The Holy Trinity St Mark Coptic Orthodox Church

The Holy Trinity St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church Saint Paul’s Servant Preparation Program January 4, 2003 • Charlotte, NC

The Holy Trinity • It is very holy to speak about the nature of God and the Holy Trinity. • It is the oneness of God in three persons the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. • The trinity of the Pharaohs is Isis, Osiris and Horus. They are three different individuals. This is not the case with the Holy Trinity. God is Three in One and One in Three The Holy Trinity • St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church • Charlotte, NC 2

Man is the Icon of the Trinity • In Gen. 1: 26, the Bible says that man is created in • • the image of God according to His likeness. The trio-nature of man is the body, the mind and the spirit and the three are one. The body is a symbol of God the Father. The mind which is a symbol of God the Son, the Logos, the Word of God. The spirit which is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Trinity • St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church • Charlotte, NC 3

Comparison between the human trinity and the Divine Trinity • These three main constituents of man are distinguishable and separable. For example, when a man dies his spirit separates from his body. • The Essence of God is one and the Holy Persons of God are the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. They are distinguishable but inseparable. • The three Persons of God have the essence and the nature of God e. g. omnipotence, omnipresence, immutability, infinity, eternity, … The Holy Trinity • St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church • Charlotte, NC 4

Distinguishable • Each of the three persons of God has His own characteristics and role in the essence of God i. e. distinguishable. 1. God the Father exists by Himself, thinking by the Son and living by the Holy Spirit. 2. God the Son exists by the Father, thinking by Himself and living by the Holy Spirit. 3. God the Holy Spirit exists by the Father thinks by the Son and living by Himself. The Holy Trinity • St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church • Charlotte, NC 5

Attributes • One of the main attributes of God the Father is • • that He is the Controller of everything (the Pantocrator) and He is famous by His love Jn. 3: 16. God the Son is the Logos (the Word) and He is the Creator Jn. 1: 3 and He became flesh (incarnated) God the Holy Spirit is the breath of life, He is the comforter, and He is our Giver of the gifts and the blessings of salvation. The Holy Trinity • St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church • Charlotte, NC 6

Shared Work • The work done by one of the three persons is always shared by the other two persons. Man is a good example: - Walking to a certain place is the work of the body. To do this the mind should share in this work and the spirit should share in this work. - Solving a mathematical problem is mainly the work of mind. But this mind must be in a body and it must be a living body. The Holy Trinity • St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church • Charlotte, NC 7

Relation between Persons of The Holy Trinity • The Son is begotten from the Father before all ages like the birth of the word from the mind (Jn. 1: 14) • The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father before all ages (Jn. 15: 26). The Holy Trinity • St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church • Charlotte, NC 8

Relation between Persons of The Holy Trinity (Cont’d) The Example of the Sun - The physical Sun is the symbol of the Father - The light shining (begotten) from the Sun is a symbol of the Son - The heat irradiating (proceeding) from the Sun is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Trinity • St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church • Charlotte, NC 9

The Oneness of God • In the Old Testament Deut. 6: 4, Ex. 20: 2 -3 • In the New Testament Mk. 12: 32, 29, Mt. 19: 17, Rom. 3: 30, Eph. 4: 6, Jam. 2: 19 The Holy Trinity • St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church • Charlotte, NC 10

The Trinity of God • In the Old Testament - Gen. 1: 26, 27, 3: 22, 11: 7 • In the New Testament - Mt. 28: 19, Mt 3: 16, 1 Jn. 5: 7, Jn. 14: 26 The Holy Trinity • St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church • Charlotte, NC 11

The Holy Trinity • The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament • Gen. 1: 2, 41: 38, Ex. 31: 3, 35: 31 • The Son of God in the Old Testament • Pro. 8: 22 -30 • The appearance of the second person of God to Abraham, Gedeon, … The Holy Trinity • St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church • Charlotte, NC 12

The Holy Trinity St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church Saint Paul’s Servant Preparation Program January 4, 2003 • Charlotte, NC