Is There Equal Authority Within Trinity Doctrine?

John 13:16, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.

John 17:3, And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

John 1:9, . . . the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

Hebrews 1:3, Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; . . .

 

Trinity refers to the Persons who are God. Any subordinations has to do with being Persons. But they being God, there is no subordinations. There cannot be. God is one.

 

Do not forget Jesus was something God was not. He was actually a man.

 

You have too much junk that you need to unlearn, before you can learn some other things, but you have held onto some of them and don't seem to be thinking about doing any rethinking on them any time soon.

Oh well.

Some references.

At "A Body of Doctrinal Divinity" by John Gill

28. is about the O.P., on point.

BOOK I: Of God, His Words, Names, Nature, Perfections, and Persons.

26. Of the Unity of God.

27. Of a Plurality on the Godhead; or, A Trinity of Persons in the Unity of the Divine Essence.

28. Of the Personal Relations; or, Relative Properties Which Distinguish the Three Divine Persons in the Deity.

29. Of the Distinct Personality, and Deity of the Father.

30. Of the Distinct Personality, and Deity of the Son.

31. Of the Distinct Personality, and Deity of the Holy Spirit.

BOOK II:
Of the Acts and Works of God.

6. Of the Everlasting Council Between the Three Divine Persons, Concerning the Salvation of Men.

7. Of the Everlasting Covenant of Grace, Between the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

8. Of the Part Which the Father Takes in the Covenant.

9. Of the Part the Son of God, the Second Person, Has Taken in the Covenant.

10. Of Christ, as the Covenant-Head of the Elect.

11. Of Christ, the Mediator of the Covenant.

12. Of Christ, the Surety of the Covenant.

13. Of Christ, the Testator of the Covenant.

14. Of the Concern the Spirit of God Has in the Covenant of Grace.

15. Of the Properties of the Covenant of Grace.

16. Of the Complacency and Delight God Had in Himself, and the Divine Persons in Each Other...

Right. The Persons of God the Holy Spirit and God the Son have Offices.

 

Yes, the Persons are distinct. As God they are the same God, not Gods. By offices, how you mean is is not specified.

 

"The Father, the first person in the Trinity, takes the first place, and gives the lead in this covenant.

"All things are of God", that is, of God the Father; they are of him originally, they begin with him; all things in creation; he has made the world, and created all things by his Son;

"and so all things
in the salvation of men,
"who has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ"; he set on foot the council of peace, and so the covenant of peace, "God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself";

"that is, God the Father; he planned the reconciliation of men in council, and proposed it in covenant, and settled it with the other two persons;

"and he is not only the proposer, but the prescriber and enjoiner of things in the covenant;

"he both proposed the work to be done, and took upon him the authority, by agreement, to prescribe and enjoin it: hence we read of the injunctions and commands laid on Christ with respect to his discharge of his office, as the mediator of this covenant,
(John 10:18, 12:49, 14:31)

"it was the Father that called Christ from the womb of eternity to be his servant, and directed and enjoined his work and service, as appears from
(Isaiah 49:16)

"and promised a reward to him on condition of his performing the service, and to bestow benefits on the elect in him, and for his sake."

"The part which the Son of God takes, and the place and office he has in the covenant of grace, are next to be considered.

"Christ has so great a concern in the covenant, that he is said to be the Covenant itself;
"I will give you for a Covenant of the people", (Isaiah 42:6, 49:8) his work, that which was proposed to him, and he agreed to do, is, as has been observed, the grand condition of the covenant, and he himself is the great blessing of it;

"he is the Alpha and the Omega, as of the scriptures, so of the covenant of grace; he is the first and the last in it, the sum and substance of it; he is everything, ALL in ALL in it;

"all the blessings of it are the sure mercies of him, who is David, and David's Son; he is prevented with all the blessings of goodness, and the covenant people are blessed with all spiritual blessings in him, as their covenant head;

"all the promises are made to him, and are all yes and amen in him; he sustains various characters and offices in the covenant.

"He is the representative Head of his people in it; he is the Mediator, Surety, Testator, and Messenger of it; of all which, more particularly and distinctly hereafter.

"At present I shall only observe Christ's assent to his Father's proposals, his acceptance of them, and open declaration of his readiness and willingness to act according to them, which formally constitute the covenant and compact between them; his consent thereunto is fully expressed in Psalm 40:6-8.

"Sacrifice and offering you did not desire; mine ears have you opened: burnt offering, and sin offering, have you not required.

"Then said I Lo, I come; in the volume of the book it is written of me:

"I delight to do your will, O my God! yes, your law is within my heart"...

