Did the Apostles Teach the Trinity?

If one were to rank the most common doctrines associated with Christianity, the Trinity would be near the top. Nearly all mainstream denominations believe in a three-person Godhead consisting of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Britannica defines the Trinity as “the unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three persons in one Godhead.” The definition goes on to proclaim the Trinity “one of the central Christian affirmations about God.”

Thus, the question must be asked: Is the Trinity biblical?

Since the concept of a triune God is so central to Christianity, we should expect to see it clearly and prominently taught in the writings of the apostles. We should certainly expect that early Church leaders like Peter, Paul and John would have taught about this doctrine as the Church was being established in the first century.

But did they?

Did Paul teach the Trinity?

Paul was one of the most prolific New Testament writers. With 13 letters attributed to him by name, we would surely expect him to clearly articulate the Trinity doctrine in his writings.

What’s more, Paul would probably have had more reason than anyone else to include an explanation of the Trinity in his epistles. Paul was an apostle primarily sent to the gentiles (Galatians 2:7-8). While some of the gentiles might have been proselytes or “God-fearers,” who worshipped at the synagogues, others would have had little to no knowledge of God before their conversion.

It was imperative that Paul lay the groundwork for these new Christians, teaching them what they needed to know about God.

As an apostle teaching many new Christians, Paul had to frequently address the nature of God. He often did battle with heretical views about Jesus Christ, including some that taught Christ was not really God in the flesh.

Paul wrote more books than any other New Testament author, so it is striking that the doctrine of the Trinity is absent from his writings.

Paul wrote more books than any other New Testament author, so it is striking that the doctrine of the Trinity is absent from his writings. While he refers to the Holy Spirit numerous times, he never describes it as a third person or a distinct entity within a triune Godhead. In fact, in passages where we might expect a Trinitarian formula, Paul notably omits the Holy Spirit, indicating he didn’t consider it to be a personality in the Godhead.   

Each of Paul’s epistles begins with a greeting to those he was addressing. In all of these greetings, Paul wishes them “grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 1:2; Ephesians 1:2; Philippians 1:2; Colossians 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:2; Philemon 1:3 see also Galatians 1:3; 1 Timothy 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:2; Titus 1:4).

All of His greetings include God the Father and Jesus Christ. 

Is it not curious that Paul consistently blesses the recipients of his letters with the grace of God the Father and Jesus Christ, yet repeatedly omits the Holy Spirit? If the Holy Spirit were a third, coequal person, wouldn’t its exclusion be insulting? Such a pattern raises serious questions about whether Paul—and the early Church—considered the Holy Spirit to be a separate divine being in the way the later developed Trinitarian doctrine claims.

Now you may think, Just because Paul never mentions the Holy Spirit in his greetings doesn’t mean the Trinity is false.

Fair enough. An argument from silence is hardly conclusive. Nevertheless, you would be hard-pressed to prove the doctrine of the Trinity from Paul’s writings.

So let’s look at another apostle’s writings to see what he teaches.

Did John teach the Trinity?

John is perhaps the first apostle that many Christians would turn to in hopes of proving the doctrine of the Trinity. Though slightly less prolific than Paul, John still contributed much to the New Testament, including the Gospel of John; the epistles of 1, 2 and 3 John; and the book of Revelation. His epistles in particular address many of Christianity’s most fundamental beliefs. 

One section of 1 John is commonly used to support the doctrine of the Trinity, though we will find that it is not as it seems to be on the surface. 

At first glance, 1 John 5:7-8 seems to overwhelmingly support the idea of a triune God: “For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.”

Here, John seems to make a direct reference to the Trinity, pointing to “three that bear witness in heaven,” and naming the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. 

One section of 1 John is commonly used to support the doctrine of the Trinity, though we will find that it is not as it seems to be on the surface.  So, have we found an obvious reference to the Trinity, seemingly proving the doctrine once and for all?

Not so fast. 

If your Bible includes marginal notes, you may find a footnote for 1 John 5:7-8. Many translations point out that a portion of these verses appears in only a very few late Greek manuscripts.

