In Called to Believe, Teach, and Confess have exhausted our study of grace, for God is gracious beyond anything we might expect. So St. John described our Savior,

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have.se.en his 9 glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth .... from his fullness we have all received, grace up�n grace (John I: 16And . 14,16). The Person of

Key Terms The disciples had traveled with , heard him teach, and seen him Common Grace Means of grace perform amazing miracles. After all ofthese experiences, Jesus took the dis­ Efficacious Providence ciples aside and asked, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" They Grace responded that some thought that Jesus was John the Baptist, while others likened him to Elijah, Jeremiah, or another . Then Jesus redirected the question towards the disciples. "Who do you say that ?" (Matthew 16: 13-18). It is an essential question for the disciples and for us. The world For Review and Discussion may give many different answers, but what do you think of Jesus? Who is he? This chapter will examine how Scripture answers the question of Jesus' 1. This chapter distinguished God's goodness, saving grace, and identity as we study: spiritual gifts. Reflect on God's gifts to you in all three of these categories. Why is it important to maintain distinctions between these various types of gifts? 2. is unique among all the world's religions in that 1. The Humanityof Christ- Our Savior is one of us it is the only religion that is based not on works but on grace. 2. The Deity of Christ- Jesus Christ is tru�v God Yet many Christians seem to ignore grace and turn Christianity 3. Heresies Regarding Christ's Two Natures - Deny­ into another religion of works. Why do you think they do this? ing either nature affectssalvation How can we keep our faith focused on God's grace in Christ? 4. The Personal Union of Christ - How are these two 3. God proclaims his gracious will to humanity throughout the naturesj oined in the on e Christ?

Bible. What examples of his grace can you find in both the 5. Heresies Regarding the Personal Union - Altering Old and the New Testaments? How does recognizing his grace the biblical teaching

strengthen your faith? 6. The Communication of Attributes - How the two natures work together 7. Christ's Humiliation and Exaltation - In everything, our Saviorserves us 174 Called to Believe, Teach, and Confess The Person of Christ 175

"Who do you say that I am?" Peter answered Jesus, "You are the Christ, biblical truths, This terminology can be confusing whenwe use it abstractly, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16: 16), Hearing this answer, Jesus said It becomes clearer when we look at the specificbiblical evidence. that Peter was blessed because he knew the truth, Peter hadn't learned this truth from human beings but from God. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the 1. The Humanity of Christ living God. Peter's answer seems to be simple, but in reality, is summarizes the doctrine of the person of Christ in only a fe w words'.Scripture teaches Evidence of a True Human Nature , that Jesus is the Christ: a human being but also the Son of God. This one ' person has two distinct natures: a human nature and a divine nature, But One of the things that we need to know about our Savior is that he is what do these words mean? truly a human being. Most people today, even non-believers, concede that there was a historical man from named Jesus, While not all believe Getting Our Vo cabularyStraight the biblical record, few people doubt that Jesus existed, and it is unusual to findsomeone today who doubted that he was truly a human being. Yet in the For most of its history, has described Jesus with history of the Christian , there have been some who have doubted that these terms. He is one person with two natures. We should recognize that Jesus was truly human. The evidence of Scripture, however, clearly upholds theology uses precise definitions for these words - definitions that are not Jesus' humanity. always followed in other contexts. "Person" describes someone who exists as a unique individual. Each person is distinct fr om other persons, is able Scripture Calls Christ a Human Being to think, and is self-aware. A person is not part of another being, but he or The first piece of that evidence is the most direct. Scripture refers to she will usually be in relationships with other persons. Each one of us is a Jesus Christ as a human being, Consider, fo r example, Paul's words, "there person. is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Closely related to this concept is nature. "Nature" is a description of Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5). Christ Jesus is a human being. Like all other human �haracteristics. It is the essential qualities that make something what it is. beings, Jesus of Nazareth has human ancestors (Romans 9:5). In fact, the [0 have a human nature is to have those qualities and characteristics that provide two genealogical accounts of the ancestry of J.::sus: one his Ire essential components of humanity. These characteristics include things legal ancestry through his earthly (but not biological) fa ther, Joseph (Mat­ like life, a body, or a sequence of DNA. It is the "humanness" of a person. thew I: 1-17), the other apparently showing his ancestors through his virgin Likewise a divine nature consists in everything that it means to be God. It is mother, Mary (Luke 3:23-38). He had a family history, just like the rest of the "godness" of a person. (This divine nature is seen in only three persons: us. In fa ct, Luke's genealogy goes all the way back to Adam, the first human. ,he Father, Son, and ). Jesus' ancestry demonstrates that he is related to every human being. In our ordinary use of these terms, a person has a nature. You are a mman person with a human nature. In other words, you are a self-existing Christ Has Human Characteristics, Behaviors, and Responses ndividual who exhibits the qualities and characteristics that we would ex­ Ject to see, to some degree, in a human being. The need fo r a precise use of An examination of the life of Jesus also evidences his humanity. Many .his vocabulary becomes more urgent when we describe the person of Christ. examples from Scripture show that Jesus had the characteristics of a normal kripture describes him with two natures: Christ is fully human and at the (though unfallen) human nature. Like all other humans, his life began with ,ame time fully divine. Does this mean that there are two Christs? No, there his conception, gestation, and birth. He did not descend from heaven with s one Christ - one person - but this single person consists of two natures. a body, but obtained one in the ordinary way as he grew in the womb of his [he divine nature has existed from all eternity, even before the incarnation, mother. Luke reflects these events as he describes the time when Mary was )lit the human nature of Christ never existed independently or without the pregnant, gave birth. and even diapered her newborn baby (Luke 2:5-7). He livine nature. He has a true human nature, but it is not a human person in­ was truly human. iependent of the divine nature. Rather, the person of Christ consists of two Every biblical description of human nature is applied to Jesus. He has a latures. We use this specific vocabulary in order to uphold both of these body that is subject to the same experiences of other humans. That body is 176 Called to Believe, Teach, and Confess The Person of Christ 177 not an apparition, but is flesh and bones (Luke 24:39). He has a human soul absence of a biological father but the presence of a biological mother. The (Matthew 26:38) and spirit (Luke 23:46). Like all other humans, he experi­ virgin birth answers the question, "was Christ truly human?" with a solid enced physical and mental growth (Luke 2:40, 52). He was psychologically "yes." Naturally, almighty God could bring about human life in any manner and intellectually human, experiencing fe elings such as love, compassion, that pleased him, but it pleased him to do this through an ordinary human sorrow, and joy. Moreover, he demonstrates the physical characteristics of woman. true humanity. Like all humans he gets hungry when he fasts(Ma tthew 4:2), Some Christians have noted that the virgin birth brings about some dif­ he experiences thirst (John 19:28), fatigue, (John 4:6) and the need for sleep ferences between Jesus and the rest of humanity. Jesus is fully human, but (Luke 8:23). He feels pain and agony. When he is injured, he bleeds (John his unique conception implies a break with the ordinary. Jesus was not the 19:34) and ultimately dies. At any point in the life of Christ, an observer first human to exist without a human father - indeed our first parents came would recognize a human being (Luke 23:47). All the evidence demon­ into being without either human father or mother! They were directly cre­ strates that he is a genuine human being. ated by God himself. In the virgin birth, we see Christ as the beginning of a new creation (see 1 Corinthians 15:47). As Adam had only God as his Father, Is His HumanityLike Ours? so also Christ has no human father. Many Christians stress the connection between the virgin birth and The Virgin Conception and Birth . Our first parents were created without a sinful nature. Christ, who was conceived in a miraculous manner, did not inherit Adam's guilt. While Jesus has a full and complete human nature, there are several no­ The virgin conception and birth marks a discontinuity in the transmission of table ways in which his human experience differs from that of other human both guilt and sinful desire.' beings. The first is probably the best known. While Jesus had an ordinary These explanations are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they all express human gestation and birth, the nature of his conception was different than part of the fullness of God's miracle. Humanity is affirmed in the incarna­ the ordinary human experience. Scripture clearly teaches that Christ was tion. In Christ real humanity is seen again. He is the second Adam, the un­ born of a virgin, deriving his human nature entirely from his mother. This fallen human without the abnormalities that have plagued Adam's children. miraculous conception is foreshadowed in the firstmessianic prophecy, Gen­ All of these are part ofthe biblical miracle of the virgin conception. Perhaps esis 3: 15, where the promised is called the seed of a woman. (In the we might also marvel that Christ, who does many miracles fo r others, has a ordinary way of speaking, only men have "seed.") Both by implication and human life that begins with a miracle.2 by the specific reference to a woman, but not a man, the virgin conception is reflected. The prophecy is intensified in Isaiah 7: 14, "behold the virgin shall Could Christ Sin? conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." The virgin birth shows both continuity and a difference between Christ Two Gospels directly testify to the miracle ofthe virgin conception and and the rest of humanity. A further difference is seen when the question of birth. Matthew 1: 18-25 recounts Joseph's experience. Knowing that he had sin is considered in more detail. Fallen human beings daily experience two not impregnated Mary, he was going to end their betrothal. When an angel realities: we are sinful by nature and we do sinful things. Original and actual assured him of Mary's faithfulness and of God's miracle, Joseph believed. sin pern1eate our existence. Yet this is not true of Christ. Even more compelling is Mary's perspective fo und in Luke I :26-38. Mary Scripture teaches that Christ was sinless. In this, he is notably diffe r­ knew that she had done nothing to become pregnant (Luke I :34), but soon ent than the rest of humanity. He lived the righteous human life that we learned that God is able to do 3ilything by his miraculous power. consistently fa il to live. Had he been guilty of sin, Jesus would have needed Why does Scripture take such care to note the virgin conception and birth of Jesus? It is not implying a sexual relationship between Mary and God. Rather, it is a miraculous appearance of divine power that has several interesting implications for our understanding of the person of Christ. I See chapter 7 for a discussion of original sin. e The doctrine of the virgin conception and birth of Christ should not be con­ The early Christian church saw the virgin birth as evidence of the fused with the "immaculate conception." The latcr refers to the Roman Catholic true humanity of Christ. What was most significant to them was not the teaching that Mary was conccived and bom without original sin. 178 Called to Believe, Teach, and Confess The Person of Christ 179

a himself, but the word of God teaches that he committed no sin need to know this truth. His temptation was for us and for our salvation. He (1 Peter 2:22), He endured all the temptations which we face, but without resisted the temptations that we fail to endure. By his obedience he demon­ yielding to temptation (Hebrews 4: 15). Yet in the miracle of our redemption, strated that he is the holy one of God. God, "made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5 :21). Scripture clearly teaches Consequences of Christ s Sinlessness that he was fr ee fr om the guilt ofhis own sin. Christ Jesus was a holy, sinless , Again, the hypothetical question of whether it was possible fo r the human being. However, a further question proves more challenging. Was it Christ to sin is overshadowed by the fact of his obedience. He did not sin (2 possible for Christ to sin? Corinthians 5:21). In this regard he is different fr om all other people. And The answer to this question is grounded in our understanding of the because he did not sin, he is fr ee fr om the effectsof sin. Sin has alienated all person of Christ. In our experience, it is possible for a human being to sin. other humans from God, but our sinless Savior does not have this separation. Every person we have ever met, excepting Christ, is sinful. This is not true Human will is bound in sin; he alone has truly fr ee will. The condemnation about God. It is impossible for God to sin. He is perfectly righteous and holy. of death that comes fr om sin (Romans 6:23) does not apply to him. All other "In him is no darkness at all" (1 John 1 :5). An act is sinful because it is con­ human beings are mortal because of sin, but Christ was potentially immortal. trary to God's will. Whatever God wills is righteous. Because of this, James He did not need to die as a result of his own sin. It would have been pos­ teaches that "God cannot be tempted with evil" (James 1:13). In the person sible fo r his human nature to live forever without dying. (And even after his of Christ, we have a paradox: a divine nature is unable to sin (it is impec­ voluntary death, he rose again and lives eternallywith both his human and cable), but it is possible for a human nature to sin (it is peccable). How are divine natures.) Of all humanity, only he was fr ee from the curse of death. these two biblical teachings compatible? His death was not a necessary consequence of his own sin but a voluntary It is vital to remember that this is a hypothetical question. Jesus did not, choice. He willingly chose to die in order to bring salvation to his fallen in fact, sin. But was it possible? In our experience, a human nature is capable creation. of sinning (in fact, our experience shows that humans are incapable of not These differences in Christ's human nature are significant. Since other sinning), but Jesus is the only human who also has a divine nature. Ifhis hu­ humans do not share in these characteristics of perfection, we might think man nature had existed apart fr om the personal union with the divine nature, him to be abnormal or not really human, but the truth is just the opposite. In it would have been possible for that human to sin. But his human nature Christ we see what humanity was meant to be. In Jesus we encounter a real never existed apart from the incarnation.From the time of his conception, he human being fr ee from the abnormalities that we know so well. He is fu lly was the God-man. Because ofthis unique personal union, it was impossible and completely human. for him to fall into sin. This immediately gives rise to the question of Christ's temptation. The The Significance ofChrist's Humani�y three synoptic Gospels record the temptation of Jesus by Satan (Matthew 4: I -11, Mark I :12-13, Luke 4:1-13). What is the meaning of temptation if the We have taken our time to demonstrate that Christ is a genuine human outcome is guaranteed? Was the temptation real? Did he truly experience the being. Perhaps you are wondering if this was really necessary. Why is it so severity of temptation? Scripture declares that he did. The struggle was real. important to discuss something as obvious as his humanity? The word of He resisted every temptation and did not fall into sin, but the temptations God reveals that the incarnationwas necessary for our salvation. As human were genuine. The outcome was certain, but the struggle was authentic. disobedience caused our problem, so human obedience, in Christ, effected Theologians in the early church compared this temptation to the testing our salvation (Romans 5: 19). Hebrews shows the connection between the of metal. Imagine that I offer to sell you a piece of gold jewelry at a bargain incarnation and our salvation when it says, "since therefore the children price. I know that the item is genuine, but do you? A prudent buyer might share in flesh and blood, he himselflikewise partook ofthe same things, that have the jewelry tested to determine if it is, in fact, gold. If it is genuine, through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, there is no doubt what the outcome of the test will be, but you will not be the devil" (Hebrews 2: 14). certain ofthat until the test has been completed. Similarly, we need to know Our Savior needed to be one of us. Furthermore, the humanity of Christ who Jesus is. If he is who he says he is, he will not fall into sin but we gives us strength and SUDDort in our struggles and weaknesses. He under- 180 Called to Believe, Teach, and Confess The Person of Christ 181

stands what we experience. He knows by experience what it means to be denial would have saved his life. Instead, he admitted his divine identity human, to be tempted, to suffer, and to die. As the omniscient God he had (Matthew 26:63-64a). always known this, but in the incarnation, we are made confident and sure When Peter called Jesus, "the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Mat­ that this is true. Again, Hebrews says, "we do not have a high who is . thew! 6: 16), he.was not rebuked for blasphemy. Instead, Jesus called Peter unable to sympathize with our weaknesses,but one who in every respect has "blessed" for knowing this truth. Jesus taught Philip that anyone who had been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with.. confidence draw seen him had seen the Father ' (John 14:9). One of the best known passages near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in which Jesus claims to be God is John 10:30 "I and the Father are one." in time of need" (Hebrews 4: 15-16). Following this astonishing claim, John records the following: We should also recognize that the incarnation of our Savior is an affir­ mation of the goodness of creation and of human flesh. The material world The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. 12Jesus answered them, "1 is not inherently evil. The spiritual and the physical are not opposed to each have shown you many good works fromthe Father; for which of them are other. In Christ, God enters his own creation, taking on human flesh and you going to stone me?" 33The Jews answered him, "It is not for a good makes it his own. We see the goodness of his creation as he uses it to come work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being close to us. Our Savior is Immanuel, God with us, God in the flesh. a man, make yourself God." (John 10:31-33)

