Theodore Zachariades's Blog, page 3
December 4, 2016
Jesus Christ is the Creator Word
The Creator Word
Introduction
In John’s Gospel the prologue moves from the existence of the Logos, then to the fellowship of the Word with the Father, and finally to the Word’s deity and the notion that the Word is the creator.
All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
All is Made
This term “all’ can sometimes be restrictive, meaning all without distinction. Otherwise, “all” can be all-inclusive, meaning all without exception. The particular sense in any given writing depends on the context, and not on the meaning of the word per se. In John’s prologue, it is clear that the idea is all-encompassing. “All were made through him,” says the original. The proof comes in the next explanatory statement: “and without him was not anything made that was made.” This is designed to confirm that the Word is Creator, that everything is created by the Word, that there are no exceptions to the theological reality of creation having come from any other source than God.
All is Made by the Word
Again, this will be reminiscent of Scriptural language concerning the way of God’s creative work. In Psalm 33, we are told that “By the Word of the Lord were the heavens made . . . He spake and it was done, he commanded and it stood fast” (Psalm 33:6,9). In Colossians, the Apostle Paul teaches, in a high Christological text, that Jesus Christ is the creator (Colossians 1:16). And in Hebrews we are reminded that by the Son, God made the worlds (Hebrews 1:2). In the Apocalypse, John the theologian claims that Christ is the beginning (arche) of the creation of God (Revelation 3:14).
Conclusion
These passages confirm the cosmogonic truth that Jesus Christ is the Creator God. And furthermore, everything has been made, and that there is not a thing in the universe that is made that had another artificer than Jesus Christ the Son of God, the Word made flesh.
Hence, the Word is Creator. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised.
The post Jesus Christ is the Creator Word appeared first on Omnipresent-Jesus.
December 1, 2016
Scholarly Titles for Christology:
I have long been working through various scholarly titles in Christology research. I have provided an initial bibliography for students to whet their theological appetite. Now I want to share some of the weighty volumes that have challenged and stretched me.
Grillmeier, Aloys. Christ in Christian Tradition Volume One: From the Apostolic Age to Chalcedon (451). Translated by John Bowden (Atlanta, GA: John Knox, 1975). This is the First in a series of five volumes. The serious enthusiast will want them all!
________. Christ in Christian Tradition Volume Two: From the Council of Chalcedon (451) to Gregory the Great (590-604) Part One: Reception and Contradiction The Development of the Discussion about Chalcedon from 451 to the Beginning of the Reign of Justinian. Translated by Pauline Allen & John Cawte (Atlanta: GA: John Knox, 1987). This is the first of two parts.
________, & Theresia Hainthaler. Christ in Christian Tradition Volume Two: From the Council of Chalcedon (451) to Gregory the Great (590-604) Part Two: The Church of Constantinople in the Sixth Century. Translated by John Cawte & Pauline Allen (Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox, 1995).
Hardy, Edward R. with Cyril C. Richardson, eds. Christology of the Later Fathers (Louisville, KY: Westminster, 1954).
Think of these texts as presenting a laboratory of history where theology was hammered out in debate about the person of Christ. Only for serious readers!
The post Scholarly Titles for Christology: appeared first on Omnipresent-Jesus.
The Word Made Flesh
John 1.14. The Word was made flesh.
In my previous post, I presented the Greek text from John 1. This prologue will be reproduced here in English and an exposition will follow. Please note that I am using the ecclesiastical text (Affirmed by the Orthodox church or received text (Textus Receptus, that underlies the English Authorised, or King James Bible).
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
When the gospel of John opens with “In the beginning,” it is difficult to avoid the comparison with Genesis 1:1. For those familiar with Scripture this will be almost a reflex. Of course, in Hebrew the text ought to be translated “In beginning,” as there is no definite article. This resembles the Greek start of John’s gospel. “En arche,” also has no definite article.
It is at this point that we have a conceptual difficulty. We must speak of a beginning prior to the creation of time or else we must remain silent. The writer of John’s gospel echoes the same technical dilemma about a creation from “the beginning.” How can we speak of a beginning before there is time, which, is a created reality? We must or else we must remain silent. We are only following the authors of Scripture on this. So, what does John 1.1 mean?
The existence of the Word, as an entity that has always existed, begins this section. It is difficult to ascribe a clear referent to the word “Word.” We may be drawn to the Hebrew Old Testament, with its dabar, or Word of the Lord. We may be reminded of the philosophical predecessors of Stoicism with its doctrine of the Word as a rational principle or even a spark of divinity. Much has been made of the rhetorical notion of Word as that which is spoken. Hence, many have a predilection for the idea of “the Word of or from God.” The imagery is of God speaking His Word. As popular or as influential such an idea may be, I have to part company with those that hold such a view.
