THE TRINITY — TESTING THE DOCTRINE AGAINST THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF ELOHIM
PART 6 — “I AND MY FATHER ARE ONE”
What Does Biblical Oneness Mean?
Greg Witter | Ephraim’s Cry
Hebraic Mindset Study Series
Study • Learn • Apply • Grow • Share ☆ Repeat
Few statements from Yahusha are quoted more quickly in defense of Trinitarian doctrine than John 10:30:
“I AND MY FATHER ARE ONE.”
The argument usually follows immediately: Yahusha said he and the Father are “one”; Therefore Father and Son constitute one Elohim, one divine being, within the Trinity.
But that conclusion assumes the very thing that must first be demonstrated.
The question is not whether Yahusha and the Father are one. THEY ARE.
The question is:
ONE IN WHAT SENSE?
One person?
One being?
One essence?
One Elohim?
One authority?
One purpose?
One work?
One testimony?
One relationship?
We do not get to choose the definition demanded by our theology. We must determine what Yahusha meant from HIS WORDS, HIS CONTEXT, and the WHOLE COUNSEL OF ELOHIM.
BEGIN WITH THE SHEMA
The foundational declaration remains Deuteronomy 6:4:
“Hear, O Israel: Yahuah our Elohim is one Yahuah.”
Hebrew:
שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יהוה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יהוה אֶחָד
Shema Yisra’el, YHWH Eloheinu, YHWH echad.
The word אֶחָד — echad — means ONE.
But here is where theological manipulation frequently begins.
Some argue that echad actually means “compound unity,” and therefore the Shema secretly contains the Trinity.
NO.
Echad does not lexically mean “compound unity.”
It means ONE.
Context determines what kind of oneness is being described.
Genesis 2:24 says husband and wife become “one flesh”—בָּשָׂר אֶחָד, basar echad.
Genesis 41:25 says Pharaoh’s two dreams are “one”—echad—because they communicate one message.
Numbers 13:23 speaks of “one cluster” of grapes.
Ezekiel 37:17 describes two sticks becoming “one” in Ezekiel’s hand.
These examples demonstrate that multiple distinguishable things can participate in a genuine unity described with echad.
But that does NOT make “compound unity” the lexical definition of echad.
And it certainly does not prove “three co-equal persons sharing one divine essence.”
That theology cannot simply be hidden inside a Hebrew numeral.
NOW READ JOHN 10 IN CONTEXT
John 10:30 does not appear in isolation.
Yahusha has been discussing his sheep.
John 10:27:
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”
Verse 28:
“I give unto them eternal life; And they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”
Then verse 29:
“MY FATHER, WHICH GAVE THEM ME, IS GREATER THAN ALL; And no man is able to pluck them out of MY FATHER’S HAND.”
Then:
“I AND MY FATHER ARE ONE.”
Look at the immediate parallel.
Yahusha’s hand.
The Father’s hand.
No one can seize the sheep from Yahusha’s hand.
No one can seize them from the Father’s hand.
WHY?
Because Father and Son operate in complete unity concerning the preservation of the sheep.
Yahusha did not suddenly interrupt the discussion to deliver a fourth-century metaphysical definition of divine essence.
The context concerns WORK, AUTHORITY, PROTECTION, PURPOSE, and UNITY.
THE GREEK WORD IS HEN
John 10:30 reads:
ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἕν ἐσμεν
Egō kai ho patēr hen esmen.
“I and the Father are one.”
The word translated “one” is ἕν — hen.
This matters.
Hen is NEUTER.
If Yahusha were saying “I and the Father are one person,” the grammar would require a different construction.
The statement expresses unity, but it does not grammatically say:
“I and the Father are one person.”
In fact, the verb is plural:
ἐσμεν — ESMEN — “WE ARE.”
Not:
“I AM.”
WE ARE.
There is distinction within the sentence itself:
I.
THE FATHER.
WE ARE.
ONE.
DISTINCTION AND UNITY EXIST SIMULTANEOUSLY.
“THE JEWS TOOK UP STONES”
The usual response is:
“But the Jews understood Yahusha to be claiming that he was Elohim!”
