John 17 Says Trinitarianism Is False
Ignore Theology That Cannot Harmonize All of the Bible
Trinitarians like to quote John 10:30 as if this verse were conclusive proof of their theology:
I and my Father are one.
So we don’t need to read the rest of the Bible: John 10:30 tells us that Jesus and the Father are one, so, from this, we are supposed to extrapolate all of the details of Trinitarian theology. Specifically, we are supposed to extrapolate that this means that they are one in essence, and not in purpose, intent, title, or organizational structure. Never mind that Jesus said that he is not good because only God is good (Mark 10:18). Never mind that Jesus said that he can only do what he sees the Father do (John 5:19). Never mind that we can sit in his throne as he will sit in the Father’s throne (Rev. 3:21). John 10:30 says that they are one, so that means that we can assume a unity of essence and ignore all of the other verses that establish essential distinction.
Obviously, that is not how we should approach scripture. Sometimes, due to the inherent limitations of human language, discrepancies and contradictions seem to arise. These may happen because certain principles apply differently based on the circumstances. They may also happen because the same words are being used in different senses. As the Christian world approaches the Bible and tries to explain it with its councils, theologies, and creeds, the people of the Christian world must remember that any theology that requires you to focus on certain parts of scripture while wholly ignoring others is a false theology.
Trinitarianism is a false theology because it does exactly that.
Yes, the Bible does tell us that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one. It also tells us that they are distinct from each other. Trinitarianism says that they are distinct persons but one essence. Of course, this is problematic because a person is, by definition, a distinct essence. So this only works if we are using an innovative definition for either “person” or “essence”. If that were the case, Trinitarian scholars would be obliged to articulate that innovative definition. They never have.
The fact is that, while the Bible does tell us that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are united as one in some way, it does not tell us that they are united in essence. It actually tells us the opposite. That is apparent in many passages of scripture, but it is particularly clear in John 17.
Here, I will give a verse-by-verse commentary on the chapter to show how nearly every verse directly contradicts Trinitarian theology.
[1] Jesus addresses the Father and asks the Father to help Him to do something that He apparently can’t do without the Father’s help: Jesus has no glory without the Father. How can they comprise the same essence if that is the case?
[2] Jesus was given “power over all flesh” by the Father. He apparently would not have had that power otherwise. Also, the followers of Jesus — whom He saves — are apparently given to Him by the Father. If they are the same essence, how can the Father have something that the Son does not have, such that He can give it to the Son? That implies an essential distinction.
[3] The Father sent the Son, and they are depicted as two separate beings who are known separately.
[4] The Son glorified the Father — who is apparently a separate and distinct being. The Father gave the Son a certain work to do, which again implies that they are separate and distinct.
[5] Jesus asks the Father for something again. If they are of one essence, how does that work?
[6] The faithful belonged to the Father initially, and then the Father gave them to the Son. This implies that they are distinct beings.
[7] Again, the Father gives things to the Son.
[8] The Father sent the Son to do a work and told Him the words to speak. The Son came “out from” the Father.
[9] The faithful were given to the Son by the Father.
[10] These faithful belong to both the Father and the Son. (This is the only verse in this whole chapter that, taken out of context, could vaguely be used to support Trinitarian theology.)
[11] This is the really important verse: Jesus again asks the Father for something. What does He ask for? He asks for the Father to help the faithful to become one — “that they may be one, as we are.” How can Christians become united? Is it in the way that Trinitarians say that the Father and Son are united? No. Christian unity, even when perfectly executed, is still a figurative unity among separate and distinct beings. That is the kind of unity that the Father and Son have…which is why Jesus asks for that!
[12] Again, the Father gave the faithful to the Son, who apparently would not have possession of them without the Father.
[13] Jesus says He will come to the Father. This implies that He is not now with the Father: they are separated. How can an essence be separated from itself? If it can be separated, it is not an essence. That defies the definition of “essence”.
[14] Jesus gave the Father’s word — which the Father apparently gave to Him — to the faithful. Also, Jesus says that the faithful are not of the world in the same way that He is not of the world! In this verse, Jesus likens Himself more to mortal men than to God the Father. How does that work with Trinitarian theology?
[15] Jesus prays and asks the Father for something. If they are one essence, how would that essence request something from itself?
[16] Jesus again says that He and the faithful are “not of the world” in the same way.
[17] Jesus identifies the “word” as belonging specifically to the Father rather than to Himself.
[18] Jesus establishes a hierarchy here: Father > Son > Mortals. The Father sent the Son, and the Son sends the faithful. He suggests that our relationship with Him is the same as His relationship with the Father. If He and the Father are one essence, this implies that we are the same essence as Jesus. (We aren’t.)
[19] Jesus sanctifies Himself so that we can be sanctified. Again, this establishes the sense that He is to us what the Father is to Him…which, again, implies that He and the Father can’t be the same essence.
[20] Jesus prays to the Father on the behalf of mortals. Again…why would He do this if He and the Father are the same essence?
[21] Really important verse again: Jesus wants the faithful to become one “as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee”. Again, the unity among the faithful is intended to be the same kind of unity that exists between the Father and Son. If the Trinitarians are right, it is impossible for us to have that kind of unity, as we cannot become one essence as the Father and Son are. So how does that work? Would Jesus ask for the impossible? Why? Also, Jesus continues: “that they also may be one in us”. So not only are we supposed to be one with each other, but we are supposed to be one with the Father and Son in the same way that the Father and Son are one. Again, assuming Trinitarian theology is correct and their oneness is a oneness of essence, how does that work? It doesn’t! This is supposed to be a oneness and unity of purpose, not essence…and that is the kind of oneness and unity that exists between the Father and Son, which is why Jesus makes that parallel.
[22] Again, Jesus says that the Father gave something to Him. Again, Jesus implies that our relationship with Him is the same as His relationship with the Father. Again, Jesus says that we need to be one in the same way that He and the Father are one. None of that works with Trinitarian theology.
[23] The Father sent the Son. The Father loved the Son. Again, our relationship with Jesus is the same as Jesus’ relationship with the Father.
[24] Jesus asks the Father for something. Again, if they are the same essence, why would He do that? The Father gave the faithful to the Son. The Son’s glory was given to Him by the Father. The Father loved the Son before the foundation of the world. (And, as noted in Ephesians 3:9, the Son was commissioned by the Father to create the world.)
[25] The world doesn’t know the Father…but Jesus walked and talked among the people of the world, so how does that work, if Jesus and the Father are the same essence? And again, the Father sent the Son, which implies that the Son is secondary to the Father.
[26] Again, Jesus positions Himself between the Father and us: the Father loves the Son, and the Son conveys that love to us. This implies that they are distinct beings.
So what gives? Does this mean that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not really one? No, that is not what it means. What it means is that they share the title and authority of God and share a common purpose, though they are three distinct beings with distinct natures and essences.
That is what the Bible teaches. Councils and creeds may disagree, and insofar as they do, they are wrong.
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