The Trinity in Both the Old and New Testaments

All scripture quotations are taken from the KJV

I. The Triune Godhead in the Old Testament

1. Plural References to God. “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (Gen. 1:26). “And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil” (Gen. 3:22). “And the Lord said…Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech” (Gen. 11:7). “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” (Isa. 6:8). “[Jacob] had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us; even the Lord God of hosts; the Lord is his memorial” (Hosea 12:4-5).

2. The Spirit of God. “And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters” (Gen. 1:2). “And now the Lord God, and his Spirit, hath sent me" (Isa. 48:16).

3. The Son of God. “The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool” (Psalm 110:1). “I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee” (Psalm 2:7). “Kiss [pay homage to] the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him” (Psalm 2:12). “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6).

4. The Lord is sent by the Lord. “Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord God, and his Spirit, hath sent me. Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go" (Isa. 48:16-17). “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek...For I the Lord love judgment” (Isa. 61:1, 8). “For thus saith the Lord of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye. For, behold, I will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants: and ye shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me” (Zech. 2:8-9). “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord. And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee” (Zech. 2:10-11). "Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you" (Zech. 4:8-9).

5. The LORD is sent by the Lord GOD to endure shame and suffering. "Thus saith the LORD...The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned...The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned back. I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. For the Lord GOD will help me" (Isa. 50:1, 4-7).

6. The Lord tells the Lord to throw away the thirty pieces of silver. "Thus saith the Lord my God; Feed the flock of the slaughter...And the Lord said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord" (Zech. 11:4, 13).

7. God (Christ) is anointed by God. "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows" (Psalm 45:6-7).

8. God often refers to God in the second person. "I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord" (Amos 4:11). "And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?" (Zech. 3:2). "And I, behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are given as a gift for the Lord, to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation" (Num. 18:6). "And the Lord said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the Lord against the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel" (Num. 25:4).

7. There is one God. (Deuteronomy 6:4, Isaiah 44:6, Isaiah 45:5–6)

II. The Triune Godhead in the New Testament

1. The Father is God. (John 6:27, Romans 1:7, 5:16; 1 Corinthians 1:6, 15:24; 2 Corinthians 1:3, Galatians 1:1, Ephesians 1:17, 6:23; Philippians 2:11, 1 Peter 1:1–2)

2. The Son is God. (John 1:1, John 5:17-18; John 8:56-59; John 10:30-33; John 14:8-9; Romans 9:5, Colossians 2:9, Hebrews 1:3; Hebrews 1:8, 1 John 5:20; 1 Timothy 1:16-17, 4:10; 1 Timothy 3:16; 1 Timothy 6:14-15; Revelation 1:8)

3. The Holy Spirit is God. (Acts 5:3–4, 1 Corinthians 3:16) A. The Holy Spirit is a distinct member of the triune Godhead. (1 John 5:7, Matthew 28:19, 2 Corinthians 13:14, John 14:16, Acts 2:33; Acts 5:3-4, 2 Corinthians 3:17-18, Ephesians 4:6). B. The Holy Spirit is a real person, not merely an unseen force exercised by, or emanating from, the Father. The Bible often speaks of the Spirit while utilizing the masculine personal pronoun “he” or “him.” (John 15:26, 16:8, 13, 14, Romans 8:27). C. The Holy Spirit possesses the characteristics of a real person. He has a will. (1 Corinthians 12:11). He has a mind. (Romans 8:27). He has knowledge. (1 Corinthians 2:10-12). He has power. (Acts 1:8). He has the capacity to love. (Romans 15:30). He has the capacity to bestow gifts (1 Corinthians 12:8). He has the capacity to mourn. (Ephesians 4:30). He has the capacity to speak. (Acts 10:19, Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29; Revelation 14:13, 22:17). He has the ability to manage. (Acts 20:28). He has the ability to intercede. (Romans 8:26). He has the ability to teach. (John 14:26). He has the capacity to glorify Christ. (John 16:14). He has the ability to comfort. (John 14:15-18). He has the capacity to lead (Romans 8:13). He convicts people of their sin (John 16:8-9). And the Holy Spirit indwells the believer once they become saved, signifying God’s purchase of the believer (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30).

4. All three persons were involved in the Lord’s baptism. (Matthew 3:16–17).

5. We are baptize in the unified “name” of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19)

6. All three persons of the Godhead have a part in salvation. (1 Peter 1:2)

7. All three persons of the Godhead are co-equal. (1 John 5:7 KJV - See my article titled The Johannine Comma.)

7. There is one God. (Galatians 3:20, 1 Corinthians 8:4, 1 Timothy 2:5, James 2:19)

*Feel free to copy and paste and use for a lesson or discipleship.