L35.⑹主逐步脱去取自母亲的人身，披上来自祂里面的神性的一个人身。这就是神性人身和神的儿子。人们知道，主有一个神性和一个人性或人身：一个来自父耶和华的神性，一个来自童女马利亚的人性或人身。因此，祂既是神，又是人，因而拥有一个神性本质和一个人性或人身性质；一个来自父的神性本质，一个来自母亲的人性或人身性质。因此，在神性方面，祂与父平等；在人身方面，祂逊于父。人们还知道，祂没有将来自母亲的这人身性质转化为神性本质，也没有与它混合，因为这是被称为《亚他拿修信经》的信之教义的教导。事实上，人身性质无法转化为神性本质，也不能与它混合。
然而，我们的教义也符合该信经，即：神性取了人身，也就是与它合一，正如灵魂与它的身体合一，以致它们不是两个位格，乃是一个位格。由此可知，主脱去取自母亲的人身（这人身本身就像其他任何人的人身，因而是物质的），披上来自父的一个人身（这人身本身就像祂的神性，因而是本质的），以致这人身也变成了神性。这就是为何在先知书的圣言，甚至就人身而言，主也被称为耶和华和神；在福音书的圣言中，祂被称为主，神，弥赛亚或基督，神的儿子，我们必须信祂，并因祂得救。
由于主出生从母亲那里获得一个人身，然后逐步脱去它，所以可推知，祂在世时拥有两种状态，一个被称为谦卑或倒空的状态；一个被称为荣耀的状态，或与被称为父的神性合一的状态。当处于取自母亲的人身时，祂照着处于该人身的程度而处于谦卑的状态；当处于来自神性的人身时，祂照着处于该人身的程度而处于荣耀的状态。在谦卑的状态下，祂向父祷告，如同向不同于祂自己的另一位祷告；但在荣耀的状态下，祂与父说话，如同与祂自己说话。在后一种状态下，祂说，父在祂里面、祂在父里面，父与祂为一。但在谦卑的状态下，祂经历试探，遭受十字架的苦难，求父不要离弃祂。因为神性不可能受试探，更不用说遭受十字架的苦难了。从这些考虑明显可知，通过试探和试探中的不断胜利，以及十字架受难，也就是最后试探，主彻底征服了地狱，完全荣耀了祂的人身，如前所示。
主脱去取自母亲的人身，披上来自祂自己里面被称为父的神性的人身，这一点也可从以下事实明显看出来：每当与母亲直接说话时，祂都不称她为“母亲”，而是称为“妇人”。我们在福音书中只有三次读到，当祂实际与母亲说话，或提到她时，有两次称她为妇人，一次没有承认祂是祂的母亲。我们在约翰福音中读到，祂两次称她为“妇人”：
耶稣的母亲对祂说，他们没有酒了。耶稣对她说，妇人，我与你有什么相干？我的时刻还没有到。（约翰福音2:3，4）
又：
耶稣从十字架上见祂的母亲和祂所爱的那门徒站在旁边，就对祂母亲说，妇人，看哪，你的儿子；然后对那门徒说，看哪，你的母亲！（约翰福音19:26，27）
有一次祂不认她，路加福音：
有人告诉耶稣说，你母亲和你弟兄站在外边，想要见你。耶稣却回答他们说，听了神的圣言而遵行的人就是我的母亲，我的弟兄了。（路加福音8:20，21；马太福音12:46-49；马可福音3:31-35）
在其它地方，马利亚被称为祂的母亲，但并非出自祂自己的口。
以下事实也证实了这个推断：主不承认祂是子孙。因为我们在福音书中读到：
耶稣问法利赛人说，论到基督，你们以为怎样？祂是谁的子孙呢？他们对祂说，是大卫的子孙。耶稣对他们说，这样，大卫怎么在灵里还称祂为主，说，主对我主说，你坐在我的右手边，等我把你仇敌，放在你的脚凳下。大卫既称祂为主，祂怎么又是大卫的子孙呢？没有一个人能回答祂一言。（马太福音22:41-46；马可福音12:35-37；路加福音20:41-44；诗篇110:1）
从这些经文明显可知，就祂得了荣耀的人身而言，主既不是马利亚的儿子，也不是大卫的子孙。
祂向彼得、雅各和约翰显示了祂得了荣耀的人身的性质，那时：
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马太福章 第17章
发布时间：2020-10-23 阅读：749次
内义概览
祂脸面明亮如日头，衣裳如光。那时，有声音从云彩里出来说，这是我的爱子，我所喜悦的。你们要听祂。（马太福音17:1-8；马可福音9:2-8；路加福音9:28-36）
约翰也看见主像日头满有力地发光（启示录1:16）。
主的人身得了荣耀，这一点从福音书中论到祂荣耀的话明显可知，约翰福音：
人子得荣耀的时刻到了。耶稣说，父啊，愿你荣耀你的名。当时就有声音从天上来说，我已经荣耀了我的名，还要再荣耀。（约翰福音12:23，28）
由于主逐步得荣耀，故经文说：“我已经荣耀了我的名，还要再荣耀。”在同一福音书：
犹大既出去，耶稣就说，如今人子得了荣耀，神在祂身上也得了荣耀。神若在祂身上得荣耀，神也要因自己荣耀祂，并且要快快地荣耀祂。（约翰福音13:31，32）
又：
耶稣说，父啊，时刻到了，愿你荣耀你的儿子，使儿子也荣耀你。（约翰福音17:1，5）
路加福音：
基督这样受害，又进入祂的荣耀，岂不是应当的吗？（路加福音24:26）这些话是指祂的人身说的。
主之所以说“神在祂身上得荣耀”、“神要在自己身上荣耀祂”，还说“荣耀你的儿子，使儿子也荣耀你”，是因为合一是相互的，就是神性与人身并人身与神性的合一。因此，祂还说：
我在父里面，父在我里面。（约翰福音14:10，11）
又说：
凡是我的，都是你的，你的也是我的。（约翰福音17:10）
因此，合一是完全的。一切结合都是这样：它若不是相互的，就不是完全的。主与人的结合并人与主的结合也必是这样，正如祂在约翰福音中所教导的：
到那日你们就知道，你们在我里面，我在你们里面。（约翰福音14:20）
另一处：
你们要住在我里面，我也住在你们里面。住在我里面的，我也住在他里面，这人就多结果子。（约翰福音15:4，5）
由于主的人身得到荣耀，也就是变成神性，所以死后第三天，祂带着整个身体复活了。这种事不会发生在任何人身上，因为世人仅在他的灵方面复活，在身体方面不会复活。为叫人知道，并且不叫任何人质疑，主带着祂的整个身体都复活了，祂不仅通过在坟墓里的天使说明这一点，还在门徒面前以祂的人身显示祂自己，那时他们以为他们看见的是一个灵，路加福音：
你们看我的手，我的脚，是我自己。摸我看看！灵无肉无骨，你们看，我是有的。说了这话，就把手和脚给他们看。（路加福音24:39，40；约翰福音20:20）
约翰福音：
祂对多马说，伸过你的指头来，看我的手，伸出你的手来，探入我的肋旁，不要没有信心，务要相信；然后多马说，我的主，我的神。（约翰福音20:27，28）
主为了进一步证明祂不是一个灵，乃是一位人，就对门徒说：
你们这里有什么吃的没有，他们便给祂一片烧鱼和一块蜜房；祂接过来，在他们面前吃了。（路加福音24:41-43）
由于祂的身体不再是物质的，而是神性物质的，所以当门关上时，祂进来到祂门徒面前（约翰福音20:19，26）；祂被看到后，又不见了（路加福音24:31）。主现在因具有这种性质（也就是神性），故被接上天，坐在神的右手边；因为经上在路加福音中说：
耶稣正给门徒祝福的时候，祂就离开他们，被带到天上去了。（路加福音24:51）
马可福音：
祂和他们说完了话，后来被接到天上，坐在神的右手边。（马可福音16:19）
“坐在神的右手边”表示神性全能。
由于主升到天上，坐在神的右手边，以此表示神性全能，以及神性与人身合而为一，故可推知，祂的人身物质或本质正如祂的神性物质或本质。不这样认为，就等于认为祂的神性被接到天上，坐在神的右手边，同时祂人身却没有。然而，这是违背圣经的，也违背基督教的教义；该教义认为，基督里的神与人如同灵魂与身体，将这二者分离违背正常理性。父与子，或神性与人身的这种合一，也是下列经文的意思，约翰福音：
我从父出来，到了世界；我又离开世界，往父那里去。（约翰福音16:28）
又：
我往差我来的那里去。（约翰福音7:33；16:5，16；17:11，13；20:17）
又：
倘或你们看见人子升到祂先前所在之处。（约翰福音6:62）
又：
除了那从天上降下来的那一位，没有人升过天。（约翰福音3:13）
凡得救的，都升上天，但不是靠自己，乃是靠着主。唯独主靠自己升上天。
35. 6. Step by step he took off the human nature he had taken on from his mother and put on a human nature from what was divine within him, which is the divine human nature and the Son of God.
It is generally known that the Lord was divine and human, divine because of Jehovah the Father and human because of the Virgin Mary. That is why he was God and a human being and therefore had a divine essence and a human outward nature, the divine essence from his Father and the human nature from his mother. This meant that he was equal to the Father with respect to his divinity, but less than the Father with respect to his humanity. It also meant that, as we are taught by the so-called Athanasian statement of faith, this human nature from his mother was not changed into or mixed with a divine essence, since a human nature cannot be changed into or mixed with a divine essence.
