{"id":38535,"date":"2022-05-07T16:26:22","date_gmt":"2022-05-07T14:26:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kernbeisser.ch\/jesus-god-and-holy-spirit\/"},"modified":"2023-09-07T08:32:43","modified_gmt":"2023-09-07T06:32:43","slug":"jesus-god-and-holy-spirit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kernbeisser.ch\/en\/jesus-god-and-holy-spirit\/","title":{"rendered":"Jesus, God and Holy Spirit"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Greeting formula at the end of the second letter to the Corinthians<\/h3>\n

If one comes to speak about the Trinity, the conclusion of the Epistle to the Corinthians is often referred to first. Paul writes to the Corinthians as a closing word:<\/p>\n

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ<\/em>
\nand the love of God<\/em>
\nand the fellowship of the Holy Spirit<\/em>
\nbe with you all! Amen!”<\/em>
\n2Cor 13,13<\/p>\n

It is a greeting, not a typical teaching. Nothing is explained here. However, Jesus Christ, God and the Holy Spirit are mentioned together. Doesn’t this speak to the doctrine of the Trinity? That’s what we’re going to investigate now. It is certain that this text is unique: there is no other verse of this kind in the Bible in which God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are presented in this way. Is the view correct and why is it going on here?[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”107967″]<\/p>\n

Grace, love and community<\/h3>\n

The first thing that stands out on closer inspection is the core of the statement. It does not concern any doctrine about God, and in no way does it declare that God is made up of three persons. The subject is different. Paul wishes three things for the church in Corinth:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Grace<\/strong> (of the Lord Jesus Christ)<\/li>\n
  2. Love<\/strong> (of God)<\/li>\n
  3. Community<\/strong> (of the Holy Spirit)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Grace, love and fellowship form the core of the statement.<\/strong> The goal is not to explain the Godhead, but to promote fellowship in Corinth. Each of the statements is clarified with an addendum. It is the grace of<\/strong> the Lord Jesus Christ<\/em>. It is the love of<\/strong> God<\/em> and it is the fellowship<\/strong> of the Holy Spirit<\/em>.<\/p>\n

    Here, in the last verse, the Trinity is not explained quickly, but it is a normal greeting, in which it is about completely different things. These are the things Paul wants to convey in his greeting.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”115443″]<\/p>\n

    No doctrine of the Trinity<\/h3>\n

    One tries a doctrine of the Trinity here in vain. If it were a matter of clear doctrine, then there would have to be something like explanation of<\/strong> the Godhead in three persons. This is precisely what is not<\/strong> being done here.<\/p>\n

    Those who quote this text in the context of the doctrine of the Trinity do so merely because it sounds similar to the well-known doctrine: “It sounds something like the doctrine of the Trinity and therefore it will probably be so”. Personally, that’s not enough of an explanation for me.<\/p>\n

    Imagine holding a blue stone in your hand. Then you look up and see the blue sky. Those who now claim that they hold the sky in their hands may be expressing themselves poetically, but unfortunately this has nothing to do with reality.<\/p>\n

    This is also the case with the text at the end of the second letter to the Corinthians. Here the idea of the Trinity has nothing to do with the text. However, the idea is projected onto the text because it has a “similar sound”.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”198412″]<\/p>\n

    How many people are mentioned?<\/h3>\n

    If you count the people mentioned in the verse, there are only two. Only Jesus Christ and God are mentioned specifically. In the expression “community of the Holy Spirit” a third person, that of the “Holy Spirit”, is read out with pleasure. You translate how you want to read it.<\/p>\n

    This is the problem: this person of the “Holy Spirit” must first be defined before it is alluded to here. Many translations do just that. You refer to “Holy Spirit” as a “proper noun” with two capital letters. This is an interpretation that has nothing to do with basic text or context.<\/p>\n

    Some translations that write “Holy” with a capital letter:<\/p>\n