Transcript History of Christian Doctrine

The History of
Christian Doctrine
“History is written by the victors.”
Early-Post Apostolic Writers A.D.
90 -140
1. Clement of Rome
2. Polycarp
3. Ignatius
4. Hermas
5. Papias
6. Pseudo-Barnabas
Continued Defense Against Heresy
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They continued to teach against the only
heretical groups that existed at the time.
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Judaizers
Gnosticism
Deity of Jesus Christ
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These writings strongly emphasize Christ’s true deity,
calling Him “the Scepter of the majesty of God,” “the
Lord our God,” “our God, Jesus Christ,” “the
inseparable Spirit,” “God, even Jesus Christ,” “Christ
our God,” “our Lord and God,” “Father,” and “the Son
of God.”
Ignatius was particularly fond of calling Jesus Christ
“our God,” and Polycarp heartily endorsed the epistles
of Ignatius. In Epistle to Polycarp 3, Ignatius said,
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“Look for Him who is above all time, eternal and invisible, yet
who became visible for our sakes, impalpable and impassible
[incapable of suffering], yet who became passible [capable of
suffering] on our account; and who in every kind of way
suffered for our sakes.”
Deity of Jesus Christ cont’d
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These writings make a scriptural
distinction between the Father and the
Son, relating the Son to the Incarnation,
the manifestation of God in flesh. They do
not make a personal distinction with
regard to the Holy Spirit.
These men were explicitly antitrinitarian,
because the doctrine of the trinity had not
yet developed.
Justification by Faith
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And we, too, being called by His will in
Christ Jesus, are not justified by ourselves,
nor by our own wisdom, or understanding, or godliness, or works which we have
wrought in holiness of heart; but by that
faith through which, from the beginning,
Almighty God has justified all men; to
whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Clement to the Corinthians
Humanity of Christ
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These early writers unquestionably
regarded Jesus as a real man who died for
our sins and rose again. At the same time,
they recognized that the Spirit of God
dwells fully in Him by identity, so that He
is our Lord, our God, and our Savior.
Monotheism
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There is no mention of “trinity” or “three
persons,” nor do any other distinctively
trinitarian terms or concepts appear. Instead,
there is simply the teaching of one God and Lord
of all.
Pseudo-Barnabas and Hermas made a few
statements that could refer to a preexistent Son,
but they can also be interpreted in a manner
consistent with Oneness. If they intended to
make a personal distinction, their view would
not be trinitarian, but binitarian (two persons)
and subordinating the second person to the first.
Baptism
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They stressed faith and repentance (the need to turn from the old
life of sin), and they presented water baptism as the essential
complement to repentance. They regarded it as necessary for the
washing away of sins. Hermas wrote, “We descended into the water
and received remission of our former sins,” and Pseudo-Barnabas
spoke of “that baptism which leads to the remission of sins.”
Moreover, just as in the Book of Acts, they baptized in the name of
Jesus Christ. For instance, Hermas spoke of being baptized “in the
name of the Lord” and “in the name of the Son of God.” He stated
that “no one shall enter into the kingdom of God unless he receive
His holy name” and that we receive the name of the Lord at water
baptism.
Clement, Ignatius, and Hermas all strongly emphasized the
importance, sacredness, and power of the name of God, which they
identified as Jesus.
Operation of the Holy Ghost
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These writings mention the “full
outpouring of the Holy Spirit” and
miraculous gifts of the Spirit; the Didache
describes prophets in the church of that
day who spoke “in the Spirit.” It is evident
that, just as in the Book of Acts, people
were receiving the Holy Spirit and
exercising various spiritual gifts.
Early-Post Apostolic Writers A.D.
90 -140
1. Clement of Rome
2. Polycarp
3. Ignatius
4. Hermas
5. Papias
6. Pseudo-Barnabas
Clement of Rome
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Bishop of Rome in the 90s. He wrote two
letters to the church at Corinth. The
Clement of Philippians 4:3 is commonly
believed to be Clement of Rome.
