Thank you for the Godhead question, “I commonly see people say, “3 persons one God”. What verse in the Bible does it say 3 persons?”
As one reads the Bible, one may want to keep in mind what is known as “Progressive Revelation.” God didn’t reveal his full time to humans at one point in time. The revelations were like seeds that had to be unfolded in or through time.
As to the question on the plurality of the Godhead, here are some thoughts or one’s consideration:
A. Genesis 1:1–2 expresses a plurality of the Godhead. The text states this, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters” (A searchable online Bible in over 150 versions and 50 languages).
As many Christian knows the term, “Elohim” is translated as God. The term is plural in form. Scholars debate whether the plurality refers to “majesty” of God, the plurality of God, and or plurality and majesty of God.
As one observes the text, there are two persons mentioned in Genesis 1:1–2: Elohim (God) and the Spirit or spirit of God, depending on one’s interpretation of the text. As the Scriptures unfold, the spirit or Spirit of God is not an impersonal force but a person.
I cite some verses for one’s consideration that the Spirit is a person:
- John 14 says this, “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (A searchable online Bible in over 150 versions and 50 languages). Bible citations are from the New International Version.
- John 15 says this, “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. 27 And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning” (NIV).
- John 16 says this, “Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned…13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you” (NIV).
- I Corinthians 12 says this, “11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines” (NIV).
- Galatians 5 says this, “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other” (NIV).
As one reads the above verses, the Spirit is not an impersonal force, but a person with will, thoughts, and emotions as he can be grieved. Thus in Genesis 1:1 there are two persons in the Godhead.
As one continues to read in Genesis 2, there is the introduction of YHWH Elohim. The third person with the Godhead.
Genesis 2 states that it is YHWH Elohim who created the Garden as well as Adam and Eve. It is not necessary for me to cite passages as one can read this chapter. This leads us back to Genesis 1:26 of who is the “us” referring to, “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestocks over all the earth, and over all the creatures that moves along the ground” (NIV). It is unlikely to be angels for Elohim is speaking about his and our image. This is further explain in my opinion in chapter 2 of YHWH Elohim who creates man and later woman.
John 1 says this, “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known” (NIV). If no one has ever seen God, then who did Adam and Eve see in the Garden? They saw YHWH Elohim in the Garden as well Abraham and Moses.
John 1 also says this, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind” (NIV). If the Apostle John wanted to say that the Word is God, he would have used the definite article, the, making the Word and God as being the same person. He does not say that nor does he say that the Word became God or divine.
One can conclude there are three persons within the Godhead: Elohim, the Spirit, and YHWH Elohim or the Word.
In Matthew 28, believers are to be baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. The three persons are linked together as one.
SUMMARY: The Hebrew word for God implies a plurality with the Godhead as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in all their majestic beauty and glory.
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