The Covenantal Humanity of Christ

Scott Hahn’s Kinship by Covenant highlights the progressive nature of covenants in how they first provide a filial relationship, then move on to a probationary period similar to adolescence, and finally climax as a manifestation of the recipient as being a covenantal heir and son.

For example, Abraham was joined to God in Genesis 12-15. Tested in 16-22 (Hagar, Ishmael, circumcision, sacrifice of Isaac), and finally the grant provision that God would bless the nations unconditionally through Abraham (Gen 22 and following).

On page 503, Hahn explains how this pattern occurred in the humanity of Christ. The difference with Christ is that his humanity had to progress through the stages in order to receive what He possessed by nature in His divinity. Christ did not “learn” according to His divinity, but according to His humanity. Hahn says it much better:

Christ inherits the right to exercise in his humanity the power and the authority which were his possession by virtue of his eternal generation and divine primogeniture. (KBC, 503).

This is why Paul refers to Christ’s resurrection as a “justification” and why the Epistle of Hebrews mentions so frequently “the Name” that Christ received on account of His Passion and Death.