Clement
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Through envy and jealousy, the greatest and most righteous pillars
[of the Church] have been persecuted and put to death. Let us set
before our eyes the illustrious apostles. Peter, through unrighteous
envy, endured not one or two, but numerous labours, and when he
had finally suffered martyrdom, departed to the place of glory due
to him. Owing to envy, Paul also obtained the reward of patient
endurance, after being seven times thrown into captivity, compelled
to flee, and stoned. After preaching both in the east and west, he
gained the illustrious reputation due to his faith, having taught
righteousness to the whole world, and come to the extreme limit of
the west, and suffered martyrdom under the prefects. Thus was he
removed from the world, and went into the holy place, having
proved himself a striking example of patience.” Clement to the
Corinthians
Polycarp
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Bishop of Smyrna. We have a brief letter
he wrote to the Philippians about 100. He
was burned at the stake at age 86. The
Martyrdom of Polycarp was written in a
later age, about 155, and in its present
form contains both fanciful details and
doctrinal errors.
Polycarp
“For whosover does not confess that Jesus
Christ is come in the flesh, he is Antichrist:
and whoever does not confess his
suffering upon the cross, is from the
devil.” Polycarp to the Phillipians.
Polycarp
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“And Whosoever perverts the oracles of
the Lord to his own lusts; and says that
there shall neither be any resurrection, nor
judgment, he is the first-born of Satan.
Wherefore leaving the vanity of many,
and their false doctrines; let us return to
the word that was delivered to us from the
beginning.” Polycarp to the Phillipians
New Testament References In
Polycarp
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1 Pet 1:8,13,21; 2:11-12,22,24; 3:9,14; 6:7;
Eph 2:8, 4:19; 4:26; 5:5 Ps 2:11; Phil 2:10;
Col 2:5, 3:5; Luke 6:20, 37; Matt 5:3, 10;
6:13; 7:1; 12:14; 26:41; 1 Tim 2:1-2; 6:7; I Cor
5:10, 6:2,9,20 Rom 1:29, 2:24, 14:10; 2 Cor
5:10 Tit 2:5 I Th 5:22, Phile 1:1
Ignatius
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Bishop of Antioch, whose writings date
from about 110. We have seven genuine
letters from him. He was martyred by
being thrown to the lions.
Ignatius
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Wrote to:
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Polycarp of Smyrna
Smyrneans
Philadelphians
Romans
Trallians
Magnesians
Ephesians
Ignatius
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“….. dear to me being entrusted with the
ministry of Jesus Christ; who was the
Father before all ages, and appeared in the
end to us.” Epistle to the Magnesians
“Farewell, and be ye strengthened in the
concord of God: enjoying his inseparable
spirit, which is Jesus Christ.” Epistle to the
Magnesians
Ignatius
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“I exhort you that ye study to do all things
in a divine concord: your bishop presiding
in the place of God; your presbyters in the
place of the council of the Apostles; and
your deacons most dear to me being
entrusted with the ministry of Jesus
Christ; who was the Father before all ages,
and appeared in the end to us.” Epistle to
the Magnesians
Ignatius
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“I exhort you to study to do all things with
a divine harmony, while your bishop
presides in the place of God, and your
presbyters in the place of the assembly of
the apostles, along with your deacons,
who are most dear to me, and are
entrusted with the ministry of Jesus
Christ, who was with the Father before the
beginning of time, and in the end was
revealed” Epistle to the Magnesians
Ignatius
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“But if any one shall preach the Jewish
law unto you, hearken not unto him; for it
is better to receive the doctrine of Christ
from one that has been circumcised, than
Judaism for one that has not.” Ignatius to
the Philadelphians.
Ignatius
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“…and which I salute in the name of Jesus
Christ (as being) united both in flesh and
spirit to all his commands, and filled with
the grace of God; (all joy) in Jesus Christ
our God.” Ignatius to the Romans
Ignatius
“For even our God, Jesus Christ, now that
he is in the Father, does so much the more
appear. A Christian is not a work of
opinion; but of greatness of mind,
(especially when he is hated by the
world.)” Ignatius to the Romans.
Ignatius
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“Ignatius, who is also called Theophorus,
to the Church which is at Ephesus, in
Asia, …. being united and elected through
the true passion by the will of the Father,
and Jesus Christ, our God: Abundant
happiness through Jesus Christ, and His
undefiled grace.” Ignatius to the Ephesians
Ignatius
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This was obviously edited later.
“…… elected through the true passion by
the will of God the Father, and of our Lord
Jesus Christ our Saviour : Abundant
happiness through Jesus Christ, and His
undefiled joy.” Ignatius to the Ephesians
Hermas
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Wrote The Shepherd, c. 140-45, a quite
popular book in its day. He is otherwise
unknown to us, but tradition says he was
from Rome.
