A PATRISTIC STUDY OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TRINITYBy Juan Baixeras

INDEX

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Greek Philosophies Names to know Apostolic Fathers The Church Fathers A Brief History of the Church After Nicaea Summary

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this paper is to show that the Doctrine of the Trinity is not something that was taught by Jesus and the Apostles, but that it was, in fact, a doctrine that slowly developed throughout several centuries due to the heavy influence of Greek philosophy. It is also intended to show the early Christian leaders beliefs on the nature of Jesus, the kingdom of God, and what happens to Christians when they die. Finally, it is for the reader to see the gradual change in Christian theology (for the worse) on these topics as time wore on. One of the oldest and least credible arguments that proponents of the Trinity try to pass off as fact is that the Apostles taught the Trinity in the New Testament. The Council of Nicaea, in 325 AD., made "Jesus of the same substance as God." This is not the Trinitarian doctrine we know of today, but it was a start. Fifty-six years later, at the 1

Council of Constantinople in 381 AD., the Holy Spirit was added to the formula, bringing to life the modern day Trinity. One can easily see that even at Nicaea the Trinity was not an established doctrine by the absence of the Holy Spirit. Trinitarians will argue that the belief in a triune God was there from the Apostles, and that it was formalized as dogma at Nicaea and Constantinople. But the fact is that the New Testament does not anywhere teach the doctrine of the Trinity. The Doctrine of the Trinity, as we shall see, was not an established doctrine from Apostolic times, but a slowly developing idea that took over three hundred years to formalize. Just to clear up the claim that the Apostles taught the Trinity in the New Testament, we will conduct a careful analysis of Patristic writings from the days of the Apostles all the way to Nicaea. The logic is, that if the Apostles did indeed teach the Trinity, then it would stand to reason that the early Christian leaders of the church would also be Trinitarians, and their letters should reflect that teaching. The problem that Trinitarians will find is that these early Christian leaders (until the late second century) had no idea of any Trinity. The latter part of the second century is when we start hearing for the first time of a Trinity of any kind, and even then, it is not very similar to the Trinity that Christianity has today. If the Apostles had actually taught the Trinity, then the Doctrine of the Trinity should be a constant teaching from the Apostles all the way to Nicaea. The problem with this thought is that the Christian leaders which came right after the Apostles, and who in some cases were appointed by the Apostles, are strangers to the thought of a triune God. As we get farther and farther away in time from the Apostles, we begin to see changes in the writers Christology and their overall theology. This is almost completely due to the incredible influence of Greek philosophies such as Platonism, Neo-Platonism, Stoicism, and Gnosticism on early Christianity. There are probably a few more isms, but these are the major culprits. Greek philosophy not only created the Doctrine of the Trinity, but it was also responsible for several more near fatal changes to true Christianity which we will also be examining. You must realize that in those days Greek philosophy was the major thought pattern of the civilized world. Anyone who was anyone was educated in Greek philosophy. Another reason why these philosophies were so quick to influence early Christianity is that in the beginning of the church, the leaders were for the most part Jewish, with the Jewish concept of God.

2

"The Jews conceive God as an absolutely simple unity (inferring absolutely no constituent divisions)." (Jewish Thought 6/12/96) When Christianity started spreading, the leaders of the churches were now Gentiles who had converted to Christianity. These people, for the most part, had been educated in Greek philosophies in their schools and universities. As educated persons, they of course wanted to find a place for their new religious beliefs within the philosophical framework they had already acquired. So when they read Hebrew Scriptures, they could not help injecting Greek philosophical meanings into them. The Encyclopedia Britannica says concerning Christian Platonist: "They did not believe that truth could conflict with truth and were confident that all that was rationally certain in Platonic speculation would prove to be in perfect accordance with the Christian revelation. Their unhistorical approach and unscholarly methods of exegesis of texts, both pagan and Christian, facilitated this confidence." There was also the felt need of some Christians with Greek philosophical training to express Christianity in those terms, both for their own intellectual satisfaction and in order to convert educated pagans. What is needed today is to remove all the Greek influence from what is called modern day Christianity, and return to the Christianity that was preached by Jesus and his Apostles. This paper will cover almost all the major Patristic writings leading up to Nicaea. Some writings have been left out because they had nothing to contribute to the topics at issue. The study of the writings of the so-called "Fathers" (patres) of the Church" is called "patristics." Do not be confused. "Fathers" in this sense does not mean "priests," although many of these individuals were priests. It also does not exactly mean "fathers" in the sense of "founding fathers." It means "teachers." This was a standard usage in ancient and early Christian times. In the first few centuries, the term "father" was primarily applied to the bishop, who had the primary teaching role within the church. Gradually, the word was extended to include all early Christian writers who were taken as representing the authentic tradition of the church. We will be concerned only with the Church fathers up to the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD.

