Home | Beacon Magazine | Beacon Magazine Articles
                       
   
   
Mystery of
 
the Trinity
 
               
                   
 
   Three major monotheistic religions can be traced to the revelations given to Abraham. They are Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
   Ishmael, the father of the Arabs, separated from Abraham's monotheism when driven from Abraham's camp, but the religion of Islam didn't begin to assume its present form until after Mohammed appeared on the scene over a thousand years later.
   Israel inherited Abraham's monotheism and entered into a covenant with Yahweh after the Exodus from Egypt. Israel and Judah parted company after the death of King Solomon.
   Monotheism and the covenant remained with Judah, but the religion we know today as Judaism didn't begin to assume its present form until after the Babylonian captivity.
   Mosaic revelations and teachings injected a problem into Judah's monotheism that was not in Abraham's. That problem is the messianic concept.
 
Jews Believe in Single Eloah
   Jewish monotheism will allow nothing to detract from the Shema in Deuteronomy 6:4. The mistranslation of this verse in most English Bibles reads, "Hear, 0 Israel, the L-rd our G-d, the L-rd is One." Scholars know that "the Lord" and "God" are mistranslations of the Hebrew Tetragrammaton "YHWH" and the word "Elohenu."
   The word "One" is a mistranslation of the Hebrew word "Echad” (Strong's No. 259), which means "united" or "union" and "one" only in the sense in which we speak of one congregation or one herd.
The idea of a coming Messiah is accepted by the Jews, but they look only for a man endowed with power from Yahweh. Yahshua of Nazareth was rejected as the Messiah not because He claimed to be the Messiah, but because He claimed to be Divine.
   To Jewish religious leaders, this was blasphemy. Probably, because if true, Yahshua would be a Mighty One in a union with Yahweh and Judaism would no longer be monotheistic. They had Yahshua executed and must have believed that they proved He was not Divine.
   Jewish converts who accepted Yahshua as the Messiah must have been aware of His Divinity and must have realized that the word "Echad" and "Elohim," the plural of “Eloah,” referred to a union of Mighty Ones. However, converts who had come out of polytheistic religions must have desired to retain Judaism's monotheism.
   This required them to face the problem: “How could they maintain a claim to monotheism and still accept Yahshua as a Mighty One in a union with Yahweh?” The solution didn't come easy or overnight, and has never been accepted by all Christians.
   The solution devised by early Christian religious leaders and theologians is the doctrine of the Trinity— defined in early creeds as three persons in one Divine Being.
     
Birth of 3-in-1
   What can be said about the Trinity, either pro or con, that hasn't been said many times? Most believe nothing, since the doctrine has been debated and written about since it was first proposed.
   Most of the first-century converts felt confronted by an expanded theism consisting of a Heavenly Father, a Divine Son, and an indwelling Holy Spirit that is believed to be the third person in the Divine Being.
   It is thought that Paul alludes to this Triune Mighty One by closing an epistle with,
   May the grace of the Master Yahshua the Messiah, and the love of Yahweh, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all, 2 Corinthians 13:14.
   In the 5th verse of this chapter, Paul said, "Yahshua is in you," and in 2 Timothy 1: 14 he told Timothy, "The Holy Spirit dwells in us." John 8:41 says we have one Father, even Yahweh, and in John 10:30 Yahshua said, "I and the Father are one."
   In the Old Testament we read:
   I am Yahweh, and there is no other; apart from Me there is no Elohim. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged Me, so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides Me. I am Yahweh, and there is no other, Isaiah 45:5-6 NIV.
   Perhaps it was from associating Old and New Testament Scriptures like these that theologians concluded that Yahweh is a triune Deity and made the Doctrine of the Trinity seem like the perfect solution to the problem of accepting Yahshua the Messiah as a Divine Being without taking on the appearance of polytheism.
   
