Mateus 28

John MacArthur · Citado em PreceptAustin

Mateus 28

MacArthur concludes this first section noting that "The basic truth of the resurrection undergirds a number of other truths: First, it gives evidence that the Word of God is totally true and reliable. Jesus rose from the dead precisely when and in the way He had predicted (see Matt. 12:40; 16:21; 17:9, 23). Second, the resurrection means that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, as He claimed to be, and that He has power over life and death. Third, the resurrection proves that salvation is complete, that on the cross Christ conquered sin, death, and hell and rose victorious. Fourth, the resurrection proves that the church has been established. Jesus had declared, “I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it” (Matt. 16:18). “The gates of Hades” was a Jewish colloquialism that represented death. His resurrection proved that death itself could not prevent Christ from establishing His church. Fifth, the resurrection proves that judgment is coming. Jesus declared that the heavenly Father “has given all judgment to the Son” (John 5:22), and since the Son was now risen and alive, His judgment is certain. Sixth, the resurrection of Christ proves that heaven is waiting. Jesus promised, “In My house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2). Because Christ is alive by the resurrection, believers have the assurance that He is now preparing a heavenly dwelling for them. (SEE Matthew Commentary) Matthew 28:11 Now while they were on their way, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened. KJV Matthew 28:11 Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done. BGT Matthew 28:11 Πορευομένων δὲ αὐτῶν ἰδού τινες τῆς κουστωδίας ἐλθόντες εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἀπήγγειλαν τοῖς ἀρχιερεῦσιν ἅπαντα τὰ γενόμενα. NET Matthew 28:11 While they were going, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests everything that had happened. CSB Matthew 28:11 As they were on their way, some of the guards came into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. ESV Matthew 28:11 While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. NIV Matthew 28:11 While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. NLT Matthew 28:11 As the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and told the leading priests what had happened. NRS Matthew 28:11 While they were going, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests everything that had happened. NJB Matthew 28:11 Now while they were on their way, some of the guards went off into the city to tell the chief priests all that had happened. NAB Matthew 28:11 While they were going, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had happened. YLT Matthew 28:11 And while they are going on, lo, certain of the watch having come to the city, told to the chief priests all the things that happened, MIT Matthew 28:11 While they were on their way, the scene shifts. Certain ones of the grave guards went into the city and announced to the administrative priests everything that happened. Some of the guard: Mt 28:4 27:65,66 Matthew 28 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries SOLDIERS REPORT TO CHIEF PRIESTS Now - Now Matthew shifts from light to darkness. While they were on their way - They refers to the women immediately on the path of obedience to Jesus to report to the 11 disciples the greatest news anyone has ever been privileged to communicate! (Behold) Some of the guard (koustodia) came into the city and reported (apaggello) to the chief priests (archiereus) all that had happened - NAS and most modern versions do not translate the Greek word Behold (idou) which is sad because behold is one of Matthew's favorite interjections (occurring some 62 out of 200x in the NT - Mt 28:2, 7, 9, 11, 20). Behold (idou) draws the reader's attention to the evil second group. This "tomb report" would have caused great unrest and distress to the chief priests! Some of the guard leaves us wondering what happened to the remaining guards? Scripture does not say. All that had happened would include an earthquake, the stone rolled away, dazzling angelic figures, and worst of all (to the unbelieving priests) the presence of an empty tomb with orderly grave clothes where Jesus' body had lain. These incredible, supernatural truths should have convicted and convinced the religious leaders of the truth of Jesus' resurrection, but their necks were stiff and their hearts were like stone so steadfastly willfully resisted the work of the Holy Spirit (cf Acts 7:51+). They will rue their evil ruse and disbelief eternally in Gehenna (the Lake of Fire - Rev 20:11-15+), where they suffer an even greater degree of punishment for having rejected such clear light (cf Mt 11:21-24+). THOUGHT - Dear skeptical, unbelieving reader, ponder the fate of these incredibly religious Jews, whose "knowledge" of religion did not save them from eternal punishment. Only Jesus saves (Acts 4:12+, Acts 16:31+). May God's Spirit open your ears to receive the life saving truth as you repent and believe in Jesus' substitutionary death to give you the gift of eternal