Trespass – Trine Immersion; Triune Immersion

Trespass

tres'-pas: To pass over, to go beyond one's right in place or act; to injure another; to do that which annoys or inconveniences another; any violation of law, civil or moral; it may relate to a person, a community, or the state, or to offenses against God. The Hebrew 'asham ("sin"), is used very frequently in the Old Testament when the trespass is a violation of law of which God is the author. The Greek word is paraptoma.

In the Old Testament an offering was demanded when the offense was against God: a female lamb; in other cases, according to the magnitude of the wrong, a ram or a goat; the offering was to be preceded by a confession by the one committing the trespass. If the trespass was against a human being, the wrong-doer must make it right with the person, and when reconciliation should have been effected, then the offering for sin was to be made. See under SACRIFICE, "Trespass Offering." If a person's property has been injured, then the trespasser shall add a fifth to the value of the property injured and give that to the injured party (Leviticus 6:5). Zaccheus, wanting to make full restitution, went beyond the demands of the Law (Luke 19:1–9).

The New Testament teaching on the subject is, first to be reconciled to the brother and then offer, or worship (Matthew 5:23,Matthew 5:24). In all cases, also, the offended party must forgive if the offender shall say, "I repent" (Matthew 6:14; Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13). We have been alienated by our trespasses from God (Ephesians 2:1). It was the Father's good will to reconcile all to Himself through Christ (Colossians 1:20–22). We must be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:20,2 Corinthians 5:21). This being done, our trespasses shall be forgiven and we shall be justified.

David Roberts Dungan

Trespass Offering

See SACRIFICE.

Trial

tri'-al.

See COURTS, JUDICIAL; SANHEDRIN.

Trial Of Jesus

See JESUS CHRIST, THE ARREST AND TRIAL OF.

Tribe

trib (in the Old Testament always for matteh, 183 times, or shebhet, 145 times, also spelled shebhet; Aramaic shebhat (Ezra 6:17)): Both words mean "staff," and perhaps "company led by chief with staff" (OHL, 641) is the origin of the meaning "tribe." In the Apocrypha and New Testament always for phule, from phuo, "beget," with dodekaphulon, "twelve tribes," in Acts 26:7. Of the two Hebrew words, shebhet appears to be considerably the older, and is used in Psalms 74:2; Jeremiah 10:16; Jeremiah 51:19 of the whole people of Israel, and in Numbers 4:18; Judges 20:12 (Revised Version margin); 1 Samuel 9:21 (Revised Version margin) of subdivisions of a tribe (but the text of most of these six verses is suspicious). Further, in Isaiah 19:13, shebhet is used of the "tribes" (nomes?) of Egypt and phule in Matthew 24:30 of "all the tribes of the earth," but otherwise shebhet, matteh and phule refer exclusively to the tribes of Israel. In 2 Samuel 7:7 for shibhete, "tribes," read shophete, "judges" (of the Revised Version margin).

Burton Scott Easton

Tribulation

trib-u-la'-shun (tsar, tsar, "staid," "narrow," "pent up"; compare Numbers 22:26):

1. In the Old Testament:

Closely pressed, as of seals (Job 41:15 (Job 41:7)); of streams pent up (Isaiah 59:9 margin); of strength limited (Proverbs 24:10, "small"). Hence, figuratively, of straitened circumstances; variously rendered "affliction," "tribulation," "distress" (Deuteronomy 4:30; Job 15:24; Job 30:12; Psalms 4:2; Psalms 18:7; Psalms 32:7; Psalms 44:11, etc.; Psalms 78:42; Psalms 102:3; Psalms 106:44; Psalms 119:143; Isaiah 26:16; Isaiah 30:20; Hosea 5:15; Ezekiel 30:16). Frequently, the feminine form (tsarah) is similarly rendered "tribulation" (Judges 10:14 the King James Version; 1Sa 10:19 the King James Version; 1 Samuel 26:24); in other places "distress," "affliction" (Genesis 42:21; Psalms 120:1; Proverbs 11:8; 2 Chronicles 20:9; Isaiah 63:9; Jeremiah 15:11; Jonah 2:2; Nahum 1:9; Zechariah 10:11).

