Sabellianism and modalism (non-exhaustive) II

Sabellianism and modalism (non-exhaustive) II

Photo: Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany, Exploring, May 2023 

Preface

A new article for an entry on academia.edu, May 27, 2023.

Archived articles referenced 

Tuesday, March 01, 2011 Sabellianism and modalism (non-exhaustive) 

Tuesday, April 30, 2019 ὑποστάσεως (Hebrews 1: 3)

Monarchianism/Patripassianism

According to C. A. Blaising, monarchianism, also known as patripassianism and sabellianism refers to a mainly Western concept of the third century which attempted to defend monotheism against tritheism by denying personal distinctions between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Blaising (1996: 727). Blaising notes the term monarchianism was first used by Tertullian to denote those that wished to protect the monarchy of the one God from wrong theology concerning the economy of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Blaising (1996: 727).

Blaising noted this first (dynamic monarchianism) view had proposed monotheistic God, as in the Father in relation to Jesus a mere man who was 'endowed with the Holy Spirit'. Blaising (1996: 727). This view was supported in Rome in around 190 by Thedotus of Byzantium and then by Artemon/Theodotus. This first view was refuted by Hippolytus. Blaising (1996: 727).  Erickson notes that dynamic monarchianism seemed to deny the trinity. Erickson (1994: 334). 

Modalism

Paul of Samosata depersonalized the Logos as the inherent rationality of God, the 'homoousia' of God. Blaising (1996: 727). The substance of God. For this Paul, the Holy Spirit was not a separate being but the grace of the Father. Blaising (1996: 727). This Paul also denied the preincarnate Word of God, and his teaching was condemned at the Synod of Antioch in 268. This second view also became known as modalism. Blaising. (1996: 727). 

Sabellius was in Rome, Blaising (1996: 727), Turner (1999: 514). There is a possibility he may have been from Libya. Turner (1999: 514). He taught modalism in the third century and thus concepts developed the name Sabellianism. Turner explains sabellianism as an alternative denotation of modalism. Turner (1999: 514). Blaising states that Sabellius is often confused with Marcus of Ancyrra of the fourth century. He reasoned a divine monad named Huiopator projected itself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father as creator and lawgiver, the Son as redeemer the Spirit as grace giver. These were three different modes revealing the same divine person. Blaising (1996: 727). 

Erickson did examine modalism in his text in regard to the trinity. There is one God, variously designated as Father, Son and Holy Spirit but they do not stand for any real distinctions, but are simply useable at different times. Erickson (1994: 334). 

An objection raised by trinitarians, and rightly so, is that the New Testament interactions between the Father and Son appear to be very real conversations and not based in modes. 

A reasonable point could be made that yes the human Jesus Christ was interacting with the divine Father in sinless perfection, but this was being done largely because in eternity, God the Son/Word had been interacting with God the Father in a similar way (John 1), prior to taking on a finite human body. The triune God, interacting in a timeless eternal state, a relationship of infinite knowledge and understanding.

ὑποστάσεως

Greek New Testament referenced

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Hebrews 1: 3 3 [a]And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature...

Marshall page 641. 

radiance  apaugasma

representation  carakthr

reality upostasewV

---

Reality = Nature

Concerning Hebrews 1, for example, it is demonstrated in the New Testament that the Father and Son are of the same substance and nature. 

The Orthodox Study Bible, New Testament and Psalms, (1993), In the Glossary, mentions Hypostasis: 

'A technical theological term for "person" or something which has an individual existence. The word is used to describe the three Persons of the Godhead: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.' (800). Hypostasis is also used to describe the one Person of Christ, who is both truly divine and truly human. (800).

The Orthodox Study Bible at the notes from Hebrews 1: 2-3:

ὑποστάσεως

'The express image of His person.' (513). This is in regard to God the Son's Person as being distinct from God the Father. (513).

Bible Hub: Strong 

Cited

'Hebrews 1:3 N-GFS GRK: χαρακτὴρ τῆς ὑποστάσεως αὐτοῦ φέρων NAS: and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds KJV: of his person, and INT: [the] exact expression of the substance of him upholding' 

End citation

---

From Bauer... ὑπόστασις 'substantial nature, essence, actual being, reality'. (847). In the context of Hebrews 1: 3 (ὑποστάσεως my add), the Son of God is the exact representation of God's real being. (847). In other words, God the Son, even as in a finite human body, incarnated, still represents the nature of the infinite God in bodily form. This done without changing God's infinite nature, whatsoever.

Colossians 2:9 New American Standard Bible (NASB) 

9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form. 

---

The incarnation added finite human nature to God the Son (two natures, two minds, one person), but it in no way cancels out, changes or mixes with God the Son's infinite, eternal nature.

The Holy Spirit is not the focus of this short article. But in Acts 5, and in Matthew 28: 19, the Holy Spirit can be demonstrated as divine and I would therefore deduce is of the same divine substance and nature as God the Father and God the Son. It should be noted that triune persons are not three separate natures/Gods. The persons of the trinity could also be called distinctions, but they do personally interact according to the New Testament. 

BAUER, WALTER. (1979) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, Translated by Eric H. Wahlstrom, Chicago, The University of Chicago Press. 

BLAISING, C.A. (1996) ‘Monarchianism' in Walter A. Elwell (ed.), Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Books. 

BLAISING, C.A. (1996) ‘Nicea, Council of (325)’ in Walter A. Elwell (ed.), Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Books. 

BOWMAN, ROBERT M. (1990) Why You Should Believe in the Trinity, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House. 

BROM, ROBERT H. (1983) The Eternal Sonship of Christ, San Diego, CIC 827. 

BROMILEY, G.W. (1996) ‘Trinity’ in Walter A. Elwell (ed.), Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Books. 

BROWNING, W.R.F. (1997) Dictionary of the Bible, Oxford, Oxford University Press. 

COURSON, JON (2005) Application Commentary, Thomas Nelson, Nashville.

ERICKSON, MILLARD (1994) Christian Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House. 

FRANKE, JOHN R. (2005) The Character of Theology, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids.

HAWTHORNE, GERALD F. (1986) 'Hebrews', in The International Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids, Zondervan. 

HUGHES, PHILIP, EDGCUMBE (1990) A Commentary On The Epistle To The Hebrews, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. 

MARSHALL, ALFRED (1975)(1996) The Interlinear KJV-NIV, Grand Rapids, Zondervan.

SCHRECK, ALAN (1984) Catholic and Christian, Ann Arbor, Michigan, Servant Books.

STRONG, J. (1890)(1986) Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Burlington, Welch Publishing Company.

The Orthodox Study Bible, New Testament and Psalms (1993) Saint Athanasius Orthodox Academy,Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. 

THIESSEN, HENRY C. (1956) Introductory Lectures in Systematic Theology, Grand Rapids, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

TURNER, H. E. W. (1999) 'Sabellianism', in Alan Richardson and John Bowden (eds.), A New Dictionary of Christian Theology, Kent, SCM Press Limited.