truly divine

December 24, 2018

The Savior is born (Lk 2:11-2:11)

“To you

Is born

This day,

In the city

Of David,

A Savior.

He is the Christ,

The Messiah,

The Lord.”

 

ὅτι ἐτέχθη ὑμῖν σήμερον Σωτήρ, ὅς ἐστιν Χριστὸς Κύριος, ἐν πόλει Δαυείδ.

 

Luke then explained what the good news or the gospel proclamation was all about.  A savior was born for them that day (ὅτι ἐτέχθη ὑμῖν σήμερον Σωτήρ) in the city of David (ἐν πόλει Δαυείδ).  As they were on the outskirts of Bethlehem, they knew where the city of David was.  This savior was the Christ (ὅς ἐστιν Χριστὸς), the Messiah, the Lord (Κύριος).  Luke listed all the names that would be applied to Jesus.  He was a savior, someone who would protect Israel.  He was the Christ, the anointed one of God.  He was the Messiah, the expected liberator of his people, the Israelites.  He was the Lord, God, truly divine.  This baby Jesus would be all these things rolled up into one.  This was really big news.

 

February 26, 2018

Arius (256-336)

One of the earliest protesters in Christianity was Arius (256-336 CE), the fourth century priest in Alexandria, Egypt.  He believed that God the Father created the universe through the divinely created Christ, but that Jesus was a creature.  Athanasius, the Bishop of Alexandria disagreed.  The Roman Emperor Constantine called a general council at Nicaea in 325 to settle this dispute.  The result was the definition that Christ was the Son of the Father begotten of the same substance – homousious.  Jesus was truly divine.

February 23, 2018

The Divinity – Humanity Debate

What do you think about Jesus?  Some people believe that Jesus was just a human legend, another good guy.  Jesus could not work miracles nor tell the future and did not have divine power.  Others have underplayed the humanity of Jesus, emphasizing his divinity with all its powers.  In the minds of many, Jesus and God are one and the same.  The emphasis of one or the other aspect of Jesus can be a detriment to a true understandable belief in Jesus Christ.  The traditional Christian teaching has been that Jesus is truly human and truly divine at the same time.  Jesus Christ is the full authentic expression of the divinity in an individual human.  The object of Christian faith is Jesus Christ.  We find the authentic expression of Jesus Christ in Scripture.  The interpretation of Jesus Christ can be found in a Christian Church, since there have been various interpretations about Jesus Christ’s saving role.