This is another hot topic that is highly debated amongst the Torah community and one that needs to be addressed as heresy continues to increase in these last days. Many believe in the doctrine of “Unitarianism” which is the belief that ELOHIM is a single entity and not three forms as I like to call the Triune-ELOHIM aka 3 Persons operating as One United ELOHIM! This will be explained further in the message.
Many well-meaning Torah teachers and believers will say that believing in a Triune-ELOHIM is a pagan concept that was developed by the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. and then they will go on to call those who believe this doctrine as following pagan Christianity doctrine! Again, as I mentioned in the message “Zadok Priest: A Day is Evening to Evening Part 3”, is that just because a group of people who is not walking completely in the truth DOES NOT mean that everything, they believe is false or pagan, again that is throwing out the baby with the bath water and we have to simply examine the evidence. So, I will show that the early Hebrew manuscript of John, the Zadok Priests, the early church fathers, The Ascension of Isaiah, and even Buddha clearly prove that a Triune-ELOHIM is not a pagan concept but rather a scripturally based one that existed long before the Council of Nicaea. Furthermore, the Council of Nicaea did not invent this as many believe.
Patheos.com writes in an article titled “Do you know the Doctrine of the Trinity was NOT established at Nicaea, in 325 A.D.?” States:
“The main purpose of the Council of Nicaea was to resolve a debate within the Catholic Church which was threatening the peace of the Roman Empire. It was whether YESHUA is fully EL (God) or essentially subordinate to EL the Father, thus not equal to the Father in essence. It is quite clear in the writings of the church fathers of the second and third centuries, who were called “apologists,” that they subscribed to the belief that YESHUA was EL/deity yet essentially subordinate to the Father. Thus, they could call the Father “EL Almighty,” yet refrain from doing that same regarding YESHUA. I call this “big EL and little EL.” Origen even called YESHUA a “SECOND EL.”
I have already proven from a 12-part series that YESHUA is EL (God) the Son, and again anybody who does not believe that YESHUA is EL or that He is a created being is a heretic. I will also prove that the Triune-ELOHIM concept always existed, and as the article stated the Council of Nicaea discussed whether YESHUA is EL (which He is) NOT about them inventing a “Trinity” doctrine. Many well-meaning Torah observers will shout out loud that the book of Matthew is the MOST JEWISH BESORAH (GOSPEL) yet because of biases they will automatically throw out YESHUA’s own words quoted in Matthew. This is exactly what happens when emotions get involved versus accepting the scriptures for what it says.
Matthew 28:19 (Hebrewgospels.com)
“Therefore go preach to all the peoples, and immerse them in the Name of the FATHER AND THE SON AND OF RUACH HA’KODESH (THE SET-APART SPIRIT), and teach them, and keep all that I commanded you.”
We can clearly see that YESHUA mentions 2 others that are ELOHIM that are not Himself, but yet ONE, UNITED WITH! How can this be? We see the first application of this in Genesis!
3 in 1 (Triune-ELOHIM) is a scriptural doctrine!
The first clue is given to us in the very beginning, where we see that in the beginning “ELOHIM created”! The word ELOHIM in itself is plural and means “MIGHTY ONES!” Strongs H430 defines ELOHIM as “PLURAL of H433; gods in the ordinary sense, but specifically used (in the PLURAL THUS, especially with the article) of the SUPREME GOD).”
Genesis 1:26 (Complete Jewish Bible)
“Then ELOHIM said, “Let US make humankind in OUR image, in the likeness of OURSELVES…” Verse 27 “So ELOHIM created humankind in HIS OWN IMAGE; the image of ELOHIM He created him: male and female.”
We can clearly see the plural usage of ELOHIM in verse 26 by the descriptors US, OUR and OURSELVES, then in verse 27 it says ELOHIM created humankind in “HIS OWN IMAGE” to paint the picture of ELOHIM being 3 Persons yet ONE UNITED ELOHIM!
Genesis 2:24 (Complete Jewish Bible)
“This is why a man is to leave his father and mother and stick with his wife, and THEY are to be ONE flesh.”
