Jewish Understanding of “Let Us” in Genesis 1:26

This is an article I came across that I thought was very well done and explained Genesis 1:26 very well in light of the oneness of God.

Rabbi Tovia Singer

This verse appears in missionary literature quite often in spite of the fact that this argument has been answered countless times throughout the centuries. Let’s examine Genesis 1:26, as I have quoted it above.

With limited knowledge of the Jewish scriptures, missionaries advance the above verse in as evidence that there was a plurality in the godhead which was responsible for creation. What other explanation could adequately account for the Bible’s use of the plural pronouns such as “us” and “our” in this verse?

This argument, however, is grievously flawed. In fact, a great number of Trinitarian Christian scholars have long abandoned the notion that Genesis 1:26 implies a plurality of persons in the godhead. Rather, Christian scholars overwhelmingly agree that the plural pronoun in this verse is a reference to God’s ministering angels who were created previously, and the Almighty spoke majestically in the plural, consulting His heavenly court. Let’s read the comments of a number of preeminent Trinitarian Bible scholars on this subject. For example, the evangelical Christian author Gordon J. Wenham, who is no foe of the Trinity and authored a widely respected two-volume commentary on the Book of Genesis, writes on this verse,

Christians have traditionally seen [Genesis 1:26] as adumbrating [foreshadowing] the Trinity. It is now universally admitted that this was not what the plural meant to the original author.

The New International Version is hardly a Bible that can be construed as being friendly to Judaism. Yet, the NIV Study Bible also writes in its commentary on Genesis 1:26,

Us . . . Our . . . Our. God speaks as the Creator-king, announcing His crowning work to the members of His heavenly court. (see 3:22; 11:7; Isaiah 6:8; I Kings 22:19-23; Job 15:8; Jeremiah 23:18)

Charles Caldwell Ryrie, a highly regarded dispensationalist professor of Biblical Studies at the Philadelphia College of Bible and author of the widely read Bible commentary, The Ryrie Study Bible, writes in his short and to-the-point annotation on Genesis 1:26,

Us . . . Our. Plurals of majesty.

The Liberty Annotated Study Bible, a Bible commentary published by the Reverend Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University, similarly remarks on this verse,

The plural pronoun “Us” is most likely a majestic plural from the standpoint of Hebrew grammar and syntax.

The 10-volume commentary by Keil and Delitzsch is considered by many to be the most influential exposition on the “Old Testament” in evangelical circles. Yet in its commentary on Genesis 1:26, we find,

The plural “We” was regarded by the fathers and earlier theologians almost unanimously as indicative of the Trinity; modern commentators, on the contrary, regard it either as pluralis majestatis . . . No other explanation is left, therefore, than to regard it as pluralis majestatis . . . .

The question that immediately comes to mind is: What would compel these evangelical scholars — all of whom are Trinitarian — to determinedly conclude that Genesis 1:26 does not suggest the Trinity, but rather a majestic address to the angelic hosts of heaven? Why would the comments of the above conservative Christian writers so perfectly harmonize with the Jewish teaching on this verse?

The answer to this question is simple. If you search the Bible you will find that when the Almighty speaks of “us” or “our,” He is addressing His ministering angels. In fact, only two chapters later, God continues to use the pronoun “us” as He speaks with His angels. At the end of the third chapter of Genesis the Almighty relates to His angels that Adam and his wife have eaten from the Tree of Knowledge and must therefore be prevented from eating from the Tree of Life as well; for if man would gain access to the Tree of Life he will “become like one of us.” The Creator then instructs his angels known as Cherubim to stand at the gate of the Garden of Eden waving a flaming sword so that mankind is prevented from entering the Garden and eating from the Tree of Life. Let’s examine Genesis 3:22-24.

Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever” — therefore the Lord God sent him out of the Garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the Garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.

