Hi
@Occams Barber . I have found that the above description of the Trinity is often confusing to those that are not familiar with the concept. The reason for this has to do with the way the average person understands what a 'Son' is.
I was raised on the King James Bible, and was taught that the Trinity is:
- Father
- Word
- Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit)
Note that the Son is referred to as the Word in this verse...
1 John 5:7 (King James Bible)
"For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one."
Because of an issue with the above verse (Johannine Comma) being added by a scribe later, many newer translations omit it...
"It may first be noted that the words "in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one" (KJ) found in older translations at 1 John 5:7 are thought by some to be spurious additions to the original text."
en.wikipedia.org
However, the concept is solid and will help you understand the Trinity quite easily. It all has to do with the meaning of 'Word' and 'Son'.
The Bible teaches that we are Tripartite beings. In other words, we are made of three components:
You may already be familiar with the above. The Trinity is practically synonymous with this Tripartite description with only minor differences.
Thus, if Father Abraham was standing before you, you would notice two things:
- Abraham is a Father, and Abraham has a Body. Thus, Father and Body are synonymous. That is our first match.
Next you would notice that Abraham has a Spirit. Thus, we have our second match:
- Abraham has a Spirit, which is synonymous with the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit.
What confuses everyone is that very few people understand what a Soul is. There are all kinds of definitions out there, but none are tangible and quantifiable. Simply put,
the Soul of a living organism is synonymous with what we now call a Genome. <-- That is the Key to understanding the Trinity!
We now have our third match:
- Abraham has a Genome (Letters of DNA), which is synonymous with the Word of God and the Soul.
Scripture teaches that Word (DNA) is what creates flesh...
John 1:14
"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."
Science has confirmed this fact thousands of years later. The Word is also 'Seed'...
Luke 8:11
"Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God."
When we put it all together, we have:
- Father = Body
- Word = Soul/Genome/Seed/DNA
- Holy Ghost = Spirit
Long story short, any living organism that has a Genome is a Trinity. You are a Trinity. I am a Trinity. Abraham is a Trinity. It is in practically all life out there.
And now that you know that the Word of God is practically the same as the Soul, DNA, Genome, Seed, etc., you are now ready to understand what the Son means...
Galatians 3:16
"Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ."
Jesus is the Son. Jesus represents the Seed. Jesus represents the Word. Where is the Son located?
John 1:18
"No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him."
The Son/Seed/Soul/Word/DNA
is in the bosom of the Father. Do you see it yet? Go back to the Father Abraham example:
- Father = Body
- Word = Soul/Genome/Seed/DNA
- Holy Ghost = Spirit
Abraham is a picture of the Father in Heaven. He is a Tripartite Being, yet he is One. Again, most folks do not understand that when Jesus goes back to Heaven, he 'joins' with the Father to become
One being sitting on the Throne...
Revelation 4:2
"And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne."
The Trinity is sitting there as One being! Where is Jesus? Again, Jesus is the Word, the Soul the DNA, the Blood. All of that is symbolized by the Slain Lamb...
Revelation 5:6
"And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth."
Christians assume that the Lamb is the Son. Not so! Jesus did not have 'seven eyes'. There is ONE Throne, not two.
The Lamb represents
the Soul of the Father. The Lamb
comes out of the loins of the Father.
Here is the concept...
Hebrews 7:5
"And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham"
The Sons (i.e., Grandsons) are in the loins of Abraham. They are a part of his DNA. They are separate, yet they are One.
Here it is again...
Hebrews 7:9-10
"And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him."
The Son (Levi) is in the loins of the Father (Abraham). They are separate, yet they are One.
Thus, the ultimate Key to understanding the Trinity is to realize that the Son is in the bosom of the Father, just as the Seed is in the Father, just as DNA is in the Father, just as the Soul is in the Father, just as the Word is in the Father.
That brings us to the Logos...
John 1:1
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
The Son is the Word that is with God separately, but at the same time, the Word *is* God.
The Son is in Abraham as the Seed, yet the Seed can be birthed into a Son. They are One, yet they are Three depending on context.
Anyhow, let me know if you have any questions.