to Christ. To use a later terminology, the incarnation (ἐνσάρκωσις,incarnatio) is only a stronger
term for the assumption of humanity (ἐνανθρώπησις,Menschwerdung). The Logos became man—not
partially but totally, not apparently but really, not transiently but permanently, not by ceasing to
be divine, nor by being changed into a man, but by an abiding, personal union with man. He is
henceforth the Godman. He tabernacled on earth as the true Shekinah, and manifested to his disciples
the glory of the only begotten which shone from the veil of his humanity.^832 This is the divine-human
glory in the state of humiliation as distinct from the divine glory in his preexistent state, and from
the final and perfect manifestation of his glory in the state of exaltation in which his disciples shall
share.^833
The fourth Gospel is a commentary on the ideas of the Prologue. It was written for the
purpose that the readers may believe "that Jesus is the Christ (the promised Messiah), the Son of
God (in the sense of the only begotten and eternal Son), and that believing they may have life in
his name."^834
III. The Work of Christ (Soteriology). This implies the conquest over sin and Satan, and
the procurement of eternal life. Christ appeared without sin, to the end that he might destroy the
works of the devil, who was a liar and murderer from the beginning of history, who first fell away
from the truth and then brought sin and death into mankind.^835 Christ laid down his life and shed
his blood for his sheep. By this self-consecration in death he became the propitiation (ἱλασμός) for
the sins of believers and for the sins of the whole world.^836 His blood cleanses from all the guilt and
contamination of sin. He is (in the language of the Baptist) the Lamb of God that bears and takes
away the sin of the world; and (in the unconscious prophecy of Caiaphas) he died for the people.^837
He was priest and sacrifice in one person. And he continues his priestly functions, being our
Advocate in Heaven and ready to forgive us when we sin and come to him in true repentance.^838
This is the negative part of Christ’s work, the removal of the obstruction which separated
us from God. The positive part consists in the revelation of the Father, and in the communication
of eternal life, which includes eternal happiness. He is himself the Life and the Light of the world.^839
He calls himself the Way, the Truth, and the Life. In him the true, the eternal life, which was from
the beginning with the Father, appeared personally in human form. He came to communicate it to
men. He is the bread of life from heaven, and feeds the believers everywhere spiritually without
diminishing, as He fed the five thousand physically with five loaves. That miracle is continued in(^832) John 1:14: ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν, in allusion to the indwelling of Jehovah in the holy of holies of the tabernacle (σκηνή) and
the temple. The humanity of Christ is now the tabernacle of God, and the believers are the spectators of that glory. Comp. Rev.
7:15; 21:3
(^833) John 17:5, 24; 1 John 3:2.
(^834) John 20:31.
(^835) 1 John 3:5, 8; comp. the words of Christ, John 8:44.
(^836) John 6:52-58; 10:11, 15; 1 John 2:2: αὐτὸς ἱλασμός ἐστιν περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν, οὐ περὶ τῶν ἡμετέρων δὲ μόνον, αλλὰ
καὶ περὶ ὂλου τοῦ κόσμου.. The universality of the atonement could not be more clearly expressed; but there is a difference
between universal sufficiency and universal efficiency.
(^837) 1 John 1:10; John 1:29; 11:50; comp. 18:14.
(^838) 1 John 2:1: ἐὰν τις ἁμάρτῃ, παράκλητον ἔχομεν πρὸς τὸν πατέρα Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν δίκαιον.
(^839) 1 John 1:2: ἡ ζωὴ ἐφανερώθη, καὶ ἑωράκαμεν καὶ μαρτυροῦμεν καὶ ἀπαγγέλλομεν ὑμῖντῆν ζωήν τὴν αἰώνιον ἥτις ἧν
πρὸς τὸν πατέρα καὶ ἐφανερώθη ἡμῖν. Comp. John 1:4; 5; 26; 14:6. The passage 1 John 5:20: οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ἀλιθινὸς θεὸς καὶ
ζωὴ αἰώνιος , is of doubtful application. The natural connection of οὗτοςwith the immediately preceding Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ, and
the parallel passages where Christ is called " life," favor the reference to Christ; while the words ὁ ἀληθινὸς θεός suit better for
the Father. See Braune, Huther, Ebrard, Haupt, Rothe, in loc.
A.D. 1-100.