The Triune God: Part 1.

Chapter 13 has as its subject the divine Trinity. Scripture reveals the true God, idols do not. This true God is revealed as Triune; and Calvin spends a lot of time explaining from Scripture that the true God is one in essence yet three in Persons.

In the McNeill, Battles edition chapter 13 spans from page 120 to 159. Because of its length we will summarize the chapter in 3 parts.


1. God Almighty is an immeasurable and Spiritual Being. Yet, He has spoken of Himself to us, in a way we can understand, and know something of Him. As Calvin says, "God is wont in a measure to "lisp in speaking to us?" (Pg., 121). This "lisp" is found in Scripture and Scripture speaks of one true God who is in three Persons. In other words, the true God is a Trinity. The Triune God, "Father and Son and Spirit are one God, yet the Son is not the Father, nor the Spirit the Son" (Pg., 126).

2. Calvin's use of the term subsistence explains the most important conception in this doctrine. Here is an explanation of the term.
We first consider Person. Person, therefore, I call a "subsistence" in God's essence, which, while related to the others, is distinguished by an incommunicable quality" (Pg.,128).
Next the word subsistence. “Subsistence” is something different than essence. Essence talks of unity. Father, Son and Holy Spirit are the same in essence, co-equal, co-eternal. However, Scripture tells us that the Father and Son are alongside one another, indicating that one is as personal as the other. This demands that there is a personal relationship between Father and Son and Holy Spirit.
Connect this to Jn 1:1. "He recalls us to the essence as a unity. But because He could not be with God without residing in the Father, hence emerges the idea of a subsistence" (Pg., 128).
Now, of the three subsistences I say that each one, while related to the others, is distinguished by a special quality. Calvin explains this relationship in 3 ways. (1) "Where simple and definite mention is made of God, this name pertains no less to the Son and the Spirit than to the Father. (2) But as soon as the Father is compared with the Son, the character of each distinguishes the one from the other. (3) And whatever is proper to each individually, I maintain to be incommunicable because whatever is attributed to the Father as a distinguishing mark cannot agree with, or transferred to, the Son." (all quotes above on Pg., 128)

3. Because God is 3 Persons there is an "economic Trinity" in God which has no effect on the unity of essence.

4. Lets consider Christ who is the "Word" which means, "The everlasting Wisdom, residing with God, from which both all oracles and all prophecies go forth" (Pg.,129).

5. "Unchangeable, the Word abides everlasting one and the same with God, and is God Himself.....Therefore we again state that the Word, conceived beyond the beginning of time by God, has perpetually resided with Him. By this, His eternity, His true essence, and His divinity are proved" (Pg., 130 & 131).

6. Christ is brought forward by the writers of the OT both, "as God and as adorned with the highest power, which is the characteristic mark of the one God" (Pg., 131). [Is 9:6; Jer 23:5-6; 33:15-16]

7. The N.T builds upon the information of the OT and both abound in telling the church that Jesus Christ is divine. Christ is the fulfillment of all things.

8. By His works and miracles we are illuminated to the truth that He (Christ) is divine. (See Calvin's writing on pg., 135-137. Excellent)