Who is the First Person of the Trinity?

Definition and Identity

The First Person of the Trinity is traditionally identified as the Father—fully God, sharing the same divine essence as the Son and the Holy Spirit, yet distinct in personhood. The Father is acknowledged in Scripture as the Source and eternal Creator, presiding over all things and providing the framework in which the works of both the Son and the Holy Spirit are carried out.

Scriptural Foundations

Scripture plainly testifies to His deity and supremacy. From the very opening line, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1), we see Him as the Creator, an identity that is upheld throughout both Old and New Testaments. The Father’s prominence also appears in the Great Commission: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).

In early Christian writings, the Father is never seen as a lesser God but as the One who “so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son” (John 3:16). The Father’s full deity is confirmed by Jesus Himself, who prays, “Abba, Father” (Mark 14:36), revealing both an intimate and exalted relationship.

The Father in the Old Testament

Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, God is depicted as sovereign Lord over creation, as seen in Psalms, Isaiah, and other books. For example, Isaiah declares, “O LORD, You are our Father. We are the clay, and You are our potter” (Isaiah 64:8). While the term “Father” might not always be used in the personal sense that it appears in the New Testament, the role as Creator and Covenant Maker highlights His fatherly care for His people (Deuteronomy 32:6).

Archaeological finds such as the Dead Sea Scrolls have confirmed the reliable transmission of these Old Testament passages, demonstrating the continuity of belief that God stands supreme as the One who formed and sustains all things.

The Father in the New Testament

In the Gospels, Jesus frequently addresses God as “Father,” underscoring a relationship that is both intimate and unique. When Jesus teaches His disciples to pray, He instructs them to begin with “Our Father in heaven” (Matthew 6:9). This highlights not only God’s transcendence but also His approachability.

In the Epistles, the Father is shown as “the One who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead” (Romans 4:24), affirming His central role in the resurrection of the Son. Early Greek manuscripts such as the Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus preserve these writings and confirm the consistent portrayal of God’s fatherhood from the earliest Christian centuries.

Relationship with the Son and the Holy Spirit

The Father is eternally in relationship with the Son, who is described as “begotten from the Father” (cf. John 1:14, 18). Yet, there is no point of time at which the Son did not exist. Rather, the Son is eternally God. Likewise, the Holy Spirit is said to proceed from the Father and is equally divine (John 15:26).

No person of the Trinity is created; all share the same divine nature. The distinct roles do not imply subordination in essence but rather the perfect unity and harmony within the Godhead. While the Father is often shown as the One initiating and willing, the Son accomplishes redemption and the Spirit applies it to the believer’s heart.

Role of the Father in Salvation

Scripture frequently identifies the Father as the Architect of salvation. In Ephesians 1:3–4, Paul writes, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ… For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.” The Father’s saving purpose is loving and personal, seen in the sending of His Son (1 John 4:14) and the outpouring of the Spirit (Romans 8:14–15).

This overarching plan, extending from eternity past, reveals the Father’s heart to redeem a people from every nation. The consistency of the biblical manuscripts, as upheld by numerous textual scholars, underscores confidence in this message.

Eternal Attributes

Key attributes ascribed to the Father include holiness, love, omnipotence, omniscience, and immutability. The Father is described as “perfect” (Matthew 5:48) and unchanging in His character (James 1:17). His boundless love and justice together form the foundation for biblical teachings on morality and salvation, and they are manifested in the gift of His Son.

Historical and Apologetic Support

Various church councils and creeds in the first centuries of the Christian era (such as Nicaea, AD 325) confirmed what had already been taught in the New Testament about the Triune nature of God, declaring the Father to be neither made nor begotten but eternally existing, in full unity with the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Ancient manuscripts and testimonies reveal the early understanding of the Father’s identity as supreme, and archaeological data corroborates many of the historical claims in Scripture, giving further confidence that the First Person of the Trinity occupies this exalted status consistently across the biblical record.

Conclusion

The First Person of the Trinity is the Father—eternal, sovereign, and personal. Scripture consistently presents Him as the Creator, the initiator of salvation, and the One who shares unity of essence with the Son and the Holy Spirit. From earliest biblical writings to the New Testament’s clear affirmations, the Father stands as the bedrock of Christian understanding of the Godhead.