[2] All the same, this very statement of faith we have accepted says that the divine nature took on a human nature-that is, united itself with it as a soul with its body, so much so that they were not two but one person. It follows from this that he took off the human nature received from his mother, which was essentially like that of anyone else and therefore material, and put on a human nature from his Father, which was essentially like his divine nature and therefore substantial, thus making his human nature divine.
That is why the Lord is even called “Jehovah” and “God” in the prophetic books of the Word, and in the Word of the Gospels is called “Lord, ” “God, ” “Messiah” or “Christ, ” and “the Son of God, ” the one in whom we are to believe and by whom we are to be saved.
[3] Now, since from the beginning the Lord had a human nature from his mother and took this off step by step, while he was in this world he therefore experienced two states, one called the state of being brought low or being emptied out and one called the state of being glorified or united with the Divine called “the Father.” The state of being brought low occurred when and to the extent that he was primarily conscious of the human nature received from his mother, and the state of being glorified occurred when and to the extent that he was primarily conscious of the human nature received from his Father. In his state of being brought low he prayed to the Father as someone other than himself; while in his state of being glorified he talked with the Father as if talking with himself. In this latter state he said that the Father was in him and he in the Father and that the Father and he were one; while in his state of being brought low he bore trials, suffered on the cross, and prayed that the Father would not forsake him. This is because his divine nature could not be subject to any trial, let alone suffer on the cross.
These passages then show us that by means of his trials and the subsequent constant victories, and by means of his suffering on the cross, which was the final trial, he completely subdued the hells and completely glorified his human nature, as has been explained above.
[4] As for his taking off the human nature received from his mother and putting on the human nature received from what was divine within him called “the Father, ” this we can see from the fact that whenever the Lord spoke directly to his mother he did not call her “mother” but “woman.” We find only three places in the Gospels where he speaks directly to his mother or about her, and in two of these he called her “woman, ” while in one he did not acknowledge her as his mother. As for the two in which he called her “woman, ” we read in John,
Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no wine.” Jesus said to her, “What have I to do with you, woman? My hour has not yet come.” (John 2:4)
And also
When Jesus from the cross saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing by her, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” (John 19:25-27)
The one occasion on which he did not acknowledge her is in Luke:
They announced to Jesus, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside and want to see you.” Jesus answered and said to them, “My mother and my brothers are these who hear the Word of God and do it.” (Luke 8:20-21; Matthew 12:46-49; Mark 3:31-35)
In other passages Mary is called his mother, but never from his own mouth.
[5] There is further support for this in the fact that he did not acknowledge himself to be the son of David. In fact, we read in the Gospels,
Jesus asked the Pharisees, saying, “What is your view of the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “David’s.” He said to them, “So how is it that David, in the spirit, calls him his Lord when he says, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right until I make your enemies a stool for your feet”’? So if David calls him ‘Lord, ’ how is he his son?” And no one could answer him a word. (Matthew 22:41-46; Mark 12:35-37; Luke 20:41-44; Psalms 110:1)
We can see from all this that as far as his glorified human nature was concerned, the Lord was neither the son of Mary nor the son of David.
[6] He showed Peter, James, and John what his glorified human nature was like when he was transfigured before their eyes:
His face shone like the sun and his clothing was like light. And then a voice from a cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear him.” (Matthew 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9:28-36)
The Lord also looked to John “like the sun shining in its strength” (Revelation 1:16).
