Mysterium Incarnationis

Prof. K. Runia. Trowel & Sword. December 1961

Preamble: The mystery of the incarnation? What’s so mysterious about that? It’s quite straightforward, isn’t? Jesus comes down from heaven, is born as a human being, grows up, becomes a man, teaches a group of men for three years, all the time healing the sick and performing miracles, and then returns to heaven to be with the father once again. All very straight forward! Not so fast, declares Prof. Runia. How is all this possible, or even believable. Humanly speaking, it’s not. Why not? In the following article Prof. Runia explains why not. In a word, this is why we need FAITH. Belief in what we cannot understand.

Mysterium Incarnationis

What is that: Incarnation? What happened on that day, when the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary? What happened in that night, when a child was born in the stable of Bethlehem? What did really happen there?

We all know the story as told by Luke in his Gospel. It is such a moving story.

But WHAT happened there?

The word INCARNATION is actually a Latin word. You find the Latin word “caro” (= flesh) in it. Literally it means: to become flesh (“vleeswording”). Of course this immediately reminds us of John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh”. According to verse 1 of this same chapter this “Word” is the Son of God.

But how can that be? How can God’s Son, who fully shares in the eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent being of God, how can He become flesh?

Let us be honest: this is an incomprehensible mystery. No one can understand this, let alone explain it to others. The most we can do is to say it in the negative.

The Incarnation does NOT mean that God’s Son CHANGES INTO a man. Some people have inferred that from the verbal form: “became” (The Word became flesh). True, quite often the verb “to become” indicates a change from the one thing into the other. When a caterpillar “becomes” a butterfly, a complete change is involved. The butterfly has lost all the characteristics of the caterpillar. But when you say: My son John became a doctor, no change is involved. Your son has not become another person. He is still the same John, with all his characteristics, but in addition he has acquired the abilities and the status of a doctor.

Along similar lines we have to understand the mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God. When He becomes flesh, He does not change into a human being, so that now He is not God any more, but it only means that in addition to His Godhead He also assumes the human nature.  Now He is both at the same time: God and man. That this is John’s intention is quite evident from the second half of verse 14, where he says that he and his fellow apostles “beheld” His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father”. Being in the human nature, He still had all the glorious attributes of the Divine Son.

Does this, then, mean that in Him Divine and human attributes were mixed up, so that He was a completely new being: God and man mixed into one? On the ground of Scripture the early church at the Council of Chalcedon (451) said: No! He was God and man at the same time, but His two natures were “inconfused” and “UNCHANGEABLE”. The two natures remained what they were: fully Divine and fully human. Was it, then, not a real unity? Yes, the Council says, for the two natures were at the same time: “INDIVISIBLE” and “INSEPARABLE”.

The striking point in these four formulations is that they are all negative! A real divine mystery cannot be explained. At most you can put up some fences and say: do not go outside them, for then you will destroy the mystery. Keep within the fences.   THERE is the mystery! But also: there is the MYSTERY! God’s mystery, incomprehensible, immeasurable, unfathomable. Just imagine!

A BABY lies in Mary’s lap.  A real baby.  He cannot speak, cannot walk, cannot act.  He can only drink and cry and smile.  This baby is GOD’S SON. GOD IN THE FLESH.

A BOY plays with other boys in the small town of Nazareth.  In the morning he goes to school in  the synagogue to learn the Word of  God from the rabbi.  In the afternoon he gives his father a hand in the carpenter’s shop. This boy is GOD’ S SON. GOD IN THE FLESH.   And he plays with other children!

A YOUNG MAN walks through the fields accompanied by other young men. He points them to the birds and the lilies.  He tells them parables and other stories.  He performs miracles, heals the sick, feeds the multitudes, walks on the lake, etc.  This young man is GOD’S SON. GOD IN THE FLESH.

A man hangs on the cross, stripped of all  his clothes, “blood on his brow, anguish of the hell in his eyes.  Hear!  He cries out with a loud voice:  My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?  This sufferer, crushed under the wrath of God and  the  hate of man,  is  GOD’S SON. GOD IN  THE FLESH.

You can’t understand this.  No one can.

You can’t even believe it – unless the Holy Spirit opens your eyes. This baby, this boy, this young man, this sufferer on the cross God’s own Son?  Yes, says the believer.  Yes, that’s what I accept.

Does he understand it?  No, not at all.

But he falls on his knees and adores.  He adores this child, this boy, this man, this sufferer. He adores Him as His Saviour, with the simple shepherds, with the wise men from the East, with  Peter and Thomas, with all angels and all  saints,  in heaven and on earth.

MYSTERIUM Incarnationis.  Indeed! 

My LORD and my GOD in the flesh!

How incomprehensible and how wonderful! 

For He is  MY Lord and MY God!

K Runia

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