Ancient Jewish writings about the Trinity

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I found the following info on a certain site…I have no idea about the credibility of the writer/s or the accuracy of the info. I would appreciate any comment or clarification.
  1. Jewish Targums, read in the synagogues, gave an understanding of the triune nature of God. God was taught as “Three in One” by Rabbis Simon ben Jochai and Eliezer.
In the Zohar the following statements about God are made: “How can they (the three) be One? Are they verily One, because we call them One?” "How Three can be One, can only be known through the revelation of the Holy Spirit."46/43/verse 22 Rabbi Simeon ben Jochai instructed his son as follows: "Come and see the mystery of the word hw:hoyÒ, Yehovah: there are three steps, each existing by itself; nevertheless they are One, and so united that one cannot be separated from the other."47/65 He later indicated in another passage that these three steps as revealed in Elohim !yhiloa> (God) are three substantive beings or three divine persons united in one.
  1. In another book written by Rabbi Simeon, known as The Propositions of the Zohar, records the mystery of the Shechinah glory of God in these words.
"… the exalted Shechinah comprehends the Three highest Sephiroth; of Him (God) it is said, (Ps. 62:11), “God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this.” Once and twice means the Three exalted Sephiroth, of whom it is said: Once, once, and once; that is, Three united in One. This is the mystery."471/113
  1. Another extraordinary reference to the Trinity is found in the Zohar:
"Here is the secret of two names combined which are completed by a third and become one again. ‘And God said Let us make Man.’ It is written, ‘The secret of the Lord is to them that fear him’ (Psalm 25:14). That most reverend Elder opened an exposition of this verse by saying ‘Simeon Simeon, who is it that said: “Let us make man?” Who is this Elohim?’ With these words the most reverend Elder vanished before anyone saw him … Truly now is the time to expound this mystery, because certainly there is here a mystery which hitherto it was not permitted to divulge, but now we perceive that permission is given.’ He then proceeded: ‘We must picture a king who wanted several buildings to be erected, and who had an architect in his service who did nothing save with his consent. The king is the supernal wisdom above, the Central Column being the king below: Elohim is the architect above … and Elohim is also the architect below, being as such the Divine Presence (Shekinah) of the lower world.’"48/90-91

Other Rabbis

Rabbi Eliezar Hakkalir, AD 70, taught the doctrine of three distinct beings revealed in the Godhead in his commentary on Genesis 1:1. He wrote:

"When God created the world, He created it through the Three Sephiroth, namely, through Sepher, Sapher and Vesaphur, by which the Three twywh (Beings) are meant . . . The Rabbi, my Lord Teacher of blessed memory, explained Sepher, Sapher, and Sippur, to be synonymous to Ya, Yehovah, and Elohim meaning to say, that the world was created by these three names."49/28-29

Rabbi Bechai, in his commentary on Genesis 1:1 (p. 1, col. 2) explained that the word Elohim !yhiloa> is compounded of two words, !h and la, that is, “These are God.” The plural is expressed by the letter yod ( y ).

Jewish books written during the captivity in Babylon in 536 B.C. to the destruction of the Second Temple in AD 70 taught the mystery of the Trinity based on this very passage in Deuteronomy 6:4. The Zohar teaches:

"We have said in many places, that this daily form of prayer is one of those passages concerning the Unity, which is taught in the Scriptures. In Deut. 6:4, we read first h/:hyÒ Yehovah, then, !yhiloa> our God, and again, h/:hyÒ Yehovah, which together make one Unity. But how can three Names [three beings] be one? Are they verily one, because we call them one? How three can be one can only be known through the revelation of the Holy Spirit, and, in fact, with closed eyes. This is also the mystery of the voice. The voice is heard only as one sound, yet it consists of three substances, fire, wind, and water, but all three are one, as indicated through the mystery of the voice. Thus are (Deut. 6:4) ‘Yehovah our-Elohim, Yehovah is one!,’ but One Unity, three Substantive Beings which are One; and this is indicated by the voice which are One; and this is indicated by the voice which a person uses in reading the words, ‘Hear, O Israel,’ thereby comprehending with the understanding the most perfect Unity of Him who is infinite; because all three (Jehovah, Elohim, Jehovah) are read with one voice, which indicates a Trinity."48/90-91

cont…
 
Another Rabbi Menachem of Recanati wrote in his Commentary on the Pentateuch about the mystery of the Trinity. He wrote: "These are secrets which are revealed only to those who are reaping upon the holy field, as it is written

"‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord.’ This verse is the root of our faith, therefore Moses records it after the ten commandments. The reason (that there is said hw:hoyÒ, Lord, !yhiloa>, our God, and hw:hoyÒ, Lord) is, because the word [mv does not here signify ‘Hear;’ but ‘to gather together, to unite,’ as in 1 Samuel 15:4, ‘Saul gathered together the people.’ The meaning implied is The Inherent-Ones are so united together, one in the other without end, they being the exalted God. He mentions the three names mystically to indicate the three exalted original Ones."50/267

