L21.如今许多人只是把主看作跟他们自己一样的一个普通人，因为他们只想到祂的人性，没有同时想到祂的神性；而事实上，祂的神性和祂的人性不可能分离。因为主是神和人，主里面的神和人不是两个，乃是一个位格；事实上，完全为一，正如灵魂和身体是一个人；这符合整个基督教界所接受的由教会会议所制定，被称为《亚他那修信经》的教义。因此，为免得将来有人在思想上将主里面的神性和人性分开，我恳请他读一下前面从路加福音中所引用的那些经文，以及下面从马太福音中所引用的经文：
耶稣基督的降生是这样的：祂母亲马利亚已经许配了约瑟，他们没有同居以前，马利亚就从圣灵怀了孕。她丈夫约瑟是个义人，不愿意明明地羞辱她，想要暗暗地把她休了。正想着这些事的时候，看哪，有主的使者在梦中向他显现，说，大卫的子孙约瑟，不要怕，只管娶过你的妻子马利亚来，因她所怀的孕是从圣灵来的。她将要生一个儿子，你要给祂起名叫耶稣，因祂要将自己的百姓从罪恶里救出来。然后，约瑟睡醒了，起来，就遵着主使者吩咐他的，把他的妻子娶过来；只是没有和她同房，等她生了头胎的儿子，就给祂起名叫耶稣。（马太福音1:18-25）
从这些话，以及路加福音中关于主降生的记载和前面所引用的经文明显可知，“神的儿子”就是从耶和华父成孕并从童女马利亚所生的耶稣，所有先知书和诗篇直到约翰，都在预言祂。
21. Many people these days think of the Lord only as an ordinary person like themselves because they think only of his human nature and not at the same time of his divine nature, when in fact his human and divine natures cannot be separated. “The Lord is both God and a human being; and God and a human being in the Lord are not two but one person. He is one altogether, as the soul and the body are one human being”-this is according to what is taught throughout the Christian world, a teaching that has been ratified by councils and is called the Athanasian statement of faith. So that people will not keep thinking of the divine nature and human nature in the Lord as separate, I would ask them to read the passages from Luke cited above, and also this from Matthew:
The birth of Jesus Christ was like this. His mother, having been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together was found to be carrying a child from the Holy Spirit; and Joseph her husband, being an upright man and not wanting to disgrace her, decided to divorce her secretly. But while he was considering this, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what is being born in her is from the Holy Spirit; and she will give birth to a son, and you will call his name ‘Jesus.’ He will save his people from their sins.” And Joseph woke from his dream and did as the angel of the Lord had commanded, and took [Mary] as his wife. But he did not have intercourse with her until she had given birth to her firstborn son. And he called his name “Jesus.” (Matthew 1:18-25)
We are assured by this passage and by what Luke says about the circumstances of the Lord’s birth, as well as by the passages cited earlier, that the Son of God is the Jesus who was conceived by Jehovah the Father and born of the Virgin Mary, the one of whom all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John [Matthew 11:13; Luke 16:16].
21. Many people today think of the Lord only as they do of an ordinary man, one like themselves, because they think only of His humanity and not at the same time of His Divinity, even though His Divinity and humanity cannot be separated. For the Lord is God and man, and God and man in the Lord are not two, but one person, as completely one person as soul and body are one person, according to the doctrine found throughout the whole Christian world, emanating from the Councils and called the doctrine of the Athanasian Creed.
To keep someone from mentally separating the Divinity and humanity in the Lord hereafter, let him please read what we presented above from Luke, and also the following in Matthew:
The birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her betrothed, being a just man, and not wanting to disgrace her, intended to put her away secretly. But while he was thinking about it, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your betrothed, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” ...And Joseph, being awakened from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took his betrothed. But he did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus. (Matthew 1:18-25)
From this and what is written in Luke about the Lord’s birth, and from what we have presented above, it is clear that the Son of God is Jesus, conceived of Jehovah as Father and born of the virgin Mary, as prophesied by all the Prophets and the Law until John.
