NAMES OF GOD
The names the OT uses for God speak of His rule (God, Lord), His perfections (the Holy One of Israel), and His involvement in human affairs (I Am or I Cause to Happen).
Elohim
Elohim, the usual designation for God, is the Creator, the God of all gods, the transcendent One (Gen 1:1–2:3).
El
El was known to the Canaanites as the chief of their many gods. The Hebrews freely spoke of their God by the name El.
El is generally used in compound names. Examples are El Elyon (God Most High, Gen 14:18–22) and El Shaddai (God Almighty, Gen 17:1). El is frequently compounded with a noun or verb to form personal or place names such as Elimelech (My God is king), Eliezer (God of help), and Elijah (My God is Yahweh).
El also occurs in some of Scripture’s oldest confessional phrases. Examples are “jealous God” (Exod 20:5), “God brought them out of Egypt” (Num 24:8), “great and awe some God” (Deut 7:21; Neh 1:5), “great and powerful God” (Jer 32:18). El is common in Job (forty-eight times) and in Psalms (sixty-nine times).
Adonai
Adonai (Lord) is a special form of the common word adon, meaning lord. Adonai is used only in reference to the one true God, never to refer to humans or other gods. It signifies the exalted being of God, who alone is Lord of lords (Deut 10:17). He is “the Sovereign” of Israel (Exod 34:23). Adonai also occurs in compounds such as Adonijah (Yahweh is my Lord, 1 Kgs 1:8).
Yahweh
Yahweh, meaning I Am, is a shortened form of God’s response to Moses’ request for the name of the patriarchs’ God (Exod 3:13–14). The full name identifies God as the Living God (I Am Who I Am) or as the God who acts in creation and redemptive history (I Cause to Be What Is). Out of extreme reverence for Yahweh’s name (Exod 20:7), the Jews read Adonai (or Elohim) wherever the Hebrew text had YHWH. English Bibles likewise represent the four consonants YHWH by “LORD” or “GOD” in large and small caps.
Yahweh revealed His name in the context of redemption of Israel from Egyptian slavery. With the name came the assurance that Yahweh would fulfill all His promises (Exod 3:15; 6:2–8). The Lord’s name is the concrete confirmation that God who “is” will “make things happen” and fulfill His promises.
Yahweh’s name is thus associated with God’s faithfulness, by which He binds Himself to His covenant promises. In the familiar words of Psalm 23:1, the Hebrew reads, “Yahweh is my shepherd.” A reader of the English Bible can enter more deeply into the spirit of closeness and personal fellowship that existed between Yahweh and His ancient covenant people by substituting the name Yahweh for “the LORD.” In Jesus’ use of “I am” (ego eimi), He claimed to be Yahweh in the flesh (John 8:58).
Shortened forms of Yahweh occur in phrases (Hallelujah, praise Yahweh) and in names (Jonathan, Yahweh gives, and Adonijah, Yahweh is Lord).
Other Names
In their adversity God’s covenant people called on Him by the familial name “our Father” (Isa 63:16; 64:8). Jesus invites all who come to God through Him to call God “our Father” or “Abba” (Mark 14:36; Rom 8:15; Gal 4:6).
Other designations for God include “the Rock” (1 Sam 2:2; 2 Sam 22:47), “the Holy One of Israel” (Isa 1:4; 5:19; 43:3), “the LORD of Hosts” (Sabaoth, “Almighty,” Ps 24:10; Zech 1:3–4), Shepherd (Isa 40:11; Jer 31:10; John 10:11–14), and King (Pss 5:2; 24:7, 10).
神只有一位，但有明确的三个位格。这是圣洁的奥秘，人的智慧永远无法发现。就像基督有二性，但只有一个位格，这是奇妙的；照样，一位神有三个位格。这是极大的奥秘，圣父是神，圣子是神，圣灵是神；但不是三位神，而是一位神。三位一体的三个位格能够分辨，却是不能分开来的；三个不同的位格，却只有一个本质。这是一个属神的奥秘，一而三（three substances），三而一（but one essence）。我们渺小的思想无法明白三位一体的奥秘，就像一个坚果的外壳无法容纳海洋一样。我用一个比喻说明。对太阳本体而言，它有太阳的本质，光和热；光来自太阳，热是来自太阳和光；这三者是不同的，但却不是分开的；它们是三个，但却是一个太阳：照样，三位一体中，圣子是来自圣父，圣灵是来自圣父和圣子；虽然祂们明显是三个不同的位格，但却是一位神。我首先要谈三位一体中的合一，再谈合一中的三位。
Ⅰ、三位一体中的合一。神性中三个位格的合一，包括两件事：
1、本质上的相等。三位一体中的本质是相等的。三个位格都拥有神性的本质和本性；所以"在神性上没有程度的不同（Deo nonest magis et minus）"，一个位格不会比另一个位格更成为神。
发表于 23-5-2014 01:23 PM
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