Lesson 5 Flashcards
When Abraham had an encounter with Jehovah in Genesis 18, he saw three men. Does this support a Trinitarian view? If not, why?
No. Genesis 19:1 says that two angels arrived in Sodom that evening. Clearly, the three human manifestations that appeared to Abraham were Jehovah and two of His angels.
How can we explain the “angel of the LORD” passages in a way consistent with one God?
While the angel of the LORD is a manifestation of God in some passages, in those passages that clearly describe two beings it only refers to angel.
Alternatively, the angel of the LORD does not describe an actual manifestation of God, but only an angel who acts as an agent and messenger for God. The Hebrew and Greek words for angel simply mean “messenger.”
What should we think when we see a plural (especially a duality) used in reference to Jesus?
We must think of the humanity and deity of Jesus Christ. There is a real duality, but it is a distinction between Spirit and flesh, not a distinction of persons in God.
When we read a difficult passage relative to Jesus, what question should we ask?
We should ask if it describes Him in His role as God or in His role as man, or both.
Does He speak as God or as man in this instance? Remember that Jesus has a dual nature like no one else has ever had.
How should we view a plural in relation to God?
We should view it as a plurality of roles or relationships to mankind, not a plurality of persons
What should we remember about the New Testament writers?
We should remember that the New Testament writers had no conception of the doctrine of the Trinity, which was still far in the future at the time they wrote Scripture. They came from a strict monotheistic Jewish background; passages that may seem Trinitarian to us at first glance were very readily understandable to the early church in their perception of the mighty God in Christ
In studying Christ’s baptism, what is the significance of the appearance of the dove?
God chose a dove as the visible sign of His Spirit. So the dove was a special sign for John to let him know that Jesus was Jehovah and the Messiah. The dove was also a type of anointing to signify the beginning of Christ’s ministry
In studying Christ’s baptism, what is the significance of the voice from heaven?
The voice came from heaven for the benefit of the people, and confirmed the deity of Jesus to the people
How can we explain the prayers of Christ in a way consistent with Oneness?
The human nature of Jesus prayed to the eternal Spirit of God
Some have argued from verses such as Romans 8:26-27 that the Bible describes transfers of knowledge between separate persons in the Godhead. Why is this argument dangerous?
Because it implies that there could be one person in the Godhead that knows something that another person does not know. This implies a doctrine of separate personalities and minds in God, which in turn leads to tritheism or polytheism
