CHRISTOLOGY

APPROACHES TO CHRISTOLOGY

• Christology from Above – Historic, Ecumenical and Creedal Approach – – Postulates that God, the Second Person, took unto himself true humanity Does not rule out Christology from below 4/29/2020 Christology • Christology from Below – Favorite method of modern theologians – – Emphasizes humanity of Christ and his complete openness to God Does not rule out “from above” but infrequently goes there 2

ORTHODOX CHRISTOLOGY

• • • • Christ is God even as the Father is God Christ is Human even as we are, excepting for sin Christ is truly one person God, the SON, took unto himself a true human nature and became the God-Man 4/29/2020 Christology 3

CHRIST IS GOD

• Old Testament – Psalm 2:6-12, “You are my son” – – – – – – Psalm 45:6-7, “Your throne, O God” Psalm 110:1ff, “The LORD says to my Lord” Isaiah 9:6, “The Mighty God” Jeremiah 23:6, “The LORD our Righteousness” Micah 5:2, “from everlasting” Malachi 3:1, “the Lord will come to his temple” 4/29/2020 Christology 4

CHRIST IS GOD

• – – – – – New Testament: Matthew – Matthew 9:6, forgives sins – Matthew 11:7, complete knowledge of the Father Matthew 14:33, receives worship Matthew 16:16, “Son of God” Matthew 28:18, “All authority” Matthew 28:19, baptismal formula Matthew 7:21, 10:32-3, 11:25-7, “My Father” 4/29/2020 Christology 5

CHRIST IS GOD

• New Testament: John – – – – – – John 1:1, “Word was God” John 2:24 “knew what was in man” John 5:18 “making himself equal with God” John 11:1-14, Raising Lazarus from the dead John 20:28, “My Lord and My God” I John 1:3; 2:23; 4:14-5; 5:5, 10-13, 20 4/29/2020 Christology 6

CHRIST IS GOD

• New Testament: Other Texts – Romans 9:5, “God, over all, blessed” – – – – – – Philippians 2:6, “existed in the form of God” Colossians 2:9, “in him all fullness dwells” Titus 2:13, “the great God and our Savior” Hebrews 1:3, “exact representation of his nature” Hebrews 1:8, “Your throne, O God” Revelation 19:16, “King of Kings, Lord of Lords” 4/29/2020 Christology 7

CHRIST IS HUMAN

• • • • • Genesis 3:15, Seed of the Woman Genesis 49:8-10, Tribe of Judah II Samuel 7, Psalm 89, Family of David Isaiah 7:14, born of a virgin Isaiah 53, to suffer and die 4/29/2020 Christology 8

CHRIST IS HUMAN

• • • • • Matthew 1, Luke 2, Galatians 4:4, born Luke 2:52, grew in wisdom and stature Hebrews 2:14, had flesh and blood Luke 24:39, had flesh and bone Matthew 24:36, ignorant of the day of judgment 4/29/2020 Christology 9

DEFINITION OF CHALCEDON

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Inseparably Inconfusedly Unchangeably Indivisibly

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KEY TERMS

Son Hypostasis, Persona Human Ousia, Nature Divine Ousia, Nature

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Father-Hypostasis, Persona

One Divine

Substance

(Ousia) Christology

Holy Spirit Hypostasis, Persona

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HUMILIATION AND EXALTATION

The Creedal Cycle

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HUMILIATION

• He humbled himself, see Phil. 2:7, 8: Kenosis “He laid aside the divine majesty, the majesty of the sovereign Ruler of the universe, and assumed human nature in the form of a servant.” Berkhof, ST , 332.

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HUMILIATION

• • • • • •

Incarnation

(Gal. 4:4, Isa. 9:6, Heb/ 2:14, Phil. 2:7)

Made under the Law

(Gal. 4;4, John 6:38, Heb. 5:8, Phil. 2:8)

Sufferings and Death Death and Burial

(Isa. 53)

Wrath of God

(II Cor. 5:21, Isa. 53:12, Ps. 40:12, Matt. 27:46)

The descent into hell

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EXALTATION

• • • •

Resurrection

: John 2:19-21;10:18, 11:25; Acts 2:24, 32; 3:26, 5:30; Rom.6:4; I Cor. 15:20; Col. 1:18; Rev. 1:5

Ascension

: Mark 16:19; Luke 24:50-53; John 6:62; 14:2,12; 16:5, 10, 17, 28; 17:5; 20:17; Acts 1:6-11; Eph. 1:20; 4:8-10; I Tim. 3:16; Heb. 1:4; 4:14; 9:24 Session at the Right Hand of God : Matt. 26:64; Acts 2:33 36; 5:31; Eph.1:20-22; Heb. 10:12; I Peter 3:22; Rev. 3:21; 22:1; Rom. 14:9; I Cor. 15:24-28; Heb. 2:7,8; I John 2:1 Judging the World at the Last Day : John 5:22,27; Acts 10:42,17:31; Matt. 19:28; 25:31-34; Luke 3:17; Rom. 2:16; 14:9; I Cor. 3:13-15; II Cor. 5:10; II Tim. 4:1; James 5:9 4/29/2020 Christology 15

CHRISTOLOGICAL ERRORS

NOT TRULY GOD

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NO HUMAN SPIRIT

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CHRISTOLOGICAL ERRORS

NO HUMAN SPIRIT

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TWO PERSONS

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CHRISTOLOGICAL ERRORS

TWO PERSONS

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ONE NATURE

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COUNCILS

• • • • Nicea , A.D. 325, condemned Arianism as heresy (homoousios) Constantinople , A.D. 381, condemned Apollinarianism as heresy Ephesus , A.D. 431, condemned Nestorianism as heresy Chalcedon , A.D. 451, condemned Eutychianism as heresy 4/29/2020 Christology 19

DEFINITION OF CHALCEDON

We, then, following the holy Fathers, all with one consent, teach men to confess one and the same Son , our Lord Jesus Christ, the same perfect in Godhead and also perfect in manhood; truly God and truly man , or a reasonable soul and body; consubstantial with the Father according to the Godhead , and consubstantial with us according to the Manhood ; in all things like unto us, without sin ; begotten before all ages of the Father according to the Godhead, and in these latter days, for us and for our salvation, born of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, according to the Manhood; one and the same Christ , Son, Lord, Only-begotten, to be acknowledged in two natures inconfusedly , unchangeably , indivisibly , inseparably ; the distinction of natures being by no means taken away by the union, but rather the property of each nature being preserved, and concurring in one Person and one Subsistence not parted or divided into two persons, but one and the same Son , and only begotten, God the Word, the Lord Jesus Christ, as the prophets from the beginning have declared concerning him, and the Lord Jesus Christ himself has taught us, and the Creed of the holy Fathers has handed down to us.

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IMPECCABILTY

• Some argue if Christ were not able to sin, his temptations would not have been real. However – The Personality of Christ was that of God, the Logos – God cannot be tempted, James 1:13 – The Scriptures say he was tempted, Heb 2:18, 4:15 4/29/2020 Christology 21

IMPECCABILTY

• Further: – In his human nature, he did not know the outcome of his temptation, Heb. 5:7-10, Matt. 24:36 – A person with a human nature in its true integrity would be all the more grievously challenged by temptation than one with a sinful nature such as we have.

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CHRISTOLOGY