The etymology for the word one here is Echad and Strong’s #H259 says “A numeral from H258; PROPERLY UNITED, that is, one…”
We know that Adam and Eve did not morph into one human being! They were two separate people being husband and wife yet ONE (ECHAD) flesh through the marriage, which is the same concept YESHUA was referring to when we read His Words in the Hebrew manuscript of John.
John 8:16 (Hebrewgospels.com)
“For when I judge, my judgment is true, because I am not alone-for I AND THE FATHER who sent Me-WE ARE ECHAD.”
John 10:29-30 (Hebrewgospels.com)
“My Father who gave them to Me, is greater than everything-and no man is able to tear them from the hand of My Father. I AND The Father, WE are ECHAD.”
But then, you will hear some Torah observant followers that will point to John 17 and say “We are echad with ELOHIM, does that make us ELOHIM too?” Even though YESHUA has emphasized twice about He and His Father being One. So my response is, did YESHUA say to be immersed in the Name of The Father, The Son, The Set-Apart Spirit AND the human beings He created? Absolutely NOT because we aren’t divine, and nobody is going to immerse anybody in our name!
1 Corinthians 1:12-13
“I say this because one of you says, “I follow Paul”; another says, “I follow Apollos”’ another, “I follow Peter”; while still another says, “I follow the Messiah!” Has the Messiah been split in pieces? WAS IT PAUL WHO WAS PUT TO DEATH ON A STAKE FOR YOU? WERE YOU IMMERSED INTO THE NAME OF PAUL?”
So, we can go ahead and easily throw out that heretical argument!
John 16:13 (Hebrewgospels.com)
“But when that RUACH (Spirit) of truth will come, He will teach you all truth. For He will not speak of His own heart, only the words which He hears He will speak, and make known to you those words. He will glorify Me-FROM MY FATHER He will take, and will make known to you all the things which are My Father’s-Which are Mine—and He will make them known to you.”
Again, we can clearly see 3 Persons being mentioned, especially in the Hebrew manuscript. Some people argue that the RUACH HA’KODESH (The Set-Apart Spirit) is YAHWEH; however, the Hebrew disproves that theory. YESHUA says that the RUACH HA’KODESH will take the words from YAHWEH the Father and announce them to us, so the RUACH HA’KODESH is clearly not YAHWEH. Again, YESHUA mentions two others that are not Himself, but yet ONE (ECHAD) UNITED WITH!
All these scriptures are a perfect match with the Tanakh (Old Testament) scripture found in Isaiah where we see YESHUA speaking pre-incarnate before coming in the flesh and walking the earth.
Isaiah 48:16 (Parenthesis mine)
“Come close to Me (YESHUA), and listen to this: since the beginning I have not spoken in secret, since the time things began to be, I have been there; and now YAHWEH ELOHIM has sent ME (YESHUA) and His SPIRIT (RUACH HA’KODESH).”
Now it makes more sense when you read the Shema found in Deuteronomy and see that this concept is an ancient one:
Deuteronomy 6:4 (Complete Jewish Bible)
“Shema (Hear and obey), Yisra’el! YAHWEH ELOHEINU (YAHWEH OUR ELOHIM), YAHWEH ECHAD! YAHWEH our ELOHIM, YAHWEH IS ONE.”
So, in the Torah we find YAHWEH ECHAD seeing that YAHWEH is ONE UNITED ELOHIM which is: YAHWEH The Father, The WORD OF YAHWEH (YESHUA), and the SPIRIT OF YAHWEH (The RUACH HA’KODESH/Set-Apart Spirit). And yes, the righteous Zadok Priest believed in 3 Persons operating as ONE UNITED ELOHIM!
Zadok Priest
On page 20 of the Damascus Covenant, Ken Johnson the translator writes in the section titled “Zadok Beliefs” writes:
“The Zadok priests interpreted the Old Testament by the writings of the Patriarchs, the lineage from Adam through Aaron, Moses’s brother. There was a collection of some forty testaments from these people. Currently, less than half of these still exist, and most are fragmented. But if we couple these together with the commentaries from the scrolls, they give us a good picture of what the Essenes believed. Here are a few of their teachings.
