The embedded Trinity

The Gospel of John makes reference to Jesus saying, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life." Those three words have long interested me. My interest grew when I learn the Greek for the three words: Roa (Way) Aletheia (Truth) and Zoe (Life.) I call these “the embedded Trinity” for I sense a strong parallel with the traditional Trinitarian persons of Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier. I see the parallel is Roa as Spirit, Aletheia as Christ, and Zoe as Creator. Roa guide the way to sanctification. Aletheia literally means “undisclosed” (revealed) within our human condition. Zoe is Creator-Life (notice that zoology holds zoe as its etymological root.

I call them embedded for I cannot abstract them from experience. Roa is know as we move along the way. A guiding, holy presence moves our experience along a path that we often give the name ‘journey.’ Alethia exposes truth by revealing the Holy in the midst of living. Zoe manifests herself within the specificity of living beings – something like the élan vital the philosopher Bergson wrote about. Each remain present as a sustaining process yet embedded in experience. Or so it seems to me.