Christmas Theology

INTRODUCTION:

One of the things we celebrate during Christmas is that in the person of Jesus Christ God took on flesh in the person of Jesus Christ.

It’s a doctrine known as the incarnation. Jesus is both truly God and truly man.

Throughout the years the church has maintained a certain understanding of how these two natures of Jesus work together.

Given the paradox it’s not surprising that different forces have tried to throw the baby out with the bathwater on either end of the paradigm.

What I’d like us to do this morning is explore what the Bible says about this very important topic.

View the historical debates and approaches that people have taken towards this question.

Finally I want us to close with some practical application on why this doctrine should matter, particularly to us as men.

Hypostatic Union

The technical term for this theological discussion falls under the umbrella of Jesus’s hypostatic union.

It comes from the Greek word “hypostasis” which in the time of the church Father’s was a latin phrase for idea of a unitary person.

For simplicity we’re just going to call it the “unity of Christ.”

Christ is a unified person existing with two nature: one divine and one human. (just like you and I have a soul nature and a physical nature but they are united together under one united person)

Let’s begin by examining some of the key passages that establish these two natures of Christ. Beginning with the divine nature followed by the human nature.

Divine Nature

John 1:1–4 CSB

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men.

Colossians 1:15–20 CSB

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and by him all things hold together. 18 He is also the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile everything to himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Hebrews 1:3 CSB

3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

Hebrews 1:8 CSB

8 but to the Son: Your throne, God, is forever and ever, and the scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of justice.

Acts 20:28 CSB

28 Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood.

Philippians 2:5–8 CSB

5 Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, 6 who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. 7 Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, 8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross.

Human Nature

John 1:14 CSB

14 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

1 Timothy 2:5 CSB

5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,

Luke 2:52 CSB

52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people.

Hebrews 2:14–18 CSB

14 Now since the children have flesh and blood in common, Jesus also shared in these, so that through his death he might destroy the one holding the power of death—that is, the devil—15 and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death. 16 For it is clear that he does not reach out to help angels, but to help Abraham’s offspring. 17 Therefore, he had to be like his brothers and sisters in every way, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in matters pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 For since he himself has suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.

Matthew 4:1–2 CSB

1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.

1 Timothy 3:16 CSB

16 And most certainly, the mystery of godliness is great: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.

Romans 8:3 CSB

3 For what the law could not do since it was weakened by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh as a sin offering,

Key Questions

So some of the key questions that come from this paradox is if Jesus has two natures but exists as a unified person in possession of each nature -

how do those two natures “work together?” Is it 50/50? Different halves depending on demand?

How is Jesus a “unified person”while possessing a divine & human nature simultaneously?

How can you be fully God and fully man at the same time?

Other questions raised by the incarnation are

Why was it necessary

What does it teach us about the nature of salvation?

What does it teach us about the nature of Jesus’ suffering and temptation?

I want us to explore each of these questions with the time we have left together.

Historical Heresies

To explore how the two natures work together I want to explore the way the church has handled those who draw outside the lines that the Scripture paint for this doctrine.

Some in the early Church struggled with the idea that Jesus could be truly human.

Docetism,Emerging in the early centuries of the Church, Docetism taught that Jesus only appeared to be human. It was influenced by Greek philosophical ideas that viewed the material world as inherently evil, thus rejecting the idea of God truly taking on flesh.

Arianism Originating with Arius in the 4th century, this heresy denied Jesus’ full divinity, claiming He was a created being and not eternal. This idea was rooted in an attempt to preserve the oneness of God but undermined the truth of the Trinity and the full deity of Christ.

Both of these views undermined the Gospel—if Jesus wasn’t fully God, He couldn’t save us, and if He wasn’t fully human, He couldn’t represent us.

Later, debates arose about how Jesus’ divine and human natures interacted.

Nestorianism originated with Nestorius, a 5th-century bishop, emphasized the distinctness of Christ’s two natures to the point of suggesting there were two separate persons in Jesus. This threatened the unity of Jesus’ person.

On the opposite extreme, a 5th century heresy called Eutychianism, named after Eutyches taught that Jesus’ human nature was absorbed into His divine nature, creating one blended nature. This error effectively denied the reality of Jesus’ humanity blended the natures into one, effectively erasing the distinctiveness of His humanity and his divinity.

