In the beginning GOD created the heavens and the earth (...) and the Spirit of GOD was hovering over the waters

Genesis 1,2

 

Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness

Genesis 1,26

​

Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby

Genesis 18,1-3

​

Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the Lord out of the heavens

Genesis 19,24 f.

​​

The Spirit of GOD has made me

Job 33,4

​

The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works

Proverbs 8,22-31

​

What is his name, and what is the name of his son?

Proverbs 30,4

​

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”

Isaiah 6,8

​​

The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel (GOD with us)

Isaiah 7,14

​

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty GOD, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace

Isaiah 9,6

​

And now the Lord and His Spirit have sent me

Isaiah 48,16

​

Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord

Jeremiah 17,5

​

This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior

Jeremiah 23,5 f.

​

and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man

Ezekiel 1,26 f.

​

and the fourth looks like a son of the gods

Daniel 3,24 f.

​​

and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven

Daniel 7,13 f.

​

I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold

Daniel 10,4-9

​

whose origins are from the beginning and from eternity

Micah 5,2 f.
 

They will look on me, the one they have pierced

Zechariah 12,10

 

 

 

Genesis 1,2

​

1 In the beginning GOD created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of GOD was hovering over the waters.

​

The Hebrew word translated spirit is rûach. It is a feminine noun that can mean, among other things, spirit, spirits, wind, breath, air, breath. The Hebrew word râchaph, translated hover, can also mean brooding, fluttering, moving. The Spirit of GOD is GOD Himself; it is not separate from GOD Himself, but describes GOD in action, i.e., His active power and presence. That GOD's Spirit brooded, hovered, and moved over the waters means that GOD was preparing to bring the earth, as we know it, out of chaos. This does not refer to a second or third person of a triune Godhead. Nor is creation a co-production of multiple divine persons. Throughout the entire chapter, there is only one person who speaks, namely GOD (the Father), who calls all things into existence through His word or command (Hebrews 11,3 / 2 Peter 3,5 f.).

​

In Luke 1,35, the angel Gabriel, who was to announce the birth of Jesus, tells Mary that the Holy Spirit (i.e., the Spirit of GOD) would come upon her and that the power of the Most High would overshadow her. Both terms mean the same thing and refer to GOD in action. For this reason, Jesus is referred to as the Son of GOD, not "the Son of the Holy Spirit". In Matthew 12,28, Jesus explained that he cast out a demon by the Spirit of GOD. However, the parallel passage in Luke 11,20 refers to the finger of GOD. Here, too, both terms have the same meaning, which again refers to GOD in action.

​

​

​

____________________________________

​

Genesis 1,26

​

26 Then GOD said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness (...)"

​

If we were talking about a plurality within the Godhead, one would have to expect that GOD speaks of himself in the “we” form throughout the entire Holy Scripture. In fact, there are only four examples in the Old Testament where this is the case. When the Hebrew Old Testament was translated into Greek, 'ĕlôhîym (Hebrew plural: GODS) was translated theos (singular: GOD). This makes it clear that by 'ĕlôhîym the Jews meant neither many gods nor one GOD consisting of several people. The book of Job says that the angels of GOD (literally: sons of GOD), who belong to GOD's heavenly council and with whom GOD is in close communication, were present at creation and praised GOD. This detail is not mentioned in the creation account; The existence of angels, however, is (Genesis 3,24).

​

Even if the Bible does not directly say that angels are created in GOD'S image, this assumption is reasonable. The expression image of GOD refers to the holiness or sinlessness of a creature. The first man, Adam, was created in GOD's image because he was without sin. Likewise, GOD once created the angels sinless. Thus, every creature endowed with will and reason, which includes both humans and angels, can be described as images of GOD. In the above verse, GOD speaks to His heavenly council of angels, whom He includes in His creation project. The angels were indirectly involved in creation, even though GOD was ultimately the one who actively created man and not the angels.

​

see:

Ps 89,7 / Job 15,8 / Isa 6,8 / Jer 23,18 + 22

​​

​

​

____________________________________

​

Genesis 18,1-3

​

1 The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. 2 Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground. 3 He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by."

​​

The Hebrew text says that GOD appeared to His servant Abraham in the form of a human. We also read that He was accompanied by two angels who also took on human form. GOD created humanity so that He could have close fellowship with us. Therefore, GOD occasionally shows himself in a visible form, even though GOD is fundamentally invisible. People to whom GOD appeared visibly were Adam and Eve, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Samuel, Micah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Amos, Stephen and John. Angels and demons are also invisible to humans, but can make themselves visible at certain times. If angels and demons are able to manifest themselves visually, then even more so can GOD.

