Theophanies As Christophanies In Reformed Theology
In Reformed theology, the concept of theophany, particularly as it relates to Christophany, involves understanding Old Testament appearances of God as pre-incarnate manifestations of Jesus Christ. This perspective holds that whenever God appeared in a visible form in the Old Testament, it was the second person of the Trinity, the Son, who was appearing [3].
This view is rooted in the belief that the Son is the agent of God's revelation to humanity. For instance, Charles Hodge, a prominent Old Princeton theologian, emphasizes the mystical and vital union believers have with Christ, stating that "Christ communicates his own life substantially to the soul on which He acts, causing it to grow into his very nature" [2]. While this specific quote refers to the believer's union with Christ, it underscores the active role of Christ in divine interaction with humanity, a role that extends to pre-incarnate appearances.
Reformed theologians often interpret passages such as the Angel of the Lord appearing to Hagar (Genesis 16), Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3), or Joshua before the battle of Jericho (Joshua 5) as Christophanies. These appearances are understood not merely as angelic messengers, but as direct, albeit temporary, manifestations of God himself, specifically the Son, who would later take on human flesh [3]. This interpretation maintains the unity of God while affirming the distinct persons of the Trinity.
The significance of identifying theophanies as Christophanies lies in demonstrating the continuity of God's redemptive plan and the active involvement of Christ throughout salvation history, even before his birth in Bethlehem. It highlights that Christ was not merely a New Testament figure but was eternally God and actively engaged in the world from its earliest stages [3]. This understanding also reinforces the Reformed emphasis on Christ as central to all of Scripture and all of God's dealings with humanity. John Calvin, for example, speaks of believers being "renewed by that regeneration into the righteousness of God from which we had fallen" through "the blessing of Christ," indicating Christ's foundational role in restoration [1].
Sources
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 58: the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.” Again, “Be renewed in the spirit of your minds” and “put ye on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Again, “Put ye on 516 the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.” 310 310 2 Cor. 3:18 ; Eph. 4:23, 24 ; Col. 3:10 ; 2 Cor. 4:16 . Accordingly through the blessing of Christ we are renewed by that regeneration into the righteousness of God from which we had falle”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 28: . not a new humanity, wholly dissevered from that of Adam; but the humanity of Adam itself, only raised to a higher character, and filled with new meaning and power, by its union with the divine nature. . . . . Christ’s life, as now described, rests not in his separate person, but passes over to his people; thus constituting the Church, which is his body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all.” “Christ communicates his own life substantially to the soul on which He acts, causing it to grow into his very nature. This is the mystical u”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 104: and afterwards by the Reformers; how the Rationalists and Supernaturalists of the last generation dealt with it; and how the modern speculative theologians have philosophized about it; and end, generally, by giving in their adhesion to some one of these modern theories more or less modified. All the while there stand the Scriptural statements untouched and unrefuted. They are allowed to go for what they are worth; but they are not permitted to control the writers own convictions. This course is adopted by different men on different princ”