Apollinarianism presented another alternative: the belief that the incarnate Christ lacked a human soul, because the divine logos had taken its place.

Response of Church

In Response to these heresies the church responded with a singular voice through two particular early church councils.

Council of Nicaea (325ad)

Affirmed Jesus as “of the same substance” (homoousios) with the Father—fully divine. This was a council wherein they took all of the passages that present Jesus as one with the Father and affirmed with one voice this was the teaching of the Apostles.

The other errors were corrected the the Definition at Chalcedon (451ad),

The Definition includes several positive affirmations: Christ is “truly God and truly man, the same of a rational soul and body, consubstantial [homoousios, “same substance”] with the Father in godhead and the same likewise consubstantial [homoousios] with us in manhood.”

(The important Greek term homoousios is inherited from the First Council of Nicaea in 325.)

The Chalcedonian Definition also makes several important exclusive and negative claims: Christ is said to be “only-begotten, made known in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without separation, the difference of the two natures being by no means removed because of the union.”

All this means that the church has taught that, though the Bible says many things about Jesus according to either his divine nature or his human nature, everything it says about Jesus is true of him personally.

Key Principles:

The union does not change the divine nature.

The human nature is not absorbed into the divine nature.

The hypostatic union is completely unique and not accidental.

This ecumenical consensus was established over against several competing alternative approaches to understanding what the Bible teaches about Jesus’ identity and the relation between his deity and humanity:

Applying the Paradox

This balance is essential. Jesus’ humanity wasn’t overpowered by His divinity.

When He faced temptation in the wilderness, He felt the full weight of it, relying on God’s Word and the Spirit, just as we must.

His divinity didn’t shield Him from suffering, but His humanity allowed Him to bear our griefs and carry our sorrows. He is fully God to save us and fully man to stand in our place.

When we grasp the Hypostatic Union, we see the glory of the Gospel more clearly.

We see a Savior who understands our struggles yet offers divine power to overcome them. We see a God who came near, taking on flesh, to redeem us.

The Hypostatic Union isn’t just a doctrine to study—it’s a truth that transforms our faith and strengthens our walk with Christ.

WHY IT MATTERS:

Why Incarnation?

To Fulfill God’s Law:

Jesus, as the second Adam, obeyed God’s law perfectly. While humanity failed in righteousness, Christ succeeded.

Romans 5:19 (CSB) says, “For just as through one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so also through the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.”

Only a sinless man could fully obey the law on behalf of humanity, and only God could accomplish this perfectly.

Only a Savior who is both fully God and fully man can mediate between God and humanity.

1 Timothy 2:5 (CSB) affirms, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.” Jesus’ divine nature ensures the efficacy of His sacrifice, while His human nature ensures His role as our representative.

To Make Atonement for Sin:

As fully human, Jesus could represent us. As fully divine, His sacrifice was sufficient to cover the sins of the whole world.

Hebrews 9:22 (CSB) reminds us, “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” Jesus’ death on the cross satisfied the justice of God and reconciled sinners to Him.

By taking on human nature, Jesus shared in our humanity to destroy the power of death and the devil. Hebrews 2:14-15 (CSB) states, “Now since the children have flesh and blood in common, Jesus also shared in these, so that through his death he might destroy the one holding the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death.”

To Reveal God to Us:

Jesus’ incarnation made the invisible God visible. John 1:18 (CSB) says, “No one has ever seen God. The one and only Son, who is himself God and is at the Father’s side—he has revealed him.” Through Jesus, we see the character, love, and holiness of God.

Practical Application

For Our Suffering:

Jesus’ humanity enables Him to empathize with our struggles. Hebrews 4:15 (CSB) says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.” Knowing that Jesus understands our pain and trials brings us comfort and hope.

For Our Temptation:

Jesus endured temptation without sinning, providing us with both an example and the strength to resist sin. In Matthew 4:4 (CSB), Jesus responds to Satan’s temptations by declaring, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” His reliance on Scripture shows us how to stand firm against temptation.

Discussion Questions

How does Jesus’ dual nature strengthen your understanding of salvation? Why is it essential that He be both fully God and fully man?

What comfort does it bring to know that Jesus experienced suffering and temptation? How does this affect your view of your own struggles?

How can Jesus’ reliance on Scripture in His humanity (Matthew 4:1-11) serve as a model for your daily life?