life. Amen John MacArthur notes that "despite that firsthand, unprejudiced testimony and their own awareness that Jesus claimed He would rise from the dead on the third day, the chief priests showed no interest in verifying the guards’ story. It did not really matter to them whether or not Jesus was raised, just as it did not matter that Jesus had performed marvelous miracles before their own eyes. Some of the chief priests had stood beneath the cross, taunting Jesus and saying, “Let Him come down from the cross, and we shall believe Him” (Mt 27:42+). But their duplicity was now exposed, because the resurrection was a greater miracle than coming down from the cross would have been, and yet they did not believe. As Abraham told the rich man in Jesus’ parable, “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead” (Luke 16:31+). The heart that is hardened to God will not be persuaded by any miracle or by any amount of evidence, no matter how compelling. The chief priests were so evil, self-willed, and spiritually blind that they shut their eyes to every confirmation of Jesus’ claims. The god of this world had totally blinded their eyes (2 Cor. 4:4+).....The soldiers’ news brought alarm, fear, and confusion to the religious leaders, but it did not bring repentance or faith. They were without excuse. They were informed about the resurrection and did not try to deny it. Their only concern was to keep that news from their fellow Jews, fearing that many would accept Him as the Messiah and that their own influence, power, and wealth would be severely diminished. (SEE The MacArthur Commentary) Matthew Henry's Concise - Mt 28:11-15. What wickedness is it which men will not be brought to by the love of money! Here was large money given to the soldiers for advancing that which they knew to be a lie, yet many grudge a little money for advancing what they know to be the truth. Let us never starve a good cause, when we see bad ones so liberally supported. The priests undertook to secure them from the sword of Pilate, but could not secure these soldiers from the sword of God's justice, which hangs over the heads of those that love and make a lie. Those men promise more than they can perform, who undertake to save a man harmless in doing a wilful sin. But this falsehood disproved itself. Had the soldiers been all asleep, they could not have known what passed. If any had been awake, they would have roused the others and prevented the removal; and certainly if they had been asleep, they never would have dared to confess it; while the Jewish rulers would have been the first to call for their punishment. Again, had there been any truth in the report, the rulers would have prosecuted the apostles with severity for it. The whole shows that the story was entirely false. And we must not charge such things to the weakness of the understanding, but to the wickedness of the heart. God left them to expose their own course. The great argument to prove Christ to be the Son of God, is his resurrection; and none could have more convincing proofs of the truth of that than these soldiers; yet they took bribes to hinder others from believing. The plainest evidence will not affect men, without the work of the Holy Spirit. Guard (2892)(koustodia) is basically a transliteration of Latin custodia and means a guard, keeper, watcher or sentinel. Used only 3x - Matt. 27:65; Matt. 27:66; Matt. 28:11 (no uses in Lxx). Gilbrant adds that koustodia "can refer to the act of setting a guard or to the group of men doing the guarding. In this case it means a group of soldiers who are acting as sentries. Day and night were divided into a set of watches, and soldiers would stand guard or watch for these predetermined times. Such a group of soldiers was stationed to guard the tomb of Jesus as recorded in Matthew 27:66: “So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.” (Complete Biblical Library) Matthew 28:12 And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, KJV Matthew 28:12 And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, BGT Matthew 28:12 καὶ συναχθέντες μετὰ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων συμβούλιόν τε λαβόντες ἀργύρια ἱκανὰ ἔδωκαν τοῖς στρατιώταις NET Matthew 28:12 After they had assembled with the elders and formed a plan, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, CSB Matthew 28:12 After the priests had assembled with the elders and agreed on a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money ESV Matthew 28:12 And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers NIV Matthew 28:12 When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, NLT Matthew 28:12 A meeting with the elders was called, and they decided to give the soldiers a large bribe. NRS Matthew 28:12 After the priests had assembled with the elders, they devised a plan to give a large sum of money to the soldiers, NJB Matthew 28:12 These held a meeting with the elders and, after some discussion, handed a considerable sum of money to the soldiers NAB Matthew 28:12 They assembled with the elders and took counsel; then they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, YLT Matthew 28:12 and having been gathered together