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State of the question. Several rationalists, such as Renan, B.
Weiss, H. Wendt, and Harnack, recognize some divine sonship in
Christ that is superior to His Messiahship, but they deny that
Jesus, in virtue of His sonship, is truly God.[55]
Several conservative Protestants, such as F. Godet, and in
England, Stevens, Gore, Ottley, and Sanday, recently defended
the divinity of Christ not only from the Fourth Gospel and the
Epistles of St. Paul, but even from the Synoptic
Gospels.[56]
Moreover, the Church declared against the Modernists, that the
divinity of Christ is proved from the Gospels. Thus several of their
propositions were condemned in the decree Lamentabili.[57]
Let us see what the Synoptic Gospels, the Gospel of St. John,
and the Epistles of St. Paul say about the mystery of the
Incarnation.[58]
For the state of the question it must be observed that Jesus is called
the Son of God fifty times. The question is: In what sense is this
expression to be understood?
In the Scripture, "son" is predicated in two ways. In the strict
and literal sense it signifies a living being that proceeds from a
living principle in conformity with the laws of nature. In the broad
and metaphorical sense it denotes a disciple or an adopted heir. The
term, with reference to God, also has two meanings. In the broad
sense it is predicated of men who participate in the spirit and life of
God, so that Christians are called "sons of God";[59] in the
strict and proper sense, it is predicated of the Second Person of the
Trinity, as in the text: "the only-begotten Son who is in the
bosom of the Father."[60]
This expression "Son of God" sometimes perhaps in the Gospel means
no more that Messias, when it is predicated of Jesus, for instance,
by those who do not yet seem to know that He is by nature
divine.[61] But from the Synoptic Gospels it is certain that
Jesus said He was the Son of God in the proper, strict and most
sublime sense of the term, inasmuch as He possesses the divine nature
and is not merely a participator or partaker of this nature by
grace.[62]
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Christ Testifies To His Divinity In The Synoptic
Gospels[63]
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There are two ways by which Jesus in the Synoptic Gospels gradually
declares His divine nature. (1) He claims rights or privileges
that belong only to God. (2) He affirms that He is the Son of
God. This gradual development is seen also as regards His
Messiahship, which on several occasions is more affirmed as it is more
denied or disbelieved by the Pharisees. The divine affirmation of
these rights for the salvation of souls is intensified in proportion as
the Pharisees increasingly resist these claims.
Moreover, we get a clearer insight into the sublime meaning of these
words of Christ in proportion as the gift of infused faith increases
within us, just as the validity of the first principles of reason and
of being is more fully realized in proportion as the ability of
metaphysical argumentation or the power of intellectual penetration
increases within us. The scriptural texts that we shall now quote are
considered by students of apologetics as it were from without, but in
theology they are considered as it were from within, just as there are
two ways of viewing the paintings on the windows of churches, either
from the outside; or from within the church and thus in their true
light, and then they are seen with better effect, and there is a
realization of their value.
A. Christ attributed to Himself divine rights. The seven principal
ones are these.
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1) Jesus testified of Himself that He is greater than any
creature. He is greater than Jonas and Solomon,[64] greater
than David who called Him Lord,[65] greater than Moses and
Elias who were present with Him on the day of the
Transfiguration.[66] He is greater than John the Baptist,
greater than the angels, because "the angels ministered to
Him"[67] after His temptation in the desert, and they are His
angels, for we read: "The Son of man shall send His angels and
they shall gather together His elect."[68]
2) He speaks as the supreme Legislator, absolutely equal in
authority to the divine author of the Old Law, which He completes
and perfects, purging it of the false rabbinical interpretations,
repeatedly saying: "It was said to them of old... but I say to
you."[69] He forbids divorce to the Jews, which Moses
permitted because of the hardness of their heart.[70] He says that
He is the Lord of the Sabbath.[71]
3) He claims the right of forgiving sins, which the Jews considered
a divine privilege. This is evident from the answer Jesus gave to the
Jews when He miraculously cured the paralytic, saying: "But that
you may know that the Son of man hath on earth to forgive sins, then
He said to the man sick of the palsy: 'Arise, take up thy bed, and
go into thy house. "[72] He even claims the right of
communicating to others this power of forgiving sins, saying:
"Whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, shall be bound also in
heaven."[73]
4) He performs miracles in His own name, commanding the paralytic
and the dead, saving: "Arise."[74] On the occasion of the
storm at sea, He said: "Peace, be still. And the wind
ceased."[75] On the contrary, others perform miracles in the
name of Jesus, saying: "We have done many miracles in Thy
name."[76]
5) He demands that all believe in, obey, and love Him in
preference to all other affections, even at the cost of their life.
