Junius on the Trinity

Fred Sanders and Ryan Hurd discuss Franciscus Junius’ disputation “On the Persons of the Father and the Son.” Introduction to the series of conversations; Junius’ introduction to the disputation; Junius’ Thesis One.

Fred Sanders and Ryan Hurd discuss Franciscus Junius’ disputation “On the Persons of the Father and the Son.” Thesis 2 teaches us how we can understand God the Father more clearly if we make sure not to confuse his personal fatherhood with the way the Triune God is “father” of the world.

Fred Sanders and Ryan Hurd talk about Franciscus Junius’ previously untranslated Disputation on the Persons of the Father and the Son, Theses 3-5 on the distinct personhood of the Father.

Fred Sanders and Ryan Hurd talk about Franciscus Junius’ previously untranslated Disputation on the Persons of the Father and the Son, Theses 6 & 7, on the firstness of the Father.

Fred Sanders and Ryan Hurd talk about Franciscus Junius’ previously untranslated Disputation on the Persons of the Father and the Son, Theses 8 & 9, on the Father’s personal aseity.

Fred Sanders and Ryan Hurd talk about Franciscus Junius’ previously untranslated Disputation on the Persons of the Father and the Son, theses 10 and 11, on the Father’s act of generation and how it differs from creation.

Fred Sanders and Ryan Hurd talk about Franciscus Junius’ previously untranslated Disputation on the Persons of the Father and the Son, theses 12 and 13. In these final theses on the Father, Junius argues that the Father begets the Son essentially and eternally.

Fred Sanders and Ryan Hurd talk about Franciscus Junius’ previously untranslated Disputation on the Persons of the Father and the Son, theses 14 and 15. Here at last Junius turns to the person of the Son, “the second person of the Holy Trinity, always begotten by the Father, spirating with the Father the Holy Spirit, ομοουσιος with the Father, and together with Father and Holy Spirit the only, true, eternal God.”

Fred Sanders and Ryan Hurd talk about Franciscus Junius’ previously untranslated Disputation on the Persons of the Father and the Son, theses 16 and 17. Junius explains the meaning of “eternal” in “eternal generation,” and what tenses are most appropriate for talking about it.

Fred Sanders and Ryan Hurd talk about Franciscus Junius’ previously untranslated Disputation on the Persons of the Father and the Son, theses 18 and 19. Junius begins to analyze the divine names given to the Son, starting with “Son” itself.

Fred Sanders and Ryan Hurd talk about Franciscus Junius’ previously untranslated Disputation on the Persons of the Father and the Son, thesis 20. In this thesis, Junius explains how “Word” is a title that primarily denotes, not his revelatory work toward us, but his eternal relation to the Father.

Fred Sanders and Ryan Hurd talk about Franciscus Junius’ previously untranslated Disputation on the Persons of the Father and the Son, theses 21 and 22. The Son is the image of the Father, and this reality with the Trinity is the prior ground of his being the image of God to us.

Fred Sanders and Ryan Hurd talk about Franciscus Junius’ previously untranslated Disputation on the Persons of the Father and the Son, thesis 23. In this thesis, Junius explains how Jesus saying “the Father is greater than I” does not undercut the fact that Jesus is the perfect image of the Father.

Fred Sanders and Ryan Hurd talk about Franciscus Junius’ previously untranslated Disputation on the Persons of the Father and the Son, thesis 24. Here Junius explains how names common to the entire Godhead (such as LORD, God, and King of Kings) are applied to the Son in particular.

Fred Sanders and Ryan Hurd talk about Franciscus Junius’ previously untranslated Disputation on the Persons of the Father and the Son, thesis 25. Having mentioned Jesus’ title “King of Kings,” Junius ponders the nature of Christ’s kingdom. It is twofold.

Fred Sanders and Ryan Hurd talk about Franciscus Junius’ previously untranslated Disputation on the Persons of the Father and the Son, theses 26 & 27, on the divine attributes.

Fred Sanders and Ryan Hurd talk about Franciscus Junius’ previously untranslated Disputation on the Persons of the Father and the Son, theses 28 and 29, on divine operations, and on the rule of appropriation.

Fred Sanders and Ryan Hurd talk about Franciscus Junius’ previously untranslated Disputation on the Persons of the Father and the Son, theses 29(b) and 30, in which Junius explains how unified trinitarian action does not abolish the individual arrangement of the persons among themselves, even in their working.

Fred Sanders and Ryan Hurd talk about the final thesis in Franciscus Junius’ previously untranslated Disputation on the Persons of the Father and the Son. This thesis, number 31, is a summary thesis, and we reflect on Junius’ handling of traditional scholastic tools.