HC 1310: Early Church

1
HC 1310 Early Church

• Development of Patristic Orthodoxy Christology

2
Christology. . .is concerned with the question
of the relation between that which is divine and
that which is human in the person of Jesus
Christ. Bernhard Lohse, A Short History of
Christian Doctrine, p. 71
3
Church history is the exposition of Holy Scripture

• But now, apart from law, the righteousness of
  God has been disclosed, and is attested by the
  law and the prophets, the righteousness of God
  through faith in Jesus Christ for all who
  believe. For there is no distinction, since all
  have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
  they are now justified by his grace as a gift,
  through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus
  whom God put forward as a hilasterion by his
  blood, effective through faith. He did this to
  show his righteousness, because in his divine
  forbearance he had passed over the sins
  previously committed it was to prove at the
  present time that he himself is righteous and
  that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus.
• Romans 3.21-26

4
The development of the Churchs ideas about the
saving effects of the incarnation was a slow
drawn-out process. Indeed, while the conviction
of redemption through Christ has always been the
motive force of Christian faith, no final and
universally accepted definition of the manner of
its achievement has been formulated to this
day. J.N.D. Kelly, Early Christian Doctrines,
p. 163.
5

• The development of the Churchs ideas about the
  saving effects of the incarnation was a slow
  drawn-out process. Indeed, while the conviction
  of redemption through Christ has always been the
  motive force of Christian faith, no final and
  universally accepted definition of the manner of
  its achievement has been formulated to this day.
• J.N.D. Kelly, Early Christian Doctrines, p. 163.
• John 316 16 For God so loved the world, that
  he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
  believeth in him should not perish, but have
  everlasting life.
• Romans 511 11 And not only so, but we also joy
  in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we
  have now received the atonement. atonement or,
  reconciliation
• 2 Corinthians 518 18 And all things are of God,
  who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus
  Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of
  reconciliation

6
Then you shall make a mercy seat of pure gold
two cubits and a half shall be its length, and a
cubit and a half its width. You shall make two
cherubim of gold you shall make them of hammered
work, at the two ends of the mercy seat. Make one
cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the
other of one piece with the mercy seat you shall
make the cherubim at its two ends. The cherubim
shall spread out their wings above, over
shadowing the mercy seat with their wings. They
shall face one another. . .You shall put the
mercy seat on top of the ark. . . Exodus 25.
17ff.
7
Aaron shall present the bull as a sin offering
for himself, and shall make atonement for himself
and for his house he shall slaughter the bull as
a sin offering for himself. He shall take a
censer full of coals of fire from the altar
before the Lord, and two handfuls of crushed
sweet incense, and he shall bring it inside the
curtain and put the incense on the fire before
the Lord, that the cloud of the incense may cover
the mercy seat that is upon the covenant, or he
will die. He shall take some of the blood of the
bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the front
of the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat he
shall sprinkle the blood with his finger seven
times. He shall slaughter the goat of the sin
offering that is for the people and bring its
blood inside the curtain, and do with its blood
as he did with the blood of the bull, sprinkling
it upon the mercy seat and before the mercy seat.
Thus he shall make atonement for the sanctuary
because of the uncleanness of the people of
Israel and because of their transgressions, all
their sins. . . Leviticus 16.11-16
8
(No Transcript)
9
(No Transcript)
10
Two Assumptions

• We cannot explain as creatures the Creator and
  his work
• 1 Corinthians 1312 12 For now we see through a
  glass, darkly but then face to face now I know
  in part but then shall I know even as also I am
  known.
• Any doctrine that does not begin with the fact of
  Divine love and mercy is doomed to failure
• Romans 58 8 But God proves his love for us in
  that while we still were sinners Christ died for
  us.
• Romans 832 32 He who did not withhold his own
  Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not
  with him also give us everything else?
• Ephesians 24-5 4 But God, who is rich in mercy,
  out of the great love with which he loved us 5
  even when we were dead through our trespasses,
  made us alive together with Christ1 -- by grace
  you have been saved
• 1 John 49-10 9 God's love was revealed among
  us in this way God sent his only Son into the
  world so that we might live through him. 10 In
  this is love, not that we loved God but that he
  loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning
  sacrifice for our sins.

