This is a general rule when we study this Mystery using our human weakness since it is absolutely impossible for our human minds to comprehend the Divine. From time to time, Doctors of the Church used analogies, but with care. Every kid in Sunday school thinks he knows all about God. There are many mysteries to our faith. This analogy sounds pretty good, but it is fatally flawed in that is describes the Son and Spirit as creations of the Father. Yet, the trinity is mysterious. Few if any have every tried to teach the heresy of Tritheism, but it needs to be mentioned anyway. These three persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - exist together in complete unity, with no separation, as one divine being. You know, that bearded guy on the throne who looks something like Zeus, right? This view teaches that three separate beings exist. Unfortunately, most of them actually give us the wrong idea about what the Trinity is. We find it in all four Gospels. The Trinity is one of the most foundational doctrines of Christianity. The Holy Spirit and Son do not send the Father. The Trinity is not real in my life because of superior knowledge or insight. Because God is utterly unique, all comparisons will fail at some point. This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. A Note on Trinitarian Analogies | Place for Truth - Alliance of But we cannot do that (assuming we can) with God. Although he is one man who is simultaneously a husband, a father, and a student, he would consider it Modalism to suggest that this is a good Trinitarian analogy. History, lifestyle, family, music, theology, scripture, literature, the saints, church history, parenting, politics, prayer, the pope, and more. This is a place to find encouragement and hope from God's Word as you move through your busy life. . What is wrong with what I said? And for a mere mortal to have dared invent it and be able t. We can touch the cord, but not the power it is insulating. Also, the egg is made up of three distinct and unalike parts. The analogy explains that in the same way that one shamrock can have three leaves on it, the Trinity has three Persons that constitute one God. Its a very common explanation within the church to try to explain how God, who clearly exhorts His followers to preserve His supreme oneness (Deuteronomy chapter 6 verse 4), could also be identified with Jesus (Titus chapter 2 verse 13), and the Holy Spirit (Acts chapter 5 verses 3-4). The following verses attest to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). In humans, our spirits are designed to operate with and be united to the soul which is the person of anyone and so it is with our Egg. The idea of God as three-in-one is indeed a mysterious concept, one that is difficult to understand. Its all one person, simply functioning in three different roles. So, the egg analogy doesnt work after all. The Holy Trinity, one of the five Dogmas of the Church, is an extraordinary and unfathomable mystery. Jesus Person is the image of Gods Person (Hebrews 1:3), and the Invisible Spirit of the Father that is in Him - God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself (II Corinthians 5:19). The past is not the present and the present is not the future, yet all three together is what we call time. The egg analogy is very simple but it is OK to show something as simple as an egg can be one and yet three. Each Person in the Trinity (or the Godhead) is fully God and fully a Person. But common sense is intuition based on day-to-day experience. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,, , Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. Just like an egg, none of the parts are co-equal, nor are all of the parts necessary for the egg to exist. Jesus Person is the image of Gods Person (Hebrews 1:3), and the Invisible Spirit of the Father that is in Him - God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself (II Corinthians 5:19). Some people falsely claim the Trinity is a form of . There have been many attempts to explain the Trinity the relationship between God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The Trinity is pretty weird: the Father (or Mother), Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit are in some sense distinct from one another, but are all unified in another sense. 2:5-6; Col. 1:15-17, 2:9; Heb. Finally, I would suggest that the mere fact that we cannot understand the full depth of the Trinity (even with our myriad of analogies) has implications. There is what is called the 'triple point' the combination of pressure and temperature at which H2O can exist simultaneously in all three states: solid, liquid and gas. It does not represent 3 persons existing simultaneously. The Trinity is distinct in their roles and individuality, but united in their attributes of love, mercy, holiness, knowledge, etc. The three distinct notes come together to make one beautiful sound. Jesus is fully God. Modalism teaches that one God just changes forms or modes over the course of scripture. Sure enough, one member answered Well Ive heard that the Trinity is like water: water can be liquid, gas (steam), or solid (ice), but its still the same water. Devils cannot grab ahold of them to cast them into Satans prison. Is the Trinity like H2O, an egg, or a triangle? - Fervr And then theres Jesus, Gods son. This analogy denies the unity of the God-head. Haydn Lea is an Associate Pastor in Queensland, and is currently studying his Master of Arts (Theology). The Trinity is a tri-unity, a unity of Three, - God the Father, Jesus, the Son of God and the Holy Spirit. The white of an egg is the connection between the yolk and the shell. When we tend to make an analogy about the trinity we are forced to diminish one of the three trinitarian truths in order to make the analogy work. Father, Son, Holy Sprit : 3 persons, 1 great relationship, Copyright 2023 Fervr | Terms of Service. An egg is made up of shell, white and yolk. Eggs are one, yet comprise yolk, shell and albumen. But Hes God too, right? Dont become discouraged if you cant answer the question to your liking. When we use analogies, we need to indicate these things so as to not lead to heresies, A Catholic and Filipino writer interested in theology, philosophy, liturgy, politics, and