[7] We are assured that the Lord’s human nature was glorified by what it says about his glorification in the Gospels, such as the following from John:
The hour has come for the Son of Humanity to be glorified. He said, “Father, glorify your name.” A voice came from heaven, saying, “I both have glorified it and will glorify it again.” (John 12:23, 28)
It says “I both have glorified it and will glorify it again” because the Lord was glorified step by step. Again,
After Judas went out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Humanity is glorified, and God is glorified in him. God will also glorify him in himself and glorify him immediately.” (John 13:31-32)
Again,
Jesus said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, so that your Son may also glorify you.” (John 17:1, 5)
And in Luke,
Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer this and enter into his glory? (Luke 24:26)
These things were said about his human nature.
[8] The Lord said, “God is glorified in him” and also “God will glorify him in himself” and “Glorify your Son, so that your Son may also glorify you.” The Lord said these things because the union was reciprocal, the divine nature with the human nature and the human nature with the divine. That is why he also said, “I am in the Father and the Father is in me” (John 14:10-11) and “All that is mine is yours, and all that is yours is mine” (John 17:10); so the union was full.
It is the same with any union. Unless it is reciprocal, it is not full. This is what the union of the Lord with us and of us with the Lord must be like, as he tells us in this passage in John:
On that day you will know that you are in me and I am in you. (John 14:20)
And in this passage:
Abide in me, and I [will abide] in you. Those who abide in me and in whom I abide bear much fruit. (John 15:4-5)
[9] Because the Lord’s human nature was glorified-that is, made divine-on the third day after his death he rose again with his whole body, which is not true of any human being, since we rise again with our spirit only and not with our body.
So that we should know this, and so that no one should doubt that the Lord rose again with his whole body, he not only said so through the angels who were in the tomb but also showed himself to the disciples in his human form with his body, saying to them when they thought they were seeing a spirit,
“See my hands and my feet-that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. (Luke 24:39-40; John 20:20)
And again,
Jesus said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at my hands; and reach out your hand and put it into my side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.” Then Thomas said, “My Lord and my God.” (John 20:27-28)
[10] To make it even clearer that he was not a spirit but a person, he said to the disciples,
“Have you any food here?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish and some honeycomb, and he took it and ate in their presence. (Luke 24:41-43)
Since his body was no longer material but had become divine substance, he came to the disciples when the doors were closed (John 20:19, 26) and disappeared after they had seen him (Luke 24:31).
Once the Lord was in this state, he was carried up and sat down at the right hand of God, for it says in Luke,
It happened that, while Jesus blessed his disciples, he was parted from them and carried up into heaven. (Luke 24:51)
and in Mark,
After he had spoken to them, he was carried up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. (Mark 16:19)
Sitting down at the right hand of God means gaining divine omnipotence.
[11] Since the Lord rose into heaven with his divine and human natures united into one and sat at the right hand of God (which means gaining omnipotence), it follows that his human substance or essence is now just like his divine substance or essence.
To think otherwise would be like thinking that his divine nature was raised into heaven and sits at the right hand of God, but not together with his human nature. This is contrary to Scripture and also contrary to the Christian teaching that in Christ God and a human being are like the soul and the body. To separate them is also contrary to sound reason.
It is this union of the Father with the Son, or of the divine nature with the human nature, that is meant in the following passages:
I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father. (John 16:28)
I go (or come) to the one who sent me. (John 7:33; 16:5, 16; 17:11, 13; 20:17)
What then if you were to see the Son of Humanity ascend where he was before? (John 6:62)
No one has ascended to heaven except the one who came down from heaven. (John 3:13)
Every one of us who is saved ascends to heaven, though not on our own, but rather through the Lord's power. Only the Lord ascended on his own.
35. The Lord gradually put off the humanity taken on from the mother and put on a humanity from the Divine in Him, a humanity which is a Divine humanity and the Son of God. People know that the Lord had a Divine component and a human one — a Divine one from His Father Jehovah, and a human one from the virgin Mary. Consequently He was God and man, and so had a Divine essence and a human nature — a Divine essence from the Father, and a human nature from the mother . And because of that He was equal to the Father in respect to His Divinity, but less than the Father in respect to His humanity. People also know that He did not convert the human nature from the mother into Divine essence; neither did He commingle it with that essence, as the doctrine of faith named after Athanasius teaches. For human nature cannot be converted into Divine essence or be commingled with it.
[2] And yet, according to that same doctrine, the Divine took on a humanity, which is to say that He united Himself to it, like a soul to its body, even to the point that they were not two, but one person. It follows from this that He put off the humanity from the mother, which in itself was like the humanity of any other person, and thus material, and put on a humanity from the Father, which in itself is the same as the Divine itself, and thus essential, as a result of which the humanity, too, became Divine.
That is why the Prophets in the Word call the Lord Jehovah and God even in respect to His humanity, and that the Gospels in the Word call Him Lord, God, the Messiah or Christ, and the Son of God, in whom we are to believe, and by whom we can be saved.
[3] Now because the Lord initially had a humanity from the mother, which He gradually put off, therefore, when He was in the world, He had two states, one called His state of submission or kenosis, and one called His state of glorification or of union with the Divine called the Father. His state was one of submission whenever and as long as He was in a human state from the mother, and His state was one of glorification whenever and as long as He was in a human state from the Father.
In His state of submission He prayed to the Father as though praying to another than Himself, while in His state of glorification He spoke with the Father as though speaking with Himself. In the latter state He said that the Father was in Him and He in the Father, and that He and the Father were one. On the other hand, in His state of submission He underwent temptations or trials, suffered the cross, and prayed to the Father not to forsake Him. For the Divine cannot be tempted or tested, and still less suffer the cross.
It is now apparent from this that temptations or trials and continual victories in them — including the suffering of the cross, which was the last of the trials — were the means by which He completely overcame the hells and completely glorified His humanity, as we showed earlier.
[4] That the Lord put off His humanity from the mother and put on a humanity from the Divine in Him called the Father is apparent as well from the fact that whenever the Lord spoke with His own mouth to His mother, He did not call her mother, but woman. We find in the Gospels only three times that He spoke with His own mouth to His mother or about her, and we read then that twice He called her woman, and once that He did not acknowledge her as His mother.
