Where did the idea of the Trinity come from?

Question

Does it say anything about it in the bible? if its not then why do so many people believe this?

I know in the Bible it says "in the name of the father the son and the holy spirit" but where does it imply that these three persons are one?

Answer 1

What is the origin of the Trinity doctrine?

The New Encyclopædia Britannica says: “Neither the word Trinity, nor the explicit doctrine as such, appears in the New Testament, nor did Jesus and his followers intend to contradict the Shema in the Old Testament: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord’ (Deut. 6:4). . . . The doctrine developed gradually over several centuries and through many controversies. . . . By the end of the 4th century . . . the doctrine of the Trinity took substantially the form it has maintained ever since.”—(1976), Micropædia, Vol. X, p. 126.

The New Catholic Encyclopedia states: “The formulation ‘one God in three Persons’ was not solidly established, certainly not fully assimilated into Christian life and its profession of faith, prior to the end of the 4th century. But it is precisely this formulation that has first claim to the title the Trinitarian dogma. Among the Apostolic Fathers, there had been nothing even remotely approaching such a mentality or perspective.”—(1967), Vol. XIV, p. 299.

In The Encyclopedia Americana we read: “Christianity derived from Judaism and Judaism was strictly Unitarian [believing that God is one person]. The road which led from Jerusalem to Nicea was scarcely a straight one. Fourth century Trinitarianism did not reflect accurately early Christian teaching regarding the nature of God; it was, on the contrary, a deviation from this teaching.”—(1956), Vol. XXVII, p. 294L.

According to the Nouveau Dictionnaire Universel, “The Platonic trinity, itself merely a rearrangement of older trinities dating back to earlier peoples, appears to be the rational philosophic trinity of attributes that gave birth to the three hypostases or divine persons taught by the Christian churches. . . . This Greek philosopher’s [Plato, fourth century B.C.E.] conception of the divine trinity . . . can be found in all the ancient [pagan] religions.”—(Paris, 1865-1870), edited by M. Lachâtre, Vol. 2, p. 1467.

John L. McKenzie, S.J., in his Dictionary of the Bible, says: “The trinity of persons within the unity of nature is defined in terms of ‘person’ and ‘nature’ which are G[ree]k philosophical terms; actually the terms do not appear in the Bible. The trinitarian definitions arose as the result of long controversies in which these terms and others such as ‘essence’ and ‘substance’ were erroneously applied to God by some theologians.”—(New York, 1965), p. 899.

Answer 2

The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus is God (cf. John 8:58, 10:38, 14:10; Col. 2:9). It also clearly teaches that the Holy Spirit is God (cf. Acts 5:3–4, 28:25–28; 1 Cor. 2:10–13). Everyone agrees the Father is God. Yet there is only one God (Mark 12:29, 1 Cor. 8:4–6, Jas. 2:19).

Jesus tells his apostles to baptize "in the name [notice, singular, not plural] of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matt. 28:19). This is a proof-text: three distinct Persons united in the one divine name. In 2 Corinthians 13:14, Paul writes, "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all." We see this same unity of divine Persons in 1 Corinthians 12:4–11, Ephesians 4:4–6, and 1 Peter 1:2–3.

Answer 3

It developed in the Second and Third Centuries, when Christian scholars tried to define Jesus' exact relationship to God. Having grown out of Judaism, Christianity was dedicated to monotheism. Yet here was Jesus, a second "divine" being.

Doctrine had to be consistent. Was Jesus a man or God? If Jesus was merely human, how was he any different from any other good person? If he was simply God, exactly how real was his "death" and what did it accomplish?

The followers of a man named Arius determined that Jesus had been adopted by God and been given divine qualities, but was not equal to God. The followers of Athanasius argued that there can only be one God and one kind of God. They also felt that God pretending to be human (an idea some others were willing to believe) would make Christ's "sacrifice" meaningless.

These partisans actually rioted and fought in the streets of Alexandria and other cities, driving opposing bishops from their churches. It was one reason Constantine legalized Christianity and ordered the bishops into council, to settle the issues that were ruining public order. The ecumenical councils of the Fourth Century, starting with Nicea, resolved the issue on Athanasius' favor. There was still fighting and shouting, but without concilliar support, Arianism steadily lost ground and was virtually extinguished.

How did Nicaea resolve the nature of Christ? Some time before, the idea developed of a dual nature in Christ. At first it was God and Jesus sharing a body, but that became problematic. Then it developed into the idea of a melding, a common "substance" of divinity and humanity. Jesus was completely both. But that still didn't solve the problem of two gods and where Jesus-God came from. And where would God be while Jesus was on Earth? Who was he praying to?

