AN ALTERNATIVE VIABLE BIBLICAL UNDERSTANDING OF GOD AS THE FATHER AND GOD AS THE SON AND GOD AS THE HOLY SPIRIT. As I mentioned in this study I did a podcast that shows Biblically the answer to the question, “Who dwells in us, the Father? The Son? The Holy Spirit?” The answer to the question is YES!! Shown below are the link to the podcast that are critical for Christians to understand the very words of God and the concept that God is the Father and God is the Son and God is the Spirit. 1 COR 3:16 – FATHER & SON & SPIRIT DWELL IN US https://youtu.be/hiG8QC-bHuk?si=6q7ax_82kEhZQ0x3 https://youtu.be/eZyFEL7OUD0?si=SFHLjPTrUppGibdY The word for "book" is sefer (סֵפֶר). Possessive Endings (Pronominal Suffixes) In formal and biblical Hebrew, possession is indicated by adding suffixes directly to a shifted, construct form of the noun (sifr-). Owner Hebrew Transliteration Meaning My סִפְרִי sifri my book Your (m.s.) סִפְרְךָ sifrecha your book Your (f.s.) סִפְרֵךְ sifrech your book His סִפְרוֹ sifro his book Her סִפְרָהּ sifrah her book Our סִפְרֵנוּ sifrenu our book Your (m.pl.) סִפְרְכֶם sifrechem your book Your (f.pl.) סִפְרְכֶן sifrechen your book Their (m.) סִפְרָם sifram their book Their (f.) סִפְרָן sifran their book Modern Spoken Form In Modern Hebrew, the shel construction is preferred for everyday conversation. You use the base word ha-sefer (הַסֵּפֶר - "the book") followed by the preposition shel and a pronoun. My book: ha-sefer sheli (הַסֵּפֶר שֶׁלִּי) His book: ha-sefer shelo (הַסֵּפֶר שֶׁלּוֹ) Her book: ha-sefer shelah (הַסֵּפֶר שֶׁלָּהּ) Our book: ha-sefer shelanu (הַסֵּפֶר שֶׁלָּנוּ) Their book: ha-sefer shelahem (הַסֵּפֶר שֶׁלָּהֶם) Plural Forms Hebrew the plural noun sefarim (ספרים, "books") In Hebrew, possessive endings (called "pronominal suffixes") are attached directly to nouns to show ownership. For the plural noun sefarim (ספרים, "books"), possession is indicated by replacing the masculine plural ending with specialized suffixes. Possessive Endings for "Sefarim" (ספרים) When adding possessive endings, the plural word for books becomes sifrei- (סִפְרֵי) plus the suffix. Possessor Suffix Hebrew Form Pronunciation Translation My י סְפָרַי sfaráy My books Your (m. sg.) ךָ סְפָרֶיךָ sfaréykha Your books Your (f. sg.) ךְ סְפָרַיִךְ sfaráyikh Your books His יו סְפָרָיו sfaráv His books Her יהָ סְפָרֶיהָ sfaréha Her books Our נו סְפָרֵינוּ sfaréynu Our books Your (m. pl.) כֶם סְפָרֵיכֶם sfaréykhem Your books Your (f. pl.) כֶן סְפָרֵיכֶן sfaréykhen Your books Their (m.) ם סְפָרֵיהֶם sfaréyhem Their books Their (f.) ן סְפָרֵיהֶן sfaréyhen Their books Usage Notes Modern vs. Classical: While these direct suffixes are standard in Biblical Hebrew, formal writing, and religious liturgy, everyday Modern Hebrew almost exclusively uses the preposition shel (של). For example, "my books" is usually expressed casually as hasfarim sheli (הספרים שלי) rather than sfaray. Singular vs. Plural Base: Note that sefer (singular, "book") inflects differently. When modifying plural/dual nouns in Hebrew, you will almost always see a yud (י) placed between the noun and the possessive suffix (e.g., sfaray instead of sifri). For more detailed breakdowns and audio pronunciations, you can visit the Virtual Ulpan or the Hebrew for Christians grammar guides. Wikipedia article related to Hebrew grammar – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_Hebrew_grammar Hebrew4Christians grammar section -https://hebrew4christians.com/Grammar/Unit_Six/Pronomial_Suffixes_Singular/pronomial_suffixes_singular.html Hebrew word for "face" or "presence" is panim (פָּנִים) The Hebrew word for "face" or "presence" is panim (פָּנִים). It is a grammatically plural noun that takes special, plural-like possessive endings. The primary possessive endings for panim are detailed in this structured layout: English Meaning Hebrew Transliteration Hebrew Spelling My face panay פָּנַי Our face(s) paneinu פְּנֵינוּ Your (m. sg.) face(s) panecha פָּנֶיךָ Your (f. sg.) face(s) panayich פָּנַיִךְ Your (m. pl.) face(s) pneichem פְּנֵיכֶם Your (f. pl.) face(s) pneichen פְּנֵיכֶן His / Its face panav פָּנָיו Her / Its face paneha פָּנֶיהָ Their (m.) face(s) pneihem פְּנֵיהֶם Their (f.) face(s) pneihen פְּנֵיהֶן For a complete look at Hebrew grammar paradigms, you can reference the Hebrew for Christians Suffixes Guide - https://hebrew4christians.com/Grammar/Unit_Six/Pronomial_Suffixes_Plural/pronomial_suffixes_plural.html The following is taken from the Wikipedia articles on the etymology (historical development) of the Latin word PERSONA and the Greek word PROSOPON that eventually became used to translate the word “PERSON.” PERSONA The word persona derives from Latin, where it originally referred to a theatrical mask.] The usage of the word dates back to the beginnings of Latin civilization. The Latin word derived from the Etruscan word "phersu," with the same meaning, and that from the Greek πρόσωπον (prosōpon). It is the etymology of the word "person," or "parson" in French. Latin etymologists explain that persona comes from "per/sonare" as "the mask through which (per) resounds the voice (of the actor)." PROSOPON In Ancient Greek, term prosopon originally designated one's "face" or "mask". Actors in Greek theatre-productions wore specific physical masks on stage, in order to reveal their characters and emotional states to the audience. The term prosopon had an important role in the development of theological terminology related to the Trinity and to Jesus. It was the subject of many theological debates and disputes, particularly during early centuries of Christian history. The word prosopon is most commonly used for the self-manifestation of an individual hypostasis (God is understood as one divine essence or being (ousia), but three distinct substances or forms (hypostases): the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Commonly defined as persons in the church after the late 3rd century A.D. Prosopon is the form in which hypostasis appears (prosopon meant “mask” and each form of the essence of God appears as a unique mask or appearance. Later the word person was used for appearence or manifestation or face. Every hypostasis has its own prosopon: face or countenance. It gives expression to the reality of the hypostasis with its powers and characteristics. Paul the Apostle uses the term when speaking of direct heart-felt apprehension of the face (prosopon) of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6): "For it is the God who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." THE FACES OF THE LORD My wife is brilliant. Again and again over the years I see how God has used her to enhance the lessons I taught in class, when I led teaching tours on the trails in Israel, or now in these podcasts. She said the alternative Biblical understanding of the Trinity I presented makes so much sense rather than God in three separate persons. The alternative does not take away from the doctrine of the Trinity but makes it more understanding. She states that we are made in the image of God. As God has faces, different ways of manifesting Himself to us, so do we. As she explained that when I, her husband, was a son to my father my "face" then was not as my "face" today; that is my manifestation of myself to the world was different 60 years ago. I was the same JOHN, the same human being, but my "face," or my way I was seen in the world, was radically different than today. When I was 60 and leading tours to Israel my "face" was not the same as today. I was the same person. I was not a separate person from myself. I was me. But, then at age 60, I manifested myself differently. My wife said I had many "faces" but I was still me. I had the face of the son of my father, I had the face of a student at St. John's Univeristy, I had anohter face as a young dad when we started adopting our kids, and I have a face today of a grandfather. All these are "faces" or masks, if you like. It is still me. Who I am is constant but I have a different face at the various stages of my life. She said it seems then as we are made in His image we, like our Father, have several "faces" or ways of presenting ourselves that differ over time. As time goes on and circumstances change, I am manifested in different ways to those who I encounter. I am still the same person. My essence, or my fundamental core—the unchanging spark of my consciousness, my values, and my authentic presence that persists beneath my physical form and memories and fleeting emotions - does not change and I am still me. This is the same for God. His essence, that which makes God God, does not change but only the way He chooses to manifest Himself to the world, to us, in one of His faces. Rev. Ferret - who
