If the Heavenly Father is Greater than the Son, How Can There be a Trinity?

Recently a concerned gentleman asked for assistance on addressing the false teaching of an antitrinitarian teacher.¹ The antitrinitarian teacher made assertions about the Trinity being a doctrine invented by men. Understanding the Trinity to be the doctrine about the Father, Son and Holy Spirit being three equal divine persons, he pointed out that Jesus said, “the Father is greater than I” (Jn. 14:28),² and because the Father is the greater one who sends the Son and the Spirit, the Trinity cannot be true. Amazingly, everything he stated about the Trinity was wrong.

The Trinity is really is a doctrine we discover through a careful reading of the Scriptures, the application of sound hermeneutical principles, and subsequent theological reflection. Although the word “Trinity” never appears in the Scriptures, the concept is clearly taught.

When Jesus acknowledges the Father as “greater,” it is best to understand He is speaking with respect to a distinction of role as oppose to nature or ontology.³ For example, upon another occasion the Lord also said, “Among those born of women none is greater than John” (Luke 7:28).⁴ John the Baptist possessed a greater role than all other prophets before him, since he was the direct forerunner of the Messiah, and yet that never meant the other prophets were less human than John. Just as the Baptizer ontologically equal to all humans but functionally appointed to the vocation of the forerunner to the Messiah, so too the Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ share the same divine nature, though the Son functionally submits to the Father. Far from being a demigod or a being of subordinate nature to God, the Son shares the same divine nature as the Father. Nevertheless, the subordination of the Son is functional rather than ontological.

The biblical doctrine of the Trinity is really built upon three platforms.

First, there is one God (Deut. 4:35, 39; 6:4; 32:39; Ps. 86:10; Isa. 43:10; 44:6, 8; 45:5, 18, 21, 22; John 17:3; 1 Cor. 8:4-6; Gal. 4:8; Eph. 4:6; 1 Tim. 2:5; James 2:19).

Second, God is revealed in three coeternal coequal persons, namely the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Scripture, thus, teaches that the Father is God (see John 17:3; 1 Cor. 8:6; Eph. 1:3; 1 Peter 1:3) that, despite the denial of many, Christ is God (see Isa. 9:6; John 5:18; 8:58 cf. Exod. 3:14; 10:33; 20:28; Rom. 9:5; Col. 1:15-17; Heb. 1:8-13), and that the Holy Spirit is God (see Acts 5:3-5; 2 Cor. 3:17-18). The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are divine.

Finally, the three persons of the Godhead are distinct from each other. Scriptures make clear subject object relationships between the three persons. The Father speaks about the Son (Matt. 3:17, 17:5; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22, 9:35; 2 Pet. 2:16-18). The Son prays to the Father (Matt. 11:25; Luke 23:24; John 17). As mentioned above, the Son, though ontologically equal, functionally submits to the Father (Matt. 26:39; Luke 22:42; John 5:30). Moreover, the Father and Son sends the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17, 26, 16:5-15). The Father is neither the Son nor the Spirit. The Son is neither the Father nor the Spirit. The Spirit is neither the Son nor the Father.

There are then three centers of consciousness associated with the Trinity; however, they are one in essence. In other words, the Godhead is one what and three whos.

John 14:28 has nothing to do with the divine nature of the Father being distinct from the Son. Rather, this verse has to do with the imminent departure and return of the Lord being a reason for those who truly love Him to rejoice. These were words of comfort spoken during the final Passover Christ shared with the disciples. From that point forward, the Lord’s prophecies would come to pass concerning His betrayal, arrest, crucifixion, death and resurrection on the third day (Matt. 16:21; 17:22-23; 20:18-19; Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:33-34; Luke 9:22; 18:31-33; Jn. 2:19 and 21). Christ would subsequently ascend into heaven (Acts 1:9-11). The ascension “not only puts him back with his own Father (about which those who love him should be glad), but also puts him with the one in whom the family (divine, in this case) authority is vested. He represents his disciples directly to the highest authority. That should also make his disciples glad.”⁵

The disciples can even be comforted in the fact that Jesus’ departure is only temporal and that they can look forward to His second advent. The Lord says, “I am going away, and I will come to you” (Jn. 14:28; cf. vv. 1-4). Meanwhile, they will also benefit from the empowerment, comfort and direction received from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit sent from the Father and the Son (Jn. 14:16-17, 25-26; 15:26-27; 16:5-11).

Christ is the way for fallen humanity to reconnect to the Triune God of the universe. We return to our Heavenly Father through the saving work of the Son, Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Although Christ has ascended, the presence of the Holy Spirit is the guarantee of the future glory to come, when the Lord appears a second time, and all things are set to right.

— WGN

1. I say “antitrinitarian teacher” in the composite sense, as the essence of the error applies to myriads of wolves in sheep’s clothing.
2. All Scripture cited from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), unless noted.
3. In John 14:28 the Greek adjective meizon [μείζων] is the accusative form megas [μέγας], which is translated “great” or “greater.” In one sense megas pertains “to being relatively superior in importance” or “More prominent or outstanding because of certain advantages” (William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature [Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000], 624).
4. In Luke 7:28, the Greek adjective meizon is translated “greater.”. (See previous note.)
5. Walter C. Kaiser Jr. et al., Hard Sayings of the Bible (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1996), 504–505.