First, let us proceed with the following elements from the passage. “And the Word was with God,” is the next phrase. the same verb form is used in both the first part of the verse and in this part of the verse. The word “was” is een, in the Greek. It is in the imperfect tense. the eternal nature of the Word is underscored with this durative notion of the verb to be. The Word was (has always been), and the Word was (has always been) with God. Even before time, the Word was, and was with God. Let us look at the term “with.” It is the Greek preposition pros, “with” or more precisely, “toward.” Now one begins to understand why I have such a problem with those that speak of the Word of or from God. It simply is not there in the text. Sometimes, justification for that reading and notional concept is said to derive from the word “Word” itself. What can Word be if it is not something spoken that originates from God?
Of course, the Bible speaks of the spoken word of God, and of the written word of God. But in this context, it is a mistake to miss the normal use of the preposition in favor of a overly literal meaning of the term, Word, that clearly has personal overtones as can be seen from the entire context. In John 1.14, the same Word of 1.1 is said to be “made flesh.” Again, as can be seen in the passage this is a reference to the Man Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God. But prior to the incarnation there is no hint of derivation.If there is any movement, it is the Word God (Son) toward or unto the God (Father). These are the “raw materials” from which derives the doctrine of the Trinity.
It becomes clearer and clearer the more one pays heed closely to the passage in its details. The Word that was, and was with God, is next said to be God. This next phrase in the Greek is actually, “And God was that Word.” The word, “was” I have rendered in italics not to suggest it is missing from the original but to inform that it is the same Greek word, een, which was used prior to teach the durative nature of the Word’s existence. Now, it is even more astonishing that the text says, “God een O Logos.” This is not as Arians and Jehovah’s Witnesses assume, that the Word is a lesser god. Indeed the term Theos, has no article in this phrase. It has the full force of the same word, Theos, “God,” from the earlier portion. It is Logos that has the article indicating that Same Word that was and was with God is somehow, also God.
Putting these ideas together, we see the following:
Astounding particulars show the eternal nature of the One who became flesh as Jesus Christ of Nazareth. He existed always prior to His birth. He existed in a close intimate and personal relation with God the Father. Indeed, as the eternal companion with God, He is correctly referred to as Son, and more so as Only begotten Son. The One, designated as Word is mysteriously not only in fellowship with God, but is Himself God. Given the axiom of Monotheism, which, undergirds the Old and New Testaments, this can only mean that the One God has at least two persons in close proximity, distinguished but not identical, both having the title, God, rightly ascribed to them both. Hence, the Man that we see born in Bethlehem is none other than God manifest in the flesh.
This reflecting must lead to worship. What a mighty God we serve!
The post The Word Made Flesh appeared first on Omnipresent-Jesus.
November 30, 2016
John 1. The Highest Christology
Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ Λόγος,
καὶ ὁ Λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν,
καὶ Θεὸς ἦν ὁ Λόγος.
Οὗτος ἦν ἐν ἀρχῇ πρὸς τὸν Θεόν.
πάντα δι᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο,
καὶ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο
οὐδὲ ἓν ὃ γέγονεν.
ἐν αὐτῷ ζωὴ ἦν,
καὶ ἡ ζωὴ ἦν τὸ φῶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων.
καὶ τὸ φῶς ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ φαίνει,
καὶ ἡ σκοτία αὐτὸ οὐ κατέλαβεν.
᾿Εγένετο ἄνθρωπος ἀπεσταλμένος παρὰ Θεοῦ, ὄνομα αὐτῷ ᾿Ιωάννης·οὗτος ἦλθεν εἰς μαρτυρίαν, ἵνα μαρτυρήσῃ περὶ τοῦ φωτός, ἵνα πάντες πιστεύσωσι δι᾽ αὐτοῦ.οὐκ ἦν ἐκεῖνος τὸ φῶς, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα μαρτυρήσῃ περὶ τοῦ φωτός.
῏Ην τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινόν,
ὃ φωτίζει πάντα ἄνθρωπον
ἐρχόμενον εἰς τὸν κόσμον.
ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἦν,
καὶ ὁ κόσμος δι᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο,
καὶ ὁ κόσμος αὐτὸν οὐκ ἔγνω.
εἰς τὰ ἴδια ἦλθε,
καὶ οἱ ἴδιοι αὐτὸν οὐ παρέλαβον.
