John Calvin is generally acknowledged to be the most influential protestant reformer and thinker after Martin Luther. He is also one of the most important interpreters of Protestant Christianity. His influence has been so widespread that not only the Reformed/ Presbyterian Churches but almost all the protestant ecclesial and theological traditions have been affected by his thought.
It is also interesting to note that many of the well-known theologians like Friedrich Schleiermacher, Karl Barth, and Emil Brunner were strongly influenced by Calvin. In fact, Calvin has enriched both the theological and ecclesiastical traditions of Protestant Christianity. Though Calvin has contributed many significant things, his contribution and works cannot be done on one paper, this paper will mainly focus on Calvin’s thought about Christology.
John Calvin’ Christology
Calvin’s teaching on the person and work of Christ is both catholic and reformed. He adopts the orthodoxy of the early Church Fathers and the councils concisely. At the same time, he develops his Christology in opposition to the teaching of Andreas Osiander who taught that if Adam had not fallen, Christ would still have to become incarnate in fulfillment of creation. In response to Osiander, Calvin teaches that Christ has come for our redemption. His incarnation has no other purpose than our redemption.
In regards to the nature of Christ, Calvin adopted the Chalcedonian doctrine of the union of the two natures of Christ. Christ is God incarnate. He is truly God and truly man. The union of the two nature of Christ that is humanity and divinity is not the result of the confusion of substance but the unity of person. Calvin writes, ‘that he who was to be our mediator should be true God and man.’
John Calvin
Calvin follows traditional orthodoxy when he discusses the person of Christ and his work. In Christ, there are two natures in a single person, so that “he who was the Son of God became the Son of man- not by confusion of substances, but by unity of person.” Although councils may err- and in fact have erred- the first ecumenical councils correctly represented the biblical testimony regarding the person of Christ.
There are three points at which the study of Calvin’ Christology may prove significant. The first concerns his attempts to defend the traditional dogma against its detractors. This is significant, both because it forced Calvin to spell out his own Christology and because it serves to illustrate some of the unorthodox ideas held by rationalists and others.
Second, Calvin’ description of the work of Christ in terms of the triple office of king, prophet, and priest- usually called the triple munus- became common in Reformed theology. Third, his understanding of the hypostatic union is closely connected with his position on the presence of Christ in the Lord’s Supper.
First point
The first point at which contemporary controversies forced Calvin to develop his theology was the reason for the incarnation. Calvin regards that the purpose of the incarnation is for our redemption. This controversy is significant, for it tended to ground Calvin’ Christology on soteriology.
Second point
Another point at which the controversies of his time helped Calvin develops his christology had to do with the human nature of Christ. The new ‘Marcionites’, (who taught that Christ did not have an earthly flesh) forced Calvin to insist on the humanity of Christ, and on his physical descent from Adam.
What is significant is that in this discussion Calvin developed a Christology that, while remaining orthodox, tended to emphasize the distinction between the two natures in Christ rather than the unity of the person and the communicatio idiomatum. This is fully consistent with Calvin’ opinions regarding the value of humanity before God as well as with his theory of the presence of Christ in the Lord’s Supper.
Final point
Finally, another opponent who helped shape Calvin’ Christology was Franceso Stancaro, who held that Christ is our mediator only through his human nature. Against this Calvin asserted that because the work of redemption took place through the hypostatic union, everything in Christ that has to do with redemption is to be ascribed to the unity of the person, and not to one nature or another. The significance of this is that toward the end of his life Calvin came to emphasize the communicatio idiomatum to a greater degree than he had before.
Calvin discussion of Christ
Calvin discusses the work of Christ in terms of three offices-triplex munus. Christ is at once prophet, king and priest. The very title ‘Christ’ signifies this triple office, for it means ‘anointed’ and in the OT kings, prophets and priests were anointed. Christ is the prophet par excellence, because in him all prophecies are fulfilled.
The prophecies of the OT had no other content than Christ himself. This prophetic office of Christ is extended not only to his mouth, so that his words are prophetic, but also to his entire body. So that in each of his actions, as well as in the present preaching of the gospel, the power of the Holy Spirit can be seen. Christ is the king of the church as well as the individual believers. As such, he rules over us.
But his rule is such that he shares with his subjects all that he has received. The kings of the OT like the prophet’s point to this supreme and unique king. As a priest, Christ has come before God to present himself in sacrifice.
In so doing he fulfilled all the ancient sacrifices, which had no validity other than in him. And he has also made his followers priest, for he has now enabled them to present themselves before God as a living sacrifice.
Characteristic of Calvin’ Christology
The third main characteristic of Calvin’ Christology is his constant concern to avoid any confusion between humanity and divinity in Christ. In this, he tended to agree with Zwingli against Luther, who emphasized the unity of the person above the distinction of the two natures. He pointed out that although his divinity of the Second Person was fully present in Jesus.
It was not circumscribed by his humanity. His wondrous descent was such that he was still in heaven while he was also in Jesus; and when he was being born from the Virgin’s womb he was still filling the entire universe. This is what later theologians came to call the extra calvinisticum, and it became a characteristic emphasis of Reformed Christology.
If one were to attempt to characterize Calvin’ Christology in a few sentences, one could say that while strictly orthodox, that Christology leans more toward the ancient Antiochenes than toward the Alexandrians and also that it has a very strong soteriological rather than metaphysical emphasis.
Calvin understands the work of Christ in terms of satisfaction. Through his obedience unto death, Christ has merited for us the forgiveness of sins. In this manner, God’s justice and love have been satisfied.
Humanity of Christ
Calvin developed his Christology in opposition not only to the teachings of Osiander but also to those of Menno Simons and Michael Servetus. Those teachings forced Calvin to insist on the humanity of Christ and on His physical descent from Adam. Calvin willingly acknowledges that the woman’s seed could not be exempted from corruption. It was from the fallen human nature.