Friday, February 1, 2019

The Doctrine of the Trinity, Part 2: Agents of God


“And Yahweh appeared unto him among the oaks of Mamre,—as, he, was sitting at the opening of the tent in the heat of the day.” (Gen. 18:1)




“Then said Yahweh unto Moses—See! I have appointed thee to be God unto Pharaoh,—and, Aaron thy brother, shall be thy prophet!” (Exodus 7:1)



“Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. 21 Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.” (Exodus 23:20-21)





            In this second installment of my series on scripturally putting the Doctrine of the Trinity to the test, we will look at the concept of Agency and how an Agent may be directly referred to as the Principal.  But, before going through this particular study, I would highly encourage you to read the first article in this series, subtitled, “The Title,”God”, if you have not done so already.  It is the necessary foundation to this article.





            Just as I referenced in Part 1, when studying the scriptures, it is imperative to have an understanding of how the writers (nearly all of whom were Hebrews) understood the nature of God, His relationship to man, the concept of agency, and how they used terms and figures of speech in writing the scriptures.  For the serious student of scripture, I highly recommend the reference book, “Figures of Speech in the Bible” by E.W. Bullinger.



           

            First, it might be helpful to use a modern example that is very relatable to demonstrate how we can encounter and understand the Agent/Principal relationship that we are considering in this article.



            Imagine that the President of the United States has endorsed and plans to implement a trade embargo against China.  Rather than directly calling China’s Premier, he sends an ambassador.  The ambassador meets with the Premier of China and explains that a heavy trade sanction will be imposed on China, to which the Premier says, “I want to hear that from the President.”  The ambassador could say, “If you have heard me, you have heard the President.”



            Is that any different than the following exchange between our Lord, Jesus Christ and Philip in John 14:8-9?



            Philip saith unto him—Lord! show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 9 Jesus saith unto him—So long a time as this, have I been, with you,—and thou hast not come to know me, Philip? He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father. How art, thou, saying, Show us the Father?”





            This passage of scripture will be analyzed more deeply in a future installment in this series, but Christ Jesus wasn’t telling Philip that He is, literally, the Father. He perfectly represents the Father.  He speaks on behalf of the Father.   He is not numerically or ontologically “One” with the Father; but with the Father.



            An agent, when acting on behalf of his principal, does not speak or act on behalf of himself, but rather, speaks and acts in the stead of the principal.  The agent steps into the shoes of his principle.  That is why Jesus Christ made the following statement in John 12:49:



“Because, I, out of myself, spake not, but, the Father who sent me, hath, himself, given me commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak”





            This is Christ, the Son of God, explaining that He is the Father’s Agent and He so precisely made the Father known, that the apostle John even states that the word of God became flesh, when speaking of God’s Son.  Christ can rightfully be called and is called “The Word of God”. 



            Here is an example of this same concept from one of the most famous novels ever written.  In The Lord of the Rings series, and specifically in The Return of the King, the forces of Middle Earth, under command of Aragorn, assemble outside the gates of Mordor to face the armies of Sauron.  The gates of Mordor open, and out rides a dark figure on a horse, who stands and speaks against the forces of good; who have assembled outside.  This character’s name is, ”Mouth of Sauron”.  Everyone reading the book realizes, and you, reading this article realize that this character isn’t Sauron’s literal mouth.  He was called “Mouth of Sauron” because he was the agent who spoke for and in the place of Sauron. 



            Many will object at this point, and say, “Yes, but in John 1:1, we read that “…the Word was with God and the Word was God”.  That is true and that is a topic I will address in a later installment in this series. 





            In this article, we will look at three specific instances in which representatives/agents of God, are referred to as “God” or “Yahweh”.



            First, let’s look at Exodus 7:1, which was cited at the beginning of this article.  I am going to provide several varying translations of this verse.



(Rotherham) “Then said Yahweh unto Moses—See! I have appointed thee to be God unto Pharaoh,—and, Aaron thy brother, shall be thy prophet!”



(Concordant Literal) “Yahweh said to Moses: See, I appoint you as Elohim to Pharaoh; and Aaron, your brother, shall come to be your prophet.”



(King James Version)  “And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.”



            In the closing verses of Exodus 6, in verse 29, God tells Moses, “…I am the LORD: speak thou unto Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say unto thee.”  This is Moses in the role of agent for his Principal, God.  This is very much like the modern example I gave at the outset of this article, in which the President of the United States sends an ambassador (agent for the President) to tell his words to the Premier of China. 



