The Trinity in Revelation: The Invisible God, the Logos, the Spirit of Truth

 

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:1

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St John the Theologian begins his gospel, "In the beginning was the Word," a mirror to the language in Genesis 1 but with the Second person of the Trinity named; the Word- "the Logos" in Greek. He is conveying something specific with this language, clarified by verse 18, "No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him." The Logos bears the Image of the Father and speaks the Word of the Father, shining Him forth perfectly in every way. St Maximos the Confessor writes, "The mystery of the incarnation of the Logos is the key to all the arcane symbolism and typology in the Scriptures, and in addition gives us knowledge of all created things," viewing Chirst as the prism through which God and the cosmos can be seen and understood. The Apostle John belabors this point throughout his writings: the Logos is the unique expression of God. His gospel narrative is a rising crescendo, a cloud of incense lifting to the heavens, an explanation of the God-Man who dwells in the Holy of Holies- The Word, the exact image of the Invisible God, the concise expression of the Father contained in the Son; Jesus Christ, the Logos.

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The revelation of Christ is always necessarily linked to the revelation by the Spirit. St Basil says that the Son and the Spirit are "thought of inseparably", always operating together, the Son manifesting the Father by the Spirit. He is called the Spirit of Truth, for it is the enlightenment of the Spirit that opens ones eyes to see the Son of God. He is the Comforter, for He leads us to Living Water. He is the Forerunner for He spoke through the mouths of the Prophets. St Gregory the Theologian in this vein writes, the Son and Spirit are "two suns" shining forth the Father in ineffably distinct ways, recognizing that every action of Christ is accompanied by an action of the Spirit. Here we see the mystery of the Trinity in revelation: the Son reveals the Father and it is through the Spirit that He is made known.