The Deity of Messiah Part 1

The Deity of Messiah
And
The Three Pillars of the Godhead

By James Scott Trimm

Part 1
The Deity of Messiah is Scriptural

Introduction

There are several different positions that have to be dealt with in presenting the Deity of Messiah:

Judaic Anti-Deity Position - These reject the deity of Messiah because they insist it is contrary to Judaism. These are not persuaded by New Testament “proof texts”. They will dismiss such proof texts as invalid and even corruptions because they are supposedly not Jewish in theology. They will reject Tanak “proof texts” on the basis that Judaism supposedly does not understand the text that way.

Pure-Biblical Anti-Deity Position - These reject the deity of Messiah because they insist that it is contrary to Scripture. They are not persuaded by the demonstration that the doctrine is authentically Jewish. Many of these may actually look down upon Jewish tradition and especially Kabbalah.

Christian “Oneness” Theologians

Christian Orthodox Trinitarian Theologians

One finds oneself engaging on a debate on multiple fronts. Proving that the “New Testament” teaches the deity of Messiah to the “Judaic Anti-Deity” followers will generally only succeed in proving to their minds that the New Testament is in error. They must be shown that the teaching is authentically Jewish. However the “Pure-Biblical Anti-Deity” followers will misinterpret or misrepresent such arguments as “proof” that the doctrine is based only on extra-biblical sources and cannot be shown from the Scriptures themselves. And oftentimes single individuals will waffle between those two positions, not realizing their own inconsistency. All the while Orthodox Christian Trinitarians, Oneness Christians and others are raising their own issues along the way, which only serves to sidetrack the primary issue.

Therefore in order to deal with all of the issues in an organized manner this paper will be presented in five parts:

Part 1: The Deity of Messiah from the Scriptures

Part 2: The Deity of Messiah is Jewish

Part 3: Concerning Orthodox Trinitarian and Christian Oneness Theologies

Part 4: First Century Roots of the Kabbalistic Godhead Model

Part 5: Proof of the Ancient Nazarene Position

Part 1
The Deity of Messiah is Scriptural

Messiah as YHWH

The deity of Messiah is very easy to show from the Scriptures. The simplest way to show the deity of Messiah in the Scriptures is to point to instances where the “New Testament” quotes passages from the Tanak (“Old Testament”) and applies them to the Messiah.

For example in John 19:37, Zech. 12:10 is quoted:

But when they came to Yeshua, they saw that he was dead already
and did not break his legs.
But one of the soldiers stuck him in his side with a spear
and immediately blood and water came forth,…
For these things happened that the scripture might be fulfilled
which said, A bone of him will not be broken.(Ps. 34:21(20))
And again another scripture that said, They will look at him
whom they pierced. (Zech 12:10)

But now let us look at Zechariah 12:10 in context:

The burden of the word of YHWH concerning Israel.
The saying of YHWH, who stretched forth the heavens,
And laid the foundation of the earth,
And formed the spirit of man within him…
I will pour out upon the house of David,
And upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
The spirit of grace and supplication;
And they shall look at Me whom they pierced;
And they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only son….
(Zech. 12:1, 10)

The one being pierced in Jn. 19:37 is clearly Yeshua but the one being pierced in Zech. 12:10 is clearly YHWH.

Lets now look at the quotation of Is. 8:14 in Rom. 9:32:

Because it was not from faith but from “Works of the Law”,
for they stumbled at the stumbling stone.
(Rom. 9:32)

Now Paul is clearly referring here it Messiah, but lets now look at Is. 8:14 in context:

YHWH of hosts, Him shall you sanctify; and let Him be your
fear, and let Him be your dread. And He shall be for a sanctuary;
but for a stumbling stone and for a rock of offence
to both the houses of Israel…
(Is. 8:13-14)

Here it is clearly YHWH who is the “stumbling stone”.

OK now lets look at Phil. 2:10-11:

That at the name of Yeshua every knee will bow
that is in heaven or on earth and that is under the earth,
and every tongue will confess that Yeshua the Messiah is YHWH,
to the glory of Eloah the Father.

Here Paul clearly refer to Is. 45:23:

Thus says YHWH…
That unto Me every knee shall bow,
and every tongue shall swear.
(Is. 45:1, 23)

Clearly Paul applies a Tanak passage which clearly speaks of YHWH to the Messiah.