            Moses was “God unto Pharoah” or “as Elohim to Pharaoh” or even “a god to Pharaoh”, because Moses was standing before Pharaoh in God’s place and saying the things to Pharaoh that God told Moses to say, and working signs before Pharaoh that God empowered Moses to work.



           

            In the next example, we have three instances in which the scriptures state that it is the LORD Who flies over and kills the firstborn of Egypt.  But, let’s see if it is literally The LORD Who passes over Egypt and kills the firstborn, or if scripture says that it was an agent of The LORD who did this.



“I will pass along, therefore, throughout the land of Egypt this night, and will smite every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from man even to beast,—and against all the gods of Egypt, will I execute judgments—I, Yahweh.” (Exodus 12:12)



“And Yahweh will pass along to plague the Egyptians, and when he beholdeth the blood upon the upper beam and upon the two door-pests, then will Yahweh pass over the entrance, and not suffer the destroyer to enter into your houses to inflict on you the plague.”(Exodus 12:23)



“And it came to pass, at midnight, that Yahweh, smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat upon his throne, unto the firstborn of the captive who was in the pit of his prison,—and every firstborn of beasts.” (Exodus 12:29)





            The answer to our question is answered in verse 23 (above).  The identity of who literally passed over and killed the firstborn of Egypt was “the destroyer”; not Yahweh.  In these passages, “the destroyer” is agent of Yahweh. 



            The final example for us to consider in this study is the example of “The LORD” appearing to Abraham, their discussion, and later in the story where “the LORD” goes down to Sodom, but (at the same time) Abraham “stood with The LORD”.







“And Yahweh appeared unto him among the oaks of Mamre,—as, he, was sitting at the opening of the tent in the heat of the day. 2 And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo! three men, standing over against him,—so he looked and ran to meet them from the opening of the tent, and bowed himself to the earth; 3 and said,—O My Lord! if, I pray thee, I have found favour in thine eyes, do not I pray thee pass on from thy servant. 4 Let there be fetched, I pray thee a little water, and bathe ye your feet,—and rest yourselves under the tree. 5 And let me fetch a morsel of bread, and stay ye your heart, Afterwards, ye may pass on, For on this account, have ye passed by, over against your servant. And they said, Thus, shalt thou do as thou hast spoken. 6 So Abraham hastened towards the tent unto Sarah,—and said, Hasten thou three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make hearth-cakes. 7 And unto the herd, ran Abraham,—and took a calf tender and good and gave unto the young man, and he hastened to make it ready. 8 And he took butter and milk and the calf that he had made ready, and set before them,—while, he, was standing near them under the tree, they did eat. 9 And they said unto him, As to Sarah thy wife… And he said Lo! [she is] in the tent. 10 And he said, I will, surely return, unto thee at the quickening season,—and lo! a son for Sarah thy wife. Now Sarah, was hearkening at the opening of the tent, it, being behind him. 11 But Abraham and Sarah, were old, far gone in days,—it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. 12 So then Sarah laughed within herself, saying: After I am past age, hath there come to me pleasure, my lord, also being old? 13 And Yahweh said unto Abraham,—Wherefore now did Sarah laugh saying. Can it really and truly be that I should bear, seeing that have become old? 14 Is anything, too wonderful for Yahweh? At the appointed time, I will return unto thee, at the quickening season and Sarah, shall have a son. 15 And Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not, For she was afraid. And he said—Nay! but thou didst laugh! 16 And the men rose up from hence, and looked out over the face of Sodom,—Abraham also going with them to set them on their way. 17 Now, Yahweh, had said,—Am I going to hide from Abraham what I do, 18 when, Abraham, shall surely become, a great and mighty nation,—and all the nations of the earth, shall be blessed in him? 19 For I have become his intimate friend, To the end that he may command his sons and his house after him, so shall they keep the way of Yahweh, by doing righteousness and justice. To the end that Yahweh may bring in for Abraham, what he hath spoken concerning him. 20 So Yahweh said, The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah, because it hath become great,—And their sin, because it hath become exceeding grievous, 21 Let me go down, pray, and let me behold, whether according to their outcry which hath come in unto me, they have done altogether, And if not. I must know! 22 And the men turned from thence, and went their way, towards Sodom,—but, Yahweh was yet standing before Abraham. 23 So then Abraham drew near and said, Wilt thou really sweep away, the righteous with the lawless? 24 Peradventure there are fifty righteous, in the midst of the city, Wilt thou really sweep away, and not spare the place, for the sake of the fifty righteous which are therein? 25 Far be it from thee! to do after this manner. to put to death the righteous with the lawless! Then should righteous and lawless be alike, Far be it from thee! Shall, the Judge of all the earth not do justice? 26 And Yahweh said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous in the midst of the city, then will I spare all the place for their sake. 27 And Abraham responded and said,—Behold I pray thee I have ventured to speak unto My Lord, though I am dust and ashes: 28 Peradventure there may lack, of the fifty righteous, five, Wilt thou destroy for five all the city? And he said, I will not destroy, if I find there forty and five. 29 And he added, yet once more, to speak unto him, and said, Peradventure there may be found there—forty. And he said—I will not do it, for the sake of the forty. 30 And he said Let it not, I pray thee, be vexing to My Lord, but let me speak, Peradventure there may be found there—thirty And be said, I will not to it, if I find there—thirty. 31 And he sad Behold, I pray thee, I have ventured to speak unto My Lord, Peradventure there may be found there—twenty. And he said I will not destroy it, for the sake of the twenty. 32 And he said, Let it not, I pray thee, be vexing to My Lord, but let me speak only this once, Peradventure there may be found there—ten. And he said, I will not destroy [it], for the sake of the ten! 33 And Yahweh went his way, when he had made an end. of speaking unto Abraham,—Abraham, also returned to his place.” (Genesis 18:1-33)