Word ‘Trinity’ Is Absent
   The word "Trinity" is not in the Bible and was first introduced into theological language sometime between 168 and 183 C.E. The first formal use of the word occurred at a synod in Alexandria, Egypt
in 317 C.E. It was not until the theological dispute over the nature of Yahshua arose between Athanasius of Alexandria and the Gnostic theologian Arius that the Roman Catholic Church was forced to proclaim the doctrine of the Trinity as official Church dogma. This proclamation was made at the Council of Nicaea in 325 C.E.
   These dates are given only to make the point that even though the first converts were faced with an enigma, the idea of the Trinity didn't become official doctrine for centuries.
   Trinitarians claim the New Testament reveals the triune nature of Yahweh. If this is true, why didn't apostles teach it openly rather than merely alluding to it by statements with which one must believe the doctrine before the allusions to it can be seen? If a Trinity is revealed by the Bible as claimed, why have so many theologians questioned its truth, not only in the past, but even today?
   
Unknowable Mystery?
   The renowned author of All the Doctrine of the Bible, Dr. Herbert Lockyer, begins the chapter "The Doctrine of the Trinity" with the statement: "A perfect understanding of this infinite and wonderful theme is not possible to man in his present finite state."
   He also wrote, "This sacred doctrine is above reason, erudite philosophers who give themselves to an understanding of the causes of things cannot by the deepest search unravel the mystery of the Trinity... The Trinity is an object of faith, the plumb line of reason is far too short to fathom this mystery."
   Dr. Lockyer, along with other writers, admits that the Trinity is not revealed in the Old Testament and the implication of many Old Testament Scriptures implying the triune nature of Yahweh would not be understood without its revelation in the New Testament.
   Man, they say, would never have become aware of the triune nature of Elohim without this New Testament revelation.
   The certainty of this revelation, however, is questionable. Its uncertainty is indicated by the centuries of debate about the true nature of Yahweh and His Son, Yahshua.
   There is one thing about which we can be certain, and that is, it is not impossible for Yahweh to be a Triune Deity since nothing is impossible for Him, Luke 1:37. If the doctrine is true, it can be verified in Scriptures and not just by innuendos that only a believer in the Trinity can understand the implications of.
   Also, if it can be verified, it must be believed for worship in Spirit and in Truth. Even if it is not true, most Trinitarians will not accept correction, but still insist it is true, rejecting all interpretations and understandings that differ from their own.
   
Yahweh Not Understood
   The following Scriptures tell us Yahweh's nature is incomprehensible and beyond anything we can even imagine.
   Great is Yahweh and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom, Psalm 145:3.
   For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways... As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts, Isaiah 55:8-9.
Can you fathom the mysteries of Elohim? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens—what can you do? They are deeper than the depths of the grave—what can you know?
(Job 11:7-8.)
   
Analyzing John 1:1
   A Scripture often pointed to as proof of the Trinity is John 1:1. In the NIV the verse is mistranslated:
   In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with G-d and the Word was G-d. He was with G-d in the beginning.
   The translation is ambiguous to say the least and does not prove the Trinity even as translated. We know the Word is Yahshua the Messiah. Would the original author have written Yahshua was with Yahweh if He IS Yahweh?
   The verse proves Yahshua's divinity, but does not prove the Trinity. Some scholars have said the correct translation of the most ancient manuscript should read:
   In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with Yahweh and the Word was an Elohim. He
was with Yahweh in the beginning.
   This translation does not appear to support the Trinity and raises the question, is the verse a mistranslation? Mistranslations, misunderstandings and deliberate or inadvertent insertions can make Scripture appear to support false doctrines.
   
Duality vs. Trinity
   Some Bible scholars now contend Scriptures do not imply three persons in one Divine Being. They claim Scriptures that appear to support this idea are really attempts by the authors to convey to finite minds three manifestations of one Sovereign Being.
   Though more reasonable than the idea of three persons in one individual, the contention clings to monotheism and avoids facing the possibility that, when taken together, the Old and New testaments reveal a duality of Mighty Ones.
   
