The Heidelberg Catechism in Questions and Answers (10)

Lord's Day 14

35. What is the meaning of these words—”He was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary”?

That God's eternal Son, who is and continueth true and eternal God, took upon Him the very nature of man, of the flesh and blood of the Virgin Mary, by the operation of the Holy Ghost; that He might also be the true seed of David, like unto His brethren in all things, sin excepted.

1. Of what does this Lord's Day speak? It speaks of the assuming of our human nature by the Son of God.

2. Was the incarnation of the Son of God the work only of the Son? No, it was also the work of the Father, who sent Him, and of the Holy Ghost, who overshadowed Mary.

3. How did the Son of God become man? By the divine Person's assuming the human nature, thus becoming two natures in one Person.

4. Did He at His birth lay aside His divinity? No, He hid His divinity behind the veil of His human nature.

5. From whom did He assume His human nature? From the Virgin Mary.

6. Through whose activity did He assume our nature? By the working of the Holy Spirit.

7. Did He become like unto man in all things? He is the true seed of David, like unto His brethren in all things, sin excepted.

8. Why did He assume our human nature? In order that He, in our human nature, might merit salvation and bring about the salvation of sinners.

9. Did He not bring His human nature with Him from heaven? No, that is taught by the Anabaptists, but He assumed it from the Virgin Mary.

36. What profit dost thou receive by Christ's holy conception and nativity?

That He is our Mediator, and with His innocence and perfect holiness covers in the sight of God my sins, wherein I was conceived and brought forth.

1. What is the subject of this question and answer? The profit of Jesus' holy conception and nativity.

2. To what does the word Mediator direct us? To Lord's Days 5 and 6, where the subject of the Mediator was discussed.

3. What must we earnestly consider? Whether He is our Mediator through the working of the Holy Spirit and true saving faith.

4. What does the Mediator do by His holy conception and nativity? With His innocence and perfect holiness He covers in the sight of God the sins of His people, in which they were conceived and brought forth.

5. Was not only His birth sufficient? No, He also had to suffer and die, and thus bring about reconciliation through satisfaction.

Lord's Day 15

37. What dost thou understand by the words, “He suffered”?

That He, all the time that He lived on earth, but especially at the end of His life, sustained in body and soul the wrath of God against the sins of all mankind; that so by His passion, as the only propitiatory sacrifice, He might redeem our body and soul from everlasting damnation, and obtain for us the favor of God, righteousness, and eternal life.

1. Did Christ have to suffer? Yes, it was foretold in the Old Testament. See Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22.

2. In what way did He suffer? In soul and body. His soul was exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. Peter said, “Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree.”

3. How long did He suffer? All the time He lived on earth, but especially at the end of His life.

4. What did He endure in His suffering? He bore the wrath of God against the sins of all mankind, for God's wrath is indivisible.

5. For what purpose has He suffered? To redeem His people with soul and body from everlasting damnation and obtain for them the favor of God, righteousness, and eternal life.

6. What cannot be separated one from the other? The meriting and the applying. He applies the merited salvation to His people.

7. Did the Godhead suffer? No, for the Godhead cannot suffer; the Godhead strengthened the human nature in its suffering.

8. Did Christ suffer for all people? No, only for His people, the elect, those who were given Him by the Father (Matthew 1:21).

— to be continued —

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