Greek Terms from Chemnitz’ Two Natures in Christ

The following is a list of Greek terms that Martin Chemnitz uses in his seminal work The Two Natures in Christ. While J.A.O. Preus’ translation is excellent, this will offer some help to the reader. Page numbers are included in parentheses.

• οὐσία – essence/substance (29)
• φύσις – nature (29)
• μορφή – form (29)
• ὑφιστάμενον – subsistence (29)
• ὑπόστασις – hypostasis/substance (29)
• πρόσωπον – person (29)
• ἄτομον – individual (29)
• θεότης – deity (29)
• ἀνθρωπότης – humanity (29)
• τὸ ἀπρόσληπτον ἀθεράπευτον – “that which he did not take up, he did not heal,” Gregory of Nanzianzus (60)
• ἀδιαιρέτως – indivisibly (77)
• ἀχωρίστως – inseparably (77)
• περιχώρησις – interpenetration (89)
• ἕνωσις – union; indicates a uniting of two or more distinct things, so that from these one thing is produced (105)

Types of ἕνωσις:

1. κατὰ διαφθορὸν ἢ ἀναίρεσιν – through destruction (105)
2. κατὰ μεταβολήν – through conversion (105)
3. κατὰ σύγκρασιν or ἀνάκρασιν – through fusion (105)
   1. κατὰ κράσιν – by mixing (105)
   2. κατὰ φύρασιν – by blending (105)
   3. κατὰ σύγχυσιν or συναλείφην – by fusing (105)
4. κατὰ σῶρον – through heaping up (106)
5. κατὰ παράστασιν – through proximity (106)
   κατὰ παράθεσιν – through juxtaposition (106)
   σὺνθεσιν – through contiguity (106)
6. κατὰ σχέσιν – through condition (106)
   κατ᾽ἀξίαν – according to dignity (106)
   καθ᾽ὁμοτιμίαν – according to equality of honor (106)
   κατ᾽εὐδοκίαν – according to goodwill (106)
   καθ᾽ὁμωνυμίαν – according to an equivalence of name (106)
7. καθ᾽ἁρμονίαν – through agreement (106)
   κατὰ ταυτοβουλίαν – through similar will (106)
8. κατὰ μετοχήν ἢ χάριν – through sharing or grace (106)
9. κατὰ δόκησιν – through appearance (106)
10. προσωπική – personal union (106)
11. κατ᾽οὐσίαν – according to essence (107)
    ούσιωδῆ καὶ κατὰ φύσιν – “substantial and natural,” Cyril (107)
    κατὰ περιχώρησιν – by interpenetration (107)
    καθ᾽ὑπόστασιν – by hypostasis (107)

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Chapter IX: Light Shed by Main Words Used by Scripture and Ancient Church

• σωμάτωσις – embodying (118)
• ἐνανθρώπησις – “taking on of humanity,” Ignatius (121)
• ἐνσωμάτωσις – “embodying,” Ignatius (121)
• οἰκονομία – “dispensation,” Ignatius (121)
• ἔμεινεν ὃ ἦν, καὶ γέγονεν ὃ οὐκ ἦν – “That which was, remained, and that which was not, came into being,” Justin (Martyr?) (122)
• σωμαοποιήσασθαι – “incarnation,” Justin (122)
• Λόγος σαρκωθείς – “the Logos was made flesh,” Irenaeus (123)
• σάρκωσις and ἐνσάρκωσις – “incarnation,” Irenaeus (123)
• commixtio – “union,” Irenaeus (123)
  • Damascenus changed this and used περιχώρησις
• περιχωρεῖν ἐν ἀλλήλαις – “interpenetrated each other,” Damascenus (124)
• προσλήψις – “assumption,” Athanasius (126)

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Chapter XII: What results from the Hypostatic Union

Terms for the Genera

1. Genus Idiomaticum
   • κοινονία – “communion,” Theodore the Presbyter, Suidas (167)
   • ἀλλοίωσις καὶ ἀντίδοσις – “alternation or a mutual attribution,” Damascenus (167)
   • ἐπίζευξις ὀνομάτων – “a joining of names,” Nazianzus (167)
   • ἐναλλαγὴ καὶ κοινωνία ὀνομάτων – “interchange and communication,” Theodoret
   • ἰδοιποιΐα – “appropriating to oneself,” Cyril (167)
   • ἰδιοποίησις – “making something one’s own,” Cyril (167)
   • ἰδιοποιεῖν – “to appropriate to oneself,” Athanasius (167)
   • οἰκείωσις – “appropriation,” Damascenus
2. Genus Apotelesmaticum¹
   • κοινοποιεῖσθαι/κοινοποιΐα/κοινοποίησις – Cyril (168)
3. Genus Maistaticum
   • ὑπερύψωσις τῆς σαρκός – “exaltation of the flesh,” Damascenus (167)
   • πλοῦτον προσγενόμενον τῇ σαρκί – “the enriched condition which has come to the flesh,” Damascenus (166 & 167)