The Philosophical Roots of "The Trinity"

Although many people do not know where the doctrine of "The Trinity" comes from, they accept it as part of the Bible. Many people accept this doctrine because it is the teaching of their church. Many accept it because they have been taught about the trinity for many years, so it must be right. Others accept this teaching only because they don't know of any other teaching concerning God.

We believe that if people actually knew where this teaching originated from, they would not accept it. The trinity was not taught by the Apostles of the Bible. Jesus didn't teach about a trinity. Still, most Christians believe in a trinity. Could so many people all be wrong?

YES!

Here are the FACTS.

Several hundred years before Jesus was ever born, lived a man named Socrates. He was a philosopher, a man who sought for wisdom. He received his wisdom from an "internal sign"(1), which he considered to be "divine"(2). It spoke to him in "a kind of voice"(3). We would like to believe that it was God speaking to him, but it wasn't.

When asked if these "voices" were Zeus, Apollo, and Athena (3 Greek gods), Socrates said, "Certainly". When asked if they were his gods, he answered, "My lords and ancestors"(4). This man was not in communication with the God of the Bible.

He explained that his wisdom came from these spirits that were "knowing or wise". He openly declared that these wise spirits were demons(5). He esteemed these wise ones, these greek gods, these demons, and they were the source of his wisdom.

Socrates had a famous student named Plato. He was born in 427 B.C. in Athens, Greece. He taught and believed many things that are against the Bible. One example was his idea that there is a universal deity composed of three separate beings. He never called his deity a trinity, but his concept of God was referred to as the "Platonic Trinity". The three persons in this triad were God, the Ideas, and the World Spirit. These were almost identical to Socrates' gods: Zeus, "the Father"(6); Apollo, the begotten son of Zeus who was the "god of intellect";(7) and Athena whose name means, "eternal life", who was an unbegotten spirit-being who came into the world from the head of Zeus(8).Thus in the teachings of Plato, we have a pagan trinity of gods: father, begotten son, and unbegotten spirit.

Plato also had a famous student, Aristotle. Aristotle taught Alexander the Great, and as a result, this philosophy spread throughout the world. These philosophies were existing in the days of Jesus Christ, and in the centuries that followed. Although the Apostles who preached the truths found in the Bible were not influenced by these men and their teachings, other men were.

As the church left the time of the apostles, men began introducing teachings that were different from the Apostles teachings. This was a plan conceived by the devil to steal the truth from the church, and it almost worked. Within 300 years of the founding of the church, there existed the Roman Catholic Church. This church changed many truths into false traditions. The teachings of the Roman Catholic Church are based on the teachings of certain men referred to as 'Church Fathers'.

One of the earliest fathers was Justin Martyr, who in 133 A.D. became a Christian after studying the philosophies of Socrates and Plato. Justin said there was no difference between Christianity and these philosophies; that Christianity fulfills the highest aspirations of Plato(9). Justin also said that the Bible and Plato agreed(10). Justin called Socrates, whose name means 'mighty saviour', a "Christian before Christ"(11). This is the same Socrates who said his teachings were from false gods and demons.

Although the Catholic Church does not regard all of Justin's teachings, they admit, "His influence is marked above all in Iraenaeus, Tertullian, Hippolytus, and Origen,(other Catholic Church fathers) who built on foundations laid by him"(12). The New Catholic Encyclopedia says, "Justin's Platonism seriously affects his theology of the relationship between the Father and the Logos"(13).
In 185 A.D. Origen, who is mentioned above, declared that, "all truth is precious, whether in Greek or Christian soil... He recognized in the revived Plato a powerful ally of Christianity"(14). Origen "used the philosophy of the Greeks as the vestibule through which to admit his hearers into the temple of the gospel"(15).

Jesus said, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves" (Matthew 7:15). All philosophers were required to wear a special coat when fulfilling their office. It was a coat made of sheep's wool. These philosophers were the ones Jesus was speaking of. Justin Martyr even wore this coat. Origen said he used the philosophies of these men to show people the gospel. Unfortunately these philosophies originated, not in heaven, but in hell.