John 10:33 records their accusation:
“Thou, being a man, makest thyself God.”
Yes. That is THEIR ACCUSATION.
But an opponent’s accusation is not automatically the inspired interpretation of Yahusha’s statement.
The Gospel repeatedly records Yahusha being misunderstood.
Nicodemus misunderstood being “born again” as physically entering his mother’s womb (John 3).
The woman at the well initially misunderstood living water as ordinary drinking water (John 4).
The disciples misunderstood Yahusha’s “food” (John 4).
People misunderstood his reference to raising the Temple in three days (John 2).
His disciples misunderstood Lazarus “sleeping” (John 11).
Therefore:
“THEY THOUGHT HE MEANT X”
Does not establish:
“YAHUSHA ACTUALLY MEANT X.”
We must examine Yahusha’s RESPONSE.
YAHUSHA ANSWERS WITH PSALM 82
Instead of saying:
“You are correct. I am the second co-equal person of the triune Elohim,”
Yahusha answers:
“Is it not written in your law, I said, YE ARE GODS?” (John 10:34).
He quotes Psalm 82:6.
Then he says:
“If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; Say ye of HIM, WHOM THE FATHER HATH SANCTIFIED, AND SENT INTO THE WORLD, Thou blasphemest; Because I said, I AM THE SON OF GOD?” (John 10:35–36).
Do not skip Yahusha’s own explanation.
What claim does Yahusha say he made?
“I AM THE SON OF GOD.”
And again he identifies himself as:
THE ONE THE FATHER SANCTIFIED.
THE ONE THE FATHER SENT.
That is the same agency pattern established throughout this series.
“THE FATHER IS IN ME, AND I IN HIM”
Yahusha continues:
“If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.”
“But if I do… believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that THE FATHER IS IN ME, AND I IN HIM” (John 10:37–38).
Again, this is profound unity.
But does mutual indwelling require identity of person?
John 17 answers that question decisively.
JOHN 17 DEFINES THE KIND OF ONENESS
Yahusha prays to the Father:
“Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, THAT THEY MAY BE ONE, AS WE ARE” (John 17:11).
Stop there.
Yahusha wants his disciples to be ONE.
HOW?
“AS WE ARE.”
If Father-Son oneness necessarily means they are one individual being or person, then Yahusha has just prayed for his disciples to become the same kind of numerical being.
But he continues.
John 17:21:
“That THEY ALL MAY BE ONE; AS THOU, FATHER, ART IN ME, AND I IN THEE, THAT THEY ALSO MAY BE ONE IN US.”
There is the comparison.
FATHER IN SON.
SON IN FATHER.
DISCIPLES IN THEM.
BELIEVERS ONE WITH EACH OTHER.
This is relational, covenantal, purposeful, spiritual unity.
Yahusha continues:
“The glory which thou gavest me I have given them; THAT THEY MAY BE ONE, EVEN AS WE ARE ONE” (John 17:22).
That statement is devastating to the simplistic argument that “one” automatically means “one being.”
Yahusha himself applies the same language of oneness to his disciples.
“I IN THEM, AND THOU IN ME”
John 17:23 continues:
“I IN THEM, AND THOU IN ME, that they may be made perfect in one.”
Again:
THE FATHER IN YAHUSHA.
YAHUSHA IN HIS DISCIPLES.
THE DISCIPLES UNITED.
Nobody concludes that believers literally become Yahusha.
Nobody concludes that all believers merge into a single metaphysical being.
Why not?
Because context defines the oneness.
Unity of Spirit.
Unity of purpose.
Unity of truth.
Unity of love.
Unity of mission.
Unity of testimony.
Unity of covenant relationship.
PAUL USES “ONE” THE SAME WAY
First Corinthians 3 provides an excellent parallel.
Paul says:
“I have planted, Apollos watered; But God gave the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:6).
Then verse 8:
“Now he that planteth and he that watereth ARE ONE.”
Paul and Apollos are ONE.
Did they become one person?
NO.
Did they become one substance?
NO.
They were distinct servants working toward the SAME PURPOSE under the SAME MASTER.
This demonstrates how naturally Scripture can speak of multiple persons as “one” without erasing distinction.