1. One ELOHIM exists as EL (God) THE FATHER, THE MESSIAH, AND THE SET-APART SPIRIT (THE RUACH HA’KODESH).
Ascension of Isaiah
Scholars say the Ascension of Isaiah was written between 70 AD to 175 AD, which means this is WELL before the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. Here are the words of a scholar concerning chapter 9 in the Ascension of Isaiah:
Proto-Trinitarianism
“Some scholars have noted that the Ascension reflects a proto-Trinitarian perspective,[13] such as when the inhabitants of the sixth heaven sing praises to "the primal FATHER AND HIS BELOVED CHRIST, AND THE SET-APART SPIRIT". Larry Hurtado writes;
The most extended narrative of heavenly worship is in 9.27–42, however, where a similar TRIADIC view is presented. Having reached the seventh heaven, which is bathed in incomparable light, Isaiah sees innumerable angels and "all the righteous from the time of Adam onwards" (9.6–9). Then, after his angel guide explains how the descent of the Beloved One will make it possible for the righteous to receive their robes, crowns, and thrones (9.10–26), Isaiah sees a figure "whose glory surpassed that of all being worshiped by Adam, Abel, and all the other righteous and angels (9.27–28). Crucially, at this point the angel guide directs Isaiah to "Worship this one," whom the angel identifies as "the Master of all the praise which you have seen" (9.31–32), the Beloved One; Isaiah joins in the worship and sung praise directed to this figure.”
This is YESHUA! Back to the article:
“Then ANOTHER glorious figure approaches, subsequently identified as "the angel of the SET-APART SPIRIT who HAS SPOKEN IN YOU and also in the other righteous" (9.36), and Isaiah is likewise told to join the angels in worshiping this one (9.35–36).”
This is The RUACH-HAKODESH! Back to the article:
“Finally, in a carefully prepared climax to this scene, Isaiah sees "the Great Glory" (but with his spirit, for it appears that his eyes are blinded by the light of this glory, 9.37), and he relates how "my Master" and "the angel of the Spirit" both offered worship to this THIRD FIGURE, along with "all the righteous" and the angels (9.40–42).[3].”
This would be YAHWEH the Father! The footnotes in the Ascension of Isaiah leave no doubts if that was not clear enough:
The footnote on page 65 says “27-32 Vision and worship of the SECOND PERSON OF THE ELOHIM-HEAD.” This is a reference to YESHUA the Son!
The footnote on page 66 says “33-35 Vision and worship of the THIRD PERSON OF THE ELOHIM-HEAD.” This is a reference to the RUACH HA’KODESH (The Set-Apart Spirit).
The footnote on page 68 says “37-42 Vision and worship of the FIRST PERSON OF THE ELOHIM-HEAD.” This is a reference to YAHWEH the Father!
Polycarp
Polycarp was a bishop of Smyrna, he was born in 69 AD and died in 155 AD, he was a direct disciple of John the disciple who walked with YESHUA! So here we have someone who learned from John, and John taught Polycarp what YESHUA taught him, and this again is well before the Council of Nicaea.
Martyrdom of Polycarp, 14 states
“O YAHWEH ELOHIM Almighty, the Father of thy beloved and blessed Son YESHUA HA’MASHIACH, by whom we have received the knowledge of Thee, The ELOHIM of angels and powers, and of every creature, and of the whole race of the righteous who live before thee, I give Thee thanks that Thou hast counted me worthy of this day and this hour, that I should have a part in the number of Thy martyrs, in the cup of thy Messiah, to the resurrection of eternal life, both of soul and body, through the incorruption imparted by the RUACH HA’KODESH (THE SET-APART SPIRIT). I bless Thee, I glorify Thee, along with the everlasting and heavenly YESHUA HA’MASHIACH, Thy beloved Son, with whom, to Thee, and the RUACH HA’KODESH (THE SET-APART SPIRIT), be glory both now and to all coming ages. Ahmein.”