Twice we read in John that He called her woman:
...the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” Jesus said to her, “What is that to you and Me, woman? My hour has not yet come.” (John 2:3-4)
Again in John:
Jesus, therefore, seeing (from the cross) His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” (John 19:26-27)
And once we read in Luke that He did not acknowledge her:
It was reported to Him by some, who said, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside and wish to see You.” (Jesus) answering said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.” (Luke 8:20-21, cf. Matthew 12:46-49, Mark 3:31-35)
In other places Mary is called His mother, but not by His mouth.
[5] This, too, is confirmed by the fact that He did not acknowledge Himself to be the son of David. For we read in the Gospels:
...Jesus asked (the Pharisees), saying, “What do you think regarding the Christ? Whose son is He?” They said to Him, “The son of David.” He said to them, “How then does David in the spirit call Him Lord, saying: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right, till I make Your enemies Your footstool?” ’ If David calls Him Lord, then how is He his Son?” And no one was able to answer Him a word.... (Matthew 22:41-46, cf. Psalms 110:1, Mark 12:35-37, Luke 20:41-44)
It is apparent from this that in respect to His glorified humanity the Lord was neither the son of Mary nor the son of David.
[6] What His glorified humanity was like He showed to Peter, James and John when He was transfigured before them:
His face shone like the sun, and His garments were [as white] as the light.... And then a voice from out of the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” (Matthew 17:1-8, cf. Mark 9:2-8, Luke 9:28-36)
The Lord also appeared to John “as the sun shining in its power” (Revelation 1:16).
[7] That the Lord’s humanity was glorified is clear from what we are told in the Gospels about His glorification. For example, in the following:
In John:
The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.... (He said,) “Father, glorify Your name.” A voice...came from heaven, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.” (John 12:23, 28)
Because the Lord was glorified gradually, therefore the text says, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”
Again in John:
...after (Judas) had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him.... ...God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately.” (John 13:31-32)
Again:
Jesus...said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You....” (John 17:1, 5)
And in Luke:
Ought not the Christ to have suffered this and to enter into His glory? (Luke 24:26)
This He said in regard to His humanity.
[8] The Lord said, “God is glorified in Him, ” “God will also glorify Him in Himself, ” and “Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may also glorify You.” The Lord said these things because the union was a reciprocal one of the Divine with the human and of the human with the Divine. That is why He also said, “I am in the Father and the Father in Me” (John 14:10-11), and “all mine are yours, and (all) yours are mine” (John 17:10). The result was a complete union.
The case is the same with every union. It is not complete unless it is a reciprocal one. Such is the nature also of the union of the Lord with a person and of a person with the Lord, as He teaches in John:
In that day you will know that...you are in Me, and I in you. (John 14:20)
And elsewhere:
Abide in Me, and I in you.... He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit. (John 15:4-5)
[9] Since the Lord glorified His humanity, that is, made it Divine, therefore after death He rose on the third day with His whole body. This does not happen in the case of any other person; for a person rises only in respect to his spirit, and not in respect to his body.
That people might know and no one doubt that the Lord rose with His whole body, He not only said so through the angels who were at the sepulchre, but He also showed Himself in His human body to His disciples, saying to them, when they believed they were seeing a spirit,
See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have. And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. (Luke 24:39-40, cf. John 20:20).
And furthermore:
(Jesus) said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see My hands; and reach out your hand here and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” Then Thomas...said..., “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:27-28)
[10] To confirm yet again that He was not a spirit but a man, the Lord said to His disciples,
“Have you any food here?” So they gave Him part of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. And He took it and ate in their presence. (Luke 24:41-43)
Since His body was now no longer a material one but an essential, Divine one, therefore He came to His disciples through closed doors (John 20:19, 26). And after they saw Him, He vanished out of their sight (Luke 24:31).
It was in such a state that the Lord was then taken up and sat at the right of God. For we are told in Luke:
It came to pass, as (Jesus) was blessing (His disciples), that He departed from them and was taken up into heaven. (Luke 24:51)
And in Mark:
...after (He) had spoken to them, He was taken up into heaven, and sat at the right of God. (Mark 16:19)
Sitting at the right of God symbolizes Divine omnipotence.
[11] Since the Lord rose into heaven and sat at the right of God, symbolizing Divine omnipotence, with His Divinity and humanity united into one, it follows that His human substance or essence was like His Divine substance or essence.
If a person were to think otherwise, it would be as though he thought that the Lord’s Divinity was taken up into heaven and sat at the right of God, but not at the same time His humanity, which is contrary to Scripture. It is also contrary to Christian doctrine, which teaches that in Christ God and man are like soul and body, and to separate them would be contrary to sound reason.
This union of Father and Son, or of the Divine with the human, is what is meant also in the following:
I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father. (John 16:28)
...I go away...and...go to Him who sent Me. (John 16:5, 7:33, cf. 16:16, 17:11, 13, 20:17)
If then you see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? (John 6:62)
No one has ascended into heaven but He who came down from heaven.... (John 3:13)
Everyone who is saved ascends into heaven, though not by his own power, but the Lord’s. The Lord alone ascended into heaven on His own.
35. 6. THE LORD SUCCESSIVELY PUT OFF THE HUMAN ASSUMED FROM THE MOTHER, AND PUT ON THE HUMAN FROM THE DIVINE IN HIMSELF. THIS IS THE DIVINE HUMAN, AND THE SON OF GOD. It is known that the Lord had a Divine and a Human, a Divine from Jehovah the Father, and a Human from the Virgin Mary. Consequently, He was both God and Man, and thus had a Divine Essence and a Human Nature; the Divine Essence from the Father, and the Human Nature from the mother. Hence He was equal to the Father as to the Divine, and inferior to the Father as to the Human. Moreover, He did not transmute this Human Nature from the mother into the Divine Essence, nor did He mingle it with the Divine Essence. This is taught by the doctrine of faith, called the Athanasian Creed. For the Human Nature cannot be transmuted into the Divine Essence, nor can it be commingled with this Essence.
[2] Yet in accordance with the same Creed is our doctrine that the Divine assumed the Human, that is, united it to itself, as the soul is united to its body, so that they were not two but one Person. From this it follows that the Lord put off the Human from the mother, which in itself was like the human of any other man and consequently material, and put on the Human from the Father, which in itself was like His Divine and consequently substantial 1; so that the Human also was made Divine. Hence it is that, in the Prophetical Word, the Lord is called, even as to the Human, Jehovah and God; and in the Gospels, He is called Lord, God, the Messiah or Christ, and the Son of God, on whom men must believe, and by whom they are to be saved.
