Christosis: Pauline Soteriology in Light of Deification in Irenaeus and Cyril of Alexandria

Preface .................................................................................................. VII
Table of Contents .................................................................................... IX
List of Tables ........................................................................................ XV
List of Illustrations ............................................................................... XVI
Abbreviations ..................................................................................... XVII
I. Setting the Stage ............................................................................... 1
1. Introduction ....................................................................................... 3
1. The Question ..................................................................................... 3
2. Review of Literature.......................................................................... 5
2.1 Histories of Deification ................................................................ 6
2.1.1 Jules Gross ............................................................................ 6
2.1.2 Norman Russell ..................................................................... 6
2.2 Morna Hooker ............................................................................. 7
2.3 Stephen Finlan ............................................................................. 8
2.4 M. David Litwa ........................................................................... 9
2.5 Michael Gorman ........................................................................ 11
2.6 Issues and Questions .................................................................. 13
3. Route of Study: History of Interpretation ........................................ 14
3.1 Two Paths .................................................................................. 14
3.2 Hermeneutical Justification and Methodology ........................... 15
3.3 Conclusion ................................................................................. 24
4. Selection of Patristic Theologians ................................................... 25
4.1 Criteria For Selection ................................................................. 25
4.2 Selection of Irenaeus as the Early Writer ................................... 26
4.3 Selection of Cyril of Alexandria as the Later Writer .................. 28
4.4 Formulations of Deification ....................................................... 29
5. Conclusion ...................................................................................... 31
II. Patristic Views of Deification ..................................................... 33
2. Deification in Irenaeus .................................................................. 35
1. Introduction ..................................................................................... 35
2. God and Humanity .......................................................................... 38
2.1 The Creator and His Two Hands ................................................ 38
2.2 Humanity: The Created .............................................................. 39
2.3 The Work of Christ and the Spirit .............................................. 41
3. Humanity and God .......................................................................... 43
3.1 Believers as ‘Gods’ and Psalm 82 .............................................. 43
3.1.1 ‘Gods’ and Divine Adoption (3.6.1–3) ................................ 44
3.1.2 ‘Gods’, Adoption, and Immortality (3.19.1–2) ..................... 45
3.1.3 The Adopted as ‘Gods’ (4.Pr.4; 4.1.1) ................................. 50
3.1.4 ‘Gods’ but Not Perfect From the Beginning (4.38.1–4;
4.39.1–3) ............................................................................ 50
3.2 Being ‘Like Gods’ and Knowing Good and Evil ........................ 54
3.2.1 Against Heresies 3.20–23 .................................................... 55
3.2.2 Against Heresies 4.38–39 .................................................... 56
3.2.3 Against Heresies 5.20–23 .................................................... 57
3.2.4 Deification and Knowing Good and Evil ............................. 58
3.3 Relational Models ...................................................................... 59
3.3.1 Adoption as Children of God ............................................... 59
3.3.2 The Vision of God ............................................................... 60
3.3.3 Union, Communion, and Participation ................................. 61
3.4 Anthropological Effects ............................................................. 63
3.4.1 Immortality and Incorruption .............................................. 63
3.4.2 Progress .............................................................................. 64
3.4.3 Image and Likeness ............................................................. 65
4. Conclusion ...................................................................................... 66
4.1 Irenaeus’ Soteriology ................................................................. 66
4.2 Deification in Irenaeus ............................................................... 67
4.3 Irenaeus and Paul ....................................................................... 69
3. Deification in Cyril of Alexandria .............................................. 71
1. Introduction ..................................................................................... 71
2. The Trinity, Humanity, and Soteriology .......................................... 73
2.1 The Trinity ................................................................................. 73
2.2 Humanity ................................................................................... 74
2.2.1 Humans are Composite ........................................................ 75
2.2.2 Humans are Derivative ........................................................ 76
2.2.3 Problem of Sin .................................................................... 77