Another passage in the Zohar indicates clearly that the Jewish sages understood the Trinity nature of God:

"The fourth precept is to acknowledge that the Lord is God, as we read: ‘Know this day, and lay it to thy heart that Yehovah [h/;hy]], he is Elohim’ !yhiloa>] (Deuteronomy 4:39); namely, to combine the name Elohim “God” with the name Jehovah “Lord” in the consciousness that they form an indivisible unity."48/51

"All those supernal lights exist in their image below some of them in their image below upon the earth; but in themselves they are all suspended in the ‘firmament of the heaven.’ Here is the secret of two names combined which are completed by a third and become one again. ‘And God said, Let us make Man …’"48/90-91

Rabbi Simeon ben Jochai commenting on the Zohar:

"There is a perfect Man, who is an Angel. This Angel is Metatron, the Keeper of Israel; He is a man in the image of the Holy One, blessed be He, who is an Emanation from Him; yea, He is Jehovah; of Him cannot be said, He is created, formed or made; but He is the Emanation from God. This agrees exactly with what is written, Jeremiah 23:5-6, Of jmx dwd, David’s Branch, that though He shall be a perfect man, yet He is ‘The Lord our Righteousness.’"51

Genesis 19:24 states, “Then Yehovah rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from Yehovah out of heaven,” The Targum describes Yehovah (hw:hoyÒ) in this passage as “the Word of the Lord,” which we have already indicated is referring to the Son of God.Rabbi Simeon ben Jochai. The Propositions
of the Zohar. cap. 38, Amsterdam edition.

Exodus 3:14 states, “And Elohim said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM;’ and He said, ‘Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, “Yehovah has sent me to you.”’” The Targum on Exodus 3:14 uses the same title: “the Word of the Lord” to describe God. The Jerusalem Targum on Exodus 3:14 reads as follows: "And the Word of the Lord said unto Moses: I am He who said unto the world, Be! and it was: and who in the future shall say to it, Be! and it shall be. And He said Thus thou shalt say to the Children of Israel: ‘I Am hath sent me unto you.’"Jonathon ben Uziel. Jerusalem Targum.Before Christ BC.

Genesis 22:1 Moses in this passage clearly indicates that the Angel of Yehovah is Yehovah. Rabbi Moses ben Nachman pointed out this fact:

"It is said: ‘An Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire,’ and (Elohim) !yhiloa>, ‘God called unto him.’ This is all one, namely, whether he saith The Angel, or (Elohim) !yhiloa>, ‘God spake to him out of the midst of the bush’. . . Therefore be not astonished that Moses hid his face before this Angel; because this Angel mentioned here is the Angel, the Redeemer, concerning whom it is written; ‘I am the God of Bethel;’ and here, ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ It is the same of whom it is said, ‘My name is in Him (Rabbi Moses ben Nachman)

Sorry for the long quotes. I was not sure i could post the link. But anyway, any comments on the above are appreciated.
 
This is very interesting. My son and I are currently studying the OT together, and we have run across several trinitarian passages. We have speculated that at one time the triune nature of God was understood by the Jews - at least by the prophets, priests and rabbis.

Thanks for posting this. I would like to check it out a bit further to make sure the sources are valid.

God bless you,
Paul
 
Metaphors for the incomprehensible are not the same as recipes for personas.
 
PaulDupre said:
This is very interesting. My son and I are currently studying the OT together, and we have run across several trinitarian passages. We have speculated that at one time the triune nature of God was understood by the Jews - at least by the prophets, priests and rabbis.

Thanks for posting this. I would like to check it out a bit further to make sure the sources are valid.

God bless you,
Paul
Click to expand...

**There aren’t any - those that look trinitarian are examples either of the plural of deliberation, or hypostasisation of qualities such as Wisdom, or refer to the assembly of the superhuman beings called “sons of God”, or something of the sort. **​

If known to the Jews before Christ belief in the Blessed Trinity would have been viciously confusing, for two reasons especially:
  • **the Israelites & Jews had their work cut out getting it into their heads that God is the One & Unique & Only God as it was; &, complementing this **
  • **there were several “Trinity-like” conceptions about gods in both Egypt & Mesopotamia: cultures which were full of “other gods” as well. **
 
Thank you all for the replies . Does anyone have an answer or explication of what i quoted? thx.
 
PaulDupre said:
This is very interesting. My son and I are currently studying the OT together, and we have run across several trinitarian passages. We have speculated that at one time the triune nature of God was understood by the Jews - at least by the prophets, priests and rabbis.

Thanks for posting this. I would like to check it out a bit further to make sure the sources are valid.

God bless you,
Paul
Click to expand...
How 'bout posting these passages for us!!
 