11
Corroborative Truths

• Part of the pattern of the Scriptures
• Christ is the only way
• Romans 510 10 For if while we were enemies, we
  were reconciled to God through the death of his
  Son, much more surely, having been reconciled,
  will we be saved by his life.
• Acts 412 12 There is salvation in no one else,
  for there is no other name under heaven given
  among mortals by which we must be saved."
• dei it had to be
• Mark 831 31 Then he began to teach them that
  the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and
  be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and
  the scribes, and be killed, and after three days
  rise again.
• Mark 912 12 He said to them, "Elijah is indeed
  coming first to restore all things. How then is
  it written about the Son of Man, that he is to go
  through many sufferings and be treated with
  contempt?
• Luke 247 7 that the Son of Man must be handed
  over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the
  third day rise again."
• John 314 14 And just as Moses lifted up the
  serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man
  be lifted up,
• Matthew 2639 39 And going a little farther, he
  threw himself on the ground and prayed, "My
  Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from
  me yet not what I want but what you want."

12
Biblical Explanations

• Christ as obedient servant
• John 638 For I came down from heaven, not to
  do mine own will, but the will of him that sent
  me.
• Isaiah 533-5 3 He is despised and rejected of
  men a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief
  and we hid as it were our faces from him he was
  despised, and we esteemed him not. we hid...
  or, he hid as it were his face from us Heb. as
  an hiding of faces from him, or, from us 4
  Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our
  sorrows yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten
  of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for
  our transgressions, he was bruised for our
  iniquities the chastisement of our peace was
  upon him and with his stripes we are healed.
  wounded or, tormented stripes Heb. bruise

13
Ernest Gordon 1917-2002Through the Valley of
the Kwai (1962)
14
Biblical Explanations

• 2) Christ as Sacrifice
• 1 Corinthians 57 7 Purge out therefore the old
  leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are
  unleavened. For even Christ our passover is
  sacrificed for us is sacrificed or, is slain
• Ephesians 52 2 And walk in love, as Christ also
  hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an
  offering and a sacrifice to God for a
  sweetsmelling savour.
• Hebrews 727 27 Who needeth not daily, as those
  high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for
  his own sins, and then for the people's for this
  he did once, when he offered up himself.
• Hebrews 83 3 For every high priest is ordained
  to offer gifts and sacrifices wherefore it is of
  necessity that this man have somewhat also to
  offer.
• Hebrews 914 14 How much more shall the blood
  of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered
  himself without spot to God, purge your
  conscience from dead works to serve the living
  God? spot or, fault

15
Sacrifice

• Hebrews 923-28 23 It was therefore necessary
  that the patterns of things in the heavens should
  be purified with these but the heavenly things
  themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24
  For Christ is not entered into the holy places
  made with hands, which are the figures of the
  true but into heaven itself, now to appear in
  the presence of God for us 25 Nor yet that he
  should offer himself often, as the high priest
  entereth into the holy place every year with
  blood of others 26 For then must he often have
  suffered since the foundation of the world but
  now once in the end of the world hath he appeared
  to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27
  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but
  after this the judgment 28 So Christ was once
  offered to bear the sins of many and unto them
  that look for him shall he appear the second time
  without sin unto salvation.
• Hebrews 1010-14 10 By the which will we are
  sanctified through the offering of the body of
  Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest
  standeth daily ministering and offering
  oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never
  take away sins 12 But this man, after he had
  offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down
  on the right hand of God 13 From henceforth
  expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
  14 For by one offering he hath perfected for
  ever them that are sanctified.
• Hebrews 1026 26 For if we sin wilfully after
  that we have received the knowledge of the truth,
  there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

16
Sacrifice

• Hebrews 1310-13 10 We have an altar, whereof
  they have no right to eat which serve the
  tabernacle. 11 For the bodies of those beasts,
  whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the
  high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.
  12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify
  the people with his own blood, suffered without
  the gate. 13 Let us go forth therefore unto him
  without the camp, bearing his reproach.

