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Trinity Proof Texts: 58 Triadic Bible Texts
58 Triadic Bible Texts
Here are a collection of texts that prove the concept of the trinity, is clearly imprinted upon every page of the New Testament. These triadic (patterns of threes) texts are arranged in the order they appear in the Bible.
Analysis of Triadic passages showing interchangeability
A refutation of Anti-Trinitarian rebuttals to this material.
Use this material as an interactive Bible class in church!
Analysis of Triadic Texts showing interchangeability of terms:
Interchangeability of “love”:
Romans 5:5-6
love of God
Christ died
Holy Spirit who was given
Jude 20-21
love of God
mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ
praying in the Holy Spirit
2 Thessalonians 2:13-14
always give thanks to God
loved by the Lord , glory of our Lord Jesus Christ
sanctification by the Spirit
Romans 15:30
prayers to God
urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ
love of the Spirit
Interchangeability of “testifies”:
Hebrews 2:3-4
God also testifying
salvation first spoken through the Lord
gifts of the Holy Spirit
Romans 8:14-17
Abba! Father!”
fellow heirs with Christ
Spirit Himself testifies
Interchangeability of “fellowship”:
1 Thessalonians 1:3-6:
presence of our God and Father
hope in our Lord Jesus Christ
power and in the Holy Spirit … joy of the Holy Spirit
Isaiah 63:8-10
My people, sons
angel of His presence
Grieved His Holy Spirit
2 Corinthians 13:14
love of God
grace of the Lord Jesus Christ
fellowship of the Holy Spirit
Interchangeability of “name”:
Text
Father
Son
Holy Spirit
Matthew 28:19
baptizing them in the name of the Father
name of the Son
name of the Holy Spirit
Acts 10:44-48
exalting God
baptized in the name of Jesus Christ
Holy Spirit fell upon
Acts 2:38-39
God will call to Himself
in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins
gift of the Holy Spirit
1 Peter 4:14
God rests on you
name of Christ
Spirit of glory rests on you
1 John 3:23-24
He abides in us
believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ
Spirit whom He has given
1 Corinthians 6:11
inherit the kingdom of God
justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ
justified in the name of the Spirit of our God
Interchangeability of “grace”:
Ephesians 1:3-13
glory of His grace
redemption through His blood
sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise
Acts 15:8-11
God, who knows the heart, testified to them
grace of the Lord Jesus
giving them the Holy Spirit
2 Corinthians 13:14
love of God
grace of the Lord Jesus Christ
fellowship of the Holy Spirit
Hebrews 10:29-31
living God
trampled under foot the Son of God
insulted the Spirit of grace
Interchangeability of “indwells in our hearts”:
Romans 5:5-6
love of God has been poured out within our hearts
Christ died
through the Holy Spirit
Ephesians 2:19-22
God’s household, dwelling of God
Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone
… in the Spirit
Ephesians 3:16-17
riches of His glory
Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith
strengthened with power through His Spirit
2 Corinthians 1:21-22
anointed us is God
establishes us with you in Christ
Spirit in our hearts as a pledge
Galatians 4:4-6
God sent forth
His Son
the Spirit of His Son into our hearts
Longer data:
Text
Father
Son
Holy Spirit
Acts 2:38-39
God will call to Himself
in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins
gift of the Holy Spirit
Acts 10:44-48
exalting God
baptized in the name of Jesus Christ
Holy Spirit fell upon
Acts 15:8-11
God, who knows the heart, testified to them
grace of the Lord Jesus
giving them the Holy Spirit
Acts 20:27-28
purpose of God
church of God which He purchased with His own blood
Holy Spirit has made you overseers
Acts 28:25-31
salvation of God … preaching the kingdom of God
teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ
Holy Spirit rightly spoke
Romans 1:1-4
Gospel of God
declared the Son of God
Spirit of holiness
Romans 5:5-6
love of God
Christ died
Holy Spirit who was given
Romans 8:2-4
God … sending
Christ Jesus has set you free
Spirit of life
Romans 8:14-17
Abba! Father!”
