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The Person of Christ
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfectionssuch as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed worksworldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.++++The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to ensure edition ++++ Christologia, Or, A Declaration Of The Glorious Mystery Of The Person Of Christ, God And With The Infinite Wisdom, Love And Power Of God In The Contrivance And Constitution Thereof; As Also Of The Grounds And Reasons Of His Incarnation, The Nature Of His Ministry In Heaven, The Present ... John Owen Printed by Ebenezer Miller, 1790 Religion; Christian Theology; Christology; Religion / Christian Theology / Christology; Religion / Christian Theology / Systematic; Theology, Doctrinal; Trinity
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First published January 1, 1678
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About the author
John Owen
1,350 books410 followersJohn Owen was an English theologian and "was without doubt not only the greatest theologian of the English Puritan movement but also one of the greatest European Reformed theologians of his day, and quite possibly possessed the finest theological mind that England ever produced" ("Owen, John", in Biographical Dictionary of Evangelicals, p. 494)
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 30, 2022
I can always count of two things from a book written by John Owen: (1) a gut punch at how weak, low, and infrequent, my thoughts of God are; and (2) strong exhortations and ample encouragement to mediate on the glory and the excellencies of Christ. “Is it not much to be lamented that many Christians content themselves with a very superficial knowledge of these things? … the due contemplation of this mystery will certainly be attended with many spiritual advantages . . . [I]f our minds are not filled with these things--if Christ doth not dwell plentifully in our hearts by faith--if our souls are not possessed with them, and in their whole inward frame and constitution so cast into this mould as to be led by a natural complacency unto a converse with them--we are strangers unto the life of faith."
A third thing you can bank on with Owen: sentences so heavy and rich in doctrine that they weigh you down and force you to circle back through a few times before they've landed (E.g.: “This is the glory of the Christian religion--the basis and foundation that bears the whole superstructure--the root whereon it grows. This is its life and soul, . . . whatever perfection God had communicated unto our nature, he had not united it unto himself in a personal union, the fabric of it quickly fell unto the ground. Want of this foundation made it obnoxious unto ruin. God manifested herein, that no gracious relation between him and our nature could be stable and permanent, unless our nature was assumed into personal union and subsistence with himself. This is the only rock and assured foundation of the relation of the church unto God, which, now, can never utterly fail. Our nature is eternally secured in that union, and we ourselves . . . thereby.”
The sections of the book that stood out most to me were: Christ's present mediatorial work in heaven, the priestly office of the exalted Christ and how it relates to the worship of the church here below, the hypostatic union, the nature and causes of obedience to Christ, and the "constitution of Christ's person."
A third thing you can bank on with Owen: sentences so heavy and rich in doctrine that they weigh you down and force you to circle back through a few times before they've landed (E.g.: “This is the glory of the Christian religion--the basis and foundation that bears the whole superstructure--the root whereon it grows. This is its life and soul, . . . whatever perfection God had communicated unto our nature, he had not united it unto himself in a personal union, the fabric of it quickly fell unto the ground. Want of this foundation made it obnoxious unto ruin. God manifested herein, that no gracious relation between him and our nature could be stable and permanent, unless our nature was assumed into personal union and subsistence with himself. This is the only rock and assured foundation of the relation of the church unto God, which, now, can never utterly fail. Our nature is eternally secured in that union, and we ourselves . . . thereby.”
The sections of the book that stood out most to me were: Christ's present mediatorial work in heaven, the priestly office of the exalted Christ and how it relates to the worship of the church here below, the hypostatic union, the nature and causes of obedience to Christ, and the "constitution of Christ's person."
March 15, 2018
A classic. Rich and deep. I’ve returned to it after 25 years.
August 5, 2019
A long book and very dense but I found it very helpful for going deeper into who Jesus was and is. This review is mostly quotes in order of appearance.
Christ - “We love him principally and ultimately for what he is; but nextly and immediately for what he did.”
I struggled through the first few chapters because they dealt all with heretical and conflicting thoughts at the time it was written, but that was still helpful to read.
My biggest takeaway from the work as a whole is the awe and reverence Owen gives to both God the Father and Jesus. He takes great care not to arrive flippantly at points or say anything to diminish the glory of God. Here is a quote that demonstrates this:
“But if the sun itself should come down unto the earth, nothing could bear its heat and lustre; our eyes would not be enlightened but darkened by its glory, and all things be swallowed up and consumed by its greatness; whereas, through the beams of it, every thing is enlightened and kindly refreshed. So is it with this eternal beam or brightness of the Father's glory. We cannot bear the immediate approach of the Divine Being; but through him, as incarnate, are all things communicated unto us, in a way suited unto our reception and comprehension.”