His enemies did not believe what Jesus said about himself, but they did 2. The Deity of Christ not misunderstand him. Jesus was obviously claiming to be the true God. Today, most people acknowledge that Jesus was a genuine human be­ Christ has Divine Characteristics ing. Unbelievers may doubt his virgin birth, sinlessness or immortality, but most would agree that he was truly human. Today people are more likely Further evidence for the deity of Christ is seen in the way that the to stumble on Christ's divine nature, but this also is an essential Christian describes him. Jesus is described with attributes and characteristics that be­ teaching. Because this is fundamental to our understanding of the Christ and long to God, but not to any mere man. Because Jesus is fu lly God, all of the to our salvation, Scripture provides us with evidence of his divine nature. divine attributes belong to him,' but as a demonstration of his deity, a few notable examples will suffice. Evidence of a True Divine Nature Our Savior is described as eternal, existing before his conception and even before creation. He was with the Father, in glory, before the world Scripture Calls Christ God began (John 17:5). He exists before all things and is the creator of all things (Colossians 1:16 -17). Because he is true God, he exists before all of creation. The Bible testifies to the deity of Christ. He is the one true God, the sec­ Unbelieving Jews wanted to stone Jesus for blasphemy when he said, '"be­ ond person of the . 1 John 5:20 calls him "true God and eternal life." fore Abraham was, I am !" (John 8:58). Only God can make such statements S1. John begins his , "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word truthfully. Jesus is the eternal God. was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). He is not a god, but the We also see the Christ claim to have and use divine authority and power. God. Nor is he partially divine, rather, "in him the whole fullness of deity Those who heard his teaching were amazed that he didn't teach like one of dwells bodily" (Colossians 2:9). We should not be surprised to find these the teachers of the Law, but as one who had God's authority (Matthew 7: affirmations of Christ's deity in the , for it was prophesied 28-29). Jesus claims that his Father had given him "authority over all flesh" that the Messiah would be divine (Isaiah 7: 14; Isaiah 9:6). (John 17:2). Before ascending into heaven, he tells his disciples "All author­ ity in heaven and on earth has been given to me" (Matthew 2 S: IS). Only Christ IdentifiesHimself as God God has complete authority and Jesus claims that it is his own. This claim is not simply a conclusion of his fo llowers. Christ himself claimed to be God. At Jesus' trial, the high priest demanded that he tell them whether he was the Son of God. Jesus did not deny this charge, even though 3 See chapter 4 for a discussion of the chief divine attributes. 182 Called to Believe, Teach, and Confess The Person ol Christ 183

things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether John's Gospel records seven different statements of Jesus in thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities all things were created which he gives a vivid depiction of his identify, introduced with through him and for him, And he is before all things, and in him all things

the op ening statement "I Am," Since God's personal name, Vahwdl hold together" (Colossians 1: 16-17). The world is not only created through means HI am," pious Jews consi dered it blasphemous for any human Christ, it is upheld and sustained through him. This same passage shows that

bemg to use these precise ow rds . Thus these statemtJ)ts not only 'de­ he is involved in the preservation of creation. Hebrews 1:3 adds that Jesus scribe Jesus, they affirmhis dei1y. The I AM state11)�tsare: "upholds the universe by the word of his power." This is the work of God himself, and it is done by Christ. I am the Bread of Life -John 6:35 Christ reveals the word, will, and person of God to humanity. Divine I am theLight of the World- John 8:12 revelation can only be given by God himself. "No one has ever seen God; lam the Door of the Sh eep - John 10:7 the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known" (John I am the Good Shepherd - John 10: 11 1: 18). Moreover, this revealer claims authority over God's prior revelation. I am the Resurrectionand the Life -John 11 :25 This is seen as he clarifies the obligations of the Sabbath (Mark 2:28), some­

I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life- John 14:6 thing that is incredibly presumptuous for anyone but God. I am the True Vine John 15:1 Jesus fr eely forgives sins with God's authority (Matthew 9:2-8). He performs miracles - even the astounding miracle of resurrection and the bestowal of life (John 5:21). He invites others to believe in him, making Furthermore, Christ is described with the divine attribute of omnipres­ himself the object of fa ith (John 14: I). He tells his listeners that he will ence. No ordinary human being could sensibly make such a claim, yet Jesus ascend into heaven and ultimately returnto judge the nations of the earth. says "1 am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20). He (Matthew 25:31-46). All ofthese things are divine works that are performed promises that, "where two or three are gathered in my name, there am 1 by Jesus. among them" (Matthew 18:20). Ifwe trust his promises, we recognize that he is claiming to be present with us in a way that a mere human cannot. Other Persons Recognize Christ as God Ephesians describes this presence saying that he fills all things completely Hearing his testimony and seeing all this evidence, many individuals in (Ephesians 1:23). This can only be true of God. Scripture, and in many generations since, have confessed the biblical truth The Bible also shows us that Christ has knowledge that surpasses that Jesus Christ is true God. Skeptical Thomas calls the resurrected Jesus human limitations. Jesus surprised Nathanael (John 1:47-51) and the Sa­ "My Lord and My God" (John 20:28). The magi worship the infant Jesus maritan woman (John 4:4-26) by his inexplicable knowledge of their lives (Matthew 2:2); his disciples (Matthew 28: 17) and even the angels worship and conduct. His disciples clearly testify,"Now we know that you know all him (Hebrews 1 :6). Ultimately, Scripture teaches that, "at the name of Jesus things" (John 16:30). Christ demonstrated divine knowledge. every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and ev­ ery tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of " Christ Dues Divine Works (Philippians 2: 10- I I). This worship is the rightful response of his creation By these and other attributes, the Christ is depicted as God. Further to Christ Jesus, the true God. evidence of his divine ideliti.y is seen when we consider the works that are attributed to Jesus. He is described as one who does things that only God The Significance of Christ:5 Deity can do. A significant example is the work of creation. Almighty God is the creator of the universe, yet Scripture clearly testifies that Christ is involved The direct claims of Jesus, the testimony of his fo llowers and of Holy in creation. John says that all things were made by Christ (John I :3; see Scripture, the evidence of his attributes and works all teach the same truth: also Hebrews 1: 1-3, and I Corinthians 8:6). Colossians shows that he was Jesus Christ is the true God. Because this is who he is, he is our Redeemer. directly involved in the entire work of creation when it says, "by him all 184 Called to Believe, Teach, and Confess The Person ol Christ 185

It is no mere human who sacrifices himself for us, but the precious Son of Savior, They denied his deity and so denied his saving work. Still today this God, God comes to us to be our Savior, heresy is seen among many people who would like to view Jesus only as Moreover, through Jesus Christ we have God's supreme revelation (He­ a moral teacher or an example but not God. They miss the very thing that brews I: 1-3, John I: 18), We know God because he has personally come to . makes Jesus important. reveal himself to us. There is no higher authority, no other source of know 1- edge or hope than this perfect revelation in Christ Jesus. Many and Arianism: Christ is Not Fully God messengers were sent from God to his people, but the. greatest revelation was in his only begotten Son. A second heresy was taught by a fo urth-century bishop named Arius. Arius wanted to uphold the absolute uniqueness of God who cannot divide

3. Heresies Regarding Christ's TwoNatures himself, change, or share his being with another. Arius identified this God not with the Trinity or divine essence, but with the Father alone. Only the Exploring the doctrine of Christ's two natures, it soon becomes appar­ Father is uncreated and eternal. Arius would not say the same thing about ent that this biblical teaching chalIenges our understanding. Human minds the Second Person of the Trinity. He thought that the Son was less than, or struggle to comprehend the person of our Savior. He alone is the incarnate subordinate to the Father, (For this reason, Arianism is frequently called God who unites these two natures in one person. But our logical minds do Subordinationism.) Arius believed that the Father made or created the not like the paradox of these two natures. Could we adjust our teaching to Son. The Son then created the rest of the world. Because of this, the Son is make it more understandable? Certainly we should try to communicate the higher than everything else except the Father, but he is a lesser god than the biblical text more clearly, but if we discard parts of its teaching to fit our Father. The persons of the Trinity are not equal. Arius stressed the differ­ understanding, we wilI distort its message. This is how many heresies begin. ences between the Father and the Son. Later Arians modified this teaching People reject or change portions of Scripture to make them more appealing by emphasizing the similarities ofthe two persons. They said the Son is of a or simpler. When this relates to the two natures of Christ, fo ur main heresies similar substance with the Father, but not ofthe same substance.4 He is close, emerge. but not fulIy God. Orthodox Christianity recognized that Arianism denied essential doc­ Ebionism: the Denial ofChrists Deity trines and condemned this heresy at the Council of Nicea in AD 325. To this day, Christians confess the words of that council. Christ is

The first of these heresies is known as Ebionism. 11 is named after a ...the only-begotten Son of God, sect in the early church that wanted to keep Christianity as close to Judaism begotten of his Father before all worlds, as possible. The Ebionites were particularly concernedthat nothing detract God of God, Light of Light. fromthe teaching that there is only one God. In a misguided attempt to sup­ Very God of very God, port monotheism, they denied the deity of Christ. They believed that Jesus Begotten, not made, had supernaturalgifts andwas a prophet, but he was not God. He was only Being of one substance with the Father. .. the natural son of Joseph and Mary. At Jesus' , the Spirit of God descended on him and he became the Christ. This explanation is often called The words of the Nicene strongly confess that Christ is not part of adoptionism, since it maintains that the human Jesus was "adopted" by God creation, but the Creator, Whatever you can say of the Father (for example, to become his Son. Later, near the end of Jesus' life, they taught that this that he is God, the Light, or very God), you can say of the Son. Against the Spirit left him. The man Jesus died, but not the God-man. To support this Arians and other subordinationists, the Christian church confesses the fu ll view, the Ebionites had to reject or ignore much of Scripture. They specifi­ cally rejected Paul's letters, but other parts of Scripture were problematic 4 This argument was very crafty when expressed in Greek. Orthodox Christi­ for them also. anity teaches that Christ is '"of one substance with the Father" or homoousios. The The Ebionites ended up with a human Jesus, not the incarnate God. Semi-Arians said that he was "of similar substance" or homoiousios. A single letter They tried to follow his teaching, but such a Messiah can not really be the changes the entire meaning ofthe doctrine. 186 Called to Believe, Teach, and Confess The Person of Christ 187

and complete deity of Christ. Like Ebionism, Arianism is alive today. We the truth than Docetism, it still makes Jesus a lesser human being, and thus see it most significantly in cults like the Jehovah's Witnesses that teach that makes him less connected to us. Jesus is a god but not the God. Any teaching that makes Jesus a lesser God These heresies might be summarized as fo llows: or a super-human reflects Arian tendencies. Any reduction in his deity takes­ away from our Savior. Ebioni'dl ···· Arianism Apollinarianism Docetism Docetism: the Denial of Christ's humanity 100% Human 100% Human Partly Human 0% Human 0% Divine Partly Divine 100% Divine 100% Divine Unlike the first two heresies, Docetism is willing to accept the deity of Christ, but makes the opposite error of denying his humanity. Recognizing the work and power of Christ, the Docetists found it easy to believe that he Orthodox Christianity was well aware of these heresies. The language was God, but they were uncomfortable with the material world. Influenced of the makes it clear that all of these fall short of the biblical teaching by another philosophy known as Gnosticism, they thought that spiritual and jeopardize our salvation. Because of this, the Council of Constanti­ things were good and physical things were evil. God, who is spirit, would nople (AD 381) rejected them all and instead confessed the truth that Jesus not want to enter into the evil of a physical body. Still, God wanted to save is completely human and completely divine. humanity. He carried out this salvation by sending Jesus who appeared to be human, but did not actually become flesh and blood. (Their name comes Orthodox dokeo from the Greek word which means "to appear" or "to seem.") Jesus 100% Human appeared to be a human being, but they said he was really only a spirit or phantom. Because of this, Jesus did not truly suffer and die on the cross, but 100% Divine only seemed to do so. The Docetists thought that this was an improvement on the orthodox teaching of the atonement. But in taking away the human­ 4. The Personal Union of Christ ity and the genuine suffering and death of Jesus, they deleted the sacrifice of Christ, leaving us without a real Savior. While Docetism is not as com­ It is not surprising that heresies arose to explain the person of Christ. mon today as some other heresies, we see reflections ()f it in religions like This is a complicated topic. But when we find scriptural teachings that are in "Christian Science" which maintain that physical existence is an illusion. tension or paradox, we are not called to modify God's word. Rather we are They deny the physical world and so would deny the incarnation of Christ to hear and believe. Since this may be difficult, St. Paul reminds us, "great as well. indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: he was manifested in the flesh ..." (I Timothy 3:16). It is ultimately a mystery to us how these two natures are united. We will not be able to figure this out completely, since Apollinarianism: Christ is not Fully Human Christ is unique and not subject to our manipulation. We are not called to solve the mystery of godliness but to believe in our Savior. As we do this, we The fo urth heresy regarding Christ's two natures is ApolIinarianism. simultaneously uphold two biblical truths. Apollinarius was a controversial fourth century bishop from Laodicea. He was involved in a number of smaller debates, but is best known for his teach­ Two Distinct Natures ing about the incarnation.Apollinarius taught that in the incarnation,the Son of God assumed genuine humanity, but not a complete human nature. He The first teaching is what we have been discussing. Christ Jesus has two emphasized the teaching that the Word became flesh (John I: 14), and then natures. He is fully human and fu lly divine. Each nature is complete with all concluded that he only took the external elements of humanity. Jesus did not the attributes, characteristics, and functions that are expected of that nature. have a human mind, but only the Divine mind. In essence, Jesus was physi­ When we see paradoxical attributes that belong to each nature we simply cally human, but not psychologically human. He took on a human body, but confess that these are the attributes of Christ. For example, since Christ didn't have human fe elings, thoughts. or exoeriences. While this is closer to 188 Called to Believe, Teach, and Confess The Person of Christ 189 is God, he is the creator, Since he is human, he is part of creation. Both of these statements are true because Christ has two natures. We maintain both The Creed of Chalcedon of these natures because this is what Scripture does. Christ is fullyhuma n and fully divine, 'f"fi�ltnn11t'1O' the hQly Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begot­

