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TH713: Theology of God and Redemption

October 28, 2026

Christology (1.1)

1.1.1. Dr. Sander’s Key Christological Questions
To introduce his lectures on Christology, Dr. Sanders began with three questions which capture the purpose of Christology. [1, sec. 29]

  1. Is Jesus God?
  2. Is Jesus human?
  3. If He is—assuming He is fully divine and fully human—how do these two distinct realities unite in the one person?

I recently listened to a debate titled “John 1 is not Trinitarian” between Dr. Dale Tuggy and Dr. James White. The debate demonstrated deity of Christ is easily dispensed in our postmodern culture. Therefore, I am excited to study and approach the question, “Is Jesus God?”

1.1.2. Relevant topics from Lexham Bible Dictionary article Christology
The Lexham Bible Dictionary highlighted important Christological words which is a helpful introductory outline for approaching Christology by genre:

  • Important Christological words in OT
    • Messiah: Expected anointed one, who would return Israel to a Davidic golden age. [2]
  • Important Christological words in the Synoptic Gospels
    • Son of man
    • Prophet
    • Teacher / Rabbi
    • Suffering Servant
  • Important Christological words in John’s Gospel
    • Word of God
    • Temple
    • Son of God
  • Important Christological words in Paul’s Letters
    • Resurrection
    • κύριος
    • Unity: Jesus is one with the Father (1 Corinthians 8:6) [2]

1.1.3. Views opposed to the deity of Jesus

  • Ebionites: The Ebionites denied the deity of Jesus. They believed he was qualified to be God’s representative as Messiah at his baptism and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. [3, 306]
  • Adoptionism / Dynamic Monarchianism: Proponents of Adoptionism deny the eternal sonship of Jesus. At his baptism Jesus was adopted by the Father as the Son of God and was given divine power. [4]
  • Arianism: Those who hold to Arianism say Jesus is not equal with the Father. He does not share the Father’s substance. [1, sec. 30]

1.1.4. The Council of Nicea Date: 325 A.D.
The issue which convened Nicea was division over the origins and the essence of the Son. Emperor Constantine initiated the council to resolve the divisions between the bishops. The council would go on answer the heresies opposed to eternal sonship and divine nature of Jesus with the Nicene Creed. The early heresies put the trinity at stake and endangered the church. The unity of the church matters (Ephesians 4:4-6). Robert Payne, in his narrative of the Council of Nicea, writes, “[Alexander and Athanasius] seem to have been perfectly aware that the heresy had the power to destroy the church as they knew it.” [5]

1.2.2. Verses which demonstrate the divinity of Jesus

  • Luke 5:21: Those around Jesus demonstrate they understand his divine claims and actions. The scribes and Pharisees in Luke 5:21 know only God can forgive sins and heal the lame, yet Jesus forgives and heals.
  • Romans 9:5: Paul writes Christ is God (Theos) over all things. Theos is usually reserved for the divine being.
  • Matthew 21:25: Here Jesus answers the chief priests by connecting his authority to John’s. John truly was God’s prophet and declared Christ to be the Lamb of God. [6, 764]

1.2.3. Learning about Christ I appreciate the thoroughness of Dr. Grudem’s evaluation of divine proof texts. It is easy to be lulled into thinking there are not many but Grudem listed 118 passages. He demonstrates there is a wide range of biblical proof for the divinity of Christ.

One of my favorite proofs of the divinity of Christ is by using formulations from the Old Testament and including Christ. One example Dr. Sanders gives is from Romans 10:9-13 which draws from Joel 2:32. [1, sec. 31]

1.2.4. A prayer of reflection Oh Son of God, Light of Light, I praise you for your divinity. Your humanity does not obscure your light. Nor does it divert your praise. For in your humanity and your divinity you died and rose again. You will come again, not only in spirit but to bodily dwell with your church.

Oh Son of God, Light of Light, may every knee bow to praise your name. Your light has gone to the corners of the earth. May every man know you are God! Please turn your face to shine upon us. Amen.

Views opposed to the humanity of Jesus

  • Gnostics / Docetists: The Gnostics believed that Jesus was a spiritual manifestation of God. To them Jesus’ human form was either a spiritual illusion or the divine embodied the man between his baptism and crucifixion. Gnostics believed the flesh is evil. [3, 306]
  • Apollinarianism: Jesus was partially human. Based on a tripartite view of man.

