Hypostatic Union
The question of the nature of Jesus has plagued the Christian community from the inception of Christ into the world. The Jewish community was the first to be confused by the deity of Jesus. While Jews were certain that he was a man they faced the challenge of understanding that He was also God. This combination of God and man at once in an individual is unprecedented and there is no comparison for such a combination. After the death of Jesus the problem was exacerbated because the thinking of many persons is that if he was God he could not die. So that his death is a clear indication that he was not God. This thinking is manifested in many theological traditions as heresies. As a response to the individuals who believe that Jesus was only man this essay will demonstrate through the use of scripture that Jesus is both God and man, divine and human. That is the mystery that will never be completely understood by finite human beings.
One of the clearest statements in scripture that states the divinity of Jesus is the words of the Apostle John in the Gospel of John. John 1:1 and 14 are crystal clear statements that the "Word was God" and, 14 states that the same "Word" became flesh (Two natures...
Scholars like Borg, Crossan, Meier, and Sanders reach into Torah or into Gnostic and other extracanonical traditions such as Greek novels to draw comparisons and contrasts. The range is comprehensive, from Greco-Roman sources to Jewish and other Mediterranean sources. Often the picture of Jesus that emerges is a construction based on social-scientific and literary trends. There have been some important findings. For one, Jesus is understood more politically, proclaiming the
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now