One Person one consent, ten. to' be acknQwledged in two teachmen to cQnfess QDe and the natures, inconfusedly, unchange­

But we also confess with the Athanasian Creed that "there are not two same SQD, Qur LQrd Jesus Christ, ably, indivisibly, inseparably; Christs but one Christ." We deal with the individual natures only in the ab­ the sameperfect in Godhead and the distinction of natures being stract. With Christ, we never encounter one nature apart from the other; he alsO' perfect in manhood; truly by no means taken away by the is the God-man. These two natures are joined together in one person. The God and trulym an, of a reason- union, but rather the property of Athanasian Creed compares the personal union of God and man in Christ to the union of body and soul in a human being. A human is one person. The able SQul and body; consubstan- each naturebeing preserved, and incarnateChrist is one person. The two natures are inseparably and eternally tial with the Father accQrding to' concurringin one Person and one united. the Godhead, and consubstantial Subsistence, not parted Qr divid­

In addition to being biblically accurate, this is an immensely practical with us according to the Man­ ed into two persons, but one and doctrine. We don't need to debate about which nature of Christ deserves hOQd; in aU things like untO' us, the same Son, and only begotten, our attention, our faith, or our worship. Rather, as the says, "I without sin; begotten before all God the Word, the Lord Jesus believe in one Lord Jesus Christ." The IncarnateGod is one person. ages of the Father according to Christ, as the prophets from the Maintaining the Paradox the Godhead, and in these latter beginning have declared con- days, for us and for our salva- cerning him, and the Lord Jesus In AD 451, the summarized the orthodox Chris­ tion, born of the Virgin Mary, Christ himself has taught us, and tian teaching on the person of Christ. These two natures are joined together the Mother of God, according to the Creed of the holy Fathers has in one person but without division, without separation, without change, and the Manhood; one and the same handed down to us , without confusion. In other words, we want to make sure that we maintain the completeness and integrity of both natures while at the same time main­ taining the unity of the person of Christ. The mystery of godliness is great, but Christians need not be troubled by the complexity of his person. Indeed, over, our Savior needed to give his life fo r humanity. The Christ needed to we rarely understand what it means for us to be persons. But this is the be human so that he could die. Christ who reveals himself to us. Hearing his word, we confess our faith in At the same time, we needed a Savior who was divine. Only God has this one Christ who has two natures. the perfection necessary to win our salvation, All other humans had suc­ cumbed to temptation, but God would not. Only his death could be valuable The Two Natures and Our Redemption enough to pay for the sin of the entire world. Only God has the power to conquer sin, death, and the devil on our behalf We needed a human Savior. More importantly, we confess the truth of two natures in one person We needed a divine Savior. All of our needs are perfectly met in Jesus Christ because this is a reflection of the Savior that we needed. Our Savior needed the God-man. to be human so that he could be a substitute for us. Since humans caused the problem, a human would be the solution (Hebrews 2:14), As a human, he would fulfill the Law that we are unable to keep (Galatians 4:4, 5). More- 190 Called to Believe, Teach, and Confess The Person o(Christ 191

5. Heresies Regarding the Personal Union lost. Since we need both for our salvation, Eutychianism destroys the work of Christ. Because the doctrine of the personal union challenges our limited The council of Chalcedon rejected both of these extremes. The Christ reason, it quickly was distorted by people who thought they could make it - is true God andJrue man, but against Eutychianism, "without confusion or ; more logical. While the fo ur major christological heresies already addressed change ' and against , "without division or separation." We see fo cused their attention on one nature or the other, these .last two affect the the same vigilance in the Athanasian Creed which repudiates Eutychianism teaching of the personal union. by calling Christ "perfect God and perfect man ... one not by confusion of substance but by unity of person." Nestorianism is also rejected since "al­ Nestorianism: a Split Personality though he is God and man, yet he is not two but one Christ."

Nestorius was the patriarch (the eastern title for bishop) of Constan­ 6. The Communication of Attributes tinople early in the fifth century. He was involved in a number of debates regarding the two natures of Christ. One of the more famous ones involved Many Christians, knowing that Jesus Christ is truly God and truly man, the question of whether Mary could be called the "mother of God" (this are satisfied. They know their Savior and they believe. Others continue to question will be discussed in more detail below). Because of his role in these have questions or seek to better understand how two different natures can debates, his name has become attached to a distortion of the personal union. coexist in one person. The doctrine of the communication of attributes is a Nestorianism emphasizes the distinctness of Christ's two natures to an ex­ deeper examination ofthe interaction of the two natures in one Christ. Each treme degree. Christ was fully human, and Christ was fully divine, but these nature has its own attributes, but what happens when the attributes seem to two natures have little to do with each other. There is no communication of be mutually exclusive? God is eternal, but a human life is limited by time. attributesbetween the two natures. A consistent Nestorian will ascribe any God is omnipresent, but we cannot be in more than one place at a time. God individual act of Christ to one nature only, not to the entire person. A human knows everything, but the human brain can only contain limited knowledge. being was born,not God. Only God was (and is) worshipped. It was only So how can Christ bring these two natures together in one person? How does the human who died, not the God-man. Every act of Christ is attributed to it work? one nature or the other. The Nestorian understanding ofthe person of Christ Because of the complexity of understanding the paradox of Christ's is often illustrated by two boards that are glued together. They are related two natures, Lutherans have historically divided the question into three re­ by proximity, but really share nothing but space. They are isolated and sepa­ lated facets. Each of these categories describes a different aspect of how the rated. Nestorianism effectively denies the personal union and seems to offer Scriptures deal with the two natures of Christ. Taken together, they provide two distinct Christs. a more complete picture of the biblical material.

Eutychianism: Confilsed Natures The Two Natures and Uniqueness

Eutychianism is the opposite error of Nestorianism and is named The first issue has to do with the uniqueness of each nature. (Tradition­ for another fifth century church leader named Eutyches. Trying to avoid ally this is called the idiomatic genus or in the genus idiomaticum.) the Nestorian separation of the two natures, Eutychianism eliminates any A human nature has its own unique properties as does the divine nature. At distinction between the two natures. Humanity and deity are completely times these characteristics seem incompatible to our human reason. How mixed and confused. There is no uniqueness to either nature in Christ Jesus. do we maintain the uniqueness and completeness of each nature within the Sometimes this is described as the divine nature absorbing the human nature personal union? into itself. Humanity is still present, but diluted and imperceptible. At other As the two natures of Christ are united, each brings its own attributes. times it is described as the formation of a new nature (Christ has only one The person of Christ is rightly described in human terms because he is truly nature in this description). In either case, the distinctness of both natures is human. He is rightly described with divine attributes because he is truly God. 192 Called to Believe, Teach, and Confess The Person ol Christ 193

Precisely speaking, certain attributes are brought into the personal union by Christ to die, but Paul ri ghtly identifies the death with the Lord of Glory. a specific nature. We may see this best by asking a few simple questions: Only God is the Lord, but Jesus is in the personal union. He is a proper object of worship. A dispute arose inthe early church regarding how we were to speak of How is Christable to••• Because of his••• the uniqueness of the two natures in union. The question, as noted earlier in able to die? human nature .. this chapter, centered on the language used to describe Mary. Is it correct to say that Mary is the mother of God or should Christians use other language? worshippedas God? divine nature Some argued that she should be called only the mother of Jesus, others said thecreator of all? divine nature she was the mother of Christ, and still others argued that she is the mother of a part of creation? human nature God.s Mary did not give birth to the Trinity, nor is she the mother ofthe pre­ incarnate Son of God. Yet because of the personal union, we may rightly call This precision maintains the uniqueness and distinctness of each nature. Mary "the Mother of God." In fact, this statement says nothing about Mary. It also allows us to say paradoxical (yet true) things about the incarnate It is entirely about Christ. From the moment of his supernatural conception, Christ. Jesus Christ was thirty years old when he began his public ministry, there was no Jesus apart from the Son of God. In the womb, during birth, and he existed before Abraham. This statement may appear contradictory and in every moment, Jesus is the Incarnate God. unless we view it in terms ofthe two natures. Because he is human we may God died for you. A man is almighty. The eternalGod was bornof Mary. note that he was thirty years old. Because he is God, we know he is eternal. These are proper expressions because of the union of Christ. The attributes rhe Athanasian Creed has another example. Christ is and characteristics come from one nature, but in the personal union, they are applied to the entire Christ. It may seem complicated, and indeed it can Equal to the Father as touching his Godhead be, but Christians frequently speak in these terms. We don't always analyze And inferior to the Father as touching his manhood them, but we naturally fall into these descriptions of our Savior. We do not dissect the two natures but speak of Christ Jesus. Still, when we take the Each particular attribute is brought into the personal union by one na­ time to reflect on it, we can recognize the attributes of each nature. ure or the other. While recognizing this, Scripture is very fluid in how this s applied. Because of the personal union, an attribute which belongs to one The Human Nature and Divine Majesty lature is the possession of the whole person. So the entire person can be iescribed with any of his attributes. For example, Romans 9:5 notes that The second facet of our examination of Christ's attributes has to do :::hrist has a human ancestry and calls him "God over all." He has a human with divine majesty and glory. (This is generally called the majestic genus mcestry because of his human nature and he is God by virtue of his divine or in Latin the genus maiestaticum.) How does the human nature of Christ lature, but Romans does not need to use this labored formula. It is sufficient relate to spectacular attributes like infinity, omnipotence or omniscience'? o say that Christ, the one person, is God, and that the one person has a hu­ Can divine attributes like these really be shared with the human nature, or is nan ancestry. A Christian who knows the Scriptures will recognize which the human nature limited in what it can receive? To be blunt, can omniscient lature provided which attributes. knowledge fit into a limited human brain? Is the human Jesus capable of In fact, Scripture goes even further. It names Christ according to one lature while describing him with the characteristics of the other. The Son )f God purifies us with his blood (1 John I :7). The rulers of this world 5 Ncstorius was at the heart of this dispute. Those who thought that Mary gave ;rucified the Lord of Glory" (1 Corinthians 2:8). "Jesus Christ is Lord" birth only to the human nature (thereby questioning the personal union) called her the Philippians 2: II). All of these are true statements, but can only be true in Anthropotokos or "man-bearer." They were opposed by those who described her as he personal union. God's Son does not have blood according to his divine the or "God-bearer." Nestorius preferred the more ambiguous title Chr­ tature - it is a property of his human nature. Yet in the personal union, I istotokos, or "Christ-bearer." When the connection to the personal union was seen. ohn is exactly ri ght. Our Savior bled fo r us. The human nature allows the orthodox Christianity agreed that it was right to call Mary the Theotokos. 194 Called to Believe, Te ach, and Confess The Person of Christ 195

thinking like God does, or of acting like God does? Can his human nature Luther saw the flaw in Zwingli's argument. It appeared logical, but it handle attributes like omnipresence? subjects God to human limitations. It may be impossible for an ordinary hu­ It is a significant question that ultimately affects understanding of the man to do certain things, but the incarnationis unique. God is not limited by deity of Christ and the meaning and certainty of his promises to us, Jesus · anything, he dOt:swhat he pleases. When Christ tells us that he will be with says he will be with us always. Can he really do this? He promises to feed us us always, we believe that he is faithful to that promise. Can he be in two his body and blood in the . Is this possible? The Bible tells us that places at once? Yes, since he is God, he can do whatever he wants. Can he it is true and nothing is impossible for God (Luke 1:37). provide his body in the Lord's Supper in more than one place at a time? Ab­ The Scriptures teach us that in the incarnation, the Word became flesh. solutely - God does what he pleases. It is true that we cannot be omnipres­ The divine nature of Christ was not partly present or presently only in a ent or omniscient or exercise any other divine attribute ourselves, but unlike limited way. Rather, "in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily" (Co­ Christ, we are not God. In the end, we trust the words of Scripture. It tells us lossians 2:9). The fullness of the deity is in Christ in such a way that "we that Christ has these divine characteristics and glory. While our human logic have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father" (John 1:14). may fail to understand, we are able to trust and believe our Savior. Christ is fullyGod. We should note that this communication of glory and majesty is always The divine attributes and characteristics always belonged to the divine from the divine nature to the human nature. The opposite teaching is not nature (John 17:5) which brings them to the personal union. Yet Scripture present in Scripture. The human nature does not give its attributes to the di­ specificallydemonstrates that these are operative through the human nature. vine nature. Nothing can be added to God's divine perfection. He is already Jesus says that all authority is given to him (Matthew 2S: IS). This author­ complete and perfect. 7 ity was already the possession of the divine nature, but it is given to Jesus and works through him. However, in his love for us, our Savior voluntarily The Tw o Natures and the Work of Christ chose to restrain his use of these attributes during his earthly ministry in order to carry out the work of redemption. (This will be discussed in detail The third way of speaking of the attributes of Christ's two natures has below.) to do with the work of Christ. (This category is ordinarily called the apo­ Because of the incarnation, all of the divine attributes belong to Christ. telesmatic genus or, in Latin, the genus apotelesmaticum.S) How do we While the communication of any of these attributes is a remarkable thing, understand the work of Christ in relation to his two natures? Which nature is several attributes have been more controversial among various Christians. responsible for our salvation? When compared to the other two descriptions, Can the entire Christ really be omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent, or this one is quite simple. Which nature is our Savior? Christ is our Savior. can these things be said only of the divine nature? The fact that only these Both natures are necessary for our salvation. We needed a Savior who was attributes are truly controversial demonstrates that this is a problem of over­ human and divine. Each nature brings essential elements to the work of sal­ active reason. We should be just as surprised that a human nature wholly vation. The entire Christ is our Redeemer. Both natures are necessary, and possesses holiness, mercy or grace. Yet these are generally accepted even by both work together to carry out the redemption of the world. those who stumble on other divine attributes. This debate over these divine attributes was strongly waged at the time of the . Ulrich Zwingli, the theological ancestor of many Protestants, debated a number of issues with at the Marburg 7 Theologians who are opposed to the Lutheran position have often insisted Colloquy. At the center of the debate was this question of divine attributes. that Lutherans must teach this rcciprocity of attributes, whieh they call the genus Zwingli maintained that the human nature of Christ could not receive these tapeinotikon. They conclude that it is a logical conclusion from the majestic genus. divine characteristics. A human nature is finite; God is infinite. Zwingli Lutherans, however, do not derive their theology from the conclusions of apparent thought it is logical to conclude that "the finite is not capable of the infi­ logic but fr om Scripture. The genus tapeinotikon is not supported by Scripturc, so it nite."" Divine attributes simply cannot fitin a finitehuman being. is not taught by Lutherans. 'Apotelcsmatic comes from the same root word as apostle and refers to sending.- 6 Zwingli's maxim is often quoted in Latin: finitumnon est capax infiniti. This is the description of the work of Christ for which he was sent. 196 Called to Believe, Teach, and Confess The Person of Christ 197

