What is the doctrine of Adoptionism? Definition and Overview Adoptionism, sometimes called “dynamic monarchianism,” is the belief that Jesus of Nazareth was born as a mere human and only became the Son of God at a specific point in His life—often suggested to have been at His baptism or at His resurrection. This view denies that Jesus was eternally God the Son. Instead, it portrays Him as an exceptionally holy human who was “adopted” by God to be the Messiah. This teaching surfaced in various forms in early church history, most notably associated with figures such as Theodotus of Byzantium in the late second century. However, with careful study of Scripture, it becomes clear that the Bible teaches that Jesus always existed as God the Son, co-eternal and co-equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Historical Context Adoptionism arose in a cultural and religious environment where competing views about Jesus were common. Among these views was the idea that He could not be both fully God and fully man. Some reasoned that He must have been a moral teacher or a prophet before attaining divinity. Early Adoptionists, like Theodotus and later Paul of Samosata (third century), promoted a “dynamic” relationship in which the divine presence came upon Jesus but did not truly mean He was God incarnate. Early Christian councils and writings—such as the First Council of Nicaea (AD 325)—responded to various Christological errors, though Nicaea primarily tackled Arianism. Over the following centuries, the wider church continued to refute teachings that either separated Jesus’ humanity from His deity or denied His eternal divine nature. By the eighth century, a related form of Adoptionism briefly resurfaced in parts of Europe, but it was again condemned. Biblical Evidence Against Adoptionism The consistent testimony of Scripture is that Jesus did not become divine at any single point but has always been the eternal Son of God. 1. Eternal Word (John 1:1) “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” The description “in the beginning” places the Word (Jesus) outside the confines of time in eternity past, showing His preexistence and deity. 2. The Word Became Flesh (John 1:14) “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Jesus did not become the Son by adoption; the eternal Word added human nature at the Incarnation. 3. Christ’s Divine Self-Identification (John 10:30) “I and the Father are one.” This statement goes beyond a mere functional unity. Biblical and manuscript evidence indicates Jesus’ intentional claim of a shared, divine nature with the Father rather than a later adoption. 4. Christ’s Preexistence and Equality (Philippians 2:5–7) “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness.” The phrase “existing in the form of God” underscores His eternal nature. He laid aside His divine privileges in the Incarnation, not His divinity. Early Church Witness and Manuscript Evidence 1. Early Church Councils Although the Council of Nicaea chiefly refuted Arianism, it upheld the teaching that Jesus is “begotten, not made” and co-essential with the Father. Such language is incompatible with Adoptionism. Later councils reaffirmed that Christ was always divine, never merely human waiting to be adopted. 2. Early Manuscript Consistency Extensive manuscript findings—such as early papyri fragments of John, the Bodmer Papyri, and the Codex Sinaiticus—support the uniform testimony of key Christological statements without changes that would suggest an “adoption” event. 3. Archaeological and Historical Plaint Archaeological discoveries that corroborate biblical locations, people, and historical details (e.g., inscriptions referencing Pontius Pilate, the Pool of Bethesda, the synagogue at Capernaum) bolster the reliability of the narratives that present Jesus as divine from eternity, rather than a man later adopted by God. Key Theological Implications 1. Nature of Salvation If Jesus were merely human until an adoption event, He would not be the eternal Redeemer capable of a perfect, atoning sacrifice for sin. Scripture underscores that only God can save, and Jesus’ deity underpins the absolute sufficiency of His atonement (cf. Hebrews 9:14). 2. Integrity of Worship Believers direct worship toward Jesus in the New Testament (cf. Matthew 28:9, John 20:28). Worshiping a “mere human” who was later adopted would contradict the repeated injunction that only God is worthy of worship (cf. Revelation 19:10). Adoptionism thus undermines the biblical command to worship Christ without qualification. 3. Consistency with Prophetic Expectation The Old Testament messianic prophecies (cf. Isaiah 9:6, Micah 5:2) indicate an eternal, divine identity for the Messiah. Adoptionism fails to align with passages that describe this Messiah as both everlasting and fully God. Refutation of Adoptionism The broader witness of Scripture, reaffirmed by centuries of historical evidence, attests that Jesus was not adopted by God at any moment. Rather, the Son is co-eternal with the Father and has always possessed the fullness of deity. Biblical passages consistently present Him as having no point of “becoming” divine. Adoptionism also fails to explain the biblical data about Jesus’ co-eternity and co-equality with the Father and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). Instead, the long-standing creeds of the church accurately capture the biblical portrait: Christ was eternally “begotten” of the Father, not created or adopted. Conclusion The doctrine of Adoptionism stands in opposition to the clear teachings of Scripture. Early church sources, supported by robust manuscript evidence and the overarching narrative of the Bible, affirm that Jesus is the eternal Son of God. His Incarnation was not an adoption but the assuming of a human nature by the preexistent Word, who is God from all eternity. As such, Christ alone is able to accomplish salvation, for in Him “all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form” (Colossians 2:9). Hence, Adoptionism is universally regarded as a heretical teaching in Christian tradition because it denies the foundational truth that the Son shares the same eternal Being and divine nature as the Father and the Holy Spirit. |
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