What Is The Hypostatic Union?
Jesus Christ as one person, fully God and fully man...this is the hypostatic union.
Both natures fully exist in Jesus. He has all of the characteristics that are true of a person, and all of the characteristics that are true of a divine being. Jesus has two natures—one human and one divine—that cannot be separated.
The Chalcedonian Creed
As shared in Zondervan Academic, here’s how the council defined Jesus’ two natures:
Kevin DeYoung proceeds to explain 4 important points that explain how the characteristics of each nature are preserved.
Without confusion: The Lord Jesus Christ is not what you get when you mix blue and yellow together and end up with green. He’s not a tertium quid (a third thing), the result of mixing a divine and human nature.
Without change: In assuming human flesh, the Logos did not cease to be what he had always been. The incarnation affected no substantial change in the divine Son.
Without division: The two natures of Christ do not represent a split in the divine Person. Jesus Christ is not half God and half man.
Without separation: The union of the human and divine in the person of Jesus Christ is a real, organic union, not simply a moral sympathy or relational partnership.
Theological Primer’s article expresses that this concise and careful definition of the hypostatic union indicates that in no way are each nature annulled by the union— even as they come together in one person and one subsistence.
Got Questions added that the doctrine of the hypostatic union is an attempt to explain how Jesus could be both God and man at the same time. It is ultimately, though, a doctrine we are incapable of fully understanding. It is impossible for us to fully understand how God works. We, as human beings with finite minds, should not expect to totally comprehend an infinite God.
Furthermore, Simply Catholic’s church teachings add that Chalcedon’s declaration that these two natures exist without mixture, change, division, or separation tells us, in a mysterious way, how the two natures are in union with each other.
With these insights, we are to believe then that Jesus has everything that we have in our humanity except sin and everything that belongs to the nature of God.
The Significance of the Hypostatic Union
As shared in the Compelling Truth, the following are important reasons for understanding the context of the hypostatic union:
The Bible tells us that Jesus became human so that He would identify with human struggles and pains (Hebrews 2:17) and so that He would become a spiritual high priest for us (Hebrews 4:14-15, 9:11-12) a mediator between God and man, securing our redemption.
He died on the cross to atone for the sins of those who believe (John 3:16; Philippians 2:5-11) and needed a human body so that He could die.
The hypostatic union teaches that Jesus is both human and divine—perfectly. Neither nature is diminished by the other, and He is a whole and eternal Person.
Christology 101 concludes that what is offered here helps navigate into the mystery of, “how can he be God and human?”
Meditating on these truths is worthy of our prayer because, as we delve into this mysterious union, one fact becomes abundantly clear: In Jesus, God does not destroy, overwhelm or annihilate our humanity. Rather, he enters into our nature and lifts it up to a dignity hitherto unknown.
In Jesus, we see that humanity is most itself when it is nearest to God.
The Ultimate Act of Reckless Love
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
Oh, it chases me down, fights ‘til I’m found, leaves the ninety-nine
I couldn’t earn it, I don’t deserve it, still, You give Yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
Jesus Christ, coming down in the flesh, was the ultimate act/demonstration of God's overwhelming and reckless love. This song truly encapsulates the Lord's life-changing love and mercy for us.
They say that God has “reckless love” because He was willing to sacrifice His son for humanity, to die for our sins despite being divine and without sin. Jesus shared in our human struggles despite his godly nature, and he chose to give much of himself so that we will all be saved. This sacrifice was born out of “an overwhelming, reckless love”.
What God has for us is “reckless love” because we didn’t deserve it at all. We don’t deserve God’s love and His forgiveness. God’s love transcends all things, and we all have a chance at it if we open our hearts today.
He will look for and chase after the lost sheep, and leave the ninety-nine.