# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_Juni 1859_S175
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

On the Teaching of the Newest Theology concerning the Person of Christ, etc. 175

in the obedience of faith, receive the full comfort of a certain and perfect
reconciliation through the Savior — who was truly true God and truly
innocent and holy man — for life and for death, than let themselves, through
the little inventions of modern theology, however pretentious, however
sanctimonious, however seductive their appearance, have the foundations
of our redemption, the very footings of our eternal hope, destroyed.

Now I will adduce some of the chief testimonies from the ancient Church
for the pure doctrine, to show how, in the best of times, the most eminent
teachers confessed the same in this important article, and that we
Lutherans stand in unity of faith and doctrine with the true Church of all
the centuries.

1. The Council of Chalcedon (451) decreed as follows: "We acknowledge
the one Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son and Lord, in two natures,
unmixed, unchanged, undivided, unseparated, so that the distinction of
the natures is by no means abolished through the personal union, but
rather that the properties of both natures are preserved and come together
in one Person."

Leo the Great (†461) says: "He who is truly God is also truly man,
because in one Person together are the lowliness of man and the majesty
of the Godhead. For as God is not changed by his mercy, so man is not
consumed by the majesty. For each of the two natures works, in
communion with the other, what is proper to it: the Word performing
what is the Word's, and the flesh carrying out what is the flesh's. The one
shines forth resplendent in the works of wonder; the other is subjected to
suffering."

It is incomprehensible how Ebrard can maintain that his teaching is the
one held by Leo and by the Council of Chalcedon. I consider it entirely
sufficient for his refutation simply to have quoted above the relevant
words from Leo's Epistola Synodica and from the decrees of the Council
of Chalcedon.

2. Chrysostom (†407): Christ did not have sinful flesh, yet as regards
nature he had the same as we do.

Cyprian (†258): It is no disgrace, but a grace of God, when that which
seems lesser is united with that which is more glorious, since the lower
nature is not tainted with the disgrace and shame of sin.

John of Damascus (†c. 750): As he has everything the Father has,
except being unbegotten, so he has everything Adam has, with the sole
exception of sinfulness.

3. Athanasius: The Word became flesh, not by being dissolved into
flesh, but by taking flesh to himself.

Theodoret (†around 457): Although the Godhead was united with the
manhood