Here is a quote summarizing Owen’s perspective (nothing surprising) of Christ from the mid-1600’s. It is helpful for me to see that much of what we discuss now is not new thinking:
“This short but illustrious confession of Peter, compriseth eminently the whole truth concerning the person and office of Christ:--of his person, in that although he was the Son of man, (under which appellation he made his inquiry, "Whom do men say that I, the Son of man, am?") yet was he not only so, but the eternal Son of the living God:--of his office, that he was the Christ, he whom God had anointed to be the Saviour of the church, in the discharge of his kingly, priestly, and prophetical power.”
Here is a good hypostatic Union quote:
“But this assumption of our nature into hypostatical union with the Son of God, this constitution of one and the same individual person in two natures so infinitely distinct as those of God and man--whereby the Eternal was made in time, the Infinite became finite, the Immortal mortal, yet continuing eternal, infinite, immortal--is that singular expression of divine wisdom, goodness, and power, wherein God will be admired and glorified unto all eternity.”
God acts for his pleasure:
“God doth delight in the actual accomplishment of his works. He made not this world, nor any thing in it, for its own sake. Much less did he make this earth to be a theatre for men to act their lusts upon--the use which it is now put to, and groans under. But he made "all things for himself," Prov. xvi. 4; he "made them for his pleasure," Rev. iv. 11; that is, not only by an act of sovereignty, but to his own delight and satisfaction.”
Idolatry is unwillingness to wait for God’s timing to exalt himself and seek to make small representations of god to force him nearer in our own terms:
“But as, when Moses went into the mount, the Israelites would not wait for his return, but made a calf in his stead; so mankind--refusing to wait for the actual exhibition of that glorious image of himself which God had provided--broke in upon his wisdom and sovereignty, to make some of their own. For this cause was God so provoked, that he gave them up to such stupid blindness, that in those things wherein they thought to show themselves wise, and to bring God nearer unto them, they became contemptibly foolish--abased their nature, and all the noble faculties of their minds unto hell, and departed unto the utmost distance from God, whom they sought to bring near unto them.”
Humanity of Christ:
“I do not hereby ascribe the infusion of omniscience, of infinite understanding, wisdom, and knowledge, into the human nature of Christ. It was and is a creature, finite and limited, nor is a capable subject of properties absolutely infinite and immense. Filled it was with light and wisdom to the utmost capacity of a creature; but it was so, not by being changed into a divine nature or essence, but by the communication of the Spirit unto it without measure.”
Christ makes Old Testament sacrifices effectual:
“All expiatory sacrifices were, from the beginning, types and representations of the sacrifice of Christ; whereon all their use, efficacy, and benefit among men--all their acceptance with God--did depend. Remove this consideration from them, and they were as irrational a service, as unbecoming the divine nature, as any thing that reasonable creatures could fix upon.”
Our depravity hides the goodness of God so that we foolishly seek pleasure elsewhere:
“There is no greater discovery of the depravation of our natures by sin and degeneracy of our wills from their original rectitude, than that--whereas we are so prone to the love of other things, and therein do seek for satisfaction unto our souls where it is not to be obtained--it is so hard and difficult to raise our hearts unto the love of God. Were it not for that depravation, he would always appear as the only suitable and satisfactory object unto our affections.”
Sin is an affront to God’s glory and is not to be taken lightly:
“Man, by sin, had cast the most inconceivable dishonour on the righteousness, holiness, goodness, and rule of God; and himself into the guilt of eternal ruin. In this state it became the wisdom and goodness of God, neither to suffer the whole race of mankind to come short eternally of that enjoyment of himself for which it was created, nor yet to deliver any one of them without a retrieval of the eternal honour of his righteousness, holiness, and rule, from the diminution and waste that was made of it by sin. As this could no way be done but by a full satisfaction unto justice and an obedience unto the law, bringing and yielding more honour unto the holiness and righteousness of God than they could any way lose by the sin and disobedience of man;--so this satisfaction must be made, and this obedience be yielded, in and by the same nature that sinned or disobeyed, whereby alone the residue of mankind may be interested in the benefits and effects of that obedience and satisfaction. Yet was it necessary hereunto, that the nature wherein all this was to be performed, though derived from the same common stock with that whereof in all our persons we are partakers, should be absolutely free from the contagion and guilt which, with it and by it, are communicated unto our persons from that common stock.”
