Christology & the Early Church Fathers
Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2023 3:18 pm
There hasn't been a lot of discussion here concerning what the earliest Christians (ante-Nicene) believed about the person of Jesus. I'm interested in hearing any quotes that support the various ideas that have been espoused here on the subject.
I recently read in Ignatius of Antioch's letter to the Ephesians and noted that in both the longer and shorter versions he appears to have clearly believed in the deity and preexistence of Christ.
From the short version:
There is one Physician who is possessed of both flesh and spirit; both made and not made; God existing in flesh; true life in death; both of Mary and of God; first possible and then impossible.....
From the long version:
But our physician is the only true God, the unbegotten and unapproachable, the Lord of all, the Father and Begetter of the only begotten Son. We have also as a physician the Lord our God, Jesus the Christ, the only begotten Son and Word, before time began, but who afterwards became also man, of Mary the virgin. For "the Word was made flesh". being incorporeal, He was in the body; being impassible, He was in a passible body; being immortal, He was in a mortal body; being life , He became subject to corruption, that He might free our souls from death and corruption, and heal them, and might restore them to health, when they were diseased with ungodliness and wicked lusts.
Ignatius, who was martyred c. 207-209 c.e. was said, along with Polycarp, to be a student of the Apostle John.
I recently read in Ignatius of Antioch's letter to the Ephesians and noted that in both the longer and shorter versions he appears to have clearly believed in the deity and preexistence of Christ.
From the short version:
There is one Physician who is possessed of both flesh and spirit; both made and not made; God existing in flesh; true life in death; both of Mary and of God; first possible and then impossible.....
From the long version:
But our physician is the only true God, the unbegotten and unapproachable, the Lord of all, the Father and Begetter of the only begotten Son. We have also as a physician the Lord our God, Jesus the Christ, the only begotten Son and Word, before time began, but who afterwards became also man, of Mary the virgin. For "the Word was made flesh". being incorporeal, He was in the body; being impassible, He was in a passible body; being immortal, He was in a mortal body; being life , He became subject to corruption, that He might free our souls from death and corruption, and heal them, and might restore them to health, when they were diseased with ungodliness and wicked lusts.
Ignatius, who was martyred c. 207-209 c.e. was said, along with Polycarp, to be a student of the Apostle John.