fellow heirs with Christ
led by the Spirit of God … Spirit Himself testifies
Romans 8:26-30
God causes all things to work together for good
conformed to the image of His Son
Spirit also helps our weakness … the Spirit Himself intercedes
Romans 15:16
gospel of God
Christ Jesus
sanctified by the Holy Spirit
Romans 15:30
prayers to God
urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ
love of the Spirit
1 Corinthians 2:2-5
power of God
Jesus Christ, and Him crucified
demonstration of the Spirit and of power
1 Corinthians 6:11
inherit the kingdom of God
justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ
justified in the name of the Spirit of our God
1 Corinthians 12:4-6
varieties of effects, but the same God
varieties of ministries, and the same Lord
varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit
1 Corinthians 12:11-12,18
placed the members … just as He desired
one body of Christ
Spirit works, distributing to each, as He wills
2 Corinthians 1:21-22
anointed us is God
establishes us with you in Christ
Spirit in our hearts as a pledge
2 Corinthians 13:14
love of God
grace of the Lord Jesus Christ
fellowship of the Holy Spirit
Ephesians 1:3-13
God and Father who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing
redemption through His blood
sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise
Ephesians 2:18
to the Father
through Him we both have our access
in one Spirit
Ephesians 2:19-22
God’s household
Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone
a holy temple in the Lord … dwelling of God in the Spirit
Ephesians 3:16-17
riches of His glory
Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith
strengthened with power through His Spirit
Ephesians 4:4-6
one God and Father
one Lord
one Spirit
Ephesians 4:30-32
forgiving each other, just as God
in Christ also has forgiven you
grieve the Holy Spirit of God
Isaiah 63:8-10
My people, sons
He became their Savior
grieved His Holy Spirit
Ephesians 5:18-20
giving thanks to God, even the Father
singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord
filled with the Spirit
1 Thessalonians 1:3-6:
presence of our God and Father
hope in our Lord Jesus Christ
power and in the Holy Spirit … joy of the Holy Spirit
2 Thessalonians 2:13-14
always give thanks to God
loved by the Lord , glory of our Lord Jesus Christ
sanctification by the Spirit
Titus 3:4-6
Kindness, love, mercy of God our saviour
through Jesus Christ our Savior
renewing by the Holy Spirit
Hebrews 2:3-4
God also testifying
salvation first spoken through the Lord
gifts of the Holy Spirit
Hebrews 9:14
offered to God
blood of Christ
eternal Spirit
Hebrews 10:29-31
living God
trampled under foot the Son of God
insulted the Spirit of grace
1 Peter 1:2
foreknowledge of God the Father
obey Jesus Christ
sanctifying work of the
Spirit
1 Peter 3:18
bring us to God
Christ also died for sins
made alive in the spirit
1 Peter 4:14
God rests on you
name of Christ
Spirit of glory rests on you
1 John 3:23-24
He abides in us
believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ
Spirit whom He has given
1 John 4:13-14
Father has sent
Son to be the Savior of the world
given us of His Spirit
Jude 20-21
love of God
mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ
praying in the Holy Spirit
Colour Coding:
Red = Father; Blue = Son; Green = Holy Spirit
Isaiah 48:16 “And now the Lord God has sent Me, and His Spirit.” (verses 12-13 actually identify the speaker in v16 “ME” as being the creator YHWH. Jesus what actually was sent, is called the creator in the New Testament: Jn 1:3; Col 1:16; Heb 1:10-12. The natural reading of Isa 48:16, is that the sender is the Father. The Jews simply had no way to explain how both the sender and the one sent (ME) could both be YHWH. This is a good example of doctrinal development between the Old and New Testament. Christians can easily make sense of the passage! So Isa 48:16 has YHWH sending another who is also YHWH. Of course Trinitarians know that all three members of the Godhead are called “YHWH”. Anti-Trinitarians, can do no better than the Jews in explaining how the send and the one sent are both called YHWH in Isa 48:16! Combined with Isa 61:1, it is clear that the ME is Jesus!)