This is a long quote but I’ve never heard this concept anywhere before and it really knocked me off my feet. Christ incarnation was a step by step reversal of Adam’s presumption:
“Man was made to serve God in all things. In his person--in his soul and body--in all his faculties, powers, and senses--all that was given unto him or intrusted with him--he was not his own, but every way a servant, in all that he was in all that he had, in all that he did or was to do. This he was made for--this state and condition was necessary unto him as a creature. It could be no otherwise with any that was so; it was so with the angels, who were greater in dignity and power than man. The very name of creature includes the condition of universal subjection and service unto the Creator. This condition, in and by his sin, Adam designed to desert and to free himself from. He would exalt himself out of the state of service and obedience absolute and universal, into a condition of self-sufficiency--of domination and rule. He would be as God, like unto God; that is, subject no more to him, be in no more dependence on him--but advance his own will above the will of God. And there is somewhat of this in every sin;--the sinner would advance his own will in opposition unto and above the will of God. But what was the event hereof? Man, by endeavouring to free himself from absolute subjection and universal service, to invade absolute dominion, fell into absolute and eternal ruin. For our recovery out of this state and condition, considering how we cast ourselves into it, the way insisted on was found out by divine wisdom--namely, the incarnation of the Son of God; for he was Lord of all, had absolute dominion over all, owed no service, no obedience for himself--being in the form of God, and equal unto him. From this state of absolute dominion he descended into a condition of absolute service. As Adam sinned and fell by leaving that state of absolute service which was due unto him, proper unto his nature, inseparable from it,--to attempt a state of absolute dominion which was not his own, not due unto him, not consistent with his nature; so the Son of God, being made the second Adam, relieved us by descending from a state of absolute dominion, which was his own--due to his nature--to take on him a state of absolute service, which was not his own, nor due unto him. And this being inconsistent with his own divine nature, he performed it by taking our nature on him--making it his own. He descended as much beneath himself in his self-humiliation, as Adam designed to ascend above himself in his pride and self-exaltation. The consideration of the divine grace and wisdom herein the apostle proposeth unto us, Phil. ii. 6-8, "Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." Adam being in the form--that is, the state and condition--of a servant, did by robbery attempt to take upon him the "form of God," or to make himself equal unto him. The Lord Christ being in the "form of God"--that is, his essential form, of the same nature with him--accounted it no robbery to be in the state and condition of God, to be "equal to him;" but being made in the "fashion of a man," taking on him our nature, he also submitted unto the form or the state and condition of a servant therein. He had dominion over all, owed service and obedience unto none, being in the "form of God," and equal unto him--the condition which Adam aspired unto; but he condescended unto a state of absolute subjection and service for our recovery. This did no more belong unto him on his own account, than it belonged unto Adam to be like unto God, or equal to him. Wherefore it is said that he humbled himself unto it, as Adam would have exalted himself unto a state of dignity which was not his due.”
Christ - “We love him principally and ultimately for what he is; but nextly and immediately for what he did.”
I struggled through the first few chapters because they dealt all with heretical and conflicting thoughts at the time it was written, but that was still helpful to read.
My biggest takeaway from the work as a whole is the awe and reverence Owen gives to both God the Father and Jesus. He takes great care not to arrive flippantly at points or say anything to diminish the glory of God. Here is a quote that demonstrates this:
“But if the sun itself should come down unto the earth, nothing could bear its heat and lustre; our eyes would not be enlightened but darkened by its glory, and all things be swallowed up and consumed by its greatness; whereas, through the beams of it, every thing is enlightened and kindly refreshed. So is it with this eternal beam or brightness of the Father's glory. We cannot bear the immediate approach of the Divine Being; but through him, as incarnate, are all things communicated unto us, in a way suited unto our reception and comprehension.”
Here is a quote summarizing Owen’s perspective (nothing surprising) of Christ from the mid-1600’s. It is helpful for me to see that much of what we discuss now is not new thinking:
“This short but illustrious confession of Peter, compriseth eminently the whole truth concerning the person and office of Christ:--of his person, in that although he was the Son of man, (under which appellation he made his inquiry, "Whom do men say that I, the Son of man, am?") yet was he not only so, but the eternal Son of the living God:--of his office, that he was the Christ, he whom God had anointed to be the Saviour of the church, in the discharge of his kingly, priestly, and prophetical power.”
