Citas Trinitarias Primitivas

8/14/2019 Citas Trinitarias Primitivas

1/20

Citas Trinitarias PrimitivasExisten grupos sectarios, como los Testigos de Jehov, el Camino Internacional, los Cristadelfianos y otros, que niegan la Trinidad y afirman que la doctrina no fuemencionada hasta despus del tiempo del Concilio de Nicea (325 d.C.). Este concilio, primero ecumnico, "fue convocado por el emperador Constantino para tratar el

error del arianismo [vea la pg. 47] , el cual amenazaba la unidad de la Iglesia cristiana."

Las siguientes citas muestran que la doctrina de la Trinidad de hecho estaba vigente y generalizada mucho antes del concilio de Nicea.

Policarpo(70-155/160). Obispo de Esmirna, discpulo del Apstol Juan.

"Seor Dios omnipotente: Padre de tu amado y bendecido siervo Jesucristo ... Yo te bendigo, porque me tuviste por digno de esta hora, a fin de tomar parte ... en la

incorrupcin del Espritu Santo... T, el infalible y verdadero Dios. Por lo tanto, yo te alabo ... por mediacin del eterno y celeste Sumo Sacerdote, Jesucristo, tu siervoamado, por el cual sea gloria a Ti con el Espritu Santo, ahora y en los siglos por venir" (Martirio de San Policarpo, 14:1-3, en D. Ruiz Bueno, Ed.,Padres Apostlicos,

p. 682).

Ignacio de Antioqua(aprox. 35-107). Obispo de Antioqua. En su camino al martirio, escribi varias cartas en defensa de la fe cristiana."sois piedras del templo del Padre, preparadas para la construccin de Dios Padre, levantadas a las alturas por la palanca de Jesucristo, que es la cruz, haciendo veces de

cuerda el Espritu Santo." (Carta a los Efesios, 9: 1; Ruiz Bueno, o.c., pg. 452-453)."La verdad es que nuestro Dios Jess, el Ungido, fue llevado por Mara en su seno conforme a la dispensacin de Dios [Padre]; del linaje, cierto, de David; por obra,

empero, del Espritu Santo." (Carta a los Efesios, 17:2; Ruiz Bueno,Padres Apostlicos, pg. 457).

Justino Mrtir(aprox. 100-165). Fue un maestro, apologista y mrtir, discpulo de Policarpo.

"A El [el "Dios verdadersimo"] y al Hijo, que de El vino y nos ense todo esto ... y al Espritu proftico, le damos culto y adoramos, honrndolos con razn y verdad"(Primera Apologa 6: 2; en D. Ruiz Bueno, Ed.,Padres Apologetas Griegos, pg. 187)

"entonces toman en el agua el bao en el nombre de Dios, Padre y Soberano del universo, y de nuestro Salvador Jesucristo, y del Espritu Santo." (Primera Apologa

61:3; en Ruiz Bueno,Padres Apologetas Griegos, pg. 250).

Ireneo (115-190). Originario de Asia Menor, de nio fue discpulo de Policarpo. Lleg a ser obispo de Lyon, en las Galias. Fue el principal telogo del segundo siglo.

"La Iglesia, aunque dispersa en todo el mundo, hasta lo ltimo de la tierra, ha recibido de los apstoles y sus discpulos esta fe: ... un Dios, el Padre Omnipotente,

hacedor del cielo y de la tierra y del mar y de todas las cosas que en ellos hay; y en un Jesucristo, el Hijo de Dios, quien se encarn para nuestra salvacin; y en elEspritu Santo, quien proclam por medio de los profetas las dispensaciones de Dios y los advenimientos y el nacimiento de una virgen, y la pasin, y la resurreccin de

entre los muertos, y la ascensin al cielo, en la carne, del amadsimo Jesucristo, nuestro Seor, y Su manifestacin desde elcielo en la gloria del Padre, a fin de reunir

en uno todas las cosas, y para resucitar renovada toda carne de la entera raza humana, para que ante Jesucristo, nuestro Seor, y Dios , y Salvador, y Rey, segn la

voluntad del Padre invisible, se doble toda rodilla, de las cosas en los cielos, y las cosas en la tierra, y las cosas debajo de la tierra, y que toda lengua le confiese, y que

El ejecute un justo juicio sobre todos..." (Contra todas las herejas, I, 10:1; enAnte-Nicene Fathersvol. 1).Tefilo de Antioqua(Segunda mitad del siglo II). Obispo de Antioqua y apologista. Present la doctrina cristiana a los paganos. Es el primero en utilizar el trmino

"Trinidad" (griego, trias)."Igualmente tambin los tres das que preceden a la creacin de los luminares son smbolos de la Trinidad, de Dios, de su Verbo y de su Sabidura [el Espritu]" (Treslibros a AutlicoII:15; en Ruiz Bueno,Padres Apologetas Griegos, pg. 805).

Atengoras de Atenas( Segunda mitad del siglo II). Defensor de la fe cristiana. Dirigi una "Legacin" o defensa de los cristianos al emperador Marco Aurelio y su

hijo Cmodo, hacia 177.

"Quin, pues, no se sorprender de or llamar ateos a quienes admiten un Dios Padre y a un Dios Hijo y un Espritu Santo, que muestran su potencia en la unidad y su

distincin en el orden?" (Legacin a favor de los cristianos, 10; en Ruiz Bueno,Padres Apologetas Griegos, pg. 661)

Tertuliano de Cartago(160-215). Apologista y telogo africano. De profesin abogado, escribi elocuentemente en defensa del cristianismo."Definimos que existen dos, el Padre y el Hijo, y tres con el Espritu Santo, y este nmero est dado por el modelo de la salvacin ... [el cual] trae unidad en trinidad,

interrelacionando los tres, el Padre, el Hijo y el Espritu Santo. Ellos son tres, no en dignidad, sino en grado; no ensustancia sino en forma; no en poder, sino en clase.

Ellos son de una sustancia y poder, porque hay un Dios de quien estos grados, formas y clases se muestran en el nombre del Padre, Hijo y Espritu Santo." (ContraPraxteles, 23; PL 2.156-7).

Orgenes(aprox. 185-254). Telogo de Alejandra, crtico y exegeta bbico, telogo, prolfico autor. Discpulo de Clemente de Alejandra.

"Si alguno dijese que el Verbo de Dios o la Sabidura de Dios tuvieron un comienzo, advirtmosle no sea que dirija su impiedad tambin contra el ingnito Padre, yaque negara que El fue siempre Padre y que El ha engendrado siempre al Verbo, y que siempre tuvo sabidura en todos los tiempos previos o edades, o cualquier cosa

que pueda imaginarse previamente. No puede haber ttulo ms antiguo del Dios omnipotente que el de Padre, y es a travs del Hijo que El es Padre. " ( Sobre los

principios 1.2.; Patrologia Graeca 11.132)."Pues si este fuera el caso [que el Espritu Santo no fuese eternamente como El es, y hubiese recbido conocimiento en algn momento y entonces llegado a ser el

Espritu Santo] el Espritu Santo nunca hubiese sido reconocido en la unidad de la Trinidad, es decir, junto con los inmutables Padre e Hijo, a menos que El siempre

hubiese sido el Espritu Santo... De todos modos, parece apropiado inquirir cul es la razn por la cual quien es regenerado por Dios para salvacin tiene que ver tanto

con el Padre y el Hijo como con el Espritu Santo, y no obtiene la salvacin sino con la cooperacin de toda la Trinidad; y por qu es imposible tener parte con el Padre

y el Hijo, sin el Espritu Santo" (Sobre los principiosI, 3:4-5, en Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, eds., The Ante-Nicene Fathers, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans,

Reimpr. 1989, Vol. 4, pg. 253)."Ms an, nada en la Trinidad puede ser llamado mayor o menor, ya que la fuente de la divinidad sola contiene todas las cosas por Su palabra y razn, y por el Espritu

de Su boca santifica todas las cosas dignas de ser santificadas... Habiendo hecho estas declaraciones concernientes a la Unidad del Padre, y del Hijo y del Espritu

Santo, retornemos al orden en el cual comenzamos la discusin. Dios el Padre otorga, ante todo, la existencia; y la participacin en Cristo, considerando que Su ser es lapalabra de la razn, los torna seres racionales ... [y] es la gracia del Espritu Santo presente por la cual aquellos seres que no son santos por esencia, pueden ser tornados

santos por participar de ella" (Sobre los principiosI, 3: 7-8, en Roberts and Donaldson,pg. 255).

Si es cierto, como sostienen los antitrinitarios, que la Trinidad no es una doctrina bblica ni fue nunca enseada hasta el Concilio de Nicea en 325, por qu existen estostextos? La respuesta es simple: La Trinidad s es una doctrina bblica y s se ense antes del Concilio de Nicea. Podra agregarse que el Concilio de Nicea no hizo ms

que poner en claro, de manera consensada, lo que ya era, hace tiempo, la doctrina ortodoxa enseada y aceptada por los cristianos.

El Concilio de Nicea

Don Closson

Introduccin

La doctrina de la trinidad es fundamental para la singularidad del cristianismo. Sostiene que la Biblia ensea que "Dios existe eternamente como tres personas: Padre

Hijo y Espritu Santo, y cada persona es plenamente Dios, y hay un solo Dios".{1} Esta enseanza es tan fundamental que est incorporada en las palabras que Jess

dio a la iglesia en su Gran Comisin, cuando indici a los creyentes que ". . . [fueran e hicieran] discpulos de todas las naciones, bautizndolos en el nombre del Padre

y del Hijo y del Espritu Santo . . ." (Mateo 28:19).