2. In the New Testament:

The Greek is thlipsis, a "pressing together" (as of grapes), squeezing or pinching (from verb thlibo); used figuratively for "distress," "tribulation"; Septuagint for tsar and tsarah; Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) tribulatio pressura (from tribulum, "a threshing sledge"). The verb form is rendered "suffer tribulation" (1 Thessalonians 3:4 the King James Version, "suffer affliction" the Revised Version (British and American)); "trouble" (2 Thessalonians 1:6 the King James Version, "afflict" the Revised Version (British and American); compare 2 Corinthians 1:6; 2 Corinthians 4:8; 2 Corinthians 7:5; 1 Timothy 5:10; Hebrews 11:37). The noun form is rendered in the King James Version variously as "tribulation," "affliction," "persecution," though more uniformly "tribulation" in the Revised Version (British and American). The word is used generally of the hardships which Christ's followers would suffer (Matthew 13:21; Matthew 24:9,Matthew 24:21,Matthew 24:29; Mark 4:17; Mark 13:19,Mark 13:24; John 16:33; 1 Corinthians 7:28); or which they are now passing through (Romans 5:3; Romans 12:12; 2 Corinthians 4:17; Philippians 4:14); or through which they have already come (Acts 11:19; 2 Corinthians 2:4; Revelation 7:14).

Edward Bagby Pollard

Tribute

trib'-ut (mac, "tribute," really meaning "forced laborers," "labor gang" (1 Kings 4:6; 1 Kings 9:15,1 Kings 9:21); also "forced service," "serfdom"; possibly "forced payment" is meant in Esther 10:1; the idea contained in the modern word is better given by middah (Ezra 6:8; Nehemiah 5:4)): Words used only of the duty levied for Yahweh on acquired spoils are mekhec, "assessment" (Numbers 31:28,Numbers 31:37,Numbers 31:38,Numbers 31:39,Numbers 31:40,Numbers 31:41), belo, "excise" (Ezra 4:13,Ezra 4:10; Nehemiah 7:24), massa', "burden" (2 Chronicles 17:11), and `onesh, "fine" or "indemnity" (2 Kings 23:33; compare Proverbs 19:19). The translation "tribute" for miccath, in Deuteronomy 16:10 is wrong (compare the Revised Version margin). kensos (Matthew 22:17; Mark 12:14) = "census," while phoros (Luke 20:22; Luke 23:2; Romans 13:6,Romans 13:7), signifies an annual tax on persons, houses, lands, both being direct taxes. The phoroi were paid by agriculturists, payment being made partly in kind, partly in money, and are contrasted with the tele of the publicans, while kensos is strictly a poll tax. The amount of tribute required as a poll tax by the Romans was the didrachmon (Matthew 17:24), the King James Version "tribute," the Revised Version (British and American) "half-shekel." The stater (Matthew 17:27), was a tetradrachm, "one shekel," or pay for two. After the destruction of Jerusalem, the Jews were required to pay this poll tax toward the support of the worship of Jupiter Capitolinus. Different kinds of personal taxes were raised by the Romans:

(1) an income tax,

(2) the poll tax.

The latter must be paid by women and slaves as well as by free men, only children and aged people being exempted. The payment exacted began with the 14th year in the case of men and the 12th in the case of women, the obligation remaining in force up to the 65th year in the case of both. For purposes of assessment, each person was permitted to put his own statement on record. After public notice had been given by the government, every citizen was expected to respond without personal visitation by an official (see Luke 2:1 ff). On the basis of the records thus voluntarily made, the tax collectors would enforce the payment of the tribute.

See also TAX, TAXING.

Frank E. Hirsch

Tribute Money

(to nomisma tou kensou (Matthew 22:19), "the coin used in payment of the imperial taxes"): Lit. "the lawful money of the tax," which, in the case of the poll tax, had to be paid in current coin of the realm (see Matthew 17:27).