Eventually, someone's attention was drawn to some formulary scriptural verses such as Mt 28:19, in which the risen Christ urges his followers to baptize "in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit". Jesus was already the "Son" of God (whatever that meant), and the Holy Spirit was understood as a special, mystical presence of God, something like the shekhina of the Jewish faith. But why were these three articulated together in the formula, as God, "Son" of God, and "Spirit" of God?

The answer was to regard these three aspects of God as equal. Somehow, God was able to divide-- no, not divide, expand? manifest? in more than one way at a time. As Father, God remained in heaven. As Christ the Son, God lived on Earth. And as Spirit, God lived in and guided the Church. This new idea created a whole new round of angry debate, but it dealt a mortal blow to Arianism. So the Trinity has an arguably scriptural basis, but it was also formulated to end an organizational crisis.

Interestingly, the King James Version of the Bible, and its predecessor, Erasmus' "Textus Receptus", provided an even stronger support for the idea, through a verse that has come to be known as the "Johannine Comma". 1 John 5:7-8 included the phrase: "in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." But Erasmus compiled his Greek New Testament from Tenth and Twelfth Century manuscripts. Older manuscripts did not have this phrase. Were the older manuscripts defective or were the more plentiful later texts descended from a copyist's error (perhaps the inclusion of an enthusiastic prior copyist's marginal note)? That debate still rages.

Answer 4

line, plane, sphere
part, set, whole
self, society, reality
personal, social, real
imaginary, symbolic, real

there are many trinities to describe reality, but none is greater than the Son, Father and Holy Spirit. God has a way of speaking to the heart in a way that a child can understand. I love Elohim.

Answer 5

In Christianity, the doctrine of the Trinity states that God is one being who exists, simultaneously and eternally, as a mutual indwelling of three persons: the Father, the Son (incarnate as Jesus of Nazareth), and the Holy Spirit. Since the 4th century, in both Eastern and Western Christianity, this doctrine has been stated as "one God in three persons," all three of whom, as distinct and co-eternal persons, are of one indivisible Divine essence, a simple being. Supporting the doctrine of the Trinity is known as Trinitarianism. The majority of Christians are Trinitarian, and regard belief in the Trinity as a test of orthodoxy. Opposing, nontrinitarian positions that are held by some groups include Binitarianism (two deities/persons/aspects), Unitarianism (one deity/person/aspect), the Godhead (Latter Day Saints) (three separate beings) and Modalism (Oneness).

In addition to teaching that God comprises three persons, the doctrine also teaches that the Son Himself has two distinct natures, one fully divine and the other fully human.

Neither the Old Testament nor New Testament uses the term "Trinity," though Trinitarians believe the concept is implicit in various biblical passages (see Scripture section below). The doctrine of the Trinity is the result of continuous exploration by the church of the biblical data, argued in debate and treatises.[1] It was expressed in early writings from the beginning of the second century forward.[1] The First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD established a nearly universal Trinitarian dogma and expressly rejected any heresies. The most widely recognized Biblical foundations for the doctrine's formulation are in the Gospel of John.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity

Answer 6

It came from God. He is God the father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The bible is full of Him in all three persons.

Answer 7

Where it came from has already been answered, what it symbolizes has not. Before psychology, it was descriptive of what is necessary to achieve a state of spiritual/psychological unity in which reality synchronizes with your true needs. One must be fully conscious of all three through a healing process. The rebirth of the true self/Son cannot occur without reunion with the father - psychologically - and reunion with the Holy Spirit/returning to or remembering what you love. Loving Jesus doesn't cut it.

Answer 8

As a matter of pure fact friends; it was during the time of the ousting of the Templars, that the trinity was introduced to mainstream christianity, what Paul said in the bible was not adhered to until many many years after his existence!
The whole of the tranformation was to bring together the secular religious groups who ruled at that time. Many were the thoughts of what christianity should be; so the king at the that time ordered that the templars be killed wherever they be found and then decided on the trinity which was actually introduced by Paul..............Years before...

So scholars, I have a retort; What did jesus actually preach?
And when did he say be you christians! Or worship me! or put me and God the father in a category that excludes His sole ownership of me! and everything in existence?????

Answer 9

Matthew 28:19
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,


What else did the JWs teach you that was not in the bible

Answer 10

Jesus taught this. I will pray the father, and he will send you another comforter (Holy Spirit). The Bible has so many references to God as a 3 part being that it is hard to deny it.