First Commandment Problem
   This is a problem for Christians. How can you worship a Mighty One separate from Yahweh and obey the First Commandment,
   You shall have no other elohim before Me, Exodus 20:3?
   Why fear to worship Him whom Yahweh commanded the angels to worship because He is worthy of worship? Hebrews 1:6 and Revelation 5:12.
   The key to understanding is in the word "before." Revelation 9:20 indicates it is those who put devil worship before Him that angers Him. The solution to the problem is definitely not belief in a doctrine that blinds the eye and closes the ear to truth.
   I and the Father are one, John 10:30.
   For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one, Matthew 19:5-6a.
   Should these two statements by Yahshua be understood differently? We understand a man and woman united in marriage remain two separate individuals in one union. Why, then, can't it be understood Yahshua means He and Yahweh are two separate individuals united in one spiritual union?
   Genesis 1:26 and 11:7 read:
   Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness ... Come, let Us go down and confuse their language.
   Was Yahweh talking to Himself?
   Trinitarians must believe He was, because no other Elohim would have been present. If the doctrine is not true, then another Elohim, Yahshua, Who is in the image of Yahweh (2 Cor. 4:4), must have been with Yahweh. We just read John 1:1, which tells us He was present with Yahweh at the beginning.
   If Yahshua is one of three persons in a triune deity, He possesses all the attributes of the Heavenly Father among which are omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience. While in the flesh, Yahshua's divine nature would still have been one with Yahweh in heaven.
   Was Yahshua, then, lying when He said He didn't know the day or hour of His return? Matthew 24:36. Nothing is hidden from Yahweh, therefore, He is aware of the evil in the world.
   Because nothing is impossible for Him, why did He allow evil to enter the world? Why did He send only a part of Himself into the world to save only part of the people He permits to be born?
   The Bible plainly tells us that only those who believe and obey will be saved, 1 Corinthians 1:21 and Hebrews 5:9.
   Surprising as it may be to many, belief in a Trinity is not a belief required for salvation. Belief in Yahshua as the Son of Yahweh and obedience to Yahweh's laws is what Yahweh requires of His people.
   The doctrine of the Trinity presents even more surprises than this, however.
   
Never FOUR in One!
   Who is the source of evil? Satan is the elohim of this world, 2 Corinthians 4:4, a liar and the father of liars, John 8:44. He leads the whole world astray, Revelation 12:9. We naturally think Satan is the source of evil. Isaiah 45:7 indicates that Yahweh creates both good and evil (calamity, because of sin). Doesn't this make Satan the mediator for evil just as Yahshua is a mediator for good?
   Why isn't Satan ever thought of as one with Yahweh in the same sense Trinitarians believe Yahshua is? Is the Adversary and Accuser a separate individual while the Intercessor and Judge is an inseparable part of Yahweh's Divine nature? Would the idea of four persons in one incomprehensible majesty be more of a mystery—or any less likely to be true—than the idea of three in one?
   The idea of Satan's being one with Yahweh is a repulsive thought! Is that the reason the idea of four in one has never been read into the Scriptures?
   
‘Ben El’ to ‘Malak’
   Many spiritual truths are disclosed in visions, allegories, and symbolic language that conceal truth from those seeking only to prove lies. Trinitarians claim Old Testament Scriptures imply a Trinity. So let's examine some Old Testament visions and pray that our minds will be opened to see the implications, if they are really there.
   One day the angels came to present themselves before Yahweh, and Satan also came with them, Job 1:6 (NIV).
   On another day the angels came to present themselves before Yahweh and Satan also came with them to present himself before Him, Job 2:1 (NIV).
   In both of these verses the word "angel" in the NIV is translated from the Hebrew words "ben El" (Strong's Nos. 1121 and 410). "Ben El" means "son of El" and is so translated in the KJV, RSV and the NASB.
   The word "angel" in other Old Testament Scriptures is translated from "malak" (Strong's No. 4397), which means messenger.
   Doesn't the vision imply that Satan is a son of El? Is that the reason NIV translators reduced "ben El" to "malak?" The word "angel" does not imply sonship. Could it be that belief in the doctrine of the Trinity made the idea that Satan is a son of El so repugnant the NIV translators deliberately mistranslated "ben El" as "angel?"
   