HUSBAND AND WIFE ARE “ONE”
Genesis 2:24 says:
“They shall be ONE FLESH.”
Yahusha himself quotes this in Matthew 19:5–6:
“They twain shall be ONE FLESH.”
Then:
“They are no more twain, but one flesh.”
Does marriage erase the distinction between husband and wife?
NO.
The two remain distinguishable while becoming united covenantally.
Therefore biblical oneness does not require numerical identity.
ISRAEL CAN BE “ONE”
Ezekiel 37 describes divided Israel prophetically restored.
Yahuah tells Ezekiel to join two sticks:
“They shall become ONE in thine hand” (Ezekiel 37:17).
Then Yahuah explains:
“I will make them ONE NATION in the land” (Ezekiel 37:22).
Many people.
Many tribes.
Yet:
ONE NATION.
Again, “one” does not mean “one individual.”
It describes unity.
ONE BODY — MANY MEMBERS
Paul makes this even clearer.
First Corinthians 12:12:
“For as the BODY IS ONE, and hath MANY MEMBERS… so also is Christ.”
ONE BODY.
MANY MEMBERS.
Verse 20:
“Now are they MANY MEMBERS, yet but ONE BODY.”
Biblical language therefore allows unity without erasing plurality or distinction.
That must control how casually theological systems define the word “one.”
DOES THIS DISPROVE EVERY TRINITARIAN CLAIM?
NO.
And intellectual honesty requires saying so.
Showing that John 10:30 does not automatically mean “one being” does not by itself disprove the entire doctrine of the Trinity.
It disproves the claim that this verse alone establishes that doctrine.
There remain other passages requiring examination.
John 1:1.
John 8:58.
John 20:28.
Philippians 2.
Colossians 1.
Hebrews 1.
Matthew 28:19.
We will examine them.
But John 10:30 cannot legitimately be treated as though Yahusha said:
“I and the Father are two co-equal persons sharing one divine essence.”
THOSE WORDS ARE NOT IN THE TEXT.
DOES ONENESS MEAN THE FATHER AND SON ARE MERELY AGREEMENT PARTNERS?
We must avoid the opposite error.
Father-Son unity is far deeper than two humans simply agreeing about something.
Yahusha says:
THE FATHER DWELLS IN HIM.
HE DWELLS IN THE FATHER.
HE SPEAKS THE FATHER’S WORDS.
HE PERFORMS THE FATHER’S WORKS.
HE CARRIES THE FATHER’S NAME.
HE PERFECTLY REVEALS THE FATHER.
THE FATHER LOVES HIM.
THE FATHER HAS GIVEN ALL THINGS INTO HIS HAND.
THE SON SHARES GLORY WITH THE FATHER.
The relationship is unique.
Therefore agency and unity must not become tools for diminishing Yahusha.
Again:
WE WILL NOT MAKE YAHUSHA SMALLER TO WIN AN ARGUMENT AGAINST THE TRINITY.
“HE THAT HATH SEEN ME HATH SEEN THE FATHER”
John 14:9 belongs within this same framework.
Yahusha says:
“He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.”
But immediately explains:
“The words that I speak unto you I speak NOT OF MYSELF: but THE FATHER THAT DWELLETH IN ME, HE DOETH THE WORKS” (John 14:10).
Then:
“Believe me that I am IN THE FATHER, and THE FATHER IN ME” (John 14:11).
That is not Yahusha saying:
“I AM THE FATHER.”
It is Yahusha declaring perfect representation and mutual indwelling.
And John 17 extends similar indwelling language to believers.
ONENESS DOES NOT ERASE ORDER
Even while Father and Son are one, Scripture maintains order.
The Father sends.
The Son is sent.
The Father commands.
The Son obeys.
The Father gives.
The Son receives.
The Father teaches.
The Son speaks what he hears.
The Father grants authority.
The Son exercises it.
The Father exalts.
The Son is exalted.
And ultimately:
“The Son also himself [shall] be SUBJECT unto him that put all things under him” (1 Corinthians 15:28).
Oneness does not eliminate order.
UNITY DOES NOT REQUIRE EQUALITY OF ROLE OR AUTHORITY.
