God is one, without parent or child. Jesus is the Messiah and servant of God—not God Himself. Below you’ll find the plain verses, a fair Unitarian vs Trinitarian comparison, and a concise history from Tertullian of Carthage to Nicaea and beyond.
Both the Bible and the Qur’an testify that Jesus (peace be upon him) came from a real, human family. This alone shows he is part of creation, not the Creator.
Having a mother, extended family, and human lineage shows that Jesus was born into the world like any other man. The Creator has no parents, uncles, or grandparents — “He begets not, nor is He begotten” (Qur’an 112:3).
Short, checkable points from scripture and straightforward logic.
A being with no beginning cannot be begotten. Begetting implies origin; God has none.
Qur’an 112:3 · Isaiah 44:6
Jesus had a mother, prayed to God, and called the Father “my God.” This shows distinction, not identity.
Luke 1:31 · Mark 14:36 · John 20:17
In scripture, “son of” often means chosen/representative. The title marks mission, not essence.
1 Tim 2:5 · idiom: “sons of the prophets”
Snapshot of claims measured against the core verse.
| Topic | Unitarian | Trinitarian | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| God’s Nature | One Person — the Father | One Being; three co-equal Persons | Isa 45:22; Deut 6:4; Qur’an 112 |
| Jesus’ Identity | Messiah, servant, Son (title) | Eternal divine Son; incarnate | Luke 1–2; John 1 (Trin. reading) |
| Prayer & Dependence | Prays to God; receives authority | Human nature prays; divine does not | Mark 14:36; John 5:30; 17:3 |
| “Begetting” | Literal begetting cannot apply to God | “Eternal generation” (timeless) | Qur’an 112 vs metaphysics |
| Worship | Worship God alone | Worship Father, Son, Spirit | Deut 6:4; John 4:23-24 |
The New Testament doesn’t contain the word “Trinity.” The doctrine developed over centuries through debates and councils.
A North-African (Carthaginian) theologian often credited with introducing Latin terms like Trinitas and persona. He argued for one divine substantia (substance) shared by Father, Son, and Spirit, while still distinguishing them as persons. His model sought to defend Christ’s exalted status against rival views.
Key: coined language and categories later used in creeds.
Nicaea (325) affirmed the Son as “of one substance” (homoousios) with the Father, responding to subordinationist views (often called “Arian”). Constantinople (381) expanded this, treating the Spirit as fully divine. These creeds formalized concepts that are not laid out in one place in scripture.
Key: creed first, then later biblical proof-texting to fit the creed.
Across history, currents insisting on the Father’s sole deity persisted: early Jewish-Christian groups (often labeled “Ebionites”), later rational dissenters, and modern Unitarians and Muslims. Common thread: God is one Person; Jesus is His Messiah and servant.
Key: continuity of strict monotheism.
Often translated “only-begotten,” but many scholars take it as “unique/one-of-a-kind.” If “unique,” it doesn’t teach literal divine begetting.
Sense: uniqueness of the Son’s role, not origin within God.
Biblically used for kings, Israel, and the righteous. For Jesus, it marks his messianic authority granted by God—not identity as God Himself.
See 2 Sam 7; Ps 2; Luke 1.
Unitarian reading: unity of mission/authority, not identity of essence. Compare John 17:11, 21 where disciples are to be “one” in the same manner.
Trinitarian reading: personal deity of the Son pre-incarnate. Unitarian response: “God’s self-expression/wisdom” (logos) embodied in the man Jesus; grammar and context allow a qualitative sense (“divine”).
Recognition of God’s power at work in the risen Messiah; titles can reflect agency (the one who represents God bears God’s name/authority). Jesus still says “my God” (20:17), keeping the hierarchy clear.
Unitarian reading: Christ, in God’s image/privilege, chose humble obedience; God exalted him (he didn’t exalt himself). Exaltation by Another implies subordination.
Idiomatic for precedence/authority from God’s plan; or echoing divine mission language. The passage still depicts a prophet authorized by God, not the Source Himself.
A triadic formula doesn’t equal a triune ontology; scripture has many triads without teaching co-equality or consubstantiality.
No. It’s pro-Jesus and pro-scripture: worship the Father, the only true God (John 17:3), honor the Messiah whom God raised and exalted (Acts 2:36).
No. They affirm God empowered Jesus with miracles and raised him from the dead—while keeping God and His Messiah distinct.
From attempts to explain Father-Son-Spirit relations using philosophical terms. Tertullian (Carthage) popularized Latin categories; later councils fixed the creed. The exact creedal wording is not found as a single statement in scripture.
It’s a theological construct meant to avoid saying the Son has a beginning in time, but scripture never uses the phrase or explains the mechanism.
The Creator is one, without parent or child. Jesus is His anointed servant and messenger. Believe in God, follow the Messiah.
Point people to the plain oneness of God and the true role of the Messiah.