with the elders, counsel also having taken, they gave much money to the soldiers, MIT Matthew 28:12 They conferred with the councilmen and reached a decision as to what they would do. They took out enough silver to bribe the soldiers, Mt 26:3,4 27:1,2,62-64 Ps 2:1-7 Jn 11:47 12:10,11 Ac 4:5-22 Ac 5:33,34,40 Matthew 28 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries SOLDIERS BRIBED TO LIE And when they had assembled with (sunago) the elders (presbuteros) and consulted together (sumboulion), they gave a large sum (hikanos) of money (argurion - silver by metonymy = money) to the soldiers (stratiotes) - These pious (albeit hypocritical) religious leaders knew the power of bribery for bribery of Judas had led to the successful apprehension of Jesus (cf "thirty pieces of silver [argurion]" Mt 26:15+). MacArthur on consulted together (sumboulion) - Counseled together was a formal phrase used of official decisions (see also Mt. 12:14; 22:15; 27:1, 7), and at this meeting the Sanhedrin decided on a three-point resolution: to bribe the soldiers, to spread a lie about the body, and to protect the soldiers from possible reprisal by Pilate. (SEE The MacArthur Commentary) Large sum of money is literally "sufficient (silver) money," that is, large enough to bribe the soldiers to tell a lie. Why would the bribe need to be large? Because they would have to say they fell asleep on duty and such dereliction of duty was not well tolerated by the Romans! The Jews needed to make their lying worth their while. Bob Utley rightly points out that "These Jewish leaders (i.e., Sanhedrin) would do anything to destroy Jesus. They used betrayal to find and arrest Jesus, held an illegal night trial to accuse Him, used lying witnesses to charge Him and then used bribery to silence witnesses. RELATED HYMN Roman Soldier, Tell Me True Matthew 28:13 and said, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’ KJV Matthew 28:13 Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. BGT Matthew 28:13 λέγοντες· εἴπατε ὅτι οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ νυκτὸς ἐλθόντες ἔκλεψαν αὐτὸν ἡμῶν κοιμωμένων. NET Matthew 28:13 telling them, "You are to say, 'His disciples came at night and stole his body while we were asleep.' CSB Matthew 28:13 and told them, "Say this, 'His disciples came during the night and stole Him while we were sleeping.' ESV Matthew 28:13 and said, "Tell people, 'His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.' NIV Matthew 28:13 telling them, "You are to say, 'His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.' NLT Matthew 28:13 They told the soldiers, "You must say, 'Jesus' disciples came during the night while we were sleeping, and they stole his body.' NRS Matthew 28:13 telling them, "You must say, 'His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.' NJB Matthew 28:13 with these instructions, 'This is what you must say, "His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep." NAB Matthew 28:13 telling them, "You are to say, 'His disciples came by night and stole him while we were asleep.' YLT Matthew 28:13 saying, 'Say ye, that his disciples having come by night, stole him -- we being asleep; MIT Matthew 28:13 saying to them, "Say that his disciples came at night and stole him from us while we were sleeping." stole: Mt 26:64 Matthew 28 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries THE "STOLEN BODY" LIE FABRICATED and said, “You are to say, ‘His disciples (mathetes) came by night and stole (klepto) Him away while we were asleep' (koimao) - The collective evil mindset of the Jewish leaders concoct a story to help the soldier's evade punishment from Pilate. Lying that they were asleep when the crime occurred might cover their tracks. Notice the irony in this scenario -- why had the Jewish leaders wanted guards in the first place? It was to prevent the disciples from stealing Jesus' body! Now they turn around and say it was the sleeping soldiers who allowed the body snatchers to be successful! Their bribes and lies would fail to squelch the truth that Jesus' body had not been stolen but had risen, which was their worst nightmare! The problem with their fabricated lie is how would sleeping soldiers know it was Jesus' disciples who stole the body? David Guzik lists a number of problems with their Stolen Body Subterfuge - To believe this, we have to believe: (1) All the soldiers were asleep – all of them! (2) All the soldiers violated the strict law of the Roman military against sleeping on watch, punishable by death. (3) All the soldiers slept so deeply that none of them were awakened by the work and exertion and noise necessary to roll away the stone and carry out the body. (4) All the soldiers were so soundly asleep – yet they knew who it was who did this.....We sometimes sing: “You ask me how I know He lives; He lives, He lives inside my heart.” But that is not the best way to prove Jesus lives. He lives because the historical evidence demands we believe in the resurrection of Jesus. If we can believe anything in history, we can believe the reliable, confirmed testimony of these eyewitnesses. Jesus rose from the dead. Warren

Mateus 28

