Monophysitism — What is it?

Quick answer

Monophysitism is the belief that Jesus had only one nature, a mixture of both human and divine. This view was rejected as heretical. Jesus has two distinct natures—human and divine.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Monophysitism comes from the Greek words mono , meaning "only," and physis , meaning "nature." This belief teaches that Jesus had a single, combined nature during His life on earth. It contrasts with dyophysitism, the belief that Jesus has two distinct natures—fully human and fully divine. Monophysitism was rejected at the Council of Chalcedon in 451, where the doctrine of the hypostatic union was affirmed, declaring Jesus as both fully God and fully man in two distinct natures.

One of the major proponents of monophysitism was Eutyches, who taught that Jesus's divine nature overtook or absorbed His human nature. However, this view was officially condemned at the Sixth Ecumenical Council in 680–681. Biblically, the idea that Jesus had only one nature is incorrect. Scripture reveals that Jesus experienced both a human and divine nature during His earthly life (John 6:38; Hebrews 4:15).

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

Isaiah 53:3–5: The prophecy of the suffering servant emphasizes Jesus’s humanity, showing that He experienced suffering and pain as part of His human nature while fulfilling a divine mission.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

John 6:38: "For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me." This verse demonstrates Jesus’s divine mission while highlighting His human will, showing the coexistence of both natures.
Hebrews 4:15: "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin." This affirms Jesus’s human nature, as He experienced real temptation yet remained sinless.
Colossians 2:9: "For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily." This confirms the divine nature of Jesus, affirming His complete deity within His human body.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Monophysitism was rejected because it undermines the fullness of both Jesus’s humanity and divinity. For believers today, understanding that Jesus had two distinct natures—human and divine—reinforces the truth that He can fully represent humanity and offer the divine power to redeem us. Jesus understands human weakness and suffering while also being fully God, capable of providing salvation (Hebrews 4:15). Accepting this biblical view helps us see Jesus as the perfect mediator between God and humanity.

Monophysitism's assertion that Christ's human and divine natures merge into one singular nature diminishes the significance of His full humanity and divinity. This perspective can lead to misunderstandings about the nature of redemption and the role of Christ in our lives. If Jesus were only a divine being without the complete experience of humanity, He could not empathize with our struggles or genuinely represent us before God. This lack of duality would hinder our understanding of grace and salvation, as it is through His humanity that He models how to live righteously while also providing the power to redeem us from sin (1 John 2:1). Embracing the orthodox view of Christ's two natures enhances our faith, assuring us that we have a Savior who fully comprehends our human experience and simultaneously possesses the authority to grant eternal life.

UNDERSTAND

Monophysitism asserts Jesus has a single, merged nature of divine and human.
The Bible asserts that Jesus had two distinct natures: divine and human.
Monophysitism was rejected at the Council of Chalcedon in 451 A.D., which affirmed the hypostatic union.

REFLECT

How does understanding the dual nature of Christ as fully human and fully divine impact your personal faith and relationship with Him?
How can we draw strength and comfort from knowing that Jesus empathizes with our struggles and weaknesses as both human and God?
How does believing that Jesus is both God and man influence the way we approach our own challenges and temptations?

ENGAGE

What are the potential consequences of misunderstanding or misrepresenting the nature of Christ in our theology and worship?
How does the affirmation of Jesus's two distinct natures help us better understand the significance of His role as our mediator and Savior?
In light of the rejection of monophysitism, how can we engage with those who hold differing views about the nature of Christ and remain rooted in biblical truth?