Here is a good hypostatic Union quote:
“But this assumption of our nature into hypostatical union with the Son of God, this constitution of one and the same individual person in two natures so infinitely distinct as those of God and man--whereby the Eternal was made in time, the Infinite became finite, the Immortal mortal, yet continuing eternal, infinite, immortal--is that singular expression of divine wisdom, goodness, and power, wherein God will be admired and glorified unto all eternity.”
God acts for his pleasure:
“God doth delight in the actual accomplishment of his works. He made not this world, nor any thing in it, for its own sake. Much less did he make this earth to be a theatre for men to act their lusts upon--the use which it is now put to, and groans under. But he made "all things for himself," Prov. xvi. 4; he "made them for his pleasure," Rev. iv. 11; that is, not only by an act of sovereignty, but to his own delight and satisfaction.”
Idolatry is unwillingness to wait for God’s timing to exalt himself and seek to make small representations of god to force him nearer in our own terms:
“But as, when Moses went into the mount, the Israelites would not wait for his return, but made a calf in his stead; so mankind--refusing to wait for the actual exhibition of that glorious image of himself which God had provided--broke in upon his wisdom and sovereignty, to make some of their own. For this cause was God so provoked, that he gave them up to such stupid blindness, that in those things wherein they thought to show themselves wise, and to bring God nearer unto them, they became contemptibly foolish--abased their nature, and all the noble faculties of their minds unto hell, and departed unto the utmost distance from God, whom they sought to bring near unto them.”
Humanity of Christ:
“I do not hereby ascribe the infusion of omniscience, of infinite understanding, wisdom, and knowledge, into the human nature of Christ. It was and is a creature, finite and limited, nor is a capable subject of properties absolutely infinite and immense. Filled it was with light and wisdom to the utmost capacity of a creature; but it was so, not by being changed into a divine nature or essence, but by the communication of the Spirit unto it without measure.”
Christ makes Old Testament sacrifices effectual:
“All expiatory sacrifices were, from the beginning, types and representations of the sacrifice of Christ; whereon all their use, efficacy, and benefit among men--all their acceptance with God--did depend. Remove this consideration from them, and they were as irrational a service, as unbecoming the divine nature, as any thing that reasonable creatures could fix upon.”
Our depravity hides the goodness of God so that we foolishly seek pleasure elsewhere:
“There is no greater discovery of the depravation of our natures by sin and degeneracy of our wills from their original rectitude, than that--whereas we are so prone to the love of other things, and therein do seek for satisfaction unto our souls where it is not to be obtained--it is so hard and difficult to raise our hearts unto the love of God. Were it not for that depravation, he would always appear as the only suitable and satisfactory object unto our affections.”
Sin is an affront to God’s glory and is not to be taken lightly:
“Man, by sin, had cast the most inconceivable dishonour on the righteousness, holiness, goodness, and rule of God; and himself into the guilt of eternal ruin. In this state it became the wisdom and goodness of God, neither to suffer the whole race of mankind to come short eternally of that enjoyment of himself for which it was created, nor yet to deliver any one of them without a retrieval of the eternal honour of his righteousness, holiness, and rule, from the diminution and waste that was made of it by sin. As this could no way be done but by a full satisfaction unto justice and an obedience unto the law, bringing and yielding more honour unto the holiness and righteousness of God than they could any way lose by the sin and disobedience of man;--so this satisfaction must be made, and this obedience be yielded, in and by the same nature that sinned or disobeyed, whereby alone the residue of mankind may be interested in the benefits and effects of that obedience and satisfaction. Yet was it necessary hereunto, that the nature wherein all this was to be performed, though derived from the same common stock with that whereof in all our persons we are partakers, should be absolutely free from the contagion and guilt which, with it and by it, are communicated unto our persons from that common stock.”