            Who do you say the three men whom Abraham interacts with are?  When continuing to read the account through Genesis 19, we are explicitly told that the two men who went to Sodom and stayed in Lot’s house were “angels”.  See below:





“And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; 2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.” (Gen. 19:1-2)



            There are several thoughts on the identity of the three men whom Abraham is engaged with in Genesis 18.  Below are the various theories:



Ø  All three men were angels.

Ø  Two of the men were angels and one was God, Almighty (the Father).

Ø  Two of the men were angels and one was a pre-incarnate Jesus Christ.





Starting with the last view, typically this is the view widely held by Orthodox Christians who hold a Trinitarian view of God.  Typically referred to as a “Christophany”, this view holds that Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Trinity, appeared to men in the Old Testament scriptures.  There are several scriptural and logical problems with this view, in my opinion, and these problems will be discussed at length in a forthcoming installment in this series.  But, even if for argument’s sake, I allow that Genesis 18 does represent a Christaphany, does that prove that the identification as one of the three men as “Yahweh” and “The LORD” prove that Jesus Christ is Yahweh, God Almighty in the absolute and literal sense?  I would argue that it does not and further, that this understanding would be ambiguous as best, given the theme of Agency which is so prevalent throughout the Old Testament scriptures.  Instead, we arrive at an understanding of Jesus Christ as being called “God” because He is perfectly representing and speaking on God’s behalf, as with the exchange in John 14:8-9 (discussed earlier in this article).  One scripture which I submit here that seems to completely prohibit the theory that one of the three men was a “pre-incarnate” Jesus Christ is Hebrews 1:1-2, below:



“Whereas, in many parts and in many ways of old, God spake unto the fathers, in the prophets, 2 At the end of these days, He hath spoken unto us in his Son,—whom he hath appointed heir of all things, through whom also he hath made the ages;”



Above, the author of Hebrews is quite emphatically contrasting two different dispensations of God.  In the former, he is speaking of the various ways God spoke to the fathers in the times before He did something new.  This new thing happened not until “at the end of these days” wherein, He spoke to us in His Son.  This language creates two possible contradictions for the Trinitarians holding to this view.

The problems created are either the writer of Hebrews was incorrect and God did speak to the fathers (patriarchs) in His Son, or a “pre-incarnate” Jesus Christ was one of the men in Genesis 18, but was at that time not considered “God, the Son” which cuts against one of the primary pillars of the Trinity Doctrine; namely, “the eternal Sonship of Jesus Christ”, which we will consider in a future article in this series.



