Church history defined the orthodox view that the Lord Jesus Christ had two natures: human and divine. However, there are two views of His two natures. (The view that Jesus had but one nature—a divine nature—is called monophysitism.i)
Within this theological discourse, some scholars argue that Jesus’ human and divine natures were always in harmony, a view known as miaphysitism. They maintain that whatever Jesus desired as God, He also desired as a man.
Many others suggest that Jesus’ human and divine natures sometimes conflicted. This is called dyophysitism. For example, many suggest that in His deity He wanted to go to the Cross, but that in His humanity He wanted to avoid it.
The problem is that almost nothing in Scripture definitively explains the hypostatic union–the union of deity and humanity in one Person. Our knowledge is limited to what God has revealed to us.
I took only one course from the late Dr. John Walvoord, the second president of Dallas Theological Seminary. It was a course on advanced Christology, and I greatly benefitted from it.
Dr. Walvoord showed that Jesus was impeccable–unable to sin–in both His perfect humanity and His full deity. Dr. Walvoord said that the discussion is purely academic because it’s impossible to separate Jesus’ humanity from His deity.
If Jesus sinned, then John 3:16 is a lie. Of course, we know that He did not sin. He is the unblemished Lamb of God. But Dr. Walvoord further argued that He could not have sinned.
Dr. Walvoord insisted on referring to Jesus’ humanity as perfect humanity. I came to adopt the same language. Jesus was not only innocent in His humanity. He was perfect.ii
This is a very difficult discussion. However, thinking about it produces a sense of wonder and worship. The Lord Jesus Christ is magnificent. Wouldn’t you agree?
Keep grace in focus.
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i This was rejected as heretical since it was thought to agree with Eutychianism, the notion that Jesus’ humanity and deity were united and blended so that His humanity was consumed by His deity.
ii Adam was innocent in his humanity before he sinned. But he was not perfect in his humanity. Adam was peccable.
