Board index ‹ Specific Bible verses, texts, and passages ‹ Deuteronomy

[Washington]

Hello all,

I was curious how Christians today reconcile the idea of the trinitarian God concept with the declaration in Deuteronomy regarding HaShem (i.e. the God of Abraham, literally: The Name) as being "echad" (i.e. one). From what I understand, Jewish interpretation of this phrase is that HaShem is one in a sense that he has no components, cannot be divided, and is composed of a unity that extends beyond the numerical sense of the word "one. "

Thanks in advance for helping me clear this up! I look forward to hearing from you all!

[jimwalton]

Deuteronomy 6.4-9 is not making any kind of trinitarian statement. It is a statement to Israel that He alone is the true God, and to the nations that Israel had a special status (as receptors of the covenant).

I'll assume that you know that אֶחָֽד (‘echad) means "one," but it's the same word that is used in Gn. 2.24: "The two shall be one flesh." It's an expression of unity and, in the case of the Shema, of his "only-ness." It is conventionally translated as the cardinal number "one," but it is also used consistently throughout the Biblical text to denote the ordinal number "first (when there is no second)." None of these ideas particularly invite the concept of the trinity, but they don't exclude it, either.

[Washington]

That's a fair reply. I appreciate your input, friend.