Our Scripture meditation is based on John 3:1–8, the start of the Gospel reading for Trinity Sunday.
[1] Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. [2] This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” [3] Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” [4] Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” [5] Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. [6] That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. [7] Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ [8] The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
As Christians we embrace the mystery that is the Trinity: God is one being yet three persons. While we can’t fully wrap our minds around the Trinity, I dare say we struggle the most with the divinity of the Holy Spirit.
For a being to be divine the following must be true: The being must have divine attributes, such as being all powerful or all-knowing or ever present. Additionally, the being must be identified as divine in the Bible.
We can readily call to mind how God the Father fits this definition. The Father is all powerful, creating all things from nothing (Genesis chapter 1). Numerous Epistles in the Bible start with references to “God the Father.”
Likewise, we can quickly see how God the Son is divine. In John chapter 6 Jesus is all-knowing, discerning the thoughts and intentions of a gathering of Jewish leaders. After Jesus was resurrected, his Apostle Thomas called him, “My Lord and my God.” (John 20:28)
But what about God the Spirit? In some Scripture passages, God the Spirit sounds mysterious. During Pentecost the Holy Spirit filled the apostles after a sound like a rushing wind and something like tongues of fire resting above the apostles. In the Gospel reading for Trinity Sunday, Jesus compares the Holy Spirit to the wind, which goes where it wishes.
Yet the Holy Spirit has attributes only God can possess. Psalm 139 says that the Holy Spirit is ever present and I Corinthians chapter 2 states the Spirit is all-knowing. In Acts chapter 5 a man named Ananias gives a questionable gift to the apostles. In response, the Apostle Peter states that Ananias sinned against God, specifically God the Holy Spirit.
On Trinity Sunday we give thanks to God for revealing himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. At the same time, we ask God to strengthen our faith in this truth.
Kevin Wilson 360 