Triclinium

tri-klin'-ti-um (Latin from Greek triklinion, from tri and kline, "a couch"): A couch for reclining at meals among the ancient Romans, arranged along three sides of a square, the fourth side being left open for bringing in food or tables, when these were used. In the larger Roman houses the dining-rooms consisted of small alcoves in the atrium arranged to receive triclinia. In early Old Testament times people sat at their meals (Genesis 27:19; Judges 19:6; 1 Samuel 20:5; 1 Kings 13:20). Reclining was a luxurious habit imported from foreign countries by the degenerate aristocracy in the days of the later prophets (Amos 2:8; Amos 6:4). Still, we find it common in New Testament times (Matthew 9:10; Matthew 26:7; Mark 6:22,Mark 6:39; Mark 14:3,Mark 14:18; Luke 5:29; Luke 7:36,Luke 7:37; Luke 14:10; Luke 17:7; John 12:2; in these passages, though English Versions of the Bible read "sat," the Greek words are anakeimai, sunanakeimai, anapipto, katakeimai and anaklino, all indicating "reclining"; compare Joh 13:23; 21:20; here the King James Version translates these words "lean," probably with reference to the Jewish custom of leaning at the Passover feast). In John 2:8,John 2:9 the ruler or governor of the feast is called architriklinos, that is, the master of the triclinium.

See MEALS, III.

Nathan Isaacs

Trim

The only non-modern use is in Jeremiah 2:33, "How trimmest thou thy way to seek love!" used for yatabh, "to make good," here "to study out," and the whole phrase means "to walk in an artificial manner," "like a courtesan."

Trine Immersion; Triune Immersion

trin tri'-un i-mur'-shun:

I. LINGUISTIC BASIS

1. Immersion

2. Triple Action

II. DOCTRINAL ARGUMENT

III. HISTORICAL PRACTICE

1. The Jews

2. John the Baptist

3. The Didache

4. Justin Martyr

5. Tertullian

6. Eunomius

7. Greek Church

LITERATURE

I. Linguistic Basis.

1. Immersion:

The meaning of the word baptizo, is "to dip repeatedly," "to sub-merge" (Thayer, Greek Lexicon of the New Testament). It is probably the frequentative of bapto, "to dip," meaning "to dip repeatedly." The word baptizo (and baptisma) in the New Testament is "used absolutely, `to administer the rite of ablution,' `to baptize' " (same place) . It is "an immersion in water, performed as a sign of the removal of sin," etc. (same place) ; "Baptizo, to dip in or under water" (Liddell and Scott, Greek Lexicon).

2. Triple Action:

The threefold immersion is based upon the Trinity into which the believer is to be baptized "into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (eis to onoma tou patros kal tou huiou kai tou hagiou pneumatos, Matthew 28:19). (On the genuineness of this passage see Plummer, Commentary on Matthew.)

II. Doctrinal Argument.

Whether Jesus spoke the words of Matthew 28:19 as a baptismal formula or not does not affect the question. The passages in Acts, "in the name of Jesus Christ" (2:38; 10:48), and "in the name of the Lord Jesus" (8:16; 19:5), are not baptismal formulas, but mean the confession of Christ with all that Christ stands for, namely, the fullness of God and His salvation. The idea of the Trinity pervades the New Testament and many of the earliest writings (compare 1 Corinthians 12:4–6; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 2:18; Ephesians 3:14–17; Ephesians 4:4–6; 2 Thessalonians 2:13–15; Hebrews 6:4–6; 1 John 3:23,1 John 3:24; 1 John 4:2; Jude 1:20,Jude 1:21; Revelation 1:4,Revelation 1:5). "Baptized into Christ" has the same religious content as Matthew 28:19. Triune immersion is the symbol of baptism into the Triune God. All believers in the Trinity should see the consistency of this symbol. Baptism is the symbol

(1) of a complete cleansing,

(2) of death,

(3) of burial,

(4) of resurrection, and

(5) of entering into full union and fellowship with the Triune God as revealed by Christ.