"He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me;
and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me, is not worthy of
Me."[77] These words would express odious and intolerable pride
if Jesus were not God. The prophets never spoke in this manner.
There are similar texts in the Gospels.[78]
6) He assigns to Himself the power of judging the living and the
dead. "You shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of the
power of God and coming with the clouds of heaven."[79] "And
He shall send His angels with a trumpet, and a great voice, and they
shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest
parts of the heavens to the utmost bounds of them."[80]
7) He promises to send the Holy Ghost. "And I send the promise
of My Father upon you."[81] Lastly, He accepts adoration from
others; whereas, on the contrary, Peter, Paul, Barnabas, and
the angels reject this adoration as being unworthy of it.[82]
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B. In the Synoptic Gospels, Jesus affirms several times that He
is the Son of God in the proper and strict sense of the term.[83]
There are six principal texts, which shall be set forth in
chronological order.
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1) "All things are delivered to Me by My Father. And no one
knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither cloth anyone know the
Father, but the Son, and he to whom it shall please the Son to
reveal Him."[84]
The authenticity of this text is admitted by the majority of
Protestant critics, and it is most ably defended by Catholic
authors.[85] This text declares the equality of the Father and
the Son both in knowledge and knowability. But this equality implies
consubstantiality, as St. Thomas remarks, saying: "The substance
of the Father transcends all understanding, since the essence of the
Father is said to be unknowable as the substance of the Son
is."[86] The Son is known only by the Father; therefore, like
the Father, He exceeds all created knowledge, and hence is God.
The above-mentioned scriptural text is substantially the same in
meaning as when it is said: "No man hath seen God at any time; the
only-begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, He hath
declared Him."[87] These two texts are equally profound and
identical in meaning, as several critics admit.
2) Christ's answer to Peter's confession. Peter said: "Thou
art Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus answering, said to
him: "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona, because flesh and blood
hath not revealed it to thee, but My Father who is in
heaven."[88]
Some say that it cannot be historically proved from this confession
that Peter affirmed anything more than Christ's Messiahship, since
elsewhere he is quoted as saying merely: "Thou art the
Christ,"[89] "Thou art the Christ of God."[90]
Nevertheless, something more than this is clearly enough evident from
Jesus' answer. For He says that Peter could not have known His
sonship unless it had been revealed to him. The mere knowledge of
Christ's Messiahship did not require so great a revelation, for the
signs of Messiahship were already made manifest to the apostles from
the beginning of Jesus' ministry, and several of them acknowledged
it.[91]
3) Parable of the wicked husbandmen. The authenticity of this
parable is admitted by most of the critics, even by very many
rationalists. The parable says that the lord of the vineyard sent a
servant to the husbandmen at the time of the harvest, then another,
and many more, some of whom they beat, and others they killed.
"Having yet one son, most dear to him, he also sent him unto them
last of all, saying: They will reverence my son. But the husbandmen
said to one another: This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and
the inheritance shall be ours. And laying hold on him, they killed
him and cast him out of the vineyard. What therefore will the lord of
the vineyard do? He will come and destroy those husbandmen and will
give the vineyard to others. And have you not read this scripture:
The stone which the builders rejected, the same is made the head of
the corner? By the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in
our eyes. And they sought to lay hands on Him, but they feared the
people. For they knew that He spoke this parable to them. And
leaving Him they went their way."[92]
The application of this parable was manifest. The servants sent by
the Lord of the vineyard were the prophets, and Jesus stated this
more clearly to the Pharisees later on.[93] If, therefore, the
servants of the Lord's vineyard are the prophets, His beloved Son
is not only more than a prophet, but is truly His Son. Therefore
this parable expresses absolutely the same truth as when St. Paul
says: "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in times
past to the fathers by the prophets, last of all in these days hath
spoken to us by His Son... by whom also He made the
world."[94]
4) Jesus questions the Jews about Christ the son of David. "And
the Pharisees being gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying:
'What think you of Christ, whose Son is He.’ They say to Him,
'David's.’ He saith to them: 'How then doth David call Him
Lord, how is He his Son?' And no man was able to answer Him a
word."[95]
The authenticity of this text is admitted by the prominent liberal
critics. But in the Messianic psalm just quoted, David, in calling
the Messias "my Lord," acknowledges that this Lord is superior to
him and equal to the first Lord, namely, to God the Father.
