Little dependence could be placed on these statements, were it not
proved by numerous passages throughout the sacred volume that none of
them is of man's devising. What Christ said of himself, "Before Abraham
was I am," (John 13: 58,) was very foreign to his humanity. I am not
unaware of the cavil by which erroneous spirits distort this passage,
viz., that he was before all ages, inasmuch as he was foreknown as the
Redeemer, as well in the counsel of the Father as in the minds of
believers. But seeing he plainly distinguishes the period of his
manifestation from his eternal existence, and professedly founds on his
ancient government, to prove his precedence to Abraham, he undoubtedly
claims for himself the peculiar attributes of divinity. Paul's assertion
that he is "the first-born of every creature," that "he is before all
things, and by him all things consist," (Col. 1: 15, 17;) his own
declaration, that he had glory with the Father before the world was, and
that he worketh together with the Father, are equally inapplicable to
man. These and similar properties must be specially assigned to his
divinity. Again, his being called the servant of the Father, his being
said to grow in stature, and wisdom, and favour with God and man, not to
seek his own glory, not to know the last day, not to speak of himself,
not to do his own will, his being seen and handled, apply entirely to
his humanity; since, as God, he cannot be in any respect said to grow,
works always for himself, knows every thing, does all things after the
counsel of his own will, and is incapable of being seen or handled. And
yet he not merely ascribes these things separately to his human nature,
but applies them to himself as suitable to his office of Mediator. There
is a communication of "idiomata", or properties, when Paul says, that
God purchased the Church "with his own blood," (Acts 20: 28,) and that
the Jews crucified the Lord of glory, (1 Cor. 2: 8.) In like manner,
John says, that the Word of God was "handled." God certainly has no
blood, suffers not, cannot be touched with hands; but since that Christ,
who was true God and true man, shed his blood on the cross for us, the
acts which were performed in his human nature are transferred
improperly, but not ceaselessly, to his divinity. We have a similar
example in the passage where John says that God laid down his life for
us, (1 John 3: 16.) Here a property of his humanity is communicated with
his other nature. On the other hand, when Christ, still living on the
earth, said, "No man has ascended up to heaven but he that came down
from heaven, even the Son of man, which is in heaven," (John 3: 13,)
certainly regarded as man in the flesh which he had put on, he was not
then in heaven, but inasmuch as he was both God and man, he, on account
of the union of a twofold nature, attributed to the one what properly
belonged to the other.
- John Calvin (Institutes of the Christian Religion, 2.14.2)
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