What evidence is there to show that John Wesley and John Calvin did not believe that Jesus is Michael?
score:8
I'm pretty sure Wesley and Calvin did not actually believe that Jesus is Michael. Those two quotations you gave only show that in the verses they referred to, Michael typifies Christ, just as in many other places. Ie. Jonah typified Christ, or "you may refer Jonah in his being in the belly of the fish for 3 days and 3 nights as the person of Christ, who died and was resurrected in 3 days", but that doesn't mean that Jonah is actually Christ. So in those two passages you quoted, Wesley and Calvin are merely saying that Michael in those verses they were commenting on typifies Christ's person
Upvote:0
Both Wesley and Calvin were both Trinitarians that held to the basic Christology of Early Christianity. So, this makes it really unlikely that they would have had the same Michael is Jesus interpretation that modern Jehovah's Witnesses use (Because that group has adopted that interpretation from a dogmatic stance due to being against Christian traditional theology of the Nicene Creed).
Some people have pointed out the potential of Michael as a kind of Theophany (Christ in disguise as an angel, or maybe a reference to the appearance of the pre-incarnate Son of God). It should be noted however that other suspected Old Testament Theophanies follow different literary conventions, the figure that appears is mysterious and unnamed. A few examples from Genesis.
18 The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. 2 Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby.
24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
Upvote:2
Regarding the partial quote "Michael may mean an angel; but I embrace the opinion of those who refer this to the person of Christ because it suits the subject best to represent him as standing forward for the defense of his elect people...." the article in the link below suggests that Calvin did not believe that Jesus is Michael:
http://forananswer.blogspot.co.uk/2006/10/did-john-calvin-really-teach-that.html
"Calvin's comment regarding "Michael" and Christ come only in reference to Daniel 12:1. It is significant that in this passage (and previously in chapter 10), Michael is not explicitly called an "angel," but rather the "mighty prince." If we consider Calvin's comments in context, it is clear that he is NOT saying the ANGEL Michael is Christ"
A very interesting perspective.
Upvote:7
If you look at Calvin's commentary on Jude 9 you'll see nothing at all that suggests he thought that Michael is Jesus. Indeed, I don't see how you could make sense of Jude 9 if you think Michael is Jesus (unless perhaps if you deny Jesus' divinity.)
More post
- 📝 Looking for Complete Online Collection of the Sermons of German Priest, Fr. Franz Hunolt, S.J
- 📝 What is the biblical basis to say that prophetic words spoken today are equivalent in authority to scripture?
- 📝 What are the main biblical interpretations used to defend the point of view that Nicodemus had inferior faith?
- 📝 What does giving up free will and giving it to Jesus mean?
- 📝 Are Jesus and Lazarus the only people raised from the dead?
- 📝 Comparison of Age of Earth according to Biblical theories
- 📝 Does Reformed Baptist Protestantism reject Annihilationism?
- 📝 Was Jesus referring to 1 Kings 19 while delivering His teaching on pursuit of the Kingdom of God? (Roman Catholic perspective)
- 📝 Is there a connection between St. Ambrose's "casta meretrix" and Apocalypse 17,1?
- 📝 Was Esau's Birthright also a physical token?
- 📝 What is the Catholic view of the rapture?
- 📝 How does fasting affect violent situations not under my control?
- 📝 Why do Trinitarians call the Father, the Father?
- 📝 How is the Trinity compatible with divine simplicity?
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis to declare that 'justice necessitates the resurrection of the body'?
- 📝 On nominal Christianity
- 📝 How has war been justified within Christianity, with respect to the New Testament and preferably the Gospels?
- 📝 Do Christians believe that Jews must still follow the Mosaic law?
- 📝 How does the Catholic Church justify discouraging romantic freedoms of h*m*sexuals?
- 📝 How do we understand that the law was given by angels
- 📝 Does Catholic doctrine teach that the Incarnation would have taken place regardless of Adam's decision?
- 📝 Why are Catholic bishops styled as archbishops?
- 📝 Do the Taylor Brethren use the term 'Trinity' in a specialised way?
- 📝 Why don't young-earth creationists just explain things (usually considered as miracles) as miracles?
- 📝 Are the persons nominated to be created cardinals eligible to participate in the conclave before the consistory?
- 📝 Why is the Jewish Passover on 28 March 2021 but Good Friday is on 2 April 2021?
- 📝 What is the dominant theory of atonement in Catholic theology?
- 📝 How are angels and humans different?
- 📝 Can my third class relic make other items into third class relics?
- 📝 How could Jesus get followers so easily?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 What evidence is there to show that John Wesley and John Calvin did not believe that Jesus is Michael?
- 📝 What things did John the Baptist say that the elders and priests did not believe?
- 📝 What evidence is there from scripture for why Daniel did not eat the King's food?
- 📝 Did John Calvin believe there was no salvation outside the visible church?
- 📝 Did John Calvin believe that the grandchildren of a believer are entitled to infant baptism?
- 📝 What hard evidence is there that Charles Wesley was Arminian?
- 📝 What evidence is there that the thief on the cross was not baptized?
- 📝 What was the language that Enoch spoke and did the Book of Enoch get written 3000 years BC is there any proof or carbon dating of that?
- 📝 What are the arguments of those who believe that the prerequisite stated here by John is yet not sufficient for being born of God?
- 📝 What is the evidence that the New Testament authors believed, or did not believe, that they were writing an inspired record?
- 📝 What did St. John Chrysostom mean by saying there is no difference between what is demanded from the monastics and the laity?
- 📝 Are there any denominations that teach Adam and Eve did not have the opportunity to be saved?
- 📝 What norms, instructions, permissions and customs are there that do not conform to Traditionis Custodes?
- 📝 Is there evidence to suggest that John Wesley targeted the bottom third of society?
- 📝 What did Luther and Calvin believe about "Lucifer" in Isaiah 14?
- 📝 What evidence is there that Jesus was a carpenter?
- 📝 According to those holding that Lazarus was literally raised from the dead, why did Matthew, Mark, and Luke not mention it?
- 📝 What does it mean that Jesus fulfilled the law but did not abolish it?
- 📝 What is the Biblical evidence that there are ONLY three persons in the "Trinity"?
- 📝 Are there any statistics that show how many scientists are Christians or otherwise believe in a personal God?
- 📝 What evidence is there to support the position that the Bible is truly the Word of God to mankind?
- 📝 What evidence is there that the Apostle Paul had been a member of the Sanhedrin?
- 📝 Why did Clement and Eusebius believe that Paul was married?
- 📝 What evidence is there that the Chinese script reflects a knowledge of Genesis 1-11?
- 📝 What is the basis for the belief that the wise men did not arrive in Bethlehem until several months after the birth of Jesus?
- 📝 What evidence is there that Peter was a bishop in Rome?
- 📝 What is the Biblical Basis of a "water canopy", and is there scientific evidence to support it?
- 📝 What is the nature of the theory for Pope Joan and the evidence that substantiates it?
- 📝 What is the theory that there is more than one "Satan" called, and what is its basis?
- 📝 Did John Calvin teach that God creates certain souls only to be destroyed?