Nature of Christ Blog 16

Doctrine of full Divinity and full Humanity of Christ (1)

Blog 16

The Apostolic Fathers Ignatius of Antioch (35-108 CE) wrote in his letter to the Ephesians,
“God existing in flesh; true life in death; both of Mary and of God; first possible and then impossible, …, Jesus Christ, was, according to the appointment of God, conceived in the womb by Mary, of the seed of David, but by the Holy Ghost.”
In his epistle to the Smyrnaeans, he commonted, “He who became a perfect man.”
In the epistle to the Trallians, “Jesus Christ, who was truly born, and did eat and drink. He was truly persecuted under Pontius Pilate; He was truly crucified, and died, in the sight of beings in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth. He was also truly raised from the dead, His Father quickening Him.”
In the epistle to the Smyrnaeans, “He was truly of the seed of David according to the flesh, and the Son of God according to the will and power of God; that He was truly born of a virgin.” [1]

Justin Martyr (100-165 CE), claimed in his First Apology to the Emperor Titus, “The Word, the Logos Himself, who took shape, and became man, and was called Jesus Christ.” [2]

Origen of Alexandria (184-253 CE) argued, “Our Saviour, therefore, is the image of the invisible God, inasmuch as compared with the Father Himself He is the truth: and as compared with us, to whom He reveals the Father, He is the image by which we come to the knowledge of the Father.” [3]

[1] Philip Schaff, ANF01: The Apostolic Fathers, https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.pdf, 146, 159, 228, 191, 225.
[2] Schaff, ANF01: The Apostolic Fathers, 428.
[3] Origen: De Principiis, Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol 04, P.586