2.16. Docetism

The belief that Jesus Christ only appeared human and seemed to suffer, but was in fact immaterial and not truly human. “This view arose from the assumption of Greek philosophers that the material world, including the body was innately evil.”¹ This denial of the incarnation was written against by John (John 1:1Jn. John 1:1-3; John 4:3).

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Notes

¹ Edwin M. Yamauchi, “Ignatius of Antioch,” in John D. Woodbridge, ed., Great Leaders of the Christian Church (Chicago, IL: Houghton Mifflin, 1993), 37.