MacArthur - Matheteuo (make disciples) is the main verb and the central command of Mt 28:19–20, which form the closing sentence of Matthew’s gospel. The root meaning of the term refers to believing and learning. Jesus was not referring simply to believers or simply to learners, or He would have used other words. Mathēteuō carries a beautiful combination of meanings. In this context it relates to those who place their trust in Jesus Christ and follow Him in lives of continual learning and obedience. “If you abide in My word,” Jesus said, “then you are truly disciples of Mine” (John 8:31+). It should be noted that some disciples were not true (see John 6:66+). (ED: It is important to add that ALL genuine believers are also genuine disciples, contrary to a false teaching that is found in some evangelical circles that "disciples" are an elite group, and not all believers will become "super believers" [my term]. This is NOT Biblical! See discussion of easy believism.) A person who is not Christ’s true disciple does not belong to Him and is not saved. When a person genuinely confesses Christ as Lord and Savior, he is immediately saved, immediately made a disciple, and immediately filled with the Holy Spirit. Not to be Christ’s disciple is therefore not to be Christ’s at all.....The mission of the early church was to make disciples (see Acts 2:47; 14:21), and that is still Christ’s mission for His church....The specific requirements Jesus gives for making disciples involve three participles: going (rendered here as go), baptizing, and teaching. (SEE Matthew Commentary) Baptizing (baptizo) them in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit - While this this is strictly speaking not a command, some say it does convey imperatival force and certainly is an instruction from Jesus that all disciples should obey. To not be baptized is to be disobedient to the Lord's instructions. If a disciple is not baptized, he or she is still a disciple, albeit a disobedient one. If a genuine disciple is never baptized, they are still saved, contrary to the false teaching that water baptism is necessary for salvation (ED: BUT SEE MACARTHUR BELOW). That is a lie from Hell and a false teaching. Water baptism does not save, but does give an opportunity to proclaim to others one is truly saved. For that reason alone all disciples should receive water baptism for in so doing they actually witness to lost and saved who attend their baptism. Notice that one thing this "trinitarian declaration" shows is that Jesus considered Himself to be on the same plane as the Father and the Spirit. Further, baptism in (eis - literally "into") the Name speaks of identification with the Triune God. Note that it is those who are already disciples (believers) who are to be baptized, this order clearly refuting the false teaching that baptism precedes believing. Baptism does not save one's soul. The order of becoming disciples and then being baptism also refutes the false teaching of salvation by infant baptism. See What does the Bible say about infant baptism / paedobaptism? In the Name of is not meant to be taken as some ritual or sacramental formula. It is notable that in the book of Acts there is no record of the baptisms with this exact Name (the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit ) (e.g., Acts 2:41, Acts 8:12, 38, Acts 9:18, etc). In fact in Acts 10:48 Peter referring to the Gentiles who had come to faith " he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days." (see also Acts 19:5). As an aside the noun Name is singular implying oneness of the Trinity. One God in three persons. (See What does the Bible teach about the Trinity?) John MacArthur makes an interesting point for those who claim Christ but steadfastly refuse baptism writing that "The person who is unwilling to be baptized is at best a disobedient believer, and if he persists in his unwillingness there is reason to doubt the genuineness of his faith (see Mt 10:32–33+). If he is unwilling to comply with that simple act of obedience in the presence of fellow believers, he will hardly be willing to stand for Christ before the unbelieving world. (SEE Matthew 28 Commentary) Bob

Mateus 28

Mateus 28:19

MacArthur writes that didasko "refers to the passing on of information-often, but not necessarily, in a formal setting. It focused on content, with the purpose of discovering the truth-contrary to the forums so popular among Greeks, where discussion and the bantering about of various ideas and opinions was the primary concern (see Acts 17:21). Synagogue teaching, as illustrated by that of Jesus, was basically expository. Scripture was read and explained section by section, often verse by verse. (MacArthur, J: Matthew 1-7 Chicago: Moody Press) In another source MacArthur writes that didasko (and related words) "In all the various forms, the root meaning carries with it the idea of systematic teaching or systematic training. It is the word that is used to refer to a choir director who trains a choir over a long period of rehearsals until they are able to perform. The gift of prophecy could be a one-time proclamation of Christ, but the gift of teaching is a systematic training problem to take a person