Satan at the Council
   The sons of El who assembled before Yahweh came as members of the heavenly council that assists Yahweh in the control and operation of His creation. He isn't mentioned, but the Angel of Yahweh, whom we know was Yahshua the Messiah before His birth, must have been in that assembly.
   There can be no question that Satan was there and he must have been a member of the council for he proposed certain actions and received authority to act on them. Now consider these visions of the prophets Micaiah and Jeremiah in 1 Kings 22:19 and Jeremiah 23:18:
   Therefore hear the word of Yahweh. I saw Yahweh sitting on His throne with all the host of heaven standing around Him on His right and on His left...But which of them [lying false prophets] has stood in the council of Yahweh to see and hear His word? Who has listened and heard His word?
   The answer, of course, is Satan, who, as the previous visions tell us, must have been in the council Jeremiah speaks of. Satan influences the false prophets to speak lies in Yahweh's Name.
   The Angel of Yahweh must have been among those Micaiah saw standing on Yahweh's right because Yahshua returned to the glory He had with the Father before He was born into the flesh. The New Testament tells us the resurrected Messiah now stands to the right of Yahweh in heaven, Mark 16:19.
   These visions may be attempts to convey to finite minds insights into how Yahweh's heavenly government functions by comparison with our earthly experiences with government, but they tell us Yahweh is not alone in heaven and that He wasn't talking to Himself when He said "Let us make man in Our image."
   They also inform us that these heavenly spirit beings called bene El (sons of El) are distinct individuals separate from Him, who sit on the heavenly throne and act as His malakim (messengers, angels).
   
Abraham—A Type of Yahweh
   Let's now consider the implications in the account of Abraham and his two sons, Ishmael and Isaac. The name Abraham means father of a multitude and he is the only man in the Bible who is a type of the Heavenly Father, Yahweh.
   Many men were types of Yahshua the Messiah and one of the first was Abraham's son, Isaac. Isaac was not only the son of promise, but also the recipient of an everlasting covenant with Yahweh, Genesis 17:19 and 21.
   Abraham's firstborn son, Ishmael, was born of Hagar, Sarah's Egyptian maidservant. Isaac was born of
Sarah, Abraham's wife. Paul says in Galatians 4:22-26 that these two women are types of two covenants: one of the flesh (worldly), the other of the spirit (heavenly):
   For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
   Hagar and Ishmael, allegorically speaking, typify a worldly religion and a people who worship the elohim of this world, who is Satan.
   The similarity is not exact because in the heavenly realm Yahshua came before Satan, whereas in the earthly realm Ishmael was born before Isaac. This dissimilarity must be due to the fact that Satan came into the world long before Yahshua the Messiah was born.
   Would anyone give credence to the idea that Abraham and his son Isaac are two separate individuals in one father figure? Such an idea is ludicrous. Isn't it? Isn't this account of Abraham and his sons telling us that the idea that Yahweh and His Son Yahshua are two separate and distinct individuals in one godhead ridiculous?
   
Missing: Idea of Three-some
   The expression "father figure" in reference to Abraham is more meaningful than "godhead" to Yahweh. Why? The Greek words translated godhead in the KJV of Acts 17:29, Romans 1:20, and Colossians 2:9 mean "divinity," "divine nature," and "deity."
   Not one of these three Greek words implies a triune nature.
   The dictionary defines "godhead" as "the essential being, nature, or condition of G-d." This definition doesn't imply a triune nature of deity either, but the word "godhead" conveys that idea to most people.
   Where does the idea come from except from belief in the doctrine of the Trinity? Is there any other reasonable understanding of this account of Abraham and his sons than that Yahweh and Yahshua are two separate, individual, majestic Spirit Beings?
   Hagar and Ishmael symbolize a false religion and a worldly people, but Genesis 21:15-21 tells us Yahweh hears their cries and sooner or later will open the eyes of those who hear His voice and will turn to see spiritual truth symbolized by water in verse 19. These verses inform us that Yahweh will provide for people who are symbolized by Ishmael.
   
