Triquetra symbol, if a circle is involved, does it change the meaning?

Question

http://www.religioustattoos.net/Other_Tattoos/Triquetras/index.php

I saw these and am interested to know if it changes the meaning if there is a circle. This page says that it symbolizes the trinity, as well as the Wiccan or Pagan Goddess. Personally, I prefer the Trinity. Opinions?

Answer 1

It has an added meaning by adding the circle. Me & my sisters just got it this past summer. The circle represents eternity. Each side of the triquetra is to be the "exact" same size & spaced meaning equality. You can see it on my 360* page under ink in the photo album. I did 2 months research on our tat & this said it all. The three of us are different within our lives but equal people and we will be sisters for eternity with a strong connection. This is the same symbol on Charmed (TV show) but didn't realize it till I showed my daughter because she actally watches the show.

Answer 2

Many Christians begin to learn about the Trinity through knowledge of Baptism. This is also a starting point for others in comprehending why the doctrine matters to so many Christians, even though the doctrine itself teaches that the being of God is beyond complete comprehension. The Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed are structured around profession of the Trinity, and are solemnly professed by converts to Christianity when they receive baptism, and in the Church's liturgy, particularly when celebrating the Eucharist. One or both of these creeds are often used as brief summations of Christian faith by mainstream denominations.

One God
God is one, and the Godhead a single being: The Hebrew Scriptures lift this one article of faith above others, and surround it with stern warnings against departure from this central issue of faith, and of faithfulness to the covenant God had made with them. "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD" (Deuteronomy 6:4) (the Shema), "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Deuteronomy 5:7) and, "Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel and his redeemer the LORD of hosts: I am the first and I am the last; and beside me there is no God." (Isaiah 44:6). Any formulation of an article of faith which does not insist that God is solitary, that divides worship between God and any other, or that imagines God coming into existence rather than being God eternally, is not capable of directing people toward the knowledge of God, according to the trinitarian understanding of the Old Testament. The same insistence is found in the New Testament: "...there is none other God but one" (1 Corinthians 8:4). The "other gods" warned against are therefore not gods at all, but substitutes for God, and so are, according to St. Paul, simply mythological or are demons.

So, in the trinitarian view, the common conception which thinks of the Father and Christ as two separate beings, is incorrect. The central, and crucial affirmation of Christian faith is that there is one savior, God, and one salvation, manifest in Jesus Christ, to which there is access only because of the Holy Spirit. The God of the Old is still the same as the God of the New. In Christianity, it is understood that statements about a solitary god are intended to distinguish the Hebraic understanding from the polytheistic view, which see divine power as shared by several separate beings, beings which can, and do, disagree and have conflicts with each other. The concept of Many comprising One is quite visible in the Gospel of John, chapter 17, verses 20 through 23.

God exists in three persons

The "Shield of the Trinity" or "Scutum Fidei" diagram of traditional Western Christian symbolism.This one God however exists in three persons, or in the Greek hypostases. God has but a single divine nature. Chalcedonians — Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants — hold that, in addition, the Second Person of the Trinity — God the Son, Jesus — assumed human nature, so that he has two natures (and hence two wills), and is really and fully both true God and true human.


The singleness of God's being and the multiplicity of the Divine Persons together account for the nature of Christian salvation, and disclose the gift of eternal life. "Through the Son we have access to the Father in one Spirit" (Ephesians 2:18). Communion with the Father is the goal of the Christian faith and is eternal life. It is given to humans through the Divine union with humanity in Jesus Christ who, although fully God, died for sinners "in the flesh" to accomplish their redemption, and this forgiveness, restoration, and friendship with God is made accessible through the gift to the Church of the Holy Spirit, who, being God, knows the Divine Essence intimately and leads and empowers the Christian to fulfill the will of God. Thus, this doctrine touches on every aspect of the trinitarian Christian's faith and life; and this explains why it has been so earnestly contended for, throughout Christian history.

Source(s):

Douay Rheims Bible

78 References and Illusions To The Trinity Found In The Sacred Scriptures


I. Even the Old Testament makes definite reference both to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

Isaiah 11:2 "...the Spirit ... the Lord ... Him"

Isaiah 42:1 "My Servant ... I ... My Spirit ... upon Him"

Isaiah 48:16 "The Lord God ... His Spirit ... sent Me"

Isaiah 61:1 "Spirit of the Lord God ... upon Me ... the Lord"

Isaiah 63:9 "He ...the Angel of His Presence ... His Holy Spirit"

II. Close examination of the following New Testament scriptures will make obvious to any student of the Bible that the doctrine of the Godhead is truth.