21. Many at this day think of the Lord only as of an ordinary man like themselves, because they think only of His Human and not at the same time of His Divine; when yet His Divine and His Human cannot be separated. "For the Lord is God and Man; and God and Man in the Lord are not two, but one Person; indeed, all together one, as the soul and body are one man." This is according to the doctrine prevailing throughout the whole Christian world and received from its Councils, called the Athanasian Creed. Therefore, lest any one should henceforward separate in thought the Divine and the Human in the Lord, I entreat him to read the passages quoted above from Luke, as well as the following from Matthew:
The birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise. His mother Mary was espoused to Joseph; but before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph, her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife; for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus; for He shall save His people from their sins....
Then Joseph, being raised from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife; and knew her not till she had brought forth her first born Son: and he called His name Jesus. Matthew 1:18-25.
From these words, as well as from the relation of the Lord's nativity in Luke, and from the other passages adduced above, it is evident that the Son of God is Jesus, who was conceived of Jehovah the Father, and born of the Virgin Mary, concerning whom all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.
21. At the present day many think of the Lord no otherwise than as of a common man like themselves, because they think solely of His Human, and not at the same time of His Divine, when yet His Divine and His Human cannot be separated. For the Lord is God and Man, and God and Man in the Lord are not two, but one Person, yes, altogether one, just as soul and body are one man, according to the doctrine received in the whole Christian world which was formulated by Councils, and is called the doctrine of the Athanasian Creed. Therefore, lest anyone should in future separate in his thought the Divine and the Human in the Lord, I pray him to read the passages from Luke quoted above, and also the following in Matthew:
The birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise. When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her betrothed, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy betrothed, for that which is begotten [natus] in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus for He shall save His people from their sins. And Joseph, being awaked from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took unto him his betrothed, but knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son; and he called His name Jesus (Matthew 1:18-25).
From these words, and from those written in Luke concerning the Lord's nativity, and from others adduced above, it is evident that the "Son of God" is Jesus conceived of Jehovah the Father, and born of the Virgin Mary, of whom all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.
21. Multi hodie non aliter cogitant de Domino, quam sicut de vulgari homine, sui simili, quia solum de Humano Ipsius, et non simul de Divino; cum tamen Divinum et Humanum Ipsius non separari possunt. Est enim Dominus Deus et Homo; ac Deus et Homo in Domino non sunt duo, sed una Persona, ita prorsus una, sicut anima et corpus sunt unus homo; secundum doctrinam in toto Christiano Orbe, quae est ex Conciliis, ac Doctrina Fidei Athanasianae vocatur, Ne itaque homo posthac cogitatione separet Divinum et Humanum in Domino, legat quaeso illa, quae ex Luca supra allata sunt; tum etiam haec apud Matthaeum:-
"Jesu Christi nativitas talis est: Desponsata matre Ipsius Josepho, antequam illi congrederentur, inventa est in utero habens, ex Spiritu Sancto. Et Josephus sponsus ejus, quum justus esset, et non vellet illam diffamare, voluit clam dimittere illam. Verum cum ille haec cogitaret, ecce angelus Domini in somnio apparuit illi, dicens, Joseph, fili Davidis, ne timeas accipere Mariam sponsam tuam, nam quod in illa natum, ex Spiritu Sancto est: et pariet Filium, et vocabis nomen Ipsius Jesum. Ille... salvabit populum suum a peccatis eorum. ...Et expergefactus Josephus a somno, fecit sicut praecepit illi angelus Domini, et accepit sponsam suam: at non cognovit illam, usque dum peperit Filium suum primogenitum, et vocavit nomen Ipsius Jesum" (1:18-25).
Ex his, et ex illis quae apud Lucam de nativitate Domini scripta sunt, et ex supra allatis, constat quod "Filius Dei" sit Jesus conceptus a Jehovah Patre, et natus a virgine Maria, de quo omnes Prophetae et Lex usque ad Johannem prophetarunt.