Triune immersion is the only symbol that symbolizes all that baptism stands for. Note the words of Sanday on Romans 6:1–14 (comm. on Rom, ICC, 153): "Baptism has a double function:

(1) It brings the Christian into personal contact with Christ, so close that it may fitly be described as personal union with Him.

(2) It expresses symbolically a series of acts corresponding to the redeeming acts of Christ. Immersion = Death. Submersion = Burial (the ratification of Death). Emergence = Resurrection. All these the Christian has to undergo in a moral and spiritual sense, and by means of his union with Christ." Hence, the psychological need of a true symbol, triune immersion, to teach and impress the significance of the new life.

III. Historical Practice.

1. The Jews: The Jews received proselytes by circumcision, baptism (complete immersion) and sacrifice (Schurer, HJP, II, 2, pp. 319 f; Edersheim, LTJM, II, 745, and I, 273). John the Baptist, baptized "in the river Jordan" (Matthew 3:6) and "in AEnon near to Salim, because there was much water there" (John 3:23).

2. John the Baptist:

Philip and the eunuch "both went down into the water" and they "came up out of the water." All New Testament baptisms were by immersion (see also Romans 6:1–11).

3. The Didache:

The Didache (100-150 AD) chapter vii: "Baptize into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit in living (running) water. But if they have not living water, baptize into other water; and if thou canst not in cold, in warm" (baptisate eis to onoma tou patos kai tou huiou kai tou hagiou pneumatos en hudati zonti). "But if thou have not either, pour out water thrice (tris) upon the head into the name of the Father and Son and Holy Spirit." Here the triple action is maintained throughout, even in clinical baptism, while immersion is the rule.

Justin Martyr (Apology i.61) describes baptism which can only be understood as triune immersion.

4. Justin Martyr:

Tertullian (De Corona, iii) says, "Hereupon we are thrice immersed" (dehinc ter mergitamur). Again (Ad Praxeam, xxvi), "And lastly he commands them to baptize into the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, not into a unipersonal God.

5. Tertullian:

And indeed it is not only once but three times that we are immersed into the Three Persons, at each several mention of their names" (nam nec semel, sed ter, ad singula nomina, in personas singulos, tinguimur).

6. Eunomius:

Eunomius (circa 360) introduced single immersion "into the death of Christ." This innovation was condemned. Apostolical Constitutions, 50, says, "If any presbyter or bishop does not perform the one initiation with three immersions, but with giving one immersion only into the death of the Lord, let him be deposed." Single immersion was allowed by Gregory the Great (circa 691) to the church in Spain in opposition to the Arians who used a trine (not triune) immersion (Epis., i.43). This was exceptional.

7. Greek Church:

The Greek church has always baptized by triune immersion. The historical practice of the Christian church may well be summed up in the words of Dean Stanley: "There can be no question that the original form of baptism--the very meaning of the word--was complete immersion in the deep baptismal waters; and that for at least four centuries, any other form was either unknown, or regarded, unless in the case of dangerous illness, as an exceptional, almost monstrous case. .... A few drops of water are now the western substitute for the threefold plunge into the rushing river or the wide baptisteries of the East" (History of Eastern Church, 28). "For the first three centuries the most universal practice of baptism was .... that those who were baptized, were plunged, submerged, immersed into the water" (Christian Institutions, p. 21).

See further, BAPTISM; LITERATURE, SUB-APOSTOLIC, II, 5.

LITERATURE.

James Quinter, Triune Immersion as the Apostolic Form of Christian Baptism; C. F. Yoder, God's Means of Grace, Brethren Pub. House, Elgin, Ill., U.S.A.; Smith, Dict. of Christian Antiquities; Hastings, ERE; Bible Dicts.; Church Fathers; Church Histories, and Histories of Baptism.

Daniel Webster Kurtz