Journal: Detroit Baptist Seminary Journal
Volume: DBSJ 09:1 (Fall 2004)
Article: Is There A Contradiction In The Person Of Christ? The Importance Of The Dual Nature And Dual Consciousness Of Jesus Christ
Author: Samuel A. Dawson

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DBSJ 9 (2004) p. 161

Is There A Contradiction In The Person Of Christ?
The Importance Of The Dual Nature And
Dual Consciousness Of Jesus Christ

Samuel A. Dawson1

How does one fully penetrate the truths that God is sovereign over all, yet humans are responsible for their actions; that God is three persons in one essence; or that the person of Jesus Christ has a dual nature and a dual consciousness? The orthodox2 answers to these questions have given rise to many attacks. The person of Jesus Christ seems to be the subject of the most recent ones. Opponents of orthodoxy have denied Christ’s pre-existence, opposed his Virgin Birth, and claimed that the biblical teaching concerning his person is contradictory.3

On the surface, the Bible does seem to make contradictory statements concerning the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus can say that he is leaving the disciples to go to the Father (John 14:28; 16:5, 16) yet also claim, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt 28:20).4 Jesus can be tired (Matt 8:24) while at the same time calming a storm in the middle of the Sea of Galilee with just a spoken word

DBSJ 9 (2004) p. 162

(Matt 8:26). He claims to know all that the Father is doing (John 5:19–20) and yet we are told that he increased in wisdom (Luke 2:40, 52) and learned obedience through the things which he suffered (Heb 5:8).

Thus, at one and the same time Jesus acted and spoke as both finite and infinite, and was conscious of this fact. He was localized in body and yet omnipresent. He could become exhausted and yet was omnipotent. He did not know certain things and yet was omniscient. How can this be true of one person? To be both finite and infinite in one person is a contradiction, is it not? It would certainly be true for us. Why not for Christ? To answer this question we must remember that a true contradiction is a state of affairs that is and is not, at the exact same time and in the exact same way.5

Jesus Christ certainly claimed to be both finite and infinite ...

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