from one point to another. What is the curriculum for the teacher? The Bible, the Word of God. The gift is to teach systematically the truth of God. It can be used with men—one on one, one on two, one on three, one on five thousand. It can be used with women—one on one, one on two, one on three, one on five thousand. It can be used by a lady in a little group of children. It can be used by a mother to a son. It can be used by a husband to his wife. It can be used in any conceivable way that the Spirit of God desires. It is the ability to pass on truth in a systematic progression so that someone receives it, implements it, and a change of behavior takes place. In fact, it is a gift that belongs to a lot more of us than we realize. (MacArthur, J. Spiritual Gifts. Includes index. Chicago: Moody Press) Finally Jesus explains the power to be able to accomplish the task of making disciples of even the remotest parts of the earth: "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Mt 28:20+) How is He with us? His Spirit indwells us and fills us and empowers to obey His command. Indeed, God never commands what He does not also enable! As John Walvoord reminds us "I am with you always" - His presence with them, captured in the statement “ye in me, and I in you” (Jn 14:20), was going to be enjoyed by believers to the end of the world, that is, the end of the present age, which would culminate in His coming for them." GOD IN THREE PERSONS, BLESSED TRINITY Rob Morgan Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Can you explain this Trinity stuff to me? That’s the question that led to my developing the sermon series we’re beginning today. We have a program of discipleship in our church in which we take new converts—new Christians—and we assign a mentor to walk with them through the discipleship materials that we use. Recently we had a young man who became a new follower of Jesus Christ. We gave him the material and he and his mentor met for their first session. But as they started, the young man said, “You know, I don’t understand this doctrine about the Trinity. What’s that all about? Can you explain this Trinity stuff to me?” When I heard that I realized that although this is the deepest and most distinctive truth of Christianity, it’s one I’ve neglected to some extent in my preaching. After all, the doctrine of the Trinity intimidating to preach about. How can you explain the inexplicable? How can you preach on the imponderable? Well, while I was thinking about these things, I had to take a quick trip to Orlando for a meeting. On my way back from the hotel to the airport I wanted to see if I could find a way of witnessing to my taxi driver. But just as I started, I found out he was already a Christian and he started witnessing to me. He was from the Caribbean. He said he grew up in church, was converted in childhood, and was now active in his church in Orlando. So I asked him, “Can you explain this Trinity stuff to me? What do Christians mean when they talk about the Trinity?” My young taxi driver started preaching and stabbing the air with his finger and you would have thought he was in the pulpit. He said, “There is one God and it is the Father and He had a Son, who is Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God.” He kept emphasizing these sentences over and over, but it became obvious that this young man who claimed to have been a Christian all his life did not have a clear understanding of the Trinity. “Yes,” I asked him, “but is Jesus God? And if Jesus is God how can the Father be God? And what about the Holy Spirit?” I asked questions like that to challenge him. Every time I would ask a question, he’d go into his preaching mode and say: “There is one God and it is the Father and He had a Son, who is Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God.” But he never came close to explaining the Trinity. Well, this young man is not alone. I think a lot of Christians have an inadequate understanding of the subject of the Trinity. Truth be told, as I’ve studied the subject in preparing for these messages, I was surprised at how much I learned that I had never fully realized before. And so for the next several weeks I’d like to preach a doctrinal series of sermons on this subject. When I say doctrinal series, that means these messages will be theological and explanatory in nature, but it does not mean that this is just an academic series of studies. One of the things that surprised me most is how the reality of the Tri-unity of God reverberates through the entire created order. I’ll touch on that at the end of today’s message and will discuss it more during these series of messages. But today, to keep things simple, I have the traditional three points and a poem. 1. The Trinity is the Most Unique Aspect of Christian Truth First, the doctrine of the Trinity is the most unique aspect of Christian truth. Dr. Henry Morris calls it “undoubtedly the most distinctive doctrine of the Christian faith.” (“The Wonderful Truth of the Trinity,” by Henry Morris at http://www.irc.org/article/2494.) This is the doctrine more than any other that sets Christianity apart from all other religions, faith systems, sects, cults, and