[3] Now, since the Lord had from the beginning a Human from the mother, which He put off successively, therefore, while He was in the world, He had two states, called the state of humiliation or exinanition, 2and the state of glorification or union with the Divine which is called the Father. He was in the state of humiliation so far as, and when, He was in the Human from the mother; and He was in the state of glorification so far as, and when, He was in the Human from the Father. In the state of humiliation He prayed to the Father as to a being distinct from Himself; but in the state of glorification He spoke with the Father as with Himself. In this latter state He said that the Father was in Him, and He in the Father, and that the Father and He were One; but in the state of humiliation He underwent temptations and suffered the cross, and prayed to the Father not to forsake Him: for the Divine could not be tempted, still less could it suffer the cross. From these considerations it is now evident that, by temptations and continual victories in them, and by the passion of the cross, which was the last of the temptations, He fully conquered the hells, and fully glorified the Human, as was shown above.
[4] That the Lord put off the Human from the mother, and put on the Human from the Divine in Himself which is called the Father, is manifest also from this circumstance that, whenever He actually spoke to the mother, He did not call her "Mother," but "Woman." There are only three occasions recorded in the Gospels when the Lord actually spoke to the mother, or mentioned her. On two of these He called her "Woman," and on the third He did not acknowledge her as His mother. He twice called her "Woman," as we read in John:
The mother of Jesus saith unto Him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. John 2:[3,]] 4.
And in the same,
Jesus from the cross, seeing His mother and the disciple standing by whom He loved, saith unto His mother, Woman, behold thy son!
Then saith He to the disciple, Behold thy mother! John 19:26-27.
On one occasion He did not acknowledge her, as we read in Luke,
It was told Jesus by certain who said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee.
Jesus answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these who hear the Word of God, and do it. Luke 8:20-21; Matthew 12:46-49; Mark 3:31-35.
In other places Mary is called His mother, but not from His own mouth.
[5] This is also confirmed by the fact that He did not acknowledge
Himself to be the Son of David; for we read in the Gospels:
Jesus asked the Pharisees, saying, What think ye of Christ? Whose Son is He? They say unto Him, The Son of David.
He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call Him his
Lord, saying,
The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?
If then David call Him Lord, how is He his Son?
And no man was able to answer Him a word. Matthew 12:46-49; Mark 12:35-37; Luke 20:41-44; Psalm 110:1.
From these passages it is evident that the Lord, as to His glorified Human, was the Son neither of Mary nor of David.
[6] The nature of His glorified Human He showed to Peter, James and John when
He was transfigured before them; and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light;
And then a voice out of the cloud said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him. Matthew 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9:28-36.
The Lord was also seen by John,
As the sun shining in his strength. Revelation 1:16.
[7] That the Lord's Human was glorified is evident from what is said of His glorification in the Gospels, as from these passages:
In John:
The hour is come that the Son of Man should be glorified.
He said, Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. John 12:23, 28.
Because the Lord was glorified successively, therefore it is said, "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again."
In the same Gospel:
After Judas was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him. ... God shall also glorify Him in Himself, and shall straightway glorify Him. John 13:31-32 And in the same:
Jesus said, Father the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee. John 17:1, 5 And in Luke:
Ought not Christ to have suffered this, and to enter into His glory? Luke 24:26.
These words are said concerning His Human.
[8] The Lord said, God is glorified in Him; and also, God will glorify Him in Himself; and, further, Glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee. These things the Lord said, because the union of the Divine with the Human, and of the Human with the Divine was reciprocal. Therefore also He had said,
I am in the Father, and the Father in me. John 14:10-11; And also,
All mine are thine, and all thine are mine. John 17:10.
Thus the union was complete. It is the same with all union: it is not complete unless it is reciprocal. Such also must be the union of the Lord with man, and of man with the Lord, as He teaches in John:
At that day ye shall know that ... ye are in me and I in you. John 14:20 And in another place,
Abide in me, and I in you ...
He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit. John 15:4-5.
[9] Since the Lord's Human was glorified, that is, made Divine, therefore, after death He rose again on the third day with His whole body. This does not happen to any man, for man rises again only as to his spirit, and not as to his body. In order that man might know, and that no one might doubt, that the Lord rose again with His whole body, He not only declared it by the angels who were in the sepulchre, but He also showed Himself in His Human body before the disciples, saying to them, when they believed that they saw a spirit,
Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself handle me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
And when He had thus spoken, He showed them His bands and His feet. Luke 24:39-40; John 20:20.
And further:
Jesus said to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing ...
Then said Thomas, My Lord and my God. John 20:27-28.
[10] That the Lord might still further prove that He was not a spirit, but a Man, He said to the disciples,
Have ye here any meat?
And they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish, and of a honeycomb.
And He took it, and did eat before them. Luke 24:41-43.
Since His body was not now material, but Divine substantial, therefore
He came into the disciples, the doors being shut. John 20:19, 26.
And after He had been seen,
He became invisible (A.V. vanished out of their sight). Luke 24:31.
As the Lord was now of such a nature [that is, Divine], He was taken up, and sat on the right hand of God; for it is said in Luke:
And it came to pass while Jesus blessed the disciples, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. Luke 24:51; And in Mark:
After He had spoken unto them, He was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. Mark 16:19.
To sit on the right hand of God signifies Divine Omnipotence.
[11] Since the Lord ascended into heaven and sat on the right hand of God, by which is signified Divine Omnipotence, with the Divine and the Human united into one, it follows that His Human substance or essence is as His Divine Essence. To suppose otherwise would be like thinking that His Divine was taken up into heaven and sat on the right hand of God, and not the Human at the same time. This, however, is contrary to Scripture, and also contrary to the Christian doctrine, which is, that God and Man in Christ are as the soul and the body; and to separate these would be contrary to sound reason. This union of the Father with the Son, or of the Divine with the Human, is also meant in the following passages:
I came forth from the Father and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. John 16:28.
I go away and come unto Him that sent me. 7:33; 16:5, 16; 17:11, 13; 20:17.
If then, ye shall see the Son of Man ascend up where He was before? 6:62.
No man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven. 3:13.
Every man who is saved does ascend into heaven, yet not of himself, but of the Lord. The Lord alone ascended of Himself.
Footnotes:
1. Substantial, formed of substance, that which stands under something prior to it, and upon which the prior thing rests and manifests itself in a posterior degree. Thus the spiritual world is a substantial world, its various degrees of life being successively derived from the spiritual Sun, which is itself the manifestation of the Originating Divine. Cf. Material, formed of matter the ultimate or lowest manifestation of substance in the physical or natural world.