In the Wisdom of Solomon there’s something implying Trinity, with God, Wisdom and the Holy Spirit being seen as the three parts. Identifying Wisdom with Jesus is similar to Jesus being the Word in the Gospel of St John
 
“Moses also initiated the seventy elders into the secrets of this doctrine, an(l they again transmitted them ftom hand to hand. Of all who formed the unbroken line of tradition, David and Solomon were most initiated into the Kabbalah. No one, however, dared to write it down, till Simon ben Jochai, who lived at the time of the destruction of’ the second Temple.”

biblebelievers.org.au/kabbalah.htm

Based on the facts that there is only one page on the internet that presents this stuff, layevangelism.com/qreference/chapter10e.htm and, this stuff is **Kabbalah **which is of late origins, I would not put any stock into it as a christian.
 
inJESUS said:
I found the following info on a certain site…I have no idea about the credibility of the writer/s or the accuracy of the info. I would appreciate any comment or clarification.
  1. Jewish Targums, read in the synagogues, gave an understanding of the triune nature of God. God was taught as “Three in One” by Rabbis Simon ben Jochai and Eliezer.
Click to expand...
I don’t recall reading anything in synagouge about the trinity or triune nature of God. These two Rabbis had insulted Rome and then hid in a cave for 12 years studying Torah. They buried themselves naked in sand during the night (day?) to avoid wear and tear on their clothes. When they finally came out of the cave after 12 years they saw a man bringing goods to town. They became outraged that people were doing something other than studying Torah. Everywhere Simon looked, were destroyed by flames. God yelled down “Is this what you came out for??” So they went back in their cave for another 12 years (I think). ANd when they came out, they saw a man bringing incense to the temple (or Myhrr).

That’s the most famous story about them.
 
Thank you Valke2. Is this story true or a legend? and yes my question exactly is whether these writings do really exist or not because , as i mentioned, i don’t know about the site that quoted them, even though they cite the reference, and i dont have the references…can they be found online?
 
Here are the references given in support of what i quoted:
  1. Jeffrey, Grant R. The Handwriting of God.
    Toronto, Ontario Canada: Frontier Research
    Publications, Inc., © 1997 by Grant R. Jeffrey.
  2. Zohar. Vol. ii.
  3. Rabbi Simeon ben Jochai. The Propositions
    of the Zohar. cap. 38, Amsterdam edition.
  4. Zohar. Vol iii. Amsterdam edition.
  5. Zohar. Vol 1. Soncino Press edition.
  6. Rabbi Eliezer Hakkalir. The Book of Creation.
  7. Rabbi Menachem. Commentary on the
    Pentateuch. Venice edition.
  8. Rabbi Simeon ben Jochai. The Propositions
    of the Zohar. cap. 38, Amsterdam edition.
  9. Jonathon ben Uziel. Jerusalem Targum.
    Before Christ BC.
  10. Rabbi Moses ben Nachman
 
Daniel_Marsh said:
Based on the facts that there is only one page on the internet that presents this stuff, layevangelism.com/qreference/chapter10e.htm and, this stuff is **Kabbalah **which is of late origins, I would not put any stock into it as a christian.
Click to expand...
thank you…i wasn’t sure if i am allowed to put the link but since you did, all the better. It’s not a matter of a “Christian” perspective but whether what they wrote are indeed in the references they cited, and the references are Jewish, regardless of the date
.
 
inJESUS said:
Thank you Valke2. Is this story true or a legend? and yes my question exactly is whether these writings do really exist or not because , as i mentioned, i don’t know about the site that quoted them, even though they cite the reference, and i dont have the references…can they be found online?
Click to expand...
It is a midrash. It’s a story told to make a point. I wouldn’t bet the farm that the facts of the story are true.

I am not a scholar of Zohar, so I can only give a general answer. First, as to its age. The person who discovered it claimed it was much older, but most now believe that the person who discovered it (Moses DeLeon(sp?) was also the writer. He lived (I think) in the 12th or 13th centuray CE.

I can tell you that there are certainly references in the Zohar and other Kabalistic writings that give the appearance of discussing a trinity. I know this because other rabbis went to some length to explain why they are not discussing a triune nature of God.

It is an intersting question and I’m going to do a little research on the particulars set forth in your OPs and get back to you.
 
inJESUS said:
In the Zohar the following statements about God are made: “How can they (the three) be One? Are they verily One, because we call them One?” "How Three can be One, can only be known through the revelation of the Holy Spirit."46/43/verse 22 Rabbi Simeon ben Jochai instructed his son as follows: "Come and see the mystery of the word hw:hoyÒ, Yehovah: there are three steps, each existing by itself; nevertheless they are One, and so united that one cannot be separated from the other."47/65 He later indicated in another passage that these three steps as revealed in Elohim !yhiloa> (God) are three substantive beings or three divine persons united in one.
Click to expand...
I could not find these quotes or anything resembling them in my search of Zohar. Here’s a link to the Zohar online if you want to try searching. kabbalah.com/k/index.php/p=zohar/search&pattern=InRocmVlIHN0ZXBzIg==&where=verses&sort=rate
 
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