I. Christ is God
II. Relationship to the Father
I. Christ is God (Top)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. John 1:1-2
Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My LORD and my God. John 20:27-28
Continue in intimate union with Jesus Christ our God… I pray for your happiness forever in our God, Jesus Christ. Clement of Rome (A.D. 96) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.1 pg.68,96
The Christians trace the beginning of their religion to Jesus the Messiah. He is called the son of the most high God. It is said that God came down from heaven. Aristides (A.D.125) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.9 pg.265
God did not as some might imagine send to men any servant, angel or ruler… Rather he sends his son, who is also a king, so God sent Him. He sent Him as God. Letter to Diognetus (A.D.125) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.1 pg.27
Brethren it is fitting that you should think of Jesus Christ as of God…Second Clement (A.D.150) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.7 pg.517
For Christ is king, priest, God, Lord, angel and man. Justin Martyr (A.D. 160) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.1 pg.166
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 human race, He endured all the sufferings which the devils instigated the senseless Jews to inflict upon Him. Justin Martyr (A.D. 160) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.1 pg.184
He deserves to be worshipped as God and as Christ. Justin Martyr (A.D. 160) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.1 pg.229
The Son ministered to the will of the father. Yet, nevertheless, he is God. Justin Martyr (A.D. 160) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.1 pg.262
God was put to death, King of Israel slain. Melito (A.D.170) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.8 pg.75 8
Thus He indicates in clear terms that He is God, and that His advent was in Bethlehem… God, then was made man, and the Lord did Himself save us. Irenaeus (A.D.180) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.1 pg.507
He is God in the form of man, stainless, the minister of the father’s will, the word who is God…Clement of Alexandria (A.D.195) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.2 pg.210
Since, therefore, the Father is eternal, the Son also is eternal, Light of Light. For where there is the begetter, there is also the offspring. And if there is no offspring, how and of what can He be the begetter? But both are, and always are. Since, then, God is the Light, Christ is the Brightness. And since He is a Spirit - for says He, “God is a Spirit” - fittingly again is Christ called Breath; for “He,” said He, “is the breath of God’s power.”And again he says: Moreover, the Son alone, always co-existing with the Father, and filled with Him who is, Himself also is, since He is of the Father. Dionysius of Alexandria (A.D. 264) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.6 pg.92
II. Relationship to the Father (Top)
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.John 6:44-46
Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. John14:9-10
For they proclaim our madness to consist in this, that we give to a crucified man a place second to the unchangeable and eternal God, the Creator of all; for they do not discern the mystery that is herein, to which, as we make it plain to you, we pray you to give heed. Justin Martyr (A.D. 160) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.1 pg.167
"No one knows 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 spoke to Moses, though He who spoke to him was indeed the Son of God, who is called both Angel and Apostle, are justly charged, both by the Spirit of prophecy and by Christ Himself, with knowing neither the Father nor the Son. Justin Martyr (A.D. 160) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.1 pg.184
We may learn through Him that the Father is above all things. For "the Father," says He, "is greater than I." The Father, therefore, has been declared by our Lord to excel with respect to knowledge; for this reason, that we, too, as long as we are connected with the scheme of things in this world, should leave perfect knowledge, and such questions [as have been mentioned], to God, and should not by any chance, while we seek to investigate the sublime nature of the Father, fall into the danger of starting the question whether there is another god above God. Irenaeus (A.D. 180) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.1 pg. 402
And through the Word Himself who had been made visible and palpable, was the Father shown forth, although all did not equally believe in Him; but all saw the Father in the Son: for the Father is the invisible of the Son, but the Son the visible of the Father. And for this reason all spoke with Christ when He was present [upon earth], and they named Him God. Yea, even the demons exclaimed, on beholding the Son: "We know You who You are, the Holy One of God." And the devil looking at Him, and tempting Him, said: "If You are the Son of God;" all thus indeed seeing and speaking of the Son and the Father, but all not believing [in them]. Irenaeus (A.D. 180) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.1 pg. 469
So did the Father previously say to the Son “Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness.” Tertullian (A.D. 207) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.3 pg.549
Should anyone inquire whether all that the Father knows… Is known by the Savior also, and should he - imagining that he will thereby glorify the Father - show that some things known to the Father are unknown to the Son. Origen (A.D. 160) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.9 pg.313
SEE ALSO: JESUS
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Early Christian Dictionary (AD 30 - AD300)
Read freely text sermons and articles from Early Christian Dictionary in text and pdf format. The purpose of any dictionary is to define words and terms. By making use of close to 2,000 quotes from more than 30 different early church writers over a time span of three centuries dating before the time of Constantine, The Early Christian Dictionary lets the early Christians redefine some of the more important Bible concepts. After some investigation, you will probably find their understanding of scripture to be radically different than your own. You may find answers to many questions you�ve always had. The scriptures may come alive to you as you learn to walk in new light.Or you may decide not to put any reliance on their definitions at all. Even so you must remember that every time you pick up your bible you still rely on the Early Christian writers. That�s because they decided what books to include or not include in the New Testament canon that you use. And after all, if you find you have a serious conflict with the writings of men like Polycarp, you still have to grapple with the fact the these men were favored by both the Lord and the Apostles, and proven faithful even unto death. These are not new truths challenging your old ideas, these are old truths challenging your new ideas.