Hi Abu,

To continue to answer the questions about the Word, Logos.

There isn’t a ‘doctrine of trinity’ in the Scriptures. --- It was made a doctrine at a meeting in 325 AD.
--- However, it was always a mystery of God to the Church Fathers, who followed the Apostles. --- And more difficult even, was how to explain the relationship of the Word and the Holy Spirit to God, --- when they were asked.
--- Not all Christians believe in the ‘trinity’ (The word is simply a shortening of ‘tri-unity.’ --- It is like the word ‘university,’ which means ‘unity in diversity.’)

We are not to make any idols or images of God as it says in the first commandment in Exodus 20. --- However, we can make similitudes or parables that help us understand the greatness of God
The example they use of water is a good one in that the same element can be in liquid form --- which could be the truth of this verse in James 1:
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
--- The comparison is that, ‘Water always finds its own level.’
And the vapor from water that is boiled is like a spirit, thus like God’s Holy Spirit, as in this verse in John 3:
8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
--- While this speaks of one who is indwelt by the Spirit, it signifies that the Spirit is like the wind, invisible, --- you can hear it and see the effects of it but it is invisible.
And Ice, the solid state of water. --- The Word (Logos) is also invisible, --- But in the case of Adam and Jesus, when God said “Be!” --- They came into being.

However, One of the Church Fathers in about the second century said he thought of the Word and the Holy Spirit as ‘the Arms of the Lord’ --- They were not separate entities, but God worked through them. --- Many places in the OT it mentions ‘the arm of the Lord,’ or ‘the arms of the Lord.’ --- It says in I John 5:
7 For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.
--- Now I want to give you one more picture of how their relationship can be understood, --- following this theme of the ‘arms of the Lord’.

Abu, do you play a guitar? --- If not, I am sure you know someone who does.
--- They often talk about ‘creating’ a symphony, a piece of music, or a song.
The ‘creating’ is --- ‘bringing into being something that has not existed before.’

Picture this, --- a person sits down with his guitar and has the music and words to a song in his mind, (his intellect).
With his left hand his fingers trace out the arrangement on the finger board. --- so his fingers can work silently to follow the arrangement that the person has in mind.
Then when he is ready, --- with his right hand he strums the strings and the melody comes from his right hand.

--- He can think all he wants, --- he can finger the strings all he wants with his left hand (which is attached to his body by the arm, full of muscles and nerves, which work in harmony with the intellect of the body),
--- But not until the right hand strums, or fingerpicks the strings, is there any evidence of the ‘new creation,’ is there?
--- If we can think this through without getting carried away, it is comparable.

All things are decided in the intellect of God, they are arranged and guided by the Holy Spirit of God, --- and they are put into action by the Word of God, “Be!” --- and it is.   


Placid

Hi Abu,

I appreciate the fact that on an interfaith forum, where there are questions asked, --- there is the opportunity to answer them, giving references --- and that is the privilege we have here.

You asked the questions: Quote:
1 ) Why does the logos (word) has to exist as an entity?
2) Why does this logos (word) then be manifested as Jesus (pbuh)?
3) Why can't this logos (word) just be a word "Be"?

It doesn’t bother me that you don’t accept what I have explained, so,

I ask you, --- what is your understanding of what the ‘Word’ means in this verse? --- Surah 3:
45 Pickthall: (And remember) when the angels said: O Mary! Lo! Allah giveth thee glad tidings of a Word from him, whose name is the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, illustrious in the world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near (unto Allah).
45 Yusuf Ali: Behold! the angels said: "O Mary! God giveth thee glad tidings of a Word from Him: his name will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honour in this world and the Hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to God;
45 Hilali Khan: (Remember) when the angels said: "O Maryam (Mary)! Verily, Allah gives you the glad tidings of a Word ["Be!" - and he was! i.e. 'Iesa (Jesus) the son of Maryam (Mary)] from Him, his name will be the Messiah 'Iesa (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary), held in honour in this world and in the Hereafter, and will be one of those who are near to Allah."

