How well supported is the generic interpretation Rublev's Icon as being a depiction of the Holy Trinity as portrayed in Genesis 18?
Upvote:2
Catholic Perspective
The Navarre Bible - Pentateuch explanatory note on Gen 18:1-15 has in part:
This new appearance of God to Abraham is somewhat mysterious: the three men stand for God. When Abraham speaks to them, sometimes he addresses them in singular (as if there were only one person there: cf. v.3), and sometimes in the plural (as if they were three: cf. v.4). That is why some Fathers interpreted this appearance as an early announcement of the mystery of the Holy Trinity; others, following Jewish tradition (cf. Heb 13:2) take these personages to be angels. The sacred text says that one of the three men ([the LORD]), apparently stays with Abraham (cf. v. 22), while the other two, who are referred to as angels, go to Sodom (cf. 19:1).
Upvote:3
Among church fathers, Ambrose is one supporter:
Abraham, who was glad to receive strangers, faithful to God and tireless in his service and prompt in fulfilling his duty, saw the Trinity typified. He added religious devotion to hospitality, for although he beheld three, he adored one, and while keeping a distinction of the persons, yet he called one Lord, thus giving honor to the three but signifying one power. (On His Brother, Satyrus 2.96)
Caesarius of Arles similarly writes:
He received the three men and served them loaves out of three measures. Why is this, brothers, unless it means the mystery of the Trinity? [...] In the fact that he saw three, as was already said, he understood the mystery of the Trinity, but since he adored them as one, he recognized that there is one God in three persons. (Sermon 83.4)
Origen actually finds images of the members of the Trinity in the food that is served. The calf represents Christ (Homilies on Genesis 4.2), and the preparation of three equal measures of flour into bread is an image of the Trinity (On Abraham 1.5.38).
Other fathers are not so supportive of this idea. Ephrem the Syrian believed just one of them was the Lord (Commentary on Genesis, 15.1), while Augustine called all three of them angels (City of God, 16.29).
See the Ancient Christian Commentary if you'd like to investigate further.
More post
- 📝 When is it too late to ask for salvation?
- 📝 How do those who hold Jesus = God in the Trinitarian sense account for Paul's reticence to state this clearly and consistently?
- 📝 Why did Origen oppose birthdays? Was this a Jewish belief?
- 📝 Was it possible for Catholics to express their faith openly in England during the time of persecution?
- 📝 What is the basis for Catholics believing Jesus fell three times (or seven) on his journey to Calvary?
- 📝 What biblical or historical reasons have been given for avoiding creeds & catechisms?
- 📝 Which church denomination has a very strong emphasis on the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation?
- 📝 What rubric, canon, and/or rules forbid(s) the use of recorded music in a Tridentine Missa Cantata?
- 📝 To whom the Election applied according to the Calvinist (TULIP)?
- 📝 What does Paul mean by "Love believes all things?"
- 📝 Incompatibilities between Vatican II and the Council of Florence on salvation outside the Church?
- 📝 Why was Jesus offered vinegar and gall on the cross, and why did he refuse it?
- 📝 Will the Earth last forever? (Catholic perspective)
- 📝 What did Jesus mean by `being shrewd'?
- 📝 Once a believer, always a believer?
- 📝 How do Jehovah's Witnesses explain Thomas's exclamation, "My Lord and my God"?
- 📝 Is foot washing a form of sin cleansing?
- 📝 How are eschatological beliefs distinguished in the Evangelical churches?
- 📝 Is it fair to say that the Anglican Church was originally intended to be a 'middle ground' between Catholics and Protestants?
- 📝 Are the any Christian denominations that have doctrines in place that prohibit a national flag in the worship space?
- 📝 What passages of Scripture were used by the popes and crusaders to justify the Crusades?
- 📝 What does the historical evidence tell us about the pneumatological beliefs of the early Church during the first two centuries of Christianity?
- 📝 According to the Eastern Orthodox, what are the rules for acquiring / owning icons?
- 📝 Where was Jesus' tomb?
- 📝 Does Nehemiah Gordon self-identify as a Christian?
- 📝 What is Beth Sarim building built for?
- 📝 Why is Satan referred to as Beelzebub?
- 📝 According to Catholicism, what does the Bible teach about sins of omission?
- 📝 Why did God make it a sin to eat an apple?
- 📝 Why Moses is not Sargon I?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 How well supported is the generic interpretation Rublev's Icon as being a depiction of the Holy Trinity as portrayed in Genesis 18?
- 📝 How is the Catholic interpretation of the Woman of the Apocalypse as being Mary reconciled with the dogma of perpetual virginity?
- 📝 How do Protestants respond to the JW interpretation of John 14:28?
- 📝 To a YEC, how does a metaphorical interpretation of Genesis 1-3 distort the gospel?
- 📝 How do proponents of Sola Scriptura choose the "correct" interpretation of a key Bible verse?
- 📝 What is the biblical/logical basis for rejecting the "physical" interpretation of Christ's being the Only Begotten Son?
- 📝 How do those who believe in salvation by grace, and in works being the fruit of salvation, explain Galatians 6:8-9?
- 📝 How do those who hold to a literal interpretation of the flood account respond to the criticism that Noah building the ark would be unfeasible?
- 📝 How does the Catholic Church interpret Matthew 23:9 so as to normalize priests being called Father?
- 📝 Is there a Biblical basis for the concept of being allowed to "be angry with God" or "tell him just how we feel"
- 📝 How well-accepted are Thomas Paine's views about the Bible being against monarchy?
- 📝 Is there consensus between Christian commentators about how Jesus came to be atop the temple when being tempted by Satan in the wilderness?
- 📝 How do Christians argue about Jewish objections against Jesus being the Messiah
- 📝 How does the Catholic Church explain their interpretation of Matthew 16:19 (Simon Peter as the first Pope) in light of Matthew 18:18?
- 📝 How would the four major eschatological views differ in their interpretation of Revelation 21:4?
- 📝 How does Original Sin come back in man even after being washed at the time of baptism?
- 📝 How are the broken bones in the Shroud of Turin seen to be consistent with the bones of Jesus not being broken?
- 📝 How is doing 'what is right in the eyes of everyone' different from being 'politically correct'?
- 📝 How would different Protestant denominations reconcile Matthew 5:19 with the notion of being saved by grace?
- 📝 How and when was the belief that a baptism late in life increases our chances of being saved determined to be false?
- 📝 How do those who believe that Jesus is a created being understand the verses which say everything that was created was created by him?
- 📝 How does the Mormon Church reconcile the following claim with the Bible? "The Church of Jesus Christ was well established in the time of Adam."
- 📝 Why was Descartes' interpretation of the Catholic transubstantiation not approved by Church and how can it be improved?
- 📝 How can we understand the SDA interpretation of Daniel 9:26?
- 📝 How do Jehovah's Witnesses justify their interpretation of Daniel chapter 4 given the specificity of the text?
- 📝 How does one explain God being outside the universe yet on the throne in heaven without violating divine simplicity?
- 📝 How do those who believe Jesus was eternally the Son explain Jesus being chosen?
- 📝 According to a Catholic interpretation of the Bible, was Jesus being glib in Matthew 6:34?
- 📝 How do believers in the dead being conscious explain the absence of reports about afterlife experiences by Lazarus and other resurrected individuals?
- 📝 How do proponents of Sola Scriptura defend the doctrine without scripture being canonized until after the proof texts were written?