Matthew 1:20, 21 "the Lord (the Father) ... the Holy Spirit ... Jesus"

Matthew 3:16, 17 "Jesus ... the Spirit of God ... a Voice from heaven (the Father)"

Matthew 12:18 "I ... My Spirit ... on Him"

Matthew 22:42, 43 "Christ ... the Spirit ... Lord (the Father)"

Mark 1:9-11 "Jesus ... the Spirit ... a Voice from heaven ... My beloved Son"

Mark 12:35, 36 "Christ ... the Holy Spirit ... the Lord (the Father)"

Luke 1:35 "the Holy Spirit ... the Highest ... the Son of God"

Luke 2:26, 27 "the Holy Spirit ... Christ ... Jesus"

Luke 3:21, 22 "Jesus ... the Holy Spirit ... a Voice from heaven ... My beloved Son"

Luke 10:21 "Jesus ... the Spirit ... Father"

Luke 12:9, 10 "God ... the Son ... the Holy Spirit"

John 3:5 "Jesus ... the Spirit ... God"

John 3:34, 35 "God ... the Spirit ... the Father ... the Son"

John 4:24, 25 "God ... a Spirit ... Messiah... Christ"

John 14:16, 17, 26 "the Comforter ... the Father ... in My name"

John 15:26 "the Comforter ... the Father ... of Me"

John 20:21, 22 "Jesus ... Father ... the Holy Spirit"

Acts 2:32,33 "Jesus ... God ... the Father ... the Holy Spirit"

Acts 2:38,39 "Jesus Christ ... the Holy Spirit ... God"

Acts 4:30,31 "Jesus ... the Holy Spirit ... God"

Acts 5:31,32 "God ... a Prince and Savior ... the Holy Spirit"

Acts 7:55 "the Holy Spirit ... Jesus ... God"

Acts 8:14_16 "God ... the Holy Spirit ... Jesus"

Acts 10:38 "God ... Jesus ... the Holy Spirit"

Acts 10:46_48 "God ... the Holy Spirit ... the Lord"

Acts 11:16, 17 "the Lord... the Holy Spirit ... God ... the Lord Jesus Christ"

Acts 20:21_23 "God ... Jesus ... the Holy Spirit"

Romans 1:1,3,4 "God ... His Son, Jesus Christ ... the Spirit"

Romans 5:5,6 "God ... the Holy Spirit ... Christ"

Romans 8:2,3 "the Spirit ... Jesus ... God ... His own Son"

Romans 8:8,9 "God ... the Spirit ... the Spirit of Christ"

Romans 8:16, 17 "the Spirit ... God ... Christ"

Romans 14:17, 18 "the Holy Spirit ... Christ... God"

Romans 15:12, 13 "Root of Jesse (Jesus) ... God ... Holy Spirit"

Romans 15:16 "Jesus ... God ... the Holy Spirit"

Romans 15:30 "The Lord Jesus Christ ... the Spirit ... God"

1 Corinthians 6:10, 11 "God ... the Lord Jesus... the Spirit"

I Corinthians 12:4_6 "Spirit ... Lord... God"

1 Corinthians 7:39, 40 "the Lord Jesus ... the Spirit ... God"

1 Corinthians 8:2 "the Lord Jesus ... the Spirit ... God"

2 Corinthians 3:3, 4 "the Spirit ... Christ ... God"

2 Corinthians 13:14 "Jesus... God ... the Holy Spirit"

2 Corinthians 5:5, 6 "God ... the Spirit ... the Lord (Jesus)"

Galatians 4:6, 7 "God ... the Spirit ... Son ... Father ... God ... Christ"

Ephesians 2:18 "through Him (Jesus) ... Spirit ... the Father"

Ephesians 2:21, 22 "the Lord ... God ... the Spirit"

Ephesians 3:14, 16 "the Father ... Jesus Christ ... His Spirit"

Ephesians 4:4-6 "Spirit ... Lord (Jesus) ... God and Father"

Ephesians 5:18-20 "Spirit ... Lord (Jesus) ... God ... Father"

Colossians 1:6-8 "God ... Christ ... Spirit"

1Thessalonians 4:6-8 "Lord (Jesus) ... God ... Holy Spirit"

1 Thessalonians 5:18, 19 "God ... Father ... Christ ... Jesus ... Spirit"

2 Thessalonians 2:13, 14 "God ... Lord... God ... Spirit ... Lord Jesus Christ"

Titus 3:4-6 "God ... Holy Spirit ... Jesus Christ"

Hebrews 2:3, 4 "Lord (Jesus) ... God ... Holy Spirit"

Hebrews 3:4, 6, 7 "God ... Christ... Holy Spirit"

Hebrews 6:4-6 "Holy Spirit ... God ... Son"

Hebrews 9:14 "Christ ... Spirit ... God"

Hebrews 10:29-31 "Son of God ... Spirit ... Lord ... God"

1 Peter 1:2 "God the Father ... Spirit ... Jesus Christ"

1 Peter 3:18 "Christ ... God ... Spirit"

1 Peter 4:14 "Christ ... Spirit ... God"

2 Peter 1:21 "God ... Holy Spirit... Lord (Jesus)"

2 Peter 2:1 "God ... Holy Spirit ... Lord (Jesus)"

1 John 4:2 "Spirit ... Jesus ... God"

1 John 4:13, 14 "Spirit ... Father ... Son ... Savior"

1 John 5:7 "Father... Word ... Holy Spirit"

Jude 20, 21 "the Holy Spirit... God... Lord ... Jesus Christ"

Revelation 1:9, 10 "Jesus Christ ... God ... Jesus Christ ... Spirit"

Revelation 3:5-7 "Father ... Spirit ... He that hath the key of David (Jesus)"

Revelation 14:12, 13 "God ... Jesus ... Lord ... Spirit"

Revelation 21:9, 10 "Lamb ... Spirit ... God"

Revelation 22:16-18 "the offspring of David (Jesus) ... Spirit ... God"