Translated by Gerhard F. Bente and W. H. T. Dau
Printed in: Gerhard F. Bente et al., ed.,
Concordia Triglotta
(St. Louis, MO: Concordia, 1921), 1105-49
35] That Christ has received this majesty in time, moreover, not according to the divinity, or the divine nature, but according to His assumed nature, or according to the flesh, as man, or as the Son of Man, humanitus, ratione corporis seu humanitatis, propter carnem, quia homo aut filius hominis [humanly, with respect to His body or humanity, on account of the flesh, because He is man or the Son of Man]:
36] Heb. 1,3: When He had by Himself purged our sins, [He] sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.
37] Heb. 2,8.9: But know we see not yet all thing put under Him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor.
38] Luke 22,69: Hereafter shall the Son of Man sit on the right hand of the power of God.
39] Luke 1,32.33: The Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David; and He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end.
40] John 5,26.27: He hath given to the Son to have life in Himself, and hath given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.
41] ATHANASIUS, quoted by Theodoret, Dialog 2, p. 330: "Now, whatever Scripture says that the Word received [in time], and as to whatever He was glorified, it says on account of His humanity, and not on account of His divinity.
42] ATHANASIUS, in the Oration against the Arians, 2 and 4 (f. 347. 490 f. 492, ed. Colon., 1686): "Scripture does not mean that the substance of the Word has been exalted, but this refers to His humanity, and He is said to be exalted on account of the flesh. For since it is His body, He Himself is properly said as man to be exalted and to receive something with respect to His body, according to humanity, because the body receives those things which the Word always possessed according to His own deity and perfection from the Father. He says, therefore, that as a man He received the power, which as God He always has. And He who glorifies others says, 'Glorify Me,' in order to show that He had a flesh that lacked such things. And, therefore, when the flesh of His humanity receives this glorification, He so speaks as though He Himself had received it.
43] For we must bear in mind everywhere [in the Holy Scriptures] that none of those things which He says that He received, namely, in time, He received in such a way as though He had not had them; for, being God and the Word, naturally He had those things always. But now He says that He received them according to humanity, so that, His flesh in Himself receiving them, He might in future hand them over from out of His flesh to us to be firmly possessed."
44] The same, On the Assumed Humanity, against Apollinarius (pp. 603 and 611, ed. Colon., 1686): "When Peter says that Jesus was made of God Lord and Christ, He speaks not of His divinity, but of His humanity. His Word always was Lord, neither did He become Lord first after the cross, but His divinity made the humanity Lord and Christ."
45] Also: "Whatever Scripture says that the Son has received, it understands as having been received with respect to His body, and that body is the first-fruits of the Church. Accordingly, God raised up and exalted His own body first, but afterwards the members of His body." By these words Athanasius explained what a little afterwards he applied in its way also to the entire Church.
46] BASIL THE GREAT, Against Eunomius, lib. 4 (p. 769, ed. Paris): "That the Lord is celebrated, and receives a name above every name; also [that he says]: 'All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth; I live for the sake of the Father; Glorify Thou Me with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was,' etc., -- must be understood of the incarnation, and not of the Deity."
47] AMBROSE, lib. 5 De Fide, cap. 6 (tom. 2, p. 109): "You have learned that He can subject all things to Himself undoubtedly according to the operation of Deity. Learn now that He receives, according to His flesh, all things as subjected to Him, as it is written, Eph. 1: According to the flesh, therefore, all things are delivered to Him as subject."
48] The same, lib. 5, cap. 2 (p.99): "For God does not give to the apostles participation in His seat, but to Christ, according to His humanity, is given participation in the divine seat."
49] And cap. 6 (p. 108): "In Christ our common [human] nature, according to the flesh, has obtained the prerogative of the heavenly seat."
50] CHRYSOSTOM, Heb, 1, Serm. 3, p. 117 (tom. 4; Homilies, 3, p. 1493): "[The Father has commanded] Saying with respect to the flesh, And let all the angels of God worship Him."
51] THEOPHYLACT, on John 3 (p. 235; ed. Paris, 1631, f. 605): "And He gave all things into the hand of the Son, according to humanity."
52] OECUMENIUS, from Chrysostom, Heb. 1 (t. 2, op. p. 324, ed 1631): "For as the Son is God, He has an eternal throne. 'Thy throne,' says God, 'is forever and ever.' For after the cross and passion He was deemed worthy of this honor not as God, but as man He received what He had as God." And a little after: "As man He therefore hears, 'Sit on My right hand.' For as God He has eternal power."
53] CYRIL, lib. 9 Thesauri, cap. 3 (tom. 2, p. 110): "As man He ascended to the power of ruling."
54] The same, lib. 2, cap. 17: "As man He sought His glory which He always had as God. Neither are these things said by Him as though He had ever been destitute of His own glory, but because He wished to bring His own temple into the glory which He always has as God."
55] The same, lib. 2, Ad Reginas: "That He received glory, power, and rule over all things must be referred to the conditions [properties] of humanity."
56] THEODORET, on Ps. 2 (t. 1, p. 242): "Though Christ as God is Lord by nature, He receives universal power also as man.
57] On Ps. 110 (t. 1, p. 242): "'Sit Thou at My right hand,' -- this was said according to the human nature. For as God He has eternal dominion, so as man He has received what He had as God. As man, therefore, He hears [what is said to Him], 'Sit at My right hand.' For as God He has eternal dominion."
58] The same, on Heb. 1 (t. 2, p. 154): "Christ always received from the angels worship and adoration, for He always was God. But now they are adoring Him also as man.
59] LEO, Epist. 23 (fol. 99; Ep. [23 and 83] 46 and 97, ff. 261 and 317, ed. Lugd., 1700), treating of Eph 1, says: "Let the adversaries of the truth declare when or according to what nature the almighty Father raised His Son above all things, or to what substance [nature] He subjected to all things. For to the Deity, as to the Creator, all things have always been subject. If power was added to Him, if Sublimity was exalted, it was inferior to Him who exalted, and did not have the riches of that nature of whose liberality it stood in need. But a person holding such views Arius receives into his fellowship."
60] The same, Epist. 83 (fol. 134): "Although in Christ there is absolutely one and the same person of the divinity and the humanity, nevertheless we understand that exaltation and the name above every name pertain to that form which was to be enriched by the increase of so great a glorification. For by incarnation nothing had been withdrawn from the Word which would be returned to it by the gift of the Father. But the form of a servant is human humility, which has been exalted to the glory of divine power, so that divine things were not to be done without the man, nor human things without God."
61] In the same place: "Whatever Christ has received in time He has received as man, upon whom are conferred those things which He did not have. For, according to the power of the Word, the Son also has all things that the Father has, without a difference."
62] VIGILIUS, lib. 5, Against Eutyches (Ep. 66 sq., ed. Divion., 1664.4): "The divine nature does not need to be elevated to honors, to be increased by advancements of dignity, to receive the power of heaven and earth by the merit of obedience. Therefore, according to the nature of the flesh He acquired these things who according to the nature of the Word never lacked any of them. For had the Creator no power and dominion over His creature, that in the last times He should obtain them as a gift?"
63] NICEPHORUS, lib. 1, cap. 36 (fol. 86): "Christ is seen by His disciples on the mountain in Galilee, and there He affirms that the highest power of heaven and earth has been delivered to Him, namely, according to humanity."
This text was converted to ASCII text for Project Wittenberg by Rev. Thomas Von Hagel and is in the public domain. You may freely distribute, copy or print this text. Please direct any comments or suggestions to:
