Jean O’Fee
Theo 201 B-16
Short Essay # 2
Short Essay on: Christology
“The Word became flesh.” (John 1:14) The Virgin Birth and the resurrection of Christ
are the first unique qualities of humanity that are biblically based. [1] Next you have the
Gospels, in Luke 2:7, His birth, His growth, Luke 2:40, 52. In John 4:6, where He was
tired and thirsty. His death in Luke 23:46. [2] All these biblical verses attest to Jesus’
human nature.
Jesus’ deity is proven biblically when God in His heavenly voice gives Jesus the
name, The Son of God at His baptism. (Luke 1:35) [3] He proves His deity through His
sinlessness, (Hebrews 4:15), His humility, (Philippians 2:3-11), His miracles, in the
Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Jesus claimed to be God, John 14:9; 8:58;
5:17,18; 1:3; 1:1; Mark 2:5-7, only God can do these things which Jesus did, that proves
His claim of deity. [4]
The hypo static union is the melding of Christ the human and Christ the Son of God,
Christ’s two natures, human and divine cannot be separated. At the incarnation of Jesus,
He became a human being. (John 1:14) This is part of the Word becoming flesh. Jesus
existed as and with God before becoming human, and retained His humanity to fulfill His
works with the Father. Even though most Christians accept the hypostatic union, it is hard
to understand it brought to its highest conscience capability. This is because we as
humans have finite minds, where God is infinite and we cannot fully understand His
works. [5]
Jesus as a man has a human body, human emotions, and a physical death. Jesus as
God, performed miracles, transcended physical death, and loves mankind
unconditionally. Biblically Jesus as God was worshiped (Matthew 2:2, 11), was called
God, (John 20:28, Hebrews 1:8), was called the Son of God, (Mark 1:1), is sinless,
(1Peter 2:22, Hebrews 4:15), He gives eternal life, (John 10:28), all the fullness of deity
dwells in Him, (Colossians 2:9). Jesus as man, worshiped the Father, (John 17), was
called man, (Mark 15:39; John 19:5), was called the Son of Man, (John 9:35-37), prayed
to the Father, (John 17), was tempted, (Matthew 4:1), He died, (Romans 5:8), He had a
body of flesh and bones, (Luke 24:39).
Jesus became incarnate because as the second person of the Trinity and being God,
He had to empty Himself of His God essence in order to become flesh to atone for man’s
sins. He became flesh so we could be reconciled with God, to know God’s love, to take
on our sins, so that we through Him could find salvation in God. [6]
If you deny Christ’s humanity, then you deny biblical doctrine, (John 1:14;
1Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 2:14). In denying Christ’s humanity then you have also denied
His physical death and resurrection, and therefore no hope of salvation. Also, we would
never have any hope of finding God’s grace. If you overemphasize Christ’s humanity,
then you have taken away from Him being God. If you overemphasize Him being God,
then you take away from His being in flesh and all that He suffered for mankind.
According to the text, heresy represents the very real error of departure from that
truth. [7] That being an objective revealed truth is an inherent Christian doctrine. [8]
First, you have the Alexandrian theology which tended to make Christ’s humanity of less
importance. The Antiochene taught Christ was two people. Apollinarianism said Christ
had no human Spirit. Monophysitism taught Christ had one nature after the incarnation.
All religions or cults that change scripture in any way are not biblically sound. They are
without basis. I would respond to these doctrines by going back to the Gospels and
talking about Christ. His incarnation, His miracles, His life, death, resurrection and that
the only way to the Father and salvation is through Him.
My whole life I have said, “Our Father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name,
your kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our
daily bread, Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.” “AMEN”. This would have to be the biggest impact on my life
from Christ. This prayer has been with me from the time of a little girl in fear, a teenager
lost, a single Mom in despair, an adult with the loss of her Mom and Dad, al her aunts,
uncles, and a brother. Christ has gotten me through the best and worst of times. I have
lost hope and faith, and He has always found me and reclaimed me. My life is His now
and I walk with Him, and embrace the next part of this blessed and wonderful thing we
call life. In ABBA’S ARMS, AMEN
Word Count 797
Bibliography:
Towns, Elmer L., Theology for Today, (2001, Mason OH, Cengage Learning),
Christology, pgs.155-180
Elwell, Walter A, editor, Evangelical Dictionary of Theology (2001 Grand Rapids MI,
Baker Academic)
www.theologyinsneakers.com/2389- chart on hypostatic examples
Footnotes:
1. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Christology, pg. 239
2. Same, pg. 239
3. Same, pg. 240
4. Same, pg. 241
5. Same, Hypo Static Union pgs. 583-584
6. Same, Incarnation pgs. 601-603
7. Same, Heresy pg. 551
8. Same, pg. 551
