DID the early Christians teach the Trinity?

Question

Note the following comments by historians and theologians:

“Primitive Christianity did not have an explicit doctrine of the Trinity such as was subsequently elaborated in the creeds.”—The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology.

“The early Christians, however, did not at first think of applying the [Trinity] idea to their own faith. They paid their devotions to God the Father and to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and they recognised the . . . Holy Spirit; but there was no thought of these three being an actual Trinity, co-equal and united in One.”—The Paganism in Our Christianity.

“At first the Christian faith was not Trinitarian . . . It was not so in the apostolic and sub-apostolic ages, as reflected in the N[ew] T[estament] and other early Christian writings.”—Encyclopædia of Religion and Ethics.

“The formulation ‘one God in three Persons’ was not solidly established, certainly not fully assimilated into Christian life and its profession of faith, prior to the end of the 4th century. . . . Among the Apostolic Fathers, there had been nothing even remotely approaching such a mentality or perspective.”—New Catholic Encyclopedia.

“I and the Father Are One”

THAT text, at John 10:30, is often cited to support the Trinity, even though no third person is mentioned there. But Jesus himself showed what he meant by his being “one” with the Father. At John 17:21, 22, he prayed to God that his disciples “may all be one, just as you, Father, are in union with me and I am in union with you, that they also may be in union with us, . . . that they may be one just as we are one.” Was Jesus praying that all his disciples would become a single entity? No, obviously Jesus was praying that they would be united in thought and purpose, as he and God were.—See also 1 Corinthians 1:10.

Beano. Can you give the scriptures to support that the Trinity was taught by the Apostles? Thank you

Answer 1

1. If Jesus was God then why is he called the “firstborn” of all creations? Please read Colossians 1:15 and Revelation 3:14.
2. If Jesus was God then why did he say that he did not come of his “own initiative” but was sent? Who sent him? John 8:42 and 1 John 4:9
3. If Jesus was God then why did Jesus not know the “day and the house” of the Great Tribulation but God did? Matthew 24:36
4. Who did Jesus speak to in prayer if he was God? Did he speak to himself when he asked help and strength from God?
5. Jesus “appeared before the person of God for us”? How did he do that if he was God? Hebrews 9:24
6. Why did Jesus say “the Father is Greater than I am”? John 14:28, Philippians 2:5,6
7. Who spoke to Jesus at the time of his baptism saying “this is my son”? Matthew 3:17
8. How could he be exalted to a superior position if he was God? Can you exalt the one who is already the highest? Philippians 2:9,10 (Note: It says “God exalted him to a higher position”. In proper English the word higher and highest is different. This means that God is the highest; Jesus is in the higher position. God has the authority to exalt him to a higher position. That means Jehovah, the father is higher than Jesus)
9. If Jesus was God how can Jesus be the “mediator between God and man?” Jesus is called the MEDIATOR in 1 Timothy 2:5
10. If Jesus was God why did the Apostle Paul say “the head of the Christ is God?” 1 Corinthians 11:30
11. Is Jesus was God then why did Jesus “hand over the Kingdom to his God” and “subject himself to God”? 1 Corinthians 15: 24,28
12. If Jesus was God then who does he refer to as “my God and your God”? John 20:17
13. How does he sit at God’s right hand? Psalms 110:1, Hebrew 10:12, 13
14. If Jesus was God why does John say “no man has seen God at any time?” John saw Jesus. John 1:18
15. Why did not people die when they saw Jesus? Exodus 20:18-19, Exodus 30:20
16. How were Jesus dead and God alive at the same time if they are one? Acts 2:24
17. Why did Jesus need someone to save him? Hebrews 5:7
18. If Jesus was God the one who is referred to prophetically at Proverbs 8:22-31?
19. If Jesus was God then did Jesus say “that all authority has been GIVEN to me in heaven and on earth”? Who gave that authority? Matthew 28:18, Daniel 7:13,14
20. Why did Jesus have godly fear if he was the God? Hebrews 5:7
21. How could he learn obedience and be made perfect? Whom did he obey if he was God? Hebrews 5:8-9
22. Why would an angel be able to strengthen him or the angels minister to him? Does God need to be strengthened and ministered by angels? Luke 22:43, Matthew 4:11
23. Why would Satan try to tempt him if he KNEW that he was GOD? Matthew 4:1-11
24. Jesus when sent to earth was made to “be Lower” than the angels Hebrews 2:7 says. How could any part of a God Head ever be lower than the angels?
25. Then if Jesus was the same as God, who was he being tempted to rebel against? Matthew 4:1
26. Near the end of his earthly life, Jesus cried out “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46 Can God desert or forsake himself?
27. Hebrews 5:8 says that Jesus learned obedience! To whom would he obey if he was God? And does God need to LEARN anything?

Answer 2

The trinity spawns from 'pagan' culture as do so many other Christian ideas. The triangle shape it takes is very important because it symbolizes, in ancient terms, one of the oldest symbols recorded in human history. An upright triangle symbolizes male force, dominance, fire and power while the down pointing triangle symbolizes the chalice, water and is feminine. Combine the two and you get the star of David or the seal of Solomon. The 3 wise men were also said to use the equilateral formation of stars to navigate to Bethlehem, not just the north star. They were Magi by the way - astrologers of the old. I think there are few people who truly understand the relationship between Christianity and what some call paganism. Cheers!

