Understanding the Oneness of God
Article 1
"Echad, Not Yachid"
Understanding the Oneness of God
Article 1 of the series "One Name, Three Presences: Rediscovering Biblical Monotheism."
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1. Introduction: A Troubling Question
Have you ever heard the accusation that Christians worship three Gods? Or perhaps you yourself have been confused: "How can the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit be one, yet also three?"
The answer to this confusion does not lie in Greek philosophy or 4th-century theological formulations. The answer lies in the Hebrew language and the way ancient Israelites thought—long before Jesus was born.
This is where we must begin: with a small word in Deuteronomy 6:4 that we have read all our lives without realizing its depth.
That word is אֶחָד — Echad.
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2. Two Words for "One" in Hebrew
In Hebrew, there are two words often translated as "one," but their meanings are very different:
Hebrew Word | Transliteration | Meaning | Example in the OT
יָחִיד | Yachid | Absolutely singular, only one, without parts | Genesis 22:2 — "Your only (yachid) son, Isaac"
אֶחָד | Echad | One that is a composite unity, one that is united | Genesis 2:24 — "The two shall become one (echad) flesh"
This difference is crucial. Yachid speaks of solitude—there is no other, no parts. Echad speaks of unity—many parts becoming one.
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3. Why Does Deuteronomy 6:4 Use Echad, Not Yachid?
This is what is called the Shema Yisrael—the core prayer of the Jewish faith:
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!"
(Deuteronomy 6:4)
In Hebrew, it reads:
שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָה אֶחָד
"Shema Yisrael, Adonai (YHWH) Eloheinu, Adonai (YHWH) Echad."
Notice: It does not say Adonai Yachid.
If Moses wanted to emphasize that God is "absolutely and indivisibly one," he would have used Yachid. But he used Echad.
Why? Because the God of Israel is not a silent and solitary God. He is a God within whom there is relationship, community, and dynamic unity.
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4. How Is Echad Used in the Old Testament?
Let us look at some examples of how Echad is used in the Hebrew text:
Verse | Use of Echad | Meaning
Genesis 2:24 | "The two shall become one (echad) flesh" | Two persons (Adam and Eve) become one complete unity
Genesis 34:16 | "We will become one (echad) people" | Many people unite into one community
Numbers 13:23 | "One (echad) cluster of grapes" | Many grapes in one cluster—one yet containing many
Ezekiel 37:17 | "The two shall become one (echad) in your hand" | Two sticks of wood become one unity
In all these cases, Echad means one that is composed of united parts. This is not "mathematically one" (1 = 1), but "organically one"—like one body, one nation, one cluster.
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5. Theological Implication: A Relational God
If God is Echad, then:
1. God is not solitary. Before the world was created, God already had relationship within Himself. He is not "absolute solitude."
2. God's oneness does not reject distinctiveness. Just as two persons (Adam and Eve) can become "one flesh" without losing their identity, so within God there is distinction that remains one.
3. Hebrew monotheism is not "unitarianism." The Israelites never imagined God as a "single point" without movement and without relationship. They imagined God as Echad—one who is alive, one who speaks, one who acts, one who sends.
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6. Connection to the New Testament: Jesus and Echad
When Jesus said in John 10:30:
"I and the Father are one."
He used the Greek: ἕν ἐσμεν (hen esmen) — "we are one" (neuter, not masculine). This means one unity, not "one person."
Jesus was not saying: "I am the Father" (which would be personal confusion). He was saying: "I and the Father are one Echad."
This is why the Jews who heard Him did not accuse Him of saying, "I am God," but they accused Him of saying, "I make myself equal with God" (John 10:33). They understood that Jesus was claiming essential unity with the Father—one Echad.
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7. A Simple Illustration: A Cluster of Grapes
Imagine a cluster of grapes. There are many grapes in it—each complete, each different, each with its own identity. But when you look at the cluster, you say: "This is one cluster."
Not "three clusters" or "many clusters." One cluster. But within that one cluster, there are many grapes united.
This is not a perfect picture of God (no picture is perfect), but it helps us break free from thinking of "mathematically one" and begin to understand "organically one."
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8. Reflection: Why Does This Matter for Our Faith?
Understanding Echad changes how we:
1. Pray: We do not pray to "three gods" or to "one lonely god." We pray to the Father, through the Son, in the Spirit—one living and relational God.
2. Love: If God is Echad—one that consists of relationship—then we are called to be Echad as His people. One body, many members (1 Corinthians 12:12).
3. Worship: We do not worship a distant and solitary God. We worship a God who has revealed Himself in relationship—the Father who sends, the Son who comes, the Spirit who dwells in us.
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9. Questions for Discussion or Personal Reflection
1. So far, how have you imagined the "oneness" of God? Is it closer to Yachid (absolute singularity) or Echad (composite oneness)?
2. Why do you think Moses chose the word Echad in Deuteronomy 6:4, rather than Yachid? What was God's intention through this word choice?
3. How can understanding Echad help you explain the Christian faith to a Jewish or Muslim brother or sister who accuses Christians of polytheism?
4. Read 1 Corinthians 12:12. How does the unity of the body of Christ reflect the Echad of God Himself?
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10. Memory Verse for This Week
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!"
— Deuteronomy 6:4
Memorize it in Hebrew (if possible):
שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָה אֶחָד
"Shema Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad."
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11. Conclusion: The Path Is Still Open
This article is the foundation for everything we will build next. If God is Echad, then:
It is no wonder that He can reveal Himself as Father, Son, and Spirit without losing His oneness.
It is no wonder that He can send a "Messenger" who bears His name (Exodus 23).
It is no wonder that Jesus can say: "I and the Father are one."
We have just laid the first stone. In the next article, we will see how this Echad God reveals Himself as "I Am Who I Am" in the burning bush—and how that declaration echoes all the way to the mouth of Jesus Himself.
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Continued in Article 2: "I Am Who I Am" — The Ontological Foundation of God Who Is Free to Reveal Himself
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