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Examine the Verse - Matthew 3:16-17
Consider the verse in detail in order to find out the true message or meaning.
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Home   Examine the Supporting Verses

Examine the Verse
Matthew 3:16-17
This verse is claimed to support the Trinitarian belief that God is the Triune God
by directly referencing the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit at the same time.

  16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17 And suddenly a voice  came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
(Matthew 3:16-17, New King James Version)
 
  Trinitarian Belief in God and Jesus Christ:
 Trinitarians believe in the Trinity, that God is the "Triune God"
existing as three persons
God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, but one being. All three are
eternal with no beginning. M
embers of the Trinity are co-equal and co-eternal,
one in essence, nature, power, action, and will.
Trinitarians believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal second person "God the Son",
who took on a human body and nature and became both man and God. 
Thus is Jesus is fully man and fully God simultaneously.
 
  Apostle's admonition, warning and unique way of teaching:
1. No prophecy of scripture is a matter of personal interpretation. (II Pt. 1:20, NAB)
2. Do not go beyond  what is written. (I Cor. 4:6, NIV)
 3. We do not use words of human wisdom. We speak words given to us by the Spirit,
using the Spirit's words to explain spiritual truths. (1 Cor. 2:13, NLT)
 
  Points to Consider:  
  1.  Notice that the above verse does not say that God is a Trinity or God is the Triune God existing as three persons but one being?
2.  How can referencing the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit at the same time be made to mean that God is a Trinity or God is the Triune God? Does it mean that by mentioning the three in one verse make them one God?
3.  How can the above verse be understood to mean that God is a Trinity or Triune God when you cannot find any of the elements of the Trinity doctrine, like "co-equal and co-eternal, one in essence, nature, power, action, and will" in the verse?
4.  Is the verse really about the Trinity doctrine or something else?
 
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  Matthew 3:16-17 in other versions of the Bible:  
 

16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He[a] saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”    (King James Version)

16 So Jesus was baptized. As soon as he came up out of the water, the sky opened, and he saw God’s Spirit coming down on him like a dove. 17 A voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the one I love. I am very pleased with him.”  (Easy to Read Version)

You may use other version or translation of the Holy Bible.

 

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Bible Study Suggestion:
  • Search the internet for the Trinitarian explanation of the above verse.

Examine - consider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to discover essential features or meaning;
Source: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/examine

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