​

Although there were three men approaching Abraham's tent, Abraham addressed only GOD, the leader of the three, as Adonai (LORD), while the two angels are addressed as adon (Lord/Lords); as in many other places in the Bible (Daniel 10,16-19 / Zechariah 1,9 / Zechariah 6,4). In verses 1-15 Abraham, the angels and GOD speak alternately. Some scribes believe that all three men were angels who came to Abraham on behalf of GOD to speak to him in GOD's name. Similar to the angel of the LORD, they speak in the first person; as if GOD were speaking personally, even though they are GOD's envoys/ambassadors. In Genesis 19,13 the two angels declare that the LORD has sent them. The word he in verse 17 refers to one of the angels. That's why some Bible translations say one of them. Lot's answer, which he again introduces with adon (instead of Adonai), refers to one of the angels, even though he is speaking to both.

​

What is striking is that none of the apostles associate a single Old Testament statement with a pre-existing Jesus. All quotes are exclusively prophetic statements and concern the (from the perspective of the time) future appearance of the Messiah. If Abraham's encounter with the three men in Mamre were a prime example of the Trinity or pre-existence of Christ, the apostles would certainly have referred to it in both their letters and their preaching.

​

see:

Gen 3,8 / Gen 15,1 / Gen 17,1 / Gen 18,1 / Gen 28,13 / Ex 24,9-11 / 1st Sam 3,10 / 1st Kng 3,5 / 1st Kng 9,2 + 11 / 1st Kng 22,19-22 / Isa 6,1-5 / Eze 1,26-28 / Dan 7,9-14 / Amos 7,7 / Acts 7,56 / Rev 5,1-8

​

​​

____________________________________

​

Genesis 19,24

​

24 Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the Lord out of the heavens.

​

This expression is typically Semitic. Here a matter is expressed in two different ways for emphasis. Fire and brimstone came from GOD, but it was the angels mentioned in the chapter who carried out GOD's judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah. Similar formulations in connection with people can be found in various places.

 

see:

Gen 4,23 / Gen 17,23 / 1st Kng 1,53 / 1st Kng 8,1 / 1st Kng 12,21 / Eze 11,24.

​

​

​​

____________________________________​

​

Job 33,4

​

4 The Spirit of GOD has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

​

The Hebrew word ruach means, among other things, spirit and breath of life. Here, too, the term Spirit of GOD is not to be understood as a divine person, but as the Spirit of the Almighty. There is only one almighty GOD, who is the Father of us all. He is the one who gives life to all creatures by breathing in His Spirit or power (Genesis 2,7 / Ecclesiastes 12,7). GOD creates things through His Word and makes them alive through His Spirit. Neither GOD's Word nor GOD's Spirit exist or act independently of GOD. Whatever the Spirit of GOD does is what GOD Himself does.

 

​

​

____________________________________

​

Proverbs 8,22-31

​

22 The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old; 23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. 24 When there were no watery depths, I was given birth, when there were no springs overflowing with water; 25 before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was given birth, 26 before he made the world or its fields or any of the dust of the earth. 27 I was there when he set the heavens in place, when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep, 28 when he established the clouds above and fixed securely the fountains of the deep, 29 when he gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not overstep his command, and when he marked out the foundations of the earth. 30  Then I was constantly at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence, 31 rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind.

​

Wisdom (Hebrew: chokmâh) and prudence (Hebrew: ‛ormâh) are neither names nor descriptions of persons. In the book of Proverbs they are merely personified. This is a figurative form of expression in which human characteristics or actions are attributed to factual or abstract things. The use of this poetic stylistic device is intended to place particular emphasis on what is being said. Personalizing things was common among Jews. In the Bible, the concepts of word, wisdom, folly, doctrine, death, cities, nature, money, sin are personified. In chapter 9 there is also a personification of folly (Hebrew: kesîylûth). No one would claim that folly is an image or synonym for a real person. Wisdom and prudence are qualities of GOD that determine His actions. Nowhere does it say that wisdom is GOD. Nor is it called "LORD". The personification is intended to visually illustrate the virtuous qualities of wisdom and the role it plays in GOD's act of creation. Nowhere in the New Testament is Jesus linked to the wisdom of Proverbs 8 through a quote. In addition, in Proverbs 7,4 wisdom is referred to as a sister (Hebrew: 'âchôth). This also speaks against a connection with Jesus. Proverbs 1,20 f. says that wisdom "calls in the streets and in the gates of Israel". But nowhere do we read anything about the work of Jesus in the Old Testament. Besides, GOD is identified as Creator in Proverbs 8; not wisdom.

