Apr 9, 2012

Problem for Unitarians

John Gill, as stated previously, said:

"...the word Elohim is sometimes in construction with a verb plural, as in (Gen. 20:13; Gen. 35:7; 2 Sam. 7:23) where Elohim, the gods, or divine persons, are said to cause Abraham to wander from his father's house; to appear to Jacob; and to go forth to redeem Israel: all which are personal actions: and likewise it is in construction with adjectives and participles plural, (Deut. 4:7, 5:26; Josh. 24:19; 2 Sam. 7:26, 27; Ps. 58:11, Prov. 30:3; Jer. 10:10) in which places Elohim, gods, or the divine persons, are said to be nigh to the people of Israel; to be living, holy, and to judge in the earth; characters which belong to persons; and now, as a learned man[3] well observes, "that however the construction of a noun plural with a verb singular, may render it doubtful to some whether these words express a plurality or not, yet certainly there can be no doubt in those places, where a verb or adjective plural are joined with the word Elohim''."

It is a serious problem for Unitarians to explain how plurality is as much ascribed to Deity as is unity, but it is no problem at all for Trinitarians.  Trinitarians believe that God is singular but they also believe that God is plural, just as the scriptures present.  Unitarians reject all plurality in God. 

The "plural of majesty" is the most common apologetic answer of Unitarians but is easily overthrown and shown to be an invention of Unitarians to deal with the plurality ascribed to God in scripture.

The fact is just as Gill has affirmed.  Not only are plural names and pronouns used in regard to God the subject, but also plural modifiers and verbs, and this fact is devastating to Unitarians.

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