Sometimes I have to admit that the teaching of the Trinity
is actually a return to the old Semitic beliefs in the Gods
In Chapter 2, it was mentioned that in ancient Semitic writings, which include the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament), there is no definition of the word “God”. So, what are we talking about when we invoke the name “God”? Is God a mysterious thing or a being of some sort? Maybe or maybe not. We really don’t know. The declarations, “I believe in God” or “I don't believe in God” can be nonsensical.
Today, we ask the question, “God or Gods?” “One or many?” In almost every, if not all Christian circle, the answer is, “There is only one God”. This is true within Judaism, in Isaiah we read these words, “Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. I, I am the LORD, and besides me there is no savior.” (43:10b-11) Paul in the New Testament had similar sentiments, 1 Corinthians 8:6, “Yet for us, there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ...” Is Isaiah and Paul correct, is there only one God? Do all the authors of the books of the Bible agree with Isaiah and Paul? It all depends on which book in the Bible you are reading. Some agree and others disagree.
Remember when I said in my introduction that humans' understanding of God has and will always be in constant fluctuation and development? I believe this is the situation here. I think, when we take a close examination of early Jewish writings, what we will find is a belief in more than one God. Actually, the early Jews believed in many Gods. The issue for them wasn't whether or not there was just one God or many Gods. Their concern was this: Are we worshiping the right God?
There are some pretty familiar and compelling Scriptures that reveal more than one God. Right from the beginning in Genesis 1:26, we read, “Then God said, 'Let us make humans in our image, according to our likeness...'” Note the plural use of the words, “us” and “our”. Some have tried to explain away this use of the plural language for God by calling it “Royal Elizabethan” language that is really not plural, but a royal singular. Others have tried to explain this away with other arguments, but none of these explanations are convincing.
Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) we find similar readings supporting the idea of multiple Gods. One of my favorite stories is found in Genesis chapter 6, where we are told that the sons of God came down out of heaven and had sex with the daughters of men. The term “sons of God” means exactly what it says, they were offspring of the Gods, not angels, mind you. The Hebrew word “Elohim” (אֱלֹהִ֑ים), should be translated, as “Gods”, not “angels”. Though some English Bible translations have used the incorrect word “angels” following later Rabbinic teachings, today many Jewish and Christian Scholars agree these were not angels, they were Gods, or we could say they were divine beings. Again, this should not surprise the reader because all of this is a part of the continual development and understanding of God. It is a progression from many Gods to one God, a progression from polytheism to monotheism.
Probably, one of the more shocking passages in the Bible is from Psalm 82:1 which reads, "God (Elohim) has taken his place in the divine council in the midst of the gods (Elohim) holds judgment." Another interesting passage that uses this plural form for God is Psalm 8:5, "Yet you have made them a little lower than God." Once again, in the correct plural form would read, "Yet you have made them a little lower than the Gods." The word them in this passage refers to human beings.
There are many many more passages that are very clear that there is not just one God, but many Gods. In the Psalms alone we find such passages as Psalm 86:8: “There is none like you among the gods…” Psalm 96:4: “For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; he is to be revered above all gods.” Psalm 135:5: “For I know that the Lord is great; our Lord is above all gods.” Psalm 29:1: “Ascribe to the Lord, O sons of God, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.” Psalm 97:7: “All servants of images are put to shame, those who make their boast in worthless idols; all gods bow down before him.”
Some modern Christians are not comfortable with the idea that there was more than one God in the Bible. In some ways, I must admit that this idea does knock over the Sunday school egg cartoon. But again, remember, all faiths are in development. The faith of both Judaism and Christianity has been developing for thousands of years, so don't be surprised to find beliefs and ideas in the Bible that are different from what you believe today.
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