5) Jesus answers Caiphas. When Christ appeared before the
Sanhedrim, "the high priest said to Him: 'I adjure Thee by the
living God, that Thou tell us if Thou be the Christ the Son of
God.’ Jesus saith to him: 'Thou hast said it. Nevertheless, I
say to you, hereafter you shall see the Son of man sitting on the
right hand of the power of God, and coming in the clouds of heaven.’
Then the high priest rent his garments, saying: 'He hath
blasphemed; what further need have we of witnesses? Behold now you
have heard the blasphemy.’"[96] From this answer we see that
Jesus is more than the Messias, for divine sonship, sitting at the
right hand of the Father, the exercise of supreme power, do not
belong to the simple dignity of Messiahship. That is why Caiphas
rent his garments, saying: "He hath blasphemed." These texts of
the Synoptic Gospels receive further clarification in the Fourth
Gospel, in which we read that, after Jesus had cured the paralytic
at the Probatic pool, "the Jews sought the more to kill Him,
because He did not only break the Sabbath, but also said God was
His Father, making Himself equal to God."[97] Similarly, in
the history of the Passion we read: "The Jews answered Him: 'We
have a law and according to the law He ought to die, because He made
Himself the Son of God.’"[98] Hence the question put by
Caiphas to Jesus was to get an answer rendering Him guilty of
death.[99]
6) The baptismal formula. After the Resurrection, we read in the
Gospel: "Jesus coming, spoke to them[His apostles], saying:
'All power is given to Me in heaven and in earth. Going therefore
teach ye all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you. And behold I am with you all days,
even to the consummation of the world.’"[100]
Even all liberal Protestants admit this formula,[101] and it was
universally accepted in the various Churches at the beginning of the
second century. In this baptismal formula the Son is declared equal
to the Father and the Holy Spirit.
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Conclusion. It must therefore be said, in refutation of the
Modernists, that the declarations of Jesus concerning His eminent
dignity as recorded by the Synoptics transcend simple Messiahship and
express divine sonship that belongs most properly to Christ.
Moreover, this divine sonship is not only superior to simple
Messiahship, which is conceded, as has been said by several
rationalists of our times, such as Harnack, but it establishes
Christ above all creatures as equal to, and one in nature with God,
the Second Person of the Trinity.
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Testimony Of The Acts Of The Apostles Concerning The Divinity
Of Christ
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The more conservative Catholic and Protestant historians consider it
more probable that the Acts of the Apostles was written about A.
D. 64 or, at least, before the year 70.[102] The
rationalists of the Tubingen school set the date at A. D. 150.
But, in our days, historical evidence made the rationalist Harnack
assign the date of this work to the years 78-83, or perhaps even
to 60-70.[103] From this it is evident that the above
mentioned declarations of the Synoptic Gospels were not the result of
a certain process of idealization, gradually evolved after Christ's
death and ascribed to Him. The time required for this idealization
was too short, for it is certain that from the day of Pentecost the
apostles taught not only that Jesus was the Messias but also God.
The discourses of St. Peter are recorded in the Acts of the
Apostles, in which we read: "The God of Abraham and the God of
Isaac and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified
His Son Jesus, whom you indeed delivered up.... But the Author
of life you killed, whom God hath raised from the dead, of which we
are witnesses. And the faith which is by Him, hath given this
perfect soundness [the lame man who sat at the gate of the Temple] in
the sight of you all."[104]
The Author of life, however, is none other than God Himself.
Likewise St. Peter says: "This is the stone which was rejected by
you the builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is
there salvation in any other."[105] "God hath exalted Him
[Jesus] with His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give
repentance to Israel, and remission of sins. "[106] But only
God is the Savior of souls, forgiving persons their sins.
Similarly St. Peter says: "By the grace of the Lord Jesus
Christ, we believe to be saved."[107] Jesus is called by St.
Peter "Lord,"[108] "Lord to all,"[109] "He who was
appointed by God to be judge of the living and of the
dead."[110] Finally, the apostles work miracles in the name of
Jesus, confer baptism; and the deacon St. Stephen says, when
dying: "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."[111]
It is no matter of surprise, therefore, that when the Ebionites,
who were the first heretics, denied the divinity of Christ, they were
immediately condemned by the Church, as is evident from the writings
of the Apostolic Fathers.
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Testimony Of St. Paul On The Divinity Of Christ
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The principal epistles of St. Paul[112] were written about A.
D. 48-59 or 50-64, as several rationalists admit, among
whom are Harnack and Julicher. In these epistles, however, St.
Paul, in affirming the divinity of Christ, does not announce it to
the Churches as an unheard-of innovation, but he speaks of it as an
already accepted dogmatic truth.
It will suffice if we give the principal references of St. Paul to
the divinity of Christ.
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1) According to St. Paul, Jesus is the Son of God in the
strict sense of the term. He says of Him: "Who was predestinated
the Son of God in power, according to the spirit of
sanctification."[113] And again he writes: "God sending His
own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, ... spared not even His
own Son, but delivered Him up for us all."[114] Elsewhere he
says: "But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent His
Son, made of a woman, made under the law, that He might redeem them
who were under the law; that we might receive the adoption of
sons."[115]
2) St. Paul affirms that the Son of God existed from all eternity
before He became incarnate, and he also states plainly that the Son
of God is the Creator. He speaks of "the light of the gospel of the
glory of Christ, who is the image of God."[116] He says of
Christ: "Who is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of
every creature. For in Him were all things created in heaven and on
earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominations or
principalities or powers; all things were created by Him, and in
Him. And He is before all, and by Him all things consist. And
He is the head of the body, the Church, who is the beginning, the
first-born from the dead; that in all things He may hold the
primacy. Because in Him it hath well pleased the Father that all
fullness should dwell."[117] In this text the Son of God is
clearly declared the Creator, just as elsewhere St. Paul says of
God that: "of Him and by Him and in Him are all
things."[118] Likewise it is the common belief among
Catholics, and even very many non-Catholic critics admit that:
"the fullness of the Godhead here signifies "all that is required to
constitute Christ as God."[119]
3) St. Paul teaches that Jesus is God and equal to the Father.
He says: "But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews indeed a
stumbling block, and unto the Gentiles foolishness. But unto them
that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and
the wisdom of God."[120] And again of Christ he says: "For
in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead corporally. And you
are filled in Him who is the head of all principality and
power."[121] In another epistle he writes: "For let this mind
be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who being in the form of
God thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but emptied
Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of
men, and in habit found as a man."[122] There cannot be a
clearer affirmation of the divinity of Christ than in this text.
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Farther on in this epistle, he writes: "God hath given Him a name
which is above all names, that in the name of Jesus every knee should
bow"[123]
Likewise he says: "I wished myself to be an anathema from Christ,
for my brethren, ... of whom is Christ, according to the flesh,
who is over all things, God blessed forever. Amen."[124] But
there is a difficulty concerning the punctuation of this text. Very
many even of the liberal critics place merely a comma before the words,
"who is over all things, God"; whereas, Tischendorf and Gebhardt
put a period, thus making this expression to be only an invocation
addressed to God. All the Fathers of the Church and Catholic
exegetes saw in this text an affirmation of the divinity of Christ.
Finally, in another epistle, we read: "In these days [God] hath
spoken to us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things,
by whom also He made the world. Who being the brightness of His
glory, and the figure of His substance, and upholding all things by
the word of His power, making purgation of sins, sitteth on the right
hand of the majesty on high."[125] According to this teaching,
the Son is the Creator, for it is by the Son that God produced all
things. With the Jews, however, creation is an act that applies
solely to God. The Son is also the preserver of all things,
upholding all things by the word of His power. Likewise in this same
epistle the angels are called the ministers of Christ, and adore
Him.[126] They are therefore inferior to Him.
The preceding texts clearly prove that St. Paul taught the divinity
of Christ; and so speaking, he intended to affirm no new doctrine,
but to state what was already the universal belief among the early
Christians, even among the converted Jews, who adhered most firmly
to monotheism.
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St. John's Testimony To The Divinity Of Christ
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1) In the prologue to the Fourth Gospel, we read:: "In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word
was God."[127] Three assertions are made: 1. The eternal
pre-existence of the Word; 2. The Word is distinct from God the
Father; 3. The Word is divine and therefore consubstantial with
the Father. Then it is affirmed that all things were made by the
Word.[128] Therefore the Word is the Creator, and He is
consequently God. That Word or divine person assumed our human
flesh, or nature, and lived among men. He is called "the
only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father."[129]
Therefore St. John most clearly teaches the divinity of Christ in
this prologue, which is a quasi-synthesis of revelation.
2) In the Fourth Gospel we find Christ reported as using words by
which He declares Himself to be the Son of God and Lord, although
He frequently calls Himself the Son of man, thereby showing the
humble subjection of Himself as man to His Father.
