Kenosis –
Part 3
GBC Basics Class
“emptied” = kenoo = DEPRIVED
Point 1: The Origin of the Doctrine.
It is derived from the Greek word kenoo, which means to empty oneself or to deprive oneself of a proper function (PHI 2:7a)
TLJC lowered Himself voluntarily, veiling His powers in His humanity to serve wholly as the perfect substitute and perfecter of our faith (HEB 12:2).
Filling of the Holy Spirit
Execution of the PPOG
Utilization of the 10 PSD’s
Understanding Truth requires Faith!
Principle
Jesus Christ surrendered no attributes of His deity.
TLJC was still subject to temptation, distress, weakness, pain, sorrow, limitation, and to more temptations than we will ever face.
He solved these problems of temptations from the spiritual life of His humanity by the use of the problem solving devices.
Filling of the Holy Spirit
Point 3: Definition.
Kenosis is based on the fact that the union of the deity of Christ to unglorified but true humanity is a necessary factor in His humiliation.
He revealed the full love of God to the maximum at the Cross.
Point 4: The Manifestation of Kenosis in our Lord’s Evidence Testing
The true doctrine of Kenosis is illustrated by the humanity of Christ in facing evidence testing, (MAT 4:1-10)
Point 5. The False Doctrine of Kenosis.
Point 6: Objections to the False Doctrines of Kenosis.
Principle
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
If Christ did not possess all the attributes of divine essence, then He did not possess true deity in the first place.
Point 7. The True Concept of Kenosis.
During the First Advent, Jesus Christ was both undiminished deity and true humanity in one person.
“I am”
It resonates with the Jews because of the same Greek Septuagint expression is found in EXO 3:14.
= ego eimi in JOH 18:5,6.
To execute the Father’s plan for the First Advent, the humanity of Christ relied on the same power options you & I have!
Point 8: The Factors of Kenosis.
Christ gave up the outward appearance (schema) of God, but not the essence (morphe) of God, (Phil 2:7).
Point 9: Part of the kenosis is the sustaining ministry of God the Holy Spirit to the humanity of Christ.
Jesus Christ was the first one to receive this ministry of the Holy Spirit.
ISA 11:1-3; ISA 42:1; ISA 61:1
This sustaining ministry of the Holy Spirit is related to the virgin birth
Christ was constantly filled with the Spirit from birth
The filling of the Holy Spirit is related to the baptism of Jesus
The Holy Spirit’s ministry is related to TLJC’s public ministry
MAT 12:18, 28; LUK 4:14-15, 17-18, 21
The omnipotence of the Holy Spirit sustained Jesus Christ while bearing our sins on the cross
The Holy Spirit’s ministry to Christ is continued as the agent in resurrection
This same ministry and power is transferred to the royal family
JOH 7:38-39; JOH 16:13-14; 2CO 3:1-3; EPH 3:16-17.21
Point 10: Summary
Sometimes He operates from His human nature only.
Sometimes He operates from His divine nature only.
Sometimes He operates from both natures together but not mixed.
For example, in His humanity He became hungry, MAT 4:2 but in His deity He never hungers,
In His humanity, He became thirsty, JOH 19:28, but in His deity He is the water of life,
In His humanity, He would say such things as JOH 14:28 “For the Father is greater than I.”
And then in His deity He would say JOH 10:30 “I and the Father are one.”
in order that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father.
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.”
1Cor. 2:14
But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.
In His deity He has omniscience, JOH 2:25, but His limitation of knowledge is concluded from the fact that Christ could be amazed, MAT 8:10.17
In In His deity He could not be tempted, JAM 1:13, in His humanity He could be really tempted, HEB 4:15.
In His deity He is the giver of faith, In His humanity He possessed faith, HEB 12:2.
He has all knowledge yet He is said to have learned in LUK 2:52; HEB 5:8.
In MAR 13:32 with MAT 24:36, Christ states categorically that He is ignorant of the exact time of the Second Coming but as God He knows.
Kenosis is based on the fact that the union of the deity of Christ to unglorified but true humanity is a necessary factor in His humiliation.
The doctrine of Kenosis recognizes that during the dispensation of the hypostatic union, our Lord voluntarily restricted the independent use of His divine attributes for the execution of God the Father’s plan, will, and purpose for the Incarnation.
For the plan for the incarnation not only called for the judgment of our sins, the provision of eternal salvation for all members of the human race, but simultaneously for the strategic victory of the angelic conflict.
Filling of the Holy Spirit
It is impossible for deity to surrender an attribute without changing the character of the essence from which it came.
For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
Point 2: The True Humiliation of the Incarnation.