Joshua as Yahshua
   Turning now to Zechariah’s vision of Joshua (Yahshua), the high priest and son of Jozadak (Yehozadak), we read:
   Then He showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of Yahweh, Satan standing at his right side to accuse him, Yahweh said to Satan, "Yahweh rebuke you, Satan! Yahweh, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?” Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.” Then He said to Joshua, “See I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you.” Then I said, “Put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him while the angel of Yahweh stood by, Zechariah 3:1-5 NIV.
   Take the silver and gold and make a crown and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua son of Jeozadak. Tell him this is what Yahweh Almighty says: “Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and He will branch out from His place and build the temple of Yahweh. It is He who will build the temple of Yahweh, and He will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on His throne. And He will be a priest on His throne, And there will be harmony between the two,” Zechariah 6:11-13.
   The meanings of the names in this vision denote its prophetic significance. Yahshua, mistranslated Joshua, means Yahweh's Salvation. Yehozadak (Yahozadak) means Yahweh is righteous. The vision is a prophecy of what is going to happen to Yahshua the Messiah, the Son of Righteous Yahweh.
   There is not even a hint in this vision that Yahshua the High Priest and the angel of Yahweh are two individuals in one being. Nor is there any hint that the angel who speaks for Yahweh on His throne in heaven is one of two manifestations of One Divine Being.
   
Two Beings, Two Thrones
   According to Isaiah 64:6, our righteousness is as filthy rags and while in the flesh, Yahshua the Messiah was, figuratively speaking, clothed in "unrighteousness." This filthy unrighteousness was removed from Him at the stake and at His resurrection He was given clean clothes, meaning the glory He had possessed with Yahweh before being born into the flesh, John 17:5:
   And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world began, NIV.
   Joshua, the son of Yehozadak, came out of bondage in Babylon to become high priest and ruler in Jerusalem. Yahshua, the Son of Yahweh, came out of bondage in the flesh to become High Priest and ruler in Yahweh's kingdom of heaven.
   Matthew 25:31 tells us that Yahshua will sit on a throne when He returns and the saints who rise in the first resurrection will rule with Him on this earth for one thousand years, Revelation 20:4-6 and 5:10.
   There will be an earthly throne as there is the heavenly one. A believer in the Trinity believes the same Divine Being sits on both thrones. Though such a thing is possible for Yahweh, it is not true just because many believe it is.
   Isaiah 53 is a prophecy about One Who, like a lamb, was afflicted and pierced for our transgressions. Verses 7 and 10 in the NIV read,
   He was oppressed and afflicted yet He did not open His mouth ...Hewasledlikealambtothe slaughter. Yet it was Yahweh's will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer, and though Yahweh makes His life a guilt offering, He will see His offspring and prolong His days, and the will of Yahweh will prosper in His hand.
   John the Baptist leaves no doubt that this refers to Yahshua the Messiah. John 1:29 NIV reads,
   The next day John saw Yahshua coming toward him and said, Look, the Lamb of Yahweh, Who takes away the sin of the world!
   We saw in Matthew 25:31 that Yahshua's throne will be on this earth. Psalm 11:4 tells us Yahweh is in His temple and sits on His throne in heaven, and in a vision Stephen saw Yahshua standing at the right hand of Yahweh in heaven, Acts 7:56 NIV:
   "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of Yahweh."
 
Two Beings in the Heavens
   From these Scriptures we can understand that there are two thrones, one on earth and one in heaven, and we can understand the revelation John tells us about in Revelation 5. Verses 1 and 2 say John saw a scroll in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne— Yahweh on His throne in heaven.
   Then he heard an angel asking, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?" In verses 6 and 7, John says he saw a Lamb (Yahshua the Messiah) come and take the scroll from Him Who sat on the throne (Yahweh).
   In verse 13 John tells us he heard all the creatures of heaven, earth and on the sea singing,
   To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!
   Why would John be shown a vision of two heavenly beings if there really is only one Mighty One? Does Yahweh separate Himself even in heaven and take the scroll from His own hand?
   Hebrews 6:18 says it is impossible for Yahweh to tell a lie. Showing John a vision of two heavenly beings when there is actually only one would be a deception and a lie.
   
