The confession found in Section 2, Chapter 2, Article 2 of the Catechism — “And in Jesus Christ, His Only Son, Our Lord” (430–455) — represents one of the central affirmations of the Christian faith. This declaration expresses the profound mystery that lies at the heart of Christianity: that Jesus Christ is both fully divine and fully human. The study of this mystery, known as Christology, seeks to understand the identity and mission of Jesus, the Son of God who became man for the salvation of the world. To grasp this truth is to delve into the very foundation of Christian belief, where the eternal Word of God enters human history and reconciles creation with its Creator.

The Meaning of the Name “Jesus Christ”

The Catechism begins its exposition of this article by explaining the meaning of the name “Jesus.” Derived from the Hebrew “Yeshua,” it means “God saves.” The name given to Him at His birth, as directed by the angel, reveals His mission — to bring salvation to His people and to all of humanity. In Jesus, the promise of salvation that runs throughout the Old Testament finds its fulfillment. His name is not merely a label but a revelation of His divine purpose.

The title “Christ” comes from the Greek “Christos,” which translates the Hebrew “Messiah,” meaning “Anointed One.” In the Old Testament, kings, priests, and prophets were anointed as signs of their divine calling. Jesus, however, is anointed not with oil but with the Holy Spirit. He is the definitive and eternal Anointed One, uniting in Himself the threefold mission of prophet, priest, and king. Through Him, all the promises of God are realized and made present in history.

The Son of God: Eternal and Begotten, Not Made

The confession that Jesus is the “Only Son of God” expresses His eternal relationship with the Father. Unlike human beings who become children of God by grace and adoption, Jesus is Son by nature. From eternity, He is the Word of the Father, consubstantial with Him — that is, of the same divine essence. This truth is summarized in the Nicene Creed, which declares that He is “God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father.”

This distinction between “begotten” and “made” is essential. “Begotten” indicates that the Son shares the same divine nature as the Father, while “made” would suggest creation and therefore a difference in essence. The Church Fathers insisted that the Son is co-eternal with the Father. There was never a time when the Son did not exist. Through Him all things were made, and in Him all creation finds its meaning. To confess Jesus as the only Son of God is thus to acknowledge that in Him the fullness of divinity dwells bodily.

Jesus Christ, Our Lord

The title “Lord” is one of the most ancient and significant confessions of the Christian faith. In the Old Testament, “Lord” (Kyrios in Greek) was used to translate the divine name of God, Yahweh. By applying this title to Jesus, the early Christians were proclaiming that He shares in the divine sovereignty of God Himself. To call Jesus “Lord” is to acknowledge His divinity, His authority over creation, and His role as the one to whom all worship and obedience are due.

At the same time, the confession of Jesus as Lord also signifies His role as the one who has redeemed humanity through His death and resurrection. St. Paul writes in Philippians 2:9–11 that God exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. His lordship, therefore, is not an abstract power but one rooted in sacrificial love. Through His obedience unto death, He became the Lord of life.

The Humanity of Jesus Christ

The mystery of the incarnation lies in the fact that the eternal Son of God truly became man. In taking on human nature, He did not cease to be divine, nor did He merely appear human. He assumed the fullness of human existence — body, soul, intellect, and will — uniting it to His divine person. The Catechism emphasizes that Jesus worked with human hands, thought with a human mind, acted with a human will, and loved with a human heart. Everything that belongs to human experience, except sin, was made His own.

This full humanity is essential to the work of salvation. What is not assumed cannot be redeemed. By entering fully into human existence, the Son of God heals and sanctifies it from within. His birth, growth, suffering, and death are not appearances but realities through which divine love transforms human destiny. The humanity of Jesus is the means by which God communicates Himself to humanity. Through the visible humanity of Christ, believers encounter the invisible God.

The Unity of the Divine and Human Natures

The central question of Christology concerns how the divine and human natures coexist in the one person of Jesus Christ. The early Church faced numerous controversies regarding this mystery. Some groups, such as the Arians, denied the full divinity of Christ, while others, like the Docetists, denied His full humanity. Still others, such as the Nestorians and Monophysites, struggled with how the two natures relate within the one person.

The Council of Chalcedon in 451 provided the definitive articulation of orthodox Christology. It declared that Jesus Christ is one person in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, and without separation. Each nature retains its own properties, but both are united in one person and one hypostasis. This means that Jesus is fully God and fully man — not a blend or mixture of the two, but perfectly complete in both. His divinity and humanity coexist harmoniously, allowing Him to act as the perfect mediator between God and humanity.

Jesus as the Mediator and Savior

The union of divine and human natures in Christ makes possible His role as mediator. Only one who is both God and man can bridge the infinite gap between the Creator and His creation. As true man, He represents humanity before God; as true God, He reveals God to humanity. Through His life, death, and resurrection, He accomplishes reconciliation and opens the way for all to share in divine life.

Jesus’ mediation is not a theoretical concept but a lived reality. In His teachings, miracles, and compassion, He reveals the heart of the Father. In His suffering and death, He takes upon Himself the consequences of human sin. In His resurrection, He inaugurates a new creation where death no longer has dominion. To believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is to enter into this mystery of reconciliation and transformation.

The Significance of the Hypostatic Union

The term “hypostatic union” refers to the union of Christ’s two natures in one divine person. This union is not temporary or partial but permanent and complete. From the moment of the incarnation, the Word became flesh and remains so eternally. Even after His resurrection and ascension, Jesus remains both God and man. This continuity assures believers that humanity now has a place within the very life of God. The glorified Christ carries our human nature into the heart of the Trinity.

This union also gives meaning to Christian life. Because Christ shares in our humanity, He understands every aspect of our existence — our suffering, our joy, our struggle, and our hope. Because He is divine, He has the power to redeem and transform us. In Him, humanity and divinity are not opposed but reconciled. The mystery of the hypostatic union thus becomes the foundation of Christian spirituality, inviting believers to participate in the divine nature through grace.

Christology and the Life of Faith

Understanding Christ as both God and man is not a purely intellectual exercise. It has direct implications for faith, worship, and moral life. In worship, Christians honor Jesus as Lord because in Him the fullness of God is revealed. In moral life, believers look to His humanity as the perfect model of obedience, humility, and love. The incarnation shows that holiness is not a withdrawal from the world but a transformation of it through grace.

Faith in Christ’s dual nature also shapes Christian hope. Since Christ shares our humanity, He has entered our suffering and death; since He is divine, He has conquered them. Therefore, believers live in the assurance that their destiny is united with His. The resurrected Christ, both God and man, stands as the firstborn among many, revealing the future glory that awaits those who belong to Him.

Conclusion: The Mystery That Transforms the World

The confession “And in Jesus Christ, His Only Son, Our Lord” is more than a statement of belief; it is the summary of the entire Christian mystery. In Jesus, God and humanity meet in perfect union. The eternal Word becomes flesh to reveal divine love and to restore creation. The one who is true God and true man remains the center of history and the source of salvation. To contemplate His person is to encounter the living God who enters human life to transform it from within.

Christology, therefore, is not a distant academic pursuit but the heartbeat of Christian faith. It teaches that in Jesus Christ, the fullness of divine truth and human destiny are united forever. Through Him, believers come to know God as Father, to experience the Spirit as sanctifier, and to share in the divine life that has conquered sin and death. In confessing Jesus Christ as the only Son of God and Lord, the Church continues to proclaim the mystery that changes everything — the mystery of the Incarnate Son.