3

This group of "fathers" will be divided up into what are known as the Apostolic Fathers, and the Church Fathers. Apostolic Fathers does not mean the Apostles. These are individuals who are considered to be the disciples of the Apostles, or of their immediate disciples. They are about as close as you can get to the Apostles. As you will see, their theology for the most part, has not been corrupted. Their writings basically continue the preaching tradition of the Apostles. There is little theoretical speculation. (History of Philosophy, Vol. 2, Chpter 2.) The ideal thing would be for a person to actually read the original letters in this study. But since that is almost impossible for most people due to time constraints and other reasons, I have written down all the verses in these writings that pertain to the three most important subjects that the influence of Greek philosophy has corrupted. 1. The nature of Jesus Christ. (Who do the writers think that Jesus is?) 2. The kingdom of God. (Do the writers think that the kingdom of God is an earthly kingdom that is to come in the future at the return of Christ, or do they think that it is a kingdom of the heart?) 3. The nature of death and afterlife. (Do the writers think that you go to heaven or hell when you die, or do they believe in the resurrection of the dead upon Christs return?) This paper is structured in the following manner: 1. I will briefly define the major Greek philosophies so that the reader can have a working understanding of each philosophy and see its influence in certain writings. 2. I will list a short biography of each writer before reviewing his writings. 3. I will list all the verses dealing with the topics mentioned above and a commentary for each verse. 4. I will summarize what I believe to be the writers' opinions on those topics mentioned from only the verses listed in the paper. The reader will be able to draw his or her own conclusions based on the same verses.

CHAPTER 1 4

GREEK PHILOSOPHIES

In these definitions I will list only the points that have a direct relationship to our topic. The purpose of this paper is not to get a full understanding of these philosophies, but to see how and in what capacity they have affected Christian theology. These philosophies are not religions. In some regards they do differ significantly, but in others they are very similar. In other words, you could believe several of them to be correct at the same time without any major conflict. You could also pick and choose what you liked and disliked from each one. It would be similar to being a registered voter in the U.S. and believing in the social programs of the Democrats and also the foreign policy of the Republicans. Some of the writers that we will be studying were influenced by more than one philosophy. Pythagoreans - A group of early Greek scientist and religious thinkers influenced by Pythagoras of Samos. Pythagoreans believed that the soul is immortal and separable from the body. (Greek Background to Medieval Philosophy) This is where the concept of the Transmigration of Souls began. This concept influenced Plato and later led to the belief that when Christians die, their souls separate from their bodies and go to either heaven or hell. It is bizarre for a Christian to believe that his soul goes to heaven or hell after death, when judgment comes only after Jesus return. Very Greek, but definitely not Hebrew. Platonism - Platonist believed that our physical world is far from perfect. However , the ideal world is another world that is separate and distinct from the physical one. Our minds or souls must therefore be capable of existing in that separate realm. We must be capable of existing apart from the physical body. The flesh is evil. It is bad for the soul to be in the body. The body is a prison. Death is a liberation. It allows us to reach the realm where things are the way they ought to be. (Radical Reformation Vol. 1, No.4, 1992) You can obviously see how this way of thinking will ultimately influence Christianity and change the goal of a Christian from being at the first resurrection to heaven going.

5

Platonist also believe in the Doctrine of Recollection, according to which, learning is the remembering of a wisdom that the soul enjoyed prior to its incarnation. This view suggests the immortality and pre-existence of the soul, and the soul then becoming incarnate. Sound familiar? It should. This is probably 99% of Christianitys view of Jesus. Neo-Platonism - This philosophy incorporates all the Platonist framework and then adds a few twists of its own. It has a different view of God. This is probably the most important difference between them, and the most damaging to Christianity. The Neo-Platonist view of God is as follows: there is the highest principle, which is called the One. The One produces the Intelligence, and from it comes the Soul. This process is called emanation. It would benefit us to get a visual picture of this thought. One / Intelligence / Soul God / Word / Holy Spirit This concept of God, that realities derive from higher essentialities, was devastating to Christianity and essential to the development of the Trinity. They also believe that the goal of the human soul is to escape from the body and return to the One. (Groliers Multimedia Encyclopedia) Stoicism - One of the most influential traditions in philosophy of the Hellenistic world, Stoicism claimed following of a large portion of the educated persons in Greco-Roman world. It had considerable influence on development of early Christianity. (The Ecole Initiative) the the the the

Stoic philosophy insisted that the DIVINE principle of life "logos" gave order to the world and could be found in all creatures and substances. (Reading The Apostolic Fathers, pg. 183) You can imagine what happens when someone who has been educated in this philosophy, who believes that the logos is the divine principle of life (which is basically a definition of God) reads John 1:1-3: In the beginning was the word (logos) etc. He is off to the races in the wrong direction. The worst part is that it would make all the sense in the world to Stoic Christians. They would inevitably end up with divine pre-existent logos, which, of course, must be Jesus. Stoic thought was extremely popular among Christian theologians of Alexandria in Egypt. Egypt is where logos 6