2. Exinanition, the state during which the maternal heredity was being put off.
35. vi. By successive steps the Lord put off the human taken from the mother, and put on a Human from the Divine within Him, which is the Divine Human, and is the Son of God. That in the Lord were the Divine and the human, the Divine from Jehovah the Father, and the human from the virgin Mary, is known. Hence He was God and Man, having a Divine essence and a human nature; a Divine essence from the Father, and a human nature from the mother; and therefore was equal to the Father as to the Divine, and less than the Father as to the human. It is also known that this human nature from the mother was not transmuted into the Divine essence, nor commingled with it, for this is taught in the Doctrine of Faith which is called the Athanasian Creed. For a human nature cannot be transmuted into the Divine essence, nor can it be commingled therewith.
[2] In accordance with the same creed is also our doctrine, that the Divine assumed the Human, that is, united itself to it, as a soul to its body, so that they were not two, but one Person. From this it follows that the Lord put off the human from the mother, which in itself was like that of another man, and thus material, and put on a Human from the Father, which in itself was like His Divine, and thus substantial, so that the Human too became Divine. This is why in the Word of the Prophets the Lord even as to the Human is called Jehovah, and God; and in the Word of the Evangelists, Lord, God, Messiah or Christ, and the Son of God in whom we must believe, and by whom we are to be saved.
[3] As from His birth the Lord had a human from the mother, and as He by successive steps put it off, it follows that while He was in the world He had two states, the one called the state of humiliation or emptying out [exinanitio], and the other the state of glorification or unition with the Divine called the Father. He was in the state of humiliation at the time and in the degree that He was in the human from the mother; and in that of glorification at the time and in the degree that He was in the Human from the Father. In the state of humiliation He prayed to the Father as to one who was other than Himself; but in the state of glorification He spoke with the Father as with Himself. In this latter state He said that the Father was in Him and He in the Father, and that the Father and He were one. But in the state of humiliation He underwent temptations, and suffered the cross, and prayed to the Father not to forsake Him. For the Divine could not be tempted, much less could it suffer the cross. From what has been said it is now evident that by means of temptations and continual victories in them, and by the passion of the cross which was the last of the temptations, the Lord completely conquered the hells, and fully glorified His Human, as has been shown above.
[4] That the Lord put off the human taken from the mother, and put on a Human from the Divine in Himself called the Father, is evident also from the fact that whenever He addressed His mother directly, He did not call her Mother, but Woman. Only three times in the Evangelists do we read that He thus addressed or spoke of her, twice calling her Woman, and once not recognizing her as His mother. Of the two occasions when He called her Woman we read in John:
The mother of Jesus said unto Him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what [belongs] to Me, and to thee? Mine hour is not yet come (2:3, 4).
When from the cross, Jesus sees His mother, and the disciple standing by whom He loved, He saith to His mother, Woman, behold thy son; and then He saith to the disciple, Behold thy mother (19:26, 27).
And of the one occasion when He did not recognize her, in Luke:
It was told Jesus by certain who said, Thy mother and Thy brethren stand without, desiring to see Thee. Jesus answering said unto them, My mother and My brethren are these, who hear the Word of God, and do it (8:20, 21; Matthew 12:46-49; Mark 3:31-35).
In other places Mary is called His "mother," but not from His own mouth.
[5] The same inference is confirmed by the fact that the Lord did not admit that He was the son of David For we read in the Evangelists:
Jesus asked the Pharisees, saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is He? They say unto Him, The Son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call Him Lord, saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on My right hand till I make Thine enemies Thy footstool? If then David calls Him Lord, how is He his son? And no one was able to answer Him a word (Matthew 22:41-46; Mark 12:35-37; Luke 20:41-44; Psalm 110:1).
From what has been said it is evident that in respect to the glorified Human the Lord was the son neither of Mary nor of David.
[6] Of what quality was His glorified Human, He showed to Peter, James, and John when transfigured before them:
That His face shone as the sun, and His raiment was like the light and then a voice out of the cloud said, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye Him (Matthew 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9:28-36).
The Lord was also seen by John as the sun shining in his strength (Revelation 1:16).
[7] That the Lord's Human was glorified, is evident from what is said about His glorification in the Evangelists:
The hour is come that the Son of man should be glorified. Jesus said, Father, glorify Thy name: then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I both have glorified it and will glorify it again (John 12:23, 28).
As the Lord was glorified by successive steps, it is said "I both have glorified it, and will glorify it again." Again in the same Evangelist:
After Judas had gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in Him: God shall also glorify Him in Himself, and shall straightway glorify Him (John 13:31, 32).
Jesus said, Father, the hour is come; glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son may also glorify Thee (John 17:1, 5).
And in Luke:
Behooved it not the Christ to suffer this, and to enter into His glory? (Luke 24:26).
These things are said concerning His Human.
[8] The reason the Lord said "God is glorified in Him," and "God shall glorify Him in Himself," and also "Glorify Thy Son that Thy Son may also glorify Thee," is that the unition was reciprocal, being that of the Divine with the Human and of the Human with the Divine. On this account He said also, "I am in the Father, and the Father in Me" (John 14:10, 11); and "All Mine are Thine, and Thine are Mine" (John 17:10); so that the unition was plenary. It is the same with all unition-unless it is reciprocal, it is not full. Such therefore must also be the uniting of the Lord with man, and of man with the Lord. As He teaches:
In that day ye shall know that ye are in Me, and I in you (John 14:20).
Abide in Me, and I in you; he that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit (John 15:4, 5).
[9] As the Lord's Human was glorified, that is, made Divine, He rose again after death on the third day with His whole body, which does not take place with any man; for a man rises again solely as to the spirit, and not as to the body. In order that men may know, and no one doubt, that the Lord rose again with His whole body, He not only said so through the angels in the sepulcher, but also showed Himself to His disciples in His human body, saying to them when they believed that they saw a spirit:
See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; handle Me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see Me have; and when He had thus spoken, He showed them His hands and His feet (Luke 24:39, 40, John 20:20).
And He said to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold My hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into My side; and be not faithless but believing; then said Thomas, My Lord and my God (John 20:27, 28).
[10] In order to evince still further that He was not a spirit but a Man, the Lord said to His disciples,
Have ye here any meat? And they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish, and of a honeycomb; and He took it and did eat before them (Luke 24:41-43).
