iv] Some Implications of the Incarnation \ 4 1 



i. 6 and xxxviii. 7 ; and in Hosea the chosen are called 

 Sons of God, i. lo 1 . By analogy with other phrases also 

 we should hesitate to read into Peter's words 1 a more 

 definite meaning than "chosen messenger of God" or 

 "Messiah" for the phrase had this recognised signifi- 

 cance. Had the disciples understood really who He was, 

 they could hardly have been oppressed with doubt so 

 frequently; could hardly have been so disheartened by 

 the Crucifixion (cf. the disciples on the road to Emmaus). 

 The doctrine of immanence makes it clear, apart from 

 all other arguments, that Christ was truly man. 



The Nicene Creed implies this in the words /cat <rap- 

 K(i>0evTa 8ta 7Ti/eu/4aTo<? ayiov e* Mapia? TT;? trapdevov, 

 Ka\ evav0pa>7rij<ravTa. The Athanasian creed, if not 

 quite explicit, is sufficiently so: Dominus noster Jesus 

 Christus Dei Filius Deus et homo est. Deus est ex sub- 

 stantia Patris ante saecula genitus; et homo est ex sub- 

 stantia matris in saeculo natus (from the position of the 

 emphasis, Deus... homo His Manhood is as His God- 

 head; part of His nature). Perfectus Deus, perfectus 

 homo; ex anima rationali et humana carne subsistens. 

 (His manhood is real and perfect manhood, not its form 

 or appearance.) Aequalis Patri secundum divinitatem ; 

 minor Patre secundum humanitatem (kenosis). Qui licet 

 Deus sit et homo; non duo sed tamen unus est Christus. 



It is true that the point is confused afterwards by the 

 use of a questionable analogy. Nam sicut anima ration- 

 alis et caro unus est homo; ita Deus et homo unus est 

 Christus. This implies that the Manhood was the 

 fleshly envelope of a spirit that was God, and had not 

 emptied Itself of Godhead a statement in patent con- 

 tradiction of that a few verses before, perfectus homo. 



1 Cf. Driver's Genesis, p. 82. Sanday, art. Son of God. in 

 Hastings' D.B. 



* If they do not represent a later addition to the more simple 

 statement of the Marcan and Lucan accounts. 