Christology developed. And wouldnt you know it, all the major theologians who wrote about the logos being God were from Egypt. What a coincidence! Gnosticism - This philosophy has, in my opinion done more harm to Christianity than all the rest of the Greek philosophies put together. It is the most bizarre and complicated philosophy I have ever read. I will try my best to explain this belief, but I suggest that you have some aspirin nearby. I have read Irenaeus Against Heresies in which he goes into great detail about this philosophy, but it is still very confusing. If you can get someone to accept this philosophy, you can get them to do anything. Well, here we go. First, the formal definition, and then I will attempt to explain their beliefs. Gnosticism is a term derived from a Greek word for knowledge (gnosis) and applied to a philosophical and religious movement that influenced the Mediterranean world from the 1st century BC to the 3rd century AD. Gnostics claimed that salvation comes from a secret knowledge or understanding of reality possessed only by its spiritually elite devotees. This saving knowledge was revealed to them by transcendent messengers from the spirit world. Gnostics believed that there were many mediators who brought this gnosis between whom they consider their perfect, pre-existent Aeon, whom they call Proarch, Propator, and Bythus, and describe as being invisible and incomprehensible, and man. Jesus was just one of those mediators. Jesus, to a Gnostic was not a human being at all, but a spirit being. This problem of dehumanizing Jesus was a problem even as early as the Apostle Paul, and Johns time. Both of these authors wrote against this problem, as in 2 Corinthians 11:3, and 2 John v 7, and later Christians, such as Ignatius, also wrote to stress the humanity of Jesus for much the same reason. Now we will begin a more specific, working description of Gnosticism. First, let me start with the fact that there are many variations of Gnosticism. There is the kind taught by Valentinus, and by Ptolemy, and by Marcus, and by Simon, and by Saturninus, and by Basildes, just to name a few. Gnosticism was based on a certain knowledge, so consequently, each leader wanted to prove that he possessed this hidden knowledge. Therefore, each one put his own twist to it.

7

The two most popular versions were the ones taught by Valentinus and by Basildes. Of these two, Valentinus was the most influential. Most of the others have similarities to these two. I will be explaining Valentinus Gnosticism. This is the Gnosticism Hippolytus of Rome and Irenaeus refuted in their writings. Fasten your seat belts! Gnostics maintain that there is a perfect, pre-existent Aeon, whom they call Proarche, Propator, and Bythus. There existed along with him Ennoea, whom they also called Charis and Sige. At last, this Bythus determined to send forth from himself the beginning of all things, and deposited this production (which he had resolved to bring forth) in his contemporary Sige. She became pregnant and gave birth to Nous, who was both similar and equal to him who had produced him. And was alone capable of comprehending his fathers greatness. This Nous they also call Monogenes, and father, and the beginning of all things. Monogenes perceiving for what purpose he had been produced also sent forth Logos and Zoe. After a few more births, there is what is called the first-begotten Ogdad, the root and substance of all things, and it is called by four names, Bythus, Nous, Logos, and Anthropos. First, we see Bythus impregnate Sige, and she then gave birth to Nous who was equal to the one who had produced him, and alone was capable of comprehending his fathers greatness. This is a very close parallel to how Trinitarians explain the relationship of Jesus (the second person in the Trinity) to God the Father. Nous, who is also called father, the beginning of all things, who also sends forth Logos, which is also a name for the root and substance of all things. If you have ever read Origen or Tertullian trying to explain how the word (logos) proceeded from the Father (which is called logos Christology), you can see exactly how Gnosticism influenced their thinking. It is almost identical to how Nous sends forth Logos. Trinitarians claim that the logos proceeded from the Father and then became incarnate as Jesus. You can see this is clearly a Gnostic explanation of John 1: 1-14. Logos to a Gnostic is a personal name of one of the Aeons. But that is not what logos means. According to Vines Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, "logos - as embodying a conception or idea. The expression of thought." I suggest you look it up for yourself. I think it is fairly easy to see how someone with a Gnostic influence would read John 1:1-14 and take it completely out of context. But wait, it gets worse. When you finally add up all the Aeons, there are thirty. These thirty are called a Pleroma. Gnostics claim that their Pleroma is a tripartite, being divided into an Ogdad, a Decad, 8

