Let’s start there.
Elohim, I found, is the earliest reference to the Judeo-Christian God and His plural nature in the Bible. Its usage occurs in the first paragraph and the first half of the first verse of Genesis, the first book in the Old Testament.
Genesis1:1a “In the beginning God . . .” (NKJV)Hebrew Elohim Strong’s #430. God, a plural description for the godhead.
Combined with later reference to the Holy Spirit (Genesis1:2), ‘the seed’ (Genesis 3:15) and the Word (New Testament, John 1:1-4, 14), elohim is considered by some to be the earliest reference to the triune—Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Amazing, huh? God identified as a plural being from the beginning of Scripture—three in one—in the Old Testament—for Jews, the first book of the Torah.
I did not know (until I began looking at The Word in depth, enlightening references ready at hand) from reading an English translation that the word “God” in that first verse had any more significance than had any other use of the word God in the Bible. I actually thought that God, at least in the Old Testament, just meant who I called God the Father or who my Jewish friends called the God of Moses or the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Pretty vague notion really.
But search my Christian background all you will, you will never find a previous thought in it like this one —the triune God possibly being the Jewish God in more ways than one. Now that I think of it, though, God sent angels and visitations of the Holy Spirit to various Old Testament figures, and the promised Messiah is a principle refrain in the Old Testament.
So here is where the divergence for Christian and Jew really occurs—in the identity of the Messiah. Jewish thought frequently saw their God as a less-than-specific many-unified-in-one. Yet still their scripture and teaching pointed specifically to Holy Spirit and Messiah and is remembered that way. Thorough reading and analysis will always keep coming back to that certainty.
We Christians say Jesus Christ of Nazareth is the promised Messiah (as do many “Completed” Jews) while ongoing Judiasm says no, the Messiah (The conquering king for whom they so yearned—and I don’t blame them, times were hard for them back then and now!) has not yet come. They still look forward to that coming.
When I first met this word Elohim, I was in a Precept study of Genesis and was in the first week of class (It was a non-denominational study--Jews Christians, persons of any faith, one-and-all were invited with no mention of affiliation allowed into the study.) The word, its meaning and therefore its possibilities and significance riveted me. For weeks it found its way into my thoughts, my conversations, my encounters. Its powerful truth still manages my thinking. Did I believe it? Oh, yes! Believe me, none but none of the authors included in the Torah and the Canonical Bible chose their words haphazardly. In this world today people may choose their words haphazardly (I’ve done it.) but not the authors of the Torah and Bible.
We have God’s testimony that the words of Scripture are the breathed word of God, word impressed upon the heart of each Biblical author. 2 Timothy 3:16 states, “All Scripture is given by inspiration (inbreathing of life) of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” Individuals can disagree over this or that on this subject, people of every age disagree with everything and anything, but the chosen word still rules then and now.
God, from the beginning of the Mosaic books was identified as a triune God. Astounding!
Like it or not, admit it or not, Jew and Christian alike share a plural God!
And to this day, still quite a strain to try to discuss between Jew and Christian.
To be continued . . .
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