Tag Archives: Godhead

Another BIG Lie from the Mainstream Church?

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Acts 8:16, For as yet He had. In most of our modern English Bibles, this verse supports the notion that the Holy or  Set-Apart Spirit is masculine by using the third person singular of the verb in reference to the antecedent Holy Spirit, which is found in the preceding verse. Is this a correct translation?

First, the Greek word spirit pneuma is a neuter-gender noun. To be grammatically correct, therefore, our verse should read, “For as yet, It….” and not “He.” However, the Bible reveals that the Set-Apart Spirit is a Person, so it has to be either masculine or feminine. In our text, the English words “he had” are the one Greek word heyn which is the active, indicative, imperative, third person singular of the verb eymee meaning, in its infinitive state, “to be,” or in its imperfect tense, “was.” In this verse, the verb eymee in this form can mean either, “he was, she was, or it was” (Basics of Biblical Greek, p. 59, by William Mounce).

So how do we determine what the gender should be of the Set-Apart Spirit? In the Tanakh, the Hebrew word for spirit (as in Set-Apart Spirit) is ruach, which is in the feminine gender. Since the concept of the Set-Apart Spirit originates in the Hebrew language of the Tanakh, and since Elohim (the plural Hebrew noun indicating the plurality of the Godhead) reveals himself as both male and female (Gen 1:26–27), it is, therefore, illogical to refer to the Set-Apart Spirit in the masculine gender in Acts 8:16. Therefore, in Acts 8:16, referring to the Set-Apart Spirit as he is a blatant example of scribal gloss, and is an example of the translators bowing to the Catholic doctrine of the third person in the Godhead being male in gender even though the linguistics of this verse don’t support it, and something the Bible as a whole doesn’t support.

This now begs the following question: If the Set-Apart Spirit isn’t male, but is part of the Godhead, then what other gender is there for the Set-Apart Spirit to be?

 

What do I believe about the Godhead? Greek Vs. Hebraic Logic

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I just received an email from a man who watched one of my YouTube videos and liked everything I said, but didn’t care for the idea that, in his mind at least, I was a trinitarian. He is a man of science with a medical and computer background and indicated that he tries to understand the Bible purely from a logical, scientific approach. This was my response to him.  Wanted to share this in hopes that this might bless someone. Natan

I am not trinitarian in the traditional sense. There is no label for what I believe. I believe what the OT and NT both say. Elohim is echad (a compound unity) and has revealed himself as Father, Son and Ruach. The Bible presents the Ruach as the feminine component of the Godhead. Before the creation Elohim was a more singular entity, then in order to relate to man, split into a compound unity, still one, but separate, and in the olam habah will be back to one again more or less. This is, to the best of my understanding, what the Bible teaches. But this understanding still falls short of the truth. Man can’t understand the unfathomable. To quantify the Godhead by using silly man-made labels like trinity, binity or oneness, or whatever, is, in my opinion, to create a god in own image according to our own limited understanding. This is idolatry and violates the second commandment. Make of this what you will.

A Hebraic understanding of Elohim defies man-made labels and logic, because it is beyond human understanding. This is why your science-based Greco-Roman logic fails to comprehend the godhead. Greco-Roman logical is ideal for explaining science because it is linear and is based on syllogistic or plane (horizontally)-oriented reasoning. Hebraic logic is vertically based and is circular or cyclically in nature and is based on and uses block logic. Science needs Greek logic to put a man on the moon. But this kind of logic won’t explain the one who made the moon. That’s where Hebraic logic comes in. Even then, it too is limited by human linguistics which were invented to describe physical things, not  spiritual things.

I use a combination of both Hebraic and Greco-Roman logic. So did Paul, because he was schooled in both approaches. We need both approaches working together to reach humanity—the head or mind of man (Greco-Roman logic) as well as the heart or spirit of man (Hebraic logic). Truth and Spirit must work together to understand and approach Elohim as Yeshua told the woman at the well in John 4. The natural mind in its normal reasoning capacities using simple Greek logic can’t fully understand Elohim. Paul discusses this in 1 Cor 3:6-16. Paul goes on to say that both the Jews and Greeks stumble at the other’s approach when it comes to presenting the truth of the gospel (1 Cor 1:23), and that YHVH through the foolishness of preaching the gospel via weak vessels, the kingdom is advanced (1 Cor 1:18–25). I am that foolish person trying to preach the gospel, and my approach will likely offend (scandalize) both sides and illicit criticisms from both those who favor a more Aristotelian approach and those who want only the Hebraic approach. Yeshua instructed the righteous disciple of his to judge righteously by examining the fruits of the tree, and not the approach taken (Matt 7:15–20; John 7:24). YHVH’s approach throughout the Bible usually defies human logic. Those who are led by the Spirit will do the same. Those who rely solely on logic apart from faith and the Spirit will fall short of understanding and knowing Elohim, and will criticize and fail to understand the Spirit-led preacher.

May YHVH grant us the wisdom to discern his heart and truth from his, not man’s, flawed and limited perspective.

 

Some Things You May Not Know About the Spirit of Elohim

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Holy Spirit 67962558

The mainstream Christian church talks a lot about the Holy Spirit, and we can learn much from them on this subject. However, it important to review the church’s understanding of this member of the Godhead in light of a more holistic, whole Bible, Hebraic perspective. In so doing, we might make some important discoveries that we have previously overlooked.

