Chapter 3: The Person of Christ

Question 1

Nestorius

Answer 1

(†451) – patriarch of Constantinople;

trained in Antiochean school;

fought hard and well against Apollinarianism

Question 2

Nestorianism

Answer 2

Mary is Only the mother of the HUMAN PERSON Jesus (Theotokos to Christokos);

two natures (physis), two subjects (hypostasis), Two “Physical” Persons (prosopon) so Closely Linked that it is AS IF the TWO persons are ONE;

for Nestorius, Every Nature Constitutes a SUBJECT and PERSON.

Question 3

St. Cyril of Alexandria

Answer 3

Responded to Nestorius with 2 Letter of Correction - Nestorius rejected

Presented at Council of Ephesus - Considered Doctrinal Content of Council

Question 4

Cyril Letter presented at Council of Ephesus

Answer 4

“Christ is ONE SUBJECT only (hypostasis) and ONE PERSON only (prosopon); he who is God is also man, through a Union of Divine Nature (physis) and a Human Nature. Therefore, MARY is TRULY Mother of God…; Christ is the Son of God… [not] a divinized man and an adoptive son of God; Christ’s flesh is life-giving (an implicit reference to the Eucharist), because it is the flesh of the Word; Christ should be Worshiped with ONE ADORATION, and not worshipped as God and separately as man; to the Person of the Word should be ATTRIBUTED not only the DIVINE ACTIONS but also the HUMAN ACTIONS and PASSIONS of Jesus”

Question 5

Council of Ephesus

Answer 5

• 431 A.D.
• Called by Theodosius II
• Presided over by Cyril
• approved Cyril’s 2nd Letter

Question 6

“mia physis”

Answer 6

“one nature” - inexact terminology used by Cyril but not in a way to deny 2 Distinct Natures of Christ

• borrowed from St. Athanasius

Question 7

Formula of Union

Answer 7

• (433 A.D.) After Ephesus
• Sixtus III
• To Resolve continued controversy between Antioch and Alexandria

Question 8

Testimony of New Testament

Answer 8

• Jn. 1:14
• Jn. 3:13
• Jn. 17:5
• Phil. 2:6
• Eph. 4:10

Question 9

John 1:14

Answer 9

“The Word became flesh…”

• the Word (which is God according to vv. 1-2) Cannot Change into something else, so the SAME Word must ASSUME flesh.

Question 10

John 3:13

Answer 10

“No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended…”;

• Augustine: he who ascends as man is the one who descended as God.

Question 11

John 17:5

Answer 11

“…glorify ME in thy own presence with the glory which I had with thee before the world was made”

• “me” refers to Christ in his HUMAN NATURE and “I” refers to the GLORIOUS DIVINITY that the Son enjoyed before the Incarnation.

Question 12

Philippians 2:6

Answer 12

“Though he was in the form of God…”.

Question 13

Ephesians 4:10

Answer 13

“[Christ] who descended is he who also ascended far above all the heavens”

• descent = burial;
• ascended = resurrection and ascension.

Question 14

Testimony of the Fathers

Answer 14

Even before Cyril expressed Christ’s Union of Natures as ONE PERSON

• Tertullian (†223)
• St. Gregory of Nazianzen (†390)
• St. Augustine
• St. Ephraim of Antioch
• St. Leonitis of Byzantium
• Boethius

Question 15

Tertullian (†223)

Answer 15

“…we see Two States (=NATURES) with no confusion, but, rather, UNITED in ONE PERSON, God and man, Jesus.”

Question 16

St. Gregory of Nazianzen (†390)

Answer 16

“Although he had two natures, God and man, and the man is body and soul, they are NOT however TWO SONS or TWO GODS…. So, in the Savior there are two different things, but NOT TWO INDIVIDUALS”.

Question 17

Monophysitism

Answer 17

ONE NATURE (mono-physis);

overemphasis of Cyril’s teaching against Nestorius

Question 18

3 Types of Monophysitism

Answer 18

1) Divine Nature completely ABSORBS and ANNIHILATES the Human Nature,
2) Christ’s nature is a Special DIVINE-HUMAN Nature that is something UNIQUE and Brand New,
3) a Reversion to APOLLINARIUS, that the Divine Nature enters into a COMPOSITIONAL MIX with the Human Nature (a Confusion of Natures).

Question 19

Eutyches

Answer 19

archimandrite in Constantinople;

Christ is a person OF Two Natures, but NOT IN Two Natures; used the misleading “mia physis” text from Cyril’s definition and said Christ was IN ONE NATURE;

condemned by Flavian (patriarch in Const.) in 448.

Question 20

Pope St. Leo I

Answer 20

• approved Flavian’s actions

- wrote the Dogmatic Letter LECTIS DILECTONIS TUAE (449) (known also as the TOME of St. Leo.)

Question 21

Dioscorus

Answer 21

asked for a new council which he presided over;

condemned the Tome and reinstated Eutyches;

the pope condemned the Council (Latrocinium of Ephesus).

Question 22

Council of Chalcedon

Answer 22

451 A.D.

• solemnly defined the HYPOSTATIC UNION
• Aimed at MONOPHYSITISM, but covers:
• Arianism - Affirms that Christ IS DIVINE
• Apollinarism - Implies Christ is FULLY HUMAN
• Nestorianism - Affirms Christ is ONE PERSON and SUBJECT

Question 23

Solemn Definition of Hypostatic Union

Answer 23

“The Differences of Natures [in Christ] will NEVER BE ABOLISHED by their Being United, but rather the properties of each REMAIN UNIMPAIRED, both coming together in ONE PERSON (prosopon) and SUBSTANCE (hypostasis), not parted or divided among two persons (prosopa), but in ONE and the SAME Only-begotten Son, the divine Word, the Lord Jesus Christ…”.

• affirms Christ’s 2 Natures UNITED but DISTINCT and UNIMPAIRED