This is from the Quran, --- so, how do you explain the ‘Word,’ which is capitalized in this verse?

surah 4:171
"The Christ Jesus son of Mary is indeed the prophet of God and His Word which He cast into Mary, and a spirit from Him."

Just curious, What does this mean to you?

To me it means simply this... that God cast the Word(Logos?) and the Spirit of Himself into Jesus to be born of Mary.

To put it another way... to break it down
Jesus is the Christ
Jesus the son of Mary
the prophet of God
who carries the Word of God and the Spirit of God within Him.

I think it is Muhammad who was confused and did not understand the word being given to him.
Muhammad was confused about God's Word... the scriptures.

Edited by Caringheart - 26 December 2012 at 3:02pm

Hi Caringheart,

Quote: surah 4:171
"The Christ Jesus son of Mary is indeed the prophet of God and His Word which He cast into Mary, and a spirit from Him."
Just curious, What does this mean to you?
To me it means simply this... that God cast the Word(Logos?) and the Spirit of Himself into Jesus to be born of Mary.

To put it another way... to break it down
Jesus is the Christ
Jesus the son of Mary
the prophet of God
who carries the Word of God and the Spirit of God within Him.

I think it is Muhammad who was confused and did not understand the word being given to him.
Muhammad was confused about God's Word... the scriptures.

Response: --- The Pickthall Translation says this in 4:
171 O People of the Scripture! Do not exaggerate in your religion nor utter aught concerning God save the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only a messenger of God, and His Word which He conveyed unto Mary, and a Spirit from Him. So believe in God and His messengers, and say not "Three" - Cease! (it is) better for you! - God is only One God.

--- What it says to me is that some ‘trinitarians’ must have come to Muhammad and either asked him about Jesus, --- or they were telling him about Jesus.
(If this revelation was given to him through the angel Gabriel, then it is important to look at it, as it gives non-trinitarians a better understanding than what most of them have.)
--- He first said, “Don’t exaggerate the truth (perhaps about Jesus being God).
“The Messiah Jesus, son of Mary, was only a Messenger of God (and not God, Himself) --- (But, being the Messiah, He was more than just a Messenger.)

--- 1 --- So, that is your first point, that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah.

Then it says Jesus, ‘the Messiah (who was the Manifestation of God, and was sent to earth in the form of a Servant), --- was the human Son of Mary.

--- 2 --- So your second point is that Jesus was the son of Mary.

And though He came as a Servant or Messenger of God, He was a Prophet of God.

--- 3 --- So your third point is that Jesus was the Prophet of God.

It goes on to say that Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of Mary was the Messenger of God, --- and His Word (Logos, the creative power of God) which God conveyed into Mary, --- and a Spirit from Him (God, which is the Holy Spirit).
--- So Jesus as a Servant, a Messenger, and a Prophet of God was the Manifestation of God in a human body, indwelt by the Word, and the Holy Spirit of God.

--- 4 --- So, this your fourth point, “who carries the Word of God and the Spirit of God within Him.”

So, basically, we agree with what Muhammad said, do we not?
But it goes on to say, “But believe in God and His messengers.” The immediate ones were Jesus and Muhammad to instruct humans, --- and the Ones mentioned, --- God (the Father), --- the Word, --- and the Holy Spirit.

BUT DON’T SAY THREE, (as a trinity) --- God is only One God.
--- Is this not what John said in 1 John 5:
7 “For there are three that bear witness in heaven, The Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, --- and these three are one,”

I believe that Muhammad said it right, so there is no way you can really accuse him of confusion is there, when he says the same as the NT?

--- The problem I see is that the Trinitarians like to over-exaggerate the position of Jesus when He came as a Servant, --- because they think of when He will come back as King of kings, and Lord of lords.

--- And Muslims like to under-exaggerate who Jesus was as a Prophet of God, by saying, “The Messiah was (no more than a messenger), as though He was JUST human, --- when the Scriptures teach that He had a human Body, but was indwelt by a Divine Spirit.
--- He could speak with the voice of man, but also with the Voice of God, through the Word, that indwelt Him

And have you looked at the next verse in Surah 4?:
172. The Messiah will never scorn (disdain) to be a slave (Servant) unto God, nor will the favoured angels.


Placid