As His body was no longer material, but Divine substantial, He came in to His disciples when the doors were shut (John 20:19, 26); and after He had been seen He became invisible (Luke 24:31). Being such, the Lord was then taken up, and sat at the right hand of God; as we read:
It came to pass that while Jesus blessed His disciples, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven (Luke 24:51).
After He had spoken unto them, He was carried up into heaven, and sat at the right hand of God (Mark 16:19).
To "sit at the right hand of God," signifies Divine omnipotence.
[11] As the Lord ascended into heaven, and sat at the right hand of God (by which is signified Divine omnipotence) with the Divine and the Human united into a one, it follows that His human substance or essence is just as is His Divine substance or essence. To think otherwise would be like thinking that His Divine was taken up into heaven and sat at the right hand of God, but not His Human together with it, which is contrary to Scripture, and also to the Christian Doctrine, which is that in Christ God and Man are like soul and body, and to separate these is contrary to sound reason. This unition of the Father with the Son, or of the Divine with the Human, is meant also in the following:
I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world; again I leave the world, and go to the Father (John 16:28).
I go away, and come to Him that sent Me (John 7:33; 16:5, 16; 17:11, 13; 20:17).
If then ye shall see the Son of man ascending where He was before (John 6:62).
No one hath ascended into heaven but He that came down from heaven (John 3:13).
Every man who is saved ascends into heaven, but not of himself. He ascends by the Lord's aid. The Lord alone ascended of Himself.
35. ((vi.)) Quod Dominus Humanum ex Matre susceptum successive exuerit, et Humanum ex Divino in Ipso induerit, quod est Divinum Humanum et Filius Dei.- Quod Domino fuerit Divinum et Humanum, Divinum ex Jehovah patre, et Humanum ex Maria virgine, notum est; inde est quod fuerit Deus et Homo, et sic Ipsi Essentia Divina et Natura Humana; Essentia Divina ex Patre, Natura Humana ex Matre; et inde aequalis Patri quoad Divinum, et minor Patre quoad Humanum; tum quod Humanam hanc ex matre Naturam non transmutaverit in Essentiam Divinam, nec ei commiscuerit illam, ut docet Doctrina Fidei, quae Athanasiana vocatur; nam Natura Humana in Essentiam Divinam non potest transmutari, nec potest ei commisceri.
[2] Et tamen ex eadem nostra Doctrina est, quod Divinum susceperit Humanum, hoc est, univerit se illi, sicut anima suo corpori, usque ut non duo essent, sed una Persona. Ex eo sequitur, quod Humanum ex Matre, quod in se erat simile humano alterius hominis, et sic materiale, exuerit; ac Humanum ex Patre, quod in se simile Divino suo, et sic substantiale, induerit, ex quo Humanum etiam Factum est Divinum. Inde est quod Dominus in Verbo Prophetarum etiam quoad Humanum dicatur Jehovah et Deus, ac in Verbo Evangelistarum Dominus, Deus, Messias seu Christus, et Filius Dei, in quem credendum est, et a quo salvandi sunt.
[3] Nunc quia Domino Fuit ab initio Humanum ex Matre, et hoc successive exuit, ideo, dum in mundo erat, fuerunt Ipsi duo status, qui vocantur status humiliationis seu exinanitionis, et status glorificationis seu unitionis cum Divino quod Pater vocatur: status humiliationis, quantum et quando fuit in Humano ex Matre; et status glorificationis, quantum et quando fuit in Humano ex Patre. In statu humiliationis oravit Patrem sicut alium a Se; in statu glorificationis autem locutus est cum Patre ut cum Se. In hoc statu dixit quod Pater esset in Se et Ipse in Patre, et quod Pater et Ipse unum essent; in statu autem humiliationis subiit tentationes, et passus est crucem, et oravit ne Pater Ipsum desereret; nam Divinum non potuit tentari, et minus adhuc crucem pati. Ex his nunc patet quod per tentationes et continuas tunc victorias, ac per passionem crucis, quae fuit ultima tentationum, plene vicerit inferna, et plene glorificaverit Humanum, ut prius ostensum est.
[4] Quod Dominus exuerit humanum ex Matre, et induerit Humanum ex Divino in Ipso, quod Pater vocatur, patet etiam ex eo, quod Dominus quoties Ipse ex suo ore locutus est ad Matrem, non vocaverit illam Matrem, sed Mulierem. Apud Evangelistas legitur modo ter, quod ex suo ore locutus sit ad Matrem et de illa, et tunc bis quod appellaverit illam Mulierem, et semel quod non agnoverit illam pro Matre. Bis quod appellaverit illam "Mulierem:." Legitur apud Johannem,
"Dixit Mater Jesu ad Ipsum, Vinum non habent. Dicit illi Jesus, Quis Mihi et tibi, Mulier? nondum venit hora mea" (2:(3,) 4);
Et apud eundem,
"Jesus... e cruce videt Matrem, et discipulum adstantem quem amabat; dicit Matri suae, Mulier ecce filius tuus; deinde dicit discipulo, Ecce Mater tua" (19:26-27).
Semel quod non agnoverit illam:- Apud Lucam,
"Nuntiatum est" Jesu "a dicentibus, Mater tua et fratres tui foris stant, et volunt Te videre:" Jesus "respondens dixit ad illos, Mater mea et fratres mei hi sunt, qui audiunt Verbum Dei, et faciunt illud" (8:20-21; Matthaeum 12:46-49; Marcum 3:31-35).
In aliis locis vocatur Maria Ipsius Mater, sed non ab Ipsius ore.
[5] Hoc etiam confirmatur per id, quod non agnoverit Se esse Filium Davidis. Legitur enim apud Evangelistas,
"Interrogavit Jesus" Pharisaeos, "dicens, Quid vobis videtur de Christo? Cujus Filius est? Dicunt Ipsi, Davidis. Dixit illis, Quomodo ergo David Ipsum in spiritu Dominum suum vocat, dicens, Dixit Dominus Domino meo, Sede a dextris meis, donec posuero inimicos tuos scabellum pedum tuorum. Si ergo David vocat Ipsum Dominum quomodo Filius ejus est? Et nemo poterat Ipsi respondere verbum" (Matthaeus 22:41-46 1; Marcus 12:35-37; Lucas 41-44 2[NCBSP: 20:41-44]; Psalm 110:1):
Ex his patet quod Dominus quoad Humanum glorificatum non Fuerit Mariae nec Davidis filius.