Apparently Hermas did not hold any
office in the church. In his work, we can
see the over emphasis of angels in and
amongst the church.
Hermas
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“’I heard, sir, some teachers maintain that
there is no other repentance than that
which takes place, when we descended
into the water and received remission of
our former sins.’ He said to me, ‘That was
sound doctrine which you heard; for that
is really the case….’” Sherpherd of Hermas
Hermas
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“These are they who have heard the word,
and wish to be baptized in the name of the
Lord;” Shepherd of Hermas
“When we received the remission of sins,
and put our hope on the Name,” Shepherd
of Hermas
Pseudo-Barnabas
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“….. the baptism that brings the remission
of sins.” Epistle of Pseudo-Barnabas
Allegorical Interpretation
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He interpreted everything from the Old
Testament in a symbolic way.
Sources of Opposition
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Judaic Apologists
Greek Philosophers (Classicism)
2nd Century Heresies
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Ebionites (Judaic-Christian sect)
Marcion (Similar to Gnosticism)
Montanism (Charismatic Sect)
Ebionites
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At first they were a faction within the
church, but gradually they were forced
out of the church.
Ebionites cont’d
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The most extreme of them said that Jesus was
not God manifested in the flesh but merely a
man upon whom the Spirit descended at His
baptism.
They considered Him to be anointed by the
Spirit and a great prophet in the tradition of the
Old Testament, but not truly God.
They believed His mission was to bring a revival
of repentance, a restoration of Old Testament
worship, and a renewed emphasis on the law of
Moses.
Affect of the Ebionites on Christian
Doctrine
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This is a foreshadowing of an anti-Jewish
mindset that would last for millennia.
The rhetoric of some writers have applied the
label of Ebionite to all Jewish Christians who
continued to keep the law of Moses. Such people
were not necessarily heretical, but the adjective
heretical properly applies to all who made the
keeping of the law necessary for salvation and
especially to all who denied the deity and
atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Marcion
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He also believe in the Gnostic Demiurge vs. Redeemer
Concept.
They did not believe Christ can in the flesh (docetism).
He rejected the Old testament.
Marcion accepted as Scripture only ten of the Pauline
Epistles and a mutilated version of the Gospel of Luke.
Instead of the Gospels and the Apostles, he believed in
the Gospel and the Apostle.
He rejected the rest of the New Testament because of
quotations from the Old Testament and contradictions to
his doctrine.
Marcion cont’d
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Marcion taught that salvation is by faith in
Jesus Christ, and his followers practiced
water baptism “in the name of Jesus
Christ.”
Asceticism - They taught strict discipline
and even punishment of the body, and
they rejected marriage.
Marcion cont’d
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The Old Testament had not been fulfilled,
but abolished, Jesus had come “to subvert
the Creator and overthrow the law and
the prophets.” Rather than to establish
and fulfill them
Later followers of Marcion even emended
Matt. 5:17 to read: “I have not come to
fulfill the law but to abolish it.”
Marcion cont’d
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Christ’s coming had not been prophesied
by the Old Testament, but had been
sudden and unforeseen.
Where the New Testament referred to the
Old Testament as “Scripture” or
employed the formula “It is written,”
Marcion deleted the passage.
Affect of Marcion on Christian
Doctrine
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Because he chose certain books, the
question arose about the canon.
Montanus
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The premise of Montanism was to keep the
concept of Christ’s eminent return.
He was Charismatic (operated in the gifts of the
Spirit), but most of his prophecies were
reportedly apocalyptic/end times related.
Believed in living a holy and righteous life.
According to his contemporaries, he called
himself the Paraclete (or Comforter) that Jesus
promised that he would send in His name (John
14:26;15:26)
Montanus cont’d
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He began to refer to God as the Father, the
son, and the Paraclete. According to his
contemporaries, he was referring to
himself as the Paraclete.
When he would prophesy he reportedly
made a lot of strange sounds and gestures
in an ecstatic state.
Montanism’s Affect on Christian
Doctrine.
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Contemporaries decreed that the
Apocalypse of John (Book of Revelation)
was the last truly inspired Prophecy. This
doctrine still exists today among strictly
orthodox Christianity.
The Psychological Affects of
Heresy on Christian Doctrine
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Everyone was on edge about false
doctrine. Therefore, heretic would become
an easy word to label an opponent.
It started to become obvious that
Christianity needed to be well defined
with a general consensus amongst
theologians.