ὅσοι δὲ ἔλαβον αὐτόν,
ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν
τέκνα Θεοῦ γενέσθαι,
τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ,οἳ οὐκ ἐξ αἱμάτων, οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος σαρκός, οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος ἀνδρός, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ Θεοῦ ἐγεννήθησαν.
Καὶ ὁ Λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο
καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν,
καὶ ἐθεασάμεθα τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ,
δόξαν ὡς μονογενοῦς παρὰ πατρός,
πλήρης χάριτος καὶ ἀληθείας.
᾿Ιωάννης μαρτυρεῖ περὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ κέκραγε λέγων· οὗτος ἦν ὃν εἶπον, ὁ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν, ὅτι πρῶτός μου ἦν.
Καὶ ἐκ τοῦ πληρώματος αὐτοῦ
ἡμεῖς πάντες ἐλάβομεν,
καὶ χάριν ἀντὶ χάριτος·
ὅτι ὁ νόμος διὰ Μωϋσέως ἐδόθη, ἡ χάρις καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια διὰ ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐγένετο.Θεὸν οὐδεὶς ἑώρακε πώποτε· ὁ μονογενὴς υἱὸς ὁ ὢν εἰς τὸν κόλπον τοῦ πατρός, ἐκεῖνος ἐξηγήσατο.
The post John 1. The Highest Christology appeared first on Omnipresent-Jesus.
November 29, 2016
Period Christology: Jesus Christ Through the Ages.
Introduction:
What I call, Period Christology is a survey of how Christians viewed Jesus Christ in eras of Church history.
If you have an interest in the study of Christology, you will, no doubt, be a student of historical theology. Knowing how others have thought about the theology of Christ through the ages is highly important. If for no other reason, one will learn how to avoid many errors and heresies. Moreover, one can learn to appreciate the heroes and models of sound Christological construction.
New Testament:
Of course, the entire Bible ought to be diligently studied to understand Christ. My particular perspective is that the Old Testament is a Christian book and not a book of Judaism. Whichever direction one begins to read the Bible, it quickly becomes evident that a coming redeemer is central to the outworking of God’s purposes. In the familiar maxim regarding both Testaments: “the New is in the Old contained, and the Old is in the New explained.”
It is in the New Testament that Christology comes to its own. Both Matthew and Mark begin affirming Jesus as the Son of David, and as the Son of God. A two-nature Christology thus begins and underlies the synoptic gospels. Luke also has a high Christology as he includes from a different perspective the narratives surrounding the incarnation. The climax of Christology is no doubt the gospel of John. This book is a favorite among unbelievers and skeptics alike singled out for ridicule and rejection. For those whom God has opened their eyes, John it is at once the most elegant and far reaching Christology beginning with the Triune God and particularly the intimacy between God the Father and God the Son in its prologue, John 1:1-18. The Word is God. You cannot get higher than that!
Later in the subsequent books of the New Testament one finds more material that declares that Jesus is God, with such references as “Our Great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ,” (Titus 2:13); “righteousness of God and our saviour, Jesus Christ,” (2 Peter 1:1); and perhaps the most stunning words from Paul, in speaking of Jesus calls Him “God, overall blessed,” (Romans 9:5). Also see Hebrews 1:8, 1 John 5:20, and Revelation 1:1-20.
Beyond the Apostles:
Into the age of the Apologists we have much focus on the ethical lifestyle of believers and issues of ecclesiology are paramount. But we nevertheless find strong Christological Statements from various quarters. Ignatius of Antioch says, Christ is our God, and maintains a two nature-Christology with the following : he is “both flesh and spirit, born and not born, God in man, true life in death, both from Mary and from God, first passible and then impassible, Jesus Christ our Lord,” (Letter to the Ehesians, 7:2). From Justin the Martyr we see the devotional faith of the Apologist. Justin says, “We revere and worship the true God and the Son who came from Him . . .” (Apology, 1.6.2). Elsewhere, Justin refers to Jesus as “God and man,” (Dialogue with Trypho, 71.2).
Beginnings of Christology Proper: Irenaeus and Tertullian
Irenaeus battled Gnostics in his day. In his famous work, he declares that Jesus is “truly God” and “truly man,” (Against Heresies, 4.6.7). The Adam Christology that many moderns have rushed to was already anticipated in Irenaeus, but with a twist. The Bishop pastor of Lyon affirmed that Christ recapitulated all of Adam’s existence along wit the entire history of mankind. In order to undertake such a feat, Jesus was indeed the Word of God incarnate. Irenaeus is constantly affirming the human and divine natures in Christ as he refutes the Gnostics that severed the material from the spiritual. On and on, Irenaeus thunders away, “one and the same,” “one and the same,” pre-saging the Chalcedonian formula of the fifth century.