This use of the majestic plural in Genesis 3:22-24 is what is intended by the NIV Study Bible’s annotation on Genesis 1:26 (above). At the end of its comment on this verse, the NIV Study Bible provides a number of Bible sources from the Jewish scriptures to support its position that “God speaks as the Creator-king, announcing His crowning work to the members of His heavenly court.” The verses cited are: Genesis 3:22, 11:7, Isaiah 6:8, I Kings 22:19-23, Job 15:8, and Jeremiah 23:18. These verses convey to the attentive Bible reader that the heavenly abode of the Creator is filled with the ministering angels who attend the Almighty and to whom He repeatedly refers when using the plural pronoun “Us.”

Outsiders often wonder what binding force keeps the Jewish people united in faith. This is not so odd a question when we consider the inner conflict that has followed our people throughout our extraordinary history. Bear in mind that regardless of the turbulent quarrels that fester among us, the oneness of God remains the binding thread which unites the Jewish people in history and witness. The teachings of the Torah were designed to set forever in the national conscience of the Jewish people the idea that God is one alone and therefore the only object of our devotion and worship.

You Believe? Have You Received?

It is not enough to merely confess belief in the message of Jesus. Demonic forces of darkness know the truth and believe it too. “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” James 2:19 The demons believe in the oneness of God too. However, they have not entered into the experience of salvation. You must be born again. It is not two different experiences to be born again and to be baptized in the Spirit of God. It is the same experience and it comes “after that ye believed”. Ephesians 1:13. So you believe in the message of God’s grace that if you confess with your lips the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead.

“Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Acts 2:38

Start with faith in the Lord Jesus and then obey this scripture; repent, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then God will do the rest, it is a promise, believe it.

You might say you have believed the message for 20 years or since you were a child and you were baptized when you were a kid, but yet you know you don’t have the Holy Ghost. Go be baptized again understanding what you are doing. You are entering in the water in the name above all names for the remission of your sins by the blood and it is a promise that you will receive the Holy Ghost. It is an experience between you and God. Each time in the book of Acts those who were there and received the Holy Ghost knew that they received it. It is not just an emotion for those fail, it is something that anchors deep in your heart. It came with tongues, prophesying and also in other ways. “(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given…” Acts 8:16-18 Here they received the Holy Spirit without any description of tongues or prophecy, but those standing by witnessed it. They could visibly see or hear that they received the Holy Ghost. Paul received it and he received his sight back, it says nothing of tongues. It’s an experience between you and God. He will give you the assurance.

When I received the Holy Ghost I heard a sound of a wind in my room. Each of us will have our own experience with God and it is sovereign. God will do it as he wills, but when you go to baptism, expect to receive the Spirit because its a promise to you.

The Godhead – Part 3 – Mystery vs. Contradiction

There’s a big difference between a mystery and a complete contradiction in terms. In this video we explore the relationship between Father and Son as well as continuing on the undivided oneness of the Almighty God.

Godhead Part 3

In part three of this series I want to discuss the manhood of Jesus Christ.

Godhead Part 3 – Mystery vs. Contradiction – Father and Son

There’s a big difference between a mystery and a complete contradiction in terms. In this video we explore the relationship between Father and Son as well as continuing on the undivided oneness of the Almighty God.

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The Godhead – Part 2 – One God, the Father

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Mar 12:29  And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

This is part 2 of the controversial subject. Here we discuss 1 Corinthians 8:6, John 17:3 and the historical development of the Trinity. The Bible is the FINAL AUTHORITY not man’s opinion or even the declarations of the church. One man, Martin Luther, took on the established church because his heart was convicted by the simple truth of scripture. I trust that though I am not one man who stands for this truth that you all will be convicted by it and decide to do your own search for the truth of the Godhead.

 

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The Godhead – Part 1

The oneness of God is a highly controversial subject. Trinitarians will do their best to plant fear in anyone who seeks to understand God based upon a biblical framework rather than non-biblical terminology being thrust upon the Bible. My hope is that at least you’ll take a look at this, go back to the bible and search out what it says and that you will come to your own conclusion based upon the leadership of the Holy Spirit instead of running from this based upon some fear that man would place in your heart.

Jason DeMars

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