Biblical scholars and historians widely acknowledge that this passage was altered by scribes, likely influenced by a Trinitarian theological bias. The section from “in heaven” to “on earth” is not found in the earliest Greek manuscripts, which shows it to be a later addition, rather than part of the original New Testament text.

Barclay’s Daily Study Bible includes this telling and honest explanation: “The facts are as follows. First, it does not occur in any Greek manuscript earlier than the 14th century . . . None of the great early fathers of the Church knew it . . . The first person to quote it is a Spanish heretic called Priscillian who died in AD 385. Thereafter it crept gradually into the Latin texts of the New Testament.”

Speaking of this addition, Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament goes so far as to say that, if these changes are genuine, then “no part of Scripture whatsoever can be proved either spurious or genuine” (Vol. 2, p. 367).

Most scholars believe the proper way 1 John 5:7-8 should be rendered is as follows: “For there are three that bear witness: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.” Read this way, the scripture is devoid of any hints about the Trinity.

Sadly, men tampered with these verses to add their own ideas to God’s Word. God warns against this in Deuteronomy 4:2, charging His people to never “add to the word which I command you.”

John, the apostle who was perhaps closest to Jesus, does not teach the Trinity in his writings.

Yet we might wonder whether one other apostle would have taught the Trinity.

Did Peter teach the Trinity?

Peter was, in many ways, one of the leading apostles of the early Church. Following Christ’s resurrection, he delivered the powerful sermon on the Day of Pentecost that led to the baptisms of thousands. It was also through Peter that God revealed He was calling gentiles into the Church.

If neither Paul nor John taught the Trinity, one might assume it would surely be found in the teachings of Peter.

Peter wrote only two books of the New Testament, and neither devotes much space to discussing God’s nature. Like Paul, Peter omitted mentioning the Holy Spirit in his greetings (1 Peter 1:3; 2 Peter 1:2-3).

Even Peter’s Pentecost sermon in Acts 2 contains no mention of a triune Godhead. Even Peter’s Pentecost sermon in Acts 2 contains no mention of a triune Godhead. The Holy Spirit was an integral subject of his message, however.

In that sermon, Peter spoke of God’s promise to pour His Spirit out on all flesh and how Christians can receive the Holy Spirit (verses 17-18, 38). However, at no point does he suggest—or even imply—that the Holy Spirit is a separate person within a triune God. 

Instead, Peter focuses on the greatness and power of God, whose steadfast promise to pour out His Spirit gives us hope of eternal life (verses 17-21). He focuses on the selfless sacrifice of Jesus Christ, whose death cleanses us of our sins and whose resurrection foreshadows our own (verses 22-35).

If the Holy Spirit were indeed the third of a triune God, it would have been irresponsible for Peter to leave this detail out of his Pentecost sermon.

We have to conclude: The apostles did not articulate the Trinity in their writings or recorded sermons. So, one question remains.

Why do Christians teach the Trinity?

The history of the Trinity is a complex and multifaceted story that extends beyond the pages of the Bible.

The doctrine of the Trinity began to take shape at the Council of Nicaea in A.D. 325, nearly three centuries after Christ’s death and resurrection. It was not fully developed and formalized until the Council of Constantinople in 381, almost 300 years after the New Testament period.

Despite lacking scriptural support for the doctrine, mainstream Christian churches continue to hold the Trinity as one of their most cherished beliefs. Yet they are hard-pressed to prove it from the very Bible they claim to teach. Many also struggle to adequately explain it, often describing it as a mystery beyond human comprehension.

Sadly, the Trinity has become so ingrained in Christian culture that it is difficult to imagine any mainstream denomination believing in anything other than a three-person Godhead. The idea is so prevalent that even translators let their own biases get the better of them in an attempt to insert it into God’s Word.  

Despite its prevalence in modern Christianity, the doctrine of the Trinity cannot be found in the New Testament. 

If you want to learn the truth about God’s Spirit and how it really works, we invite you to explore the “Holy Spirit” section of the Life, Hope & Truth website. Here, you’ll find information explaining what the Holy Spirit is, how to obtain it and what it means for your future.

Date Posted: July 28, 2025