Now lets look at Rom. 10:9, 13:

And if you confess with your mouth our Adon Yeshua,
And you believe in your heart that Eloah raised him from the dead,
you will be saved. …
For all who will call on the name of YHWH will be saved.
(Rom. 10:9, 13)

Here Paul clearly quotes Joel 3:5 (2:32) but applies the passage to Yeshua despite the fact that Joel is clearly here speaking of YHWH.

There are several other examples: James 5:7 clearly speaks of the coming of Messiah as likened to the “former and latter rain” while in Hosea 6:3 this is clearly the coming of YHWH. Likewise Jude 1:14 & 1 Thes. 3:13 refer to the coming of Messiah yet quote 1Enoch 1:9 & Zech. 14:5 which clearly refer to the coming of YHWH. Finally in Mt. 22:41-46 Yeshua himself identifies himself with the “YHWH” at the right hand of “YHWH” in Ps. 110:1-2, 5.

The Three Pillars

Now in Romans 1:19-20 we are told that

what may be known of Elohim is manifest in them [mankind]
his invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood
by the things that are made, even his eternal power
and Godhead [or divine nature]..."

Then in Rom. 1:26-28 we are told that those who fail to perceive these things may fall into the errors of Homosexuality and Lesbianism. So when in creation were G-d's invisible attributes manifested in man and made clearly seen. The answer is in the Torah, in Gen. 1:26, 27 where we read:

Then Elohim said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness...
So Elohim created man in His own image;
in the image of Elohim He created him;
male and female He created them.

Now following the parallelism of the passage, "Our image"; "Our likeness" and "male and female" appear to be parallel terms.

Now there are passages in the Tanak in which YHWH is referred to in a male, fatherly aspect:

…If then I be a Father, Where is My honor?…
Says YHWH of Hosts…
(Mal. 1:6)

…You, O YHWH, are our Father,…
(Is. 63:16)

But now O YHWH, You are our Father…
(Is. 64:7)

But there are also passages in the Tanak in which YHWH is referred to in a female, motherly aspect:

As one whom his Mother comforts,
so will I comfort you…
(Is. 66:13)

Now YHWH as a “Father” and YHWH as a “Mother” are clearly two DIFFERENT aspects of YHWH, they are not the same thing.

Moreover YHWH as an allegorical “Mother” is also YHWH as a “comforter” which is the same as the Holy Spirit:

…the comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom my Father will send in my name…
(Jn. 14:27 see also Jn. 14:16-17; 15:26 & 16:7)

Now just as YHWH is expressed as an allegorical “Father” and an allegorical “Mother”, the combination of these two aspects produce an allegorical “son”:

Who has ascended up into heaven, and descended?
Who has gathered the wind in his fists?
Who has bound the waters in his garment?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is His name? And what is His Son’s name, if you know?
(Prov. 30:4)

The kings of the earth stand up,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against YHWH, and against His Messiah…
YHWH said to me: “You are My Son,”
This day have I begotten you…
Kiss the Son, lest he be angry…
(Ps. 2:2, 7, 12)

So now we have a Godhead which is the “image of Elohim” and is “male and female” expressing YHWH to us as a Father, a Mother and a Son.

Since the Son is the combination of the Father and Mother aspects of YHWH he is the fullness of the everlasting Godhead: “in him dwells the fullness of the Godhead” (Col. 2:9).

Thus the Messiah encompasses all the image of Elohim from which we were created:

…the Messiah, who is the likeness of Elohim.
(2Cor. 4:4)

[his Son] who is the image of the invisible Elohim…
(Col. 1:15)

[the Son] who is the radiance of his glory,
and the image of his being…
(Heb. 1:3)

And thus we can see all three aspects of the Godhead in passages like:

I, yes, I have spoken, indeed, I have called him,
I have brought him, and he will make his way succeed.
Come near to me and hear this: from the beginning
I have not spoken in [the] secret; from the time that she was,
there I am, and now ADONAI YHVH has sent me and his spirit.
(Is. 48:15-16 Original Bible Project preliminary edition)

Note the speaker is YHWH. Here we have:

1. YHWH the speaker.
2. ADONAI YHWH who sent Him.
3. "she" i.e. "his spirit"
("ruach" (spirit) is the only feminine word that "she" could refer to)

Another example of these three aspects is to be found in Hebrews 9:14:

How much more shall the blood of Messiah,
who through the eternal Spirit
offered himself without spot to Elohim,
purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living Elohim?