Opposition
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When under attack, if you are so
concerned about your opponent you will
start to tailor your defense of the truth to
your attacker and therefore interpret it in
a way that will (in your mind) best defeat
the opposing argument.
Persecution
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First, Christians were persecuted by the Jews.
Next they were persecuted by the pagans, with the
first severe Roman persecution occurring under
Emperor Nero in the A.D. 60s. Tradition says both
Peter and Paul were martyred during the Neronic
persecution.
Persecution cont’d
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“In many cases, pagan opposition to Christianity was
based on misunderstandings and false, scurrilous rumors.
Since Christians often met in secret to avoid persecution,
it was easy for their opponents to spread malicious gossip
about what they did when they gathered together. It was
commonly reported that Christians murdered people,
sacrificed babies, ate human flesh, drank human blood,
conducted orgies, and so on.” David K. Bernard The
History of Christian Doctrine Vol 1
Anti-Jewish Sentiments
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More and more pagans entered the church
The Epistle of Barnabas, while not going
as far as Marcion in its rejection of the Old
Testament, did claim that the original
tablets of the covenant of the Lord were
shattered at Sinai and that Israel had never
had an authentic covenant with God.
Anti-Jewish Sentiments
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More and more pagans entered the church
What was offensive about Christianity in the
eyes of Gentiles was, to a considerable extent,
what it had inherited from Judaism. Celsus and
other pagan critics ridiculed the claim that God
had put in an appearance at, of all place, “some
corner of Judea somewhere”; and the emperor
Julian scored the Jewish and Christian
conception of God as “ essentially the deity of a
primitive and uncivilized folk,” even while he
chided the “Galilieans” for forsaking Judaism.
Anti-Jewish Sentiments
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Virtually every major Christian writer of
the first five centuries either composed a
treatise in opposition to Judaism or made
this issue a dominant them in a treatise
devoted to some other subject.
Judaic Apologists
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Defended the Old Testament scripture in a
way to refute the fact that Jesus Christ was
the Messiah.
The Christian Response
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Physical Israel is no longer Israel.
The Church is now the true Israel.
Once this reinterpretation occurred,
Christian doctrine took on an anti-Semitic
attitude. This is where it began to unravel.
Classical Greek Theology cont’d
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Stoics
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Monism
Plato
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Dualism
Classical Greek Theology
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Creation
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The earlier conception was that of a chaos, out
of which gods and all things alike proceeded.
The creative energy of God is spoken of as the
Demiurgus, who himself made an ideal
world, and employed subordinate agents in
the construction of the actual world.
In Stoicism, there was the theory of the one
Law or Logos expressing itself in an infinite
variety of material forms
Greek Theology cont’d
The nature of God.
They used the term essence or substance to
refer to God’s nature.
Greek Apologists 130 -180 A.D.
Apologist-They are so called because they
wrote apologies, or defenses of the faith, in
the Greek language, to the Greeks, from a
Greek mindset.
Greek Apologists, cont’d
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1. Marcianus Aristides, a philosopher in Athens
who became a Christian. His Apology, addressed
to Emperor Antoninus Pius, is probably the
oldest surviving work inthis category, dating to
150 and perhaps as early as 125 or 130.
2. The anonymous author of the Epistle to
Diognetus, which is generally dated about 150
although it may
be as early as 130. While
not an apologetic writing, it was once attributed
to Justin, and it expresses some thoughts
characteristic of this time.
Greek Apologists, cont’d
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3. Flavius Justinus, or Justin (also known as Justin
Martyr or Justin Philosopher), by far the most
influential and prolific Greek Apologist. Justin was born
in a Roman colony in Samaria and became a Greek
philosopher. After his conversion to Christianity he
traveled as alay preacher, but he was never ordained as
a minister. He continued to call himself a philosopher
and to wear the philosopher’s cloak. He resided in Rome
on two different occasions and was ultimately beheaded
there for his faith. Later writers often surnamed him
Philosopher and Martyr. Important works of Justin
include his First Apology (c. 150), Second Apology, Dialogue
with Trypho the Jew, and On the Resurrection.
Greek Apologists, cont’d
4. Tatian of Syria, a disciple of Justin who
eventually became a Gnostic and founded an
ascetic sect known as the Encratites
(“abstainers”). He wrote Address to the Greeks (c.
150), and he compiled the Diatessaron, the
earliest harmony of the Gospels, of which only
fragments remain.
