Who first came up with the word: Trinity?

 

Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus, better known as Tertullian, lived circa 160 – 240 A.D. This Christian scholar and writer became famous for defending the early Christian faith against heretical attacks and for coining one of the most important theological terms in Christianity.

Early in the 3rd century, a priest called Sabellius began teaching that God had three different forms or “modes” which he flipped between Father, Son, or Spirit. He described God as having three masks, which God selected, depending on what he was trying to reveal to mankind.

This was a heroic attempt to explain why God is sometimes called the Father while at other times, the Son, and yet also the Holy Spirit. But this attempt by Sabellius didn’t sit right with Tertullian, who countered it with his own, more biblical, explanation.

At that time there wasn’t even a word that existed for the three natures of God. So Tertullian made one up. He called his concept the Trinity. As I’m sure you realize… the name stuck.

In order to disprove Sabellius’ “three masks theory,” Tertullian invoked a dramatic occasion in the Bible where all three members of the Trinity manifest simultaneously, which we find in John chapter 1.

John the evangelist will call witnesses who appear on three consecutive days. Last week we met the first witness: John Baptizer.

Today we see the three-in-one witness of the Trinity…

1. THE ARRIVAL OF THE LAMB

John 1: 29-34 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but for this purpose, I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” ……And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

John’s whole life and ministry were validated at that moment. Mission accomplished. 

He doesn’t declare, Behold the king who rules and reigns and conquers the Romans!

He doesn’t say, Behold Your God, who created the universe by the word of his power.

He doesn’t say Behold the Word become flesh to dwell among us.

No, he says “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”

To John, Jesus is the Savior of mankind, the propitiation for our sins, the sacrificial lamb that would make atonement for our guilt.

This was Isaiah’s portrayal in Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.

This occasion is the first time Jesus is called the Lamb in the New Testament, but it isn’t the last. In Revelation, Jesus is depicted as the Lamb twenty-seven times. The Lamb will be his identity from this moment on and into eternity.

2. THE APPEARANCE OF THE SPIRIT

John 1:32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him.

The Spirit descended, not in the form of a dove, but in the manner of a dove. The Greek is specific here. He descended like a dove would descend, or a pigeon, or some other gentle descent.

And this is a landmark moment in history. Here we are introduced to the third member of the Trinity.

There have always been three entities in the “God category,” namely the Father, the Son whom the Father eternally generated, and the Spirit, who proceeds eternally from the Father and the Son (yes, “and the Son” is important if you land on the Western side of the filoque debate).

• The Father exists as Father because he is generating a Son.
• The Son exists because he is generated by the Father.
• The Spirit exists because he proceeds from the Father and Son as a distinct Person.

The Spirit was present in creation: Genesis 1: 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

The Spirit is active in regenerating salvation… John 3:8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

The Spirit is responsible for keeping us saved (2 Corinthians 1:21-22), he prays for us (Romans 8:26-27), and he responds to us, even our sin (Ephesians 4:30).

It is mysterious stuff indeed. But for now, the main point John makes is this: the Holy Spirit was at the baptism of Jesus as a distinct entity. Sorry Sabellius, your mask theory doesn’t work.

And that’s not all…

3. THE APPROVAL OF THE FATHER

John 1: 31-34 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose, I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

John the Baptist here refers to a third distinct Person who is neither the Son nor the Spirit.

God audibly spoke to John and gave him instructions on what his ministry would be: to baptize, to be the voice of Isaiah 40:3, and that there would be confirmation of the Christ by the visible descent of the Holy Spirit.

But we know from Matthew that the Father’s testimony was public…

Matthew 3:16-17 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him, and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

This event is the clearest display of God’s triunity; all three are present at this one event. This is why we refer to the Godhead as the Trinity.

But let’s not lose sight of what John is trying to say: first, John the Baptist testified that Jesus was the Christ, then Jesus showed up to fulfil all righteousness as the Christ, then the Spirit showed up and confirmed that he is God’s Christ, then the Father announced audibly that Jesus is the Son of God.

The Gospel of John was written to convince you that Jesus is the Son of God and that by trusting in him you can have eternal life (John 20:30-31). You do not have to fully understand the Trinity, but you must believe that there is a Father who loves you, a Son who died for you, and a Spirit who causes you to be born again.

Author: Cripplegate