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So then we confess
that God fulfilled the promise
which he had made to the early fathers
by the mouth of his holy prophets
when he sent his only and eternal Son
into the world
at the time set by him.
The Son took the "form of a servant"
and was made in the "likeness of man,"33
truly assuming a real human nature,
with all its weaknesses,
except for sin;
being conceived in the womb of the blessed virgin Mary
by the power of the Holy Spirit,
without male participation.
And he not only assumed human nature
as far as the body is concerned
but also a real human soul,
in order that he might be a real human being.
For since the soul had been lost as well as the body
he had to assume them both
to save them both together.
Therefore we confess,
against the heresy of the Anabaptists
who deny that Christ assumed human flesh
from his mother,
that he "shared the very flesh and blood of children";34
that he is "fruit of the loins of David" according to the flesh;35
"born of the seed of David" according to the flesh;36
"fruit of the womb of the virgin Mary";37
"born of a woman";38
"the seed of David";39
"a shoot from the root of Jesse";40
"the offspring of Judah,"41
having descended from the Jews according to the flesh;
"from the seed of Abraham"--
for he "assumed Abraham's seed"
and was "made like his brothers
except for sin."42
In this way he is truly our Immanuel--
that is: "God with us."43
33 Phil. 2:7
34 Heb. 2:14
35 Acts 2:30
36 Rom. 1:3
37 Luke 1:42
38 Gal. 4:4
39 2 Tim. 2:8
40 Rom. 15:12
41 Heb. 7:14
42 Heb. 2:17; 4:15
43 Matt. 1:23 |