7. Christ's Humiliation and Exaltation Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing One piece is still missing from this discussion of the person of Christ. to be grasped, 7but made himself nothing, taking the fo rm of a servant, Christ has both human and divine attributes, but how does this flU1ction in . being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human fo rm, She his life and ministry? How can an immortal divine nature be united with a humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:5-8) mortal human nature and communicate its attributes to this person, yet this Christ is able to die? How can he be omniscient as God yet, as a human, be Christ Jesus became a human being and became our servant in order to ignorant of things like the timing of his return (Mark 13:32)? The answer bring about our salvation. He humbled himself and died so that we would to these questions is found in the twin doctrines of Christ's humiliation and be his own. The humiliation was necessary for our salvation. Ifhe had fully exaltation. Here we see not only how the person of Christ functions but even used his divine power, he would not have been able to die. lfhis glory had more, we see the grace of God in action. always been manifest as it was at his transfiguration, the people would not have condemned him. If he had done miracles at every opportunity, they Christ s Humiliation would have saved his life - if only to exploit that power. Instead, he be­ came a servant, not using his divine attributes constantly or fully. Because In ordinary speech, humiliation entails the lowering of a person from of this, we are redeemed. one level to another, or it may describe an embarrassing situation. How­ ever, humiliation can also describe a voluntarily change in status or power The Humiliation is Seen in the Life of Christ in order to serve another. When we speak of Christ's humiliation, we are referring to the latter meaning. Even though he had, by nature, all the divine The humiliation of Christ is evident when his life and ministry is attributes, rights, and abilities, during the time of his earthly ministry he did examined. As we do this, we should recognize that since the humiliation not always or fully use these things. He voluntarily refrained from using involves the non-use of divine characteristics, we do not classify the events these divine powers in his human nature. While there were times within his in Christ's humiliation in a way that implies that certain things involve a state ofhumiliation when he did use his divine power (for example, when he greater humiliation than others. There are no greater or lesser degrees of performed miracles), he did not constantly use this power, nor was he using humiliation. The is part of Christ's humiliation, but it is not more his divine power to its full extent. a part of the humiliation than his birth, childhood, or ministry. During all of Notice that in this definition, we are not saying simply that Christ was these things, Christ is in his state of humiliation for us. a humble person. He was indeed humble, but the humiliation was far more significant. Neither is the humiliation a synonym for the incarnation. Christ Conception, Birth, and Childhood continues to have his human nature even after the state of humiliation is complete. Nor are we saying that Christ gave up his divine attributes or left The state of humiliation begins with the conception of Christ. While the them behind when he became human." He continued to have these abilities, virgin conception was a miracle ofthe Holy Spirit (Luke I :35), the incarnate but voluntarily chose not to use them. Christ was not using his divine powers, but from the moment of conception There are many portions of God's word that reveal Christ's humiliation. grew as an ordinary child in the womb. After a normal human gestation, he One of the most significant is the early Christian hymn found in Philippians was bornas all other humans are born. Scripture gives no indication that he 2: had anything other than a normal human birth. His mother wrapped him in cloths just as any baby would be diapered (Luke 2:7). Angels announced his birth to shepherds, but when they arrived, they saw a baby. He was not 9This faulty view is sometimes known as kenoticism. Some critics occasionally shining with glory, but lying in a manger. Despite the lyrics of some Christ­ will claim that this is the Lutheran view. It is not. Among other things, this view mas carols, this baby certainly did cry · like any other baby. This baby had makes it difficultto explain how Jesus was able to do miracles, display supernatural access to all divine power and glory, yet the Christ voluntarily chose not to knowledge or give any other evidence of his deity. use this power. 198 Called to Believe, Te ach, and Confess The Person of Christ 199

As he grew, he continued in his state of humiliation, The teachers in the that he did not really die, but the evidence is clear. The soldiers who over­ temple were amazed at his wisdom when he was twelve years old (Luke 2: saw the execution recognized death. To be perfectly sure, one thrust a spear 47). He was a remarkable adolescent, but still was not making constant or through Jesus' ribs, piercing his heart. When he did, "at once there came out fu ll use of divine abilities. They thought they had fo und a protege, not real­ blood and water" (John 19:34). The blood did not pulse out; it flowed from izing that he was their God. Scripture tells us little of Jesus' childhood, but it a heart that had stopped beating. The executioner was certain. The Roman does tell us that he grew both physically and mentally (Luke 2:52). As God, governor was convinced. Jesus was dead. The finalevent in Jesus' state of he did not need to do this, but he voluntarily undert,ook a normal human humiliation was his burial. Here he used none of the attributes of his divine experience. nature - or his human nature. He was dead. Others took him from the cross and buried him. Life and Ministly From his conception to his burial, we see that Jesus occasionally used his divine powers and was, at times, manifest in glory. Yet he did not make The state of humiliation continues throughout the adult life of Jesus. constant or full use of this power. This is his humiliation. During his ministry, he occasionally manifested his divine power by per­ forming miracles or being seen in glory. These things testifiedto his divine Christ s Exaltation nature and power. Most of the time, however, when someone saw Jesus they saw what appeared to be an ordinary human. No halo surrounded him; he In Christ's exaltation, he resumes the full and unrestricted use of his acted and reacted as any other human being - with the exception that he did divine privileges, power, and glory that he had voluntarily restricted in his not sin (Hebrews 4: 15). Divine power was always his, but he did not always humiliation. This state of exaltation begins with his return to life and contin­ or completely use it. So when he was asked about the timing of his return,he ues fo rever. Even today, Christ is in his state of exaltation where he uses all answered truthfullythat he did not know when this will occur (Matthew 24: of his attributes in any way that pleases him. Amazingly, he chooses to use 36). The knowledge is his according to his divine nature, but he voluntarily these on our behalf. restricted his use of that knowledge. Philippians 2 spoke of Christ's humiliation, but it also describes his exaltation. Suffering, Death and Burial

Nowhere is this as obvious as in his suffering and death. While this is Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that not a "deeper" part of humiliation than any other stage, it is hard to fathom is above every name, 10SO that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, not using divine power to escape such agony. Yet our Savior endured suffer­ in heaven and on earth and under the earth, IIand every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-1 1) ing fo r us. At his arrest, a brief episode showed that he had sufficientpower to escape at any time (John 18:6), but afterwards, he allowed the soldiers to Just as the humiliation is not synonymous with the incarnation, so the arrest, ridicule, and torture him. At his trial, he could have provided signs exaltation does not mean that Christ abandons his humanity. The Savior and wonders that would have freedhim, yet he chose to restrain himself and remains fu lly human, but also resumes full use and exhibition of his divine be convicted. As he hung on the cross, the crowds taunted him: "save your­ attributes and glory. Now that his saving work is complete there is no reason self, and come down from the cross!" (Mark 15:30). He could have done for him to continue in the humiliation. He accomplished the work he came this, but remained on the cross instead. After hours of suffering, Jesus died. to do and so returnsto the fu ll use of his glory and majesty. Even this is evidence of his humiliation. All other humans are under the curse of death, but not Jesus. He did not have to die. In fact, he says, "no one The Exaltation is Seen in the Life of Christ takes [my life] from me, but r lay it down of my own accord" (John 10:18). Had he been using his divine attributes completely, he could have sustained Quickening and the Descent into lie!! his life indefinitely. But in his state of humiliation, he died. The evangelists are careful to describe the death of Jesus in exacting Every event that fo llows Jesus' burial is part of his state of exaltation. detail, providing evidence that he truly did die. Later, skeptics would claim While the first event witnessed on earth is his resurrection, Scripture reveals 200 Called to Believe, Te ach, and Confess The Person ol Christ 201 that this was preceded by another event: the descent into hell, This doctrine mation also provides evidence to all that he was who he said he was. Those confuses many Christians. Many people are only aware of it because it is who are in hell see the justice of their sentence, for they rejected their Savior. mentioned in the Apostles' and Athanasian Creeds. Consequently, there (S) To this point we are dealing with events that we know only by divine have been many debates about the precise meaning of the words that the . revelation. No human being on earth was witness to these events except for creeds use to discuss Christ's descent and how they should be understood. Christ himself. Living humanity becomes witnesses of the next fact. Hav­ Some argue that the descent was not fo und in the earliest versions of the ing descended into hell, Christ leaves. Hell cannot contain the Lord of life. Apostles' Creed and so might be of questionable status. But debates about Nothing can stop him. No power is greater than he is. He has conquered and the text ofthe creeds miss the point. The creeds confess the descent into hell destroyed Satan and his power (see also Revelation 1 :18 and Colossians 2: because the Scriptures reveal this important doctrine. IS). (6) Peter's attention turnsnot to the damned but to the redeemed - the The primary portion ofthe Bible that presents these teachings is I Peter baptized. Christ was victorious for his people. 10 3:18-22. The descent into hell is part of Christ's exaltation because he fu lly uses his divine attributes and power. He is victorious over all his enemies. Even For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, Satan and hell could not confine our Lord. He gives his victory to us. that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, lOin which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, False Vi ews ofthe Descent into Hell 2°because they fo rmerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, There are four other major approaches to the descent into hell that are eight persons, were brought safely through water. 21Baptism, which cor­ often taken by Christians. Several of these deal with the descent only from responds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body the creeds and not fr om the text of Scripture. They are serious approaches but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of to try to understand this doctrine, but all are lacking. The first approach is Jesus Christ, 22who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, simply to reject the descent into hell while reinterpreting the language ofthe with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. (I Peter creeds. This may be done in two ways. Some make the descent into hell a 3:18-22) synonym fo r Christ's suffering on the cross. On the cross he fe lt fo rsaken Note the sequence of the events that Peter records. (I) He begins with by God. He suffered the torments and agony of God's rejection and so knew the death of Christ for all mankind. He gave his righteous life for sinners so what hell was like. Certainly our Savior suffered terribly, but this explana­ that we might be redeemed. (2) Christ is made alive by the Spirit. Even be­ tion does not really take 1 Peter 3 seriously. Peter talks of events after Christ fore he appears to earthly witnesses, Jesus is already alive. This is ordinarily was made alive, not when he was on the cross. Others reject the descent by making the descent into hell a synonym for the grave. The Greek word that called his quickening or vivification. He has returned to life by the power of God. Here his exaltation begins. Christ is risen! (3) Now that he is alive the Apostles' Creed uses for hell is kalotata which means "lower regions" or again, Jesus "went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison." This "prison" "lower parts" (as in Ephesians 4:9). The Latin text of the Creed uses the word holds spirits who disobeyed God in the days of Noah. We should note that in in/erna, which likewise originally meant "the lower world." Some think that the days of Noah, only eight people were fo und on earth who were faithful this word does not mean "hell" but rather the place where all the dead go. to God. They all went on the ark. The rest of humanity drowned (Genesis 7: In this view, Christ went, not to the place of torment, but to the place of the 1,23). While many people have wondered about the location ofthe "prison," dead. This can be reconciled with the language of the creed, but again does Scripture only speaks of two ultimate destinations fo r the dead: heaven (where God is) or hell (where he is not). If these people did not know God, the prison is hell, Revelation 20:7 uses this same word as a description for 10 Another text that reflects the descent into hell is Philippians 2: I O. As part of the place where Satan is confined. (4) In this prison, Christ "proclaimed to Christ's exaltation, Paul notes that "every knee should bow. in heaven and on earth the spirits." The word "proclaimed" (kerusso in Greek) can mean proclama­ and under the earth." Every being in heaven acknowledges Christ, all on earth will tion of either Law or Gospel (see Acts IS:21, Revelation S:2). ln this context, kneel before him at his return. but when did or will every knee under the ca!1h bow') we see Jesus revealing his victory over sin, death, and Satan. This procla- This was accomplished when he descended in victory. 202 Called to Believe, Teach, and Confess The Person of Christ 203

