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After some mild push back on my wording in yesterday's thread on if the Trinity is in the Bible, let me ask a different question: How is the Trinity in the Bible? Answer: in various ways depending on the trinitarian locus. another thread:
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Aspects of the doctrine of the Trinity may be:
1) Non-biblical terminology used to explain explicit teachings derived from historical-grammatical interpretation. For example, perichoresis is taught, not by name, in John 17.
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1) Non-biblical terminology used to explain explicit teachings derived from historical-grammatical interpretation. For example, perichoresis is taught, not by name, in John 17.
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2) Biblical terminology used in ways that exceed historical-grammatical biblical usage to describe eternal realities inferred from the Biblical narrative. An example here would be eternal generation. The term is used in the NT often in the context of the resurrection... 3/
... but not explicitly of the eternal relationship of the Father and Son. Theological readings of Proverbs 8 (i.e. readings exceeding historico-grammatical reading) also leads to this usage of generation.
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3) Translation of Biblical concepts into metaphysical idioms. Thus consubstantiality is rooted in various New Testament tropes, but is more consciously metaphysical than the NT (though I believe there is more philosophy within the NT than many).
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4) Expansion of explicit NT teaching at historico-grammatical level through reasonable inference. For example, inseparable operations of Father/Son is explicit in John 5, but Spirit is (for good reason) added to the dogmatic expression...
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... such expansion may be supported by incidental references to Spirit's work with Father/Son, but also as a logical inference from consubstantiality.
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5) Affirmation of a concept never stated in the Bible, yet derived from teachings that are clear. This often requires certain hermeneutic judgments and philosophical assumptions. Thus, simplicity logically follows from immutability, eternality, aseity...
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... given certain metaphysical assumptions about being. Further, this move to simplicity requires judgments that accounts of God changing are anthropomorphic and God being unchanging are literal. Such judgments may be defended in various ways.
So perhaps yesterday's thread could be clarified. Is the Trinity Biblical? Yes, but in a wide variety of ways. The Trinity doctrine as a whole is not only the result of simple historico-grammatical reading, though.
