CONCLUSION TO ST2415: JESUS THE SAVIOR

AND TRIUNE GOD

Session 9: Review and Preparation

for Your Final Essay

HYMN #257: “O COME, O COME, EMMANUEL”

1. What images depict who Jesus is?2. What do these images tell about who Jesus is?3. What implications does this have for our lives?4. Given your exposure to the range of biblical and

historical christologies:• What are the sources for these images?• What’s missing in these images?

QUESTIONS WE ADDRESSED IN THIS COURSE

1. Who is Jesus Christ? 2. What is the Gospel?3. Who is the God we

worship through Jesus in the power of the Spirit?

• Thoughts, feelings, actions?

• Distortions? • Questions?

TWO PERSPECTIVES ON THESE QUESTIONS

1. DIACHRONIC

• Biblical Theology : Gospels, Paul, OT sources• Historical Theology: Person and Work of

Christ• Constructive Theology: Bible, Tradition,

Contemporary Witness

TWO PERSPECTIVES ON THESE QUESTIONS

2. SYNCHRONIC

• What is the Gospel? (What are we freed from and for?)

• Who is Jesus Christ? (Person and Work)• Who is God we know through Jesus in the

power of the Spirit?

COURSE GOALS (A CHECKLIST FOR YOUR ESSAY)

KNOWLEDGE GOALS:1. Biblical sources2. Historical sources3. Theological integration:

a. Who is Jesus? b. What is the gospel?c. Who is the Triune God?

SKILLS GOALS:1. Faithfulness2. Coherence3. Efficacy

WAYS OF EMBODYING CHRIST’S PRESENCE IN OUR LIVES

WORD AND SACRAMENT (JUSTIFICATION)

The proclamation of the WordThe Lord’s Supper

Baptism

THE KINGDOM OF GOD (VOCATION)

Discerning our life purpose in relation to Jesus’ life, death, and resurrectionDiscerning God’s presence and activity in our lives through Jesus in the

power of the Spirit(PRAYER)

Praying ScriptureDaily meditation on what it means to live out of our baptism

MEDIA

• Visual arts• Music/rhythm/dance• Performance art• Writing– The story of Jesus and the story of your life– Daily journaling on Jesus’ presence and activity in

your lie

BIBLICAL SOURCESDiachronic perspective

CHRISTOLOGY IN THE FOUR GOSPELS

MARK: Jesus as the crucified

Son of God

LUKE: Jesus as the Spirit-

empowered prophet

MATTHEW: Jesus as the revealed

Torah, the Wisdom of God

JOHN: Jesus as the Word

made flesh

IMAGES OF SALVATION IN PAUL(JEWISH) (GREEK)

ATONEMENT Rom 3, 8 (1st half)

Gal 3

RECONCILIATION; UNIONRom 5, 8 (2nd half)

2 Cor 51 Cor 1-3, 12; cf. Phil 2

JUSTIFICATION; FORGIVENESSRom 4, 8

Gal 3

CHANGE OF FORM Rom 5, 82 Cor 3

1 Cor 15LIBERATION FROM SLAVERY AND

DEATH; NEW LIFE; ADOPTIONRom 4, 8Gal 4, 5

DYING AND RISINGRom 6, 82 Cor 4

IMAGES OF SALVATION IN PAUL

JUSTIFICATION; FORGIVENESSRom 4, 8Gal 3

LIBERATION; NEW LIFE; ADOPTION

Rom 4, 8Gal 4, 5

DYING AND RISINGRom 6, 82 Cor 4

CHANGE OF FORM

Rom 5, 82 Cor 3

1 Cor 15

ATONEMENT Rom 3, 8; Gal 3

RECONCILIATION; UNIONRom 5, 8; 2 Cor 5; 1 Cor 1-3, 12

cf. Phil 2

OT IMAGES USED TO INTERPRET JESUS’ IDENTITY

As “Suffering Servant” and righteous sufferer• “Cup,” “baptism and fire,” “Son of

Man” passion predictions (allusions in Mark 10:45 and 14:24 to the Suffering Servant in Isa 53). Cf. Maccabees