not really deal with 1 Peter 3. The creeds must be interpreted in the light of that there were misunderstandings of this doctrine even among the Luther­ Scripture, for they are meant to summarize Scripture. ans. As it articulates the Lutheran position, it cites a sermon of Martin Lu­ A second false view of the descent admits that Christ really did go to ther. Notice how it fo cuses on the main teachings ofthis article instead ofon hell, but assumes that he went there to suffer on our behalf. This is {}ften . the misunderstandings: explained very piously. Christ took all the punishment that we deserved on himself. He died the death that we deserved, and he suffered the pains of Since this article, as is true ofthe previous article, cannot be compre­ hell that we deserved. He paid our debt so we could be saved. Certainly we hended by reason or understanding, but must be grasped alone by fa ith: would agree that Christ has fully paid for our sins and suffered for us. But It is our unanimous counsel that there should be no dispute over this issue but it should be believed and taught on the simplest level as there is no mention in 1 Peter 3 about his suffering in hell. No, he went to Dr. Luther of blessed memory explained this article in a most Christian make a proclamation of his victory. The suffering of Christ was complete manner in his sermon at Torgau in 1533. There he cut off all unprofitable, on the cross when he proclaimed, "It is finished" (John 19:30). This view unnecessary questions and admonished all godly Christians to a simple would make the descent into hell part of Christ's humiliation. On the basis Christian faith. of 1 Peter 3, we disagree and see the descent as part of Christ's victory, not For it is enough that we know that Christ descended into hell and de­ his suffering. stroyed hell for all believers and that he redeemed them from the power of A third view takes 1 Peter more seriously. It maintains that Christ really death, the devil, and the eternal damnation of hellish retribution. How that did descend into hell in order to preach to the spirits in prison. This view happened we should save fo r the next world, where not only this matter sees his proclamation as a Gospel invitation. He not only went to hell; he but many others, which here we have simply believed and cannot compre­ went to take people out ofhell. Some think that this was necessary because hend with our blind reason, will be revealed. (Epitome of the Formula of Concord IX:2-4) believers could not enter heaven until the sacrifice of Jesus had been offered. (Note that this makes heaven and God's plan subject to This is the main point. The descent into hell shows the victory and our human experience of time.) Others see the proclamation as an offer of power of our Savior. He has triumphed over all his enemies and nothing will salvation to those who had once rejected , or to those who had ever take away his victory. never heard the Gospel. We need to view 1 Peter in the context of the rest of Scripture. Nowhere does Scripture promise a second chance after death Resurrection and the For�v Days on Earth for people to hear and believe the Gospel. On the contrary, it warns that judgment follows our death (Hebrews 9:27). It is dangerous to hold out the The next event in Christ's exaltation takes place on this earth. Christ potential of second chances if God does not offerthem. Peter is not referring who is victorious over all his enemies rises alive fr om the grave and is seen to believers or to those ignorant of the Gospel. He specifically speaks of by many witnesses. His divine identity and attributes are evident in his res­ those who had disobeyed God. They had their opportunity in this life. Jesus urrection and appearances. While his disciples initially seem surprised by does not descend to give a second chance after death. This position takes the his resurrection, it was prophesied by Scripture (Psalm 16: 10) and by Christ descent seriously but ultimately adds a second chance to the biblical text. himself (Mark 8:3 1). The Gospels' accounts of the resurrection (Matthew The fo urth approach to the descent is perhaps the most prevalent among 28:1-10; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-12; John 20) show the triumphant power modem Christians. Many simply choose to ignore this teaching. Perhaps of the resurrected Lord. When his fo llowers went to the grave, they fo und they do this while confessing the creed; maybe they don't even know the that the stone sealing it had been removed (Luke 24:2) and the guards in­ creed. Many Christians simply are unaware or don't seem to care about this capacitated (Matthew 28:4). The cloths which had bound Jesus' dead body doctrine. This really is unfortunate, for this doctrine is not meant to confuse were still there, but no longer wrapped around a corpse (John 20:5-7). An­ us but to show us the strength and victory of our Savior. gels testifiedthat he had risen fromthe dead (Matthew 28:5-7). All of these events were evidence of the but were The Formula of Concord on the Descent into Hell fr ightening to his fo llowers. Again and again Jesus appears to his fo llowers. shows them he is alive, and comforts them. I Corinthians 15:3-8 lists some. Controversy about the descent into hell was known both in the early but not all of the witnesses to the bodily resurrection of Jesus. �hurch. and in the time of the RefonTIl'lti()n Thp F()nTInb of ron{'cml nojpo 204 Called to Believe, Te ach, and Confess The Person afChrist 205

convinced that Jesus had risen fr om the dead. We too are convinced through Did Pau lfo rge t some witnesses ? their testimony.

Denying the Resurrection St. John tells us that Mary The se women are not ably There have always been those, however, who did not believe that the Magdalene . wasfirst to th e tomb ab sent in Paul's lipJ. of witness es Christ really had been raised fr om the dead. As the resurrection of Christ is (John 20: 1) and first to see the to the resurrec ti o� in I Corinthi­ one of the principle doctrines of our faith (I Corinthians 15: 17), it becomes risen Lord (John 20: 14). Mark an s 15. Paul is"not denyi ng their one ofthe main points of attack by unbelievers. Historically the resurrection informs us that Mary the mother pre senc e or making a statement has been denied with fo ur major theories. of James and Salome joined ab out the value or imp ortan ce of The first denies the resurrection by denying the death of Christ. Some Mary Magdalene . at the tomb women. Instead, he offe rs a list think that Christ fell unconscious on the cross but did not truly die. He was (Mark 16:1). Matthew likewise of witnesses th at would be eli­ removed fr om the cross, only to be revived later. He appeared alive after the records the pre sence of both gible to testify in a legal preced­ third day for the simple reason that he had never died. Yet the soldiers con­ Marys (Matthew 28; 1), Luke ing. Since women were not , at ducting the execution were convinced of Jesus' death. If the crucifixion had offers the largest . lists, saying the time, able to do thi s, he do es not been sufficient, the spear in Jesus' side would have killed him. More­ that it Wa S the women who came not include $em in this· listing. over, the post-resurrection appearances of Christ do not describe a weak fro m Galile e wh o prepared Jesus' While recognizing his purpose man slowly recovering fr om injuries, but a strong and lively person. The body for buri al and then returned in 1 Corinthians, we sho uld Scriptures are clear. He really was dead, and he truly rose from the dead. to the tomb on Ea ster. They in­ remember these fa ithful The other three ways of denying the resurrection all admit that Jesus eluded Mary Magdalene, Joanna, wh o were the first witnesses of was truly dead. One says that he was dead, and the tomb was empty on Eas­ Mar y the Moth er of James an d th e resurre ction. ter. This theory, however, assumes that a fraud was perpetrated. Someone the other women (Luke 24: 10). had stolen the body of Jesus in order to make it appear as ifhe was alive. We see this explanation already being used by unbelievers in Matthew 28: 11-15. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Several details show that this is unlikely. One is that the tomb was guarded. Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was bur­ Those standing watch had to fo rmulate an excuse and were even bribed to ied, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, maintain thi s story. A second challenge to this theory is the presence of the 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6Then he appeared to grave cloths in the tomb. While a thief might take a body away, it is incom­ more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, prehensible that he would unwrap the burial cloths, fo ld them neatly, and though some have fa llen asleep. 7Then he appeared to James, then to all place them in the tomb again. No, a thief would remove the body as quickly the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born,he appeared also to me. as possible. There is an interesting piece of historical evidence that is often (l Corinthians 15:3-8) overlooked here. The fa ct that the guards and immediately came up with an explanation for the missing body shows us that they knew the tomb For forty days Jesus reveals himself and shows his resurrected body really was empty. Whatever explanation is given, there was no body in Jesus' to his fo llowers. He comforts them with his presence. He shows them his grave on that Sunday. nail-scarred hands and his pierced side (John 20:20). He proves to them The third way of denying the resurrection maintains that Jesus' dis­ that he is not a ghost but a physical human being by showing them that he ciples believed that they had seen the resurrected Lord, but that they were has flesh and bones (Luke 24:39) and by eating food (Luke 24:32-43). He mistaken. They were seeing a hallucination or projecting their own wishful c:onvincesskeptics like Thomas that he really had risen from the dead (John thinking, but in reality did not see Jesus. We should note. however that the 20:24-29). Beyond these appearances, he also manifests his divine power by disciples did not expect to see the resurrected Jesus. They were �urprised �ntering locked rooms (John 20: 19), instantly disappearing fromtheir sight and, like Thomas, needed to be convinced by the evidence. These are not the :Luke 24:31), and performing miracles (John 21:1- 14). The disciples were actions of neon Ie who are hallucinatinrr. Fllrthermore PmIl's list of re"lIrrec- 206 Called to Believe, Teach, and Confess The Person of Christ 207 tion appearance includes over 500 people. That many people would never Ascension to the Right Hand of the Father have had the same hallucination! At the end of the forty days, our Savior's ministry on earth was done. The fo urth major way of denying the resurrection maintains that the dis­ After convincing his disciples of the resurrection, equipping and commis­ ciples never saw Jesus alive. They invented his resurrection - perhaps as a . sioning them to make disciples of all nations, Jesus ascended into heaven way of keeping his teachings alive or perhaps to improve their own position. (Acts 1:9-11 ; Luke 24:50-51). Jesus' departure from this earth was miracu­ For whatever reason, they made up the stories of Jesus' ap earances. While p lous and is a vital teaching. The ascension answers the question, "where is it is possible that the disciples perpetrated a fraud, we should note that they Jesus today?" Jesus did not die again. He did not disappear secretly. He is did not gain much in this world because of their testimony. Indeed, all of the not in hiding somewhere on the earth. He left this earth with his body. This disciples endured hardships and suffering because of the Gospel and most signifies that his earthly ministry is complete. He came to this earth to ac­ of them died martyrs' deaths. It is highly unlikely that they would maintain complish a task. Once the work of salvation was done, he left this earth. Yet their fraudto the point of a horrible death. as Luke records, he leaves with the promise that he will return again. These are the major explanations that deny the resurrection, but all of But where did he go? On the basis of many passages of Scripture, we them are unlikely. The testimony of Scripture is clear. Christ is risen from confess that Jesus ascended into heaven where he "sits at the right hand the dead. He has conquered the power of death and lives now and forever. of God the Father almighty." This description is not depicting a specific physical location somewhere in space. Rather, God's right hand is an image The Meaning of the Resurrection connoting power and authority. It is the closest position of trust and honor. The resurrection is not a minor point at the end of the life of Christ. It is Christ Jesus has returned to his Father in power and authority. Ephesians an essential part of his saving work. The resurrection testifies to the identity puts it well of our Savior. He is truly the Son of God (Romans 1 :4). Indeed, when asked to provide evidence that he was who he claimed to be, Jesus pointed to his ... he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heav­ resurrection. "Destroy this temple [his body], and in three days 1 will raise it enly places, 21far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and up" (John 2: 19). The resurrection of our Savior testifiesthat he is the Son of above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 2lAnd he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all God. His person and his work are affirmed and vindicated by this glorious things to the church, 23which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all miracle. in all (Ephesians 1:20-23). The resurrection is also the completion and of his saving work. Too often Christians dissect the work of Christ. Was it his crucifixion Christ has all rule, authority, power, dominion and majesty. All things Dr his resurrection that are responsible for our salvation? We are not to pick in heaven and earth, even the angels, are subject to him (l Peter 3:22). This 'llldchoose between the work of Christ. On the contrary, Paul notes that this is what has happened to Jesus. He has been given all power and authority. is an essential part of his work. He rules over all things for the sake of his church. All his divine attributes and characteristics are freely used in any way he pleases. Sitting at God's And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in right hand does not confineJesus to a limited place, but indicates that he is your sins. 1 "Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. fr ee from any limitation. He does what he pleases, and he wants to bless his 191f in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. (I Corinthians 15: 17-19) church. The earthly concluded with his ascension, but his ministry on behalf of his people never ends. He continues to serve us even We need the resurrection of Jesus, fo r through it he gives us fo rgive­ today. less, life, and salvation (Romans 6:4; 1 Corinthians 15:12ff). This is why �cripture so emphatically teaches the truth of Christ's resurrection. For forty Returnf()r Judc'.z,ment fays he continued to appear to his disciples so that we would not doubt, but So the exaltation of our Lord continues until that great day when, just as Jelieve this great truth. he promised, he will return to this earth in glory to judge the nations (Mat: thew 25 :31 if; Luke 21:27) and bring us to his eternal kingdom. The return of 208 Called to Believe, Teach, and Confess The Person ol Christ 209

Christ, which we eagerly await, is yet another facet of his exaltation where For Review and Discussion he uses all of his power according to his good purposes. He comes to take us home.11 1. When faced with trials, people may make statements suggest­ ing t�t God does not really understand the human situation. The Significance ofthe Humiliation and Exaltation How does the incarnation of Christ demonstrate God's fu ll understanding and awareness of our existence? Our Lord did not have to do any of this. He was not compelled to be our 2. Many heresies have developed regarding the person and work Savior. He did not have to give up the full and complete use of his divine of Jesus Christ. Why do you think these doctrines attract so attributes in the humiliation. Yet this was the only way that we would be many errors? What does this suggest about the importance of saved. All of this he has done out of his great love for us. This is who he is: these doctrines? What does this reveal about human sinful­ Jesus is the God-Man. Fully human and fully divine, he has given himself ness? to be our Savior. 3. The communication ofattributes is a tricky, but important doc­ trine. Summarize the three genera (subparts) of this doctrine. How would you explain them to someone else'? What is their Ke y Te rms importance? 4. The resurrection is the central miracle in Scripture. Read the Adopti onism Immaculate concep - biblical accounts of the resurrection once more. What details Apollinarianism ti on do these passages provide to show that Christ truly rose from Ap otelesmati c genus Impeccable the grave? Arianism Incarnation 5. In Philippians 2, St. Paul says that the humiliation of Christ Ch aIcedon, council 'of Majestic genus demonstrates the type of attitude that we should have. (Even Communication of Nature while it also shows us many other things.) How is Christ's At tributes Nestorianism humiliation a model fo r our lives? Is there a danger in overem­ Constantinople, Nicea phasizing this function of the humiliation? How can we keep it councilof Peccable in proper perspective'? Doceti sm Person Ebionism Preservation Euty chianism Quickening For Further Reading Exaltati on Su bordinationism Gnosticism Theotokos The Augsburg Confession III "Concerningthe Son of God" (p. 38). Hades Virg in conception Apology of the Augsburg Confession 111 "Christ" (p. 120). Heresy and birth The Smalcald Articles I (p. 300). Humiliation Vi vification Idiomatic genus Formula of Concord: Epitome VIII "Concerning the Person of Christ" (pp. 508-514). formula of Concord: Solid Declaration 616 " Concerningthe Person of Christ" (pp. 616-634). Fonnula of Concord: Epitome XII: 3-5 "Concerning Other Factions and Sects that Never Subscribed to the Augsburg Confession ... Intoler­ 11 For a more detailed presentation of the of Christ, see chapter able Teachings in the Church" (p. 520). 23, " The Last Things." 210 Called to Believe, Teach, and Confess