2.3 Cyril’s Soteriology ..................................................................... 77
2.3.1 Christ’s Baptism .................................................................. 77
2.3.2 Salvation Accomplished and Realised ................................. 79
3. Deification ...................................................................................... 83
3.1 Scriptural References ................................................................. 84
3.1.1 Believers as Gods and Ps 82.6 ............................................. 84
3.1.2 Participation in the Divine Nature and 2 Pet 1.4 .................. 86
3.1.2.1 In Luc. 3.21–23 ............................................................ 87
3.1.2.2 In Jo. 17.18–23 ............................................................. 88
3.2 Central Themes .......................................................................... 91
3.2.1 Basis: Nature versus Grace .................................................. 91
3.2.2 Means: Participation in the Divine ...................................... 91
3.2.3 Result: Likeness to God ...................................................... 93
3.2.3.1 Restored Life ................................................................ 94
3.2.3.2 Restored Sanctification ................................................. 94
3.2.4 Adoption as Children of God ............................................... 96
4. Conclusion ...................................................................................... 97
4.1 Deification in Cyril .................................................................... 97
4.2 Cyril and Paul ............................................................................ 97
4. Patristic Summary and Questions for Paul ................................ 99
1. Patristic Summary ........................................................................... 99
1.1 Problems and Solutions ............................................................ 100
1.2 Likeness to God ....................................................................... 105
1.3 Relational Participation ............................................................ 106
1.4 Creation, Nature, and Grace ..................................................... 106
1.5 Pauline Texts and Themes ....................................................... 108
1.6 Conclusion ............................................................................... 109
2. Paul and His Patristic Interpreters ................................................. 110
2.1 Questions for Paul ................................................................... 110
2.1.1 Areas of Interest ................................................................ 111
2.1.2 Proposed Questions ........................................................... 112
2.2 Pauline Passages ...................................................................... 113
III. Pauline Soteriology ................................................................... 115
5. Romans 8 ....................................................................................... 117
1. Introduction ................................................................................... 117
1.1 Romans 8 in Context ................................................................ 117
1.2 Summary of Chapter 8 ............................................................. 120
2. Powers and Divine Presence: 8.1–13 ............................................. 121
2.1 The Law and The Spirit (8.1–2, 4) ........................................... 122
2.2 God Condemns Sin: Incarnation, Death, and Resurrection
(8.3–4) .................................................................................... 125
2.3 Spheres of Existence: Flesh and Spirit (8.4–13) ....................... 129
2.3.1 The Problem of the Flesh .................................................. 130
2.3.2 The Life of the Spirit ......................................................... 132
2.4 Conclusion ............................................................................... 135
2.5 Excursus: Colossians 2.6–3.4 ................................................... 135
2.5.1 Colossians 2.9: ‘All the fullness of deity dwells in him
bodily’ .............................................................................. 136
2.5.2 Colossians 2.10: ‘You are filled in him’ ............................ 138
2.5.2.1 Presence of Salvation.................................................. 139
2.5.2.2 Noetic Enlightenment ................................................. 139
2.5.2.3 Functional Mission ..................................................... 140
2.5.3 Filled with Christ: The Embodiment of Christ’s Death
and Life ............................................................................ 140
2.5.4 Conclusion: Christoformity is Theoformity ....................... 142
3. Adoption: 8.14–17 ......................................................................... 143
3.1 Adoption and the People of God .............................................. 143
3.2 Adoption as Liberation ............................................................. 145
3.3 Adoption as Eschatological Reality .......................................... 147
3.4 Excursus: Galatians 3.23–4.11 ................................................. 148
3.5 Conclusion ............................................................................... 152
4. Conformation to Christ: 8.17–30 ................................................... 152
4.1 Suffering and Glory ................................................................. 153
4.1.1 Suffering With Christ ........................................................ 155
4.1.2 Being Glorified With Christ .............................................. 157
4.2 Sonship as Conformation ......................................................... 161
4.3 Adam, Creation, and Re-creation ............................................. 163
4.4 Conclusion ............................................................................... 167
5. Summary and Conclusion .............................................................. 167
5.1 Primary Questions .................................................................... 168