Irenaeus
We also have another witness in Irenaeus who was a disciple of Polycarp, and as mentioned above Polycarp was a disciple of John who walked with YESHUA! We clearly saw from John’s writings in Hebrew that YESHUA is EL (God) and that John himself believed YESHUA to be EL, and that YESHUA spoke of the Triune-ELOHIM! So, being that Irenaeus was not to far removed from YESHUA’s day and was a disciple of Polycarp who learned from John himself, it would be good to see what Irenaeus would have to say as an early church father. And this was in 180 AD, which again shows this belief was accepted as doctrine well before 325 AD.
Suprisinggodblog.gci.org writes:
Irenaeus on the Trinity
“In about A.D. 180, Irenaeus wrote the statement below concerning the TRIUNE NATURE of ELOHIM. Here we find the basic elements of the doctrine of the Trinity. Note, in particular, the distinct role of each member of the ELOHIM-HEAD and its relationship to all of humanity.
This is the rule of our faith, the foundation of the building, and what gives support to our behavior.
EL the Father uncreated, who is uncontained, invisible, one ELOHIM, creator of the universe; this is the FIRST article of our faith.
And the SECOND is: The Word of ELOHIM, the Son of EL, our Master YESHUA HA’MASHIACH, who appeared to the prophets according to their way of prophesying and according to the dispensation of the Father. Through him all things were created. Furthermore, in the fullness of time, in order to gather all things to himself, he became a human being amongst human beings, capable of being seen and touched, to destroy death, bring life, and restore fellowship between ELOHIM and humanity.
And the THIRD article is: The Holy Spirit, through whom the prophets prophesied, and our forebears learned of ELOHIM and the righteous were led in the paths of justice, and who, in the fullness of time, was poured out in a new way on our human nature in order to renew humanity throughout the entire world in the sight of ELOHIM.”
And for the record, Irenaeus believed that YESHUA always existed and that He was NOT A CREATED BEING as many people falsely teach! This false teaching called “Arianism” which is the belief that YESHUA is not EL and is a created being is false and heresy.
“According to Crosswalk1, traditional Arianism holds that YESHUA was created by ELOHIM as the first act of creation. However, Irenaeus believed that YESHUA was NOT A CREATED BEING but rather HE WAS UNCREATED EL (GOD)2. “
Buddha knew this!
What is truly amazing is that Buddha prophesied the coming of YESHUA and that He would die for the world, and he also knew that ELOHIM is a Triune ELOHIM which matches all the evidence above.
According to Tibetan Buddhist Encyclopedia in an article titled “Siddhartha Guatama Buddha prophesies Jesus” states the following:
“Near his death (483 B.C.) Buddha (The Enlightened One) told his followers, "Regardless of how many laws you have kept, or even if you pray 5 times a day, you cannot be free from your sin. Even though you burn yourself, even though I become a hermit, or am reborn another 10 times, I also shall not be saved." (Manuscript, Praising Temple, Chiengmai Thailand).
Buddha taught that he was not a "god", but only a man, a truth seeker. But on his death bed Buddha taught that there would be a FUTURE MESSIAH, Master of Mercies", who would be able to free men of their sins. Buddha said, "...He is the Master of Mercies, His name shall be called the King of Kings, the Master of masters. He is all knowing, all wise. He knows all that is in the human heart. He is Master of all the angels and of all humans. No one is greater than He." (Sutrapridot 3:107).
Buddha continued to teach of the Master of Mercies, that "...His side has a wound where he was pierced, and his forehead has many scars. He will carry you to heaven where you will find the TRIUNE ELOHIM (GOD). Thus give up following the old way. A spirit from heaven will come and dwell in your heart." (Manuscript, Praising Temple, Chiengmai, Thailand).”
Either way, from all the witnesses from scripture, the Zadok Priests, Polycarp, Irenaeus, the Ascension of Isaiah, and even Buddha we can clearly see that the Triune-ELOHIM is not a new, pagan concept, but rather an ancient, accurate, true, and scriptural one!
All praises be to our Father YAHWEH, His Son YESHUA, and the RUACH HA’KODESH! As always may our Father YAHWEH bless you all in YESHUA’s Name!