Athanasius. On the Incarnation: The Treatise De Incarnatione Ve rbi Dei. Crestwood, New York: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1977. Bainton, Roland. Martin Luther s Christmas Book. Minneapolis: Augsburg/F ortress, 1997. 10 Bray, Gerald. Creeds, Councils, and Christ. Downer's Grove, Illinois: Intervarsity Press, 1984. The Work of Christ Chemnitz, Martin. The Two Natures in Christ. Trans. l.A.O. Preus. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1971. Gerhard, Johann. Seven Christmas Sermons (1 613): Scripturanv Satu­ rated Sermons Celebrating the Birth o{Christ. Decatur, IL: Johann Gerhard Institute, 1996. How do you introduce yourself to other people? Yo u probably tell them your name, and briefly describe yourself. Yo u may tell them about your Hengstenberg, ErnstWilhelm. The Christology of the Old Testament background: your family, hometown, or the place you currently live. Yo u and a Commentary on the Messianic Predictions. Grand Rapids: might describe what you do: your job, interests or hobbies. As you get to Kregel, 1970. know them better, they will learnmore about you, but we usually start with Lewis, C. S. Mere Christianity. New York: Macmillan, 1952. these basics: who you are and what you do. Lienhard, Marc. Luther, Witness to Jesus Christ: Stages and Themes of We follow that same basic pattern when we describe Jesus Christ. We the Reformer s Christology. Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1982. talk about who he is and we describe what he does. In other words, we speak Sasse, Hermann. We Confess Jesus Christ. Translated by Norman Na­ of his person and his work. The last chapter examined his person: Jesus gel. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1984. Christ is the incarnate Son of God, fully human and fully divine. But we Scaer, David. Christology. Confessional Lutheran Dogmatics, vol IX. don't really know him until we know what he does ..- because he does it for S1. Louis: The Luther Academy, 1989 . us. In this chapter we will examine his saving work, including

----. What Do Yo u Think ofJesu s? S1. Louis: Concordia, 1973. Siggins, Ian D. Martin Luther s Doctrine of Christ. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1970. Strobel, Lee. The Case fo r Christ: A Journalist:\' Personal Investigation I. The Office ofChrist - Our Sav ior serves us as th e of the Evidence fo r Jesus. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1998. ulti mate prophet, high priest an d king 2. Th e Atonement Ho w do es th e death an d res urrec­ tion of Ch rist save us ?

1. The Office of Christ

The work of Christ the central or "official"things he comes to do� is called his office. In the 33 years that Jesus lived on this earth he did many things, but why did he come? He came to be the Savior of the world: our one Redeemer who would reconcile us to the Father (Matthew 1 :2 1). Only Jesus Christ can and does offer us the gift of eternal life. In order to describe his work, many Christians have found it useful to divide his work into several smaller aspects that may be examined more 212 Called to Believe, Te ach, and Confe ss The Wo rk o[ Christ 213 carefully. The Scriptures describe his work and ministry in many different and king. Only he is able to unite these offices.We see this in three distinct images such as shepherd (John 10:II) , teacher (Luke 7:40), Lord (Romans phases of his ministry: he teaches (prophet), he is sacrificed for us (priest) 1 :4), Savior (Luke 2:II ), and many other things. Any one of these could be and he is our eternal Lord and king. used as a lens to examine the office of Christ. For example, we might ask, 'how is he our shepherd, and what does this teach us about his work." This Th e Prophetic Offi ce - Christ the Prophet of God may offer a very rewarding study of the Scriptures. Howevo/, Christians have historically tended to focus on three particular aspects of Christ's work: People often equate the work of a prophet with predictions of the future. he is our prophet, priest, and king. Understanding these roles will help us While Jesus does predict future events (Matthew 26:34), this is not the sole know our Savior and communicate his work to others. work of a prophet. A prophet brings the word of God to human beings as God's representative. The Christ of God Some Christians are reluctant to call Jesus a prophet. Perhaps this is a reaction against those who would describe Jesus merely as a prophet while These three aspects of his work may have been initially used to describe rejecting his deity. Even in his ministry, Jesus was, at times, misunderstood his work because each was an important office in the life of ancient Israel. as being only a prophet (John 9: 17; Luke 24: 19). Yet no one who takes his God sent prophets, priests, and kings to his people. Each served Israel in prophetic message seriously can mistake what he says. Jesus calls himself unique ways. Some have suggested that one thing that all three offices have God. He is not merely a prophet, but this truth does not take away the fact in common is that their occupants were anointed. Anointing was a sign that that Jesus is also a prophet. We uphold this scriptural truth because it is an someone was set apart or consecrated for a specific service. Oil was poured important part of his work. Jesus brings the word of God to us (John 17: on their heads as a visible sign that they were authorized and empowered 6-8). to carryout the responsibilities of their office. This was common for priests (Exodus 40:13) and kings (2 Kings 9:3). There are also times when prophets Christ the Prophesied Prophet were anointed (1 Kings 19: 16), though it does not appear that all the proph­ A number of Old Testament prophesies stress that the coming Mes­ ets were anointed. Anointing showed the legitimacy and authority of their siah would be a prophet. These are anchored by one of the last promises of offices. Moses to the Israelites. "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet When we call our Savior "Christ" we are not using his name. "Christ" like me from among you, from your brothers · .. it is to him you shall listen" is the Greek word for "anointed one." In Hebrew, this word is "Messiah." (Deuteronomy 18: 15). He is the anointed one, the Messiah, the one set apart and consecrated by Moses had led the Israelites for a generation. The people he was ad­ God for a specifictask. He is anointed to be our Savior. In fact, the New Tes­ dressing had never known life without his guidance and without the proph­ tament specifically notes that Jesus was anointed, not with oil, but with the ecy that he brought from God. Under Moses, they had heard the Law of Holy Spirit (Acts 10:38). Many Christians who have gone before us have God, built a tabernaclefor worship, learnedof God's promises and covenant, connected the title Christ with the offices of prophet, priest, and king. He and become a great nation. They were distraught at the thought of losing was anointed to do this work. Moses. Moses promised them that God had a plan. God would raise up an­ Saying that Christ holds all three of these positions, however, recog­ other prophet like Moses. Moses saw God and spoke with him. The coming nizes something unique about him. There are specific requirements for each prophet would also do this. Furthermore, this prophet would also come from of these offices. Two of them, priest and king, require a specific ancestry. among the people. He would be an Israelite. Kings were descended from David in the tribe of Judah, but priests had God was faithful to this promise. He sent prophets . many prophets. to be Levites. One person would ordinarily not be able to serve in both of But none of them matched the prophetic ministry of Moses. Israel kept those positions. Moses came close. He was a prophet, led his nation, and looking for the Prophet - the great Prophet who would lead them as Moses established the regulations for the priesthood (Leviticus 8-10), but he was had. Then they met Jesus. He taught with authority. He revealed God's truth not really a king or a priest. David was a king. Like a prophet, he wrote por­ to them. He perforn1ed signs and wonders. Seeing his ministry, many con­ tions of the Bible, but he wasn't a priest. But Jesus is truly a prophet, priest, cluded that Jesus was the nromised nronhet. Here was the one Moses hlld 214 Called to Believe, Te ach, and Confe ss The Wo rk of Christ 215 predicted (John 6: 14), Jesus is this prophet. In fact, Jesus called himself a es this, "under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without prophet (Matthew 13:57). the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins" (Hebrews 9:22). This requirement of the Law did not disappear with the coming of Christ the Supreme Prophet Christ. We still needed a proper sacrificeof blood for our sins. Jesus comes as our sacrifice. He is "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the But he is not just another prophet. He is the supreme prophet, greater world" (John 1:29) and "the propitiation for. .. the sins of the whole world" than all others. The book of Hebrews notes that he fulfillsthis/ office, but it (I John 2:2). He was sacrificed on the cross so that we might have life and also shows his superiority. While other prophets spoke God's word to the forgiveness. What's more, his sacrifice was perfect and so effective that no people, Jesus is God. He speaks his own divine word directly (Hebrews 1:I) . further sacrifices are ever needed again (Hebrews 10: I 0). Where the other prophets declare, "God says ..." Jesus boldly proclaims, "I Jesus is our sacrifice, but this raises a theological question. A sacrifice tell you .... " Other prophets speak the word of God through sinful lips (Isa­ must be offered by someone. It is not sufficient to simply buy or even kill iah 6:5); Jesus is the sinless Son of God. Hebrews notes another difference: an animal. A legitimate priest must offer the sacrificein the proper way if it Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses as much more is to be valid. Without the priest a creature might be killed, but it would not glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. 4(For be a sacrifice. every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) 5Now So if Jesus was the sacrifice, who was the priest? Not one of the priests Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testifyto the things in Jerusalem. They had rejected him and helped arrange his death, but they that were to be spoken later, 6but Christ is fa ithfulover God's house as a did not think they were offering a sacrifice.Certainly it was not the faithless son. (Hebrews 3:3-6) soldiers who carried out the crucifixion. The New Testament offers a differ­ ent explanation. Jesus was both the priest and the sacrifice. But can this be Christ is the supreme messenger of God because he is God. st. John true? God declared through Moses that priests must come from the tribe of reminds us, "No one has ever seen God; the only God who is at the Father's Levi. At the same time, the Messiah was a descendent of David in the tribe side, he has made him known" (John 1:I 8). The prophetic office of Christ of Judah (Hebrews 7:14). How could one man be the Messiah who is sacri­ continues today as he speaks to us through his word. As ministers are sent ficedand also the priest? Are not these roles mutually exclusive? with his word and in his name, it is Christ's voice that is proclaimed and Hebrews considers the question in detail and proves that it is possible. It heard. notes that Scripture describes a great priest who lived before the Levites - a man named Melchizedek. Melchizedek was a priest who served Abraham Th e Priestly Offi ce - Christ the Great High Priest (Genesis 14: 18-20). Though he was not a Levite, Melchizedek was a legiti­ mate priest, because he lived before that regulation had been given. Jesus The second aspect of Christ's work is his priestly office.A prophet rep­ was a priest in the same way. As God, he existed from all eternity and so is resents God to humanity; a priest represents people to God. Priests intercede exempt from the Levitical requirement. (He is, in essence, "grandfathered with God, offering gifts, sacrifices and prayers to God on behalf of others in.") Jesus is a priest forever, "after the order of Melchizedek" (Psalm 1 10:4, (Hebrews 5:1). They have God's invitation and command to do this priestly Hebrews 5 :4-I 0). Jesus is the great high priest, anointed by God to offer the work for his people. We see this officewhen Scripture calls him a priest. We final sacrifice of himself for the sin of the entire world. also see it when he does priestly work or is called as a sacrifice. Words like intercessor (Hebrews 7:25), sacrifice (Romans 3:25), offering (Romans 8:3), The Supremacy of Christ:� Priesthood and even Lamb of God (John I :29) all reflectthe priestly office of Jesus. Hebrews goes on to note that not only is Christ a legitimate priest, he The Necessity of the Priestly Offi ce is the supreme high priest. All priests who preceded him served only for a short time and then died. Jesus lives forever and so is our high priest forever If we are to receive the forgiveness of sins and salvation, we need the (Hebrews 7:23-25). Other priests offered sacrifices for sins, but before they services of a priest. God has decreed the conditions of our forgiveness. The did this, they had to offer a sacrifice for their own sin. Jesus did not have to Jld Testament teaches the need for sacrifice. The New Testament summariz- do lhis� He had no sin� and so was Clhle10 serve liS (�omnletP.lv(He hrew, 7,)7- 216 Called to Believe, Te ach, and Confe ss The Wo rk of Christ 217

28). Other priests served God in the tabernacle and temple, but these were The Prophesied King temporary structures. Jesus serves in the true, heavenly temple for all eter­ nity (Hebrews 9: 11). Other priests offered animals as God commanded, but Prophesies foretold a kingly Messiah. Many who watched for the Mes­ Jesus offered a priceless offering · himself (Hebrews 9:12-15, Ephesians siah were so fixated on this aspect that they fa iled to recognize other parts of 5:2). Other priests needed to offer many offerings day after day. Whenever the messianic work. But the prophesies remain. The Messiah would come sins were committed more sacrifices had to be offered. Jesus offered one from David's line. God assured King David that one of his descendents great and finaloffering that was sufficientto atone for all sins: past, present, would reign as king forever (2 Samuel 7: 12-13, Isaiah 9:6-7). He would be and future (Hebrews 10:10, 14). Once he offered that sacrifice, everything a Son of David, but he would also be David's Lord (Psalm 110: 1; Matthew necessary had been completed. No further sacrifice would be needed (He­ 22:43-46). brews 8: 1; 10: 12; John 19:30). In fact, no other sacrifices have been offered since the year AD 70 when the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed. There The Arrival ofthe King is no longer any place to offer those sacrifices and no fu rther need fo r them. This prophecy would not be fulfilled for many generations. The gene­ Jesus has fulfilled and completed them all when he sacrificed himself. alogies of Jesus affirmthat he is a rightfuldescendant of David (Matthew I: I; Luke 2:4). He is greeted as a king by the magi who come to worship him The Our High Priest (Matthew 2:2). He is recognized as a king during his ministry. Throughout Priests represent people to God when they offer sacrifices. They also the Gospels, people call him the Son of David as they beg his help (see Mark represent people through intercessory prayer. A priest brings the petitions 10:47; Matthew 15:22). On Palm Sunday, the crowds greeted him, "Hosanna and prayers to God on behalf of others. This too is part of the priestly office to the Son of David!" (Matthew 21 :9). of Christ. Sadly, the people did not really understand what it meant for the Mes­ In his ministry on earth, Jesus prayed for his disciples. John 17: I ff siah to be a king. They sought an earthly leader but not a divine Savior. After records one of his prayers (usually called the High Priestly Prayer) for his Jesus fe d more than 5000 people with his miraculous power, they wanted to followers. His intercession was not only for the disciples that day, but also make him king by force (John 6:1 5). Jesus knew that this would keep him for "those who will believe in me through their word" (John 17:20). We fr om the work of salvation and refused. His own disciples at times acted as are included in that prayer. He prayed for all believers and his intercession though he came to be simply an earthly king (Acts 1:6). The leaders of this continues today. S1. Paul assures us, "wh0'is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the world, interested only in power, were jealous that Jesus was called a king one who died - more than that, who was raised - who is at the right hand and sought to keep him fr om taking that power (Matthew 2: 13-18). No one of God, who indeed is interceding for us" (Romans 8:34). Jesus our high seemed to understand or believe Jesus when he said, "My kingdom is not of priest is our advocate to the Father (I John 2: 1). He served us as high priest this world" (John 18:36). by sacrificing himself, and he serves us still by interceding for us. These misunderstandings of Jesus' kingship cannot negate his authentic royalty. At Jesus' trial, Pontius Pilate asked Jesus if he was a king. Jesus Th e Royal Offi ce - agreed that this was true (Luke 23:3). The cross carried the inscription, "Je­ sus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews" (John 19: 19). Although they were The third office of Christ is his kingly or royal office. Christians often meant in mockery, the words were true. Scripture hails Jesus as the King of call Jesus their king. Unfortunately, as with the title prophet, there are some kings (Revelation 17: 14) and speaks of his eternal kingdom (2 Peter I:II) . who use this description in a misleading way. Some call Jesus a king, think­ Misunderstandings do not change the fact that Jesus truly is a king. So how ing that he only sought to rule one of earth's kingdoms. Some think that he do we maintain the biblical teaching of Christ's kingship without falling into will returnto this earthly reign in the future. The kingship of Jesus can also these errors'? We can do this by recognizing that there are several related, be described in a way that eclipses his priestly office.All of these are misun­ yet distinct aspects to his reign. These are ordinarily called the kingdom of derstandings of the scriptural teaching of Jesus' kingship. power, kingdom of grace, and kingdom of glory. 218 Called to Believe, Te ach, and Confess Th e Wo rk of Christ 219