law. This book is now available in a published format for easy sharing and classroom use. There are two basic ways that people misunderstand the Trinity: 1. Located in the heart of Quebec's historic district, it is a source of inspiration for visitors from around the world. I can only shake my head when He does these things! Each separate being is co-equal, co-powerful and co-eternal. While each person is distinct, they are never separate from one another. There have been many attempts to explain the Trinity the relationship between God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The concept is literally unthinkable. As a result, this analogy can easily lead to tritheism in which there are three different gods which might share some like substance. All of the above Bad Analogies would perhaps do more harm than good if used in explaining the Trinity. Explaining the Trinity | Catholic Answers The Trinity is not 1 + 1 + 1 butmore like 1 x 1 x 1.You can throw away one part of an egg (e.g., shell) and still have essentially an egg. This is a bad analogy because it fails at the truth that all three persons comprise the fullness of God. I dont know how our majestic God feels about being compared to watermelons and eggs, but He is also a loving Father, and like any father, I believe God would seek to provide simple explanations so His little children can understand. In reality, I change my role depending on who I am interacting with. We Christians believe it on faith. Heat it up, and it turns to vapor. . Arius was condemned by the council of Nicea in 325 AD. Cool it down, and itll eventually freeze into a solid. This analogy denies the unity of the God-head. Despite its potential obscurity, Trinity Sunday is a great occasion for me to revisit an old article on the Trinity. The Holy Trinity - A Scientific Analogy - The Fra Angelico Institute Now if any man has not the Spirit of Christ, he is not His" (Romans 8:9). God is much bigger and much greater than we can understand, and to be honest, I'm ok with that. But God is the eternal Light, which has neither had a beginning, nor shall ever fail. True, we humans are image bearers but nothing in creation serves as an analogy for the Trinity because the Trinity is a doctrine of special (biblical) revelation not nature or reason. Born in England in 1961, Benjamin Waterhouse Benjamin Waterhouse has been the organist of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity since 2000. The shell, while important, is no longer needed. RELATED: Did Jesus Really Rise From The Dead? What are some popular illustrations of the Holy Trinity? Augustine's typical dialectic is to move from the exterior realities of creation to the interior reality of the human soul where he hoped to encounter God in the image of God, damaged as it is by the fall. [Solved] Erickson discusses "God's Three-in-Oneness." What are the And a voice from heaven said, This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. God the Father spoke from heaven and spoke of His Son, Jesus. Thus the Father is in Jesus " I and My Father are One" (John 10:30), "The Father is in Me" (John 14:10) God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself (II Corinthians 5:19). For example, we know that God didnt create humanity because He bored or lonely. You are an egg! For the Trinity, instead of using the formula 1+1+1, we use 1x1x1. Thus the Father is in Jesus " I and My Father are One" (John 10:30), "The Father is in Me" (John 14:10) God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself (II Corinthians 5:19). The egg shell is the image of the yolk and the white. Jonathon serves as a lay pastor at Gospel Life Church in New Braunfels, TX and currently works as the IT Manager for a non-profit ministry. These two analogies are the "water" analogy and the "egg" analogy. That fire keeps devils away from the saved. Unfortunately, there is a problem with this view of the Trinity. He was with God in the beginning. Water can be frozen and is called ice. The Son intercedes as our High Priest before the Father. In other words, God may manifest Himself as the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit. THE TRUTH IS: The Father, Son, and Spirit are three different persons who are all equally one God. (Which I just found out is in error). A man might be a father to his children, a husband to his wife, and son to his parents. [4] The goal of an analogy is to draw out similarities between it and its referent in illuminating ways, not to define the referent itself. Although God is transcendent, sovereign, unapproachable light, He has condescended to reveal something of Himself to His creation. The best analogy for the Trinity (hold your stones) - The Project on For instance, we know that God is perfectly loving. However, keep in mind that the one being. Vestment Emblems. Not just for explaining it to others, but to bolster our own faith and see how each One works in our lives. What is the Trinity? In Arianism, the Son is not eternally equal with the Father, but was the Fathers first and best creation. He began to play the organ as a chorister in England, before continuing his studies in Qubec and France. The Unseen Father would have been put into Satans prison. Why Analogies And Illustrations Of The Trinity Fail CafeLogos.orgThe Egg and i -A Simple Explanation of The Trinity And when the time comes when death is allowed to crack your shell in its final hour and your believing soul is released; the Spirit of God that holds you will carry you in His arms to your heavenly home because In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. The divine persons are really DISTINCT from one another, and not merely different roles of God at different times. St. Augustine, one of the most important Fathers of the Church, wrote a great deal on the doctrine of the Trinity. The apple seed alone is not an apple. What makes it hard is that all of our analogies and metaphors fall short of capturing what the Trinity actually is. Homily for The Solemnity of Holy Trinity The problem with this analogy is it denies the unity of the God-head. He has not yet revealed some mysteries (what did Jesus do in His childhood, when will He return, what does the word Selah mean in the Old Testament- and so many more.).