No es sorprendente, entonces, que la doctrina de la trinidad sea una de las creencias ms denostadas y atacadas por los que estn fuera de la fe cristiana. Tanto los

mormones como los testigos de Jehov rechazan esta doctrina fundamental y dedican una energa considerable a ensear en su contra. Gran parte de la instruccin

del movimiento de los testigos de Jehov trata de convencer a otros que Jesucristo es un ser creado, que no existi en la eternidad pasada con el Padre, y que no es

plenamente Dios. Los mormones no tienen ningn problema con que Jess sea Dios; en realidad, ponen la deidad al alcance de todos los que siguen la enseanza de

la Iglesia de los Santos de los ltimos Das. Un estudioso mormn sostiene que existen tres Dioses separados--Padre, Hijo y Espritu Santo--que son uno en propsito

y, de alguna forma, siguen siendo un Dios.{2} Otro escribe: "El concepto de que el Padre, el Hijo y el Espritu Santo son un Dios es totalmente incomprensible".{3}


2/20

Entre las religiones del mundo, el islamismo ensea especficamente en contra de la trinidad. El captulo cuatro del Corn dice: "No digis 'Tres'! Basta ya, ser

mejor para vosotros! Al es slo un Dios Uno. Gloria a l Tener un hijo!" (4:171). Si bien Mahoma parece haber credo errneamente que los cristianos enseaban

que la Trinidad consista en Dios el Padre, Mara la Madre y Jess el Hijo, ellos rechazan como pecaminoso que algo sea hecho equivalente a Al, especialmente Jess

Una crtica habitual de quienes rechazan la doctrina de la trinidad es que la doctrina no era parte de la iglesia primitiva, ni fue una enseanza consciente de Jess

mismo, sino que fue impuesta a la iglesia por el emperador Constantino a principios del siglo IV, en el Concilio de Nicea. Los mormones sostienen que los

componentes del pensamiento pagano de Constantino y la filosofa griega fueron impuestos a los obispos que se reunieron en Nicea (en la actual Turqua). Los

testigos de Jehov creen que el emperador presion en contra del punto de vista de ellos--que fue la posicin sostenida por Arrio en el concilio--y oblig a la iglesia a

seguirlo.

En lo que resta del artculo trataremos el impacto que los tres individuos clave--Arrio, Constantino y Atanasio--tuvieron sobre el Concilio de Nicea. Tambinresponderemos a la acusacin de que la doctrina de la trinidad fue resultado de la presin poltica ms que de una deliberacin cuidadosa sobre la Biblia de un grupo

de dedicados lderes cristianos.

Arrio

Consideremos primeramente al instigador del conflicto que dio lugar al concilio, un hombre llamado Arrio.

Arrio era un predicador y presbtero popular de Libia al que se le dieron deberes pastorales en Baucalis, Alejandra, en Egipto. La controversia comenz como un

desacuerdo entre Arrio y su obispo, Alejandro, en 318 d.C. Sus diferencias se centraban en cmo expresar la comprensin cristiana de Dios usando el lenguaje

filosfico corriente. Este tema se haba vuelto importante debido a las diversas visiones herticas de Jess que se haban introducido en la iglesia a fines del siglo

segundo y principios del tercero. El uso de lenguaje filosfico para describir realidades teolgicas haba sido habitual a lo largo de la era de la iglesia, en un intento po

describir con precisin lo que haba sido revelado en la Biblia.

Alejandro sostena que la Biblia presentaba a Dios el Padre y a Jess con una naturaleza igualmente eterna. Arrio senta que los comentarios de Alejandro apoyaban

una visin hertica de Dios, denominada sabelianismo, que enseaba que el Hijo era meramente un modo distinto del Padre, ms que una persona diferente. Los

testigos de Jehov sostienen hoy que la posicin de Arrio era superior a la de Alejandro.

Si bien algunos historiadores creen que la verdadera naturaleza del argumento original ha sido oscurecida por el tiempo y el prejuicio, la disputa se volvi tan divisiva

que atrajo la atencin del emperador Constantino. Este reuni a los lderes de la iglesia para el primer concilio ecumnico, en un intento por poner fin a la

controversia.

Cabe decir que ambos lados de este debate sostenan un alto concepto de Jess, y ambos usaban a la Biblia como su autoridad en el tema. Hay quienes dicen que la

controversia jams habra causado un disenso tan grande s i no hubiera sido inflamado por las luchas polticas internas en la iglesia y las distintas interpretaciones de

los trminos usados en el debate.

Arrio fue acusado de sostener el punto de vista de que Jess no estaba solo subordinado al Padre en funcin, sino que l era de una sustancia inferior en un sentido

metafsico tambin. Esto fue ir demasiado lejos para Atanasio y otros, que teman que toda terminologa que degradara la plena deidad de Cristo podra poner en tela

de juicio su papel como Salvador y Seor.

Algunos creen que la posicin de Arrio era menos radical que la que suele percibirse hoy. Stuart Hall escribe: "Arrio senta que la nica forma de asegurar la deidad de

Cristo era colocarlo en el escaln inmediatamente inferior al Padre, quien permaneca ms all de toda comprensin".{4} Agrega que, independientemente de las

diferencias entre ambos bandos, "ambas partes entendan que el rostro de Dios era revelado benignamente en Jesucristo".{5}

El emperador Constantino

Muchos que se oponen a la doctrina de la trinidad insisten en decir que el emperador, Constantino, la impuso a la iglesia primitiva en 325 d.C. Debido a su importante

papel en convocar a los lderes de la iglesia en Nicea, podra ser til echar una mirada ms cercana a Constantino y su relacin con la iglesia.

Constantino pas a ocupar el poder supremo en el Imperio Romano en 306 d.C., mediante el uso de alianzas y asesinatos, segn la necesidad. Fue bajo el Edicto de

Miln de Constantino, en 313 d.C., que finaliz la persecucin de la iglesia y fueron devueltas las propiedades confiscadas de la iglesia.

Sin embargo, la naturaleza de la relacin de Constantino con la fe cristiana es compleja. l crea que Dios deba ser apaciguado con la adoracin correcta, y alent la

idea entre los cristianos de que l "serva al Dios de ellos".{6} Parece ser que la participacin de Constantino en la iglesia se centraba en su esperanza de que sta

podra convertirse en una fuente de unidad para el atribulado imperio. No estaba interesado tanto en los detalles ms finos de la doctrina como en finalizar una

disputa causada por desacuerdos religiosos. Escribi, en una carta: "Mi designio era, entonces, primeramente traer los diversos juicios encontrados por todas lasnaciones con relacin a la Deidad a una condicin, por as decirlo, de uniformidad acordada; y, en segundo lugar, restaurar un tono saludable al sistema del mundo . .

."{7} Esto hizo que apoyara diversos lados en temas teolgicos, dependiendo de cul lado podra ayudar a hacer que prevaleciera la paz. Constantino fue finalmente

bautizado poco antes de su muerte, pero su compromiso con la fe cristiana es un tema de debate.

Constantino particip en una tradicin recin establecida de emperadores romanos que se entremetan en los asuntos de la iglesia, y la realz. En la iglesia primitiva,

la persecucin era la poltica general. En 272, Aureliano removi a Pablo de Samosata de su iglesia en Antioqua por una controversia teolgica. Antes del conflicto

sobre Arrio, Constantino haba convocado un pequeo snodo de la iglesia para resolver el conflicto creado por los donatistas, que apoyaban la remocin de

sacerdotes que entregaron escritos sagrados durante los tiempos de persecucin. Los donatistas fueron reprendidos por un snodo de la iglesia. Constantino pas

cinco aos intentando suprimir su movimiento por la fuerza, pero finalmente renunci en frustracin.

Luego, la controversia arriana sobre la naturaleza de Jess fue trada a su atencin. Sera un debate complejo, porque ambos lados tenan en alto concepto a Jess, y

ambos lados apelaban a la Biblia para defender su posicin. Para definir el tema, Constantino convoc el Concilio de Nicea, en 325 d.C., en el que participaron


3/20

principalmente lderes de la iglesia oriental. Consistente con su deseo de unidad, en los aos s iguientes Constantino vacilara entre apoyar un lado teolgico y el otro

si pensaba que pondra fin al debate.

Lo que queda claro es que el papel activo de Constantino al intentar resolver disputas eclesisticas sera el comienzo de una nueva relacin entre el imperio y la

iglesia.

Atanasio

El Concilio de Nicea fue convocado el 20 de mayo de 325 d.C. Los 230 lderes de la iglesia concurrieron para considerar una pregunta vital para la iglesia: Era

Jesucristo igual a Dios el Padre o era l otra cosa? Atanasio, un joven de solo veintitantos aos, asisti al concilio para luchar por la idea de que "si Cristo no fuera

verdaderamente Dios, entonces no podra otorgar vida a los arrepentidos y liberarlos del pecado y la muerte".{8} l lider a los que se oponan a las enseanzas de

Arrio, que sostena que Jess no era de la misma sustancia que el Padre.

El Credo de Nicea, en su totalidad, afirmaba la creencia ". . . en un slo Dios, Padre Todopoderoso, Creador de todo lo visible y lo invisible. Y en un slo Seor,

Jesucristo, Hijo nico de Dios nacido del Padre: Dios de Dios, Luz de Luz, Dios verdadero de Dios verdadero, engendrado, no creado, de la misma naturaleza del Padre

por quien todo fue hecho; que por nosotros, los hombres, y por nuestra salvacin baj del cielo, y por obra del Espritu Santo se encarn y se hizo hombre; padeci y

resucit al tercer da, y subi al cielo y de nuevo vendr con gloria para juzgar a vivos y muertos. Y en el Espritu Santo".{9}

El concilio reconoci que Cristo era Dios de Dios verdadero. Si bien el Padre y el Hijo diferan en sus papeles, ellos, y el Espritu Santo, eran verdaderamente Dios. Ms

especficamente, Cristo es de una sustancia con el Padre. La palabra griega homoousios se us para describir esta igualdad. El trmino era polmico, porque no

aparece en la Biblia. Algunos preferan una palabra diferente que transmitiera similitud ms que igualdad. Pero Atanasio y la casi unnime mayora de los obispos

sintieron que esto podra resultar con el tiempo en la disminucin de la igualdad de Cristo con el Padre. Tambin sostenan que Cristo fue engendrado, no hecho. l

no es una cosa creada en la misma clase que el resto del cosmos. Concluyeron por postular que Cristo se hizo humano para la humanidad y su salvacin. El concilio

fue unnime en su condena de Arrio y sus enseanzas. Tambin removi dos obispos libios que se rehusaron a aceptar el credo formulado por el Concilio.