philosophies. • Judaism believes that there is one God who exists as one person or one center of consciousness—Jehovah or Yahweh. • Islam believes that there is one God who exists as one person or one center of consciousness—Allah. One of the chief points at which Muslims attack Christianity concerns our belief in the Trinity. • The Unitarians believe there is one God who exists as one person, which is why they are called Unitarians. (Actually, however, most of them don’t even believe that anymore). • The Mormons believe that there are many Gods, and that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three separate Gods among these many Gods. • The Jehovah Witnesses believe that Jehovah is God but that Jesus isn’t. • Buddhism doesn’t believe there is a god at all, though in some ways Buddhism can be called pantheistic (believing in there is a god-force that is sort of everywhere). • Many of the eastern religions, including Hinduism, are pantheistic or polytheistic. • Atheism, of course, doesn’t even believe there is a god at all. Christians are the only people in the world who believe there is one God who eternally exists in Three Persons. It is the truth that distinguishes us from everyone else in on earth. The frightening thing is that in some quarters, this great historic, biblical truth is being thrown overboard. • There’s a growing movement within the American church known as Oneness Pentecostalism that denies the doctrine of the Trinity. They actually believe a form of modalism, which I’ll explain later. • One of the most prominent names associated with Oneness Pentecostalism is Bishop T. D. Jakes, who is the pastor of The Potter’s House in Dallas, one of the fastest growing mega-churches in America. I remember seeing him on the cover of Time Magazine several years ago, and the caption said that he was the next Billy Graham. But from what I’ve read Bishop Jakes does not hold to the historic and biblical doctrine of the Trinity, that there is one God who eternally exists in three persons. He believes instead in a form of modalism, which, again, I’ll explain later. • A more recent name in the news is that of Gwen Shamblin, who established the popular Weighdown Workshop and the founder of a large church down in Brentwood, Tennessee. She has also rejected the historical and biblical doctrine of the Trinity. The Bible tells us that we must defend the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints, and the battleground today is with the historic and biblical doctrine of the Trinity, which is the one truth that makes Christianity absolutely unique among the religions and faith-systems and cults and sects of this world. 2. The Trinity is Easy to State Second, the doctrine of the Trinity is easy to state. Here it is: There is One God who eternally exists in Three Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There is One God who eternally exists in Three Persons, or in Three Centers of Consciousness. Let’s look at the Biblical support for this. First, the Bible everywhere affirms that there is one God and only one God. • Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one—Deuteronomy 6:4. Jesus affirmed and quoted this Old Testament passage in Mark 12. • The Lord is God and that there is no other—1 Kings 8:60 • I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from Me there is no God—Isaiah 45:5 • There is only one God—Romans 3:30 • We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one—1 Corinthians 8:4-6 • You believe that there is one God! Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder—James 1:19 Second, the Bible teaches that this one God eternally exists in three persons. I can illustrate this by looking at the very beginning and at the very ending of Jesus’ ministry as it’s recorded in the book of Matthew. The ministry of our Lord had a very definite commencement. It was His baptism. Look at what Matthew says in chapter 3, verses 16. You’ve heard of John 3:16. Well, look at Matthew 3:16: As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. At that moment, heaven was opened, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove lighting on Him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.” Notice the presence of the entire Godhead in this passage. The Son was baptized, the Father spoke from heaven, and the Spirit descended like a dove. Now turn to the very end of Matthew’s Gospel. The very last paragraph, just before Jesus ascended into heaven, is known as the Great Commissions. He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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 28:18-19). Jesus opened and concluded His ministry with the Trinity, and notice in the baptism formula that He gave us, He didn’t command us to be instructed in the names (plural) of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—but in the name (singular) of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The doctrine of the Trinity doesn’t mean that there are three Gods, or that there is one God in three roles or forms or modes. But that there is one God who eternally exists in Three Persons: God in three Persons, Blessed Trinity. Now, this is a good