Isaiah 61:1: “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, Because the Lord (YHWH) has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners; ” (This is a certified triadic passage because Jesus applied the text to Himself in Luke 4:18-30)
Isaiah 63:8-10: “For He said, “Surely, they are My people, Sons who will not deal falsely.” So He became their Savior. In all their affliction He was afflicted, And the angel of His presence [lit: face] saved them; In His love and in His mercy He redeemed them, And He lifted them and carried them all the days of old. But they rebelled And grieved His Holy Spirit” (The angel of His face is YHWH himself not a created angel: Ex 23:14-15, 20-23; 14:19; Num 20:16; Ex 33:12. Trinitarians expect to find this kind of passage in the Old Testament, that would not be fully understood until the mystery was revealed about the Trinity in the New Testament.)
Matthew 3:13-17; Luke 3:21-22: After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”
Matthew 28:19: “baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit”
Luke 1:35: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. ”
Luke 4:1-12: “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, … Jesus answered him, “It is written , ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.”
John 14:16: “I will ask the Father , and He will give you another Helper , that He may be with you forever”
John 20:21-22: “So Jesus said to them again, ” Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit .”
Acts 1:7-8: “He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority ; but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you
Acts 2:33: “Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear. ”
Acts 2:38-39: “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. “For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.”
Acts 5:30-32: “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross… “And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”
Acts 7:55: “But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God”
“So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.” (Acts 9:31)
Acts 10:38: “You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power”
Acts 10:44-48: “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message … and exalting God … And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.
Acts 11:15-17: “the Holy Spirit fell upon them … Therefore God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ?”
Acts 15:8-11: “And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit … we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus”
Acts 20:27-28: “For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God. “Be on guard … for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. ”
Acts 28:25-31: “The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers … this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles … preaching the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ”
Romans 1:1-4: “Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, … who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord, ”
Romans 5:5-6: “the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. ”
Romans 8:2-4: “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. … God … sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh … walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. ”
Romans 8:9 “indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. ”
Romans 8:14-17: “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. … you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ”
Romans 8:26-30: “In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness … the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words … God causes all things to work together for good … predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son”
Romans 15:16: “to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, so that my offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. ”
Romans 15:30: “Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me,”
1 Corinthians 2:2-5: “For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified… in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would … rest on the power of God.”
1 Corinthians 6:11: “inherit the kingdom
of God. … you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”
1 Corinthians 12:4-6: “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. ”
1 Corinthians 12:11-12,18: “But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. … But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.”
2 Corinthians 1:21-22: “Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge. ”
2 Corinthians 3:3-4: “written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God … Such confidence we have through Christ toward God.”
2 Corinthians 13:14 “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.”
Galatians 3:1-5: “Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified … does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you”
Galatians 3:14: “The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith … in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”
Galatians 4:4-6: “God sent forth His Son … God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
Ephesians 1:3-13: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, ” … “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace ” … “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, ”
Ephesians 2:18: “for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. ”
Ephesians 2:19-22: “God’s household … Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone … a holy temple in the Lord … dwelling of God in the Spirit.”
Ephesians 3:16-17: “that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith”
Ephesians 4:4-6: “one Spirit … one Lord … one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.”
Ephesians 4:30-32: “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption … forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”
Ephesians 5:18-20: “be filled with the Spirit … singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father”
1 Thessalonians 1:3-6: “hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father …in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction … with the joy of the Holy Spirit”
2 Thessalonians 2:13-14: “always give thanks to God … beloved by the Lord … sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth … the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. ”
Titus 3:4-6: “the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, … according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior”
Hebrews 2:3-4: “salvation first spoken through the Lord … God also testifying … gifts of the Holy Spirit”
Hebrews 9:14: “how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God”
Hebrews 10:29-31: “trampled under foot the Son of God … has insulted the Spirit of grace … It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. ”
1 Peter 1:2: “according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood”
1 Peter 3:18: “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; ”
1 Peter 4:14: “If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. ”
1 John 3:23-24: “we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ … He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.”
