach BC>HaKodesh.

CS>Which are they: three personalities or three manifestations of one CS>personality?

Since G-d is One Spirit; in that context they’d be Three Expressions of the One Spirit. Yeshua said that He only does the will of the Father. They are distinct Expressions, and Each conscious – rather, more than conscious; but they can’t be “Three personalities” ‘individual’.

You are one person, and have three distinct expressions, {being in the image of G-d created}, too. Your body soul and spirit. Your body can be in pain from stepping on a nail and you may make a sound because of it, and in the mean- time, your soul may be content as you watch your child playing in the yard, while your spirit is receiving Rema Word from G-d, and you are praising Elohim. You are not ‘three’, but ‘one’.

Yet each of these expressions that you have is distinct: the mind of the spirit – the mind of the flesh, the physical brain. They are not each other, yet they are all the same person.

And G-d is far above these illustrations, as we are only a {poor} reflection of our Creator, {at best}. So, any illustration that we hold, should lift our thinking above the mundane, rather than use the mundane to bring our comtemplation down of something {much} higher than ourselves.

That is why I am against physical representations {as is G-d’s Torah} of Elohim/G-d. Such as… statues of the Father Son and the Holy Spirit, or… Three seated upon Three thrones, and saying this is G-d?! Oy! I’ll just let the Bible determine my illustrations’ bounds; and my Bible says that: Elohim/ G-d is Echad/One Ruach/Spirit; but no where does it say that He is “Three persons”.

I believe in One G-d, indivisable, yet from eternity as Three Expressive. And the Three are not exactly Each Other, yet the Three are the One, and are from eternity with Each Other – inseperably One.

QuickBBS 2.76 Ovr (Gamma-1)
- Origin: Theo-logically Midrash in Denver (8:7002/6.0)