Question:
Colossians 2:9 says, "For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily..." Is the Trinity real? Are there three separate beings with God or is God all three?
Answer:
In answering this question, let’s make sure we reveal more of the context from the passage cited in the question. Colossians 2:1-10 says,
“For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge….As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.”
Now, first, let’s consider the key point Paul is
making to the church at Colosse. His main goal is for the church to look
to Christ for strength and to ignore the influences of the world. Yet,
why did Paul want these Christians to look to Christ as their ultimate
example? Verse 9 is his explanation as it says, “For in Him dwells
all the fullness of the Godhead bodily…”
Second, it is important that we define this term “Godhead.” This word
was originally THEOTES. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Words tells us
that “THEOTES indicates the Divine essence of Godhood, the Personality
of God…” The term “Godhead” could also be translated “Godhood.” When an
adult recalls their “childhood” they are remembering what it was like to
be a child. If we make reference to “manhood” we are considering the
qualities and characteristics of being a man. Similarly, as the term
“Godhead” or “Godhood” is used we are thinking of Jesus possessing the
personality of God while in the flesh. Paul is telling the Christians to
follow Christ and not the world because Christ was the Son of God—our
perfect example as a man (1 Pet. 2:21)! Thus, this passage is not a
reference to the number of persons that compose deity. The only reason
we are influenced to believe such is because we lift the phrase out of
its context.
Even so, the Bible does tell us the number of persons in this “Godhead.”
Though the term “Trinity” is not a Bible term, its main emphasis
indicates there are three divine beings. Those three persons: the
Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, are affirmed in Scripture, as
individual persons, in Matthew 28:19; Romans 15:30 and 2 Corinthians
13:14. Interestingly, even the context of Colossians 2 indicates there
are at least two beings in the Godhead (vs. 2). In addition, in the Old
Testament, the term “God” in Genesis 1:1 is plural in the original. If
there is only one person in the Godhead, the term would be singular.
However, the Word existed at the very beginning of time along with the
Father and the Holy Spirit (John 1:1-3). Thus, we are thankful the
“Word became flesh” leaving heaven’s glory to be our perfect
sacrifice and example (Jn. 1:14).