[6] Quale fuit Humanum Ipsius glorificatum, ostendit Petro, Jacobo et Johanni, cum transformatus est coram illis,
Quod splenduerit facias Ipsius sicut sol, et vestimenta Ipsius fuerint sicut lux: "et tunc vox e nube dixit, Hic est Filius meus dilectus, in quo Mihi complacuit, Ipsum audite" (Matthaeus 17:1-8 3; Marcus 9:2-8; Lucam 9:28-36).
Dominus etiam est visus Johanni,
"Sicut Sol lucens in virtute sua" (Apocalypsis 1:16).
[7] Quod Humanum Domini glorificatum sit, constat ex illis quae de Glorificatione Ipsius apud Evangelistas dicuntur. Ut ex his:- Apud Johannem,
"Venit hora ut glorificetur Filius hominis." Dixit, "Pater, glorifica tuum nomen: exiit... vox e caelo, Et glorificavi et rursus glorificabo" (12:23, 28):
Quia Dominus successive glorificatus est, ideo dicitur, "Et glorificavi, et rursus glorificabo." Apud eundem,
"Postquam" Judas "exivit, dixit Jesus, Nunc glorificatus est Filius hominis, et Deus glorificatus est in Ipso;... etiam Deus glorificabit Ipsum in Se Ipso, et statim glorificabit Ipsum" (13:31-32).
Apud eundem,
Jesus "dixit, Pater venit hora, glorifica Filium tuum, ut etiam Filius glorificet Te" (17:1, 5 4).
Et apud Lucam,
"Nonne hoc oportebat pati Christum, et ingredi in gloriam suam?" (24:26;)
Haec dicta sunt de Humano Ipsius.
[8] Dixit Dominus, "Deus glorificatus est in Ipso," etiam "Deus glorificabit Ipsum in Se Ipso; tum, "Glorifica Filium tuum, ut etiam Filius tuus glorificet Te:" haec Dominus dixit, quia unitio fuit reciproca, Divini cum Humano ac Humani cum Divino; quare etiam dixerat,
"Ego in Patre, et Patre in Me" (Johannem 14:10-11):
Tum,
"Omnia mea tua sunt, et omnia tua mea" (Johannem 17:10);
Inde fuit unitio plenaria. Simile est cum omni unitione; quae nisi sit reciproca, non est plena: qualis etiam erit Domini cum homine, et hominis cum Domino; ut docet apud Johannem,
"In illa die cognoscetis, quod... vos in Me, et Ego in vobis" (14:20);
Et alibi,
"Manete in Me, etiam Ego in vobis... Qui manet in Me, et Ego in illo, hic fert fructum multum" (15:4-5).
[9] Quoniam Humanum Domini glorificatum est, hoc est, Divinum factum est, ideo post mortem tertia die cum toto Corpore resurrexit; quod non fit alicui homini, nam homo solum quoad spiritum, non autem quoad corpus resurgit. Ut homo sciret, et nemo dubitaret, quin Dominus cum toto Corpore resurrexerit, non modo dixit id per angelos qui erant in sepulcro, sed etiam ostendit Se in Humano suo Corpore coram discipulis; dicens illis, cum crediderunt se videre spiritum,
"Videte manus meas et pedes meos, quod Ipse Ego sim: palpate Me et videte, nam spiritus carnem et ossa non habet, sicut Me videtis habere. Hocque cum dixisset, ostendit illis manus et pedes" (Lucam 24:39-40; Johannem 20:20).
Et porro,
"Jesus dixit Thomae, Mitte digitum tuum huc, et vide manus meas; et mitte manum tuam, ac immitte in latus meum, et non esto incredulus sed credulus: tunc dixit Thomas, Domine mi et Deus mi" (Johannes 27-28 2[NCBSP: Johannes 20:27-28]).
[10] ut Dominus adhuc confirmaret quod non spiritus, sed Homo esset, dixit discipulis,
"Habetisne aliquid edulii hic? Illi... dederunt Ipsi piscis assi partem, et de favo apiario; quae accipiens coram illis comedit" (Lucam 24:41-43).
Quoniam Corpus Ipsius nunc non materiale, sed substantiale Divinum fuit; ideo,
Venit ad discipulos januis clausis (Johannes 19, 26 2[NCBSP: 20:19, 26]);
Et postquam visus est,
"Invisibilis factus est" (Lucam 24:31).
Talis nunc Dominus sublatus est, et consedit a dextris Dei; nam dicitur apud Lucam,
"Factum est, cum benediceret" Jesus discipulis, "secessit ab illis, et sublatus est in caelum" (24:51);
Et apud Marcum,
"Postquam locutus est illis, sublatus est in caelum, et consedit a dextris Dei" (Marcum 16:19):
"sedere a dextris Dei," significat Divinam omnipotentiam.
[11] Quoniam Dominus cum Divino et Humano unito in unum ascendit in caelum, et consedit a dextris Dei, per quod significatur Divina omnipotentia, sequitur quod Humana Ipsius Substantia seu Essentia sit sicut Ipsius Divina. Si homo aliter cogitaret, Foret sicut cogitaret quod Divinum Ipsius sublatum esset in caelum, ac sederet a dextris Dei, et non simul Humanum; quod contra Scripturam est, et quoque contra Doctrinam Christianam, quae est quod Deus et Homo in Christo sint sicut anima et corpus, quae separare foret contra sanam rationem. Haec unitio Patris cum Filio, seu Divini cum Humano, intelligitur etiam in his sequentibus:-
"Exivi a Patre, et veni in mundum, iterum relinquo mundum, et vado ad Patrem" (Johannem 16:28).
"Abeo et venio ad Illum qui misit Me" (Johannem 7:33; 16:5, 16; 17:11, 13 5).
"Si ergo videritis Filium hominis ascendentem, ubi erat prius" (Johannem 6:62).
"Nemo ascendit in caelum, nisi qui e caelo descendit" (Johannem 3:13);
Quisque homo, qui salvatur, ascendit in caelum; sed non a se, verum a Domino: solus Dominus ascendit a Se.
Footnotes:
1. 41-46 pro "39-44"
2. In editio princeps, numerales capitum romani sunt, et versus arabici sunt. His numeri arabice est, ut versus sint denotant, sed numerus capitis non dabit. -NCBSP
3. xvii. pro "xviii."
4. 5 pro "6"
517:11, 13 pro "17:11, 13; 19:27."