Body Quote by Gregory of Nazianzus
“There is One God and One Mediator between God and man, the man Jesus Christ (cf. I Tim. 2:5). For He still pleads even now as man for my salvation; for He continues to wear the Body which He assumed, until He make me a god by the power of His Incarnation; although He is no longer known after the flesh (cf. II Cor. 5:16) ? I mean, the passions of the flesh, the same, except sin, as ours.”
About This Quote
Source Sermon: Homily on 1 Timothy 2:5, Gregory of Nazianzus, 4th century
The quote emphasizes Christ as the sole mediator who, through his incarnation, intercedes for humanity and transforms believers toward divinity, despite his post‑resurrection invisibility.
In simple terms: Christ mediates and transforms believers toward divinity.
Key Takeaway
Seek Christ’s intercession and aim for spiritual transformation.
Themes
faith
mediation
incarnation
salvation
divinization
Mood
reverent
hopeful
Type
theological
inspirational
When to use this quote
- personal prayer
- church worship
- ethical decision‑making
- counseling
- spiritual formation
Key Concepts
Christology
theology of mediation
soteriology
Questions to Reflect On
- How does Christ’s mediation affect daily moral choices?
- What does becoming “a god” mean in practical terms?
A Different Perspective
Some may argue that divine transformation is metaphorical, not literal.
![“He, too, “was made in the likeness of sinful flesh,” to condemn sin, and to cast it, as now a condemned thing, away beyond the flesh, but that He might call man forth into His own likeness, assigning him as [His own] imitator to God, and imposing on him His Father’s law, in order that he may see…” quote by The Church Fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/99b/the-church-fathers-1438_parenting_he-too-was-made-in-the-likeness-of-sinfu_570046.jpg)
![“For the essence of sin is man substituting himself for God [Gen. 3:1-7], while the essence of salvation is God substituting himself for man [2 Cor. 5:21]. Man asserts himself against God and puts himself where only God deserves to be; God sacrifices himself for man and puts himself where only man…” quote by John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d25/john-stott-1926_assertion_for-the-essence-of-sin-is-man-substituti_715800.jpg)
![“[Christ's] character is twofold: like the head of the body in that he is regarded as God and yet comparable to the feet in that he put on humanity for the sake of our salvation, a man of passions like ours.” quote by Eusebius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f0f/eusebius-24376_body_christ-s-character-is-twofold-like-the-h_1617512.jpg)
![“I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests with ZERO-G [a charter-flight service in Arlington, Va., that uses modified Boeing 727s to simulate weightlessness], which went great.” quote by Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/aa1/richard-branson-256_adventure_i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-repl_903.jpg)