La creciente participacin de los emperadores romanos en la iglesia durante el siglo cuarto a menudo dist de ser benfica. Pero no fue tanto Atanasio y sus

seguidores quienes buscaran el respaldo del poder imperial, sino los arrianos quienes estuvieron en realidad a favor de que el emperador tuviera la ltima palabra.

Resumen

Impuso Constantino la doctrina de la trinidad a la iglesia? Contestemos algunos de los argumentos usados en apoyo de esta creencia.

Primero, la doctrina de la Trinidad era una creencia sostenida ampliamente antes del Concilio de Nicea. Dado que el bautismo es un acto de obediencia universal para

los nuevos creyentes, es significativo que Jess usara un lenguaje trinitario en Mateo 28:19, cuando da la Gran Comisin para hacer discpulos y bautizarlos en el

nombre del Padre, del Hijo y del Espritu Santo. La Didach, un primitivo manual sobre la vida de la iglesia, tambin inclua un lenguaje trinitario para el bautismo. Fue

escrito a fines del primer siglo o a principios del segundo siglo despus de Cristo. Encontramos que Hiplito vuelve a usar terminologa trinitaria alrededor de 200

d.C., en una frmula usada para interrogar a los candidatos para el bautismo. Se les peda a los nuevos creyentes que afirmaran su creencia en Dios el Padre, Cristo

Jess el Hijo de Dios, y el Espritu Santo.

Segundo, el gobierno romano no apoy consistentemente la teologa trinitaria o a su ardiente apologista, Atanasio. Constantino altern en su apoyo de Atanasio

porque estaba ms preocupado por mantener la paz que por la teologa misma. Exili a Atanasio en 335 y estuvo a punto de reincorporar a Arrio justo antes de su

muerte. Durante los cuarenta y cinco aos en que Atanasio fue obispo de Alejandra, en Egipto, fue desterrado al exilio cinco veces por diversos emperadoresromanos.

De hecho, emperadores posteriores impusieron una visin arriana a la iglesia de una forma mucho ms directa que el apoyo de Constantino al punto de vista

trinitario. Los emperadores Constancio II y Juliano desterraron a Atanasio e impusieron el arrianismo al imperio. Se dice que el emperador Constancio dijo: "Aquello

que yo desee, eso sea considerado un canon", igualando sus palabras con la autoridad de los concilios de la iglesia.{10} Los arrianos, en general, "tendan a favorecer

el control imperial directo de la iglesia".{11}

Finalmente, los obispos que asistieron al Concilio de Nicea eran demasiado independientes y estaban demasiado endurecidos por la persecucin y el martirio como

para ceder tan fcilmente a una doctrina con la que no estaban de acuerdo. Como ya hemos mencionado, muchos de los obispos fueron desterrados por

emperadores que apoyaban el punto de vista arriano, pero siguieron manteniendo sus convicciones. Adems, el Concilio de Constantinopla, en 381, reafirm la

posicin trinitaria luego de la muerte de Constantino. Si la iglesia hubiera sucumbido temporalmente a la influencia de Constantino, podra haber rechazado la

doctrina en este concilio posterior.

Al poseer la libertad para convocar un concilio ecumnico luego del Edicto de Miln, en 313, una cantidad significativa de obispos y lderes de la iglesia se reunieronpara considerar diversos puntos de vista sobre la persona de Cristo y la naturaleza de Dios. El resultado fue la doctrina de la trinidad que los cristianos han sostenido y

enseado durante ms de diecisis siglos.

Notas

Wayne Grudem, Bible Doctrine (Zondervan, 1999), p. 104.

Craig Blombergand Stephen E. Robinson, How Wide the Divide, (InterVarsity Press, 1997), p. 128.

Bruce McConkie en Mormonism 101 de Bill McKeever & Eric Johnson (Baker Books, 2000), p. 52.

Stuart G. Hall, Doctrine and Practice in the Early Church, (Eerdmans, 1991), p. 135.

Ibid.

Hall, p. 118.

Mark Noll, Turning Points: Decisive Moments in the History of Christianity, (InterVarsity Press, 1997), p. 51.


4/20

Ibid., 55.

Ibid., 57.

Ibid.

Ibid., 60.

50 AD The Huleatt Manuscript

50 AD The Huleatt Manuscript "She poured it [the perfume] over his [Jesus'] hair when he sat at the table. But, when the disciples saw it, they wereindignant. . . . God, aware of this, said to them: 'Why do you trouble this woman? She has done [a beautiful thing for me.] . . . Then one of the Twelve, who

was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priest and said, 'What will you give me for my work?' [Matt. 26:7-15]" (Huleatt fragments 1-3).

74 AD The Letter of Barnabas

74 AD The Letter of Barnabas "And further, my brethren, if the Lord [Jesus] endured to suffer for our soul, he being the Lord of all the world, to whom Godsaid at the foundation of the world, 'Let us make man after our image, and after our likeness,' understand how it was that he endured to suffer at the hand of

men" (Letter of Barnabas 5).

80 AD Hermas

80 AD Hermas "The Son of God is older than all his creation, so that he became the Father's adviser in his creation. Therefore also he is ancient" (TheShepherd 12).

140 AD Aristides

140 AD Aristides "[Christians] are they who, above every people of the Earth, have found the truth, for they acknowledge God, the creator and maker of allthings, in the only-begotten Son and in the Holy Spirit" (Apology 16).

150 AD Justin Martyr

150 AD Justin Martyr "The Father of the universe has a Son, who also being the first begotten Word of God, is even God." (Justin Martyr, First Apology, ch63)

150 AD Justin Martyr "Christ is called both God and Lord of hosts." (Dialogue with Trypho, ch, 36) 150 AD Justin Martyr "Moreover, in the diapsalm of the forty-sixth Psalm, reference is thus made to Christ: 'God went up with a shout, the Lord with the

sound of a trumpet." (Dialogue with Trypho, ch 37)

150 AD Justin Martyr quotes Hebrews 1:8 to prove the Deity of Christ. "Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever." (Dialogue with Trypho, ch 56) 150 AD Justin Martyr "Therefore these words testify explicitly that He [Christ] is witnessed to by Him who established these things, as deserving to be

worshipped, as God and as Christ." - Dialogue with Trypho, ch. 63.

150 AD Justin Martyr in Chap. LXVI. He (Justin) Proves From Isaiah That God Was Born From A Virgin. (Chapter Title, Chap. LXVI) 150 AD Justin Martyr "And Trypho said, "You endeavor to prove an incredible and well-nigh impossible thing;[namely], that God endured to be born and

become man...some Scriptures which we mention, and which expressly prove that Christ was to suffer, to be worshipped, and [to be called] God, and which

have already recited to you, do refer indeed to Christ." (Dialogue with Trypho, ch 68)

150 AD Justin Martyr "But if you knew, Trypho," continued I, "who He is that is called at one time the Angel of great counsel, and a Man by Ezekiel, andlike the Son of man by Daniel, and a Child by Isaiah, and Christ and God to be worshipped by David, and Christ and a Stone by many, and Wisdom bySolomon, and Joseph and Judah and a Star by Moses, and the East by Zechariah, and the Suffering One and Jacob and Israel by Isaiah again, and a Rod, and

Flower, and Corner Stone, and Son of God, you would not have blasphemed Him who has now come, and been born, and suffered, and ascended to heaven;

who shall also come again, and then your twelve tribes shall mourn. For if you had understood what has been written by the prophets, you would not havedenied that He was God, Son of the only, unbegotten, unutterable God. For Moses says somewhere in Exodus the following: `The Lord spake to Moses, and

said to him, I am the Lord, and I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob,being their God; and my name I revealed not to them, and I established my

covenant with them.' And thus again he says, `A man wrestled with Jacob,' and asserts it was God; narrating that Jacob said, `I have seen God face to face,and my life is preserved.'" (Dialogue of Justin with Trypho, A Jew, Chap. CXXVI [See also The First Apology of Justin, Chap. XIII; XXII; LXIII;Dialogue

of Justin with Trypho, A Jew, Chap. XXXVI; XLVIII; LVI; LIX; LXI; C; CV; CXXV; CXXVIII)

[Trypho to Justin] "...you say that this Christ existed as God before the ages, and that He submitted to be born and become man" - Dialogue with Trypho,ch.48. 150 AD Justin Martyr "We will prove that we worship him reasonably; for we have learned that he is the Son of the true God Himself, that he holds a second

place, and the Spirit of prophecy a third. For this they accuse us of madness, saying that we attribute to a crucified man a place second to the unchangeableand eternal God, the Creator of all things; but they are ignorant of the Mystery which lies therein" (First Apology 13:5-6).

150 AD Justin Martyr "Jesus Christ is the only proper Son who has been begotten by God, being His Word and first-begotten, and power; and, becomingman according to His will, He taught us these things for the conversion and restoration of the human race" (First Apology 23).

