Required reading
Systematic Theology by Charles Hodge (Vol 2) (Available from Amazon or free here) - Commence Chapter 3 (Person of Christ) by reading up to the heading '3. The hypostatical union'.
My summary
Today Hodge starts teaching us about the person of Christ.
Firstly Hodge teaches us that the best analogy of the union of divine and human nature in Christ is the union of body and soul in all humans.
Secondly Hodge discusses the arguments from Scripture. Christ's humanity and divinity are clear from:
(i) separate teachings in Scripture;
(ii) current representations of Scripture;
(iii) particular passages of Scripture.
What grabbed me
I appreciated Hodge's point about the analogy of body and soul: 'The union of soul and body in the constitution of man is the analogue of the union of the divine and human nature in the person of Christ. No analogy is expected to answer in all points. There is in this case enough of resemblance to sustain faith and rebuke unbelief. There is nothing in the one more mysterious or inscrutable than in the other. And as the difficulties to the understanding in the union of two distinct substances, matter and mind, in the person of man have induced many to deny the plainest facts of consciousness, so the difficulties of the same kind attending the doctrine of the union of two natures, the one human and the other divine in the person of Christ, have led many to reject the plainest facts of Scripture.'
No analogy is perfect, but this one is a helpful comparison.
Next week's reading
Continue Chapter 3 (Person of Christ) by reading up to the heading '5. Erroneous and Heretical Doctrines on the Person of Christ'.
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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