1 John 4:2: “By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God”
1 John 4:13-14: “He has given us of His Spirit. We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. ”
Jude 20-21: “praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. ”
A refutation of Anti-Trinitarian rebuttals to this material.
Anti-Trinitarian rebuttal #1
“Your triadic passages are based upon the assumption that the doctrine of a triune Godhead is true. The mere mention of these names we are not justified in concluding that they are evidence of the trinity. Based upon the nature of your argument, I would be justified in concluding that Peter, James and John also had some type of trine nature. Peter and James and John are mentioned together in: Mk 13:33 and Lk 9:28. Any reasonable person would not attach any great significance to the fact that the names of these men are mentioned together. The same the fundamental flaw in reasoning is identical in your Trinity passages as with the Peter, James and John passages. The argument you make from these triadic passages is non-existent, just as nothing special can be concluded about the Peter, James and John passages.” (by an Anti-Trinitarian)
Anti-Trinitarian rebuttal #1 refuted:
We openly admit that the underlying assumption when reading the New Testament, is the doctrine of the trinity. Your underlying assumption when you read the Bible is Arian. Logically, you are correct in recognizing my bias and assumption. But you make assumptions and have bias as well. So I grant this point, but it not a relevant point.
Let’s examine the point you make that Peter, James and John, are mentioned in a single verse. There are in fact 8 “triadic passages” that establish a clear pattern of meaning for PJJ (Peter, James and John):
8 Triadic passages referring to Peter James and John:
Matthew 10:2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
Matthew 17:1 Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves.
Mark 5:37 And He allowed no one to accompany Him, except Peter and James and John the brother of James.
Mark 9:2 Six days later, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John, and brought them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them;
Mark 13:3 As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew were questioning Him privately,
Mark 14:33 And He took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be very distressed and troubled.
Luke 8:51 When He came to the house, He did not allow anyone to enter with Him, except Peter and John and James, and the girl’s father and mother.
Luke 9:28 Some eight days after these sayings, He took along Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray.
I am quite glad you brought up these verses, for as you will see, the triadic passages of PJJ, reinforce the power of the 58 Trinity triadic passages that mention the FSHS (Father, Son and Holy
Spirit). I openly admit a pattern in the triadic passages of PJJ as well as the FSHS passages.
The PJJ triadic passages, do not prove PJJ are God, they only prove there is a reason behind why they are always grouped in sets of three. It is up to us to discover why God went out of His way to establish a pattern with the PJJ triadic passages. Likewise the FSHS triadic passages do not tell us that the “three are one” etc. All they tell you is that there is something special and unique about the sets of three persons who are grouped together as a set.
Triadic passages are powerful, because they prove, by way of pattern, that the three persons have a special and unique working arrangement. It is well known that PJJ shared a special relationship with Jesus, being his innermost circle of human co-workers. In the case of PJJ, they are called the “sons of thunder” and yes, they form a trinity of sorts indeed! They were their own unique subset of 3 disciples. This is proven in Mark 3:14-19, where the “sons of thunder” are singled out as a “trinity” within the listing of all the twelve apostles.
The triadic passages prove that each member is a person. If the Holy Spirit is a person, Trinity is true and its game over for the Arians! This is one of the reasons the triadic passages are powerful. It is about as likely that the Holy Spirit is not a person, but electricity, as John is not a person, but is a personification of the disciples love and devotion and faith to the Lord. But if John is a person, then so is the Holy Spirit a person! The patterns of triadic passages always group persons together.
