Christology 1 (Exposition of John 1)

MEN’S BREAKFAST

This Saturday morning , 7:30 AM

Guest Speaker: Harrell Riley,

HR Ministries, Princeton KY

BIBLE BASICS

(A Study in Systematic Theology)

CHRISTOLOGY

(The Study of Jesus Christ)

CHRISTOLOGY (The Study of Jesus Christ) His Person (The ontological dimension) (Who He is ) His Work (The functional dimension) (What He does )

(Two Natures / One Personality) The Person of Christ Full Deity Full Humanity

Hypostatic Union (Two natures / one person)

Q: How much of Jesus Christ is God ?

A: 100%

Q: How much of Jesus Christ is man ?

A: 100%

The Work of Christ Sinless Life Vicarious Death (substitutionary) Bodily Resurrection

A VERY Brief History of Christology . . .

. . . Tracing the development of the teaching of the hypostatic union . .

Christology in the Church Councils (the development of the doctrine of the hypostatic union) Eutyches—divine nature swallows up the human nature Chalcedon, 451—orthodox Christology established: two natures in one person Ephesus, 431—unity of Christ’s personality is affirmed Nestorius—Christ is two natures in a mechanical union Apollinarius—dominant logos over the humanity Constantinople, 381—full manhood of Christ is affirmed Nicea, 325 AD—Christ is eternal and truly God Arius—Christ is a created being ERROR AGAINST HUMANITY CHURCH POSITION ERROR AGAINST DEITY

The Definition of Chalcedon (451 AD)

“ Therefore, following the holy fathers, we all with one accord teach men to acknowledge one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, at once complete in Godhead and complete in manhood, truly God and truly man . . . one and the same Christ . . . recognized in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without separation; the distinction of natures being in no way annulled by the union . . .”

The Westminster Confession of Faith (1643-1646)

“ The Son of God, the second Person in the Trinity, being very and eternal God, of one substance, and equal with the Father, did, when the fullness of time was come, take upon him man’s nature, with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof, yet without sin . . . so that the two whole, perfect and distinct natures, the Godhead and the manhood, were inseparably joined together in one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion. Which person is very God and very man, yet one Christ, the only Mediator between God and man.”

. . .Time for a Gary Larson slide . . .

Four Great Christological Passages:

John 1:1-18; 8:58; 14:6

Philippians 2:5-11

Colossians 1:13-20; 2:9-10

Hebrews 1:1-3; 5-14; 2:5-18

John 1:1-18

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

He was in the beginning with God.

The pre-existence of Christ

3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

God’s agent in creation

4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

He is life (spiritual life)

He is light (John 8:12)

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.

8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

John the Baptist, the forerunner

10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.

He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.

The Jews (His own) did not receive Him.

12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:

13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Salvation is not automatic: receive, believe

Children of God a privilege.

Not by blood (family), nor of the will of flesh (works), but of God (grace).

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

“Dwelt” or, “Pitched His tent.” Like God’s presence in the OT tabernacle.

“only begotten” means “unique.”

15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ”