John Owen writes:

“Wherefore our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, may be considered three ways. 1. Merely with respect unto his divine nature. This is one and the same with that of the Father. In this respect the one is not the image of the other, for both are the same. 2. With respect unto his divine person as the Son of the Father, the only-begotten, the eternal Son of God. Thus he receives, as his personality, so all divine excellencies, from the Father; so he is the essential image of the Father’s person. 3. As he took our nature upon him, or in the assumption of our nature into personal union with himself, in order unto the work of his mediation. So is he the only representative image of God unto us—in whom alone we see, know, and learn all the divine excellencies—so as to live unto God, and be directed unto the enjoyment of him. All this himself instructs us in.” (The Works of John Owen, 1:72)

This paper aims to engage Owen’s Christological framework through a detailed exegesis of the Scriptures he draws from, addressing the unity of the divine nature, the personhood of the Son, and the importance of the incarnation for mediatory work. By exploring these three dimensions of Christ’s identity, this paper seeks to illuminate Owen’s Christology and its profound implications for understanding both the nature of God and the work of Christ in salvation.

The First Consideration: Christ’s Divine Nature in Unity with the Father

Owen begins his exploration of the Son of God by asserting the unity of Christ’s divine nature with that of the Father. According to Owen, in His divine essence, Christ is of the same substance as the Father, which directly corresponds to the Nicene affirmation that the Son is homoousios with the Father. In this sense, Christ’s nature is identical with the Father’s, and this identity must be upheld to safeguard the Christian understanding of God’s absolute unity and transcendence. Owen writes, “In this respect the one is not the image of the other, for both are the same.”

A pivotal scriptural reference that Owen draws from is John 10:30, where Jesus declares, “I and the Father are one” (ἐγώ καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἕν ἐσμεν). The term ἕν (hen), meaning “one,” in the Greek text, signifies not a numerical unity but an ontological one: Christ shares the very essence of the Father. This ontological unity is not merely functional or relational but is grounded in the very being of Christ and the Father, a unity that establishes the full divinity of the Son. In John 14:9, Jesus’ statement to Philip, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father,” further affirms that Christ, as the Son, reveals the essence of the Father through His very being.

In addition to the theological implications of this unity, Owen’s Christology aligns with the Johannine prologue (John 1:1–14), where the Logos is identified as both fully divine and fully distinct from the Father. The opening verses of John provide a foundational statement: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος). The Word (λόγος), a personal, divine reality, is both with God and is God—reflecting a perfect unity in essence while maintaining distinction in person. This passage reflects the reality that the Son, in His divine nature, is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father, a doctrine central to Owen’s theology.

The Second Consideration: The Divine Personhood of the Eternal Son

The second aspect of Owen’s Christological framework addresses the personhood of Christ as the eternal Son of the Father. Owen writes that Christ “receives, as his personality, so all divine excellencies, from the Father.” This notion is in line with the Nicene doctrine of the eternal generation of the Son, affirming that the Son, as the only-begotten of the Father, is fully God in essence and personality.

Owen’s Christology emphasizes that Christ’s personhood is eternally grounded in His relationship with the Father. This relationship is essential to understanding the Son’s identity and function within the Trinity. The biblical support for this concept is found in passages such as John 1:14, where the Logos becomes flesh and dwells among us. The Greek term σάρξ (sarx) in this context refers to the full assumption of human nature, but the preceding verses, especially John 1:18, provide the theological backdrop: “No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known” (ὁ ὢν ἐν τῷ κόλπῳ τοῦ πατρός, ἐκεῖνος ἐξηγήσατο). Here, Christ is presented as the unique revealer of the Father, fully embodying the Father’s divine excellencies, yet distinct in His personhood as the Son.

In theological terms, Owen’s distinction between nature and person is crucial. While the divine essence of the Father and Son is identical, their personhoods are distinct, and this distinction allows for a relational dynamic within the Godhead. As the eternal Son, Christ possesses a unique, uncreated personality that is eternally derived from the Father. This is reflected in His designation as the “only-begotten” (μονογενής, monogenēs) Son, a term that underscores His unique relationship with the Father, as articulated in passages like John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son” (τὸν υἱὸν τὸν μονογενῆ).

The Third Consideration: The Incarnation and Christ’s Mediation

Owen’s third consideration focuses on the incarnation, where the Son assumes human nature for the purpose of mediation. This is the central mystery of Christian salvation—Christ, as fully divine and fully human, bridges the gap between God and humanity. Owen asserts that in this union of divine and human natures, Christ becomes the “only representative image of God unto us,” revealing the divine excellencies to humanity in a way that can be apprehended by human beings.

The biblical foundation for this aspect of Christ’s work is found in passages like Hebrews 1:3, which states, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being” (ἀπαύγασμα τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ καὶ χαρακτὴρ τῆς ὑποστάσεώς αὐτοῦ). The term χαρακτήρ (charaktēr) refers to the “exact imprint” or “representation” of the divine essence. In Christ, the fullness of God’s glory is made manifest in a form that humanity can both see and understand.

This truth is further expounded in Colossians 1:19–20, where Paul writes, “For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross” (ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ εὐδόκησεν πᾶσα ἡ πληρωματὸς τοῦ θεοῦ κατοικῆσαι, καὶ δι’ αὐτοῦ ἀποκαταλλάξαι τὰ πάντα). Here, Paul emphasizes that Christ’s incarnation is the means by which God reconciles all things to Himself, establishing peace between God and creation through Christ’s mediatory death on the cross.

The theological significance of the incarnation cannot be overstated, for in taking on human nature, the Son of God not only reveals God to humanity but also provides the means for humanity to be reconciled to God. The union of divine and human natures in the person of Christ enables the Son to be both the perfect revelation of God and the perfect mediator between God and humanity.

Conclusion: Owen’s Threefold Consideration of Christ’s Nature and Work

John Owen’s threefold consideration of the Son of God provides a systematic framework for understanding Christology, emphasizing the eternal unity of the divine nature, the unique personhood of the Son, and the mediatory work of the incarnate Son. Through his exegesis of Scripture, Owen affirms that the Son is ontologically one with the Father, distinct in personhood, and supremely revealed in the incarnation. These three dimensions of Christ’s identity and work are not merely abstract theological categories but are the foundation of Christian faith and salvation. For Owen, the fullness of God’s glory is revealed in Christ, and through Christ’s work, believers are reconciled to the Father, receiving the knowledge of divine excellencies and the hope of eternal life with God.