"Having considered the parts which the Father and the Son have taken in the covenant, the part which the Holy Spirit has in it is next to be treated of;

"who was not a mere bystander, spectator, and witness of this solemn transaction, compact, and agreement, between the Father and the Son, but was a party concerned in it.

"And, 1. First, The third person, the Spirit, gave his approbation of, and assent unto every article in the covenant.

"1a. In general, what respected the salvation of the chosen ones; for that is the grand and principal article of the covenant; "this", says David, speaking of the covenant, "is all my salvation", (2 Samuel 23:5) that is, the whole of his salvation;

"all things relative to it were provided for in it, and secured by it; in the economy of which each Person took his part;

"and that of the Spirit is Sanctification; which makes meet for the enjoyment of complete and eternal salvation;
hence called
"the sanctification of the Spirit" (2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2).

"And this clearly shows, that the Spirit approved of, and assented to the whole scheme of salvation, or of the thing itself in general;

"or otherwise he would never have taken a part in it; and as it was the purpose and will of God the Father to save men by his Son, and he appointed them to obtain salvation by him;

"so the Son of God came to seek and save men, being sent of God for that purpose in which mission of him the Spirit joined;

"Now the Lord God, and his Spirit, has sent me", (Isaiah 48:16) which is a plain proof that he approved of and assented to it, that the Son of God should be the Savior of men;

"and whereas it was proper that the Son of God should assume human nature, and in it work out the salvation of men;

"and which was agreed upon between the Father and the Son;

"so it was approved of and assented to by the Spirit; as appears from his concern in the incarnation of Christ; for what was "conceived in the Virgin was of the Holy Spirit", (Matthew 1:18, 20)

"and, seeing it was necessary that the Savior of men should suffer and die for them, to satisfy law and justice;

"and the divine Father enjoined his Son to lay down his life for them; to which command he became obedient;

"so the Spirit declared his approbation of it, by testifying beforehand, in the prophets,
"the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow"; as well as was assisting to the human nature of Christ, in the sacrifice of himself;

"since it was "through the eternal Spirit", he offered up himself without spot to God
(1 Peter 1:11; Hebrews 9:14).

"Once more, as it was highly proper, that as Christ should be delivered to death for the offences of men, so that he should rise again for their justification;

"or otherwise, the whole affair of salvation would have miscarried; hence the Father in covenant enjoined his Son, as to lay down his life, so to take it up again; and which he did, and in which the Spirit was concerned;

"and which showed his approbation of this closing part of the scheme of salvation by Christ (see Romans 1:4).


Then, these explore specific Offices of Jesus:

 

BOOK II: pg. 415.
Of the Acts and Works of God.

6. "Of the Everlasting Council Between the Three Divine Persons, Concerning the Salvation of Men."

"...I shall next consider the operations and transactions among the three divine persons when alone, before the world began, or any creature was in being; and which are, chiefly the council and covenant of God, respecting the salvation of men:

"1c. Does a council held between the three divine persons suppose any inequality between them;

"usually indeed with men, in matters of moment and difficulty, persons supposed to be of superior abilities are consulted, and their judgment taken;

"as Ahithophel by David, and the Israelites, whose counsel with them was as the oracles of God;

"but this is not to be supposed here, when the Father consults with the Son and Spirit, it is not because they have knowledge superior to him, or that he needs any information from them;

"they are one in nature; and are equal in knowledge and understanding;

"the Father is omniscient, the Son knows all things, and the Spirit searches the deep things of God; and yet may consult together;

"and three persons of equal knowledge and judgment among men may consult together about an affair of importance, without supposing any superiority and inferiority in them."

"1d3. This being the effect of a council between the three divine persons, shows their unanimity in it; as they are one in nature, so they agree in one;

"and as in everything, so in this, the salvation of men;

"the Father signified his mind that his Son should be sent to be the Savior of men, when he may be supposed to put such a question as in Isaiah 6:8.

"Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" the Son, knowing his Father's will, and assenting to it, declared his agreement with it,
"Here am I, send me";

and the Spirit approving of the Father's motion, and the Son's consent, joined with the divine Father in the mission of him;
"Now the Lord God and his Spirit has sent me",
(Isaiah 48:16)

"and what inexpressible pleasure must such unanimity give to a believing soul, to declare which is the design of the divine consultation."

"2. Secondly, To give some proof that there was a council between the divine persons concerning the salvation of men.

