Sambodhi 1989 Vol 16

Author(s): Ramesh S Betai, Yajneshwar S Shastri
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 74

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still." He quotes the words of Jeremiah "when the fruitful place was a wilderness and all cities thereof were broken down, it is the state of chaos. (4.26)," and says that we live miserable lives in a world of enormous wealth.. our world is a nude one which has torn off its old clothes and has failed to procure new ones.. We must identify ourselves with the spirit of God moving on the face of the waters, enter into the very spirit of the universe and become its vehicle."40
The Holy Trinity
The word "trinity” is not quite as expressive as the Holland word 'Drieeenheid' for it may simply denote the state of being three, without any implication as to the unity of the three.
According to Dr. Radhakrishnan--"The doctrine of trinity not only sought to provide a place for Jesus in the unity of God but also tried to correct the one-sided view of God adopted in the Old Testament. God is not merely the infinite majesty seated on high (the Father), but is also the heart of love (the Son) and the inmancnt principle of the world process (the Holy Spirit)."47 He compares the view of the Father, the son and the Holy Spirit to the Vedantic formula of Brahman as Sat, Chit and Anand-reality, wisdom and joy.
Let us examine what the Bible speaks about the doctrine of trinity. It has always bristled with difficulties. Some of the early church Fathers and even some later theologians, disregarding the progressive character of God's revelation, gave the impression that the doctrine of Trinity was completely revealed in the Old Testament. On the other hand Socinians and Arminians were of the opinion that it was not found there at all. Both are mistaken. The Old Testament does not contain a full revelation of the trinitarian cxistence of God, but does contain several indications of it. The Bible never deals with the doctrine of the trinity as an abstract truth, but reveals the trinitarian life in its various relations as a living reality, to a certain extent in connection with the works of creation and providence, but particularly in relation to the work of redemption. Its most fundamental revelation is a revelation given in facts rather than in words. And this revelation increases in clarity in the measure in which the redemptive work of God is more clearly revealed, as in the incarnation of the Son and outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
The proof for the Trinity has sometimes been found in the distinction of Jehovah and Elohim, and also in the plural Elohim, but the former