Who is God the Father, is still the theme of the theologians' discussions around the world. He is considered the Creator of the world and of man, the Absolute and at the same time the triune in the Holy Trinity. These dogmas, together with an understanding of the essence of the universe, deserve more detailed attention and analysis.
God the Father - who is he?
People knew the existence of a single God-Father long before Christ's Nativity, for example, the Indian "Upanishads", which were created fifteen hundred years before Christ. e. It says that in the beginning there was nothing but the Great Brahman. The peoples of Africa mention Olorun, who turned water chaos into heaven and earth, and on the 5th day created people. In many ancient cultures, there is the image of "higher reason - God the Father", but in Christianity there is a main difference - God is a triune. To put this concept into the minds of those who worshiped pagan deities, a trinity appeared: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
God the Father in Christianity is the first hypostasis of the Holy Trinity , He is revered as the Creator of the world and of man. Theologians of Greece called God the Father the basis of the integrity of the Trinity, which is known through His Son. Much later, philosophers called Him the original definition of the highest idea, God the Father Absolute - the foundation of the world and the beginning of existence. Among the names of God the Father:
- The Sabaoth, the Lord of Hosts, is mentioned in the Old Testament and in the Psalms.
- Yahweh. Described in the story of Moses.
What does God the Father look like?
What does God look like, the Father of Jesus? There is still no answer to this question. The Bible mentions that God spoke to people in the form of a burning bush and a pillar of fire, and no one can ever see Him with their own eyes. He sends angels instead of himself, because man can not see him and remain alive. Philosophers and theologians are sure: God the Father exists outside of time, therefore can not change.
Since God the Father was never shown to people, the Stoglav Cathedral in 1551 imposed a ban on His images. The only acceptable canon was the image of Andrei Rublev "Trinity". But today there is a "God-Father" icon, created much later, where the Lord is depicted as a gray-haired Elder. It can be seen in many churches: at the very top of the iconostasis and on the domes.
How did God the Father appear?
Another question, which also does not have a clear answer: "Where did God the Father come from?" The option was one: God existed always as the Creator of the Universe. Therefore, theologians and philosophers give two explanations for this position:
- God could not appear, because then there was no concept of time. He created it, together with space.
- To understand where God came from, you need to think outside the universe, outside of time and space. A man is not capable of this yet.
God the Father in Orthodoxy
In the Old Testament, there is no appeal to God from the people "Father", and not because they have not heard of the Holy Trinity. Just the situation in relation to the Lord was different, after the sins of Adam people were banished from paradise, and they moved into the camp of God's enemies. God the Father in the Old Testament is described as a formidable force, punishing people for disobedience. In the New Testament He is already the Father to all who believe in Him. The unity of the two texts is that the same God speaks and acts in both for the salvation of mankind.
God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ
With the advent of the New Testament, God the Father in Christianity is already mentioned in reconciliation with people through His Son Jesus Christ. In this Testament it is said that the Son of God was the harbinger of the adoption of people by the Lord. And now believers receive a blessing not from the first incarnation of the Most Holy Trinity, but from God the Father, as the sins of mankind were redeemed on the cross by Christ. In the sacred books it is written that God is the Father of Jesus Christ, who at the time of the baptism of Jesus in the waters of the Jordan appeared in the form of the Holy Spirit and commanded people to obey His Son.
Trying to clarify the essence of faith in the Most Holy Trinity, theologians set forth such postulates:
- All three Faces of God have the same Divine dignity, on equal terms. Since God is one in His being, the attributes of God are inherent in all three aspects.
- The only difference is that God the Father does not emanate from anyone, but the Son of the Lord was born from God the Father forever, the Holy Spirit proceeds from God the Father.