5.1.1 The Shape of Soteriology: Death and Life ......................... 168
5.1.2 The Timing: Present/Future ............................................... 169
5.1.3 The Means: Participation in the Divine.............................. 171
5.1.4 Eschatology and Protology ................................................ 172
5.2 Conclusion ............................................................................... 173
6. 2 Corinthians 3–5 ......................................................................... 174
1. Introduction ................................................................................... 174
2. The Spirit, Life, and Transformation: 3.1–4.6 ................................ 175
2.1 Spirit of the New Covenant (3.1–6) .......................................... 176
2.2 Transformation into Unveiled Glory (3.7–18) .......................... 179
2.2.1 Moses’ Glory (3.7-11) ....................................................... 180
2.2.2 Moses’ Veil (3.12–18) ....................................................... 181
2.2.3 Glory and Transformation (3.18) ....................................... 183
2.3 Transformation and Deification (3.18) ..................................... 191
2.4 The Glory of Christ (4.1–6) ...................................................... 193
2.5 Conclusion ............................................................................... 196
3. Death and Life in Christ: 4.7–5.10 ................................................. 197
3.1 Embodying Christ’s Death and Life (4.7–15) ........................... 197
3.1.1 Excursus: The Body .......................................................... 199
3.2 Excursus: Philippians 2–3 ........................................................ 204
3.3 Hope of Resurrection (4.16–5.10) ............................................ 209
3.3.1 2 Corinthians 4.16–18 ....................................................... 210
3.3.2 2 Corinthians 5.1–10 ......................................................... 212
3.4 Excursus: 1 Corinthians 15 ...................................................... 216
3.5 Conclusion ............................................................................... 218
4. Salvation Explored: 5.11–6.2 ........................................................ 219
4.1 Death and Life in Christ (5.11–15) ........................................... 219
4.2 New Creation, Reconciliation, and Righteousness (5.16–6.2) ... 221
4.2.1 New Creation: 2 Corinthians 5.17 ..................................... 221
4.2.2 Reconciliation: 2 Corinthians 5.18–20 ............................... 225
4.2.3 Sin and Righteousness: 2 Corinthians 5.21 ........................ 226
4.3 Conclusion ............................................................................... 232
5. Summary and Conclusion .............................................................. 233
5.1 Questions ................................................................................. 233
5.1.1 The Shape of Soteriology and When It Occurs .................. 233
5.1.1.1 Problems .................................................................... 233
5.1.1.2 Present Salvation ........................................................ 234
5.1.1.3 Future Salvation ......................................................... 235
5.1.2 How It Occurs ................................................................... 235
5.1.3 Eschatology and Protology ................................................ 237
5.2 Conclusion ............................................................................... 237
7. Summary of Paul’s Soteriology ................................................ 239
1. Introduction ................................................................................... 239
2. Shape and Timing of Pauline Soteriology ...................................... 239
3. How This Soteriology Comes About ............................................. 243
4. Continuity and Discontinuity with Creation ................................... 246
IV. Conclusion .................................................................................. 249
8. Conclusion .................................................................................... 251
1. Patristic Soteriology ...................................................................... 251
1.1 Irenaeus ................................................................................... 251
1.2 Cyril ........................................................................................ 252
1.3 Synthesis ................................................................................. 252
2. Pauline Soteriology ....................................................................... 253
3. Analysis and Conclusions .............................................................. 254
3.1 Common Emphases ................................................................. 254
3.1.1 Life, Incorruption, and Glory ............................................ 255
3.1.2 Image of God .................................................................... 256
3.1.3 Participatory Triune Divine Encounter .............................. 257
3.2 Distinct Pauline Emphases: Law and Suffering ........................ 259
3.2.1 Law and Righteousness ..................................................... 259
3.2.2 Suffering ........................................................................... 261
3.3 Conclusions ............................................................................. 262
4. Significance and Implications ........................................................ 267
5. Further Study ................................................................................ 270
6. Final Reflections ........................................................................... 271
Bibliography ......................................................................................... 273
Index of Ancient Sources ...................................................................... 289
Index of Modern Authors ...................................................................... 305
Index of Subjects .................................................................................. 309