150 AD Justin Martyr "But both Him, and the Son (who came forth from Him and taught us these things, and the host of the other good angels who followand are made like to Him), and the prophetic Spirit, we worship and adore." (Justin Martyr, First Apology, ch 6) Notice what else Justin say: "Worship God

alone." (Justin Martyr, First Apology, ch 16) "Whence to God alone we render worship." (Justin Martyr, First Apology, ch 17)

150 AD Justin Martyr "God begot before all creatures a Beginning, who was a certain rational power from himself and whom the Holy Spirit calls . . .sometimes the Son, . . . sometimes Lord and Word ... We see things happen similarly among ourselves, for whenever we utter some word, we beget a word,

yet not by any cutting off, which would diminish the word in us when we utter it. We see a similar occurrence when one fire enkindles another. It is not

diminished through the enkindling of the other, but remains as it was" (Dialogue with Trypho the Jew 61).


5/20

150 AD Justin Martyr "God speaks in the creation of man with the very same design, in the following words: 'Let us make man after our image and likeness'. . . I shall quote again the words narrated by Moses himself, from which we can indisputably learn that [God] conversed with someone numerically distinct

from himself and also a rational being. . . . But this Offspring who was truly brought forth from the Father, was with the Father before all the creatures, and

the Father communed with him" (Dialogue with Trypho the Jew 62).

150 AD Justin Martyr [Note: Justin never says Jesus is a created angel. Justin never refers to Jesus as an angel before creation, although JW's will falselyaffirm such from the text below. Justin, however, does refer to Jesus as the "angel of the Lord" after creation in various appearances to man. Many but not all

Trinitarians would have no problem affirming, along side of Justin, that Jesus as uncreated God, was referred to as the Angel of Jehovah.] "HOW GOD

APPEARED TO MOSES. And all the Jews even now teach that the nameless God spake to Moses; whence the Spirit of prophecy, accusing them by Isaiahthe prophet mentioned above, said "The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib; but Israel doth not know Me, and My people do not

understand." And Jesus the Christ, because the Jews knew not what the Father was, and what the Son, in like manner accused them; and Himself said, "No

one knoweth the Father, but the Son; nor the Son, but the Father, and they to whom the Son revealeth Him." Now the Word of God is His Son, as we havebefore said. And He is called Angel and Apostle; for He declares whatever we ought to know, and is sent forth to declare whatever is revealed; as our Lord

Himself says, "He that heareth Me, heareth Him that sent Me." From the writings of Moses also this will be manifest; for thus it is written in them, " And the

Angel of God spake to Moses, in a flame of fire out of the bush, and said, I am that I am, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, the Godof thy fathers; go down into Egypt, and bring forth My people." And if you wish to learn what follows, you can do so from the same writings; for it is

impossible to relate the whole here. But so much is written for the sake of proving that Jesus the Christ is the Son of God and His Apostle, being of old the

Word, and appearing sometimes in the form of fire, and sometimes in the likeness of angels; but now, by the will of God, having become man for the humanrace, He endured all the sufferings which the devils instigated the senseless Jews to inflict upon Him; who, though they have it expressly affirmed in the

writings of Moses, "And the angel of God spake to Mosesin a flame of fire in a bush, and said, I am that I am, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac,

and the God of Jacob," yet maintain that He who said this was the Father and Creator of the universe. Whence also the Spirit of prophecy rebukes them, and

says, "Israel doth not know Me, my people have not understood Me." And again, Jesus, as we have already shown, while He was with them, said, "No one

knoweth the Father, but the Son; nor the Son but the Father, and those to whom the Son will reveal Him." The Jews, accordingly, being throughout of

opinion that it was the Father of the universe who spake to Moses, though He who spake to him was indeed the Son of God, who is called both Angel andApostle, are justly charged, both by the Spirit of prophecy and by Christ Himself, with knowing neither the Father nor the Son. For they who affirm that the

Son is the Father, are proved neither to have become acquainted with the Father, nor to know that the Father of the universe has a Son; who also, being the

first-begotten Word of God, is even God. And of old He appeared in the shape of fire and in the likeness of an angel to Moses and to the other prophets; but

now in the times of your reign, having, as we before said, become Man by a virgin, according to the counsel of the Father, for the salvation of those who

believe on Him, He endured both to be set at nought and to suffer, that by dying and rising again He might conquer death. And that which was said out of the

bush to Moses, "I am that I am, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and the God of your fathers," this signified that they, eventhough dead, are let in existence, and are men belonging to Christ Himself. For they were the first of all men to busy themselves in the search after God;

Abraham being the father of Isaac, and Isaac of Jacob, as Moses wrote." (Justin Martyr, First Apology, ch 63)

150 AD Justin Martyr "It is not on this ground solely," I said, "that it must be admitted absolutely that some other one is called Lord by the Holy Spiritbesides Him who is considered Maker of all things; not solely [for what is said] by Moses, but also [for what is said] by David. For there is written by him:'The Lord says to my Lord, Sit on My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool,' as I have already quoted. And again, in other words: 'Thy

throne, O God, is for ever and ever." (Dialog of Justin with Trypho, a Jew, ch 56)

150 AD Justin Martyr "Then I replied, "Reverting to the Scriptures, I shall endeavor to persuade you, that He who is said to have appeared to Abraham, andto Jacob, and to Moses, and who is called God, is distinct from Him who made all things, numerically, I mean, not [distinct] in will. For I affirm that He

has never at any t ime done anything which He who made the worldabove whom there is no other Godhas not wished Him both to do and to engageHimself with." (Dialog of Justin with Trypho, a Jew, ch 56)

150 AD Justin Martyr "... even so here, the Scripture, in announcing that the Angel of the Lord appeared to Moses, and in afterwards declaring him to beLord and God, speaks of the same One, whom it declares by the many testimonies already quoted to be minister to God, who is above the world, above

whom there is no other [God]." (Dialog of Justin with Trypho, a Jew, ch 60)

150 AD Justin Martyr "I shall give you another testimony, my friends," said I, "from the Scriptures, that God begat before all creatures a Beginning, [whowas] a certain rational power [proceeding] from Himself, who is called by the Holy Spirit, now the Glory of the Lord, now the Son, again Wisdom, again an

Angel, then God, and then Lord and Logos; and on another occasion He calls Himself Captain, when He appeared in human form to Joshua the son of Nave(Nun). For He can be called by all those names, since He ministers to the Father's will, and since He was begotten of the Father by an act of will; just as we

see happening among ourselves: for when we give out some word, we beget the word; yet not by abscission, so as to lessen the word [which remains] in us,when we give it out: and just as we see also happening in the case of a fire, which is not lessened when it has kindled [another], but remains the same; and

that which has been kindled by it likewise appears to exist by itself, not diminishing that from which it was kindled. The Word of Wisdom, who is Himself

this God begotten of the Father of all things, and Word, and Wisdom, and Power, and the Glory of the Begetter, ..." (Dialog of Justin with Trypho, a Jew, ch60)

150 AD Polycarp of Smyrna

150 AD Polycarp of Smyrna "I praise you for all things, I bless you, I glorify you, along with the everlasting and heavenly Jesus Christ, your beloved Son,with whom, to you and the Holy Spirit, be glory both now and to all coming ages. Amen" (Martyrdom of Polycarp 14).

160 AD Mathetes

160 AD Mathetes "[The Father] sent the Word that he might be manifested to the world . . . This is he who was from the beginning, who appeared as if new,and was found old . . . This is he who, being from everlasting, is today called the Son" (Letter to Diognetus 11).

170 AD Tatian the Syrian

170 AD Tatian the Syrian "We are not playing the fool, you Greeks, nor do we talk nonsense, when we report that God was born in the form of a man"(Address to the Greeks 21).

177 AD Athenagoras

177 AD Athenagoras "The Son of God is the Word of the Father in thought and actuality. By him and through him all things were made, the Father and theSon being one. Since the Son is in the Father and the Father is in the Son by the unity and power of the Spirit, the Mind and Word of the Father is the Son of


6/20

God. And if, in your exceedingly great wisdom, it occurs to you to inquire what is meant by `the Son,' I will tell you briefly: He is the first- begotten of the

Father, not as having been produced, for from the beginning God had the Word in himself, God being eternal mind and eternally rat ional, but as comingforth to be the model and energizing force of all material things" (Plea for the Christians 10:2-4).

177 AD Melito of Sardis

177 AD Melito of Sardis "It is no way necessary in dealing with persons of intelligence to adduce the actions of Christ after his baptism as proof that his souland his body, his human nature, were like ours, real and not phantasmal. The activities of Christ after his baptism, and especially his miracles, gave

indication and assurance to the world of the deity hidden in his flesh. Being God and likewise perfect man, he gave positive indications of his two natures: ofhis deity, by the miracles during the three years following after his baptism, of his humanity, in the thirty years which came before his baptism, during

which, by reason of his condition according to the flesh, he concealed the signs of his deity, although he was the true God existing before the ages"

(Fragment in Anastasius of Sinai's The Guide 13).

180 AD Theophilus of Antioch

180 AD Theophilus of Antioch Chapter XV. - Of the Fourth Day. "On the fourth day the luminaries were made; because God, who possessesforeknowledge, knew the follies of the vain philosophers, that they were going to say, that the things which grow on the earth are produced from the

heavenly bodies, so as to exclude God. In order, therefore, that the truth might be obvious, the plants and seeds were produced prior to the heavenly bodies,

for what is posterior cannot produce that which is prior. And these contain the pattern and type of a great mystery. For the sun is a type of God, and the moon

of man. And as the sun far surpasses the moon in power and glory, so far does God surpass man. And as the sun remains ever full, never becoming less, sodoes God always abide perfect, being full of all power, and understanding, and wisdom, and immortality, and all good. But the moon wanes monthly, and in

a manner dies, being a type of man; then it is born again, and is crescent, for a pattern of the future resurrection. In like manner also the three days which

were before the luminaries, are types of the Trinity,. of God, and His Word, and His wisdom." [Triavdo" The earliest use of this word "Trinity." It seems to

have been used by this writer in his lost works, also; and, as a learned friends suggests, the use he makes of it is familiar. He does not lug it in as something

novel: "types of the Trinity," he says, illustrating an accepted word, not introducing a new one.] "And the fourth is the type of man, who needs light, that so

there may be God, the Word, wisdom, man. Wherefore also on the fourth day the lights were made. The disposition of the stars, too, contains a type of the

arrangement and order of the righteous and pious, and of those who keep the law and commandments of God. For the brilliant and bright stars are animitation of the prophets, and therefore they remain fixed, not declining, nor passing from place to place. And those which hold the second place in

brightness, are types of the people of the righteous. And those, again, which change their position, and flee from place to place, which also are cared planets,they too are a type of the men who have wandered from God, abandoning His law and commandments." (180 AD, Theophilus of Antioch Chapter XV. - Of

the Fourth Day, To Autolycus 2:15)

180 AD Irenaeus

180 AD Irenaeus "...so that He indeed who made all things can alone, together with His Word, properly be termed God and Lord: but the things which havebeen made cannot have this term applied to them, neither should they justly assume that appellation which belongs to the Creator." - Against Heresies, Book

III, ch. 8, section 3.

