1 John 5:7
For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
Concerning the trinity... the Father, the Son, and the Spirit... are One!
Pretty hard to explain away something scripture clearly tells us which is... One is Three, and the Three are One.
The earliest Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, as well as the earliest translations into other languages (such as Latin, Syriac, and Coptic), do not include 1 John 5:7. The verse does not appear in any Greek manuscript before the 14th century, and even then, it appears in only a handful of late medieval manuscripts.
The passage first emerges in Latin manuscripts. The earliest known instance of the Comma Johanneum in a Latin manuscript dates from the 8th century, though it was likely cited by Latin Church Fathers in a more indirect form as early as the 4th century. However, its absence in the majority of both Greek and Latin manuscripts suggests it was not part of the original text.
The verse may have initially arisen as a marginal note or gloss, added for theological clarification or emphasis on the concept of the Trinity. Over time, such notes could be
mistakenly incorporated into the text itself by scribes.
Once 1 John 5:7 found its way into a few Latin manuscripts, it began to be copied into subsequent Latin manuscripts. Its presence in the influential Latin Vulgate translation solidified its place in the Western Christian tradition,
despite its absence in the majority of earlier and
authoritative Greek manuscripts.
With the rise of textual criticism in the early modern period, scholars began to evaluate the authenticity of biblical passages based on manuscript evidence. Erasmus, the Renaissance humanist and scholar, initially
did not include the verse in his first editions of the Greek New Testament because
he could not find it in any Greek manuscripts. He
added it to his later editions after a Greek manuscript containing it was produced,
likely under pressure from those who insisted on its inclusion due to its theological significance.
Most modern translations of the Bible, which rely on the best available manuscript evidence, either omit 1 John 5:7 or include it with a footnote indicating that it is
not found in the earliest manuscripts. This reflects a commitment to presenting a text that is as close as possible to the original writings.
God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness
That's the Father, the Word, and the Spirit saying "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness"
This pretty much ends the controversy for those that believe God's Word.
The Book of Genesis, composed within the context of ancient Israelite religion and culture, does not explicitly articulate the concept of the Trinity, which was developed within early Christianity centuries later. The original audience of Genesis would have understood "God" (Hebrew: Elohim) in the context of the strict monotheism characteristic of Judaism.
The plural form "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness" has been subject to various interpretations within Jewish and Christian traditions. Some Jewish interpretations suggest that God is speaking to the heavenly court of angels or using the "royal we" as a form of majestic plural. Early Christian interpreters, reading this passage in light of the New Testament, have seen in the plural language a hint of the Trinitarian nature of God, but this is a man-made interpretative lens applied retrospectively.
One common Jewish understanding of this plural language is that God is deliberating or consulting with His heavenly court, consisting of angels or celestial beings. This interpretation maintains strict monotheism by clarifying that the decision and act of creation are solely God's, with the heavenly court having no creative power of their own. They are, instead, participants in a divine council, reflecting the ancient Near Eastern motif of a supreme deity consulting with lesser beings, but adapted within a monotheistic framework to underscore the uniqueness and sovereignty of the one God. Another perspective within this strict monotheistic view suggests the use of the "royal we" or "majestic plural," a linguistic form where a singular sovereign refers to themselves with plural pronouns to denote dignity, majesty, or excellence. This usage would underscore the transcendence and majesty of God without implying the existence of multiple divine beings.
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