YHWH is the one God; echad (complex unity) allows Trinitarian understanding
Messianic Judaism affirms strict monotheism: YHWH, the God of Israel, is the one true God and Creator of all things. The doctrine of echad (Hebrew for "one"), drawn from Deuteronomy 6:4 (the Shema), is understood as a complex unity allowing for the Trinitarian distinction of persons within the Godhead. This represents a theological retrieval of Jewish sources (such as Philo and early Jewish mysticism) that recognized multiplicity within divine unity, reinterpreted through Christian orthodoxy.
God is understood as absolutely transcendent yet intimately related to creation and covenant history. The divine attributes (holiness, justice, mercy, eternality) are affirmed. The personhood and distinct roles of Father, Son, and Spirit are held together within the framework of monotheistic Jewish faith rather than Trinitarian formulations developed in Hellenistic Christianity.
Key Distinctions
- Theism type:
- classical monotheism — one God, infinite, eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent
- Primary divine attribute:
- love and holiness (biblical); divine simplicity affirmed (God is what he has)
Scripture References
Sources
- MJAA Statement of Faith
- David Stern, Jewish New Testament Commentary