CPG 3658
Author Apollinaris
Greek Text Lietzmann, Apollinaris von Laodicea und seine Schule: Texte und Untersuchungen, 242-246.

1. When God has worked in a man, the result is a prophet, that is, an apostle, not the savior of the world. But Christ is the Savior of the world (Jn 4:42). Therefore Christ is not the result of God having worked in a man.

2. Every man is a part of the world and no part of the world removes the sin of the world under which he himself also stands. But Christ removes it (Jn 1:29). Therefore Christ is not a man.

3. Every man is under death, and no one who is under death destroys death. But Christ destroys it (1 Co 15:26). Therefore Christ is not a man.

4. Every man is of the earth. But Christ is not of the earth but of heaven (1 Cor 15:47). Therefore Christ is not a man, unless, that is, the same name “man” is used in different senses.

5. The one who gives authority to become children of God did not also himself become one. But Christ gives it (Jn 1:12). Therefore he has not become son but is such by nature.

6. No man exists before his ancestors. But Christ exists before those who were his ancestors according to the flesh (Jn 8:58). Therefore he is not a man except according to the flesh.

7. No man has glory before the ages. But Christ has it (Jn 17:5). Therefore Christ is not a man.

8. If God is in Jesus, all things are not through him but because of the one in him. But all things are through him (1 Cor 8:6). Therefore God is not in Jesus but he himself is God.

9. The one saving from sin is above sin. And Christ saves (Mt 1:21). But no man is above sin. Therefore Christ is not a man.

10. Every man has a separation of flesh and mind (Rom 7:23). But Christ does not have it. Therefore Christ is not a man.

11. Every man puts to death the flesh to be made complete according to excellence (Col 3:5). But Christ does not. Therefore Christ is not a man.

12. No man’s flesh has been said to be from heaven. But Christ’s flesh is said to be from heaven (Jn 3:13). Therefore Christ is not a man according to the deity which took on flesh. So in this way it too is said to be from heaven because it was united to that which is from heaven.

13. No man gives life, for he is not Christ. But Christ gives life (1 Tim 6:13). Therefore Christ is not a man.

14. For no man is the name which is above every name and the glory of the only God fitting. But for Christ it is fitting (Phil 2:9). Therefore Christ is not a man.

15. If God dwelt in a man, he was not emptied. But Christ was emptied in the form of God, taking the form of a servant (Phil 2:7). Therefore he did not dwell in a man.

16. God dwelling in a man is not a man, but spirit united to flesh is a man. Christ is a man, as has been said, in a different sense. Therefore he is a divine spirit united to flesh.

17. It is of man to rise from the dead but of God to raise from the dead. But Christ does both. Therefore the same one is God and man.

18. If Christ was only man or only God, he would not be the middle of God and men.

19. If Christ was only man, he would not save the world, and if he was only God, he would not save through sufferings. But Christ does both. Therefore he is both God and man.

20. If Christ was only man, he would not make the dead alive, and if he was only God, he would not make any of the dead alive on his own apart from the Father. But Christ does both (Jn 5:21). Therefore the same one is God and man.

21. A man worked in by God is not God, but the body joined to God is God. But Christ is God. Therefore he is not a man worked in by God but a body joined to God.

22. If a temple of God was born from Mary, the sharing of the birth from a virgin was superfluous. For men are temples of God without this.

23. If Christ has the same nature which we also have, the old man, a living soul and not a life-giving spirit, he too is like this and does not give life. But Christ gives life and is a life-giving spirit (1 Cor 15:22,45). Therefore he is not of our nature.

24. Does Christ live because of his own nature or because of the grace of God? If it is because of his own nature, he is God. If it is because of the grace of God, he is neither above us nor does he give us life.

25. If he is more beautiful by a choice, how would this have been possible? For the choice of a man does not set straight a true righteousness. If he is righteous by nature, he is God. If he was made righteous by a working from God, he himself is not at work. The ones at work are more beautiful.

26. If man is intertwined with God in Christ, is he given law from himself or he is not. But if it is from himself, he is God. If it is not from himself, how did he not say, “Thus says the Lord” but “I say to you”? (Mt 5:22,28,32,34,39,44) And how was the one not speaking not separated from the one speaking?

27. And yet did he complete the monstrous things or not? But if he completed it, he was not man. If not, how does he say that he completes it or how is he the same as the one who completes it?

28. Is the man worshipped by angels or not? (Heb 1:6) But if he is not worshipped, how is the Son of Man united and how does he send his angels? (Mt 24:31) If he is worshipped because the divine power dwells in him, how is he worshipped by those who always have had divine power dwelling in them? And do we worship the man or not? But if we do not worship, how do we consider him united and how are we baptized into his death? (Rom 6:3) If we worship the man as we do God, we will be godless in placing a creature in equality to the uncreated. And if await as judge the man with the Father to illuminate the hidden things of darkness (1 Cor 4:5), we hand the judgment of God to a man. But if not, how did the Father give him authority to make judgment because he is the Son of Man (Jn 5:27), and how is he united to the one who judges.

29. A man yoked to God is one other than God with respect to living motions whether of reason or emotion. And suffering as someone else he suffers and worshipped as someone else he is worshipped. But the flesh of the living God is the vehicle fit for the sufferings for the divine wills. And neither the words nor the deeds were the possession of the flesh. And it is appropriated for the sufferings in keeping with that which belongs to the flesh he is strong against the sufferings because the flesh is that of God. Therefore he begins the impassibility not for those who are similar but who are likewise living bodies. And it is worshipped as the flesh of God, as God is the one worshipped in this way and he whose body it is gives us a connection, and it is worshipped not as a creation for no creation is a part of God. Therefore those who believed that God took flesh happen upon good services and do not fall into something else. Things opposite them are held by those who say a man was yoked to God.

30. If, according to the Apostle, flesh, because it wages war on the mind (Rom 7:23), has been separated from the mind, the God who took the flesh has from it the motions waging war on the mind, but they are not subject to him as to the mind, their combatant. If this were the case, he would not be the one suffering insofar as he is God.

Translated by AMJ

Last updated: 6-13-2013

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