180 AD Irenaeus "But the Son, eternally co-existing with the Father, from of old, yea, from the beginning, always reveals the Father to Angels, Archangels,Powers, Virtues..." (Against Heresies, Book II, ch. 30, section 9)

180 AD Irenaeus "Christ Jesus is our Lord, and God, and Savior, and King." (Against Heresies, Book I, ch. 10, section 1) 180 AD Irenaeus "For I have shown from the scriptures, that no one of the sons of Adam is as to everything, and absolutely, called God, or named Lord. But

that He is Himself in His own right, beyond all men who ever lived, God, and Lord, and King Eternal, and the Incarnate Word, proclaimed by all the

prophets, the apostles, and by the Spirit Himself, may be seen by all who have attained to even a small portion of the truth. Now, the scriptures would not

have testified these things of Him, if, like others, He had been a mere man. (Irenaeus Against Heresies, chapter xix.2)

180 AD Irenaeus "For the Church, although dispersed throughout the whole world even to the ends of the Earth, has received from the apostles and fromtheir disciples the faith in one God, Father Almighty, the creator of heaven and Earth and sea and all that is in them; and in one Jesus Christ, the Son of God,who became flesh for our salvation; and in the Holy Spirit, who announced through the prophets the dispensations and the comings, and the birth from a

Virgin, and the passion, and the Resurrection from the dead, and the bodily Ascension into heaven of the beloved Christ Jesus our Lord, and his coming from

heaven in the glory of the Father to re-establish all things; and the raising up again of all flesh of all humanity, in order that to Jesus Christ our Lord and Godand Savior and King, in accord with the approval of the invisible Father, every knee shall bend of those in heaven and on Earth and under the earth . . . "

(Against Heresies 1:10:1).

180 AD Irenaeus "[The Gnostics] transfer the generation of the uttered word of men to the eternal Word of God, attributing to him a beginning of utteranceand a coming into being. . . In what manner, then, would the word of God--indeed, the great God himself, since he is the Word--differ from the word of

men?" (Against Heresies 2:13:8).

180 AD Irenaeus "Nevertheless, what cannot be said of anyone else who ever lived, that he is himself in his own right God and Lord. . . may be seen by allwho have attained to even a small portion of the truth" (Against Heresies, 3:19:1).

180 AD Irenaeus"It was not angels, therefore, who made us, nor who formed us, neither had angels power to make an image of God, nor any one else,except the Word of the Lord, nor any Power remotely distant from the Father of all things. For God did not stand in need of these [beings], in order to theaccomplishing of what He had Himself determined with Himself beforehand should be done, as if He did not possess His own hands. For with Him were

always present the Word and Wisdom, the Son and the Spirit, by whom and in whom, freely and spontaneously, He made all things, to whom also He

speaks, saying, "Let Us make man after Our image and likeness; " [Gen. 1:26]" (Against Heresies 4:20:1).

180 AD Irenaeus [Quoting John 1:1] "'...and the Word was God,' of course, for that which is begotten of God is God." (Against Heresies, Book I, ch. 8,section 5)

180 AD Irenaeus "And again when the Son speaks to Moses, He says, 'I am come down to deliver this people,' (Exodus 3:8 - the burning bush). For it is Hewho descended and ascended for the salvation of men." (Against Heresies, Book III, ch. 6, section 2)

180 AD Irenaeus "Proofs From The Apostolic Writings, That Jesus Christ Was One And The Same, The Only Begotten Son Of God, Perfect GodAnd Perfect Man." (Against Heresies, Book III, ch. 16, Chapter Tit le)

180 AD Irenaeus [in reference to Jesus] "For I have shown from the Scriptures, that no one of the sons of Adam is as to everything, and absolutely, calledGod, or named Lord. But that He is Himself in His own right, beyond all men who ever lived, God, and Lord, and King Eternal, and the Incarnate Word,

proclaimed by all the prophets, the apostles, and by the Spirit Himself,...Now, the Scriptures would not have testified these things of Him, if, like others, He

had been a mere man." (Against Heresies, Book III, ch. 19, section 2)


7/20

180 AD Irenaeus "God, then, was made man, and the Lord did Himself save us, giving us the token of the Virgin." (Against Heresies, Book III, ch. 21,section 1)

180 AD Irenaeus "Christ Himself, therefore, together with the Father, is the God of the living, who spake to Moses, and who was also manifested to thefathers." (Against Heresies, Book IV, ch. 5, section 2)

180 AD Irenaeus "And for this reason all spake with Christ when He was present [upon earth], and they named Him God." (Against Heresies, Book IV, ch.6section 6)

180 AD Irenaeus "God formed man...it was not angels, therefore, who made us...neither had angels power to make an image of God." (Against Heresies,Book IV, ch. 20, section 1)

180 AD Irenaeus "Wherefore the prophets, receiving the prophetic gift from the same Word, announced His advent according to the flesh, by which theblending and communion of God and man took placeaccording to the good pleasure of the Father, the Word of God foretelling from the beginning that Godshould be seen by men, and hold converse with them upon earth." (Against Heresies, Book IV, ch. 20, section 4)

180 AD Irenaeus "The Word, that is , the Son, was always with the Father." (Against Heresies, Book IV, ch. 20, section 3) 180 AD Irenaeus "Christ Jesus, the Son of God, because of His surpassing love for His creation, condescended to be born of the virgin." (Against Heresies,

Book III, ch. 4, section 2)

180 AD Irenaeus "Therefore neither would the Lord, nor the Holy Spirit , nor the apostles, have ever named as God, definitely and absolutely, h im who wasnot God, unless he were truly God; nor would they have named any one in his own person Lord, except God the Father ruling over all, and His Son who has

received dominion from His Father over all creation, as this passage has it: "The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit Thou at my right hand, until I make Thine

enemies Thy footstool." Here the [Scripture] represents to us the Father addressing the Son; He who gave Him the inheritance of the heathen, and subjectedto Him all His enemies. Since, therefore, the Father is t ruly Lord, and the Son truly Lord, the Holy Spirit has fitly designated them by the title of Lord. And

again, referring to the destruction of the Sodomites, the Scripture says, "Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah fire and brimstone from

the LORD out of heaven." For it here points out that the Son, who had also been talking with Abraham, had received power to judge the Sodomites for their

wickedness. And this [text following] does declare the same truth: "Thy throne, O God; is for ever and ever; the scepter of Thy kingdom is a right scepter.

Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity: therefore God, Thy God, hath anointed Thee." For the Spirit designates both [of them] by the name, of

Godboth Him who is anointed as Son, and Him who does anoint, that is, the Father." (Book 3, ch 6)

190 AD Clement Of Alexandria

190 AD Clement Of Alexandria [note: Clement NEVER calls Jesus a creature.] "There was then, a Word importing an unbeginning eternity; as also theWord itself, that is, the Son of God, who being, by equality of substance, one with the Father, is eternal and uncreated." (Fragments, Part I, section III)

"that so great a work was accomplished in so brief a space by the Lord, who, though despised as to appearance, was in reality adored, the expiator of sin, theSaviour, the clement, the Divine Word, He that is truly most manifest Deity, He that is made equal to the Lord of the universe; because He was His Son , and

the Word was in God, not disbelieved in by all when He was first preached, nor altogether unknown when, assuming the characte r of man, and fashioning

Himself in flesh, He enacted the drama of human salvation: for He was a true champion and a fellow-champion with [ie. God among creatures, not that Jesusis classed as a creature]the creature." (Exhortations, Chap 10)

190 AD Clement Of Alexandria "I understand nothing else than the Holy Trinity to be meant; for the third is the Holy Spirit, and the Son is the second, bywhom all things were made according to the will of the Father." (Stromata, Book V, ch. 14)

190 AD Clement Of Alexandria "When [John] says: 'What was from the beginning [1 John 1:1],' he touches upon the generation without beginning of theSon, who is co-equal with the Father. 'Was,' therefore, is indicative of an eternity without a beginning, just as the Word Himself, that is the Son, being one

with the Father in regard to equality of substance, is eternal and uncreated. That the word always existed is signifiedby the saying: 'In the beginning was theWord' [John 1:1]." (fragment in Eusebius History, Bk 6 Ch 14; Jurgens, p. 188)

190 AD Clement Of Alexandria 'For both are one that is, God. For He has said, "In the beginning the Word was in God, and the Word was God." (TheInstructor, Book 1, ch 8)

190 AD Clement of Alexandria "Despised as to appearance but in reality adored, [Jesus is] the Expiator, the Savior, the Soother, the Divine Word, he that isquite evidently true God, he that is put on a level with the Lord of the universe because he was his Son." (Exhortation to the Greeks, 10:110:1).

190 AD Clement of Alexandria "The Word, then, the Christ, is the cause both of our ancient beginning, for lie was in God, and of our well-being. And nowthis same Word has appeared as man. He alone is both God and man, and the source of all our good things" (Exhortation to the Greeks 1:7:1).