Socrates called one of his lords "Apollo". In the book of Revelation 9:11, the angel of the bottomless pit is called by two names. One of them is Abaddon, the Hebrew word for destroyer. The other name is Appolyon, which is the very same as Apollo. The devil is the one who gave Socrates his ideas and philosophies. Many of the Catholic Church Fathers used these philosophies to form Church doctrines, including "The Trinity".

In 325 A.D., the Council of Nicea established that the Father and Son were separate. The champion of this Council was Athanasius. This man is a highly esteemed church father and his name is derived from Athena, the Greek goddess Plato called the World-Spirit. There was another Council held at Constantinople. At this Council, men determined that the Holy Spirit was also separate from the Father and the Son. Thus the concept of the Trinity was born.

In 354 A.D. a man named Augustine was born. He is one of the most notable of the church fathers. He laid many of the foundations for the Roman Catholic Church. Many regard him as the founder of Christian tradition in the western world. The New Catholic Encyclopedia tells us that Augustine was given certain books written by Plato. While reading them he had a spiritual awakening that changed his vision of the world. These books also led him to a better understanding of God, and led him to the notion of "The Trinity"(16). He later devoted his life fully to Catholicism, but never forsook these philosophies. He believed that "the basis for faith was found in Christ, and the basis for reason was the philosophy of Plato"(17). Please note that his revelation of the Trinity came not from the Bible, but from reading Plato.

By the time Augustine died, most of the truths of the Book-of-Acts Church had been buried under the teachings of these Church Fathers. These church Fathers did not get their understanding from God, or the Bible. They used the philosophies of Greek men who lived hundreds of years before Christ.

Jesus said, "Wide is the gate...which leadeth to destruction"(Matthew 7:13). The name Plato comes from a Greek word 'platus' which means "wide"(18). These Church Fathers were allowing this scripture to be fulfilled through their teachings. They based much of their philosophies and teachings, including "The Trinity", on the teachings of Plato. Plato was instructed by Socrates. Socrates had wisdom given to him by Greek gods, who Socrates referred to as demons. Is this where the Church should get its doctrines?

NO! The Bible plainly says that: "God was manifested in the flesh" (1 Timothy 3:16); that "God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself" (1 Corinthians 5:19); that Jesus Christ was "the only begotten God" (John1:18, Amplified and original Greek).

Men have been led astray by the vain philosophies of the world. They have tried to explain God using man's philosophies. James said that the wisdom of the world is, "earthly, sensual, devilish" (James 3:15). The word devilish literally means "proceeding from or resembling a demon"(19). This is the very way Socrates got his wisdom.

Jesus did not say He was the second person in a trinity. He said, "I am the first and the last" (Revelation 1:7). You deserve to know the Truth. "The Trinity" is not based on Truth, it is a doctrine that is a deception of the devil.

"Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is One Lord" Deuteronomy 6:4

WHERE DOES THE TRINITY COME FROM REFERENCES

(1) Plato, The Republic, Book 4, 496
(2) Plato, Euthydemus, 272 (3) Plato, Apology, 31
(4) Plato, Euthydemus, 302 (5) Plato, Cratylus, 398
(6) New Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol 4, 537
(7) Time-Life Books, Classical Greece, 18
(8) Ibid., Appendix, The Olympian Family
(9) New Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol 8, 94
(10) New Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol 8, 94
(11) New Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol 8, 94
(12) New Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol 8, 95
(13) New Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol 8, 95
(14)John Fletcher Hurst, History of The Christian Church, 300 (15) John Fletcher Hurst, History of The Christian Church, 304 (16) New Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol 1, 1043
(17) New Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol 8, 1063
(18) Vine, Unger, and White, Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, 742 (19) Vine, Unger, and White, Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, 158