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Genesis 1:26 (Part #1) | Exposing the False Trinity Doctrine
Genesis 1:26 (Part #1)
And G-d said, 'Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the beasts and over all the earth, and over every moving thing that moves upon the earth.' And G-d created man in His own image, in the image of G-d He created him, male and female He created them. And G-d blessed them and G-d said, 'Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the heavens and over all life that moves upon the earth. Genesis 1:26
The Trinitarian Claim
Trinitarians commonly claim that the words "us" and "our" refer to the three persons/hypostases of the doctrine of the Trinity. This claim if often confused with another claim - that the Hebrew "Elohim" is plural to refer to multiple persons.
The Claim vs. The Facts
When we look at an image and likeness of something, we know what that original something looks like because we see it's image. In this verse, Trinitarians don't even bother to ask themselves if the image in question is given. Usually, they resort to their imaginations.
But the image of "US" is given in this selfsame verse; the image of "US" is "THEM" - male and female.
The Problems with the Trinitarian Claim
1. Interpretation by Eisegesis
The Trinitarian interpretation is the product of the faulty practice of eisegesis. No evidence whatsoever can be provided to demonstrate the "us" of this verse is precisely three in number and no more or less. Neither is any evidence provided to demonstrate the "us" is to be identified as the three persons of Trinity doctrine. The doctrine of the Trinity is simply imagined into the text and subsequently used used as a basis to try and justify the doctrine of the Trinity. As such, Trinitarians are engaging in a fallacious circular reasoning process.
2. The Interpretations of Trinitarian Scholars
Let the reader do his own research and see how reputable scholars interpret this passage. Trinitarian scholars generally do not accept this Trinitarian interpretation. For a number of sensible reasons, they do not believe this passage refers to the three persons of Trinity doctrine and have proposed a wide variety of interpretations which include, but are not limited to:
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Pluralis majestatis |
Majestic "we" or royal "we"; plural of Majesty |
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Pluralis excellentiae |
Hebraic pluralization to reflect excellence and/or fullness |
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G-d and His Wisdom |
Plural of deliberation |
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G-d and His Angels |
G-d and His royal court of angels |
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G-d and His Creation |
Man is made by G-d and the materials of His creation |
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G-d and the Earth |
Man, adam, is made from the dust of the adamah (ground: feminine). |
|
Combination |
Some combination of the above |
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Miscellaneous |
Miscellaneous other interpretations |
Most Trinitarian scholars do not believe this verse is a reference to their own doctrine of the Trinity. This clearly shows how they know very well the Trinitarian claim is fallacious, there is no reason to necessarily draw such a conclusion, and that Trinitarian apologists and laypeople, are wishfully imagining their own doctrine of the Trinity into the text.
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