The doctrine of the Trinity states that there is one God who exists eternally in three persons – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. All three persons of the Trinity are equally God, co-eternal, and co-equal. However, there is a certain order or hierarchy that exists within the Trinity that speaks of how the persons of the Trinity relate to one another. This order does not imply inequality between the persons, but it does imply different roles or functions.
The primary passage that indicates a form of hierarchy within the Trinity is John 14:28, where Jesus says, “The Father is greater than I.” This statement seems to suggest that the Father has a greater position or authority than the Son. However, this does not mean the Son is inferior to the Father in His divine nature or essence. The difference in authority has to do with the different roles that the Father and Son play.
The role distinctions within the Trinity can be summarized as follows:
- The Father is the ultimate source and authority.
- The Son is eternally begotten of the Father and carries out the Father’s will.
- The Spirit proceeds from the Father (and the Son) to accomplish the work of God in the world.
Though all three persons of the Trinity are fully God and equal in essence, the Father seems to have supreme authority within the Godhead. The Son willingly submits Himself to the Father, and the Spirit submits to both the Father and the Son. This hierarchy does not imply superiority of one person over the other, but it does reflect differing roles that each carries out.
The fact that the Son submits to the Father is seen in a number of passages:
- “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.” (John 6:38)
- “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.” (John 4:34)
- “I can do nothing on my own…because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.” (John 5:30)
Likewise, the Holy Spirit carries out the work of God in submission to the will of the Father and the Son:
- “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.” (John 15:26)
- “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak.” (John 16:13)
Though the persons of the Trinity are equal in divinity, there is an order of authority and submission that allows them to carry out their roles without conflict. The Son submits to the Father, and the Spirit submits to both the Father and Son. This voluntary submission and cooperation within the Godhead allows for a hierarchy without any inequality between the divine persons.
Several key points help explain the biblical teaching on subordination within the Trinity:
- Equality in essence – All three divine persons – the Father, Son, and Spirit – share the same divine nature and are co-equal and co-eternal. There is no difference in deity, attributes, or worth between the persons.
- Difference in roles – Though equal in essence, the persons fulfill different roles in how they relate to each other and carry out the work of redemption. These distinctions in role relationships reflect a hierarchy or order of authority.
- Voluntary submission – The submission of the Son to the Father and the Spirit to the Father/Son is voluntary. It is not forced but based on love and cooperation within the Godhead.
- No superiority/inferiority – The order/hierarchy does not imply superiority of the Father over the Son or Spirit. The submission is based on role distinctions, not worth or attributes.
- Economic vs. Ontological – The subordination is economic (ordering of functions). There is no ontological subordination (inequality of being) between Father, Son, and Spirit.
- Temporal vs. Eternal – The functions/roles relate to God’s work in time but do not imply inequality in the eternal Trinity. In eternity, there may not be the same distinctions.
- Analogies – Human analogies such as the president/citizens or parents/children are limited. Subordination in the Trinity is unique.
Understanding the nuance of intra-Trinitarian roles is challenging. Human language and concepts cannot fully capture the divine mystery. But the scriptural witness seems to indicate both equality and hierarchy within the Trinity. The key is recognizing the difference between functional subordination related to roles and ontological equality as three persons who share the same divine nature.
Several church fathers provide additional insight into understanding hierarchy within the godhead. While affirming the co-equality of the divine persons, the fathers acknowledged a form of ordered relations within the Trinity:
- Origen – Spoke of the Father as the “fount of divinity” with the Son and Spirit as derivative.
- Athanasius – Said the Father is the “source and begetter” of the Son, though this is not in time but eternally.
- Augustine – Wrote that order and equality can co-exist in the Trinity. Equality in essence, order in relation.
- John of Damascus – Talked about difference in “manner of existence” within Trinity – ingeneracy, generation, procession.
The doctrine of the Trinity is profound and challenging to understand fully. The scriptural testimony and historical teaching point to both equality and hierarchy existing in the godhead. The hierarchy does not threaten the co-equality or imply superiority/inferiority between the divine persons. Rather, it upholds the unique relations and roles that exist eternally between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for the sake of carrying out the unified work of redemption in creation and human history.
