The Tome - a Letter Written by Leo to His Brother Flavian

The Tome is a letter written by Leo to his brother Flavian, which addresses the current scandal within the church. This controversy began with the dishonoring implications of a monk named Eutyches that sparked uproar between church officials concerning the true nature of our Lord. The question of whether the Son of God is divine or human in nature, forced church officials to decide His true essence, while attending the Council of Chalcedonian in the year 451. Providing evidence for the Council, the Tome diminishes the foundation and basis of Eutyches's argument of "Two Natures" and offers complete support to Flavian. At the time of its composition, this document was considered an accurate portrayal of the common faith, hence establishing its immense importance to the church.

Although Leo's declaration of the Gospel of God and man in Christ appears to be flawless in its interpretation, the tome proves to be vaguely insufficient considering its sporadic utilization of philosophical speculation. This factor is eroded by the dominatingly persuasive and stressed voice of the piece, which is considered by theologians to be "a fine specimen of the straightforwardness and clarity of the Latin mind" (359). The Tome proves to be both influenced by and later affecting the once youthful tradition of the Roman Liturgy.

The actual text is written in the form of a response to a previously received letter concerning the Eutyches's defiance of the integrity of faith. Once considered a presbyter, or wise elder, his status is diminished by the unwavering opinion of Leo. The disgraceful new standing is based on the proposal that Eutyches is exceedingly inconsiderate and pathetically uneducated regarding his views of the church and the nature of Christ. The letter inadvertently accentuates the importance of redefining Christianity as a product of defense. Leo accomplishes this by providing evidence to counter the argument of the opposing force.

Leo's first argument results from an accusation offered by Eutyches and other heretics, which questions the incarnation of the Word of God. In the defense of Christianity, Leo retorts that it should be apparent to all believers that the obscurity of and response to this query can be resolved in the ritual of Confession, the Holy Scriptures, and most evidently in the Apostles' Creed, which is reiterated at every mass.

Eutyches's complication with understanding the common faith expands to another topic, through which the Tome's response results in the affirmation of the human and divine nature of Christ. As stated in the Apostles' Creed, the acknowledgement of one God as both the Father and Almighty is essential in understanding the depths of the religion. Heretics have difficulty recognizing this statement as valid because of the immense contrast between the definition of a father and one who is almighty. As a response to this struggle of defining the power and compassion of our Lord, Leo explains that the Son does not differ from the Father and they are unified eternally. To prove that He is Almighty, the Creed offers evidence that it was His intention to restore mankind by providing the Son that was born of the Virgin Mary and the Holy Ghost. These factors contribute to the confirmation that Jesus is both the "Son of God" and the "Son of Man", which the Heretics also found to be debatable.

The main purpose of the letter becomes most evident by the repetitive tools that Leo uses to establish an accurate interpretation of the true essence of the Jesus Christ as both a man and God. Divine and human natures are components of Christ that succeed without division, implying that He is also an inseparable combination of Word and flesh. Leo provides further evidence to enhance the interpretation of the true nature of Christ, while unifying the contrary parts into one common deity. Water, blood, and spirit (also known as truth) bear witness and offer verification that God is one.

The miracles provided in the context of the Bible and the teachings of the Apostles, prove that Jesus Christ is unquestionably divine. Leo offers many examples of the His works, including the feeding of five thousand men with five loaves of bread, which can be found in the Book of Matthew. He also emphasizes the holiness of one who can walk on water without His feet sinking and offers drink that prevents one from ever thirsting again.

The most evident revelation of God as both blessed and human can be found in the birth and death of Jesus Christ. Leo reveals that, "The Virgin's child-bearing is an indication of divine power [...] the greatness of the highest is declared by the voices of angels" (368). Jesus' nativity established a "new order" or method of birth, in which one who is most sacred can be born with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, instead of through natural order. As Leo has acknowledged, the unity of the two parts of God cannot be divided, therefore it is necessary to consider the human qualities, which Christ had possessed at the time

...