"2a. An argument in favor of this may be drawn from the purpose of God;

"all whose purposes are called his counsels because they are founded in the highest wisdom, (Isaiah 25:1) now the purpose of God respecting the salvation of men, is the basis and foundation of the council held concerning it, in which purpose, as well as council, all the three persons are concerned;

"for the scheme of salvation, which is,

"the manifold wisdom of God, is according to the eternal purpose which he"
(God the Father)

"purposed in Christ Jesus
our Lord",
(Ephesians 3:10, 11)
and the Son was not only privy to this purpose or counsel, and agreed to it;

"but the Spirit also, who searches "the deep things of God", and approves of them, which are no other than the purposes and counsels of his heart
(1 Corinthians 2:10).

"3b1. Jehovah the Father, the first Person in order of nature, though not of time, may reasonably be supposed to give the lead in this affair, and proposed the thing to be debated and advised about;

"he who, concerning the creation of man, proposed it to the other two Persons, might, with great propriety, move for a consultation about his salvation: who is the Ancient of days, with whom is wisdom, and who has counsel and understanding, yes, is wonderful in counsel, as well as excellent in working;

"and so infinitely fit to conduct an affair of this nature
(Job 12:12, 13; Isaiah 28:29).

"3b2. Jehovah the Son, has the same wisdom, counsel, and understanding his Father has;

"for all that he has are his; nor does Christ think it any robbery to be equal with him;

"he is wisdom itself, or "wisdoms", he is possessed of the most consummate wisdom;

"in him, even as Mediator, are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge;

"and he himself says,
"Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom", (Proverbs 1:20, 8:14; Colossians 2:3)

yes, he is called
"the Wonderful, Counselor", (Isaiah 9:6) which not only respects his capacity and ability to give the best counsel and advice to men, as he does, but to assist in the council of God himself;

"... to which may be added, that Christ the Son of God, was as one brought up with his divine Father, lay in his bosom, was privy to his designs, and must be in his council, and was on all accounts fit for it.

"3b3. The Holy Spirit had a concern in this council, and was fit to be of it;

"Epiphanius says, as the Son is the Angel of the great council, so is the Holy Spirit;

"he is not only the Spirit of wisdom to men, and by whom is given to them, to one the word of wisdom, and to another the word of knowledge;

"and therefore must be possessed of the most perfect wisdom and knowledge himself, (Ephesians 1:17;
1 Corinthians 12:8)

"but he is the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, and of counsel and knowledge, to and resting on Christ as Mediator, (Isaiah 11:2)

"and therefore must be a very proper Person to be concerned with the Father and the Son, in this great council;

"for never was such a council held as this, between such Persons, and on such a momentous and interesting affair."

 

Changes the subject and avoids explanation of proposed Trinity offices.

 

John Gill, no.

 

PHD = Salvation ? ! .

 

Sorry, but I'm not sure what you mean. Are you disagreeing with John Gill, or with what someone wrote about John Gill on this thread?

 

While Gill can be a useful commentary. No precise statement was directly cited or precisely quoted. So I am not interested to try to figure out some unknown point being made.

 

God the Father holds no Office.

 

I don`t know if you have ever noticed, but I make the attempt to answer any given O.P., with the best resources that I have ever come across.

If there is any more on-point a source for answering any given O.P., I would always want to know what it might be that is more God-Honoring that is available on the internet.

For this O.P., if there is anyone who faces the assignment;
"Is There Equal Authority Within Trinity Doctrine?"
more thoroughly and respectfully than Gill, I don't know who that would be.

Where else are there other attempts to articulate it at all, to try and make a comparison?

As often as you resort to throwing the baby out with the bathwater, on anything you disagree with, this is just one more flippant example. Nothing new here, or edifying, etc.

Also, my posts generally always have the most pertinent information highlighted in a bold red font, for anyone just looking for the meat and gist of my reply, where they can otherwise be `long`, to another`s taste. I just put down what I think is a blessing that is on my heart in my writings and/or from the secondary source materials that I believe Worship God and press the button.

In doing so, the resulting post should be able to be held up and gone down through, as an expression of Worship the Lord finds Pleasing and Acceptable. He has usually already said somewhere that He does, based on me just posting the answers as close to what is His Perspective as I am aware of. Do a better job of that if you like.

And/or with the cited Scriptures most always highlighted in bold purple, one can choose to only read them and they won't hurt you, I don't think.

The answer to the O.P., makes reference to a Big God, Who in many respects demonstrates Their Equality within Their Essence and Nature as the Triune Godhead, while Their Purposes also give indication of an Order presented to us, which each Person assumes in the Accomplishment and Administration of Their Eternal Plans.

That was the point left to be determined on your own.

 

?

 

@Alan Dale Gross,
As God all three Persons are the one Jehovah.

Now the Son of God is both 100% the man and 100% God.

It is that simple.