190 AD Clement Of Alexandria "Now, O you, my children, our Instructor is like His Father God, whose son He is, sinless, blameless, and wit h a soul devoidof passion; God in the form of man, stainless, the minister of His Father's will, the Word who is God, who is in the Father, who is at the Father's right hand,and with the form of God is God." (Instructor, Book I, ch. 2)

190 AD Clement Of Alexandria "His Son Jesus, the Word of God, is our Instructor.... He is God and Creator." (Instructor, Book I, ch. 11) 190 AD Clement Of Alexandria "This is the New Song, the manifestation of the Word that was in the beginning, and before the beginning. The Savior, who

existed before, has in recent days appeared. He, who is in Him that truly is, has appeared; for the Word, who "was with God," and by whom all things were

created, has appeared as our Teacher. The Word, who in the beginning bestowed on us life as Creator when He formed us , taught us to live well when He

appeared as our Teacher; that as God He might afterwards conduct us to the life which never ends." (Exhortation To The Heathen, ch 2)

190 AD Clement Of Alexandria "This Word, then, the Christ, the cause of both our being at first (for He was in God) and of ou r well-being, this very Wordhas now appeared as man, He alone being both, both God and man" (Exhortation To The Heathen, ch 2)

190 AD Clement Of Alexandria "For it was not without divine care that so great a work was accomplished in so brief a space by the Lord, who, thoughdespised as to appearance, was in reality adored, the expiator of sin, the Savior, the clement, the Divine Word, He that is truly most manifest Deity, He that

is made [made = appointed not created, ie. made king after resurrection.] equal to the Lord of the universe; because He was His Son, and the Word was in

God, not disbelieved in by all when He was first preached, nor altogether unknown when, assuming the character of man, and fa shioning Himself in flesh"(Exhortation To The Heathen, ch 10)

190 AD Clement Of Alexandria "Now, O you, my children, our Instructor is like His Father God, whose son He is, sinless, blameless, and with a soul devoidof passion; God in the form of man, stainless, the minister of His Father's will, the Word who is God, who is in the Father, who is at the Father's right hand,

and with the form of God is God." (The Instructor, Book 1, ch 2)

200 AD Tertullian

200 AD Tertullian "Never did any angel descend for the purpose of being crucified, of tasting death, and of rising again from the dead." (The Flesh of Christch 6)


8/20

200 AD Tertullian "All the Scriptures give clear proof of the Trinity, and it is from these that our principle is deduced...the distinction of the Trinity is quiteclearly displayed." (Against Praxeas, ch 11)

200 AD Tertullian "The origins of both his substances display him as man and as God: from the one, born, and from the other, not born" (The Flesh ofChrist, 5:6-7).

200 AD Tertullian "[God speaks in the plural 'Let us make man in our image'] because already there was attached to Him his Son, a second person, his ownWord, and a third, the Spirit in the Word....one substance in three coherent persons. He was at once the Father, the Son, and the Spirit." (Against Praxeas, ch

12)

200 AD Tertullian "Thus the connection of the Father in the Son, and of the Son in the Paraclete, produces three coherent Persons, who are yet distinct Onefrom Another. These Three are, one essence, not one Person, as it is said, 'I and my Father are One' [John 10:30], in respect of unity of Being not singularity

of number" (Against Praxeas, 25)

200 AD Tertullian "As if in this way also one were not All, in that All are of One, by unity (that is) of substance; while the mystery of the dispensation isstill guarded, which distributes the Unity into a Trinity, placing in their order the three Persons

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost: three, however,

not in condition, but in degree; not in substance, but in form; not in power, but in aspect; yet of one substance, and of one condition, and of one power,inasmuch as He is one God, from whom these degrees and forms and aspects are reckoned, under the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy

Ghost." (Against Praxeas, by Tertullian)

200 AD Tertullian "So too, that which has come forth out of God is at once God and the Son of God; and the two are one.... In his birth he is God and manunited." (Apology, ch 21)

200 AD Tertullian "There is one only God, but under the following dispensation, or oikonomia, as it is called, that this one only God has also a Son, HisWord, who proceeded from Himself, by whom all things were made, and without whom nothing was made. Him we believe to have been sent by the Fatherinto the Virgin, and to have been born of her being both Man and God, the Son of Man and the Son of God, and to have been called by the name of Jesus

Christ; we believe Him to have suffered, died, and been buried, according to the Scriptures, and, after He had been raised again by the Father and taken back

to heaven, to be sitting at the right hand of the Father, and that He will come to judge the quick and the dead; who sent also from heaven from the Father,

according to His own promise, the Holy Ghost, the Paraclete, the sanctifier of the faith of those who believe in the Father, and in the Son, and in the Holy

Ghost. That this rule of faith has come down to us from the beginning of the gospel, even before any of the older heretics." (Against Praxeas, ch 2)

200 AD Tertullian "That there are two Gods and two Lords, however, is a statement which we will never allow to issue from our mouth; not as if the Fatherand the Son were not God, nor the Spirit God, and each of them God; but formerly two were spoken of as Gods and two as Lords, so that when Christ would

come, he might both be acknowledged as God and be called Lord, because he is the Son of him who is both God and Lord" (Against Praxeas 13:6)

200 AD Tertullian "The Spirit is God, and the Word is God, because proceeding from God, but yet is not actually the very same as He from whom Heproceeds.." (Against Praxeas, ch 26)

200 AD Tertullian "For He could not have been the Father previous to the Son, nor a judge previous to sin" (Against Hermogones, Ch 3) 200 AD Tertullian "He will be God, and the Word - the Son of God. We see plainly the twofold state, which is not confounded, but conjoined in One Person

- Jesus, God and Man.." (Against Praxeas, ch 27)

200 AD Tertullian "God alone is without sin. The only man who is without sin is Christ; for Christ is also God" (The Soul 41:3) 200 AD Tertullian "We do indeed believe that there is only one God, but we believe that under this dispensation, or, as we say, oikonomia, there is also a

Son of this one only God, his Word, who proceeded from him and through whom all things were made and without whom nothing was made. . . . We believe

he was sent down by the Father, in accord with his own promise, the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, the Sanctifier of the faith of those who believe in the Father

and the Son, and in the Holy Spirit. . . . this rule of faith has been present since the beginning of the Gospel, before even the earlier heretics" ... "And at the

same time the mystery of the oikonomia is safeguarded, for the unity is distributed in a Trinity. Placed in order, the Three are the Father, Son, and Spirit.

They are three, however, not in condition, but in degree; not in Being, but in form; not in power, but in kind; of one Being, however, and one condition and

one power, because he is one God of whom degrees and forms and kinds are taken into account in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the HolySpirit" (Against Praxeas 2).

200 AD Tertullian "While keeping to this demurrer always, there must, nevertheless, be place for reviewing for the sake of the instruction and protection ofvarious persons. Otherwise it might seem that each perverse opinion is not examined but simply prejudged and condemned. This is especially so in the case

of the present heresy [Sabellianism], which considers itself to have the pure truth when it supposes that one cannot believe in the one only God in any way

other than by saying that Father, Son, and Spirit are the selfsame person. As if one were not all . . . through the unity of substance" (Against Praxeas 2:3-4)

200 AD Tertullian "Keep always in mind the rule of faith which I profess and by which I bear witness that the Father and the Son and the Spirit areinseparable from each other, and then you will understand what is meant by it. Observe now that I say the Father is other [dis tinct], the Son is other, and the

Spirit is other. This statement is wrongly understood by every uneducated or perversely disposed individual, as if it meant diversity and implied by that

diversity a separation of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit" (Against Praxeas, 9)

200 AD Tertullian "[W]hen God says, 'Let there be light' [Gen. 1:3], this is the perfect nativity of the Word, while he is proceeding from God. . . . Thus, theFather makes him equal to himself, and the Son, by proceeding from him, was made the first-begotten, since he was begotten before all things, and the only-

begotten, because he alone was begotten of God, in a manner peculiar to himself, from the womb of his own heart, to which even the Father himself gives

witness: 'My heart has poured forth my finest Word' [Ps. 45:1Against Praxeas 7:1).

200 AD Tertullian "... it is not by division that He is different, but by distinction; because the Father is not the same as the Son, since they differ one from theother in the mode of their being. For the Father is the entire substance, but the Son is a derivation and portion of the whole, as He Himself acknowledges:

"My Father is greater than I." In the Psalm His inferiority is described as being "a litt le lower than the angels." Thus the Father is distinct from the Son, beinggreater than the Son, inasmuch as He who begets is one, and He who is begotten is another; He, too, who sends is one, and He who is sent is another"

(Against Praxeas, by Tertullian) 200 AD Tertullian [Just as JW's attribute words to Tertullian that he never said. We draw your attention to the fact that the quoted words (from "Should you

believe in the trinity", Watchtower booklet), "There was a time when the Son was not" are not Tertullian's, but those of Bishop Kaye in his appendix sectionon Tertullian. (Bishop Kaye, Account of the Writings of Tertullian, Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol 3, p 1181). Kaye, Tertullian, some Trinitarians and all

Modalists teach that Jesus was eternally pre-existent as God, and that the title of "Son" was first applied to Jesus after his incarnation. Just as a man cannot

be called a father, until after he has a son, so too Jesus cannot be called a Son until after he was physically born via incarnation. This is the gist of what Kayeis saying Tertullian taught. To support this, notice this comment by Tertullian,] "For He could not have been the Father previous to the Son, nor a judge

previous to sin" (Against Hermogones, Ch 3) see next quote:

