Quintessence of Religious Doctrines - Malankarasyriac Voice

14On the Blessed Trinity 27 28Quintessence of Religious Doctrinesreason why some poet theologians and mystics like MorEphrem indulged profusedly in paradoxes to determine anddescribe God, is due to the fact that God cannot be put instraight formulae or because God defies definition.11. Immutable.Ref: Jas. 1:17. He is always the same and never makes darkshadows by changing. (L.B.)CommentImmutableness of God is related to His perfection andcompleteness. Anything that changes can never be perfector complete. Change or flux is the feature of imperfect bodieswith which this world is made of. Change signifies the wantor absence of something.12. The Lord of all.Ref.: Lk. 10:21. My Father, Lord of heaven and earth. (L.B.)CommentGod is the sovereign Lord. No one is superior to Him. So Hedoes not have to pay obedience to anyone else. At the sametime He has the right to receive obedience from His creation.The reason why God is accorded habitual obedience fromthe bulk of His creation is due to the recognition of His overlordship.In fact, sin actually signifies the breaking ofobedience to God the Lord. However, the detractors will getpardon if they choose to repent with a contrite heart.13. In this Godhead there are three Persons, the Father, the Sonand the Holy Spirit.Ref: (a) Gen. 1:26. And God said, let us make man in ourimage, after our likeness; and let them have dominionover the fish of the sea… (K.J.V.)(b) Gen. 11:7… Let us go down and there confoundtheir language… (K.J.V.)(c) Mt. 3:16… And as soon as he came out of the waterthe sky opened and he saw the spirit of God comingdown on him like a dove. Then a voice from heavensaid, “This is my own dear Son and I am pleasedwith him.” (L.B.)(d) Mt. 28:19… Baptise them, in the name of the Father,the Son and the Holy Spirit. (L.B.)CommentOne of the distinguishing features of the Christianmonotheism is that it is Trinitarian also, simultaneously TheFather, the Son and the Holy Spirit, the three Persons of theTrinity, evince perfect communion or unity among themselves.14. This signifies unity in Trinity and Trinity in unity without implyingdistinction of any sort as regards temporality, existence or statureor potentiality among the three Persons. These three have, rather,the very same ousia or nature, regality, disposition, determination,power, uniqueness and method of functioning.Ref: Is. 6:3. And one cried unto another and said, Holy,Holy, Holy, is the Lord of Hosts: the whole earth isfull of his glory. (K.J.V.)CommentIt is not enough to simply state that the Trinitarian doctrine ofChristianity is oriented to monotheism or manifests unity initself. Equally it can be asserted that the converse too istrue. It is always, however, good to remember that Trinity isquite inexplicable and a mystery, which escapes humancomprehension. The Cappadocian Fathers, Basil the Great,Gregory of Nanzeanzus and Gregory of Nyssa had to strainevery nerve to articulate the Trinitarian doctrine at the Councilof Ephesus.