Incarnation:

The doctrine of the incarnation:

• Latin - ‘carnis’ - Flesh

• God became flesh in Christ.

• The nature of Christ = Christology,

• Caused controversy.

What the doctrine of the incarnation is not:

• Two Gods.

• Half human and half Gid,

• An ordinary human adopted by God.

• Jesus was possessed by God.

• Dual personality disorder.

The doctrine of incarnation:

• Jesus is an eternal being

• ‘Begotten not made, of one being with the father’ - Nicene Creed.

• Was born, lived and died.

• Combines both human and divine natures equally.

The person of Christ:

• Hypostatic union - Union of human and divine nature in Christ.

• Jesus is eternal and perfect.

• Uncreated.

• Originates from the father

• Not conceived in the usual way.

• Did not inherit sin

• Evident in birth narratives.

Substantial presence:

• Jesus fully human and fully divine

• Emphasises his divine nature

• Jesus has all his divine characteristics at birth

• Did not inherit them later

• Conceived by the Holy Spirit.

• Called Immanuel - ‘God with us’

• Visited by Magi

• Threat to Herod.

• Protected from harm.

Kenotic model:

• Jesus fully human and fully divine

• Emphasise his human nature.

• Greek - ‘Kenosis’ - make empty

• Being God but emptying himself of his divine character

• Experienced suffering and fragility.

• Humble birth

• Early life as a refugee

• Submitted to circumcision.

Difficulties:

• Doctrine of the incarnation was not formally known by the gospel writers,

• They do not refer to Jesus as God.

• Son of Hod could refer to any divinely appointed ruler

• Experienced a natural birth

What is the literal meaning of the term ‘incarnation’

• To become flesh.

• Latin - Carnis.

• God became flesh in Jesus Christ.

What is a central theological question regarding the nature of God’s power in the incarnation?

• How can an omnipotent God become a helpless baby?

Historically, what was the consequence for Christian’s who were unsuccessful in explaining the incanration?

• Condemned as heretics.

Why is the incarnation considered monotheistic despite involving God and Jesus?

• It does not suggest there are two gods.

Why was it necessary for Jesus to be fully human according to Christian doctrine?

• To justly pay the price for human sin.

Why was it necessary for Jesus to be fully God according to Christian doctrine?

• To have the power to forgive sin and defeat death.

What idea regarding jesus’ origin does the doctrine of the incarnation specifically reject?

• That Jesus was an ordinary human who was adopted by God.

Why does the doctrine of the incarnation reject the idea that Jesus was possessed by the Holy Spirit?

• It would mean that Jesus did not have free will.

Meaning of Kenosis:

• To make empty.

What does the kenotic model emphasise regarding Jesus’ divine attributes?

• He emptied himself of attributes like omniscience and omnipotence.

During which century did the kenotic model of the incarnation develop?

• Early 17th century.

Gottfried Thomasius:

• The incarnation involved the voluntary setting aside all divine attributes.

In which specific gospel is the kenotic model more clearly presented?

• The gospel of Luke.

How does the apostle Paul describe Jesus’ self-emptying in scripture?

• He made himself nothing by taking a human nature.

Which event in Matthew’s gospel demonstrates Jesus’ fragile human experience as a refugee?

• The flight to Egypt.

According to Luke 2:21-22, How did Jesus submit to human experience and God’s will shortly after birth?

• By being circumcised.

What is the primary theological difficulty associated with the kenotic model?

• It implies God has changed which conflicts with his immutable nature.

Why verse states that ‘the lord became flesh and lived among us’?

• John 1:14

What does the phrase ‘of one being with the father’ in the Nicene creed imply?

• Jesus shares the same nature as God the father.

Hypostatic union:

• The union of Christ’s humanity and divinity in one person.

What is the theological significance of Jesus being ‘begotten’ rather than created?

• It means he is eternal and not part of the standard creation.

why did Jesus not inherit original sin?

• He was not conceived in the usual way.

Which model of the incarnation claims that God is invisible but fully present in Christ?

• The substantial presence model.

How does Alister McGrath describe the substantial presence model?

• A union within Christ between his divine and human substance.

During which historical period was the substantial presence model primarily developed?

• The patriotic period.

Which early scholar is particularly associated with the substantial presence model?

• Irenaeus

What scriptural name meaning ‘God with us’ supports the substantial presence model?

• Immanuel.

According to Matthew 1:18, how was Mary found to be with child?

• From the Holy Spirit.

In Luke 1:35, what does the Angel tell Mary?

• That the power of the most high will overshadow her.

Which group of people visited Jesus after foreseeing his arrival in the stars?

• The Magi

How was Jesus protected from King Herod’s search according to Matthew 2:13?

• Joseph was warned by angel in a dream to flee to Egypt.

What is a potential problem with the substantial presence model regarding God’s nature?

• It conflicts with God’s transcendence by suggesting he is limited by time and space.

Why is the use of the term ‘son of god’ in birth narratives potentially ambiguous?

• It could refer to divinely appointed leaders without implying divinity.

What contrast exists between Jesus’ conception and his birth in the gospels?

• His conception is unnatural but his birth his seemingly natural.

What is the idea that Jesus was ‘half human and half God rejected as?

• As a heresy.

What term do the Gospels use for Jesus?

• Son of God - not God.

Why did the gospel writers not have the incarnation in mind as a formal doctrine?

• No such formal doctrine existed at the time of their writing.

In the substantial presence model, when is it believed Jesus acquired the characteristics of God?

• At birth.

What disorder is Christ not suffering from?

• Dual personality disorder.

According to the Nicene Creed, since when has this statement of faith been used in main denominations?

• The fourth century.

What does the substantial presence model suggest about God’s visibility?

• God is invisible but made present in Jesus.

Luke 2:7 mentions Jesus being lain in a manger; what does this demonstrate in the kenotic model?

• His real suffering and humble, poor beginnings.

Who felt threatened by the news of Jesus’ birth and sought to kill him?

• King Herod.

Christ is…

• Eternal and perfect.

The doctrine of incarnation states that Jesus’ life on earth was what?

• A short period in the story of an eternal being.

How does the substantial presence model view Jesus’ divine characteristics relative to his growth?

• He did not develop them later, he had them all at birth.

Why must Jesus be fully God to accomplish salvation?

• To have the power to defeat death.

Was Christ possessed by the holy spirit?

• No

Monotheism in the incarnation:

• The belief that there is only one God, rejecting the idea of two separate gods within the union of Christ.