200 AD Tertullian [Interesting that Tertullian being a modalist, not only says there was a time before the Son became the Son, so too a time before God wasthe Father] Because God is in like manner a Father, and He is also a Judge; but He has not always been Fatherand Judge, merely on the ground of His

having always been God. For He could not have been the Father previous to the Son, nor a Judge previous to sin. There was, however, a time when neithersin existed with Him, nor the Son; the former of which was to constitute the Lord a Judge, and the latter a Father. In this way He was not Lord previous to

those things of which He was to be the Lord. But He was only to become Lord at some future time: just as He became the Father by the Son, and a Judge bysin, so also did He become Lord by means of those things which He had made, in order that they might serve Him. (Tertullian, Against Hermogenes, chapter

3)


9/20

200 AD Tertullian "For before all things God was alonebeing in Himself and for Himself universe, and space, and all things. Moreover, He was alone,because there was nothing external to Him but Himself. Yet even not then was He alone; for He had with Him that which He possessed in Himself, that is to

say, His own Reason. For God is rational, and Reason was first in Him; and so all things were from Himself. This Reason is His own Thought (or

Consciousness) which the Greeks call , by which term we also designate Word or Discourse and therefore it is now usual with our people, owing to the meresimple interpretation of the term, to say that the Word was in the beginning with God;" (Against Praxeas, by Tertullian)

200 AD Hippolytus

200 AD Hippolytus "For who will not say that there is one God? Yet he will not on that account deny the economy (i.e., the number and disposition ofpersons in the Trinity)." (Against The Heresy Of One Noetus)

200 AD Hippolytus "As far as regards the power, therefore, God is one. But as far as regards the economy there is a threefold manifestation, as shall beproved afterwards when we give account of the true doctrine" (Against The Heresy Of One Noetus)

200 AD Hippolytus "Let us look next at the apostle's word: "Whose are the fathers, of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, Godblessed for ever."(13) This word declares the mystery of the truth rightly and clearly. He who is over all is God; for thus He speaks boldly, "All things aredelivered unto me of my Father."(14) He who is over all, God blessed, has been born; and having been made man, He is (yet) God for ever.For to this effect

John also has said, "Which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty."(15) And well has he [John]named Christ the Almighty. For in this he

has said only what Christ testifies of Himself. For Christ gave this testimony, and said, "All things are delivered unto me o f my Father;"(16) and Christ rulesall things, and has been appointed" (Against The Heresy Of One Noetus 6)

200 AD Hippolytus "For Christ is the God above all, and He has arranged to wash away sin from human beings,(7) rendering regenerate the old man. AndGod called man His likeness from the beginning, and has evinced in a figure His love towards thee. And provided thou obeyest His solemn injunctions, and

becomest a faithful follower of Him who is good, thou shall resemble Him, inasmuch as thou shall have honour conferred upon thee by Him. For the Deity,

(by condescension,) does not diminish ought of the divinity of His divine(8) perfection; having made thee even God unto His glory" (Elucidations, Ch. 30,Author's Concluding Address)

200 AD Hippolytus "She hath mingled her wine" in the bowl, by which is meant, that the Saviour, uniting his Godhead, like pure wine, with the flesh in theVirgin, was born of her at once God and man without confusion of the one in the other. "And she hath furnished her table:" that denotes the promised

knowledge of the Holy Trinity." (Hippolytus on Prov 9:1, fragment, "Wisdom hath builded her house.")

200 AD Hippolytus "But there is also that which is more honourable than all--the fact that Christ, the Maker of all, came down as the rain, and was known asa spring, and diffused Himself as a river, and was baptized in the Jordan." (Discourse On The Holy Theophany)

200 AD Hippolytus [Applying Rev 1:8 to Christ] "He who is over all, God blessed, has been born, and having been made man. He is God forever. For to thiseffect John also has said, 'Which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.' And well has he named Christ the Almighty." (Against Noetus,

Part 6)

200 AD Hippolytus "Beside Him there was nothing; but He [God], while existing alone, yet existed in plurality." (Against Noetus, Part 10) 200 AD Hippolytus "Let us believe then, dear brethren, according to the tradition of the apostles, that God the Word came down from heaven,... He now,

coming forth into the world, was manifested as God in a body, coming forth too as a perfect man.." (Against Noetus, Part 17)

200 AD Hippolytus "The Logos is God, being the substance of God." (Refutation of all Heresies, Book X, ch 29) 200 AD Hippolytus "For Christ is the God above all..." (Refutation of all Heresies, Book X, ch 30) 200 AD Hippolytus "The Word alone of this God is from God himself, wherefore also the Word is God, being the Being of God. Now the world was made

from nothing, wherefore it is not God" (Refutation of All Heresies 10:29).

200 AD Hippolytus "Therefore, this sole and universal God, by reflecting, first brought forth the Word--not a word as in speech, but as a mental word, thereason for everything. . . . The Word was the cause of those things which came into existence, carrying out in himself the will of him by whom he was

begotten. . . . Only [God's] Word is from himself and is therefore also God, becoming the substance of God" ... "For Christ is the God over all, who hasarranged to wash away sin from mankind, rendering the old man new" (Refutation of All Heresies 10:33,34).

200 AD Hippolytus "Thus, after the death of Zephyrinus, supposing that he had obtained (the position) after which he so eagerly pursued, he [Callistus]excommunicated Sabellius, as not entertaining orthodox opinions" (Refutation of All Heresies 9:7).

200 AD Hippolytus "Against The Heresy Of One Noetus : 1. Some others are secretly introducing another doctrine, who have become disciples of oneNoetus, who was a native of Smyrna, (and) lived not very long ago. This person was greatly puffed up and inflated with pride, being inspired by the conceit

of a strange spirit. He alleged that Christ was the Father Himself, and that the Father Himself was born, and suffered, and died. Ye see what pride of heart

and what a strange inflated spirit had insinuated themselves into him. Froth his other actions, then, the proof is already given us that he spoke not with a purespirit; for he who blasphemes against the Holy Ghost is cast out from the holy inheritance. He alleged that he was himself Moses, and that Aaron was his

brother. When the blessed presbyters heard this, they summoned him before the Church, and examined him. But he denied at first that he held such opinions

Afterwards, however, taking shelter among some, and having gathered round him some others who had embraced the same error, he wished thereafter touphold his dogma openly as correct. And the blessed presbyters called him again before them, and examined him. But he stood out against them, saying,

"What evil, then, am I doing in glorifying Christ?" And the presbyters replied to him, "We too know in truth one God; we know Christ; we know that the

Son suffered even as He suffered, and died even as He died, and rose again on the third day, and is at the right hand of the Father, and cometh to judge theliving and the dead. And these things which we have learned we allege." Then, after examining him, they expelled him from the Church. And he was carried

to such a pitch of pride, that he established a school. 2.Now they [Noetus]seek to exhibit the foundation for their dogma by citing the word in the law, "I am

the God of your fathers: ye shall have no other gods beside me;" and again in another passage, "I am the first," He saith, "and the last; and beside me there isnone other." Thus they say they prove that God is one. And then they answer in this manner: "If therefore I acknowledge Christ to be God, He is the Father

Himself, if He is indeed God; and Christ suffered, being Himself God; and consequently the Father suffered, for He was the Father Himself." But the case

stands not thus; for the Scriptures do not set forth the matter in this manner. But they make use also of other testimonies, and say, Thus it is written: "This isour God, and there shall none other be accounted of in comparison of Him. He hath found out all the way of knowledge, and hath given it unto Jacob His

servant (son), and to Israel His beloved. Afterward did He show Himself upon earth, and conversed with men." You see, then, he says, that this is God, who

is the only One, and who afterwards did show Himself, and con-versed with men." And in another place he says, "Egypt hath laboured; and the merchandise

of Ethiopia and the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, (and they shall be slaves to thee); and they shall come after thee bound with

manacles, and they shall fall down unto thee, because God is in thee; and they shall make supplication unto thee: and there is no God beside thee. For Thou

art God, and we knew not; God of Israel, the Saviour." Do you see, he says, how the Scriptures proclaim one God? And as this is clearly exhibited, and thesepassages are testimonies to it, I am under necessity, he says, since one is acknowledged, to make this One the subject of suffering. For Christ was God, and

suffered on account of us, being Himself the Father, that He might be able also to save us. And we cannot express ourselves otherwise, he says; for the

apostle also acknowledges one God, when he says, "Whose are the fathers, (and) of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessedfor ever." ... "8. In this way, then, they choose to set forth these things, and they make use only of one class of passages; just in the same one-sided manner

that Theodotus employed when he sought to prove that Christ was a mere man. But neither has the one party nor the other understood the matter rightly, as

the Scriptures themselves confute their senselessness, and attest the truth. See, brethren, what a rash and audacious dogma they have introduced, when they


10/20

say without shame, the Father is Himself Christ, Himself the Son, Himself was born, Himself suffered, Himself raised Himself. But it is not so. The

Scriptures speak what is right; but Noetus is of a different mind from them. Yet, though Noetus does not understand the truth, the Scriptures are not at onceto be repudiated. For who will not say that there is one God? Yet he wil l not on that account deny the economy (i.e., the number and disposition of

persons in the Trinity).The proper way, therefore, to deal with the question is first of all to refute the interpretation put upon these passages by these men,

and then to explain their real meaning. For it is right, in the first place, to expound the truth that the Father is one God, "of whom is every family," "by whom

are all things, of whom are all things, and we in Him." (Against The Heresy Of One Noetus)

200 AD Hippolytus "Against The Heresy Of One Noetus: Many other passages, or rather all of them, attest the truth. A man, therefore, even though hewill it not, is compelled to acknowledge God the Father Almighty, and Christ Jesus the Son of God, who, being God, became man, to whom also the Father

made all things subject, Himself excepted, and the Holy Spirit; and that these, therefore, are three. But if he desires to learn how it is shown still that there is

one God, let him know that His power is one. As far as regards the power, therefore, God is one. But as far as regards the economy there is a threefold

manifestation, as shall be proved afterwards when we give account of the true doctrine. In these things, however, which are thus set forth by us, we are at

one. For there is one God in whom we must believe, but unoriginated, impassible, immortal, doing all things as He wills, in the way He wills, and when He

wills.What, then, will this Noetus, who knows nothing of the truth, dare to say to these things? And now, as Noetus has been confuted, let us turn to theexhibition of the truth itself, that we may establish the truth, against which all these mighty heresies have arisen without being able to state anything to the

purpose. (Against The Heresy Of One Noetus)

200 AD Hippolytus "A man, therefore, even though he will it not, is compelled to acknowledge God the Father Almighty, and Christ Jesus the Son of God,who, being God, became man, to whom also the Father made all things subject, Himself excepted, and the Holy Spirit; and that these, therefore, are three.But if he desires to learn how it is shown still that there is one God, let him know that His power is one. As far as regards the power, therefore, God is one.