Here we again have three aspects:

1. The Messiah (who is YHWH)

2. The Spirit through which his blood is offered.
3. The Elohim to whom he offers himself.

These three aspects of the Godhead are called in the Aramaic “K’NUMEH” (plural) “K’NUMA” (singular) as we read in Yochanan (John) 5:26:

For the Father has life in his K’NUMA,
Thus he gave also the Son to have life in his K’NUMA.
(Jn. 5:26 from the Aramaic)

K’NUMA is an Aramaic word meaning “aspect, element, substance, essence”. The three aspects of the Godhead are three K’NUMEH but are only one YHWH.

ECHAD as a Unity

This brings us to the wording of the Sh’ma:

SH’MA YISRAEL: YHWH, ELOHEYNU, YHWH ECHAD
“Hear O Israel, YHWH, our Elohim, YHWH is one.”
(Deut. 6:4)

Let us examine other passages in the Torah to understand how this word ECHAD (“one”) is used in the Torah:

Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined
to his wife, and they shall become one [ECHAD] flesh.
(Gen. 2:24)

And YHWH said, “Indeed the people are one [ECHAD] and they
all have one language…
(Gen. 11:6)

Thus it is clear that the word ECHAD in no way requires a singularity and can refer to a composite unity. Thus Deut. 6:4 may be taken as referring to the absolute unity of the three K’NUMEH of Father, Mother (Holy Spirit Comforter) and Son (Messiah).

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Comment by Cheryl Cutler on July 3, 2012 at 8:53pm: Hello Mr. Trimm,

Thank you for your replying to my comments. I have been thinking about your last post all day. The reason for my comments is not to debate your paper but to bring some focus to the information you are sharing. It seems to me that you are working so hard to defend a view that promotes lawlessness. Do you really think the Father would have hidden something as important as who He is... resulting in such confussion? The Church has actually replaced the worship of the Father with the worship of Yeshua. What if you're wrong? Could you sacrifice this sacred cow on the alter of truth?

Something else; since most of your evidence is from Pauls writing, answer this. Why dosen't Paul in any of his letters mention the Holy Spirit along with the Father and the Son in his opening and closing remarks?

David

Comment by James Trimm on July 6, 2012 at 6:40am: The Scriptures teach a Godhead with a Unity with diversity within the Unity.

As a matter of set theory we can prove our point simply by proving that:

1. The Father is YHWH

...If then I be a Father, Where is My honour?…
Says YHWH of Hosts. ...
(Mal. 1:6)

...You, O YHWH, are our Father,
Our Redeemer from everlasting is Your name.
(Is. 63:16)

But now. O YHWH, You are our Father;...
(Is. 64:7)

2. The Holy Spirit is YHWH

YHWH alone did lead him,
And there was no strange god with Him.
(Deut. 32:11)

...The Spirit of YHWH caused them to rest;
So did You lead Your people...
(Is. 63:14)

And:

But when Moshe went in before YHWH that He might speak with him, he took the veil off, until he came out...
(Ex. 34:34)

But when any man from them should turn to YHWH, the veil is lifted from him. Now YHWH himself is spirit, and where the Spirit of YHWH is, there is freedom. But all of us, with open faces, behold the magnificence of YHWH as in a mirror, and we are being changed into that likeness from glory to glory as by YHWH the Spirit.
(2Cor. 3:16-18)

(A) The Holy Spirit is the Comforter

...I will ask my Father and he will give you another comforter that will be with you forever, The Spirit of Truth ...
(Jn. 14:16-17)

...the comforter, the Ruach HaKodesh, whom my Father will send in my name,...
(Jn. 14:27)

...when the comforter comes. Whom I will send you from my Father, the Spirit of Truth who has proceeded from my Father...
(Jn. 15:26)

...I will send the comforter to you.
(Jn. 16:7)

(B) The Comforter is YHWH as Mother

As one whom his mother comforts, so will I [YHWH] comfort you...
(Is. 66:13)

(C) The Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force

It is clear from the Scriptures that that the Ruach has many qualities that are not characteristic of an impersonal force. The Holy Spirit speaks (Acts 8:29; 10:19; Jn. 15:26; 2Pt. 1:21); has emotions (Is. 63:10; Eph. 4:30) can be insulted (Heb. 10:29) intercedes (Rom. 8:26) testifies (Jn. 14:26) leads (Rom. 8:14) commissions (Acts 13:4), commands (Acts 8:29); wills (1Cor. 12:11) and gives understanding (1Cor. 2:10-11).