This is a long quote but I’ve never heard this concept anywhere before and it really knocked me off my feet. Christ incarnation was a step by step reversal of Adam’s presumption:
“Man was made to serve God in all things. In his person--in his soul and body--in all his faculties, powers, and senses--all that was given unto him or intrusted with him--he was not his own, but every way a servant, in all that he was in all that he had, in all that he did or was to do. This he was made for--this state and condition was necessary unto him as a creature. It could be no otherwise with any that was so; it was so with the angels, who were greater in dignity and power than man. The very name of creature includes the condition of universal subjection and service unto the Creator. This condition, in and by his sin, Adam designed to desert and to free himself from. He would exalt himself out of the state of service and obedience absolute and universal, into a condition of self-sufficiency--of domination and rule. He would be as God, like unto God; that is, subject no more to him, be in no more dependence on him--but advance his own will above the will of God. And there is somewhat of this in every sin;--the sinner would advance his own will in opposition unto and above the will of God. But what was the event hereof? Man, by endeavouring to free himself from absolute subjection and universal service, to invade absolute dominion, fell into absolute and eternal ruin. For our recovery out of this state and condition, considering how we cast ourselves into it, the way insisted on was found out by divine wisdom--namely, the incarnation of the Son of God; for he was Lord of all, had absolute dominion over all, owed no service, no obedience for himself--being in the form of God, and equal unto him. From this state of absolute dominion he descended into a condition of absolute service. As Adam sinned and fell by leaving that state of absolute service which was due unto him, proper unto his nature, inseparable from it,--to attempt a state of absolute dominion which was not his own, not due unto him, not consistent with his nature; so the Son of God, being made the second Adam, relieved us by descending from a state of absolute dominion, which was his own--due to his nature--to take on him a state of absolute service, which was not his own, nor due unto him. And this being inconsistent with his own divine nature, he performed it by taking our nature on him--making it his own. He descended as much beneath himself in his self-humiliation, as Adam designed to ascend above himself in his pride and self-exaltation. The consideration of the divine grace and wisdom herein the apostle proposeth unto us, Phil. ii. 6-8, "Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." Adam being in the form--that is, the state and condition--of a servant, did by robbery attempt to take upon him the "form of God," or to make himself equal unto him. The Lord Christ being in the "form of God"--that is, his essential form, of the same nature with him--accounted it no robbery to be in the state and condition of God, to be "equal to him;" but being made in the "fashion of a man," taking on him our nature, he also submitted unto the form or the state and condition of a servant therein. He had dominion over all, owed service and obedience unto none, being in the "form of God," and equal unto him--the condition which Adam aspired unto; but he condescended unto a state of absolute subjection and service for our recovery. This did no more belong unto him on his own account, than it belonged unto Adam to be like unto God, or equal to him. Wherefore it is said that he humbled himself unto it, as Adam would have exalted himself unto a state of dignity which was not his due.”
December 30, 2019
This is seriously a brilliant book on the person of Christ. This makes me wonder if I give other books a rating of 5 too easily, as this book is just on another level. I still finding reading Owen quite a challenge. Reading something like this is a commitment in terms of time and effort, but I haven't read a more profound author outside of the bible. Owen causes you to think of Christ in an immensely deep kind of way. Before I started reading Owen, I didn't know that it was possible to think of scripture in this way. This is a must read if you want to study the person of Christ deeply and if you have the patience for it.
October 22, 2019
A lot of statements but little defense of them. These statements come in rapid fire point by point puritan format which often make it difficult to follow if you aren't used to the puritans. Example. There are 5 reasons why the hypostatic union is necessary for the execution of Christs 3 fold office. The first reason has 5 points. The 1st point has 3 subpoints so on so forth. As for the content a lot of it is just normal orthodoxy. But there's a lot of it that is not agreed upon even within the Reformed church, even within congregationalist puritans. And with these, as other portions of the book Owen will occasionally defend, if say, against the papist. But for a large portion of these he just continues on with no defense. There is not as much scriptural reference or patristic usage as there should/could be, or even references to his contemporaries. It seems like its more sermonic for this reason, but that would be a very dry sermon. The gospel is present. It's present quite a lot. but I didn't come away from the book with the gospel front and centre in my mind, though I think it was his intention that I would. For these reasons and a few minor ones I don't think this is Owens best work
May 27, 2020
“Whether you read or write, whether you watch or sleep, let the voice of love (to Christ) sound in your ears; let this trumpet stir up your soul: being overpowered (brought about an ecstasy) with this love, seek Him on your bed whom your soul desires and longs for.”
This quote is from Jerome, concluding the preface of the book. Ferguson recommends reading the preface last, which I agreed was a good advice.
