Emil Brunner (1889-1966), a Swiss Reformed theologian, wrote the following in his The Mediator which shows the logical nonsense one must hold to if they subscribe to the Hypostatic Union:
The death of Jesus is proclaimed after it has taken place, when people can look back to it. Precisely as we realize that His message kept step with His life and did not hurry on ahead, that it was no proleptical expression but an existential commentary, we shall not be astonished that Jesus did not proclaim beforehand the mystery of His death. Indeed, we accept the view of the Reformers that He Himself was still wrestling with this mystery in Gethsemane; for we do not allow the vere deus to make us forget the vere homo. (Emil Brunner, The Mediator: A Study of the Central Doctrine of the Christian Faith [trans. Olive Wyon; London: The Lutterworth Press, 1934], 542)
In a footnote, we read the following:
According to Luther, the Deity of Christ during His Passion and Death was “wholly hidden within Himself and lay quite still, and it did not put itself forward nor did it shine forth” (E.A., 3, 302), but “the Deity withdrew His power and allowed the Humanity to struggle on alone” (W.A., 45, 239). (Ibid., 542, n. 2)
It is my hope that many Trinitarians who follow this blog will rethink their adherence to a theology that necessitates one engaging in such logical gymnastics.
For an exposition of true, biblical Christology, see:
Interestingly, Brunner had no issue describing the person of Jesus, not merely one of his two natures, in some sense, as a “creature”:
“Born under the Law.” This statement “born of a woman,” shows how Jesus was bound to the condition of natural existence. In this phrase, “born under the Law,” Paul is defining His limitations as a human being. The birth of Christ is the sign of His creaturely character, given to man; the Law is the sign of His special quality among the creatures, of His moral and religious humanity. (Ibid., 363, emphasis added)
Many Trinitarians have done the same, including Jonathan Edwards, as I discussed in the following article:
This is important for Latter-day Saints as we are often falsely accused of believing that Jesus is a “creature” in the sense of Arianism, although such is simply false. In LDS theology, Jesus personally existed eternally, but LDS theology adds an extra wrinkle—in our theology, everyone personally pre-existed.
For more on this and related topics, see, for e.g.:
Is Latter-day Saint Christology "Arian"? (cf. Anti-Mormons Admitting that LDS Christology is *NOT* Arian and Insights from D. Charles Pyle, “I Have Said Ye are Gods”)
