"CHRIST AS THE EXEGESIS OF GOD: A HISTORICALGRAMMATICAL EXAMINATION OF MONOGENĒS AND THE REVELATION OF THE FATHER IN THE SON
Abstract
This paper examines the biblical concept of Jesus Christ as the complete exegesis (ἐξηγέομαι, exēgeomai) of God the Father through a historical grammatical hermeneutical lens, focusing primarily on John 1:18 and related New Testament passages. The study investigates how Jesus uniquely reveals the invisible God through His incarnation, addressing the theological implications of monogenēs (μονογενής) and its role in early Christological controversies, particularly during the Arian debates of North Africa. Through detailed lexical analysis of exēgeomai and examination of key texts (John 1:18; 3:16; 5:30; 14:8-10; Colossians 1:15-17; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 1:1-3, 7-10), this paper demonstrates that Christ is the singular, definitive special revelation of God's nature and character. The research argues that while God's glory remains unapproachable to humanity directly, and while general Revelation through creation provides knowledge of God's existence and power, Jesus Christ—as the incarnate Logos—serves as the sole mediator who makes the invisible God's personal nature and redemptive purposes fully visible through special revelation, thereby completing God's self-disclosure to humanity. The paper concludes that Christ's role as divine exegete transcends propositional revelation, encompassing relational and experiential knowledge of God through the incarnation.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Biblical Studies and Interpretation
Karl Barth and Christian Theology
Augustinian Studies and Theology
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
- Publication date
- 20 March 2026
- Language
- EN
- Document type
- Preprint