place to bring up the whole subject of modalism. Very likely this is a new term for you, but just think of the word “mode.” The word “mode” means “form.” We talk about different modes of transportation, and we’re talking about forms of transportation. Do you drive your car to work or take the train? What mode or form of transportation do you use? Well, modalists believe that there is one God who eternally exists in one person but who reveals Himself in three different modes or roles or forms. This is a heresy that goes all the way back to the 3nd century and to a person named Sabellius, who was a priest who probably lived in Rome around the year AD 200. He taught that there was one indivisible God who does not eternally exist in Three Persons but who reveals himself in three different modes. So this heresy is called Sabellianism or modalism. Here’s one example of what a modalist might say. In the Old Testament, God revealed Himself as God the Father; but in the Gospels, God revealed Himself in the form of Jesus Christ the Son. At the Day of Pentecost, God revealed Himself as the Holy Spirit. So there is one God who eternally exists as one person, but He reveals Himself in various modes or forms or pictures or relationships to meet the needs or exigencies of the times. Now, it is very easy to slip into modalism when you try to explain the Trinity, and I myself have fallen into that trap. Someone came up to me recently—I don’t remember who it was—but he said to me: “Some time ago (I hope it was a long time ago; in fact, I’m not sure it was really me but it could have been), you really helped me understand the Trinity. You said something to this effect: ‘I am one human being, but I have different roles. I am a husband. I am a father. I am a pastor. In the same way, God is one God but He occupies three different roles.’” Hopefully that person had me confused with someone else, because that explanation is classic, heretical Sabellianism or modalism. We do not have a God who has revealed Himself in three different ways; we have One God who actually exists in Three Persons, Three different centers of consciousness—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I might be a husband and a father and a pastor, but I am still one person with one center of consciousness just fulfilling different roles in life. I have not been cloned and I am not three persons. God is not just filling various roles. He is not one God in three different forms. He is actually one God who eternally exists in three persons. Incidentally, most of the other analogies we use are modalistic, too. For example, have you ever heard someone say, “The Trinity is like water. It can exist as liquid, ice, or vapor”? Yes, but that drop of water does not exist as liquid, ice, and vapor at the same time. It may pass from one form to another, but it is not liquid, ice, and vapor simultaneously. Now, some people say: “This is illogical. This is crazy. This doesn’t make sense.” But you cannot say that with intellectual credibility. The doctrine of the Trinity is not illogical. It may be wonderful and mysterious and transcendent and supernatural. But it is not illogical. That is, it does not violate the law of non-contraction. If we say that there was one God and three Gods at the same time and in the same relationship, those two statements would cancel each other out, contradict each other, and be illogical. If we said that God was one person and three persons at the same time and in the same relationship—that, too, would be illogical. But to say that there is one God who eternally exists in three persons might be mysterious, but it is not self-contradicting or illogical. So, like all of God’s truth, the historic and orthodox Christian doctrine of the Trinity is simple and easy to state: There is one God who eternally exists in Three Persons. It is so simple to state, in fact, that over the centuries a particular illustration has been used to portray it. It’s a triangle within a circle. The circle represents the unity or oneness of God, but the three corners of the triangle represent the Three Members of the Godhead—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father is God. The Son is God. The Spirit is God. Yet the Father is not the Son, and the Son is not the Spirit, and the Spirit is not the Father. One. They are separate and distinguishable persons—one God who eternally exists in Three Persons. As the old song says: “God in Three Persons, Blessed Trinity.” 3. The Trinity is Impossible to Understand Third, this truth is easy to state but impossible to understand. And that’s one of the reasons I’m convinced that it’s true. If we could comprehend the infinite and ethereal being of God and pack Him up within our soggy brains, He would not be eternal, illimitable, and transcendent. If we could remove the “mystery” of God, He would not be God after all. The theologian Wayne Grudem wrote: “It is spiritually healthy for us to acknowledge openly that God’s very being is far greater than we can ever comprehend. The theologian Luis Berkhof wrote: “The Trinity is a mystery… (We) cannot comprehend it and make it intelligible… in its essential nature.” Dr. Henry