The union in Christ is essential, true, and preserves each nature's property

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John of Damascus is closing his treatise by characterizing the hypostatic union of Christ's two natures as essential and true, not imaginary, and as preserving the natural property of each nature after the union.

This kind of union is also called essential and true, not a matter of imagination.

Union according to person can also be defined another way: it is the coming together of things different in essence into one person, with the natural property of each being preserved after the union.

Greek

Λέγεται δὲ καὶ οὐσιώδης ἡ τοιαύτη ἕνωσις, καὶ ἀληθὴς, καὶ

οὐ κατὰ φαντασίαν. Καὶ ἄλλως δὲ, καθ' ὑπόστασιν ἕνωσίς ἐστιν ἡ τῶν ἑτεροουσίων εἰς μίαν ὑπόστασιν σύνοδος, σωζομένης ἑκάστῳ μετὰ τὴν ἕνωσιν τῆς φυσικῆς ἰδιότητος.

About this text

John of Damascus lists twelve kinds of union, from wine mixed with water to union in one person, to show how Christ's two natures are joined.

John of Damascus, an Eastern Christian monk and theologian, wrote this treatise in Greek. He had served as a financial official under the Syrian caliph before entering the monastery of Mar Saba. The work is a doctrinal explanation of the concept of union, written to clarify how the divine and human natures come together in Christ.

The treatise responds to errors about Christ's person. John argues against Nestorius, who divided Christ into two persons, and also against Eutyches and Dioscorus, who confused or mixed the natures. The reader will meet Peter and Paul as examples of individuals who share one substance, and will hear the teaching of Nestorius quoted only as the 'nonsense' that John rejects.

A reader should know that 'person' here translates the Greek term hypostasis, meaning an individual concrete reality, while 'nature' means the essential character of a thing and 'substance' means what a thing is. 'Union according to substance' means that individuals such as Peter and Paul share the same humanity but remain separate persons. 'Union according to person' applies only to Christ, in whom the divine and human natures are united in one person without confusion or change, each nature keeping its own natural property.

Printed text used

Translated from PG 94-96; De unione (Greek)

This work has passed this project's source check. This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.