Remember, all a Trinitarian must prove is that all three members of the trinity are persons (specifically the Holy Spirit) and Jehovah’s Witness and Christadelphian theology crumbles further into finer dust, than what it already is!
The key point is that Anti-Trinitarians are forced to group two persons with a non-personal thing (Holy Spirit = electricity). According to the Arians, God established a 58 fold pattern of “person, person, thing”. Arians will hunt hard to find “that one verse” that will group “two persons and the Bible” together, thinking such is even remotely relevant as a rebuttal. But these individual verses never form a pattern, with multiple repeated uses as do the triadic passages. When you see an elephant in the clouds it is merely a co-incidence, but 58 elephants in the clouds at the same time chained together trunk to tail, is a divine pattern! It is all about the clear and unmistakable pattern. It is the 8 fold pattern of the PJJ verses and the 58 fold pattern of FSHS that should send shock waves up every Jehovah’s Witnesses spine!
Just as there is a specific purpose and reason why PJJ are mentioned together in an 8 fold pattern of verses, so too there is a specific purpose and reason why the FFHS are mentioned together in a 58 fold pattern of verses. Patterns are in scripture for reasons. Now the divine trinity (FSHS) proves there is a special and unique relationship between the three persons mentioned. Even a simple overview shows that they are seen as equal partners in the purpose, plan, providence, love care and salvation of man. If the Holy Spirit is “mere electricity”, the triadic passages establish a pattern for a most unusual group: “two persons and a thing”.
Arian theology really has no way of accounting for the triadic passages. Why would God go out of his way to establish a pattern of the “Father, Son and the Father’s power”? There simply is not reasonable explanation. Trinitarians, on the other hand view the pattern of 58 triadic passages as exactly what you would expect, given the assumption of the trinity.
So your statement: “Any reasonable person would not attach any great significance to the fact that the names of these men are mentioned together” is clearly in error because there was great significance attached to the grouping of PJJ: They were openly recognized by the other disciples as being special and were allowed access to places by Jesus that the other nine apostles were barred.
Your comment: “but the fundamental flaw in the reasoning is identical” is half right in that both sets of triadic passages stand and fall together. What you implied by this comment, is that just as there is no great significance in the PJJ trinity pattern of verses, there is no great significance with the 58 triadic passages of the divine trinity. However, just as you were quite wrong about the significance of the PJJ pattern of triadic passages, you are equally wrong about the pattern of 58 Trinity passages.
The validity of your rebuttal of the significance of the 58 Trinity passages was built upon the truthfulness and validity of there being no significance of the PJJ passages. Since I have “pulled the carpet out from under” your founding argument, it is clear that your conclusion that the pattern of 58 triadic passages is wholly invalid.
Not only is your rebuttal invalid, your argument has been turned against you to actually reinforce the validity of my assumption that these 58 passages trinity is valid and true. You started out claiming there was no significance to the pattern of 58 triadic passages. Now, to your horror, you must find some assumed significance other than my assumed significance that Trinitarian theology is the underlying truth. Notice now I have logically defeated you and have now sent you on a mission where you are now searching the scriptures to invent some previously unknown significance that is acceptable to Christadelphian, without also proving trinity true. This is a dangerous method of interpreting the Bible, it is called “bias driven text searching”. Happy hunting!
Some Arians are so blind to reject there is even a pattern with Peter James and John or the Trinity triadic passages. Well the fact remains that the three did enjoy special status! If there was no pattern, then you would not also see any functional distinction between PJJ and the other 9 apostles. In this case the argument for the 8 triadic PJJ passages being merely co-incidence and random would be stronger, although still not convincing. At the very worst, it could be said that they were set apart as a group of three, but we have no information as to why this was. But in fact scripture indeed gives us plenty of information.
Peter James and John were business partners when Jesus called them to become fishers of men: “For amazement had seized Peter and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, ” Do not fear , from now on you will be catching men .” (Luke 5:9-10)
This natural business partnership was actually transferred into a spiritual partnership by Jesus.