But as far as regards the economy there is a threefold manifestation, as shall be proved afterwards when we give account of the true doctrine. In these things,

however, which are thus set forth by us, we are at one. For there is one God in whom we must believe, but unoriginated, impassible, immortal, doing all

things as He wills, in the way He wills, and when He wills." (Against The Heresy Of One Noetus)

200 AD Hippolytus "As far as regards the power, therefore, God is one. But as far as regards the economy there is a threefold manifestation, as shall beproved afterwards when we give account of the true doctrine" (Against The Heresy Of One Noetus)

225 AD Origen

225 AD Origen "And that you may understand that the omnipotence of Father and Son is one and the same, as God and the Lord are one and the same withthe Father, listen to the manner in which John speaks in the Apocalypse: "Thus saith the Lord God, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the

Almighty."(3) For who else was "He which is to come" than Christ? And as no one ought to be offended, seeing God is the Father, that the Saviour is also

God; so also, since the Father is called omnipotent, no one ought to be offended that the Son of God is also cared omnipotent." (De Principis, On Christ,

Book 1, Ch 2)

225 AD Origen "Nothing in the Trinity can be called greater or less, since the fountain of divinity alone contains all things by His word and reason, and bythe Spirit of His mouth sanctifies all things which are worthy of sanctification." (De Principis, Book I, ch. 3, section 7)

225 AD Origen "Saving baptism was not complete except by the authority of the most excellent Trinityof them all, i.e., by the naming of the Father, theSon, and the Holy Spirit." (De Principis, Book I, ch. 3, section 2)

225 AD Origen "The holy Apostles, in preaching the faith of Christ, treated with the utmost clarity of certain matters which they believed to be of absolutenecessity to all believers...The specific points which are clearly handed down through the Apostolic preaching [are] these: First, that there is one Godwhocreated and arranged all things...Secondly, that Jesus Christ himself was born of the Father before all creatures...Although He was God, He took flesh, and

having been made man, He remained what He was, God" (De Principis, Preface, sections 3 - 4)

225 AD Origen "For we do not hold that which the heretics imagine: that the Son was procreated by the Father from non-existent substances, that is, from asubstance outside Himself, so that there was a time when He did not exist." (De Principis, Book V, Summary, section 28)

225 AD Origen "We worship one God, the Father and the Son." (Against Celsus, Book VIII, section 12) 225 AD Origen "The specific points which are clearly handed down through the apostolic preaching are these: First, that there is one God who created and

arranged all things, and who, when nothing existed, called all things into existence, and that in the final period this God, just as he had promised beforehandthrough the prophets, sent the Lord Jesus Christ. Secondly, that Jesus Christ himself, who came, was born of the father before all creatures; and after he had

ministered to the father in the creation of all things, for through him all things were made" ... "Although he was God, he took flesh; and having been made

man, he remained what he was. God" (The Fundamental Doctrines 1:0:4).

225 AD Origen "For we do not hold that which the heretics imagine: that some part of the Being of God was converted into the Son, or that the Son wasprocreated by the Father from non-existent substances, that is, from a Being outside himself, so that there were a time when he [the Son] did not exist" ..."No, rejecting every suggestion of corporeality, we hold that the Word and the Wisdom was begotten out of the invisible and incorporeal God, without

anything corporal being acted upon . . . the expression which we employ, however that there was never a time when he did not exist is to be taken with a

certain allowance. For these very words `when' and `never' are terms of temporal significance, while whatever is said of the Father, the Son, and the HolySpirit, is to be understood as transcending all time, all ages, and all eternity" ... "For it is the Trinity alone which exceeds every sense in which not only

temporal but even eternal may be understood. It is all other things, indeed, which are outside the Trinity, which are to be measured by time and ages" (The

Fundamental Doctrines 4:4:1).

225 AD Origen "While we have been sketching the proof of the divinity of Jesus, we have made use of the prophetic statements concerning him, and have atthe same time demonstrated that the writings which prophesied about him are divinely inspired" (The Fundamental Doctrines, 4:1:6).

225 AD Origen "So also Wisdom, since he proceeds from God, is generated from the very substance of God" (Commentary on Hebrews).

225 AD Origen "In what follows, some may imagine that he says something plausible against us. "If," says he, "these people worshipped one God alone, andno other, they would perhaps have some valid argument against the worship of others. But they pay excessive reverence to one who has but lately appearedamong men, and they think it no offence against God if they worship also His servant." To this we reply, that if Celsus had known that saying," I and My

Father are one," and the words used in prayer by the Son of God, "As Thou and I are one, he would not have supposed that we worship any other besides

Him who is the Supreme God. "For," says He, "My Father is in Me, and I in Him." And if any should from these words be afraid of our going over to the

side of those who deny that the Father and the Son are two persons, let him weigh that passage, "And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart

and of one soul," that he may understand the meaning of the saying, "I and My Father are one." We worship one God, the Father and the Son, therefore, as

we have explained; and our argument against the worship of other gods still continues valid. And we do not "reverence beyond measure one who has butlately appeared," as though He did not exist before; for we believe Himself when He says, "Before Abraham was, I am." Again He says, "I am the truth; "

and surely none of us is so simple as to suppose that truth did not exist before the time when Christ appeared. We worship, therefore, the Father of truth, andthe Son, who is the truth; and these, while they are two, considered as persons or subsistences, are one in unity of thought, in harmony and in identity of will

So entirely are they one, that he who has seen the Son, "who is the brightness of God's glory, and the express image of His person," has seen in Him who is

the image, of God, God Himself." (Origen Against Celsus, book 8, chapter 12, 225 AD)


11/20

235 AD Novatian

235 AD Novatian "For Scripture as much announces Christ as also God, as it announces God Himself as man. It has as much described Jesus Christ to beman, as moreover it has also described Christ the Lord to be God. Because it does not set forth Him to be the Son of God only, but also the Son of man; nordoes it only say, the Son of man, but it has also been accustomed to speak of Him as the Son of God. So that being of both, He is both, lest if He should be

one only, He could not be the other. For as nature itself has prescribed that he must be believed to be a man who is of man, so the same nature prescribes also

that He must be believed to be God who is of God . . . Let them, therefore, who read that Jesus Christ the Son of man is man, read also that this same Jesus is

called also God and the Son of God" (Treatise on the Trinity 11).

235 AD Novatian "If Christ was only man, why did He lay down for us such a rule of believing as that in which He said, 'And this is life eternal, that theyshould know you, the only and true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent?' [John 17:3]. Had He not wished that He also should be understood to be

God, why did He add, 'And Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent,' except because He wished to be received as God also? Because if He had not wished to be

understood to be God, He would have added, 'And the man Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent;' but, in fact, He neither added this, nor did Christ deliverHimself to us as man only, but associated Himself with God, as He wished to be understood by this conjunction to be God also, as He is. We must therefore

believe, according to the rule prescribed, on the Lord, the one true God, and consequently on Him whom He has sent, Jesus Christ, who by no means, as wehave said, would have linked Himself to the Father had He not wished to be understood to be God also. For He would have separated Himself from Him had

He not wished to be understood to be God" (Treatise on the Trinity 16).

235 AD Novatian "[W]ho does not acknowledge that the person of the Son is second after the Father, when he reads that it was said by the Father,consequently to the Son, 'Let us make man in our image and our likeness' [Gen. 1:26] . . . Or when he reads (as having been said) to Christ: 'Thou art my

Son, this day have I begotten you. Ask of me, and I will give you the heathens for your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for your possession?' [Ps. 2:7-8]. Or when also that beloved writer says: 'The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on my right hand, until I shall make your enemies the stool of your feet?'

[Ps. 110:1]. Or when, unfolding the prophecies of Isaiah, he finds it written thus: 'Thus says the Lord to Christ my Lord?' Or when he reads: 'I came not

down from heaven to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me?' [John 6:28]. Or when he finds it written: 'Because He who sent me is greater than

I?' [cf. John 14:24, 28]. . . . Or when he finds it placed side by side with others: 'Moreover, in your law it is written that the witness of two is true. I bear

witness of myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness of me?' [cf. John 8:14-18]" ... "And I should have enough to do were I to endeavor to gathertogether all the passages [of the kind in the previous quotation] . . . since the divine Scripture, not so much of the Old as also of the New Testament,

everywhere shows Him to be born of the Father, by whom all things were made, and without whom nothing was made, who always ha s obeyed and obeys

the Father; that He always has power over all things, but as delivered, as granted, as by the Father Himself permitted to Him. And what can be so evident

proof that this is not the Father, but the Son; as that He is set forth as being obedient to God the Father, unless, if He be believed to be the Father, Christ maybe said to be subjected to another God the Father?" (Treatise on the Trinity 26).

235 AD Novatian "God the Father, found and creator of all things, who alone knows no beginning, who is invisible, immeasurable, immortal, and eternal, isone God. Neither his greatness nor his majesty nor his power can possibly be--I should not say exceeded, for they cannot even be equaled. From him . . . the

Word was born, his Son. . . . And the latter, since he was born of the Father, is always in the Father. And I indeed say always . . . He that exists before all

Documents

Citas Trinitarias Primitivas