Chapter 06 · Christology

Christology

The Doctrine of Christ

Incarnation Hypostatic Union Atonement Resurrection

Who Is Christ?

The word Christ comes from the Greek Christos, which translates the Hebrew Messiah: meaning "Anointed One" or Savior. It is not Jesus' last name but a title. Jesus' actual designation by location would have been something like "Jesus, son of Joseph, of Nazareth." Christology is the study of this Jesus: His person and His work.

Key Christological Passages

The Person of Christ: His Deity

The first seven ecumenical councils of the church addressed, among other things, the question of who Jesus truly is. The First Council of Nicaea (325 AD) was convened by Emperor Constantine following the Edict of Milan (313), which had legalized Christianity in the Roman Empire. Its primary task was to resolve the Arian controversy, the claim by Arius that Jesus was a created being, subordinate to the Father.

Nicaea's main resolutions declared that Jesus Christ is "Light from Light, true God from true God," affirming His divinity. He is "begotten, not made": He was not created but is eternally the Son of the Father. He is of "one substance" with the Father, the Greek term homoousios (consubstantial), meaning He shares the same divine essence as God the Father. In short: Jesus is God, He was not created, and He is eternally one with the Father.

The Arian Heresy

Arius taught that the Son was the Father's first and greatest creation, divine, but not equal to the Father. This was condemned at Nicaea as incompatible with Scripture. If Jesus is not truly God, His death cannot provide infinite atonement for human sin.

The Person of Christ: His Humanity

Scripture is equally clear that Jesus was genuinely human. He grew physically and in wisdom (Luke 2:52). He wept at the death of Lazarus (John 11:35). He anguished in the garden (Matthew 26:36–38). He admitted not knowing the timing of His return (Mark 13:32). He "became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14).

Erickson identifies several practical implications of Jesus' full humanity: His atoning death was accomplished for us: as a human, He could represent humanity. He can truly sympathize with and intercede for us (Hebrews 4:15). He shows us what the true nature of humanity looks like. He can be our example. His humanity affirms the goodness of human nature as created by God. And His incarnation means God is not utterly remote and transcendent. He has entered our experience.

The Person of Christ: The Hypostatic Union

The Council of Chalcedon (451 AD) addressed the question of how Jesus' deity and humanity relate to each other, declaring that Jesus is "perfect both in deity and in humanness; this selfsame one is also actually God and actually man," with no division or confusion of His two natures.

This doctrine is called the hypostatic union: one person, two complete natures, fully divine and fully human, neither diluted nor mixed. Erickson explains the theological necessity: "If the redemption accomplished on the cross is to avail for humankind, it must be the work of the human Jesus. But if it is to have the infinite value necessary to atone for the sins of all human beings in relationship to an infinite and perfectly holy God, then it must be the work of the divine Christ as well." (Erickson, 661)

The Person of Christ: The Virgin Birth

Both Matthew 1 and Luke 1 record that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, a virgin conception more than a virgin birth, technically speaking. John 1 connects this to the incarnation of the eternal Logos (Word). This miracle is the means by which the eternal Son of God entered human history without the transmission of the sin nature through a human father.

The Work of Christ: Three Offices

Prophet (Revelatory Role): Jesus came to reveal God to humanity and proclaim truth. He fulfilled this role even before the Incarnation as the eternal Logos (John 1:1), and supremely in His earthly teaching and life.

Priest (Reconciling Work): The basis of soteriology. Hebrews presents Jesus as the ultimate high priest, and also as the sacrifice Himself. Like Melchizedek (a priest-king figure), Jesus is both the one who offers and the offering.

King (Rule of Christ): From the tribe of Judah (Matthew 1), Jesus rules now over His people and will rule ultimately over all creation. His kingship is past (established in His resurrection and ascension), present (over the church), and future (fully revealed at His return).

The Work of Christ: Stages

The Humiliation: The downward movement of Christ: Incarnation (taking on humanity, "emptying Himself," Philippians 2:7); Death (subjected to the wages of sin in our place); Descent into Hades/the grave (referenced in the Apostles' Creed; the precise meaning of this remains debated).

The Exaltation: The upward movement: Resurrection (bodily, from the dead); Ascension and Session at the Father's right hand (Hebrews 1:3); Second Coming (which belongs to eschatology).

