Introduction
In a Sermon for Christmas Day, Anglo-Saxon abbot Elfric of Eynsham likened the new-born baby in the manger to an egg. His purpose was serious: he wanted his congregation to understand that Jesus Christ was the incarnate Son, Word and Wisdom of God, not merely a prophet or good man that God loved like a son.
THE Word begotten without beginning of the Almighty Father was always God from God, Wisdom of the wise Father. He is not made, because he is God and not a creature; for the Almighty Father created all creatures through that Wisdom,* and quickened them through the Holy Spirit.*
Mankind could not see Christ’s divine begetting; yet that same Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, that we might see him.* Not that the Word turned to flesh: he was clothed in flesh.
Every man has soul and body yet remains one man; likewise, Christ remains in divinity and humanity one person, one Christ.* Nonetheless, his divinity was not mingled with his humanity, nor was there any separation. We might suggest an example, if it is not too trivial. Look at an egg, how the white is not mingled with the yolk, yet they make up one egg.
Freely translated from the Old English
Elfric is quoting the Creed of the Council of Constantinople in 381. It is more commonly known as the Nicene Creed, because the first draft was issued by the Council of Nicaea in 325. See also John 1:1-4.
See Genesis 2:7. Pnevma in Greek (πνεύμα), like ruach in Hebrew, means not only ‘spirit’ but ‘wind, breath’.
See John 1:14, John 14:9, and 1 John 1:1-4.
Elfric does not mean that the Son of God took the place of Jesus’s human soul. The English Church had already officially declared her belief that Christ has a human soul and will: see The Synod of Hatfield. He means that although God’s Son took a whole human nature – body, soul, will and all the rest – onto himself as his own, the end result was still a single person. Consequently, we can say that God has himself been born of a woman, and that Mary gave birth to God in the flesh. This was made clear at the Council of Ephesus in 431 and again at the Council of Chalcedon in 451: see How St Euphemia Saved Christmas.
Archive
Word Games
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Example. Man. Separation.
2 Divine. Flesh. We.
3 Father. How. Nor.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Subject and Object Find in Think and Speak
Use each word below in two sentences, first as the subject of a verb, and then as the object of a verb. It doesn’t have to be the same verb: some verbs can’t be paired with an object (e.g. arrive, happen), so watch out for these.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1. Person. 2. Egg. 3. Spirit. 4. Father. 5. Word. 6. Turn. 7. Look. 8. Man. 9. God.
Variations: 1.use your noun in the plural (e.g. cat → cats), if possible. 2.give one of your sentences a future aspect (e.g. will, going to). 3.write sentences using negatives such as not, neither, nobody and never.
Confusables Find in Think and Speak
In each group below, you will find words that are similar to one another, but not exactly the same. Compose your own sentences to bring out the similarities and differences between them, whether in meaning, grammar or use.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
High Tiles Find in Think and Speak
Make words (three letters or more) from the seven letters showing below, using any letter once only. Each letter carries a score. What is the highest-scoring word you can make?
Your Words ()
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