What is monothelitism?

Response

Monothelitism originated in Armenia and Syria in A.D. 633 and gained significant support during the 7th century A.D. before being officially denounced at the Third Council of Constantinople in favor of dyotheletism. It asserts that Jesus Christ has two natures but only one will, which contradicts the orthodox Christology doctrine stating that Jesus Christ has two wills (human and divine) corresponding to His divine-human nature.

The monothelite doctrine emerged as a compromise position. Miaphysitists could accept that Jesus had two natures if He had only one will, while some Chalcedonians could agree that Jesus had one will if He had two natures. The monothelite stance was advocated by Sergius I of Constantinople and gained influence under Pope Honorius I.

The doctrine of the hypostatic union affirms that Christ’s two natures (His deity and humanity) are united in one Person, often referred to as the Chalcedon Creed. In contrast, the non-orthodox view (non-Chalcedon perspective) posits that Jesus’ deity and humanity are united in one nature without separation, confusion, or alteration, known as miaphysitism.

In conclusion, is monothelitism a biblical teaching? There are numerous texts that definitively demonstrate that Christ had both a divine and a human will. In Hebrews 10:7, Paul attributes the words of Psalm 40:7-8 to Christ – “Then I said, ‘Here I am, I have come – it is written about me in the scroll. I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.'” Here, both wills are clearly distinguished—the divine (“I desire to do your will, O my God”) and the human will, submissive to the divine will (“your law is within my heart”).

Christ Himself makes the same differentiation in various instances. For instance, in John 6:38, Jesus proclaims, “I have

He came down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.” In Matthew, Christ says, “My father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” And as Jesus declares in John 10:17-18, “The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life – only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” Clearly, these texts demonstrate the divine will which Christ had, in common with the Father and, in contrast, the human will which He subjected to the will of His Father.