“Now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God, even our Father. . . . Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work” (II Thessalonians 2:16,17).
It is not obvious from the English translation that the Greek verbs for comfort and stablish in this passage are singular. One might guess, from looking at the subjects, the “Lord Jesus Christ . . . and God our father,” that the verbs would be in plural form. They are singular, however—consistent with our Lord’s teaching: “I and my Father are one” (John 10:31).
The doctrine of the tri-personality of God (note the reference to the Holy Spirit in verse 13) is precious to Christians, not because they logically understand the complexity of His being, but because this is the way His word reveals Himself.
There are many things we do not understand about Him. He said, “for my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD” (Isaiah 55:8). If God’s thoughts and ways are beyond us, how much more should the wonder of His being transcend our feeble comprehension!
Of course, other passages support Trinitarian faith (Matthew 28:18–20; John 3:34,35; Acts 20:28; II Corinthians 13:14; and Titus 3:4–6 are some), but it is good to be aware that even singularity of verbs in less familiar passages also support the Trinity doctrine.
In context, the apostle Paul had just been writing of “a falling away” and the “man of sin” (vv.3–12). These unsettling concepts should hold no real fear for God’s people, however, for the Lord Jesus shall destroy “that Wicked . . . with the brightness of His coming” (v.8). He, you see, is no mere man. He is the God-man and one with the Father in purpose and being.
May “our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God, even our Father” comfort and strengthen (singular) the hearts of all His people “in every good word and work.” PGH
