In "our" image

[SteveK1]

Genesis 1.26 gives a hint to the Trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The angels are a created creatures so they do not have such creative powers.

Hear O Israel the Lord thy God is one.

Elohim is Hebrew --- I think for God but maybe for Lord, (one or the other) but it is Hebrew and it is Plural, not a singular meaning. Therefore the Father, Son and Holy Spirit afre included in the statement that the Lord thy God is one. The Trinity.

[Guest shiloh357]

The angels are not the "our" spoken of in Genesis 1:26 but instead it is speaking of the Trinity being Father, Son and Holy Spirit and just as the Trinity is a three part being we also are a three part being. The three parts of our being is our Spirit, Soul and Body (1 Thessalonians 5:23)

Not exactly. The Trinity is not a "three-part being." God is ONE being, but three persons. He is not three parts.

Furthermore, we have nothing in this earth that serves as a point of reference to this and that is why it is a mystery. Man is trichotomy, not a trinity. Our spirit, soul and body are not three separate persons. They are three parts that comprise a single person and single being.

[HitmanR2]

Not exactly. The Trinity is not a "three-part being." God is ONE being, but three persons. He is not three parts.

Good point. Sometimes this is hard to understand (it requires great faith, and greater understanding). Or at least for me!

[BlindSeeker]

Genesis 1.26 gives a hint to the Trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The angels are a created creatures so they do not have such creative powers.

Hear O Israel the Lord thy God is one.

Elohim is Hebrew --- I think for God but maybe for Lord, (one or the other) but it is Hebrew and it is Plural, not a singular meaning. Therefore the Father, Son and Holy Spirit afre included in the statement that the Lord thy God is one. The Trinity.

There are quite a few verses with

[HitmanR2]

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, This was He of whom I said, He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me. And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. John 1:1-4 & 14-18 NKJV

Since this topic may have turned to the "oneness" of God. And I will admit the plurality of the Godhead is often difficult to understand, and near impossible to explain. I will ONLY attempt to make a person think. Given the above verses, "how can ONE be both with God and God? The WORD [Jesus Christ] was both with God, and God, and not simply in title but also in action, as we find their places in the act of creation. God spoke (the Genesis account), and the WORD [Jesus Christ] acted (John's account).

Many say that Jesus never claimed to be God, but that is not so: My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Fathers hand. I and My Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. John 10:29-31 NKJV

Jesus' claim that He and the Father are one? How can this be? We know of his claim to be the Son of God, but now he claims equality with God. The Son and the Father are one. The Jews understood this claim and would have killed Him right there for it.

Also, in Isaiah 7:14 we are told that a virgin shall bear a son and his name shall be Immanuel, which is literally God-with-us. And yes, I know this post does not even touch on the Holy Spirit, but I do not attempt to explain, only to make a person think. I would encourage all to (and I know you do) to study and think, and convince yourselves, then your faith will be stronger.

Edited July 29, 2010 by HitmanR2

[fromIslam2Christ]

The Aramaic Targum was translated by Jews who hadn't recognized the Messiah.

When Jesus said that He had come to fulfill the Law, I understand it to mean also that it is Jesus the Messiah who gives its full meaning to all Scriptures. I believe that the Old Testament becomes CLARIFIED through Jesus.

So when we look at Jewish(non messianic) interpretation of the Old Testament, we need to remember they are missing a big chunk of the full Truth (i.e. Jesus = The Way, the Truth, and The Life).

I agree with all that to understand who the "Our" was referring to, we have to look at Jesus and what He taught us about God: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

[mizzdy]

The Aramaic Targum was translated by Jews who hadn't recognized the Messiah.

When Jesus said that He had come to fulfill the Law, I understand it to mean also that it is Jesus the Messiah who gives its full meaning to all Scriptures. I believe that the Old Testament becomes CLARIFIED through Jesus.

So when we look at Jewish(non messianic) interpretation of the Old Testament, we need to remember they are missing a big chunk of the full Truth (i.e. Jesus = The Way, the Truth, and The Life).

I agree with all that to understand who the "Our" was referring to, we have to look at Jesus and what He taught us about God: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

When Yeshua fulfilled the law He rightly interpreted it, this is how it was explained to me by a few Jewish brethern and when it says abolish means the law or scriptures they are not being correctly interpreted. Even if our Jewish brethern do not believe in the Messiah I have known more that properly interpret the scriptures than many christians, I have learned more about scriptures and such by some Jewish folks than I have from some christian teachers. And of course the Messianic Jew has a whole lot to bring to the understanding of scriptures. As long as one goes into a study with open eyes and ears theres no reason not to look into rabbinical commentaries and or Targums I have found clarity in some of those teachings.

[UncleAbee]

I always thought of the "our" as being the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. The question of the physical nature of the Trinity has been going on for over a millenia now. I assume it will go on until Jesus comes. When I think of one God I think more of "one rule" or "one order" more so than one physical being.

[HitmanR2]

When Yeshua fulfilled the law He rightly interpreted it, this is how it was explained to me by a few Jewish brethern and when it says abolish means the law or scriptures they are not being correctly interpreted. Even if our Jewish brethern do not believe in the Messiah I have known more that properly interpret the scriptures than many christians, I have learned more about scriptures and such by some Jewish folks than I have from some christian teachers. And of course the Messianic Jew has a whole lot to bring to the understanding of scriptures. As long as one goes into a study with open eyes and ears theres no reason not to look into rabbinical commentaries and or Targums I have found clarity in some of those teachings.

[wyguy]

Here is a link to the Aramaic Targum of Jonathan Ben Uzziel on the Pentateuch which was the the Hebrew written into Aramaic for the Jews returning from their Babylonian captivity who didn't speak Hebrew anymore. This was actually the first translation of the original text into another language and therefore would have been affected by the popular teaching and understanding of the texts by the aged learned.

I read the link, but I disagree. The "we" couldn't have been angels for they have no power to create anything. The "WE" must have been the godhead.

True.

It's the same "we" (The Trinity) that said "Come let us go down and confuse their language" in Genesis 11:7.