THE PERSONALITY OF CHRIST

ISAIAH 9:1–7

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given.… And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace

Isa 9:6.

We have learned from our recent studies that the Bible teaches the sinlessness of Christ, the humanity of Christ, and the divinity of Christ. These two natures, while joined in a mystical union, are not mixed or confused, but retain their distinct properties and attributes so that one is not consumed by the other. This doctrine is called “the hypostatic union.”

As we have stated before, each of these points have been bombarded by criticism since the dawn of the Christian church. No less controversial has been the personality of Christ. While having two natures, Christ is nonetheless one distinct person. This is a very important point because some heretical groups maintain that there are two distinct persons in Christ, one being the Logos and the other being the man, Jesus.

One such heresy that rejected the hypostatic union was Nestorianism. Both the Council of Ephesus and the Council of Chalcedon in the fifth century dealt with this error. The church wanted faithfully to defend the unity of the two natures in one person. The Chalcedonian creed, declaring the unity of both natures in the one person, became the standard for Christological orthodoxy in the church.

Nowhere do the Scriptures teach the dual personality of Christ. There are three distinct persons in the God-head—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Son is not then divided into two persons. He is one divine person who assumed human nature. Whenever the Bible refers to Christ or He refers to Himself, it is always in the personal form: I, me, mine, and the like. His divine nature is never distinguished from His human nature as a distinct, separate person. In other words, the Son of God never addresses the Son of Man as a different person.

Being both God and man in the same person, Christ qualified to redeem us. If this doctrine were compromised, it would undermine the whole of the Gospel. As Hodge says, “In teaching that Christ had a perfect human and a perfect divine nature, and is one person, the Bible teaches the whole doctrine of the incarnation as it has entered into the faith of the church from the beginning.”

CORAM DEO

Genesis 41

Matthew 13:33–58

WEEKEND

Genesis 42–45

Matthew 14

Read Matt. 16:23–28. How does Jesus refer to Himself? Does He imply that He is two distinct persons? Who does He distinguish Himself from? Memorize the formula: Jesus Christ has two natures, divine and human, but He is one distinct person.

For further study: Luke 1:26–38 • Rom. 8:1–4 • 1 Tim. 3:16 • 1 John 4:1–3

WEEKEND