THE COMMUNICATION OF ATTRIBUTES

 

By Gary Ray Branscome

 

          Since the personal union of Christ’s two natures cannot be complete without a communication or sharing of attributes, that sharing is also revealed in Scripture. Although the truths that we will cover in this section have been mentioned in the section on “Personal Union” here they will be explained more fully.

Edward W. A. Koehler illustrated the communion of attributes between Christ’s divine and human natures thus:  “A person consists of body and soul; each of these has its own attributes and properties. But as both, body and soul, belong to the same person, the attributes of either body or soul are ascribed to the entire person… Christ has two distinct natures, a human and a divine, each of which has its own essential attributes, functions, and activities, But as both natures belong to the same Person, the attributes and properties of either may be ascribed to the Person.” (“A Summary of Christian Doctrine,” page 90.)

 

          What Dr. Koehler is saying is that even though Christ is true man (Consisting of both body and soul) the union of His two natures (human and divine) joins the two natures into one person in a way that can be illustrated by the way our body and soul unite to form one person. In clarifying this we speak of the communication of attributes as three kinds or Genera.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

 

The First Genus (Genus Idiomaticum)

          The first genus has to do with properties peculiar to the divine or human nature being ascribed to the entire person. For example: Although Christ’s human nature was nailed to the cross, the words, “They… crucified the Lord of glory,” ascribe the crucifixion to His entire person, both human and divine (1Corinthians 2:8). The same holds true for the words, “You… killed the Prince of life” (Acts 3:15). While the words, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and to day, and forever,” ascribe eternity to the person of Jesus (Hebrews 13:8). And, communication of that attribute is why Christ (whose human nature was about 30 years old at the time) could say, “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58).

 

The Second Genus (Genus Maiestaticum)

          The second genus has to do with properties of the divine nature being communicated to the human nature. We see that in Christ’s words, “All power is given to me in heaven and in earth” (Matthew 28:18). The words, “The Father… has also given him (Christ) authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of man,” tell us that Christ’s human nature (“the son of man”) is given divine authority (John 5:26-27). The words, “As the Father raises the dead, and gives them life; even so the Son gives life to whomever He will,” were spoken by Jesus on earth and tell us that Jesus has the power to give life. (John 5:21). The words, “The Son of man will come in the glory of His Father,” attribute divine glory to Christ’s human nature [the son of man] (Matthew 16:27). The words, “All the fullness of God was pleased to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to himself,” ascribe all the fullness of God to Christ (Colossians 1:19). The words, “He [God] has appointed a day, when He will judge the world in righteousness by the man He has appointed,” not only tell us that “the man” will judge, but that He has all of the knowledge needed to judge (Acts 17:31). The Bible also tells us that, “All the fullness of God dwells in Christ bodily” (Colossians 1:9). And, “God was revealed in the flesh” (1Timothy 3:16). [See also, Col. 2:3,9, Matt. 18:20 and 28:20, John 3:13, Eph. 1:23 and 4:10, Matt. 11:27, Luke 1:33, John 6:62, Phil. 2:6, Heb. 2:7, Matt. 26:64, Mark 14:62, Rom. 8:34, Eph. 1:20 and 4:10, Heb. 8:1.]

 

The Third Genus (Genus Apotelesmaticum)

          The third genus has to do with the entire person being involved in all official acts peculiar to either the divine or human nature. By official acts we mean all acts pertaining to His official work of dying for the sins of the world, destroying the works of the devil, protecting His church, ruling, judging and so forth. For example: the words, “Jesus Christ… gave himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world,” and the words, “Christ also has loved us, and gave himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God,” speak of Christ’s body being sacrificed (Galatians 1:3-4, Ephesians 5:2). However, the words “Since the children have flesh and blood, He in the same way took on flesh and blood; so that through His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death, that is, the devil,” tell us that Christ’s divine nature was involved, (Hebrews 2:14). As do the words, “When the time had fully come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Galatians 4:4-5). In fact, the words, “The reason the Son of God appeared, was to destroy the works of the devil,” tell us that Christ’s human nature could never have won the victory alone (1John 3:8).