THE SHEMA REMAINS INTACT
Nothing Yahusha says overturns Deuteronomy 6:4.
In fact, when asked about the greatest commandment, Yahusha begins by quoting the Shema:
“Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is ONE LORD” (Mark 12:29).
Yahusha does not correct Moses.
He AFFIRMS Moses.
Then the scribe responds:
“There is ONE GOD; And there is none other but he” (Mark 12:32).
What does Yahusha do?
He tells him:
“Thou art not far from the kingdom of God” (Mark 12:34).
That deserves serious consideration.
The Hebrew Messiah affirms Israel’s confession concerning the ONE ELOHIM.
THE WATCHMAN’S WARNING
This is where doctrinal systems become dangerous.
A person reads:
“I and my Father are one.”
Then inserts:
“one substance.”
“one essence.”
“one being.”
“co-equal.”
“co-eternal.”
“three persons.”
But Yahusha did not say those things in John 10:30.
Those are theological conclusions developed from a larger doctrinal system.
If someone believes those conclusions can be demonstrated from the whole counsel of Scripture, then demonstrate them.
But DO NOT PRETEND THE WORD “ONE” ITSELF PROVES THEM.
That is precisely the distinction this series is demanding.
SCRIPTURE IS SCRIPTURE.
INTERPRETATION IS INTERPRETATION.
Do not silently convert one into the other.
THE FOUNDATION OF PART 6
What does biblical oneness mean?
Scripture demonstrates that oneness can describe:
UNITY OF PURPOSE.
UNITY OF WORK.
UNITY OF AUTHORITY.
UNITY OF TESTIMONY.
UNITY OF LOVE.
UNITY OF SPIRIT.
UNITY OF COVENANT.
UNITY OF MISSION.
UNITY OF PEOPLE.
UNITY OF BODY.
WITHOUT ERASING DISTINCTION.
John 10 itself gives us:
THE FATHER.
THE SON.
THE FATHER GIVES THE SHEEP TO THE SON.
THE SON KEEPS THEM.
THE FATHER KEEPS THEM.
THEIR WORK IS UNITED.
“I AND MY FATHER ARE ONE.”
Then John 17 gives Yahusha’s own interpretive parallel:
“THAT THEY ALL MAY BE ONE; AS THOU, FATHER, ART IN ME, AND I IN THEE.”
That does not diminish the extraordinary unity between Father and Son.
It defines it biblically.
THE FATHER IS NOT THE SON.
THE SON IS NOT THE FATHER.
THEY ARE GENUINELY DISTINCT.
AND THEY ARE PERFECTLY ONE.
Do not collapse what Scripture distinguishes.
Do not separate what Scripture joins.
And do not insert later philosophical definitions into the word “one” and then claim Yahusha said something he never actually said.
LET THE TEXT SPEAK.
Because now we have established the foundation necessary to confront the passages most frequently presented as decisive proof of Trinitarian doctrine.
We will not avoid them.
We will put them on the table—one after another—and TEST THEM IN CONTEXT.
NEXT — PART 7
THE GREAT TRINITARIAN PROOF TEXTS
Tested in Context
John 1:1 • John 8:58 • John 10:30 • John 20:28 • Philippians 2:5–11 • Colossians 1:15–20 • Hebrews 1 • Titus 2:13 • 2 Peter 1:1 • Matthew 28:19 • 2 Corinthians 13:14
#GregWitter, #EphraimsCry, #EphraimsCryAcademy, #HebraicMindsetStudySeries, #TheTrinitySeries,
#TestingTheTrinity, #HebraicMindset, #HebraicBibleStudy, #BibleStudy, #BibleTeaching, #ScriptureStudy,
#StudentsOfScripture, #DisciplesOfYahusha, #TorahObservant, #RemnantOfIsrael, #WholeCounselOfElohim,
#FourWitnesses, #BiblicalOneness, #IandMyFatherAreOne, #ShemaYisrael, #YahuahIsOne, #Yahuah, #Yahusha,
#FatherAndSon, #John10, #John17, #ScriptureInterpretsScripture, #TestAllThings, #TruthOverTradition, #ReturnToScripture
