Actually, if you compare what John Robbins said in the postscript to The Incarnation and what Charles Hodge says about Nestorianism, it becomes even more obvious that Charles Hodge would have said Robbins' and Clark's view was heretical.
Charles Hodge:
The integrity of the two natures in Christ having been thus asserted and declared to be the faith of the Church, the next question which arose concerned the relations of the two natures, the one to the other, in the one person of Christ. Nestorianism is the designation adopted in church history, for the doctrine which either affirms, or implies a twofold personality in our Lord. The divine Logos was represented as dwelling in the man Christ Jesus, so that the union between the two natures was somewhat analogous to the indwelling of the Spirit. The true divinity of Christ was thus endangered. He was distinguished from other men in whom God dwelt, only by the plenitude of the divine presence, and the absolute control of the divine over the human. From: Nestorianism.
Compare that to what Robbins said:
The relationship that obtains between the Logos, the Second Person of the Trinity, and Jesus Christ is unique, unlike that between the Logos and every other man who comes into the world (see John 1:9). The Logos did not merely light the mind of Christ; the Logos Himself is fully in Christ. Christ could therefore say, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life." No mere prophet could make such an astounding claim. Prophets inspired by God possess some of the divine propositions. Christ, however, possesses them all, as the author of Hebrews argues in his first chapter. All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in Christ, for in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. . . . Jesus Christ was and is both God and man, a divine person and a human person. To deny either is to fall into error. Once key terms are defined and clearly understood, the Incarnation is an even more stupendous and awe-inspiring miracle than the Church has hitherto surmised. [The Incarnation, pages 77-78]
In other words, Robbins is saying that what makes Christ unique is that he has "more" of the divine propositions than other men. The fullness of the Godhead dwells in him bodily but not in union with the human person, Jesus Christ. Also, Robbins fails to distinguish between the incommunicable attributes of deity and the communicable attributes. In this case, Clark's definition of "propositions" seems to fail since it confuses the "divine propositions" with the "human propositions." Clearly Robbins is implying that there are two persons in Christ, which is what Clark had already concluded. This is an example of what A. A. Hodge is talking about in this question:
19. How may all Heresies on this subject be classified?As they seek relief from the impossibility which reason experiences in the effort fully to comprehend the mutual consistency of all the elements of this doctrine (1) in the denial of the divine element, (2) or in the denial of the human element in its reality and integrity, or (3) in the denial of the unity of the person embracing both natures.
A. A. Hodge has just described perfectly those who place reason above revelation.
Charlie
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son : and to the Holy Ghost;
Answer. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be : world without end. Amen.
Answer. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be : world without end. Amen.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment