THE GOD WHO BECAME HUMAN:
A biblical theology of incarnation
By Graham A Cole
Apollos, IVP. 202 pages. £12.99
ISBN 978 1 844 748 006
Graham Cole, Anglican Professor of Divinity at Beeson Divinity School, Birmingham, Alabama, writes an engaging and stimulating deliberation on facets of the Christian doctrine of the incarnation.
While not every issue is handled, nor every question answered, he does provide clear and (often) compelling evidence for those areas he has selected to develop. Of central concern to Cole is the biblical-theological progression of teaching that relates to whether the Messiah, promised to come in the OT, would be the God-man, and just what place this reality has in the fulfillment of the eternal purposes of God. Here one finds, then, a capable overview and in-depth discussion of some central facets of the doctrine of the incarnation.
Temple of creation
Chapter one begins with an examination of creation to establish both that God created an appropriate temple-environment for his image-of-God creatures to inhabit and steward, and that he meets with man often in human form preparing him for the greater reality of the coming of One who would be fully God while also fully man. Of special importance here is Cole’s very helpful discussion of the use of anthropomorphism, anthropopathism and anthropopraxism in the appearances of God in the Old Testament. And chapter two considers more directly the history of Israel as this points forward to the coming of a redeemer.
Chapter three is perhaps the strongest chapter of the book, discussing the intriguing question of whether Old Testament expectation could rightly have been for the coming of a divine Messiah. The discussion here was rich, and Cole made a compelling case for answering that question, no. Only in retrospect, after the coming of Christ, could the Old Testament be seen as indicating the coming of the God-man. As Cole explains, ‘We are endeavouring to understand what ancient Israel hoped for before the revelatory light of Christ became available. This, of course, does not preclude the fact that in the light of Christ such Old Testament texts take on a legitimate depth of significance that may not have been apparent to the original writer’ (p. 89). In addition, another fascinating feature of this chapter’s discussion was Cole’s insight into the important role typol-ogy played, along with direct prophecy, in anticipating the coming of Messiah. All in all, this chapter is very much worth reading carefully and thoughtfully.
Fulfilment
Chapters four and five move into the New Testament fulfilment, highlighting the significance of God now dwelling with his people in the most intimate and personal of ways, as God takes on human nature. And this leads, then, to a discussion of Anselm’s question, Cur Deus Homo, Why God-man? To this question, Cole discusses five related answers: to reveal the Father; to redeem his people; to represent us as the great high priest; to substitute sacrificially for us; to model true humanity.
Chapter six closes out the book with both theological and existential benefits that attach to the reality of the incarnation, including understanding better the nature of God and his saving acts toward his people, as well as coming to marvel more fully at the great love God has shown in sending his son to save his people from their sin.
Cole’s The God Who Became Human is filled with insight and valuable mini-discussions throughout. It offers much rich theological reflection on the incarnation, well worth a careful reading. One lack, however, is that scant discussion is given to the humanity of Christ (most comes at the end of chapter 5). Given the book’s title, one might think that this would play a larger role, but there actually is very little effort given to consider the significance of Jesus’ true human nature. Whereas the deity of the Son is discussed and developed in some detail, his humanity receives relatively brief mention in a few places.
Where’s the Spirit?
One evidence of the lack of consideration of Jesus’ humanity is the lack of any sustained discussion at all of the Spirit-anointing of Jesus. One only need ask the question, why would Jesus, the God-man, need to have the Spirit of God upon him? After all, what can the Spirit of God add to the deity of Christ? Of course, the answer here is ‘nothing!’ The deity of Christ is infinitely full and rich, and hence nothing can be added to his deity. Yet, several Old Testament prophecies, as well as the New Testament fulfillment, see the significance of Jesus having the Spirit upon him (consider Matthew 12:28 and Acts 10:38, to cite just two passages). But since the Spirit of God cannot add to the deity of Christ, must it not be the case that the Spirit came upon Jesus to enable him to live as a perfect and sinless human – the second Adam, the Son of David, the seed of Abraham – which required the Spirit to empower his obedience to his Father and the fulfillment of his mission?
The near neglect in Cole’s discussion of the humanity of Christ empowered by the Spirit is symptomatic of many classic and contemporary Christologies. And while Cole’s volume is of great value, it also is clear that more must be said to provide a full understanding of what it means that, in Christ, God has become also a man.