5. Melito, bishop of Sardis, of whose writings only
fragments remain. He authored Apology, or To
Marcus Aurelius (c. 170), On God Incarnate, The
Key, Discourse on the Cross, On the Nature of
Christ, Discourse on Soul and Body, and On Faith.
Greek Apologists, cont’d
6. Theophilus, bishop of Antioch from 168 to
181 and author of To Autolycus, a pagan
friend.
7. Athenagoras, a philosopher reportedly of
Athens. He addressed his Plea for the
Christians (c. 177) to the Roman emperors
Marcus Aurelius and Commodus, and
also wrote a treatise, On the Resurrection.
Theophilus to Autolycus
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But as to what relates to the creation of man, his own creation
cannot be explained by man, though it is a succinct account of it
which holy Scripture gives. For when God said, “Let Us make man
in Our image, after Our likeness,” He first intimates the dignity of
man. For God having made all things by His Word, and having
reckoned them all mere bye-works, reckons the creation of man to
be the only work worthy of His own hands. Moreover, God is
found, as if needing help, to say, “Let Us make man in Our image,
after Our likeness.” But to no one else than to His own Word and
wisdom did He say, “Let Us make.”
Justin: First Apology
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Our teacher of these things is Jesus Christ, who also
was born for this purpose, and was crucified under
Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judæa, in the times of
Tiberius Cæsar; and that we reasonably worship
Him, having learned that He is the Son of the true
God Himself, and holding Him in the second place,
and the prophetic Spirit in the third, we will prove.
Justin: First Apology
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Chapter LXI.—Christian baptism.
“Then they are brought by us where there
is water, and are regenerated in the same
manner in which we were ourselves
regenerated. For, in the name of God, the
Father and Lord of the universe, and of
our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of the Holy
Spirit, they then receive the washing with
water.”
Justin: Second Apology
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Jesus is the name of God.
“But to the Father of all, who is unbegotten there
is no name given. …. But these words Father,
and God, and Creator, and Lord, and Master, are
not names, …. And His Son, who alone is
properly called Son, the Word who also was
with Him and was begotten before the works,
when at first He created and arranged all things
by Him, is called Christ, ..... But “Jesus,” His
name as man and Saviour, has also
significance.”
Justin
Proof text that the Logos was a separate
person. Proverbs 8:22-31 (it is actually
talking about wisdom)
Origen
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Origen was a theologian and apologist.
“…if all things were made, as in this passage also,
through the Logos, then they were not made by the
Logos, but by a stronger and greater than He. And who
else could this be but the Father? Now if, as we have
seen, all things were made through Him, we have to
enquire if the Holy Spirit also was made through Him. it
appears to me that those who hold the Holy Spirit to be
created, and who also admit that "all things were made
through Him," must necessarily assume that the Holy
Spirit was made through the Logos, the Logos
accordingly being older than He.” Commentary of John
God and the Logos
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Logos is a Greek term translated as “Word,”
and it represented a very popular Greek
philosophical concept during this time. To the
Greeks, the Logos was the reason of God or
the reason by which the universe was
sustained. It was not a god in a personal sense;
rather it referred to the principles by which the
universe operated.
God and the Logos cont’d
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Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the apostle John used
this term in his Gospel: “In the beginning was the Word, and
the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . . And the
Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1:1, 14). As
a monotheistic Jew, he used it in sharp contrast to prevailing
pagan philosophies, drawing instead upon the Old Testament
background of God’s Word as God Himself in action and in
self-revelation.
(See Psalm 107:20; Isaiah 55:11.) There was no thought that
the Word was a second person. (See Isaiah 44:24; 45:5-6; 46:5,
9.) While John surely knew how his pagan contemporaries
used the term, under divine inspiration he used it in a unique
way to point both Jews and Gentiles to Jesus Christ as the one
true God manifested in the flesh.
God and the Logos cont’d
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They said, in effect, “The Logos you have
been speculating about for hundreds of years is
the basis of our faith. The Logos that controls
the universe is actually Jesus Christ.” But to do
that, instead of using the context of the Old
Testament and the Gospel of John, the
Apologists went to Greek philosophy to
develop, define, and explain their doctrine of
the Logos.
Operation of the Holy Ghost
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In his Against Celsus, Origen does not
deny the existence of prophecy.
 “First he lays it down that there are
several kinds of prophecies, but he
does not specify what they are;