A Doctrine of Assumptions
   Dr. Lockyer, in his book, All the Doctrine of the Bible, says any doctrine latent (present but not visible) in the Old Testament is patent (present but open to observation) in the New Testament. He also wrote, "We cannot study those groups of passages manifesting the operations of the Father, Son and Spirit without coming to the conclusion that the New Testament is Trinitarian to the core and all its teaching is built on the assumption of the Trinity; and its allusions to the Trinity are frequent, cursory, easy and confident."
   Accenting and defining a few key words in Dr. Lockyer's comment about New Testament teaching indicates just how flimsy and frivolous Trinitarian conclusions and doctrinal proofs are.
"—all its teaching is built on the ASSUMPTION (taken for granted) of the Trinity; and its ALLUSIONS (casual references) to the Trinity are frequent, CURSORY (superficial), easy and CONFIDENT (having strong belief)."
   Is it valid to conclude that the New Testament is Trinitarian to the core? To do so is to maintain that New Testament writers believed the doctrine. One must then also take for granted that all casual and even superficial mentioning of Father, Son and Spirit are references to a Trinity.
   Let's look at a few of the many references to Father, Son, and Spirit to see whether we can conclude that the New Testament is openly Trinitarian as claimed.
    
‘Lying to the Holy Spirit’
   Yahshua doesn't deny that Yahweh is a Mighty One. John 8:54 reads:
   Yahshua replied, “If I glorify Myself, My glory means nothing. My Father, Whom you claim as your Mighty One, is the One Who glorifies Me."
   We noted that John 1:1 proves that Yahshua is a Mighty One.
   Trinitarians believe that Acts 5:34 proves that the Holy Spirit is a Mighty One and one with the Father, as they believe Yahshua is. Acts 5:34 reads:
   Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to Yahweh.
   Why didn't Peter say you have lied to me and end his remarks with, "You have not lied to men but to Yahweh"? This is a case of using the expression "the Holy Spirit" and the reference to Yahweh interchangeably.
   The clue to understanding Acts 5:3-4 is in Paul's statement in Acts 5:32, which reads:
   We are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom Yahweh has given to those who obey Him.
   Though Ananias was talking to Peter here on earth, he was really talking to Yahweh in heaven through the Holy Spirit possessed by Peter.
   
Wrong Pronoun Used
   Trinitarians believe the Holy Spirit is the third person in the Trinity because Scriptures often refer to the Holy Spirit with personal pronouns like "he" and "whom" as we just saw in Acts 5:32. They also offer as proof that the Scriptures say you can grieve the Holy Spirit, Ephesians 4:30, blaspheme against the Holy Spirit, Mark 3:29, and that the Holy Spirit can speak and teach, Mark 13:11, Acts 13:2 and 1 Corinthians 2:13.
   In their minds, Scriptures would not say such a thing if the Holy Spirit weren't a person as is the Father and the Son.
   Strong's Exhaustive Concordance says the Greek word translated "whom" in Acts 5:32 is No. 3739, which is derived from No. 3588. Thayer's more comprehensive Greek-English Lexicon says that 3739, "hos," "he," "ho," and 3588 "ho," "he," "to," and "ho," is a demonstrative pronoun—gender determined by the gender of its antecedent, being neuter when the antecedent is regarded as a thing.
   In speech, the gender must have been indicated by the inflection of the voice. What else do these various spellings of the word indicate? Since the translators regarded the Holy Spirit as a person, they translated the Greek pronoun "whom" when it should have been translated "that."
   The trouble translators have with translating pronouns is indicated by the difference in the KJV translation of Matthew 26:52 and modem translations like the NIV.
   The KJV reads,
   Then said [Yahshua] unto him, “Put up again your sword into (his) place; for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.”
   The NIV reads,
   Put the sword back in (its) place, [Yahshua] said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.”
   We know the sword is a thing. Therefore, we can be sure the NIV translation of the Greek pronoun as "its" must be the correct translation.
    
