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Christian Understanding of Trinity3

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TRINITY : M. M. NINAN<br />

9<br />

TRINITY THROUGH HISTORY<br />

The word trias (<strong>of</strong> which the Latin trinitas is a translation) is first<br />

found in Theophilus <strong>of</strong> Antioch about A.D. 180. He speaks <strong>of</strong><br />

"the Trinity <strong>of</strong> God [the Father], His Word and His Wisdom (To<br />

Autolycus II.15). The term may, <strong>of</strong> course, have been in use<br />

before his time.<br />

Barnabas (c. A.D. 70):<br />

The Epistle <strong>of</strong> Barnabas is a Greek<br />

writing containing twenty-one<br />

chapters, preserved in complete<br />

form in the 4th century Codex<br />

Sinaiticus where it appears at the<br />

end <strong>of</strong> the New Testament. It is<br />

traditionally ascribed to the<br />

Barnabas who is mentioned in the<br />

Acts <strong>of</strong> the Apostles. Many<br />

scholars today believe it was<br />

probably written in the years AD<br />

70-131, based on the internal<br />

evidence.<br />

“And further, my brethren: if the<br />

Lord endured to suffer for our soul,<br />

He being Lord <strong>of</strong> all the world, to<br />

whom God said at the foundation<br />

<strong>of</strong> the world, Let us make man<br />

after our image, and after our likeness, (Genesis 1:26)<br />

understand how it was that He endured to suffer at the hand <strong>of</strong><br />

men. The prophets, having obtained grace from Him, prophesied<br />

concerning Him. And He (since it behoved Him to appear in<br />

flesh), that He might abolish death, and reveal the resurrection<br />

from the dead, endured [what and as He did], in order that He<br />

might fulfil the promise made unto the fathers, and by preparing<br />

a new people for Himself, might show, while He dwelt on earth,<br />

115

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