Answer 3

Good question!!! The idea of the Trinity didn't come about until after the creeds of Nicean and Athanasian. These were brought about because there was so much contention in the different sects of christianity about the nature of God and Christ. Men had their own ideas as to what they thought They were, so one of the leaders got them all together and they discussed and fought about what the true nature of God was. What came about was the creeds.

I find it interesting to note that until the creeds were written, no one really cared about it. Everyone had their own idea of how God worked, and it really wasn't questioned.

So what was the church like before the creeds? Simple- just like Christ wanted! There was no man-made idea of what God was. He, along with Christ and the Holy Spirit, just WERE!!! No one questioned the fact that Christ was resurrected, with a body, and went to heaven to be with His Father. It just happened, and who are we to question God?

I don't believe in the Trinity, if you can't tell. I do believe in God, the Eternal Father, in His Son, Jesus Christ and in the Holy Spirit, but I believe they are separate, distinct beings. Christ said that He was on earth to fulfill all rightousness, and that He did nothing save what He had seen the Father do. So, to me, it makes sense that they are separate. Christ learned from His Father what He needed to know. In return, God gave Him the chance to show us that we can be resurrected also. We can be reunited with our bodies forever, just as Christ and Heavenly Father have.

Most people are going to say that what I say is wacko, or wrong, or that I'm going to hell for thinking this. But there are so many times in the bible when Christ shows us that they are separate. You listed one. Some others are when Stephen saw Christ and God. Christ was standing on the right hand of the Father (Acts 7:55,56). Also, at Christ's baptism, where the voice of God is heard and the Holy Spirit descends like a dove (Matthew 3:15-17). Also, Christ says the Father is greater then He is (John 14:28). The New Testament speaks of Christ and God the Father as separate beings in other places as well, such as John 17:3, Romans 15:6, 1 Timothy 2:5 and 1 Timothy 5:21.

Answer 4

My husband and I believed in the trinity up until Dec 2006, not too long ago. This is truth. We were praying for God to plug us in a Divine church for 4 months and then He did. Our pastor knows the ancient Greek quite well for Greek is his native language. We are still studying alot of the scriptures that had led us to believe that Jesus was God.
I was always confused about Jesus sitting at the right hand of God. Unless the Lord reveals this to people, one cannot see it bc we've been taught throughout the years that the three are one.

Jesus prayed and spoke to God his Father.
Two distinct beings communicated with each other.…he [Jesus] went a little further, and fell on his face,
and prayed, saying, O my Father…Matthew 26:39
The Bible teaches that God the Father and Jesus
are distinct, individual persons:
So then after the Lord [Jesus] had spoken unto them,
he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right
hand of God. Mark 16:19
How can Jesus be sitting NEXT TO God, at his right
hand, if he IS God? How can someone sit next to himself?

Jesus said: My Father is greater than I. John 14:28
Paul began each of his letters with a salutation to God the
Father, and to Jesus Christ. No mention of the Holy Spirit.
Not once. What kind of Trinity is this where the third person
is consistently omitted? Did Paul not know about a Trinity?

There's many scriptures that need to be studied in Greek(NT).
Please don't get me wrong. I do not condemn the trinitarians, since I was one too until the truth was revealed. We should be praying always to seek His truth. Praise the Lord.

Answer 5

The Father was not made, nor created, nor generated by anyone. The Son is not made, nor created, but begotten by the Father alone. The Holy Spirit is not made, nor created, nor generated, but proceeds from the Father and the Son. There is, then, one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three sons; one Holy Spirit, not three holy spirits. In this Trinity, there is nothing before or after, nothing greater or less. The entire three Persons are coeternal and coequal with one another. So that in all things, as is has been said above, the Unity is to be worshiped in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity.

Answer 6

The Christian faith I grew up learning and practicing taught us that the God head was God the Father, Christ His Son and the Holy Ghost. They are three seperate entities which play different Godly rolls in our lives.

Answer 7

Very good! But even more, the early Christians not only didn't believe in a trinitarian god, but those who professed such were considered heretics by the early Christians, and were shunned.

And Christians who center their faith in the Word of God, the Bible, today are still non-trinitarian. Those who twist the Scriptures, and take things out of context, think they see trinitarian teachings there, but they are deluded and deceived.

Answer 8

Well, they taught about God the Holy Spirit, Jesus as Son of God (and having God's nature and eternality), and God the Father. But there are many many areas of faith apart from this one issue.

It wasn't an intellectual system they were establishing, but faith in God, with reconciliation through His Son's sacrifice, and help with life here by the Holy Spirit. The life given to christians is very real. Salvation involves God in all 3 roles.

Answer 9

I don't know if it did or not. Quite frankly, I think this is another of the "man's interpretation" things that has cause us to have so many different religions. Keep in mind, that no where in the Bible does Christ or God ever state that their had to be a specific group of doctrines in order for people to follow Christ. The only real doctrine in the belief in Christ as the Savior. (By the way, I was raised Lutheran)

Answer 10

I agree with you 100%. War makes history, there at one point were people that believed in the trinity and those that didn't. The trinity people won and declared that not believing in the trinity was blasphemy, so now we are taught trinity.