Nowhere was it as eloquently put, to this historical point, concerning the two-natures, than what we find in Tertullian. The Savior is composed of “two substances,” (Against Praxeas, 27) as he rendered the doctrine. And he also affirmed that of eternity the Father and the Word existed together: “we believe in only one God . . . the one and only God has also a Son, His Word, Who issued out of Himself” (Against Praxeas 2).
For study on this and other matters related to Christology, see the following:
Grant, Robert. Jesus After the Gospels Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox, 1990.
Kelly, J.N.D. Early Christian Doctrines (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1978 [1960]).
Richardson, Alan. Creeds in the Making (Philadelphia, PA: Fortress, 1935).
Wagner, Walter H. After the Apostles (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress, 1994).
The post Period Christology: Jesus Christ Through the Ages. appeared first on Omnipresent-Jesus.
November 28, 2016
What is Chalcedonian Christology?
There are certain sectors of the Eastern Orthodox church that have remained monophysite. The majority of Christians, however, have adopted the Chalcedonian formula of AD 451 for their christology. Here is a standard English edition:
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, of a reasonable [rational] soul and body; consubstantial [co-essential] 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.
So, we notice the important aspect of “in two natures.” This is significant because we must be careful to speak precisely in our Christology. It is not quite right to speak of Jesus Christ as “one person with two natures.” It is better to say, “He is one person in two natures.” Chalcedon was very specific about this and I think it is very important. Any time we are designating Christ it is always the person spoken of, and not the natures. For example, it is Christ, who is omnipotent. We ought not say, “it is the divine nature that is omnipotent.” The divine nature must be present, of course, otherwise Jesus Christ would not be all powerful, but we must be careful to attribute the properties to the person, who is in two natures.
The incarnation was God taking on a human nature. Now, Christ is in two natures for all eternity.
The post What is Chalcedonian Christology? appeared first on Omnipresent-Jesus.
November 27, 2016
How to Study Christology: Advanced Bibliography
For students that have taken some Bible courses, and maybe even some theology, specific Christology texts are the next stage. Christological treatises come in all shapes and sizes. My focus here will be on the very best evangelical contributions. Obviously, there will be a lot of overlap, but here are some very good treatments:
Gunn, James. Christ: The Fullness of the Godhead (Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers, 1983). Get Book
Gromacki, Robert. The Virgin Birth (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2002 [1974]). Get Book
Macleod, Donald. The Person of Christ (Downers Grove: IVP, 1998). Get Book
Morgan, Christopher W., & Robert A. Peterson, eds. The Deity of Christ (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2011). Get Book
Reymond, Robert L. Jesus: Divine Messiah (Fearn, UK: Mentor, 2003). Get Book
Walvoord, John F. Jesus Christ Our Lord (Chicago, IL: Moody, 1969). Get Book
Warfield, Benjamin W. The Lord of Glory (Birmingham, AL: Solid Ground Christian Books, 2003 [1907]). Get Book
Wells, David F. The Person of Christ (Alliance, OH: Bible Scholar Books, 1992 [1984]). Get Book
Wellum, Stephen J. God the Son Incarnate (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2016). Get Book
For those quick on the draw, you will find some incredible savings. Happy hunting, and fruitful study!
The post How to Study Christology: Advanced Bibliography appeared first on Omnipresent-Jesus.
November 26, 2016
How to Study Christology: A Beginning Bibliography
This will be an initial compilation of various titles on Christology. Some works may be considered to belong to New Testament or Historical Theology. I make no apology for including a wide array of titles. We need to think long and hard on Jesus Christ. We need all the help we can get. Of course, as a disclaimer, I do not necessarily endorse all the contents of the volumes I include on my site in any given post. However, I have sometimes learned much from those with whom I have specific methodological, presuppositional, religious, and theological differences. This, and subsequent bibliographies, are dedicated to all who want to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. I trust all will be edified and encouraged to dig deeper by obtaining and using the works.
Indispensable Titles:
The Bible (you may have a favored translation, but I would advise on a more literal version for serious study: KJV; NKJV; ESV; NASB are superior, imho).
A Harmony of the Gospels (There are many on the market, from inexpensive paperbacks to the scholarly publications of the German Bible society’s Greek Text editions. Get one and use it!).
