In my morning devotions and study, I read a statement by John Gill, one of my favorite Theologians, the following....He that descended is the same also that ascended,.... His remarks was based on, Ephesians 4:10 "He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things."
Gill - "It was the same divine Person, the Son of God, who assumed human nature, and suffered in it, which is meant by his descent, who in that nature ascended up to heaven: this proves that Christ existed before he took flesh of the virgin; and that though he has two natures, yet he is but one person.
I don't think that I've ever read anywhere that Jesus Christ, while incarnated in human form, had two natures. Am I wrong?
Hi Brother Chopper - Your OP on the nature of Christ is a highly important issue and one IMO which has been more mysterious than understood! Good subject! I believe Gill and others describe the two natures as that of the body being one, and that of the soul's desires being the second, but this IMO is only conjecture on my part because I haven't seen anyone clear enough on their explanation of their meaning for "nature," other than certain dictionary terminology (i.e. "flesh" Greek; the sinful nature of man).
It being intangible is difficult to affix or assign a definite description, such as the soul, some say it is the reasoning or decision making element of the mind of a person, some say it's something else, thus the true meaning of soul and nature are not necessarily clear.
I believe Gill is referring to the body and the soul. Thus if this be accurate I understand it that the bodies nature is "infirmity" because it is subject to the soul's decision concerning sin. Hence Gill's collation of the body and nature: "who assumed human nature, and suffered in it, which is meant by his descent, who in that nature ascended up to heaven." Suffering can only refer to as in the mind and body, not in the nature, which is either sinful or holy.
Hence Gill's illusion to the subject that Christ suffered in the body (physical flesh) in His descent; and the illusion to His ascent in that nature, e.g. also ascending in the nature or element of a physical body, but of course not with the same properties. To me in this sense the body does not qualify as a nature, leaving only one nature but consisting of two strains--sinful or holy, and in Christ's case divine, which is also holy. Thus the Lord Jesus had and has only one nature--divine.
IMO, many are confusing nature with the infirmity of the body, i.e. Christ "was in all points tempted like as
we are, yet without sin" (Heb 4:15). Tempted is the issue here so it requires defining, and in this text is means tested with physical difficulty, not inclined to do evil, which is the other definition for temptation. Thus, the attempt to collate "infirmity" with "nature" can arise from "we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities" (infirm: sufferings of the mind and body).
My conclusion (not claiming my explanation is sufficient for anyone but at least myself for the present) is that the Lord Jesus only had and has one nature, unlike the believer having two, and the unbeliever having one. Concerning the believer's new nature ("new man"), I see it is how we are "partakers of the divine nature," which is Christ's nature because the implanted new nature in those reborn is created after His nature or "image" (Col 3:10).
But being partakers does not design the intention of possessing divinity itself in the believer but merely "partakers" of it, e.g. recipients of what it provides, which is chiefly that of permanent desire (nature) for God's pleasure, which is always Christ's chief desire (Jhn 5:30). This is the same for being recipients of the present and "everlasting covenant" (Heb 13:20) that is between the Son and the Father, meaning They are the only One's under the New Covenant, and man is the recipient of it.
Hope I didn't get too carried away here. Just attempting to share my opinion as open as possible.
Together Forever
NC