He says: "Father, the hour is come. Glorify Thy Son... that
He may give eternal life to all whom Thou hast given Him.... And
all things are Thine, and Thine are Mine."[130] Again, we
read: "The Jews sought the more to kill Him, because He did not
only break the Sabbath, but also said God was His Father, making
Himself equal to God. Then Jesus answered, and said to them:
'What things soever the Father cloth, these the Son also cloth in
like manner... and He giveth life to whom He will.... The
Father hath given all judgment to the Son, that all men may honor the
Son, as they honor the Father.... For as the Father hath life
in Himself, so He hath given to the Son also to have life in
Himself.’"[131] Christ also says: "From God I proceeded
and came."[132] And again: "I came forth from the Father and
am come into the world.... And yet I am not alone, because the
Father is with Me."[133]
It is eternal sonship in the strict sense to which Jesus refers, for
He says: "Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham was made,
I am."[134] And again: "Glorify Thou Me, O Father,
with Thyself, with the glory which I had before the world was, with
Thee."[135]
Moreover, Jesus says: "As the Father knoweth Me and I know the
Father."[136] "All things whatsoever the Father hath, are
Mine. Therefore I said, that He, the Spirit of truth, shall
receive of Mine, and show it to you."[137] Jesus even says:
"I and the Father are One.[138] The Jews understood these
words in the sense that Jesus was equal in dignity to the Father, for
they at once took up stones to stone Him. Similarly He said: "I
am the way and the truth and the life";[139] but only God, who
is essential Being, is truth and life; a mere man may have even
infallible truth, but is not truth itself, just as he is not
self-subsisting being. In this respect there is an immeasurable
difference between the two verbs, "to be" and "to have." Hence
this last utterance of Jesus would of itself suffice to constitute an
explicit expression of His divinity, which is so clearly affirmed in
the prologue of St. John's Gospel.
3) In St. John's First Epistle we read: "That which was from
the beginning, which we have heard... and our hands have handled of
the Word of life... we declare unto you."[140] Farther on he
says: "And we know that the Son of God is come, and He hath given
us understanding that we may know the true God, and may be in His
true Son."[141] These concluding words of St. John's First
Epistle most clearly show that the author's intention was to affirm
the divinity of Christ just as this was his intention in writing his
prologue to the Fourth Gospel.
4) In the Apocalypse, that Christ is divine and the Son of God,
is clearly evident from the titles assigned to Him; for He is the
First and the Last,[142] the beginning of the
Creation,[143] the Lord of lords and the King of
kings.[144] The divinity of Jesus is also equally manifested
from the prerogatives attributed to Him, for He is called the Lord
of life and death for all men,[145] the searcher of
hearts.[146] He has power to open the book, which no man is able
to open,[147] ruling over all things celestial and
terrestrial,[148] being omnipotent as God Himself is.[149]
The divinity of Christ is also clearly set forth in this book;
because of the honors that are rendered to Him from men, the faithful
are called servants of Jesus,[150] the faithful both of Jesus
and of God.[151] There is reference in these texts to the
priests of God and of Christ.[152] The Lamb of God who takes
away the sin of the world is adored as God,[153] and adoration is
permitted to be given only to God.[154]
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From what has been said, it is most clearly apparent that Jesus is
God and a divine person distinct from God the Father. This will be
more fully explained when we come to discuss the infinite value of the
merits and satisfaction of Christ[155] and consider the texts of
the New Testament concerning the mystery of Redemption.
Among the principal texts of the Old Testament about the divinity of
the Messias, the following must be quoted: "A child is born to us
and a son is given to us, and the government is upon his shoulder, and
his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, God the Mighty,
the Father of the world to come, the Prince of Peace."[156]
This text forms part of the Introit of the second Mass in honor of
the birth of our Lord. The Church sees in this text an affirmation
of the divinity of Jesus.
Concerning this text, the Rev. F. Ceuppens, O. P.,
remarks: "The true meaning of this expression 'God the Mighty,’
is very much disputed among Catholics. Following the opinion of such
distinguished authors as A. Condamin, E. Tobac, F. Feldmann,
and M. J. Lagrange, we think the expression must be accepted in
the literal and proper sense, and the reason we give for this is that,
in other texts of the Old Testament, the same expression occurs, and
it is always predicated of Yahweh. This being the case, the future
Messias is foretold as being truly God, and truly divine by nature.
But it is another question whether the Jews, imbued with monotheistic
concepts, perfectly understood all these things, and whether the
prophet himself fully grasped this doctrine and saw it in all its
applications."[157]
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