Williams on the incarnation
“Jesus of Nazareth is the face of God turned toward us in history, decisively and definitively. All this life is God’s act. The church did not invent the doctrine of the Incarnation: slowly and stumblingly, Christians discovered it. If Jesus is translucent to God in all he does and is, if he is empty so as to pour out the riches of God, if he is the wellspring of life and grace, what then? He is God: in infancy, in death, in eating and drinking, in healing and preaching…. [H]e is there for all, because he has made himself God’s ‘space,’ God’s room in the world…. God and humanity are knotted together there in that space of history, those short years in Palestine, so that that history is the sign that interprets all history.”
—Rowan Williams, Open to Judgement (London: 1994), 60.
H/T Ben
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7 comments:
that history is the sign that interprets all history
What a fascinating phrase.
Italicslowly and stumblingly, Christians discovered itItalic
This is a point not often understood or agreed upon. The popular view is that Jesus of Nazareth was fully aware of his divinity. I'm not so sure. I do think he was/is truly God, but not that he knew this completely. At least, not prior to his resurrection.
That doesn't wash. John 10 shows Jesus aligning himself with the good shepherd imagery of Ezekiel 34, which enough was to show that he thought he was God. That's not even taking into account verse 30...
Vynette,
How then do we explain away Jesus' words in John 10:30? I haven't read one Graeco-Roman father, but if you consider John 1 scripture, then you have a problem.
You are also overlooking the use of the same word in John 1:18 and 20:28.
Really, it's up to you whether you want to believe that Jesus' divinity was a result of some Graeco-Roman vote. It is an illogical position, of course it was detestable to the Hebrews, otherwise Jesus would not have been crucified. They knew only God can forgive sins.
Anyway, I don't really need to get into a debate on whether or not the Bible teaches God's divinity. Anybody without vested interests can obviously see that it does. Have fun selling your book.
Hebrews 1:1-3 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.
even we, as this side-winding discussion continues, are still stumbling to grasp Jesus: fully man and fully God.
he says some good stuff does rowan. just wish he'd ease off on the tripe...
I didn't think Jesus said He is God the Father, I think He said He is God...
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