# Would pactum salutis solve the ESS problem?



## RamistThomist (Sep 10, 2017)

For those who claim that Jesus was eternally obedient to the Father (the ESS crowd), how does that square with the pactum salutis where they agree, rather than Jesus' doing what he's told?


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## Ask Mr. Religion (Sep 10, 2017)

Depends upon how one views the _pactum salutis_.

"In his explanation of the covenant of redemption (_pactum salutis_), à Brakel asks how there can be a transaction between the Father and the Son since they are one in essence and have one will and objective? He says in reply,
"As far as Personhood is concerned the Father is not the Son and the Son is not the Father. From this consideration the one divine will can be viewed from a twofold perspective. It is the Father's will to redeem by agency of the second Person as Surety, and it is the will of the Son to redeem by His own agency as Surety" (1:252).

"On the one hand, then, à Brakel allows that we should not so emphasize the one will of God as to erase the eternal covenant made between the Father and the Son. At the same time, it is striking that à Brakel never describes the _pactum_ in terms of authority and submission. Rather, the Father and the Son commit to the same objective by means appropriate to their own personal properties."
Src: 
https://blogs.thegospelcoalition.or...of-the-trinity-within-the-reformed-tradition/
à Brakel:
http://www.abrakel.com/p/christians-reasonable-service.html​

See also:
https://puritanboard.com/threads/eternal-subordination-of-the-son-debate-where-are-things-now.92059/

In particular:
https://www.puritanboard.com/thread...here-are-things-now.92059/page-2#post-1126091


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## RamistThomist (Sep 10, 2017)

Ask Mr. Religion said:


> In particular:
> https://www.puritanboard.com/thread...here-are-things-now.92059/page-2#post-1126091



That was particularly good. Thank you.

Reactions: Like 1


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