By John Fencik, Director
Catholic Formation Services

The term Christology refers to the study of the person of Jesus with emphasis on understanding his two natures – human and divine. This study flows naturally from the questions Jesus asked his disciples at Caesarea Philippi: “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” (Mt. 16.13) and “Who do you say that I am?” (Mt. 16:15) That is, how do people and you, my disciples, understand me, my message and my works?

For the early Christian missionaries, the answer must have been quite a challenge. They had experienced the life-changing events of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. Now they were on fire with preaching “Jesus” to the world. But their preaching of the person of Jesus was an ever-evolving one as they strove to understand more fully the Jesus event and what it meant for themselves and the world.

This was also true for St. Paul. When he spoke of Jesus, it was from his own conversion experience on the Damascus road. From then on his understanding of Jesus developed both in his personal relationship with the Lord and in his theology – a theology never mired in abstract concepts or “hard to understand” words. No, he focused on the person of Jesus and the “real” events of our salvation – his passion, cross and resurrection! Paul “…concentrates everything on the announcement of Jesus Christ as ‘Lord,’ alive today and present among his own.” (Benedict XVI, General Audience, Oct. 22, 2008) Paul simply wanted everyone to know that salvation came from Jesus and him alone.

Perhaps the best summary of Paul’s Christology may be found in the early Christian hymn in Philippians 2:6-11. Not only is this a profound statement of early Church belief in the person of Jesus, but Paul presents it as the very pattern of Christian life.

Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven, and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The challenge found in verse 6 is for us to truly become another Christ or as St. Columbanus wrote in Sermon X “Christi simus non nostril” – to be like Christ, not ourselves. In this hymn Paul offers three insights into Jesus. First, he is the pre-existent Son, who like the person of Wisdom in the Jewish scriptures is always with the Father.

Secondly, Jesus accepted the Father’s will in the Incarnation – taking on our humanity in all its weakness, except sin. In humility Jesus became a “slave” for our sake. (Read John 13:1-17) Free from sin, he was not under the sentence of death as we are, but he so loved us and desired a personal/communal relationship with us that he freely accepted the cross, so we could be reconciled to the Father. Because of his humility, the Father glorifies him and exalts him at his right hand as Lord of all creation!

For Paul, Christology – understanding the person of Jesus – is only as good as it affects our spiritual journey. There is a need to empty ourselves and descend into our souls to examine how we have accepted Paul’s challenge to have the mind of Christ, especially in our relationships. This journey must be marked humility, as we seek to know our true self, which can only come from knowing Christ. To look elsewhere is a recipe for failure and a lack of true Christian joy! We are called to shape a life marked by faith, hope and love, so that we can ascend to that glory for which we were created as the Father’s children and brothers and sisters of the Lord Jesus.


Published in The Montana Catholic, Vol. 25, No. 4, April 17, 2009.