17
Biblical Explanations

• 3) Christ as Expiation
• 4) Christ as Reconciler
• All this is from God, who through Christ
  reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry
  of reconciliation
• (II Corinthians 5.18)

18
Biblical Explanations

• 5) Christ as Redemption
• For the Son of man also came not to be served
  but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom
  for many.
• (Mark 10.45)
• the mighty Word, and very man, who, redeeming us
  by His own blood in a manner consonant to reason,
  gave Himself as a redemption for those who had
  been led into captivity. And since the apostasy
  tyrannized over us unjustly, and, though we were
  by nature the property of the omnipotent God,
  alienated us contrary to nature, rendering us its
  own disciples, the Word of God, powerful in all
  things, and not defective with regard to His own
  justice, did righteously turn against that
  apostasy, and redeem from it His own property,
  not by violent means, as the apostasy had
  obtained dominion over us at the beginning, when
  it insatiably snatched away what was not its own,
  but by means of persuasion, as became a God of
  counsel, who does not use violent means to obtain
  what He desires

19
Biblical Explanations

• 6) Christ the Victor over the devil
• He disarmed the principalities and powers and
  made a public example of them, triumphing over
  them in him.
• Colossians 2.15
• For we are not contending against flesh and
  blood, but against the principalities, against
  the powers, against the world rulers of this
  present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of
  wickedness in the heavenly places.
• Ephesians 6.12

20
Christology shifts the focus to Jesus Christ. It
inquires how it is in Jesus Christ that God is
present and active with us. George Hendry A
Dictionary of Christian Theology, ed. Alan
Richardson, 1st ed. (1969), 51.
21

• Mark 122 22 And they were astonished at his
  doctrine for he taught them as one that had
  authority, and not as the scribes.
• The gospel-speakers who first fanned out through
  the Roman Empire from Jerusalem and Galilee
  formulated this message in various ways. Often
  they made their point about Jesus by using
  various titles drawn from the symbol-worlds they
  entered Jesus is Messiah (a Jewish title) or
  Jesus is Lord (a conveniently ambiguous
  Jewish-Hellenistic title). But the fundamental
  form was the narrative God raised Jesus the
  Nazarene from the dead. . . Robert Jenson,
  Story and Promise (1973) 32.

22

• Apologists logos spermatikos
• We have been taught that Christ is the
  First-begotten of God and have previously
  testified that he is the Reason of which every
  race of man partakes. Those who lived in
  accordance with Reason are Christians, even
  though they were called godless, such as, among
  the Greeks, Socrates and Heraclitus and others
  like them among the barbarians, Abraham,
  Ananiah, Azariah, and Mishael see Dan. 17, and
  Elijah, and many others, whose deeds and names I
  forbear to list. . .So also those who lived
  without Reason were ungracious and enemies to
  Christ, and murderers of those who lived by
  Reason, and those who so live now, are
  Christians, fearless and unperturbed.
• Justin, First Apology in Richardson, p. 272
• Origen logos Christology
• Nicaea If the unlimited and full divinity of
  the Son was asserted, then his true humanity was
  bound to become a problem. Bernard Lohse, A
  Short History of Christian Doctrine, 77.

23
God, however, neither ceases to be what he was,
nor can He be any other thing than what He is. .
.We see plainly the twofold state, which is not
confounded, but conjoined in One PersonJesus,
God and Man. . .the property of each nature is so
wholly preserved, that the Spirit on the one hand
did all things in Jesus suitable to Itself such
as miracles, and mighty deeds, and wonders and
the Flesh on the other hand, exhibited the
affections which belong to it. It was hungry
under the devils temptation, thirsty with the
Samaritan woman, wept over Lazarus, was troubled
even unto death and at last actually
died. Tertullian, Against Praxeas, ch. xxvii
24

• Word-Man Christology (Antioch)
• Eustathius of Antioch (337)
• Diodorus of Tarsus (d. 394)
• Theodore of Mopsuestia (d. 428)
• Nestorius (d. 451)

• Word-Flesh Christology (Alexandria)
• Apollinaris of Laodicea (d. c.390)
• Pulcheria (399-453) (Theodosius II 401-450)
• Cyril of Alexandria (d. 444)

25
Solution

• Leo's Tome (13 June 449)
• communicatio idiomatum
• Based on Tertullian, Hilary (d. 367), Ambrose
  (d. 397), Augustine (d. 430)
• Chalcedon (451)

26
The Problem

• How is it possible to express both the unity of
  the divine Logos and the human body and the
  difference between them?
• Unity emphasis Alexandrine, Word-Flesh
• Difference Antioch, Word-Man
• Arius denied the presence of a human soul
• Athanasius did not object to this
• Eustathius did object to Arius.
• Apollinaris