3. The Son is YHWH

The deity of Messiah is very easy to show from the Scriptures. The simplest way to show the deity of Messiah in the Scriptures is to point to instances where the “New Testament” quotes passages from the Tanak (“Old Testament”) and applies them to the Messiah.

For example in John 19:37, Zech. 12:10 is quoted:

But when they came to Yeshua, they saw that he was dead already
and did not break his legs.
But one of the soldiers stuck him in his side with a spear
and immediately blood and water came forth,…
For these things happened that the scripture might be fulfilled
which said, A bone of him will not be broken.(Ps. 34:21(20))
And again another scripture that said, They will look at him
whom they pierced. (Zech 12:10)

But now let us look at Zechariah 12:10 in context:

The burden of the word of YHWH concerning Israel.
The saying of YHWH, who stretched forth the heavens,
And laid the foundation of the earth,
And formed the spirit of man within him…
I will pour out upon the house of David,
And upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
The spirit of grace and supplication;
And they shall look at Me whom they pierced;
And they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only son….
(Zech. 12:1, 10)

The one being pierced in Jn. 19:37 is clearly Yeshua but the one being pierced in Zech. 12:10 is clearly YHWH.

Lets now look at the quotation of Is. 8:14 in Rom. 9:32:

Because it was not from faith but from “Works of the Law”,
for they stumbled at the stumbling stone.
(Rom. 9:32)

Now Paul is clearly referring here it Messiah, but lets now look at Is. 8:14 in context:

YHWH of hosts, Him shall you sanctify; and let Him be your
fear, and let Him be your dread. And He shall be for a sanctuary;
but for a stumbling stone and for a rock of offence
to both the houses of Israel…
(Is. 8:13-14)

Here it is clearly YHWH who is the “stumbling stone”.

OK now lets look at Phil. 2:10-11:

That at the name of Yeshua every knee will bow
that is in heaven or on earth and that is under the earth,
and every tongue will confess that Yeshua the Messiah is YHWH,
to the glory of Eloah the Father.

Here Paul clearly refer to Is. 45:23:

Thus says YHWH…
That unto Me every knee shall bow,
and every tongue shall swear.
(Is. 45:1, 23)

Clearly Paul applies a Tanak passage which clearly speaks of YHWH to the Messiah.

Now lets look at Rom. 10:9, 13:

And if you confess with your mouth our Adon Yeshua,
And you believe in your heart that Eloah raised him from the dead,
you will be saved. …
For all who will call on the name of YHWH will be saved.
(Rom. 10:9, 13)

Here Paul clearly quotes Joel 3:5 (2:32) but applies the passage to Yeshua despite the fact that Joel is clearly here speaking of YHWH.

There are several other examples: James 5:7 clearly speaks of the coming of Messiah as likened to the “former and latter rain” while in Hosea 6:3 this is clearly the coming of YHWH. Likewise Jude 1:14 & 1 Thes. 3:13 refer to the coming of Messiah yet quote 1Enoch 1:9 & Zech. 14:5 which clearly refer to the coming of YHWH. Finally in Mt. 22:41-46 Yeshua himself identifies himself with the “YHWH” at the right hand of “YHWH” in Ps. 110:1-2, 5.

4. The Father is not the Son

But when the comforter comes, whom I will send you from My Father--the Spirit
of Truth who has proceeded from My Father--will testify concerning Me.
(Jn. 15:26)

But the comforter, the Ruach HaKodesh, whom My Father will send in My Name,
will teach you everything, and will remind you of that which I tell you.
(Jn. 14:26)

And now My Father, glorify Me with You, with that glory that I had with You,
before the world was.
I have made known Your Name, to the men whom You gave Me from the world: they
were yours, and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.
Now I know that whatever you gave Me, was from your presence:
For the words that You gave Me, I gave to them. And they received, and know truly,
that I have proceeded from Your presence, and they believed that You sent Me,
(Jn. 17:5-8)

And Yeshua said to them again: Shalom to you. As My Father has sent Me, also I
send you.
(Jn. 20:21)

How much more, by that which our Messiah who offered Himself to Elohim through
the Ruach HaKodesh without any blame, purify our persons from dead works to life.
(Heb. 9:14)
(The "Elohim" here who is not the Son or the Holy Spirit must be the Father)

5. The Father is not the Holy Spirit

But the comforter, the Ruach HaKodesh, whom My Father will send in My Name,
will teach you everything, and will remind you of that which I tell you.
(Jn. 14:26)

