Christology

CHRISTOLOGY

2005-2006

LESSON TWELVE

I. The Doctrine of the States of Christ (p.280)

A. Scripture sharply differentiates between His two states.

1. State of humiliation.

2. State of exaltation.

B. Old Testament sets two states before us, e.g.

1. Is 53:3-12.

2. Ps 110.

C. New Testament as well

1. Lk 24:26.

2. Php 2:7-9.

D. Touched on these matters in discussion of the personal union.

II. The Nature of the Humiliation and the Exaltation (p. 281, et.seq.)

A. Introduction

1. Since in the Incarnation, the Son of God.

a. United Himself with the human nature.

b. Without reducing His divine Person or His divine attributes.

c. (Discussed in genus maiestaticum (Second Genus))

2. Therefore, the humiliation of Christ consists in:

a. That He refrained, during His earthly life,

b. From the full use of the divine glory communicated to His human nature.

3. His office as Redeemer required of Him, to save us, that

a. He should in our place be put under the Law.

b. And in our stead suffer and die.

c. Gal 4:4,5; 3:13.

B. State of Exaltation

1. State of humiliation called the “exinanition”.

2. Exinanition consists in a partial non-use of the divine majesty.

3. Then exaltation consists in the full use of the divine majesty.

C. The two states.

1. Affect only His human nature.

2. On account of the personal union, Christ possesses the divine majesty from moment of His conception.

3. The exinanition was not feigned, but a real renunciation of the full and constant use of the divine majesty imparted to His human nature.

a. Made the genuine human development of Christ possible.

b. “Non-use” and “concealment” of divine majesty are synonyms.

4. He did not renounce all use of the divine majesty.

5. Difference in two states.

a. During exinanition, use limited, subject to demands of His office.

b. During exaltation, the full exercise, operation, or manifestation of the divine majesty set in.

D. Reformed and Catholics deny teachings re: limited use/full use.

1. As a rule, they teach that both natures underwent both states.

2. To hold to immutability of God, they change the humiliation of the divine nature into a mere veiling.

3. And the exaltation unto a mere manifestation of the Godhead before the eyes of men.

4. Make the humiliation into the assumption of flesh, the unusual measure of shame and suffering, etc., but not abstaining from the full use of the communicated majesty.

5. So they make the exaltation into a communication of extraordinary finite gifts.

E. Lutherans content with the Scriptural truth and the mystery.

1. His entire life was dedicated to His office.

2. He spent it in the service of God and man.

3. He did not live unto Himself.

4. Mt 20:28.

5. Ro 15:3.

6. Old Testament title was “My Servant” (Is 42:1; Zch 3:8).

7. His humble self-renunciation consisted:

a. Not in His becoming man (as Reformed teach).

b. But in that the Incarnate Son of God in His earthly life did not appear in the form of God, as the God-Man, but lived as an ordinary man.

8. Php 2:5-9.

a. Christ did not parade His equality with God.

b. He found Himself in the form of God, but did not make a show of it.

c. In His self-renunciation, Christ in all respects comported Himself as an ordinary man.

d. He “emptied Himself”.

(1) By refraining from using and showing His equality with God.

(2) And by assuming instead the form of a servant.