At best it should be a "united" YHVH. That's at best. As I've shown the word echad can be numerically one also.
Can you admit that maybe the Hebrew/Biblical scholars really did it get it right when they translated Deut 6:4 in:
- the KJV
- the ESV
- the YLT
- etc.
So then you have an explanation. That's just my point.
So then, there are other explanations for the seeming "plurality" of God besides just saying "God is three persons"!
My point is trinitarians do the same thing.
The trinitarians took over in Rome and became the prominent or most powerful political church, but before that there were oneness/modalistic bishops of the church. Unfortunately because of the oppressive ways of the trinitarian Catholic church little of their actual writings remain. Catholics had a tendency to burn everything. People, books etc.
Who is it that persecuted the early church? Who crucified and burned Christians as torches? Rome. So God sent them strong delusion. Then the Roman Catholic church continued the burning ways as their history proves.
No offense to Catholics because I think there are sincere ones, my problem is with the clear history of the RCC. A tree is known by it's fruit.
Pretty sure I've heard of it. That doesn't prove a trinity. It's probably just something Rabbis came up with. Who knows why.
Besides, if the topic is winning over Jews; the trinity doctrine becomes more of a hindrance than a help in convincing (most) Jews that Jesus is the Messiah.
I'm open-minded here, and would change from triunity (I try not to use "trinity") to modalism/monotheism if you convince me, but:
1) You've never addressed how it is that a husband and wife are echad (Genesis 2:24). There is no way I can think of me and my spouse as anything but two persons in a covenant of like-minded oneness. When we join in intimacy, Paul says that is a mystery picture of Christ and the church (two entities that are distinct but are as intimate as any can be). My wife and I become one flesh in intimacy while having two minds/persons, like Siamese twins, if that helps--are Siamese twins two people unified or one person in modalities?
2) Rome got most things wrong, but not the divinity of Christ, for example--Jesus is certainly God in Rome, so why are they automatically wrong when reviewing the trinity? You will not find me complimentary of Rome, ever, because their doctrines are heretical, particularly their gospel and assurance ideas, but I think they almost got the triunity right.
3) I can admit that Hebrew scholars got the English right as "One" without using the awkward, available English phrase, "a plural Oneness". In the same way, I find that almost every scholar created horrible jargon by translation pisteuo as "belief" and "faith"! I almost never, ever, ever witness to people without using the better English word of TRUST. I tell people, "When you see belief or faith in the English Bible, say "trust" instead," and if I had a magic Bible wand... I never use the words faith or belief in witnessing, too confusing!
4) Again, RAMBAM who created the modern (if the Spanish Inquistion is "modern") Jewish articles of faith said, "Ha Shem erred choosing echad instead of yachid for G_d," and his further comments indicate he clearly understood the plural oneness of echad! He said "God used the wrong word (echad) to indicate a singular God (yachid) because he wanted to distinct the Jews from hated Rome. Maimonides is the man who also told Jews to wear kipahs, to show bravery in the face of the Spanish, and yet Paul said "men wearing head coverings is shameful" as per the then-standards. Judaism moved far more tightly toward monotheism under Rambam...
5) Growing up Jewish, the trinity is there in prayers and rituals. There are three matzos at Passover, the middle one is broken for us, striped and pierced, hidden in a white cloth, and found, for joy and gifts received. The middle matzo is the Son, the upper Matzo is Him above, the lower matzo is the Ruach below...
6) Yes, this issue comes into play when witnessing to Jews. I've never found it a stumbling block to suggest the triunity to Jews, who already know God has a Ruach Ha Kodesh (Spirit, the Holy). And as important, Jesus makes statements like "Unless you believe that I AM HE, you will be lost..."
Thanks, brother. Again, I'm open-minded here.
