Topic 3:

The Trinity

As with the last topic on the identity of Jesus, so with the Trinity we are dependent on the sources we hold to be reliable. Our view of God is dependent on which book we hold to be revelation. The Christian doctrine of the Trinity is based on the teaching of the Bible, both the Old and New Testaments. It is primarily based on statements from Jesus concerning His own identity in the Gospels. At the outset it must be recognized that the Bible's view of God is different from the Qur'an's. The Bible presents God as delighting to reveal Himself and something of His nature to people. The Qur'an does not present God as revealing Himself but rather his will. Since these views are different, and since the Bible's view of God came long before the Qur'an's. Muslims need to show why the Qur'an has the authority to correct the Bible's view of God.

A. The concept of the Trinity

Concerning the Trinity, you will note that I am careful to say that the concept of the Trinity is what is taught by Jesus. All Christians recognize that the word "Trinity" is not in the Bible, and that it was coined by later Christians as they worked out the implications of Jesus' teaching. The starting point for the concept is that Jesus presented Himself as being God in human flesh. This is taken from statements He made, like John 8:58, "Before Abraham was, I am." - a clear reference to the most holy name of God revealed to Moses at the burning bush as recorded in the Torah in Exodus 3:14. Jesus' claims to be God were so clear to the Jews of His time that it was for this perceived blasphemy that He was tried and condemned before the Jewish leaders. The claim is further made by Jesus through His miracles. He forgave sin in His own authority. He demonstrated control over the physical forces of nature by speaking a word - reminiscent of God's creating the world with just a word. He also taught in his own authority, not as a normal prophet would say "Thus says the Lord...", but rather "I say unto you...". It is true that Jesus is no where recorded as saying "I am God, worship me." in those exact words. But He did claim to be God in ways the Jews understood, to the point that they picked up stones to stone Him for blasphemy on at least 2 occasions (John 8:59, 10:31). And Jesus did accept worship from people on at least 6 occasions (Matt. 2:11, 14:33, 28:9,17; John 9:38, 20:28), though He never commanded it. Also, deity is expressed in Jesus' use of the title Son of Man and His acceptance of the title Son of God. Son of Man refers back to a vision of the prophet Daniel (7:13,14), a prophecy given at least 600 years before Christ where a divine Son of Man is given everlasting dominion over all the earth. Jesus took that title to Himself. Jesus also accepted the title Son of God for Himself in that He is referred to with this title 53 times in the Gospels (Mt 11x, Mk 5x, Lk 11x, Jn 26x) and never once refused it or corrected the person calling him by that name.

B. Earliest Christians and their testimony

Not only did the Jews of Jesus' time realize He was claiming to be God, His own disciples realized it and accepted it as true. The Gospel according to John was written by one of His closest disciples to demonstrate that very point. Paul, an early believer and Apostle records traditions and early Christian poetry he had received that affirm Christ's deity in Philippians 2:6-11 where the phrase "in very nature God" is used of Jesus; and in Colossians 1:15-20 where the phrase "the image of the invisible God" is used of Him. It is known that Paul recorded these passages around 60 AD, and legitimate source criticism has shown that this is poetry from a still earlier time that he was quoting. Peter also testifies to Christ's deity by quoting early Christian poetry when he wrote 1 Peter 3:18-22 in the 60's AD with the words "who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him." Divine sovereignty is attributed to Jesus Christ. That is deity. Peter's preaching recorded in the book of Acts (2:25,34) which was also written in the 60's AD also confirms His belief in the deity of Christ.

C. The Holy Spirit

Jesus' teaching concerning the concept of the Trinity continues in all 4 Gospels in that he taught that the Holy Spirit of God was a separate spiritual person from God the Father, yet exercised the same powers and prerogatives. This is seen most clearly in the passages concerning the Paraclete in John 14 and 16 which refer to an eternal Spiritual person who would live inside the disciples and guide them into the truth of God in Jesus' absence after He ascended to heaven. It is also seen in passages like Matthew 28:19,20 where Jesus tells the early Christians to baptize converts in the name (singular) of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is also in the passages that record Jesus' baptism like Mark 1:9-11 where God the Father's voice speaks from heaven and the Holy Spirit descends on Jesus. The rest of the New Testament continues this teaching. This Holy Spirit is not an angel or another prophet to come as Jesus teaches about Him. Rather He is the actual Spirit of God.

D. How can this be?

After hearing all of this, you may be asking, How can this be? How can God be three and One? How can God also be God and a Man at the same time? Those are the exact same questions early Christians wrestled with, including the disciples of Jesus. But Jesus is never recorded as correcting them and saying "I am not God." Rather, He accepted their worship when they believed He was God. It is true that the exact mechanics of how God exists as three Persons sharing one essence is never fully explained in the New Testament. But it is stated and assumed that God exists this way throughout the New Testament. Christians are claiming that in the New Testament God has revealed something of His nature, not that He has revealed it exhaustively. All of us would agree that no man can ultimately, completely know the nature of God. His essential nature is a mystery. It is incomprehensible, as we should expect with the Sovereign Lord of the Universe. One man has impartially noticed that, In light of the Qur'an and the Bible, if God can see and hear without having eyes and ears like ours, and if he can have a face and hands different from ours, and can sit on a throne different from ours, then it is also possible for him to have a Son in a different way from us. (S. Masood, Why Follow Jesus?, p. 74) Christians believe in the Trinity because it is the best explanation for how Jesus describes his identity and God the Father's and God the Holy Spirit's. It is hard to understand, but it is not illogical, nor is it blasphemous on the terms the Bible lays out for blasphemy. Muslims need to realize that it is not legitimate to judge the Bible's view of God by the Qur'an's view of God. Rather, since the Bible came first and is not corrupted, the burden of proof rather lies with Muslims to show why the Bible should not instead judge the Qur'an's view. This evening we have examined some of the historical evidence concerning the Gospels and the identity of Jesus Christ. I have attempted to show that the 4 Biblical Gospels are the best historical sources we have concerning the life and teaching of Jesus Christ. The Qur'an, coming 6 centuries later does not present a convincing case for overturning the view of Jesus presented by the Biblical Gospels. If Muslims are still convinced its view is true, than please, for the sake of the eternal souls of Christians, bring us the historical evidence that the Injil of the Qur'an really existed, and that the Qur'an's view of Jesus is true. In closing let me again thank you for the privilege of speaking to you all. I would also like to repeat my offer that if any of you would like a free New Testament and a book that explains more of the historical evidence concerning the life of Jesus Christ, then please contact me. Thank you, and may God bless you as you seek the truth.