1.3.2. Verses which demonstrate the humanity of Christ

  • Matthew 13:55: Jesus returns to his hometown and astonishes his old neighbors. They recognize Jesus as the one who grew up among them. As Dr. Grudem points out they know his humanity. [7, sec. 534]
  • Matthew 1:25: Mary gave birth to Jesus. Even if the conception was questionable, there is no doubt from Mary, Joseph and their neighbors that Mary gave birth to Jesus.
  • Luke 2:40: Jesus was a child like other children. Like them, he grew in knowledge and understanding. He was subject to mental growth just like his friends.

1.3.3. Definitions related to the natures of Christ

  • Nature: Nature refers to the distinct human and divine aspects of Christ.
  • Person: In Christology, person can refers to the whole, i.e. either the Father, Son or Holy Spirit. When person is used for Christ it encompasses both his human and divine nature. [3, 322]
  • Hypostatic Union: The Hypostatic Union is the combination of Jesus’ divine nature and human nature. Jesus is totally divine and totally human.
  • Nestorians: Nestorians hold a division between the natures of Christ. Jesus only acts as divine or human but never in both natures at the same time. [8]
  • Eutychianism: “Eutychianism is the belief that the Son’s incarnation as Jesus Christ created a novel “nature” or reality representing a combination or mixture of deity and humanity, distinct from either humanity or divinity.” [8]
  • Council of Chalcedon: The Council of Chalcedon met in 451 and clarified the relationship between the divine and human nature of Jesus. The result was primary negative creed to ward off Christological heresies. [3, 321]

1.3.4. The humanity of Christ matters
Eutychianism is the belief that the incarnation was a new mixture of the human and divine natures. [8] The Christ of the Eutychianists is a worse mediator and head of the church. If Christ is limited in his divinity or humanity he cannot perfectly mediate, pray or demonstrate the Father to humanity. He is prevented in his revelation both as a divine representative or an earthly participant. He cannot secure any blessings for the church because he cannot guarantee or demonstrate a blessings to the church.

Christ is the Word made flesh (John 1:14). The word brings us both the love of God demonstrated through Christ’s life on earth and the words of Christ which interpret all scripture. We have a much better understanding of who God is and what he is like because of the incarnation. We have seen and heard who God is because the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Because of the hypostatic union, Christ is the ideal mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5). In Christ, both natures are unified. He is the perfect mediator between the fleshly humans and the spiritual Father. We should have no reason to doubt his mediation between Christ lives our humanity and God’s divinity. Christ prays for us (Hebrews 7:25). Not only does Christ mediate, he prays for believers. Christ’s work does not end at salvation, he continues as our holy friend in his prayers. [3, 319; 7, 542]

Christ is the head of the church (Colossians 1:18). As a man, Christ is able to represent the church on the cross taking the penalty of death and blessing the church with his earthly purity. Christ’s connection to the church, in Colossians 1:18, is rooted in his fleshly death and resurrection. The firstborn has secured our eternal blessings. Christ is revealed in the sacraments (Luke 22:19). As the church partakes from the physical bread and physical cup, we are united to Christ, not partially but totally. Christ’s death is a physical one and we benefit from physical signs. If Christ was an apparition or an incomplete human, physical reminders would be of incomplete substance and a farce representation. [3, 324]

Learning Objectives

  • Identify and describe key concepts in Christology
  • Identify and explain the biblical evidence for these key concepts in Christology
  • Describe the Christological controversies that were addressed at the Council of Chalcedon

Endnotes

  1. R. Johnson, C. Sanders, and M. S. Heiser, TH102 Introducing Bible Doctrine II: The Triune God and His Heavenly Host. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2013. ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  2. N. K. Gupta, “Christology,” The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Lexham Press, Bellingham, WA, 2016. ↩ ↩2

  3. L. Berkhof, Systematic theology. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans publishing co., 1938. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  4. T. Editors, “Infographic—The Christ Controversies Summarized,” Christian History Magazine-Issue 51: Heresy in the Early Church, Christianity Today, Carol Stream, IL, 1996. ↩

  5. R. Payne, “A Hammer Struck at Heresy,” Christian History Magazine-Issue 51: Heresy in the Early Church, Christianity Today, Carol Stream, IL, 1996. ↩

  6. J. Calvin, Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists: Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Monergism Books, 2026. Accessed: Oct. 28, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/sdg/calvin/Commentary_on_a_Harmony_of_the_Evangelists_Matthew_Mark_and_Luke_John_Calvin_Print.pdf ↩

  7. W. A. Grudem, Systematic theology: an introduction to biblical doctrine. Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; Zondervan Pub. House, 2004. ↩ ↩2

  8. B. Burns, “The Unity of Jesus’ Person,” in Lexham Survey of Theology, M. Ward, J. Parks, B. Ellis, and T. Hains, Eds., Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2018. ↩ ↩2 ↩3