I have been researching Christian Monotheism as found in Islam, Judaism and Christianity. I would love your thoughts on a page summary I wrote, I want to make sure what I wrote lines up with what is actually said in each. I realize that there may be debate on what the implications are and I welcome that discussion, but wanted clarification if I was missing anything or misrepresenting anything. Thanks in advance!
God is the creator of mathematics and cannot be defined by His creation, however, 1x1x1=1 and using advanced mathematics 1+1+1=1 (in mod 3). God is still one God for Christians.
What the Quran says:
Sura al-Ankabut 29:46, "Do no argue with the people of the Book except in what is better... and say we believed in what was sent down to us and to you, and our God and your God is the same, is one."
Thus, the Qur’an is saying that Christians (people of the Book) believe in one God.
Sura Al Imran 3:55, "As God said, O Jesus, I'll make you die, and I'll raise you up to me, and I'll purify you from the infidels, and I'll make those who followed you higher than the infidels until the Day of Judgement."
This Sura affirms that Christians are not infidels or polytheists. In fact, you will see that the 3 persons of the Trinity are in fact found within the Qur’an.
Jesus is called God’s messenger, the Word of God and the Spirit of God in the Qur’an:
Sura an-Nisa 4:171; Sura Al Imran 3:45, 139
The Spirit of God (the Holy Spirit) in the Qur’an:
Sura Yusuf 12:87; Sura al-Baqara 2:87, 253; Sura al-Ma’ida 5:110
God is referred to as both a singular and a plural entity (We, Us, Our) in the Qur’an:
Sura al-Baqara 2:252-253; Sura Al Imran 3:44, 108, 145; Sura Al-An’am 6:114; Sura Al-Hijr 15:26-29; Sura Al-Isra 17:1; Sura Maryam 19: 16-21, 40-42, 40-53, 56-74; Sura Al-Anbiya 21:91; Sura Al-Mu’minun 23:12-14; Sura As-Saaffaat 37:161-166, 170-182; Sura Al-Jaathiyah 45:6; Sura At-Tahreem 66:12
The Qur’an itself points to a diverse oneness or a plurality within the singular God. While this is a bit confusing in the Qur’an, it is clear in the Tanakh and the Injil.
Jewish Monotheism in the TanakhJews believe that there is one (and only one) God.
Deuteronomy 4:35; 6:4; 1 Kings 8:60; Isaiah 44:8; 45:5-22; 46:9; Joel 2:27
This is a basic belief of Jewish Monotheism of the Second Temple Period. There is room, however, for plurality within the one God of Israel.
Jewish Plurality in God (Us, Our, They, etc..):
Genesis 1:1-2; 3:22; 11:7; 20:13; Joshua 24:19; 2 Samuel 7:23; Isaiah 6:8; 54:5; Ecclesiastes 12:1; Psalm 58:12; 149:2
Each of these verses show God referring to himself in the plural form, but this was never considered polytheism.
The Shema:
If we take a look at the Shema, in Deuteronomy 6:4, which would be recited by orthodox Jews twice a day and is often the last words they will speak before sleep, we will find a singular plurality. “Shema Yisrael YHWH Eloheinu YHWH Echad.” Literally this translates to “Hear O Israel, God, Our God, God One.” This is saying God (3 times) and then using the word Echad, which implies diverse oneness (plurality within the singular), in this case, 3-in-1. This shows that the doctrine of the Trinity is found within the most basic Jewish statement of faith. Echad is found in Genesis 2:24, “the two shall become one [echad] flesh” (a man and a woman being married to become one flesh) yet again implying a unity and diverse oneness within this word.
The Jewish language does in fact have language for one and only, (like an only son, only child or describes a single life). The word they use for only (meaning singular one) is Yachid:
Genesis 22:2, 12, 16; Judges 11:34; Psalm 22:20; 25:16; 35:17; 68:6; Proverbs 4:3; Jeremiah 6:26; Amos 8:10; Zechariah 12:10
The Hebrew shows that in YHWH there is a diverse oneness.
