The Paradox of the Incarnation
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John of Damascus
“He, while being perfect God, became perfect man.”
Paul Tillich
"The assertion that ‘God has become man’ is not a paradoxical but a nonsensical statement. It is a combination of words which makes sense only if it is not meant to mean what the words say.”
Today’s Question
What do we believe about Jesus of Nazareth?
He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.
We believe
that the Creator walked the Earth as a creature.
He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.
We believe
that the Author of the Story wrote himself in as a character in the drama.
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
We believe
that the Adopter of Sons became a brother of man.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
We beleive
that the Glorious Word became glorious flesh.
(John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”)
We believe
that the One Before All arrived at the end.
For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
We believe
that the Source of All Good Things one-upped himself.
No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
We believe
that the Invisible and Unknowable God became visible and knowable.