​

see:

Gen 4,6 f. / Jdg 9,8-15 / Job 28,22 / Pro 9,13-18 / isa 44,23 + 49,13 + 55,12 / Mt 6,24 / Joh 5,26 / 1st Cor 8,6 / 1st Tim 6,6 / Heb 4,12​

​

​

​

____________________________________

​

Proverbs 30,4

​

4 Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Whose hands have gathered up the wind? Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak?
   Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his son? Surely you know!

​

This verse can be understood in a number of non-Trinitarian ways. The author is obviously asking a rhetorical question, which means that he knows the answer to these questions. It is obvious that verse 4 refers to GOD, the Creator. The word son (Hebrew: bên) can be used for chosen ones, kings and heirs. Israel (Exodus 4,22 f.) is also referred to as the Son of GOD; just like kings, e.g. Solomon, (2nd Samuel 7,14 / 1st Chronicles 28,6). Even if Israel is a picture of Christ, the Messiah does not necessarily have to be meant here. The statement can also refer to the people of Israel. Even if the Messiah is meant here, this does not prove that Jesus is GOD, as the term son is usually applied to humans. The apostles also nowhere in their letters address the verse in Proverbs 30 or attribute any prophetic meaning to it.

​

In Proverbs 30,4 a distinction is made between GOD and His son (whoever is meant here). All of the attributes mentioned in verse 4 are attributed to GOD and not to the Son. Furthermore, the question about the son does not imply that GOD actually has a son. The answer could also be that GOD, who is the subject of verse 4, does not have a son (in the metaphysical sense) because GOD is not human. Furthermore, the questions asked by the author can also be understood as a comparison between a human being and GOD; similar to Job 38, where GOD shows Job his lowliness as a human being in relation to GOD's omnipotence and wisdom. The question would therefore be:

​

Who (= which person) ascended to heaven and descended again?

 

Who (= which person) took the wind in his hands?

 

Who (= which person) bound the waters in a garment?

 

Who (which person) determined all the ends of the world?

 

What is his name (= this person)? And what is the name of his son (the son of that person who did all this)? Do you know that?

​​

The answer to this again rhetorical question is clear: nobody. This interpretation is supported by the fact that it says first: "Who ascended?" and only secondly, "Who descended?" Because no one was in heaven at that time. Jesus is the first and only person whom GOD raised from the dead and ascended into heaven (John 3,13).

​

​

​​

____________________________________

​

Isaiah 6,8

​

8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

​​

Who GOD is speaking to here is not explicitly mentioned. GOD wanted to send someone to help Israel. The prophet Isaiah then offers himself as a messenger. The verse shows that GOD is the one in charge. But He is supported by others or involves others. It is obvious that GOD is speaking to His divine council at this point (verse 2), which includes the angels in heaven who serve GOD day and night (2nd Chronicles 18,18-22 / Matthew 18,10 / Hebrews 1 ,14). This assumption is also supported by the mention of seraphim (= angels) in verses 2 + 6.

 

​

 

____________________________________

​

Isaiah 7,14

​

14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel (= GOD with us).

​

The name Jesus means Yahweh is salvation. Jesus' prophetic name, Immanuel, means GOD with us. Almost every Hebrew name has a direct reference to GOD:

​

Samuel = GOD is exalted

 

Elijah = My GOD is Yahweh

​

Michael = Who is like GOD?

 

Jacob = GOD protects

​

Gabriel = GOD'S hero

 

Jonathan = Yahweh's gift

​

Daniel = GOD is judge

 

Nathan = GOD has given

​

Asael = Consecrated by GOD

 

Joseph = GOD'S messenger

​

John = GOD is gracious

 

Raphael = GOD heals

​

Isaac = GOD'S laughter

​

Isaiah = GOD is salvation

 

Ismael = GOD hears

​

Elisabeth = GOD is perfect

​​

​

The fact that a name refers to GOD does not make the name bearer GOD. Jesus (Hebrew: Yeshua / Old Greek: Isous) was and is a common Hebrew name. Both before and after Jesus, there were people who bore the same name as him. Jesus' name is not a reference to his supposed deity, but rather expresses that he is the Savior promised by GOD (Matthew 1,21 / Luke 19,10 / Acts 5,31). GOD saves through Jesus (Jude 1,25) by sending the Messiah. In this way, GOD shows that he is with humanity (Luke 1,67-75 / Acts 10,38). In many places, GOD speaks of himself as the one who acts, although he uses other persons (humans or angels) to carry out his plans. as in the case of Moses and the judges of the Old Testament, through whom GOD brought salvation to His people (Judges 2,18 / Acts 7,25). Just like Moses and the judges, Jesus also acts as a mediator between GOD and us humans (John 14,6 / 1st Timothy 2,5). Jesus shows us the way to GOD and eternal life.