The divine names of the Tanakh, Elohim and YHWH, are sometimes applied to 2 or 3 personalities:
(2 Persons) Genesis 19:24; Psalm 45:7-8; 110:1; Zechariah 2:8-9; Hosea 1:7 (3 Persons) Isaiah 48:12-16; 63:7-14
This shows that Jewish Monotheism was not offended or opposed to the idea that God has a diverse oneness in Himself.
Christian Monotheism in the InjilEarly Christians believed in the deity of Jesus Christ even though they still believed in one God. This is clear in their writings.
Mark 12:32; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 4:6; 1 Timothy 2:5; James 2:19
These same Jewish writers also believed in multiples persons in the one God of Israel.
Jewish Christian Plurality in God:
Matthew 3:16; 12:28; 28:19; Luke 1:35; 3:22; 10:21; John 3:34; 14:26; 15:26; 20:21-22; Acts 1:4-8; 2:33; 7:55; Romans 1:4; 8:9; 14:17-18; 15:30; 1 Corinthians 6:11; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Galatians 4:4-6; Ephesians 1:17; 2:18; 2:22; 1 Peter 1:2; Titus 3:4-6
The Trinity according to Jesus:
Matthew 28:17-20 “When they saw him, they worshiped him, but some doubted. 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 nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”
Jesus defined God as Father, Son (himself) and Holy Spirit.
The Father is God:
Matthew 6:9; Luke 1:32; 10:21; Philippians 2:11; 1 Peter 1:2
Jesus is God:
John 1; 20:28; Acts 2:36; Romans 10:9-13 (ref. Joel 2:32); 1 Corinthians 8:6 (Jesus included in the Shema – ref. Deuteronomy 6:4); Ephesians 1:21-22; Philippians 2:1-10 (ref. Isaiah 45); Colossians 1; 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1; Revelation 5:9-14
The Holy Spirit is God:
Acts 5:3-4; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 2 Corinthians 3:17
The result was the early Church declared that there is one God, experienced in three persons. The Nicene Creed states: “We believe in one God, the Father the Almighty … We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God … We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life.”
Christian Monotheism in the Qur’an
Muslims usually ask if God is one, why do you worship 3 Gods? 1+1+1=3 and/or 1+1+1≠1. Usually with reference to Sura an-Nisa 4:171 (Say not God is Three). Christians believe this too.God is the creator of mathematics and cannot be defined by His creation, however, 1x1x1=1 and using advanced mathematics 1+1+1=1 (in mod 3). God is still one God for Christians.
What the Quran says:
Sura al-Ankabut 29:46, "Do no argue with the people of the Book except in what is better... and say we believed in what was sent down to us and to you, and our God and your God is the same, is one."
Thus, the Qur’an is saying that Christians (people of the Book) believe in one God.
Sura Al Imran 3:55, "As God said, O Jesus, I'll make you die, and I'll raise you up to me, and I'll purify you from the infidels, and I'll make those who followed you higher than the infidels until the Day of Judgement."
This Sura affirms that Christians are not infidels or polytheists. In fact, you will see that the 3 persons of the Trinity are in fact found within the Qur’an.
Jesus is called God’s messenger, the Word of God and the Spirit of God in the Qur’an:
Sura an-Nisa 4:171; Sura Al Imran 3:45, 139
The Spirit of God (the Holy Spirit) in the Qur’an:
Sura Yusuf 12:87; Sura al-Baqara 2:87, 253; Sura al-Ma’ida 5:110
God is referred to as both a singular and a plural entity (We, Us, Our) in the Qur’an:
Sura al-Baqara 2:252-253; Sura Al Imran 3:44, 108, 145; Sura Al-An’am 6:114; Sura Al-Hijr 15:26-29; Sura Al-Isra 17:1; Sura Maryam 19: 16-21, 40-42, 40-53, 56-74; Sura Al-Anbiya 21:91; Sura Al-Mu’minun 23:12-14; Sura As-Saaffaat 37:161-166, 170-182; Sura Al-Jaathiyah 45:6; Sura At-Tahreem 66:12
The Qur’an itself points to a diverse oneness or a plurality within the singular God. While this is a bit confusing in the Qur’an, it is clear in the Tanakh and the Injil.
