I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me.
Exodus 20:2-3
Christ is Risen!
The concept of a “higher power” has been part of society’s consciousness since the beginning. People have looked to something greater than themselves for power, security, protection, and comfort, because even from the beginning, people realized that they could not provide all these things themselves.
Laban, a figure in the book of Genesis, was the father of Leah and Rachel, who ultimately both married Jacob. In Genesis 31, we read that Laban was a worshipper of household gods. He had small idols that he believed would protect his family and his possessions. These household “gods”, which were really like trinkets, were referred to as “teraphim”, and were used in ancient Hebrew household worship, representing deities. In Genesis 31:30-35, we read about Rachel stealing Laban’s “gods” and him accusing Jacob of stealing them.
Another mention of gods occurs is mentioned in Exodus 18, when Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses proclaims “Blessed be the Lord, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods, because He delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.” (Exodus 18:10-11)
The proliferation of gods in both the homes of the Hebrews (God’s chosen people) and the Egyptians (Gentiles essentially), sets up the first of God’s commandments, given on Mount Sinai (known as the Ten Commandments) to be “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no others gods before Me.” (Exodus 20:2-3)
In the early years of Christianity, there is still mention of idols amongst the Gentiles, particularly Greeks and Romans, who had a tradition of gods and deities who they went to for protection, good favor, and other things. St. Paul mentions idols and gods in I Corinthians 8:1-6:
Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” “Knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if one loves God, one is known by Him. Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.” For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”—yet for us there is one God, the Father, form whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
The opening words of the Creed put to rest the idea of multiple gods or deities, proclaiming our belief “in one God.” The immediate challenge to the idea of “one God” is that there are three persons of the one God—The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. St. Spyridon, who was one of the bishops at the First Ecumenical Council, demonstrated how one God could be three persons, by taking a brick in his left hand, and telling the assembled group that the brick was composed of clay and water, coming together by fire. With his right hand, he made the sign of the cross over the brick, and fire shot out above the brick, water fell from the bottom of the brick and the saint was left holding the remaining clay in his hands.
The overwhelming majority of the Creed examines the unity of the Trinity while also defining the uniqueness of each of its three Persons. The first five books of the Old Testament are called the “Pentateuch,” the five books that form the backbone of the Old Testament Law. Genesis 1 recounts the creation of the world. It also mentions the Holy Trinity, though not by name. In the first three verses of Scripture, we read, In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the waters. And God said “Let there be light”; and there was light. “God created” refers to God the Father. The “Spirit of God” refers to the Holy Spirit. And “God said,” the voice of God refers to the Word of God, who is also Jesus Christ.
The Beginning of the Gospel of John offers some clarity regarding these verses from Genesis. John 1:1-3 reads:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made.
John 1:14 identifies the “Word” as Jesus Christ: And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.
If we replace the “Word” with “Christ,” it reads “In the beginning was Christ, and Christ was with God, and Christ was God. Christ was in the beginning with God; all things were made through Christ, and without Christ was not anything made that was made. . .And Christ became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.”
And at the first public appearance of Christ, at His baptism, recounted in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, we also see the revelation of the Holy Trinity, of the one God in three distinct persons. The account from Mark reads:
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when He came up out of the water, immediately He saw the heavens opened and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove; and a voice from heaven, “Thou art my beloved Son; with Thee I am well pleased. (Mark 1:9-11)
The Son is baptized in the water, the Spirit descends in the form of a dove, and the voice of God the Father is heard from heaven endorsing Jesus as His Son.
For God alone my soul waits in silence; from Him comes my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly moved. How long will you set upon a man to shatter him, all of you, like a leaning wall, a tottering fence? They only plan to thrust him down from his eminence. They take pleasure in falsehood. They bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse. For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my deliverance and my honor; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Men of low estate are but a breath, men of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath. Put no confidence in extortion, set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them. Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God; and that to Thee, O Lord, belongs steadfast love. For Thou dost not requite a man according to his work. Psalm 62
The Creed begins with the confirmation that we believe in only one God (not the many gods) and that the one God is in three persons, who will now be defined throughout the remaining majority of the Creed.
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