The Work of Christ: The Atonement

The word atonement comes from the Hebrew kippur: to repay a debt and to purify (as in the Day of Atonement, Leviticus 16). The atonement involves four interconnected ideas:

Sacrifice: "Christ died to sanctify the people through his blood" (Erickson). He is both priest and sacrifice.

Propitiation: Grudem: "a sacrifice that bears God's wrath to the end and in so doing changes God's wrath toward us into favor" (G1252). The wrath of God against sin is not ignored but absorbed by Christ.

Substitution: Christ died in our place, on our behalf, for our sake. He took what we deserved.

Reconciliation: Grudem: "the removal of enmity and the restoration of fellowship between two parties" (G1253). The broken relationship between humanity and God is restored.

The Extent of the Atonement

Particular (Limited) Atonement: The Reformed/Calvinist view: "Christ's death actually paid for the sins of those whom he knew would ultimately be saved" (Grudem). Tied to the doctrine of election: the atonement is specifically effective for the elect.

Universal Atonement: Christ's death was sufficient to pay for the sins of all people, but is only effective for those who place faith in Christ. Peter Lombard's classic formulation: "Sufficient for all; efficient only for the elect." Danger: universalism, the view that all people will ultimately be saved.

Penal Substitutionary Atonement

Grudem defines this as: "the view that Christ in his death bore the just penalty of God for our sins as a substitute for us" (G1251). Erickson identifies five implications: it confirms Total Depravity (we are unable to meet our own need); it affirms that God's nature is not one-sided (justice and love are not in conflict); there is no other way of salvation but by grace through the death of Christ; believers can have security knowing Christ's sacrifice is complete and permanent; and we must not take our salvation for granted. Though free for us, it cost God everything.

Key Vocabulary

Christologykris-TOL-oh-jee

The branch of theology that studies Jesus Christ: His person (who He is) and His work (what He did). From the Greek Christos (Anointed One) + logos (study).

Incarnationin-kar-NAY-shun

The act by which the eternal Son of God took on human nature. From the Latin in carne, meaning "in flesh." John 1:14: "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us."

Hypostatic Unionhi-poh-STAT-ik

The doctrine affirmed at the Council of Chalcedon (451 AD) that Jesus Christ is one person with two complete natures, fully God and fully human, without mixture, confusion, division, or separation of the two natures.

Homoousioshoh-moh-OO-see-os

Greek for "same substance." The key term of the Nicene Creed affirming that the Son is of the same divine substance as the Father, not a similar being, but the same in essence.

Atonementuh-TONE-ment

From the Hebrew kippur: to repay a debt and to purify. The work of Christ by which humanity's sin is dealt with and relationship with God is restored. Involves sacrifice, propitiation, substitution, and reconciliation.

Propitiationproh-pish-ee-AY-shun

Grudem: "a sacrifice that bears God's wrath to the end and in so doing changes God's wrath toward us into favor." Christ absorbed God's holy wrath against sin so that we could receive His favor instead.

Penal Substitution

"The view that Christ in his death bore the just penalty of God for our sins as a substitute for us." (Grudem). The view that the cross was a judicial act in which Christ received the punishment due to sinners.

Limited Atonement

The Reformed view that Christ's death actually paid for the sins of the elect, those who would ultimately be saved. Also called "particular redemption." Part of the Calvinist TULIP framework.

Key Scriptures

Review Questions

  1. What does the title "Christ" mean, and where does it come from? Why is it important that "Christ" is a title and not a surname?
  2. What was the Arian heresy, and how did the Council of Nicaea (325 AD) respond to it? What does the term homoousios mean and why does it matter?
  3. What biblical evidence supports Jesus' full humanity? Why is His humanity theologically necessary for the atonement to work?
  4. Define the hypostatic union. What problem does it solve? What did the Council of Chalcedon (451 AD) declare about Jesus' two natures?
  5. Explain the three offices of Christ (Prophet, Priest, King). How does each one address a different aspect of humanity's need?
  6. What are the four elements of the atonement (sacrifice, propitiation, substitution, reconciliation)? Define each in your own words.
  7. What is the difference between limited and universal atonement? What does Peter Lombard's formula mean: "Sufficient for all; efficient only for the elect"?