• Job and the lament psalms

As apocalyptic-eschatological hope• “Messiah” (Isa 7, 9, 11)• “Son of Man” (Dan 7)• “Son of God”: Israel (as in Exod

4:22); angels (as in Job 1:6-12); the king (as in 2 Sam 7:14); the righteous man (as in Wis 2:13-18)

As prophet-teacher-healer • “Prophet” (Elijah, Moses)• “Healer” (the new age of the

Spirit and healing)• “Teacher” (Luke 7:31-35 par;

10:21-22par; 11:49-51par)

As “Word” and “Wisdom” of God• 1 Cor 8:6; John 1; Heb 1; Col 1; cf.

Matt 11• Cf. Wis 7; Prov 8

As “Second Adam” • 1 Cor 15; Rom 5

WHO IS JESUS AS THE “SON OF GOD”?

“Suffering Servant” and

Righteous sufferer

“Messiah”“Son of Man”

ProphetTeacherHealer

“Word” and “Wisdom”

“Second Adam”

The “Son of God”

reveals that God

is love

HISTORICAL SOURCES: PERSON OF CHRIST

Diachronic perspective

CREEDS

SOURCES THE APOSTLE’S CREED

THE NICENE CREED

NEW TESTAMENT

Synoptic Gospels Johannine literature (and Deutero-Pauline letters: Colossians and

Ephesians)

OLD TESTAMENT

OT Messianic expectation

Wisdom literature (esp. Prov. 8 and Wis. 7)

COUNCIL OF CHALCEDON (451 CE)Affirms the truth about the person of Christ and the mystery of redemption found in creed of Nicaea as appropriated by Council of Constantinople (381).

From the “Antiochene School”

Jesus has"two natures“ (divine and human)• Christ exists "in two

natures“– Neither divided from each

other – Nor confused with each other

• Versus Monophysitism (Apollinarianism, Eutychianism)

From the “Alexandrian School”

Jesus is "one hypostasis"• The unity of Christ: the one

divine Son who is completely divine and completely human

• Versus Nestorianism

HISTORICAL SOURCES: WORK OF CHRIST

Diachronic perspective

PATRISTIC DOCTRINES OF ATONEMENT (Cf. Aulen)

CHRIST OUR VICTIM THROUGH THE SACRAMENTS(Cf. “Latin”)

CHRIST THE VICTOR AND THE DOCTRINE OF

RECAPITULATION(Cf. “Christus Victor”)

CHRIST THE ILLUMINATOR AND EXAMPLE(Cf. “Humanist”)

CHRIST THE GIVER OF INCORRUPTION

AND DEIFICATION(Cf. “Christus Victor”)

Christ became human

so that we might be divinized

LUTHER: CHRIST’S SAVING WORK(Cf. Aulen)

Christ in Word and Sacrament:Justification(Cf. Latin)

Victory over sin, death, the devil, and all

misfortune(Cf. Christus

Victor)

Christ as example:Vocation(Cf. Humanist)

Christ's birthright: kingship and priesthood

(Cf. Christus Victor)

2 Cor 5:21Gal 3:13, 14

Isa 53Lament psalms

AULEN’S “CHRISTUS VICTOR” VS. “LATIN” AND “HUMANIST” VIEWS

OLD AGE(Latin/Humanist)

NEW AGE(Aulen)

Before God

“Latin” “Liberation from powers”

Before human beings

“Humanist” “Deification”

FORDE AND TANNER VERSUS AULEN

OLD AGE(Forde/Tanner)

NEW AGE(Aulen)

Before God

“The cross matters”(Forde)

“Liberation from powers”

Before human beings

“The incarnation matters”(Tanner)

“Deification”

MOLTMANN VS. VON BALTHASAR

Moltmann

• Messianic expectation• Synoptics• Paul’s proclamation of the

crucified Christ

Von Balthasar

• Trinitarian presuppositions• The Gospel of John• Paul’s proclamation of the

crucified Christ

SYNCHRONIC PERSPECTIVE

WHAT’S THE BASIC FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING THE GOSPEL?