Christ s Kingdom of Power proclamation of the Gospel and service of the are the tools of this kingdom. The kingdom of power is Christ's rule over all creation. This kingdom As the children of God, we are now citizens in his kingdom (Ephesians is his by divine right since he is true God and the creator of the universe. All 2: 19). This does not, however, remove us from the kingdom of power. Chris­ things were made by him and are subject to his rule and command. So Jesus tians simultaneously live in both kingdoms.} says that all power in heaven and earth is his (Matthew 28: 18). All things are under him, and he is the "head over all things" (Ephesians 1 :22). Christ s Kingdom of Glory In this aspect of rule, Christ reigns by his Law and power, not by his Gospel. Here the Law is functioning in its first use: to restrain and limit the When people speak of Christ's kingship, some overlook the first two effects of sin and wickedness. 1 All of his creation - whether Christians or kingdoms and refer only to the kingdom of glory. While this is part of unbelievers, hwnan or not - is part of his kingdom of power. Indeed it is a Christ's royal office, we should not neglect the first two kingdoms. The great blessing that this is so. third kingdom, called the kingdom of glory, refers to the majestic, eternal Christ's providential care is part of the kingdom of power. He works reign of our Savior in heaven. He has a heavenly kingdom and he will take through the natural order that he created to cause the rain to fall on the righ­ us there (2 Timothy 4: 18). This kingdom will be manifest on earth when he teous and the unrighteous alike (:45). He upholds the universe returus to judge the nations (Matthew 25:31). This does not mean, however, and causes it to function properly not only for those who believe in him, but that this kingly reign of Christ is only a future reality. While we continue to for all (Hebrews 1 :3). These gifts of creation and providence are all part of await the return of our Savior, he is already reigning in the kingdom of glory. his kingly bounty. He rules and guides through society, government, and hu­ The saints who have gone before us, along with the rest of the heavenly host, man authority. All governments are established by God (Romans 13:1) and all knowthe glorious reign of our Savior. Even though we have not yet been are accountable and subject to Christ their maker. 2 brought into this kingdom, the kingdom is already a reality and our King is Christians, like all other people, are citizens in the kingdom of power. reigning. We are not exempt from natural laws or from obedience to the government. We still live in societies and know the effect of the Law. We also are con­ Th e Relationship of the Three Kingdoms stantly receiving the benefits of our master's providence and care. These three kingdoms reflect different ways in which Christ Jesus ex­ ercises his kingly office.They are distinct from each other, but they are also Christ:� Kingdom of Grace related. There are three kingdoms, but one king. Christ rules over a1l things, While the kingdom of power extends over all people, the kingdom of though in different ways. He rules in the kingdom of power by his Law grace is more limited. This kingdom includes those who have heard and and power. Among those who receive his Gospel on this earth, he works believed the Gospel - in other words, the church. Jesus describes this king­ tenderly through the Gospel in the means of grace. In the kingdom of glory dom as "the kingdom of heaven" or "the kingdom of God" (Matthew 13: the redeemed, having been freed from sin and all its effects, see him face to 44-45; Mark 10:15). face and know his presence. Paul describes part of the relationship of these In this kingdom he rules not by the power and force of the Law, but kingdoms in Ephesians by his Gospel. This is why it is the kingdom of grace: he creates and gath­ ers this kingdom together solely by his gracious work and will. There is [The Father] worked [his great might] in Christ when he raised him from no coercion or force in this kingdom, only his gracious and free invitation. the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21far Where the kingdom of power works through natural laws and institutions above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22And that wield the power of the Law, the kingdom of grace is spread gently. The he put all things under his fe et and gave him as head over all things to the

1 See chapter 3 for a discussion of the three uses or functions of the Law. J 2 See chapter 22, "The Christian in Society" for a discussion of the biblical For a more detailed discussion of the kingdom of power and the kingdom of teaching concerningcivil government. grace, sec chapter 22, "The Christian in Society." 220 Called to Believe, Te ach, and Confess The Wo rk of Christ 221

church, 23which is his body, the fu llness of him who fillsall in alL (Ephe­ we change our focus from this work, we lose our proper perspective and sians 1 :20-23) misunderstand our Savior. He did not come only to proclaim the word as a prophet. He did not come for a coronation. He came to be our redeemer. In his kingdom of glory, Christ is above all things, and possesses every title and honor that is due him. He is also over all things (kingdom of power) 2. The Atonement but uses that power for the church (kingdom of grace). He work,sin the king­ rk dom of power for the sake and benefit of his church. His wo in the king­ As we focus on the core work of Christ for our salvation, we arrive at dom of grace creates and prepares citizens for the kingdom of glory. In his another question. Jesus Christ is the incarnate Son of God who saves us kingdom of power he protects us, in his kingdom of grace he nurtures and by his death and resurrection. This is the very heart of Christianity. Many nourishes us until we reach his eternal, heavenly kingdom. The kingdoms Christians are content to simply know and believe this truth. Some, however, are related because all are ruled by the same king. seek to go a little deeper. I believe that this is true, but how does it work? What exactly does Christ's incarnation, death and resurrection accomplish? Some Cautions How does Scripture describe this work and its effects? Why did our salva­ Imagery of Christ as king is often exciting to Christians, and rightly tion take place in this way? Was this the only way possible or could God so. We belong to a great and glorious king who has made us his own. In have done it another way? Perhaps the most significant question is, "how excitement, however, it is easy to slip into errors regarding the kingly office. should I describe and explain his work to other people?" One is the danger of treating Christ's kingly office as only a future reality. Christians have asked these questions since the very beginning. They Sometimes Christians describe Christ's return as the time in which he will are not expressions of doubt or unbelief, but rather show a desire to dig finally become king. This is not an adequate depiction of the biblical teach­ deeply into the riches of God's word. They seek a biblical description of the ing. While the return of our Savior will mark a change for those who live on atonement. Those who search the Scriptures will find several descriptions earth, he is not waiting to become king. Jesus Christ already is king. Today of the work of Christ. His service to us is described in several images and he rules over all creation. He reigns in the hearts of his people and in the patterns so that we might better understand it. life of his church. Even now he reigns in heaven. Christ is king already ! The In examining these images of Christ's work, different Christians have fact that we do not always recognize his reign or live as his citizens marks formulated summaries of Christ's saving work that are usually called "theo­ a problem in us, not in him. Do not delay the kingship of Christ. Our Savior ries of the atonement." Three main explanations dominate Christian under­ reigns. standing: the atonement as substitution, the atonement as victory, and the A second danger is also significant. It is easy to get caught up in the atonement as an example of love. All three of these are based on scriptural majesty and power of the kingship of Christ and allow it to eclipse other themes. Rightly understood, they are complimentary, showing us various as­ parts of his work. In particular, it is easy to allow the kingly reign of Christ pects of Christ's work. Unfortunately, some take these theories and expand to become more important in our minds than his priestly office. Yet Christ them, adding non-biblical material or ideas to them. We need to be careful reigns in his kingdoms of grace and glory precisely because of his priestly not to confuse biblical explanations with human additions or illustrations. If work. He has redeemed us with his blood and made us his own. The reign we become more interested in the theory than in the Scripture behind it, we of Christ was not interrupted by his crucifixion and death. They are the heart may driftfrom God's word to our own. But when we are reliant on the bibli­ of his work. cal text, a rich understanding of Christ's work emerges. Our Savior is the Christ, the anointed one, the Messiah. He serves us as prophet, revealing God's will to us. He serves us as our great high priest Th e Atonement as Substitution who offers himself as the greatest and final sacrificefor the sins of the whole world. He continues to intercede for us as our high priest. He serves us as The first theory of the atonement is the most popular. In fact many king as he reigns over the world, his church, and heaven itself. This is the Christians think that this is the only way to understand Christ's work. Over office of Christ, the work that he was sent to do. He has accomplished this the centuries it has been known by a variety of names. It is sometimes called for us. All three of these offices are expressed in this work of salvation. If the Anselmic theory (named for Anselm of Canterbury 1033-1 109, an Eng- 222 Called to Believe, Te ach, and Confe ss Th e Wo rk of Christ 223 lish theologian who wrote about this explanation in great detail), Others But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniq­ know it as the substitutionary atonement, vicarious atonement, vicarious uities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his satisfaction ("vicarious" means substitutionary), or Latin theory of the stripes we are healed. "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned atonement. All of these names describe the explanation that Christ is our every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:5-6) substitute. This theory views the work of Christ in legal terms. Laws have been He did not deserve this suffering or death, but chose to pay the price of broken, punishments are deserved and carried out. Justice is done, but God our sin. His life was of such great value that he has paid the penalty for all also shows his mercy. As our creator, it is God's privilege to establish laws humanity. Notice that in this substitution the sin is not forgotten. God does and standards for us. Since God is perfectly holy, he demands holiness from not ignore or arbitrarily forget sin. The penalty is truly paid. God's justice his creation (Leviticus 19:2). By falling into sin, and by continuing in sin, has been satisfied.Moreover, it has been paid in God's way. Blood has been we have violated God's command. We have not only broken God's Law, we shed (Hebrews 9:22) and God's wrath has been covered (Romans 3:24; 1 have committed a personal offense againsthim. By breaking any command, John 2:2). He exchanged our sinfulness for his righteousness and we are we have simultaneously shown contempt for the God who has made that reconciled with the Father. command. Even if the sin harmed another person, all sin is against God (Psalm 51:4). Evaluation of the A tonement as Substitution We need to fulfill God's Law perfectly. Since we have failed, we need to pay the appropriate penalty. Scripture teaches that the penalty for sin is There is much to commend the substitutionary theory of the atonement. death (Romans 6:23). This brings about a practical problem: the cost is too It is rooted in the biblical texts (though it has sometimes been inflated by great for us to pay. Even if we paid the just penalty, we would be dead and some of its proponents). It keeps the righteousness of God intact. The se­ still would have not kept the Law perfectly. We would be punished but will riousness of sin is evident. God takes it so seriously that Christ dies for it. not have attained salvation. Furthermore, it is centered on the work of God. Satan does not usurp God's God is not satisfied with this situation. His is perfectly righteous and place as he seems to do in some other explanations. This theory also is so cannot overlook the sin that has been committed. If he were to do so, he clearly linked with the crucifixionof Christ. The necessity of the sacrifice of would not be just and holy. Instead, he would be arbitrary and capricious. Christ is clearly presented. Christ's priestly office is emphasized as he gives This is not consistent with God's changeless nature (Malachi 3:6). At the himself for our salvation. same time, God is merciful and wants to forgive his creatures. How is God With all of this to commend it, there are some shortcomings of this able to be just and merciful? He can be true to both of these attributes in explanation. While it stresses the crucifixion, it does not make much of the Christ Jesus. The Son of God comes to stand in our place as a substitute. resurrection. To be sure, most of its proponents firmly believe in the resur­ Christ Jesus earns our salvation by his obedience to the Father. He ful­ rection of Jesus, but how does it relate to the atonement? It doesn't really fills both of our needs before God. Since humans failed to keep God's Law have a place in this theory despite the biblical evidence (Romans 4:25). perfectly without sin, the Savior does this for us. This is called his active Some have also criticized this theory for being based as much on the feudal obedience. He is bornunder the Law's demands (Galatians 4:4), lives a sin­ society that Anselm lived in as it is on Scripture. God appears as a feudal less life and fulfills all the commands of our righteous God. This obedience overlord who has been personally offended by rebellious serfs. (Diffe rent was expected of all humanity, but only Christ was able to do this. He lived presentations of this explanation may do this to a greater degree than oth­ the life that we were meant to live: a life of holiness and perfection. He does ers.) Finally, we might notice that this theory reflects biblical themes. That this as our substitute so that his obedience is credited to us. is indeed its great strength. However, it has often been emphasized to such But our second need still remained: we owed a debt to God for sinning a degree that it obscures other biblical themes. As useful as this explanation against him. Again, Christ is our substitute by taking the punishment that is, it should not displace other biblical explanations. we deserved: the punishment of death. This is his passive obedience where he voluntarily took our fate upon himself. Isaiah prophesied this of the Mes­ siah: 224 Called to Believe. Te ach. and COf�fess The Wo rk o[Christ 225