How much more, by that which our Messiah who offered Himself to Elohim through
the Ruach HaKodesh without any blame, purify our persons from dead works to life.
(Heb. 9:14)
(The "Elohim" here who is not the Son or the Holy Spirit must be the Father)

6. The Holy Spirit is not the Son

But when the comforter comes, whom I will send you from My Father--the Spirit
of Truth who has proceeded from My Father--will testify concerning Me.
(Jn. 15:26)

But the comforter, the Ruach HaKodesh, whom My Father will send in My Name,
will teach you everything, and will remind you of that which I tell you.
(Jn. 14:26)

How much more, by that which our Messiah who offered Himself to Elohim through
the Ruach HaKodesh without any blame, purify our persons from dead works to life.
(Heb. 9:14)

...behold, the Spirit of Elohim descending from the heavens…and rested upon him...
(Mt. 3:16-17=Mk. 1:10-11 = Lk. 3:21-22 = Jn. 1:33)

And the Spirit of YHWH shall rest upon him, the Spirit of Wisdom (Chokmah) and Understanding (Binah) the Spirit of Counsel (Atzah) and power (Gevurah) the spirit of knowledge and of the fear (yirah) of YHWH ...But with righteousness shall he judge…
(Is. 11:2-4)

This proves as a mater of catagorical propositions that the The Father, the Ruach HaKodesh and the Son are all YHWH but they are also all different from one another.

Comment by James Trimm on July 6, 2012 at 7:37am: A = The Father

B = The Holy Spirit/Mother/Comforter

$A \cap B = The Son (The intersection of A and B)$

$A \cup B = YHWH (The Union of A and B)$

Comment by Cheryl Cutler on July 7, 2012 at 6:17pm: I am supriced that you returned a comment; thank you.

You didnt answer my questions. I have read your possition.

Det. 18:18-19; Yah tells us that a prophet like Moses will come and we will be held accountable for every word He speaks. I hope we can agree this is Yeshua. So according to Torah we are accountable to the words of Yah spoken to Moses and the words of Yah through Yeshua. Everything else is commentary; everything!

Once again, who do you worship?

If you will allow me; What is your Bloodline? (Jew or non-Jew)

On another note, I read your book on the aposticy. If your interested, Yah told me what the sealed book is.

David

Comment by James Trimm on July 7, 2012 at 8:43pm: 1. Its not my position, its the Scriptures. Like I always say, "Don't believe me, believe your Scriptures. believe Elohim.

2. There is NOTHING about the text of Deut. 18:18-19 that requires everything not spoken to Moses or through Yeshua to be "commentary". Perhaps you can make a case for that, but you have not made it with that passage.

3. I worship YHWH.

4. What does my "bloodline" have to do with the facts I present? I do not ask anyone to believe me based upon my "bloodline". My bloodline does not make the facts I present true or not true, (BTW I do have Jewish ancestry, but it does not change the facts.)

5. By your own statements, you are saying that anything Yah told you would only be commentary right? (You cannot have it both ways).

Comment by michelleannearle(wisdom) on July 8, 2012 at 1:49am: YA'AQOB(James)2:19 You believe that Elohim is One. You do well.The demons also believe -and shudder!

Comment by James Trimm on July 8, 2012 at 2:07am: Your point? Are you implying that I am comparable to a demon? Either way, that is not much of a response.

Comment by michelleannearle(wisdom) on July 8, 2012 at 3:32am: 2CORINTHIANS 3:17-18 NowYHUH IS THE SPIRIT, and where the Spirit of YHUH is, there is freedom.And we all,as with unveiled face we see as in a mirror the esteem of YHUH, are being transformed into the same image from esteem to esteem, as from YHUH the SPIRIT. (Verses 17and18 make it clear :YaHUaH is the SPIRIT! )

Comment by michelleannearle(wisdom) on July 8, 2012 at 4:16am: ROMANS 8:9,10,11 But you are not in the flesh but in the SPIRIT, IF indeed the SPIRIT of ELOHIM dwells in you.And IF anyone does not have the SPIRIT of MESSIAH,this one is not HIS. And IF MESSIAH is in you,the body is truly dead on account of sin, but the SPIRIT is life on account of righteousness.AND IF the SPIRIT of HIM who raised YHUHSHA from the dead dwells in you, He who raised MESSIAH from the dead shall also give life to your mortal bodies through HIS SPIRIT dwelling in you.It is written...

Comment by James Trimm on July 8, 2012 at 11:29am: Michelle,

I am not sure I get you... are you under the impression that there is some conflict between the passages you are citing and the material I have posted?

Comment