These three enjoyed a special status of being part of Jesus inner-most group. This is proven by scripture. In fact Jesus forbid any other disciples to come with him except PJJ on three occasions. So is this another co-incidence? The triad of PJJ enjoyed special status three times!
Raising of Jairus’s daughter: Mark 5:37; Luke 8:51 “And He allowed no one to accompany Him, except Peter and James and John the brother of James. ” (Mark 5:37)
The Transfiguration: Matt. 17:1; Mark 9:2; Luke 9:28 “Six days later, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John, and brought them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; ” (Mark 9:2)
In the Garden of Gethsemane: Matt. 26:37; Mark 14:33 “And He took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be very distressed and troubled. ” (Mark 14:33)
Further observation shows that these were rather important and significant events in the ministry of Jesus. One of Jesus first miracles only PJJ were present. The hugely important Transfiguration, only PJJ were allowed to become the only witnesses the world could rely upon. And when Jesus knew he was about to be crucified, He took only Peter James and John. These events cannot be counted as mere coincidence, but must be de
signed that way by the Lord to establish a pattern.
Therefore, there can be no doubt that the three did represent a specific subset of the 12 apostles. Eight times they are mentioned together as a set and three times they are seen enjoying special status with Jesus.
This just reinforces the pattern of the 58 Trinity triadic passages. Instead of a pattern of 8, we have a breathtaking pattern of 58! There must be some reason and meaning behind the grouping of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit! A special working relationship as God. A special status of being God. What other possible meaning could be attached? You still need to do your “doctrine in need of the bible text search!”
Anti-Trinitarian rebuttal #2
“Perhaps what jumped out a me most when I looked over your handout is the fact that only three triadic passage could be found in the whole of the Old Testament. Therefore, the striking absence of any triadic passages in the Old Testament demands an explanation.” (by an Anti-Trinitarian)
Anti-Trinitarian rebuttal #2 refuted:
Also see outline on: Progressive revelation between the Old and New Testaments.
Is it a co-incidence or divine providence that there are three triadic passages in the Old Testament?
Many concepts that are taught in the New Testament like the Lord’s Supper second coming resurrection and final judgement, were also lacking in the Old Testament. Doctrine in the Bible developed between the Old Testament and the New Testament.
The Jews thus far have likewise failed to grasp, many OT ideas taught in the NT. No where in the OT do we find any clear indication of…
baptism
the Lord’s supper
second coming
great judgment
resurrection of dead at the end of time.
that Jesus was the agent of creation
that the Messiah was to be raised from the dead
the apostles did not understand Jesus would die, be raised or believe in the second coming during Jesus ministry
that Jesus Christ was the “Rock that followed” the Jews through the wilderness
that Jesus was the messiah
that Jesus was the Son of God
Messiah would be killed much less raise from the dead!
that the Messiah’s kingdom is spiritual
that the messiah was not going to conquer Rome in 30 AD during the triumphal entry
In the same way, Old Testament writers introduced us to many doctrines that were revealed more fully in the New Testament. You said, “the striking absence of any triadic passages in the Old Testament demands an explanation” and now you have one! And it is one that makes sense and actually fits your general understanding of the doctrinal development between the Old and New Testaments! In face, so powerful is my reply to your third point, that I know you wish you had never even said it.
Bible Study Class:
Take the texts above and arrange them in a table as follows for all the verses above. Leave the sections blank and read each one aloud, while the members fill in what parts of each text refer to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Here is a sample of the finished chart with their hand written notes:
Text
Father
Son
Holy Spirit
Matthew 28:19
Baptize in the name of the Father
The Son
And the Holy Spirit
2 Cor 13:14
and the love of God
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
Hand out one of the following to each member, then take each verse up one at a time. Each member must read a verse, then verbally fill in the chart. If agreement is reached by all, then write in the answers and move on to the next verse.
