The Text:
Isa 42:1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
My Comment:
The Trinity is seen here, for we have the Father as the speaker; the Son as the Servant, the Messiah; and the Holy Spirit. All three persons of the Trinity are also mentioned together in +*Mat 3:16; +*Mat 3:17; +**Mat 28:19 note; Luk 1:35; Joh 14:16; Joh 14:26; Joh 15:26; *Rom 15:30; *1Co 12:4, 5, 6; 2Co 13:14; Eph 2:18; Eph 4:4, 5, 6; 2Th 2:13, 14; 2Th 3:5; Heb 9:14; 1Pe 1:2; 1Jn 5:7; Jud 1:20, 21; Rev 1:4, 5.
Note carefully that 1 John 5:7, 8 in the received text underlying the King James Version contains an addition to the Greek text not supported by the rest of the extant Greek NT manuscripts. The doctrine of the Trinity does not depend upon the words added to suit the purpose at 1 John 5:7.
1Jn 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
1Jn 5:8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. (KJV)
1Jn 5:7 And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is the truth.
1Jn 5:8 For there are three who bear witness, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and the three agree in one. (ASV)
in heaven. The texts read “the Spirit, and the water,” omitting all the words from “in heaven,” to “in earth” (1Jn 5:8) inclusive. The words are not found in any Greek MS. before the sixteenth century. They were first seen in the margin of some Latin copies. Thence they have crept into the text (CB). The fact and doctrine of the Trinity do not depend upon this spurious addition (Robertson, cited by Wuest).
the Father. Note: The genuineness of the latter part of this verse, and the first clause of the next, it is well known has divided the opinions of learned men for nearly four centuries, nor is it yet decided. It is certainly wanting in many of the ancient MSS. and versions; and is not quoted by many of the Fathers: but the number of MSS. collated is but small, only about 400; it exists in some ancient confessions of faith and liturgies; is quoted by numerous Latin Fathers; and appears necessary from the connection in which it stands. It also seems more probable that the Arians should silently omit it in their copies, or that it should be left out by mistake, than that the Trinitarians should forge and insert it; for the latter would only gain one argument for a doctrine which is abundantly taught in other Scriptures; but if it was admitted as the word of God, all the ingenuity and diligence of opponents could scarcely avoid the inference naturally deducible from it. Older scholarship (including Nolan whom I have cited at Act 20:28 note), and other controversial writers on these verses who supported their genuineness include: Dr. Mill, T. Smith, Kettner, David Martin, Calamy, Calmet, Sloss, Travis, Hey, Butler, Middleton, Nolan, Hales, Alber, Bishop Burgess, John Jones, Cardinal Wiseman; the following assert their spuriousness: Simon, Emlyn, Sir Isaac Newton, Benson, Porson, Marsh, Griesbach, A. Clarke, Jowett, Turton, Orme, Scholz, and Horne (as given in Lange, p. 168, commenting “Our limits do not allow us to give the titles of the books in this controversy, which is a library in itself”). Contemporary scholarship, however, fails to support this reading in any form, suggesting it was added to a late Greek manuscript made for the purpose to influence Erasmus to include it in his Greek text, for Erasmus had promised he would include the text if even one Greek manuscript could be found which contained it.
The Challenge:
“the doctrine of the Trinity was a later development within Christian theology and not a teaching directly attributed to Jesus himself in the Bible.”
My Response:
From the Opening Post:
“In conclusion, a thorough examination of historical, biblical, and theological evidence suggests that the doctrine of the Trinity was a later development within Christian theology and not a teaching directly attributed to Jesus himself in the Bible.”
That was hardly a thorough examination even of the Biblical evidence for the doctrine of the Trinity.
The Biblical evidence is absolutely conclusive that God exists in three Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, who each share many of the same attributes of God. Since each of these three Persons share the same incommunicable attributes of God, “they belong to God exclusively, and cannot be communicated, delegated, or given to a created being. These include eternity (3), omniscience (6), omnipresence (7), sovereignty (30), immutability (31), and immensity (32). Since only God can possess the incommunicable attributes, yet Scripture ascribes them to Jesus and to the Holy Spirit, all three persons must be God. There is no other explanation which properly agrees with all the statements of Scripture.” Cited from my note at Matthew 28:19 in my book, The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, and in my digital expansion of that resource, The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury:
(3) everlasting: **+Rom 16:26, +Rev 22:13, Heb 9:14.
The Father is everlasting:
Rom 16:26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
The Son is everlasting:
Rev 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
Rev 22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
The Spirit is everlasting:
Heb 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
(6) omniscient: +Heb 4:13, +Joh 21:17, 1Co 2:10-11.
God the Father is omniscient:
Heb 4:13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
The Son is omniscient:
Joh 21:17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
The Spirit is omniscient:
1Co 2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
1Co 2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
(7) omnipresent: Jer 23:24, Eph 1:23, Psa 139:7.
The Father is omnipresent:
Jer 23:24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.
The Son is omnipresent:
Eph 1:23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Mat 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
in the midst. God the Son is omnipresent. Note,—This is an assertion of the Saviour’s omnipresence, and therefore his divinity (De Burgh).
The Spirit is omnipresent:
Psa 139:7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
(30) sovereign: +*Eph 1:11, Mat 8:27, 1Co 12:11.
The Father is sovereign:
Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
The Son is sovereign:
Mat 8:27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
The Spirit is sovereign:
1Co 12:11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
(31) immutable: +*Mal 3:6, Heb 13:8, Mat 12:32,
The Father is immutable:
Mal 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
The Son is immutable:
Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
The Spirit is immutable:
Mat 12:32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
(32) immensity: Jer 23:24 note. Joh 3:13, Psa 139:7,
God the Father possesses the attribute of immensity:
Jer 23:24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.
Do not I fill. “The Immensity of God is his essence as related to space. The Divine essence is not measurable, because not included in the limits of space. God’s immensity is spiritual, having no extension of substance. By virtue of God’s immensity, he is Omnipresent” (Shedd, Dogmatic Theology, vol. 1, pp. 339, 340).
The Son possesses the attribute of immensity:
Joh 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
The Spirit possesses the attribute of immensity:
Psa 139:7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
For each of the sets of three references given above, the first reference is to the Father, the second is to the Son, the third is to the Holy Spirit.
Searching the Scriptures for yourself using the notes and cross references provided in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge or The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury will enable you to see the Bible evidence for yourself far better than any study based upon so-called artificial intelligence!