Beginner’s Titles:
Allison, Gregg, R. Jesusology: Understanding What You Believe About Jesus and Why (Nashville: Broadman and Holman, 2005).
Blanchard, John. Meet the Real Jesus (Auburn, MA: Evangelical Press, 1989).
Bray, Gerald. Steps of Understanding: Key Events in Jesus’ Life (Fearn, UK: Christian Focus, 1998).
Harris, Murray, J. 3 Crucial Questions About Jesus (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1994).
Loane, Marcus, L. Jesus Himself: The Story of the Resurrection (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 2007).
Thomas, W. Griffith. Christianity is Christ (New Canaan, CT: Keats, 1981 [1909]).
Beyond Beginner’s Titles:
Guthrie, Donald. A Shorter Life of Christ (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1970).
LaHaye, Tim. Why Believe in Jesus (Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 2004).
Murray, David. Jesus on Every Page (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2013).
Olyott, Stuart. Jesus is Both God and Man (Auburn, MA: Evangelical Press, 2000 [1984]).
Reardon, Patrick Henry. The Jesus We Missed (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2012).
Wright, Chris. The Uniqueness of Jesus Christ (Grand Rapids: Monarch Books, 2001 [1997]).
Intermediate Titles:
Barclay, William. Jesus as They Saw Him (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1994 [1962]).
Bowman, Jr. Robert M. Jehovah’s Witnesses, Jesus Christ, and the Gospel of John (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1989).
Bowman, Jr. Robert M., & J. Ed Komoszewski. Putting Jesus in His Place (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2007).
Culver, Robert D. The Earthly Career of Jesus, the Christ (Fearn, UK: Mentor, 2002 [1976]).
Habermas, Gary, & Antony Flew. Did Jesus Rise From the Dead? (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1987).
Hoehner, Harold W. Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1977 [1973]).
Marshall, I. Howard. I Believe in the Historical Jesus (Iowa Falls, IA: World Bible Publishers, 2002 [1977]).
Thompson, Marianne Meye. The Incarnate Word (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1988).
Warrington, Keith. Discovering Jesus in the New Testament (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2010).
Zodhiates, Spiros. Was Christ God? (Chattanooga, TN: AMG, 1966).
Beyond Intermediate Titles:
Bird, Michael F. Jesus is the Christ (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2012).
Bird, Michael F., et al. How God Became Jesus (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2014).
Carey, George. God Incarnate (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 1977).
Chestnut, Glenn F. Images of Christ (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1984).
Marshall, I. Howard. The Origins of New Testament Christology (Leicester, UK: Apollos, 1990 [1976]).
McKnight, Scot. The Story of the Christ (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2006).
Moule, C.F.D. The Origin of Christology (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1977).
Peterson, David., ed. The Word Became Flesh (Carlisle, UK: Paternoster, 2003).
Spence, Alan. Christology: A Guide for the Perplexed (London, UK: T and T Clark, 2008).
Zahl, Paul F.M. A Short Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2000).
The post How to Study Christology: A Beginning Bibliography appeared first on Omnipresent-Jesus.
Welcome to Omnipresent-Jesus: A Christology Blog
Welcome to this christology blog, omnipresent-jesus.com, dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ.
The goal is to explore Christology in all its dimensions. I trust you will be edified, encouraged, and challenged to stretch your mind. Christ is worthy of our deepest adoration and contemplation. May He be glorified by the content on this forum.
The attribute of omnipresence has fascinated me for several years. One of my earliest convictions, since I became a believer nearly thirty years ago was that Jesus Christ is God the Son, the second person of the Trinity. However, as Jesus Christ incarnate is also a true human being, it is the perennial question of how to conceive the hypostatic union of the two natures in the one person. Even to pose the question in this manner is to make certain presuppositional commitments. For example, the language of two natures is distinctly Chalcedonian. The idea that Jesus is exactly one person rules out a version of fourth/fifth century Christology made famous, according to many scholars, by Nestorius of Constantinople.
In days ahead, as I post more posts from my ongoing research, it will become evident that a two-natured Christology makes sense of the raw data of the New Testament.
For the person that wants to know some of my past research on this question of the Incarnation you may want to secure a copy of my book: The Omnipresence of Jesus Christ: A Neglected Aspect of Evangelical Christology (Pateroster: UK, 2015). Available from Amazon.com and christianbook.com
Get it HERE
The post Welcome to Omnipresent-Jesus: A Christology Blog appeared first on Omnipresent-Jesus.
