Lord Jesus Christ True Man and God
Lord Jesus Christ, true man and God
This hymn affirms the Christological doctrine of the two natures of Christ—fully divine and fully human—which is central to Lutheran soteriology and the doctrine of redemption. It expresses Luther's conviction that Christ's true humanity and divinity are essential to His salvific work.
History & Background
Martin Luther wrote this hymn in 1524 as part of his prolific hymn-writing ministry during the Reformation. It was published in early Lutheran hymnals and became a standard confession of Christ's dual nature in Protestant worship.
Hymnal Appearances
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 370
- Lutheran Book of Worship — 376
- Lutheran Service Book — 403
- Lutheran Worship — 131
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 136
Translation
Bulletin Note
Martin Luther, 1524. This hymn defends the full humanity and divinity of Christ against false doctrines of the Reformation era, grounding salvation in the incarnate Word made flesh for us.
Preaching Connection
This hymn crystallizes the two natures doctrine essential to Luther's understanding of how Christ's humanity and divinity work together in our redemption—the God-man who alone can satisfy the Law's demands and deliver the Gospel's promise.
Catechism & Confessional Connections
- Of the Son of God Augsburg Confession
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: Law and Gospel: The soul's radical unworthiness (stanzas 1-2) gives way to Christ's redemptive power (stanzas 3-4). The hymn moves from honest confession of sin to confident reception of grace.
Themes
Incarnation Two natures of Christ Atonement Faith and redemption