Did Christ Come "In (the) Flesh" or "Into Our Flesh"?
🔵 Central Text
1 John 4:1-3 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God: 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus, is not of God: and this is the spirit of the antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it is coming; and now it is in the world already.
The phrase mostly in question is "come in the flesh".
🔵 Original Language (Greek)
Reason for the grayed "the" => It was added. Translators often add "the" for clarity and to convey the intended meaning in English. The phrase "come in the flesh" is understood to refer to the incarnation of Jesus Christ, emphasizing His real, physical existence. The addition of "the" helps to convey this specific theological concept in a way that is clear to English readers.
Breakdown of the Phrase "come in flesh" From the Greek
- ἐν (en): This preposition generally means "in" or "within." It indicates a state of being or existence within a certain context.
- σαρκὶ (sarki): This is the dative form of "σάρξ" (sarx), meaning "flesh." The absence of a definite article (such as "the") means it can be understood as "in flesh" or "in a fleshly state" rather than specifically "in the flesh."
- ἐλθόντα (elthonta): This is the aorist participle of the verb "ἔρχομαι" (erchomai), meaning "to come" or "to arrive." The aorist tense indicates a completed action, suggesting that the coming has already occurred.
The phrase is often interpreted as a reference to the incarnation of Jesus Christ, emphasizing that He came into the world in a physical human body - a central tenet of Christian theology. It can also imply that Jesus experienced human life in its entirety, including suffering, temptation, and physical existence. This aspect highlights Christ's ability to relate to human experiences.
🔵 Doesn't Everyone Agree that Christ Came in Human Flesh?
I certainly thought so, until studied further into the matter. The idea that Christ did not come in human flesh is a central tenet of some Gnostic sects, particularly those that emphasized the spiritual nature of Christ and the illusion of his physical existence. This concept is often referred to as "docetism," from the Greek word "δοκεῖν" (dokein), meaning "to seem" or "to appear." I hear that this was likely being taught in the time of the Apostle John, which would explain why he said that this type of antichrist "already is in the world." 1Jn4:1-3 As usual, the most obvious reading of scripture is likely correct...
Desiring to live by every word that comes from the mouth of Jehovah (Deut8:3; Matt4:4)
-Sid Nash: 07/18/2025. Latest version: https://sidnash.org/docs/IntoOurFlesh.html