Further, how does the Trinitarian who espouses the idea of the “angel of the LORD” being a pre-incarnate Jesus Christ, decide which such occurrences are examples of a “Christophany” and which are examples of the “angel of the LORD” truly being an “angel”?  How does the Trinitarian reconcile and differentiate between God Almighty as opposed to one of His angels when one scripture identifies the being as “God” and another scripture states the being is an “angel’?  One such example is found when we examine the story of Jacob.  In Genesis 32:24-30 we read:



“And Jacob was left alone,—and there wrestled a man with him, until the uprisings of the dawn. 25 And when he saw, that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh,—and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was put out of joint, as he wrestled with him. 26 Then said he—Let me go, for uprisen hath the dawn. And he said: I will not let thee go, except thou have blessed me 27 Then he said unto him—What is thy name? And he said—Jacob. 28 Then he said—Not Jacob, shall thy name be called any more, but Israel,—For thou hast contended with God and with men and hast prevailed. 29 Then asked Jacob and said, Do, I pray thee, tell me thy name! And he said—Wherefore now, shouldest thou ask for my name? And he blessed him there, 30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel; For I saw God face to face; and my soul was delivered,”



Jacob here, contended “with God” and saw God “face to face”.  Hosea clears this up when speaking of this account, stating:



“In the womb, took he his brother by the heel; and, in his manly vigour, strove he with God: 4 Yea he strove against a Messenger, and prevailed, he wept, and made supplication unto him,—At Bethel, he found him, and, there, he spake with us;” (Hos. 12:3-4)



            Above, the prophet Hosea identifies God as Whom Jacob struggled against; but in the same instance was literally wrestling with a messenger of God, not God Himself.



            A similar situation is found with the encounter of Moses and the burning bush; recorded in Exodus 3.  The “angel of the LORD” appears in the flame of fire (v.2) but we read that “God” called out to Moses out of the midst of the bush in verse 4, and in verse verse 7, we have the name “Yahweh” used and not the generic “God” used of the Speaker. 



            In this type of example, many Trinitarians will argue that because “God” and/or “Yahweh” are identified as the Speaker, we must have an instance of a pre-incarnate Jesus Christ in view.  Of course, a reading of Hebrews 1:1-2 (as cited above) seems to dismiss that idea due to the contradiction created; where if we simply understand the concept of Divine Agency; all perceived problems evaporate.



           







The second view, that the three men were two angels along with God the Father (in human form) is held by some modern Jews and also held by some Modalists, who believe that there is one God, Who appears in different modes.  For me, this is the most problematic of the three possible interpretations, due to the overall testimony of scripture.  Below are some emphatic statements of scripture which seem to (in my opinion) prohibit the second view of Genesis 18. 



“God no one has ever seen. The only-begotten God, Who is in the bosom of the Father, He unfolds Him." (John 1:18)



“He also said: You cannot see My face, for no human shall see Me and live.” (Exodus 33:20)



Jesus speaking in John 1:18 says that no one has seen God.  Moses asked to see God and God’s reply was recorded in Exodus 33:20. 



In support of the view that one of the three “men” was God, Himself, many will use Genesis 19:24-25:



“And, Yahweh, rained, upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah, brimstone and fire,—from Yahweh, out of the heavens: 25 so he overthrew these cities, and all the circuit,—and all the inhabitants of the cities, and the produce of the ground.”



The argument in favor of the second view in this context is that Yahweh (in human form on earth) rained brimstone and fire from Yahweh (in Spirit form in heaven).  This view seems to ignore the surrounding text; however, which shows that we have “Yahweh” (God) being used in an agentival sense to refer to actual angels.  See below:



“And the men said unto Lot, Whom besides hast thou here? Son-in-law and thy sons and thy daughters, and all that thou hast in the city, bring thou forth out of the place; 13 For we are about to destroy this place,—for, great, is the outcry of them unto the face of Yahweh, so that Yahweh hath sent us to destroy it. 14 And Lot went forth and spake unto his sons-in—law who were about to take his two daughters and said Arise come forth out of this place, for Yahweh is about to destroy the city.” (Gen. 19:12-14)



In the above passage, we have the two messengers/angels identified as “men” telling Lot that “…we are about to destroy this place” and that “Yahweh hath sent us to destroy it”.  Lot goes on to tell his sons-in-law; not that the angels are going to destroy Sodom; but that Yahweh is going to destroy Sodom.  Lot stated that Yahweh was going to destroy Sodom because he recognized that the angels were sent by Yahweh to do this thing and thus; acting as Yahweh in an agentival manner.





The final view, that all three men were angels, is the traditional view held by orthodox Jews and rabbis for millennia.  This is the view I have come to acknowledge as the most scripturally consistent view.  The view of divine agency and messengers and representatives of God; being referred to as “God” is completely consistent with the understanding of and language used by the inspired writers of scripture.



In the next installment of this series, we will look at the history of the Trinity Doctrine and how it was adopted.


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