conjectural navel gazing; jesus in lint form

it seems to me...

Here's some exciting stuff from my thesis. I love his commentary on the letter to the Romans. He just cracks me up.

Chrysostom though that Paul used the expression, “likeness of death,” for death, as he says in another place, “being made in the likeness of men.” But it seems to me that there is something more significant tin the expression; for it not only serves to intimate a resurrection, but it seems also to indicate this – that we die not like Christ a natural death, but that there is a similarity between our and his death; for as he died in the flesh, which he had assumed from us, so we also must die in ourselves, that we may live in him. It is not the same, but a similar death; for we are to notice the connection between the death of our present life and our spiritual renovation.

...The temptation to put words in Calvin’s mouth here is very strong. He was so conversational in tone “But it seems to me…” He borrowed Chrysostom’s idea and took it to where he wanted to go.

This, perhaps sadly, completely intrigues me. Calvin works very hard to understand the nature of humanity both through the lens of Christ and without the benefit of Christ. Without the resurrection, he often states, we are depraved. Such an ugly word! But it reveals much about how Calvin understands the power of Christ and the renewal of the soul through the Holy Spirit. The distance from death (in sin) to resurrection is that vast! Purity, people. He was all about purity. Wow...yeah. Do with that what you will. But I don' think that Calvin would like my potty mouth.

Have a great weekend.

Posted by tripp at March 7, 2008 06:26 AM