‘Person’ Doesn't Jibe
   If it can be verified in Scriptures that the Holy Spirit is not a person, we can then be certain that the pronoun translated "whom" in Acts 5:32 should have been translated "that." We'll also see the doctrine of the Trinity stand out as the Satanic deception it was called at the beginning of the Reformation.
   In John 4:24, we are told that Yahshua said that Yahweh is spirit. If Yahweh is spirit, then He is THE Spirit. Yahweh is also holy, 1 Peter 1:16. Hence, Yahweh is Himself THE Holy Spirit.
   There isn't a thing in these Scriptures to suggest that the Holy Spirit is a separate person in a Triune Deity. In fact, Scriptures often use the expression, "the Holy Spirit" and the Name "Yahweh" interchangeably! Good examples are 1 Corinthians 3:16 and 6:19. We read in 1 Corinthians 3:16,
Don't you know that you yourselves are Yahweh's temple?
   1 Corinthians 6:19 reads,
   Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (who) is in you? [This is another verse in which translators, because of belief in the Trinity, chose the wrong Greek pronoun. The translation should have been "that."]
   What does Yahweh mean in Acts 2:17 when He says: “In the last days I will pour out My Spirit on all people"? We should obtain some understanding of what Yahweh means by Paul's statements in Romans 15:18-19 and 2 Corinthians 3:3.
   In Romans 15, Paul tells us he proclaimed the Good News by word and deed through the power of the Spirit. In 2 Corinthians 3 he wrote,
   You show that you are a letter from Messiah, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living Elohim, not on tables of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
   How can anyone believe Paul means the converts he spoke to were letters written by the third person of a Trinity? It can only mean written by the influence of Yahweh's Spiritual power in their hearts.
   
Another Wrong Pronoun
   Another passage of Scripture Trinitarians frequently use as proof that Yahweh's Holy Spirit is a person is John 14:16-17, which reads,
   And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you for ever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you.
   Again, it is the gender that translators have given to a Greek word used as a pronoun that makes these verses appear to indicate that the Holy Spirit is a person. The Greek work translated "he," "him," and "it" is autos (Strong's No. 846), which means he, she, him, her, it, that, depending upon whether its antecedent is masculine, feminine or neuter.
   The antecedent of "it" in verse 17 is "world." So "autos" is translated "it," but because the translators considered the Holy Spirit to be masculine, "autos" is translated "he" and "him" in reference to the Holy Spirit.
    
Who the Counselors Are
   Trinitarians may point to the fact that Yahshua called the Holy Spirit another Counselor and since Yahshua was a Counselor, He must be referring to another person. Giving the pronoun a masculine gender when its antecedent is the Holy Spirit must be the correct translation, they probably reasoned.
   The fallacy in this thinking is that Yahweh is Himself the other Counselor. The expression Holy Spirit and the Name Yahweh, as just pointed out, are often used interchangeably and use of the term "Holy Spirit" doesn't imply a separate individual.
    
