101. (7) THUS GOD BECAME MAN, AND MAN GOD, IN ONE PERSON.
That Jehovah God became Man, and Man God, in one Person, follows as a conclusion from the preceding articles of this chapter, particularly from these two: "Jehovah, the Creator of the universe descended and assumed the Human, in order to redeem and save mankind," nos. 82-84; and "The Lord, by the acts of redemption, united Himself to the Father, and the Father united Himself to Him, thus reciprocally and mutually," nos. 97-100. From that reciprocal union it is clearly evident that God became Man, and Man God, in one Person. The same also follows as a consequence from the Union of both, which is like that of soul and body. That this is in agreement with the faith of the Church at this day, as it is set forth in the Athanasian Creed, 1 may be seen above,nos. 98. It is also in agreement with the faith of the Evangelical Protestants, as stated in their chief book of orthodoxy, called the Formula Concordiae, 2 where it is strongly established, both from the Sacred Scripture and the Fathers, as well as by rational arguments, that the Human Nature of Christ was exalted to Divine majesty, omnipotence and omnipresence, and also that in Christ Man is God and God Man; as may be seen in that work, p. 607, 765. Moreover it has been proved in this chapter that Jehovah God, as to His Human, is called in the Word, JEHOVAH, Jehovah God, JEHOVAH ZEBAOTH, (A.V., the Lord of Hosts), and also the God of Israel. Therefore, Paul says that in Jesus Christ "dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily" Colossians 2:9;
and John says that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, "is the true God, and eternal life" 1 John 5:20.
That the Son of God, properly speaking, means His Human, may be seen above, 92 and following. Moreover, Jehovah God calls both Himself and Him Lord; for it is written:
"The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand" Psalms 110:1;
and in Isaiah:
"Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given:... and His name shall be called God, the everlasting Father" 9:8.
By the Son is also meant the Lord as to His Human in David:
"I will declare the decree: JEHOVAH hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee... Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way" Psalms 2:7, 12.
A Son born from eternity is not here meant, but the Son born in the world, for this is a prophecy concerning the Lord who was to come, and therefore it is called the decree which Jehovah announced to David. It is also written before in the same Psalm:
"I have anointed my King upon Zion," Psalms 2:6, and later,
"I shall give Him the nations for an inheritance," Psalms 2:6.
Therefore, "this day" does not mean from eternity, but in time, for with Jehovah the future is present.
Voetnoten:
1. Athanasian Symbol or Creed. Although bearing the name of Athanasius, it was probably composed by Hilary, in the century after the formulation of the Nicene Creed, A.D. 325. The name was given to it about the year A.D. 670 as an excellent system of the doctrines of Athansius concerning the Trinity and the Incarnation, principally in opposition to the Arians. It is received by the Romish Church and also by the Reformed.
2. Form of Concord, Formula Concordiae, designed to effect an amicable adjustment of the differences among the Lutherans, by drawing them more closely to their principal standard, the Augsburg or Augustan Confession. Most of the Lutheran Churches add this Formula to their standard creeds.