Unlike “the Glory of Christ”, you get quicker into the meat of the book. Numerous chapters in the center of the book by itself is worth the price of the book. The peak for me was the chapter entitled “the infinite wisdom of God”. Owen comprehensively sets out a case where Jesus, fully God and fully man, had to die for sinners.
After reading the book, my two half used highlighters ran out of ink. It shows how much depth that the book talks about on the Person of Christ.
Owen’s writings are not easy. But his insights make reading him worth all the effort!
This quote is from Jerome, concluding the preface of the book. Ferguson recommends reading the preface last, which I agreed was a good advice.
Unlike “the Glory of Christ”, you get quicker into the meat of the book. Numerous chapters in the center of the book by itself is worth the price of the book. The peak for me was the chapter entitled “the infinite wisdom of God”. Owen comprehensively sets out a case where Jesus, fully God and fully man, had to die for sinners.
After reading the book, my two half used highlighters ran out of ink. It shows how much depth that the book talks about on the Person of Christ.
Owen’s writings are not easy. But his insights make reading him worth all the effort!
July 20, 2019
I believe this is book is published by Christian Heritage by the name of “The Person of Christ”.
That is the book I read, and it is one of the best John Owen books I’ve ever read, and I’ve read over 10 of them.
That is the book I read, and it is one of the best John Owen books I’ve ever read, and I’ve read over 10 of them.
June 15, 2019
John Owen writes a comprehensive dissertation on the doctrine of Christ, who he is, what he did, how he did it, what our reaction should be to it and what his final glory will be. He writes in a very detailed way about a very difficult and complicated topic. It can be difficult to follow and understand, but Owen humbly admits his own limitations and the dangers of delving too deep into the mysteries that we cannot understand. It was definitely an edifying read that helped me to understand Christ more, but I'm sure I will need to read it again to get more out of it. Love can be expressed in many ways, but trying to learn more about the person you love is one way of showing it, I think. This book has helped me to learn more about Christ and to love him more.
July 14, 2017
John Owen is arguably the theological genius par excellence of Puritanism. Whatever one thinks of this assessment, this is clearly the case with his work on Christology, entitled by him 'Christologia.' Here, the reader does not find a mere standard treatment of Reformed Christology; rather, what one finds is a treatment of the person of Christ that is doxologically rich, theological penetrating, and continually nuanced.
Moving now from praise to outline, it is clear that there is an apologetic undertone to this volume. Owen does not make explicit which school or schools he is addressing, but, just as with most of treatments of Christology, he is concerned to demonstrate the importance of Christ's divinity, humanity, and the hypostatic union. Yet, in doing so, he puts on display his genius and the warmth of his devotion to Christ by demonstrating the importance of these essential Christological truths to such areas as, e.g., God's revelation of himself, the entire counsel of God, God's working ad extra (in creation and redemption), and, God's redemptive love.
It would be the recommendation of this reader that one take this book slowly (and indeed devotionally) with a willingness to work through parsing the oftentimes difficult theological prose, for, in doing so, the reader will be invited to enjoy with Owen the deep devotion to and love for Christ which so clearly exudes from his treatment of the person of Christ. Now, if one is looking for a basic understanding of Reformed Christology, this may not be the best starting place; but, after one is comfortable with those basics, this should be at the top of one's list as it has the proper doxological aim and theological depth one would hope to find in a truly Christ exalting work on the person of Christ.
Moving now from praise to outline, it is clear that there is an apologetic undertone to this volume. Owen does not make explicit which school or schools he is addressing, but, just as with most of treatments of Christology, he is concerned to demonstrate the importance of Christ's divinity, humanity, and the hypostatic union. Yet, in doing so, he puts on display his genius and the warmth of his devotion to Christ by demonstrating the importance of these essential Christological truths to such areas as, e.g., God's revelation of himself, the entire counsel of God, God's working ad extra (in creation and redemption), and, God's redemptive love.
It would be the recommendation of this reader that one take this book slowly (and indeed devotionally) with a willingness to work through parsing the oftentimes difficult theological prose, for, in doing so, the reader will be invited to enjoy with Owen the deep devotion to and love for Christ which so clearly exudes from his treatment of the person of Christ. Now, if one is looking for a basic understanding of Reformed Christology, this may not be the best starting place; but, after one is comfortable with those basics, this should be at the top of one's list as it has the proper doxological aim and theological depth one would hope to find in a truly Christ exalting work on the person of Christ.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews