The Trinity in the Bible

One of the central doctrines common to almost all modern denominations of Christianity is that of the Trinity. The Trinity is the idea that God exists in three persons, yet is still one. However, nowhere in the Bible does the word “Trinity” appear. Does that mean - assuming the Bible is correct - that this doctrine is wrong? Perhaps, but the Bible doesn’t mention zebras, either, and they most certainly exist.

There is evidence of the Trinity in the Bible, however. Take the Gospel of John 14:6-11:

⁶Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” ⁸Philip said to him, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” ⁹Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. ¹¹Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves.”

Here, Jesus doesn’t use any of the words now used to explain the Trinity - namely, hypostasis and consubstantial. He also only mentions two persons of the Trinity - God the Father and God the Son - and leaves out the third - God the Holy Spirit.

I don’t think - although I certainly could be wrong - that Jesus is trying to lay out the entire Trinitarian formula here. He’s just explaining that he is “consubstantial” with God the Father - that God the Father is in God the Son, and that God the Son is in God the Father.