27
God made flesh flesh bearing God No human
intellectual activity can be ascribed to the
earthly Jesus. We confess that the Word of God
has not descended upon a holy man, a thing which
happened in the case of the prophets, but that
the Word himself has become flesh without having
assumed a human mind, i.e., a mind changeable and
enslaved to filthy thoughts, but existing as a
divine mind immutable and heavenly. Apollinari
us, Bishop of Laodicea in Syria Letter to the
Bishops at Diocaesarea, 2
28
. . .he was being stirred on by the Word and was
being strengthened for the perfect fulfillment of
what needed to be done. . .At the age when men
normally begin to be able to distinguish between
good and bad, indeed even before that age, he
demonstrated far more rapidly and quickly than
other people this power of discrimination. . .He
was exceptional in comparison with all others and
it came to him at an earlier age than is normal
this is not surprising since even at the human
level he was bound to have something extra by
virtue of the fact that even his birth was not by
the normal method of intercourse between a man
and a woman but was formed by the divine working
of the Spirit. Theodore of Mopsuestia, On the
Incarnation, VII.
29
Give me, O Emperor, the earth purged of
heretics, and I will give you heaven as a
recompense. Assist me in destroying heretics, and
I will assist you in vanquishing the Persians.
Now although these utterances were extremely
gratifying to some of the multitude, who
cherished a senseless antipathy to the very name
of heretic yet those, as I have said, who were
skillful in predicting a mans character from his
expressions, did not fail to detect his levity of
mind, and violent and vainglorious temperament. .
. Socrates, Ecclesiastical History,
VII.29 Shibboleth of Theotokos (anthropotokos,
christotokos)
30
Pulcheria 399-453

• Theodosius II (408)
• Anthemius (loses power in 414)
• Pulcheria kept power for 36 years
• Aelia Eudocia (wife of Theodosius 421)
• Theodosius dies 450
• Pulcheria marries Marcian

31
For we do not affirm that the nature of the Word
underwent a change and became flesh, or that it
was transformed into a complete human being
consisting of soul and body, but rather this,
that the Word having in an ineffable and
inconceivable manner personally (in hypostasis)
united to himself flesh animated with living
soul, became man and was called Son of Man, yet
not of mere will or favor, nor again by the
simple assumption to himself of a human person,
and that while the natures which were brought
together into this true unity were diverse there
was of both one Christ and Son. . by their
unutterable and unspeakable concurrence into
unity. Cyril of Alexandria, Second Letter to
Nestorius (February, 430)
32
The birth of the flesh is a manifestation of
human nature the childbearing of a virgin a
token of divine power. The infancy of the babe is
shown by its lowly cradle the greatness of the
Most High is declared by the voices of angels. He
whom Herod wickedly strives to kill is like a
human infant but he is the Lord of all whom the
Magi rejoice humbly to adore. Already when he
came to the baptism of his forerunner, John, lest
he should not be known because his divinity was
hidden by the veil of flesh, the Fathers voice
thundered from heaven This is my beloved Son in
whom I am well pleased. He whom the craft of the
Devil tempts as man, is the same that the Angels
minister to as God. To hunger, to thirst, to be
weary and to sleep, is obviously human but with
five loaves to satisfy five thousand people and
to bestow on the woman of Samaria that living
water, a draught of which will cause the drinker
to thirst no more to walk upon the surface of
the sea with feet that do not sink, and to calm
the rising waves by rebuking the tempest, is
without question divine. Leos Tome, 13 June
449
33
Wherefore, following the holy Fathers, we all
with one voice confess our Lord Jesus Christ one
and the same Son, the same perfect in Godhead,
the same perfect in manhood, truly God and truly
man, the same consisting of a reasonable soul and
a body, of one substance with the Father as
touching the Godhead, the same of one substance
with us as touching the manhood, like us in all
things apart from sin begotten of the Father
before the ages as touching the Godhead, the same
in the last days, for us and for our salvation,
born from the Virgin Mary, the Theotokos, as
touching the manhood, one and the same Christ,
Son, Lord, Only-begotten, to be acknowledged in
two natures, without confusion, without change,
without division, without separation the
distinction of natures in no way being abolished
because of the union, but rather the
characteristic property of each nature being
preserved, and concurring into one Person and one
subsistence (hypostasis). . . The Chalcedonian
Definition of Faith (451), para. 4.