Recall Aulen’s critique of the “Latin” and the “humanist” approaches

LIVING BETWEEN TWO AGESOld age New Age

Before God

CROSS RESURRECTION

Before human beings

and creation

CREATION NEW CREATION

In

Crucifixion/ResurrectionJUSTIFICATION

WORD/SACRAMENT

Incarnation VOCATION

KINGDOM OF GOD

LIVING BETWEEN TWO AGESOld age New Age

Before God

CROSS RESURRECTION

Before human beings

and creation

CREATION NEW CREATION

In

Crucifixion/ResurrectionJUSTIFICATION

WORD/SACRAMENT

Incarnation VOCATION

KINGDOM OF GOD

CHRIST AS DIVINE AND HUMANChrist as human Christ as divine

Before God

CrossSACRAMENT

ResurrectionCHRISTUS VICTOR

Before human beings

and creation

CreationEXAMPLE

New CreationTHEOSIS

In

Crucifixion/ResurrectionJUSTIFICATION

WORD/SACRAMENT

VOCATIONKINGDOM OF GOD

Incarnation

CHRIST AS ONLY HUMAN? (Aulen vs. Latin and Humanist)

Christ as human Christ as divine

Before God Cross

SACRAMENT

Before human beings

and creation

CreationEXAMPLE

CHRIST AS ONLY DIVINE?(Forde and Tanner vs. Aulen)

Christ as human Christ as divine

Before God Resurrection

CHRISTUS VICTOR

Before human beings

and creation

New CreationTHEOSIS

CHRIST AS SACRIFICE ONLY? Christ as human Christ as divine

Before God SACRIFICE

Before human beings

and creation

CHRIST AS EXAMPLE ONLY? Christ as human Christ as divine

Before God

Before human beings

and creation

EXAMPLE

CHRISTUS VICTOR ONLY? Christ as human Christ as divine

Before God CHRISTUS VICTOR

Before human beings

and creation

CHRIST AS THEOSIS ONLY? Christ as human Christ as divine

Before God

Before human beings

and creation

THEOSIS

ONLY CROSS AND RESURRECTION?

Christ as human Christ as divine

Before God

CrossSACRAMENT

ResurrectionCHRISTUS VICTOR

Before human beings

and creation

In

Crucifixion/ResurrectionJUSTIFICATION

WORD/SACRAMENT

ONLY INCARNATION? Christ as human Christ as divine

Before God

Before human beings

and creation

CreationEXAMPLE

New CreationTHEOSIS

VOCATIONKINGDOM OF GOD

Incarnation

A FRAMEWORK FOR LIVING BETWEEN TWO AGES

OLD AGE NEW AGE

Before God

DEATH RESURRECTION

Before human beings

CREATION NEW CREATION

PerichoresisCommunicatio idiomatum

Happy Exchange

OLD COVENANT(GALATIANS; EBIONITE CHRIST)

OLD AGE NEW AGE

Before God DEATH

Before human beings

CREATION

GNOSTICISM (1 CORINTHIANS; DOCETIC CHRIST)

OLD AGE NEW AGE

Before God

DEATH RESURRECTION(THE NEW AGE OF

THE SPIRIT)

Before human beings

CREATION (LAW)JUSTIFICATION

“WISDOM”

SOME COMPARISONS (TILLICH)

PAUL AUGUSTINE LUTHER"the emphasis lies on the

conquest of the law in the new eon which has

been brought by the Christ. This message of

justification has a cosmic frame in which

individuals may or may not participate.”

"grace has the character of a substance, infused into men, which creates love . . . The forgiveness

of sins is a presupposition of the

infusion of love, but it is not an expression of the continuous relation to

God. Therefore the individual becomes dependent on his

relation to the church."

"justification is the individual person's

experience of both the divine wrath against his

sin and the divine forgiveness which leads to a person-to-person

relation with God without the cosmic and ecclesiastical framework of Paul or Augustine.”

WHAT ARE WE SAVED FROM?What’s the gospel?

WHAT ARE SAVED FROM?The old age (in the Pauline sense)

• Death, suffering, disease, etc.

• Demonic forces

• Sin: the whole “complex” of the old age:

• Victims/Perpetrators Active/Suffering

• Personal/Corporate• Human distinctions:

• Jewish distinctions: Circumcised/

Uncircumcised• Greek distinctions:

Master/ Slave

2 Cor 5:21Gal 3:13, 14

Isa 53Lament psalms

WHAT ARE WE SAVED FOR?What’s the gospel?

WHAT ARE SAVED FOR?Christ in Word and Sacrament(Cf. Latin)

Victory over sin, death, the devil, and all misfortune

(Cf. Christus Victor)

Christ as example(Cf. Humanist)

Christ's birthright (Son of God, Word and

Wisdom, 2nd Adam): (Cf. Christus Victor)

Crucifixion/ResurrectionJUSTIFICATION

WORD/SACRAMENT“lord of all”

IncarnationVOCATION

KINGDOM OF GOD“servant of all”

SOME GUIDELINESS

1. Keeping the whole picture in mind

2. Not emphasizing some aspect at the expense of others, while attending to the pastoral word that needs to be spoken in each situation

3. Keeping the “tension” among these images

• How does one’s particular “location”—your own and that of others—affect how you proclaim, teach, and do ministry?

WHO IS JESUS CHRIST?

WHO IS JESUS AS THE “SON OF GOD”?

“Suffering Servant”

“Messiah”“Son of Man”

ProphetTeacherHealer

“Word” and “Wisdom”“Second Adam”

The “Son of God”

reveals that God

is love

WHO IS THE GOD WE WORSHIP IN JESUS THROUGH THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT?

WHO IS GOD?

The SynopticGospels

(Cf. OT Messianic Expectation)

The Gospel of John

(Cf. Wisdom literature)

GOD IS LOVE

Rom 3-6; 8; 2 Cor 3-5 cf. Gal 3-5; 1 Cor 1-3,

12, 15

WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES THIS MAKE FOR OUR LIVES?

CHRIST’S MISSION AND PERSON

JESUS AND HIS MISSION

• Mission in the New Testament

• Mission as Being and Becoming – Jesus’ Identity = Jesus’

Mission– Jesus is the KOG in person

JESUS AND THE TRINITY

• The Trinitarian Inversion– Jesus’ relationship to his

“Abba” through the Spirit throughout his life

– Jesus sends the Spirit after his resurrection

• Trinitarian Processions and Missions (Augustine)

OUR INCLUSION “IN CHRIST”

• Jesus and human nature• The “happy exchange”• “En Christoi”• Christ as Wisdom throughout creation

CHOSEN AND SENT FORTH

ELECTION, VOCATION, MISSION

BIBLICAL EXAMPLES– Israel– The prophets– Jesus– The followers of Jesus; Paul;

us

BAPTISM AND VOCATION

PERSON, MISSION, COMMUNITY

“When a human being becomes a person, theologically, by being given a unique vocation and mission, he (or she) is simultaneously de-privatized, socialized, made into a locus and a bearer of community” (Von Balthasar, Theo-Drama, vol. 3, p. 271).

CHRISTOLOGY AND THE MINISTRY OF THE NEW COVENANT

BLESSING3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation, 4who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God.

5For just as the sufferings of Christ are abundant for us, so also our consolation is abundant through Christ.

6If we are being afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation;

if we are being consoled, it is for your consolation, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we are also suffering.

7Our hope for you is unshaken; for we know that as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our consolation.

THE DIAKONIA OF THE NEW COVENANT

17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is,

there is freedom.

18 And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord

as though reflected in a mirror,

are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another;

for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.

(2Cor 3:17-18)

THE DIAKONIA OF OUR BODIES

7 But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear

that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.

8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;

9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;

10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies.

11 For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus' sake,

so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh. 12 So death is at work in us, but life in you.

(2Cor 4:7-12)

THE DIAKONIA OF OUR RECONCILIATION

14 For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died.

15 And he died for all, so that those who live might live

no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them.

16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view;

even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view,

we know him no longer in that way. 17 So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation:

everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!

1

8 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ,

and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ

God was reconciling the world to himself,

not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation

to us.

20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us;

we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin,

so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

(2Cor 5:14-21)