The Logos and Identity of Christ

Sep 10, 2024

Review flashcards

Lecture on The Logos in the Gospel of John

Key Points

The Logos as the Only Begotten God

  • Gospel of John identifies the Word (Logos) with God.
  • Expresses the profound truth that Logos is the Eternal God.
  • Logos possesses a two-fold identity:
    • As God: One with God.
    • In relation to God: Distinguished by relationship.
  • Names used in John's first chapter:
    • Establishing Deity: Word, God, Life, Light, Only Begotten Son.
    • Establishing Humanity: Lamb of God, Son of Man.

Relationship Between the Father and Son

  • The Johannine dogma of eternal generation:
    • Divine identity and mutuality between Father and Son.
    • Worship of the Son with the Father.

Divine Ontology of the Word

  • Four headings:
    • One Lord God: Unity of nature, will, and character with God.
    • With God: Relational identity.
    • God by Eternal Generation: Unique eternal relation.
    • Worship Him as God: Divine worship in spirit and truth.

Unity of Will and Nature

  • The Son has a unified will with the Father.
  • Authority to give life and judgment shared between them.

Titles and Confession

  • Jesus is Lord: A central Christian confession.
  • Firstborn of Creation: Heirship of creation.
  • Firstborn of Resurrection: Inheritor of both life and condemnation resurrections.

Humanity of Jesus

  • Jesus is both fully God and fully man.
  • Importance of maintaining the unity of personhood and distinct natures.

Significant Texts

  • John 1, Ephesians 1, Philippians 2, Colossians 1, Hebrews 1:
    • Depicting the dual nature and identity of Christ.

Chalcedonian Definition

  • Affirms unity of person and dual nature of Christ without confusion, change, division, or separation.

Questions and Discussions

  • Eternal Sonship: Jesus was always the Son, with an eternal relationship to the Father.
  • Role of the Church: Jesus as the head of the church, not any human leader.

Conclusion

  • True belief in the deity of Jesus involves understanding his eternal nature and his role as both God and man.
  • The theological implications of worshiping Jesus as God and the integration of monotheism in early Christian worship.

These notes summarize the theological discussions about the identity and nature of Jesus as presented in the Gospel of John, emphasizing the unity and distinction within the Godhead and the importance of Christ’s dual nature. The lecture also addressed historical theological debates and reaffirmed traditional Christian confessions about Christ’s identity.