Let’s first make sure that our terminologies are correct. In Hebrew, the words for Holy Spirit is Ruach haKodesh meaning “Set-Apart Spirit.” Set-Apart Spirit is a better translation of the Hebrew than is “Holy Spirit” because of the pagan origins of the word holy, as we will discuss below. The Torah forbids the saints from taking on their lips the names of pagan deities (Exod 23:13). This is pretty hard to do, since there are many English words that have pagan derivations. If at all possible, to follow the command of the Torah, we should endeavor not to use any of names of pagan deities in reference to Elohim. Holy, God and Lord would be examples of names that have pagan connotations.

How the Holy Spirit Fits into the Godhead

Where does the Christian concept of the trinity fit into the biblical concept of the “Godhead” (for lack of a better term)? The doctrine of the trinity is an ancient Christian concept that goes back to the early church fathers. Suffice it to say, the term trinity isn’t found in the Bible. The one Bible verse that some Christians will use to try to substantiate this doctrine is 1 John 5:7. In fact, this verse was added to the Bible by a misguided Christian copiest in about the ninth century, and is not found in the earliest Greek versions of the Testimony of Yeshua (New Testament). Christian scholars recognize this as any will honest Bible commentary. This verse is the one and only verse in the Bible that should be crossed out and removed.

It is beyond the scope of this paper to discuss or critique the Christian doctrine of the trinity. All this author cares about is what the Bible has to say on the subject, which we will Continue reading →

 

The Christians are almost right about who Yeshua is!

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Please note: When I first posted this article, I titled it, “The Christians are right about who Yeshua is!” Then I had a second thought, and changed the title to “The Christians are ALMOST right about who Yeshua is!” Here’s why I added the word “almost”:

The Christians are right about the deity, incarnation, virgin birth and his atonement death on the cross. They aren’t right, however, in recognizing him to the the “God” of the Old Testament who gave the Torah-law to the Israelites. Most believe that this was the Father.

When I wrote the first title, I was thinking about the first part of what I say above. When I changed the title adding the word “almost” I was thinking about the second part of what I say above.   Natan

John 1:1, The Word was Elohim. Is Yeshua or the Father the God (Elohim) of the Old Testament (Tanakh)? For many believers in Yeshua, there is confusion as to who it was in the Godhead who interacted with the Israelites in the Tankah. Was it the Father or the Son? In the minds of the apostolic writers, there was no confusion about this. Yeshua, in his preincarnate state, was the One that YHVH Elohim the Father used to both create (John 1:3; Col 1:16; Heb 11:3), and then to interact with mankind. He was the Word of YHVH Elohim, the Father, who become flesh and dwelt among men (verse 14). This truth is easily confirmed in several passages in the Testimony of Yeshua (New Testament).

Powerful Healing Vortex

First, Yeshua himself claims to be YHVH or the I Am of the burning bush (see John 8:58 cp. Exod 3:14). The Jews viewed Yeshua’s claim to be deity as blasphemous, which is why they picked up stones to kill him (John 8:59). Next, Yeshua in declaring to the Jewish religious leaders that “I send you prophets, wise men and scribes: some you will kill…” (Matt 23:34), he is claiming the rights and prerogatives of YHVH — a right and role that Continue reading →

 

What is my view on the Trinity?

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From time to time over the years I have been asked about my view of the doctrine of the trinity. Today on my YouTube channel, someone even asked me to do a video teaching on the subject.

Trinity 3D sign

Actually, I have very little to say on the subject, except that I fear that any explanation any man (including myself) could proffer on the subject of the “Godhead” would be just that: man’s explanation of it. How can the mind of man with its limited intellect and language that is only capable of describing earthly and physical things comprehend much less explain the unexplainable — namely the “Godhead”? Think about it for a moment. If he could, then he would be an a par intellectually with Elohim (Hebrew for God). For man, this is an impossible feat.

Moreover, for a man, or a men, regardless of the height of their intellectual capacities to quantify the “Godhead” in human terms would be a violation of the second commandment — idolatry or making a god in our own image. Man is incapable of comprehending much less explaining that which is uninvestigatable, uncomprehendable and unexplainable.

Having made these disclaimers, let me share with you what I tell people when they ask Continue reading →

 

The Holy Spirit: Male, Female, or It?

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Acts 8:16, For as yet He had. In most of our modern English Bibles, this verse supports the notion that the Holy Spirit is masculine by using the third person singular of the verb in reference to the antecedent Holy Spirit, which is found in the preceding verse. Is this a correct translation? First, the Greek word spirit pneuma/pneuma is a neuter noun. To be grammatically correct, therefore, our verse should read, “For as yet, It….”

However, the Bible reveals that the Holy Spirit is a Person, so it has to be either masculine or feminine. In our text, the English words “he had” are the one Greek word ehn which is the active, indicative, imperative, third person singular of the verb eimi meaning, in its infinitive state, “to be,” or in its imperfect tense, “was.” In this verse, the verb eimi in this form can mean either, “he was, she was, or it was” (Basics of Biblical Greek, p. 59, by William Mounce).

So how do we determine what the gender should be of the Holy Spirit?

In the Tanakh, the Hebrew word for spirit (as in Holy Spirit) is ruach, which is in the feminine gender. Since the concept of the Holy Spirit originates in the Hebrew language of the Tanakh, and since Elohim (the plural Hebrew noun indicating the plurality of the Godhead) reveals himself as both male and female (Gen 1:26–27), it is, therefore, illogical to refer to the Holy Spirit in the masculine gender in Acts 8:16.

Therefore, in Acts 8:16, referring to the Holy Spirit as he is a blatant example of scribal gloss, and is an example of the translators bowing to the Catholic doctrine of the third person in the Godhead being male in gender even though the linguistics of this verse don’t support it, and something the Bible as a whole doesn’t support.

This now begs the following question: If the Holy Spirit isn’t male, but is part of the Godhead, then what other gender is there for the Holy Spirit to be?