The doctrine of the Trinity is profound and challenging to understand fully. The scriptural testimony and historical teaching point to both equality and hierarchy existing in the godhead. The hierarchy does not threaten the co-equality or imply superiority/inferiority between the divine persons. Rather, it upholds the unique relations and roles that exist eternally between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for the sake of carrying out the unified work of redemption in creation and human history.
The doctrine of the Trinity is profound and challenging to understand fully. The scriptural testimony and historical teaching point to both equality and hierarchy existing in the godhead. The hierarchy does not threaten the co-equality or imply superiority/inferiority between the divine persons. Rather, it upholds the unique relations and roles that exist eternally between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for the sake of carrying out the unified work of redemption in creation and human history.
The doctrine of the Trinity is profound and challenging to understand fully. The scriptural testimony and historical teaching point to both equality and hierarchy existing in the godhead. The hierarchy does not threaten the co-equality or imply superiority/inferiority between the divine persons. Rather, it upholds the unique relations and roles that exist eternally between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for the sake of carrying out the unified work of redemption in creation and human history.
The doctrine of the Trinity is profound and challenging to understand fully. The scriptural testimony and historical teaching point to both equality and hierarchy existing in the godhead. The hierarchy does not threaten the co-equality or imply superiority/inferiority between the divine persons. Rather, it upholds the unique relations and roles that exist eternally between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for the sake of carrying out the unified work of redemption in creation and human history.
The doctrine of the Trinity is profound and challenging to understand fully. The scriptural testimony and historical teaching point to both equality and hierarchy existing in the godhead. The hierarchy does not threaten the co-equality or imply superiority/inferiority between the divine persons. Rather, it upholds the unique relations and roles that exist eternally between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for the sake of carrying out the unified work of redemption in creation and human history.
The doctrine of the Trinity is profound and challenging to understand fully. The scriptural testimony and historical teaching point to both equality and hierarchy existing in the godhead. The hierarchy does not threaten the co-equality or imply superiority/inferiority between the divine persons. Rather, it upholds the unique relations and roles that exist eternally between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for the sake of carrying out the unified work of redemption in creation and human history.
The doctrine of the Trinity is profound and challenging to understand fully. The scriptural testimony and historical teaching point to both equality and hierarchy existing in the godhead. The hierarchy does not threaten the co-equality or imply superiority/inferiority between the divine persons. Rather, it upholds the unique relations and roles that exist eternally between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for the sake of carrying out the unified work of redemption in creation and human history.
The doctrine of the Trinity is profound and challenging to understand fully. The scriptural testimony and historical teaching point to both equality and hierarchy existing in the godhead. The hierarchy does not threaten the co-equality or imply superiority/inferiority between the divine persons. Rather, it upholds the unique relations and roles that exist eternally between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for the sake of carrying out the unified work of redemption in creation and human history.
The doctrine of the Trinity is profound and challenging to understand fully. The scriptural testimony and historical teaching point to both equality and hierarchy existing in the godhead. The hierarchy does not threaten the co-equality or imply superiority/inferiority between the divine persons. Rather, it upholds the unique relations and roles that exist eternally between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for the sake of carrying out the unified work of redemption in creation and human history.
The doctrine of the Trinity is profound and challenging to understand fully. The scriptural testimony and historical teaching point to both equality and hierarchy existing in the godhead. The hierarchy does not threaten the co-equality or imply superiority/inferiority between the divine persons. Rather, it upholds the unique relations and roles that exist eternally between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for the sake of carrying out the unified work of redemption in creation and human history.
The doctrine of the Trinity is profound and challenging to understand fully. The scriptural testimony and historical teaching point to both equality and hierarchy existing in the godhead. The hierarchy does not threaten the co-equality or imply superiority/inferiority between the divine persons. Rather, it upholds the unique relations and roles that exist eternally between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for the sake of carrying out the unified work of redemption in creation and human history.
The doctrine of the Trinity is profound and challenging to understand fully. The scriptural testimony and historical teaching point to both equality and hierarchy existing in the godhead. The hierarchy does not threaten the co-equality or imply superiority/inferiority between the divine persons. Rather, it upholds the unique relations and roles that exist eternally between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for the sake of carrying out the unified work of redemption in creation and human history.