How, According to the Bible, Could Christ be God and Man?
Answer: The Word “became” flesh.
Both
Catholics and Protestants have historically taught that Christ had
a corruptible earthly body, which was sinless by virtue of having
no earthly father. Within this body God dwelled. When Christ was
resurrected his earthly body was transformed into a spiritual
body. Others believe that Jesus and his apostles taught that
God was manifested as incorruptible flesh from his conception –
literally the Word made flesh as opposed to the Word (God)
dwelling in corruptible earthly flesh.1 This latter view was held
by Anabaptists, who were instrumental in establishing the separation
of church and state early in US history. Abroad, Queen Mary I earned
the title “Bloody Mary” by burning Anabaptists at the stake by the
thousands. Religious leaders tried forcing them to confess with
heart and mouth, that Christ had assumed his flesh and blood from
the substance of the flesh and blood of Mary.2 King James'
translators even went so far as to render early versions of the
Bible, which had correctly translated Galatians 4:4 (God sent forth his Son, born of a woman)
to read God
sent forth his Son, made of a woman.
The
Apostle John taught that Christ, which they heard, and
saw with their eyes, and handled with their hands,
was the same as that which existed from the beginning as
the Word of Life.3 Similarly, Jesus taught the Jews,
saying: You are from beneath; I am from above: you are of this
world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that you
shall die in your sins: for if you believe not that I am he, you
shall die in your sins.4 Paul made this same distinction:
The first man (Adam) is of the earth, earthy: the
second man (Christ) is the Lord from heaven .5 According
to the John, he and his followers were able to discern “Antichrist”
spirits that confessed not that Jesus Christ is come in the
flesh .6
Anabaptists
held that Christ having flesh like ours, except from heaven – the
true bread which came down from heaven (John
6: 31-35), was essential to a consistent view of Christ.7 Adam's
body returned to the earth because it was made from the earth; Christ's
body did not because it came not from the earth. He was born of
a virgin because his body was not of the earth. Christ's body is
literally the Word of God; therefore, we must eat
of his flesh and drink of his blood to have eternal
life.8 Those that saw him literally saw the Father.9 Resurrected
bodies of saints come from the seed of the Word of
God , which is sown in the earth (earthly bodies) and raised
to be like Christ.10
References
1Jn 1:1-14
2 van Braght, T.J. The Bloody Theater or Martyrs Mirror of the Defenseless Christians, 5th ed.,
1950. Scottsdale , PA ; Waterloo , Ontario : Herald Press. p.1019.
3 1Jn 1:1-2
4 Jn 8:23-24; See also Jn 3:13
5 1Cor 15:45-50; Compare Col 2:9
6 1Jn 4:1-3; 2Jn 7; Compare Mk 16:17-18; Jn 8:23-24
7 See, e.g., 1Cor 15:35-50
8 Jn 6:53-58
9 Jn 14:9
10 Mt 13:37-38 ; Mk 4:14; 1Jn 3:1-2 |