The Atonement as Vi ctory not paid to God, it must be paid to Satan. But this is not a satisfying answer either. Does Satan have any rights to this ransom'! If you apply this notion While the substitutionary theory of the atonement is the most common a little further, Satan becomes more autonomous, almost like another God. explanation used by Christians today, it is not the only explanation. that That is clearly unacceptable. How does Satan get these rights? These ques­ examines these biblical themes. An even older explanation views the atone­ tions are never really resolved in this theory. Satan is simply described as ment more in terms of Christ's victory over our enemies. Thi� explanation holding sinners captive. Many centuries after this theory was firstproposed, was prevalent from the time of the early church until the time of Anselm. It Martin Luther suggested an explanation. Satan does not really have rights, is usually known as the Christus Victor theory (also known as the classic but he is acting as an accuser. Satan's accusations stick not because he has theory or dramatic theory of the atonement). rights, but because he is pointing out a violation of God's Law. In essence, The problem emphasized by the substitutionary theory is that we have Luther combines part of the substitutionary theory with the victor theory to offended God. The victory theory highlights a different problem. We are in offer this explanation. bondage to sin, death, the devil and hell and cannot free ourselves. This is One further problem remains for the victor theory. What happens after seen in verses like Galatians 3:22 which calls the world a prisoner to sin, the captives are freed? Will they be truly free or will they be recaptured? In or 2 Timothy 2:26 which speaks of our captivity to Satan. We desperately order for the ransom to be truly effective, it needs to be accompanied by the need to be freed from these captors, but lack the ability and power to free defeat of the captors. Some saw a solution in Job 41 which ourselves. We need a rescuer and champion to fight on our behalf. talks of God's ability (and mankind's inability) to catch the leviathan. This This need is addressed by Christ who comes as our champion. He sea monster was seen by many as an image of Satan. How is our adver­ battles all of our enemies and defeats them on our behalf. Having won the sary to be defeated? God goes "fishing" to catch him. He offers the devil victory, he liberates us and gives us the rewards of his victory. This theme something that is appealing, but hidden within is Satan's undoing. The "bait" finds much scriptural support. The first messianic prophesy in Scripture is Christ who comes in human flesh. This human seems to be weak and said that the seed of a woman would crush the head of Satan, the serpent destructible so Satan grabs him. Satan believes that he has defeated Christ, (Genesis 3:15). 1 Peter 3:18-20 shows Christ's victory over hell and all its only to discover that there was a hook in the bait - the divine nature. The powers. Christ has destroyed death (2 Timothy 1:10 ) and the devil (Hebrews victim was innocent and powerful. Satan exceeded his authority and his abil­ 2:14). Our enemies have been vanquished by the power of the Savior. These ity. Thinking that he was defeating Christ, he finds that Christ has destroyed atonement themes are often emphasized in the Easter season, in hymns and him. The ransom brought victory after alL With Satan's power destroyed, in stories that illustrate the work of Christ. They are dramatic, moving, and Christ delivers his people and shares his victory with them. triumphant. No wonder this is a popular explanation. If we grant that Scripture emphasizes these themes, we must ask how Evaluation of the Atonement as Victory the victory is to be accomplished. Could God simply wage war against Sa­ The Christus Victor theory has long been a popular explanation of tan? While this is theoretically possible, it is not a satisfying explanation. Christ's work because it is largely based on biblical texts. While the sub­ If this were the case, why did Christ become incarnate, suffer, die and rise stitutionary theory stressed texts that show legal aspects of the atonement, again? There is no real need for the actual ministry of Christ. In order to this theory stresses texts that show his victory. For this reason, this theory solve this dilemma, this theory links the idea of a ransom to the victory of expresses a clearer need for the resurrection and descent into hell. Where Christ. Ransoms are paid in order to have someone released from captivity, these may be de-emphasized by the substitutionary theory, here they are an and ChrIst Jesus is called a ransom (Mark 10:45). We are the captives who integral part of his victory. Furthermore, note that the work of Christ is di­ are redeemed or ransomed and then granted freedom. The ransom is not a rected not towards the Father but against Satan. Because this theory stresses sum of money, but the lifeblood of Christ (I Peter 1:18 -19). victory, it emphasizes the kingly officeof Christ and his power. This can be This raises an additional question: to whom is the ransom paid? Is it overdone so that it eclipses the priestly sacrificeof Christ, or it may be seen paid to God? This does not make sense. God is not holding sinners captive in concert with these themes. and we do not need to be freed fromhis control. It is, furthermore, illogical At the same time, there are some weaknesses in this explanation. It is for God to pay a ransom to himself. Why should he bother? If the ransom is diffi'�lIlt In pxnhin lhp :'lnn:'lrpnl ri o-hI, nf S:'lI:'ln inthi" thpnrv Thprp j" nn ",,1_ 226 Called to Believe, Te ach, and Confess The Wo rk of Christ 227 isfying biblical explanation offered for this situation; it is simply assumed. Evaluation of the Atonement as a Demonstration ofGod: s Love Secondly, some struggle with God's apparent deceptiveness. He offers a While it is true that Christ's death demonstrates the love of God, this ransom, but Christ is more than he first appears to be. Is this simply shrewd explanation leaves much to be desired. This theory ignores any reality to tactics, or is God a deceiver? Third, this theory struggles to explain the cross. God 's wrath over sin. Perhaps God is angry, perhaps not. He simply wants If victory was the goal, was the cross necessary, or was it simply one op­ to forgive. This weakens the severity of the Law and thus our need for salva­ tion? Does the sacrificeof Christ connect with the Old Testament sacrifices, tion. Furthermore, of all three explanations, this theory has the hardest time or i; their similarity just a coincidence? In the end, these questions remain explaining the cross and resurrection. If God wanted to demonstrate love, unanswered. he may have found many other ways to do it. True, the suffering of Christ is a powerful image, but surely there would have been other powerful means The A tonement as a Demonstration of God 50 Love of communicating. In this theory there is no real need for the death of Jesus other than as an object lesson. This theory also has a dramatic impact on the The third major explanation of the atonement, often known as the means of salvation. It demonstrates God's love so that we can do something moral influence theory, was firstexpressed by a French theologian named to be saved. This is not the free offer of salvation won by Christ but the Peter Abelard (1079-1142). Abelard was displeased by depictions of the opportunity to save yourself. The work that Christ does may demonstrate atonement as substitution. He did not see a need for a payment to be made to love, but it is not used as Gospel; it is turned into Law. Since Jesus loves God. If God really is God, he can simply forgive sin when he wants to. The you this much, you should now obey him. This is not the Gospel. Christ is death of Christ is not required as "payment." He was not satisfied with the not so much a savior as he is a teacher. He demonstrates love and then tells Christus Victor theory either. We don't need to be ransomed from Satan. Sa­ us what to do. This theory is built around a scriptural truth, but can negate tan has no rights before God. He cannot demand a ransom or anything else other biblical teachings. from God. Neither one of these theories really explained the atonement. Abelard thought that we faced a differentproblem. It is not that an angry Summaryof Th ree Major Atonement Th eories God needs to be appeased or that Satan holds us in captivity. The problem is internal. We are ignorant of God and afraid of him. God wants to forgive, Atonement as Atonement as Atonement as but we have alienated ourselves and will not listen to his gracious invitation. substitution victory demonstration God loves us deeply, but we can't see his love. of love The solution to this problem is in Christ. He comes in order to demon­ Major Ans elm of Early church Abelard strate just how much God loves us. As Romans says, "God shows his love proponent Canterbury fath ers for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Problem Sin offended God Humans captive Humans arc The voluntary death of Christ shows how deeply and profoundly he loves us. Humans need to to sin, death, ignorant of When we see that love, he breaks through our alienation and we love him in keep the Law devil God's love return. "We love because he first loved us" (1 John 4:1 9). Not only are we and pay debt moved to love him, but our newfound love moves us to follow him and do Wo rk of Christ tak es our place ransoms us demonstrates things that please him. keeps the law defeats our love by dying Abelard's explanation sees Christ's death as an example of God's love. dies on the cro ss en emies Some have taken this theory and made it even less specific. Instead of Work directed God - making destroying Satan humans Christ's death being an example of divine love, they may see all of Christ's toward satisfaction work simply as an example to be followed. He has perfect dedication or obedience, so should we. How do we know what to do? Look at the life of Work Cross and Resurrection God's sovereign emphasized sacrifice love Jesus and emulate it. While this is not the pattern that Abelard proposed, it is an outgrowth of his explanation. Office of Christ Priestly Royal Prophetic emphasized 228 Called to Believe, Te ach, and Confess The Wo rk of Christ 229

How Should We Understand the Atonement? come with demands and conditions, but freely offers his grace and mercy. This is what he has done for us and, when we see that, we know him. These three theories have been the dominant explanations of the work of Christ throughout the history of the Christian church. All threebegin with the Scriptures, selecting passages and concepts which express particular themes and attempting to present them with clarity and explanation. To the Key Te rms extent that they present biblical data, this is helpful. They .beiome less ad­ vantageous as they supplement the biblical data or speculate on the necessity Active obedience Office for certain biblical teachings. Expressions of all three theories have, at times, Atonement Passive obedience Christ presented human inference and conclusions as if they were the word of God. Priest Ch ristus Victor We need to be aware of the source of their claims. However, there are true Pr iestly Office Kingdom of G ory elements in all three theories. l Prophet Kingdom of Grace Prophetic Office Scripture does describe Christ as our substitute. His active and passive Kingdom of Power Roy Office obedience are both accounted to us. He was sacrificed on the cross for us, al and he does give us his place and his righteousness. The crucifixion of our Melchizedek Substitutionary Savior has restored the relationship with our Father that was broken by sin. Messiah Atonement At the same time, Christ is our champion who has conquered sin, death, Sa­ Mora l influence theory Vicarious tan and hell for us. No power stands before him. By his death and resurrec­ tion, he has destroyed their power. He is victorious. That work does clearly demonstrate the love of God to us. It demonstrates that love not so that we For Review and Discussion can save ourselves, but so that we recognize the work of our Savior for us. The Scriptures describe the work of Christ in many ways. Indeed, these 1. Christ's threefold office of prophet, priest, and king is not just theories do not encompass everything that the word says about our Savior. It a theological arrangement. It describes his work in your life. presents his work in many ways so that we will hear it, understand it better, How does an awareness of these offices affect your life in and rejoice in what he has done for us. Some of these biblical motifs will him? seem more meaningful to one persol;: than another. Different Christiansmay 2. The book of Hebrews spends considerable time discussing have their own favorite passages. As we explain the work of Christ to other Christ's supremacy to all other prophets and priests. Look people, we will likely emphasize specific verses and explanations that we through this book to discover its presentation of our Savior's found helpful.This is appropriate - and it is how these atonement theories office. Why do you think that it spends so much time on these began. It is normal for us to focus on a few key themes. We should not, how­ areas? ever, think that this focus represents the entire content of Scripture. The rich­ 3. How do statements such as "Jesus will be king someday" tend ness of God's word allows us to present the work of our Savior in several to distort the biblical message. Is there a better way to express complementary ways. Recognizing this, the response of the Christian is not the biblical truth of the kingdom of glory without affecting his to choose one, but to trust the Savior that they reveal. Indeed, knowing the current kingship? work of Christ, his people can know him more deeply through other biblical 4. Reflect again on the theories of the atonement. What bibli­ descriptions. Our Savior is also our Shepherd (John 10:11), our Light (John cal narratives can you find that reflect the themes that they 1:9), our Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5), our Advocate (1 John 2:1), and many emphasize? What parallels do you see in or other things. hymnody? Our Savior has blessed us beyond our comprehension. He serves us as our prophet, priest, and king. He dies and rises again to reconcile us with 5. What are the strengths and weaknesses of each theory of the the Father, destroy our enemies, and bring us into his kingdom. He does not atonement discussed in this chapter? How might such theories be useful in teaching, preaching, or evangelization? 230 Called to Believe, Te ach, and Confe ss

For Further Reading The Small Catechism: The Creed, Second Article (p, 355). 11 The Large Catechism II:25-33 The Creed, Second Article (pp. 434- . 435). Justification The SmalcaldArticles II:l (pp. 300-3). Formula of Concord: Epitome IX "Concerning Christ's Descent into Hell" (pp. 514-51 5). Formula of Concord: Solid Declaration IX "Concerning Christ's De­ Imagine that you are sitting in an airport terminal, waiting for a flight.A scent into Hell" (pp. 634-635). stranger sits down near you and notices that you are reading this book. "So you're a Christian? I'm not really religious myself, but I've always won­ Aulen, Gustaf. Christus Victor: An Historical Study of the Three Ma in dered what your religion is all about. Can you tell me what the difference is Ty pes of the Idea of Atonement. New York: Macmillan, 1986. between Christianity and other religions?" It is an amazing opportunity to Baille, D. M. God was in Christ: An Essay on Incarnation and Atone­ share your faith, but there is a catch: her flight boards in five minutes. You ment. New York: Scribner's, 1948. only have five minutes to tell her about Christianity. What will you say? Chytraeus, David. On Sacrifice: A Reformation Treatise in Biblical Th e­ Hopefully, you will introduce her to Jesus. You will describe what God has ology. Bynum, TX: Repristination Press, 2000. done for her in the death and resurrection of his Son. You will describe Gerhard, Johann. An Explanation of the History of the Suffering and God's free gift of salvation which he gives to us --a gift we cannot earnor Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Translated by Elmer Hohle. By­ deserve. You likely will not use deep theological vocabulary, but you will num TX: Repristination Press, 1999. be presenting the doctrine of justification. This is the very essence of the Hoffman, Oswald C. J. "Office, or Work of Christ." In Th e Abiding Christian faith - the core doctrine on which all other teaching rests. Look­ Wo rd, vol 2, ed. Theodore Laetsch, 112-144. St. Louis: Concordia ing at this teaching, we will consider: Publishing House, 1947. Morris, Leon. The Apostolic Preaching of the Cross. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1955. 1. The Context of Justification- Gods rei>p onse to our Sasse, Hermann. "Jesus Intercedes for His Church." In We Confess the sinfu l state Church. Translated by Norman Nagel, 11-16. St. Louis: Concordia 2. Th e Definition - Publishing House, 1986. of Justification Go d de clares us righ teous fo r Ch ris t s sake Scaer, David. Christology. Confessional Lutheran Dogmatics, vol IX. 3. Essential Components of Justification - St. Louis: The Luther Academy, 1989. Details of th is cen tra l do ctrine

4. Challenges to Justification - Human dis tortions of God s gracious plan 5. The Comfort of Justification God's tr uth brings us peace andjo y