Jewish Monotheism in the Tanakh
Deuteronomy 4:35; 6:4; 1 Kings 8:60; Isaiah 44:8; 45:5-22; 46:9; Joel 2:27
This is a basic belief of Jewish Monotheism of the Second Temple Period. There is room, however, for plurality within the one God of Israel.
Jewish Plurality in God (Us, Our, They, etc..):
Genesis 1:1-2; 3:22; 11:7; 20:13; Joshua 24:19; 2 Samuel 7:23; Isaiah 6:8; 54:5; Ecclesiastes 12:1; Psalm 58:12; 149:2
Each of these verses show God referring to himself in the plural form, but this was never considered polytheism.
The Shema:
If we take a look at the Shema, in Deuteronomy 6:4, which would be recited by orthodox Jews twice a day and is often the last words they will speak before sleep, we will find a singular plurality. “Shema Yisrael YHWH Eloheinu YHWH Echad.” Literally this translates to “Hear O Israel, God, Our God, God One.” This is saying God (3 times) and then using the word Echad, which implies diverse oneness (plurality within the singular), in this case, 3-in-1. This shows that the doctrine of the Trinity is found within the most basic Jewish statement of faith. Echad is found in Genesis 2:24, “the two shall become one [echad] flesh” (a man and a woman being married to become one flesh) yet again implying a unity and diverse oneness within this word.
The Jewish language does in fact have language for one and only, (like an only son, only child or describes a single life). The word they use for only (meaning singular one) is Yachid:
Genesis 22:2, 12, 16; Judges 11:34; Psalm 22:20; 25:16; 35:17; 68:6; Proverbs 4:3; Jeremiah 6:26; Amos 8:10; Zechariah 12:10
The Hebrew shows that in YHWH there is a diverse oneness.
The divine names of the Tanakh, Elohim and YHWH, are sometimes applied to 2 or 3 personalities:
(2 Persons) Genesis 19:24; Psalm 45:7-8; 110:1; Zechariah 2:8-9; Hosea 1:7 (3 Persons) Isaiah 48:12-16; 63:7-14
This shows that Jewish Monotheism was not offended or opposed to the idea that God has a diverse oneness in Himself.
Christian Monotheism in the Injil
Mark 12:32; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 4:6; 1 Timothy 2:5; James 2:19
These same Jewish writers also believed in multiples persons in the one God of Israel.
Jewish Christian Plurality in God:
Matthew 3:16; 12:28; 28:19; Luke 1:35; 3:22; 10:21; John 3:34; 14:26; 15:26; 20:21-22; Acts 1:4-8; 2:33; 7:55; Romans 1:4; 8:9; 14:17-18; 15:30; 1 Corinthians 6:11; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Galatians 4:4-6; Ephesians 1:17; 2:18; 2:22; 1 Peter 1:2; Titus 3:4-6
The Trinity according to Jesus:
Matthew 28:17-20 “When they saw him, they worshiped him, but some doubted. 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 nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”
Jesus defined God as Father, Son (himself) and Holy Spirit.
The Father is God:
Matthew 6:9; Luke 1:32; 10:21; Philippians 2:11; 1 Peter 1:2
Jesus is God:
John 1; 20:28; Acts 2:36; Romans 10:9-13 (ref. Joel 2:32); 1 Corinthians 8:6 (Jesus included in the Shema – ref. Deuteronomy 6:4); Ephesians 1:21-22; Philippians 2:1-10 (ref. Isaiah 45); Colossians 1; 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1; Revelation 5:9-14
The Holy Spirit is God:
Acts 5:3-4; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 2 Corinthians 3:17
The result was the early Church declared that there is one God, experienced in three persons. The Nicene Creed states: “We believe in one God, the Father the Almighty … We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God … We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life.”