Essence of ‘Spirit’
   Many readers have, no doubt, seen or heard it said many times that in the Bible "Spirit" is translated from the Hebrew word ruwach (Strong's No.7307), which means "wind," "breath," and by resemblance "spirit," and from the Greek word pneuma (Strong's No. 4151), which means "a current of air," "breath" and figuratively "spirit."
   Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon says pneuma, besides meaning breeze and breath, means spirit, i.e., the vital principle by which the body is animated and the power by which a human being feels, thinks, wills and decides.
   Isaiah 7:2 reads,
   Now the house of David was told, “Aram has allied itself with Ephraim”; so the hearts of Agaz and his people were shaken, as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind.”
   Here, the word "wind" is translated from ruwach (Strong's No. 7307). Genesis 6:17 reads,
   I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it.
   In this verse, "breath" is also translated from ruwach. The point is that ruwach means a thing and not a person in these verses.
   Now ponder these Scriptures which show that ruwach also means a thing even when translated "spirit," because it is referring to the principle or power by which both Yahweh or a human being feels, thinks or wills.
   Judges 14:6 says,
   The Spirit [ruwach, 7307] of Yahweh came upon him in power so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands.
   Judges 15:14 says,
   As he approached Lehi, the Philistines came toward him shouting. The Spirit [ruwach] of Yahweh came upon him in power.
   1 Samuel 16:13-14 says,
   So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers and from that day the Spirit of Yahweh came upon David in power. Samuel then went to Ramah. Now the Spirit of Yahweh had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Yahweh tormented him.
   (The word "spirit" in all three appearances is translated from ruwach.)
   2 Kings 2:15 says,
   The company of the prophets from Jericho who were watching said, “The spirit [No. 7307] of Eliyah is resting on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.
   1 Chronicles 5:26 says,
   So the Elohim of Israel stirred up the spirit [ruwach, 7307] of Pul king of Assyria [that is, Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria], who took the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh into exile.
   Can the evil spirit of Yahweh, the spirit of Eliyah, and the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser in any way be construed to be a person separate from yet one with Yahweh or the person mentioned? NO!
   Then, why is the word "Spirit" in "Spirit of Yahweh" translated from the same word ruwach (7307) in the other Scriptures? Can the expression "Spirit of Yahweh" imply anything other than the power of Yahweh's Spiritual influence in a person's life?
   Because Yahweh is Almighty and everywhere present, it is unnecessary to read "Trinity" into Scriptures. In fact, it is not only unnecessary, it is deceptive because belief in the doctrine blinds the eye and closes the ear to the hidden wisdom in the Bible.
    
Hebrew, Greek Words Same
   It may be argued that these Scriptures are from the Old Testament and the Trinity is not revealed in the Old Testament. In answer to this compare Psalm 51:11 with Acts 2:17-18:
   Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me, Ps. 51:11.
   In the last days, Yahweh says I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on My servants both men and women, I will pour out My Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy, Acts 2:17-18.
   Yahweh doesn't say the Spirit He will pour out is holy, but who would claim It isn't?
   In Psalm 51 the word "Spirit" is from ruwach (Strong's Hebrew 7307) and in Acts 2 the word "Spirit" is from pneuma (Strong's Greek 4151) two words in two languages having exactly the same meaning, power. What more needs to be said?
   The implication of the Trinity is not in Old Testament Scriptures as claimed, and this last comparison indicates the so-called revelation of a Trinity is not in the New Testament, as claimed, either.
   Yahshua warned His disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, Mark 8:15. In less symbolic language, this is a warning for us to be very cautious and careful about false doctrines from religious leaders.
   We are warned in 1 John 4:1 not to believe every spirit (Strong's 4151 - pneuma), but to test the spirits (4151) that speak to us to see whether they are from Yahweh, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
   Satan's evil spirits appear as angels of light, 2 Corinthians 11:13-14. Isaiah 8:20 warns us that if teachers do not speak according to the law and testimony in Yahweh's Word, there is no light (truth) in them.
   Pray, therefore, that Yahweh's Holy Spirit will open your eyes to see and your ears to hear what the Spirit says to you from His Word. Don't believe a doctrine because it has been traditionally believed by the crowd for generations.
   Remember, Satan deceives the whole world, Revelation 12:9, and if you want to follow the crowd, he will make the wide gate and the broad way that leads to destruction seem as right to you as it does to the crowd.
                       
               
-Elder Ralph Henrie
                   
                   

© 2011 Yahweh’s Assembly in Yahshua

2963 County Road 233, Kingdom City , Missouri   65262

View us online at: www.YAIY.org

Call Toll Free:  (877) 642-4101

Main Line :  (573) 642-4100

 
                   
                   
               
                         
YAIYYAIYYAIY
Home | Newsletter | Literature | Sabbath Services | Links | Contact | Search

Copyright © 2007-2012 Yahweh's Assembly in Yahshua
All Rights Reserved