Explain The Trinity

In studying my Bible, I tend to look for ambiguities, something I can spend time attempting to make sense out of. So, when I publish my findings, and get negative feedback, as well as positive feed back, I have expected it. In other words, much of what I will post is not traditional teaching. So, there is that crowd who will oppose me. And on the flip side, there are those who will say, “I never thought of that. That makes sense”. (This was my step mother’s brother saying that. He’s a Catholic Priest).

I’ve been met with approval on many issues by friends, bloggers, associations I have in church, (more than one church) Pastors, people with high levels of education. And, I have been met with opposition, by the very same crowd.

Why am I saying this? Well, because I’ve got another doozy.

Making Sense Out of The Trinity

A man whom I gave a Bible to actually said to me that the Bible I gave him was in error. He said, “The subject index in the back of the Bible list “Trinity” as a topic of study. The Bible says nothing of the Trinity”.

These are my thoughts and my interpretations concerning the Holy Trinity.

I want to begin with an explanation I gave to a friend after I had written this document. It is as follows:

" There is a Hebrew word in Exodous 33:18-23 that is translated as 'My Back' in our English text. The word also can be defined as something like a twin, but smaller. Using this approach to understanding what God was showing Moses, think about Jesus having said, "If you've seen me, you've seen the Father". Then look at Collossians 2:9 "For in him all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily". You see, Jeff. The definitions that surround this Exodous passage speak of God 'layering' Himself. God, in revealing himself to man, must decrease the intensity of His Fullness, His Glory in order to be seen by man. He has to (in human terms) peel himself as if He were an onion. He still gives us all of the fullness of the Godhead in Jesus' flesh. However, it is not as potent as God's full glory that God indicated would destroy man who views Him in this way.I may have to go back and insert this into my 'Explain The Trinity' page".

The following is the actual explanation I wrote prior to the italicized writing above.
God has many attributes, and characterizations: Love, Mercy, Kindness, Gentleness, Anger, Hate, Wrath, Vengeance…etc. You get the point.

Just as God has many different attributes which are all perfect. God’s Spirit is perfect, His Son is perfect, and He is the standard by which we understand perfection. He is entirely perfect.


The scripture tells us in First John 5:7-9 that “there are three that testify”. I feel this is a reference to The Holy Trinity. Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Though, this is not what is translated. (Another topic I will investigate, later. What are the Spirit, the water and the blood?)

We are aware of the Son. I should say "The Father" may not be completely understood. However, we can conclude this to be a reference to God, The Creator. So, I want to look at some definitive terms to discuss more on the nature of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Here we go.

In Hebrew, Spirit is ruach – the breath of life. In Greek, spirit is pneuma – moving current, a force. We’ve borrowed the concept of pneuma for developing our word pneumatics for ‘air powered’.

In studying Exodus 33:18-23, we can see that there are some ambiguities concerning God’s ‘personage’ (for lack of better terms), His being. What the passage is showing us, is God announced a distinction. He showed Moses a part of Himself that was able to be seen by man. It was when Moses ask God to fully reveal himself. “He said, “Show me your Glory”. This would not have worked out well for Moses. Here is why.

From the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, ‘glory’ (3519) is weight; but only figuratively in a good sense, splendor or copiousness, from (3513). It is typically expressed in a good sense (figuratively). So, what is it ‘none-figuratively’? What would God's Glory be in reality? Why would God's Glory be a detriment to Moses? Go to it’s root form in the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, #3513.

Kabed #3513 – To be heavy, i.e. in a bad sense (burdensome, severe, dull) or in a good sense (numerous, rich, honorable); causative-to make weighty; (in the same two senses) bad or good.

-abounding with, more grievously afflict, boast, chargeable, x be dim, glorify, be (make) glorious (things), glory (very), great, be grievous, harden, be (make) heavy, be heavier, lay heavily, (bring to, come to, do, get, be had in) honor (self), be honorable (man), lade, x more be laid, make self many, nobles, prevail, promote (to honor), be rich, be (go) sore, stop.

In this definition, I have bold typed what I feel applies to God’s Glory. With consideration to God having to only allow Moses to see His Back. This is all Moses could see without perishing.

In the definition, we see that ‘weight’ is expressed in a good and bad sense. So, what ever would threaten Moses’ life should be understood as “bad”.

In the definition, we see the idea of God in layers:
‘Lade x more be laid, make self many’

The definition said to make “weighty” in the same two senses; bad and good. So, when we look at “goodness”, we should apply this concept of weight and layers to “goodness”, also.

“goodness” 2898 – tuwb, from 2895 good (as a noun), in the widest sense, especially goodness (superl. concr. the best), beauty, gladness, welfare: - fair, gladness, good (-ness, thing, -s) joy, go, well, with.
It’s root is:
Towb,2895-to be (transitive, do or make) good (or well) in the widest sense: - be (do) better, cheer, be (do, seem) good. (make) goodly, x please, (be, do, go, play) well.

“goodness” doesn’t yield anything to interpretation other than the obvious; What is good. But it has weight “much” or “complete”. It is also layered. (Notice in Exodus 33:19 that God includes ‘gracious’ as being a result of God not showing His “Glory”, but His “goodness”. “Gracious” is the word ‘chanan’ #2603 in Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance: ‘to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior; to favor, bestow, causative – to implore (move to favor by petition): - beseech x fair, (be, find, show) favor (-able), be (deal, give) grant, (gracious (-ly) intreat, (be) merciful, have (show) mercy ( on, upon), have pity upon, pray, make supplication x very.

Mercy #7355 racham: to fondle; by implication – to love, especially to be compassionate: - have compassion (on, upon) find (have, obtain, shew) mercy, pity, buhamah x surely.

What was too weighty is associated with the face of God. What was good and none threatening was associated with the back of God.

“Back Parts” is the word (KJV) achowr #268 which leads us to #299. #299 takes us to the root which is ‘ach (#251 in Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance).

‘ach: a brother (used in the widest sense of literal
Relationship and metaphorically; affinity or resemblance:
Another, brother (-ly), kindred, like other.

So, how can we apply this to The Trinity? Well, first admit that God has ‘layered’ Himself to what can be manifested and viewed by man without causing death. (Jesus said, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” John 14:9)

Secondly, this manifestation is in the form of Jesus. In Jesus we see God’s goodness and mercy. We do not see the wrath of God poured out on man from Jesus. We only see the wrath of God poured out as judgment on Jesus as He represents us (mankind) in our sin.

Remember, God has layers. He endows Jesus with a full complement of His character, traits, attributes (what ever it is that makes up God) but does not exceed what man can bare.

Colossians 2:9 says:
“…fullness of the Godhead bodily…”

“Fullness” is the word, playroma in Greek from Colossians 2:9. Playroma is –
Full development, plentitude. The Analytical Lexicon describes in this verse that Jesus was fully developed and endowed with plentitude the character of God.

· God the Father is the Glory
· God the Spirit gives us life and portions Himself as gifts
· God the Son makes up the full complement of God’s character without harming man as we view him.

The nominative case (subject/noun) defines “Glory” in the New Testament as ‘Doxa’.

Doxa – The New Testament relates this specifically to Jesus and defines Doxa as they realize that no man can view God entirely. So it says:

A seeming; appearance; a notion, imagination, opinion;
The opinion which obtains respecting one.
(Jesus represents God); reputation, credit, honor, glory.