See also The Hypostatic Union - an Enormous Tax on Human Credulity By William Ellery Channing
Trinitarians, in the multiplicity of their inventions, have devised the notion that Jesus Christ, although but a single person, subsists in two distinct natures, the one human and the other divine—the one verily man, and the other truly and essentially God. Hence he is frequently denominated the God-man—a word coined in the mint of Trinitarian theology to express the absolute Godhead and real manhood supposed to be combined in Christ.
This distinction is found to be necessary in supporting the contradictory, yet popular notion of a triune God. If, without making such distinction, it is contended that Jesus Christ is the real, substantial, and self-existent Deity; the monstrous absurdity is involved, that God —the omnipotent Jehovah—actually bled and died upon an ignominious cross! This however is so manifestly absurd and shocking that no rational man can, for a moment, believe it. And to cover this glaring absurdity the Trinitarian contends that Christ possesses two distinct natures, human and divine; and that he suffered and died only in his human nature.
The distinction is found also to be very convenient in explaining certain passages of scripture which plainly show the inferiority of Christ, and which, of course, disprove the position that he is the absolute and sovereign God. Jesus, for instance, declares that “the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do.” “I can,” says he, “of mine own self do nothing. (John V, 19, 30.) These assertions the Trinitarian contends are made in reference to his human nature. In his human nature he can do nothing of himself—nothing unless he is assisted by the supreme God who constitutes his divine nature. The same exposition is given of Christs declaration, “My Father is greater than I.” On this Dr. A. Clark remarks—“It certainly requires very little argument and no sophistry to reconcile this saying with the most orthodox notion of the Godhead of Christ; as he is repeatedly speaking of his divine and his human nature. Of the former, he says, “I and my father are one;” and of the latter, he states with the same truth, “My Father is greater than I.” See Com. on John xiv, 28. This, it must be acknowledged, is a very plausible manner of avoiding the difficulties of the Trinitarian system; but before receiving the doctrine it might be well to examine the soundness of the argument.
The argument is founded on the supposition that the “man Christ Jesus” subsists in two different natures. On this then we remark, that the name, Jesus Christ, and the pronouns used to represent that name, are significant of one person—the one distinct perfect identical person of Jesus Christ. This must be admitted by all, by those who do and those who do not, believe in the Triune solecism. Now if the person, Jesus Christ, is constituted of two distinct natures, the union of both must be essential to the perfection of his person, and both therefore are included in the names applied to signify the person. Or if not, if this union is not essential to the person, if the person is complete and entire in one nature, for instance, in the human nature; then the addition of the divine nature would make the person of Christ more than complete. And if his divine nature is a complete person without his human nature, then there must be two Christs; for each nature—the human and divine, constitutes, separately, a distinct perfect person called Christ, and, in the passages already mentioned, he spake of his human nature, then his divine nature is not Christ.— but if the divine and human nature must be combined in order to make one perfect Christ, then both natures are invariably included in the term. Whenever therefore Jesus speaks of himself, or was spoken of by others, he alludes to his double nature; if indeed he possesses such a double nature. When he says, “I can of mine own self do nothing,” and, “My Father is greater than I,” he makes one affirmative concerning both his divine and human nature; and consequently acknowledges the superiority of his Father. And Trinitarians may turn which way they please. If they say that, in these instances, he speaks solely of his human nature, they deny that the divine nature is essential to the identity of his person—they deny indeed that the divine nature forms any part of Jesus Christ. And if they say his divine and human nature are both
referred to, they must admit that he declares himself inferior to his Father. This double nature will hardly admit of being resolved into mystery. Christ is Christ, whether he subsists in one, two, or an hundred natures; and as many natures as it requires to constitute one Christ, are invariably conveyed by the name applied to him. Christ is Christ indeed whereever he is mentioned in the scriptures. One nature, or one half of him, is not spoken of at one time, and the other half at another time; and each half designated by the name that signifies the whole Christ. But whatever, is affirmed or denied of him is affirmed or denied of the real bona fide identical person, Jesus Christ. R. O. W.
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