and a Duodecad. Does that ring a bell? Then Monogenes (aka Nous) gave origin to another pair, namely Christ and the Holy Spirit. Then, out of gratitude for the great benefit which the Propator (aka Bythus) had conferred on them, the whole Pleroma of the Aeons, with one design and desire, and with the concurrence of Christ and the Holy Spirit, their father also approving , brought together whatever each one had in himself of the greatest beauty and preciousness, and uniting all these contributions so skillfully to blend the whole, they produced, to the honor and glory of Bythus, a being of most perfect beauty, the very star of the Pleroma, and the perfect fruit of it, namely Jesus. (Aspirin break) Him they also speak of under the name of Savior, and Christ, and patronymically, Logos. Then by way of honor, angels of the same nature as himself were simultaneously produced to act as his bodyguards. (Groliers Multimedia Encyclopedia and Irenaeus Against Heresies) No, I have not been drinking. There was a Christ and a Logos who were not Jesus. Later, it is explained how the spirit of this Christ enters the body of this Aeon created Jesus. It is very Docetic (see next definition). To a Gnostic, Jesus was not human at all. He was a spirit being. Since he was not really human, he only appeared to suffer on the cross. I have briefly covered what I consider to be the essential parts of this most illogical philosophy in its relation to modern-day orthodox Christianity. If you have a large supply of aspirin, I suggest you read all of Irenaeus Against Heresies. Irenaeus does a wonderful job explaining all the different forms of Gnosticism. They get much more complicated. It is quite easy to see how logos Christology developed out of Stoicism and Gnosticism. Logos Christology would have completely baffled a Hebrew or a Gentile Christian who was not educated in one of these philosophies. And as we shall see later on in Tertullians writings, it did do just that. One more point: take a wild guess where Valentinus and Gnosticism in general was most popular. Thats right, Alexandria, EGYPT! Which is where logos Christology came from. What a great place for a Christian education. I think not! Docetism - Based upon a Greek word meaning "to seem," this prominent third century heresy taught that the humanity of Jesus of Nazareth was only apparent and not real. The early church debated this issue vigorously, since such claims 9

denied that Jesus had truly suffered and died as a human being. Docetism, a primary feature of the early Gnostic theologies, persists today in the popular mind-set of Christianity. (Reading The Apostolic Fathers, pg. 175) Dualism - The view that reality may be divided into two essential forces. There are two forms of this understanding. From a cosmic perspective, the world struggles between two opposing forces -- typically, one of evil and one of good. From a philosophical approach, the essence of a person is divided between two incompatible natures -- that of the body and that of the soul. Early Christianity incorporated both views from those religions and philosophies with which it came in contact. (Groliers Multimedia Encyclopedia) This is the exact definition that Trinitarians have used for Jesus: He has two natures. He is fully God and fully Man. This is stated in the Chalcedon Creed of 451 AD. Logos Christology - This is not a Greek philosophy, but a result of the influence of Greek philosophy. I will list it here because it is crucial in understanding the development of the Trinity. Logos Christology came out of Alexandria Egypt, in the second and third centuries. Philo of Alexandria laid the foundations for it when he substituted the Logos, or "divine word," for the Demiurge of Platos Timaeus (more on this in the next chapter). Logos Christology theologians believed that the logos in John 1:1-14 was a reference to Jesus. On this basis, they were led into a series of false conclusions that formed the building blocks for the Trinity. This was an idea that developed in Alexandria, Egypt. In Alexandria, before Christianity arrived, the main educators were Gnostics. Alexandria was known for its great universities, libraries, learned professors, and throngs of eagerly inquiring and active-minded students. It is here that the first serious attempt was made by Christians to adjust the truths of the gospel and the relations of Christian doctrine to reason and philosophy.

CHAPTER 2

10

NAMES TO KNOW

These are brief biographies collected mostly from encyclopedias and a few books that are footnoted. These biographies are of two individuals whose writings will not be discussed in this paper because their importance on the influence of Christianity is fairly low. However, having said that, Philo of Alexandria has had a devastating indirect effect on Christianity because of his direct effect on Judaism. These names do appear here and there, and it would benefit the reader to have a working knowledge of them. After the facts, I will list some of my own conclusions about the individuals from what is written. Philo of Alexandria, 20 BC-50 AD, was the greatest Jewish philosopher and theologian of the Greco-Roman period whose writings still survive. Their preservation was largely due to their influence on early Christian thought, especially the theologies of Clement and Origen, both Alexandrines. Philo was a significant figure in the development of Middle Platonism, a philosophy that included elements of Stoicism in a matrix largely derived from Plato. His principle contribution was his allegorical interpretation of the Bible within this philosophical context, one of the first attempts to reconcile Greek philosophy with the Hebrew Scriptures. He was convinced that Judaism and Greek culture could be successfully welded into a coherent view of the world, a view that was endorsed by the hidden meanings of the Hebrew Scriptures. (Encyclopedia Britannica) According to Aspects of Monotheism, while Philo insisted that "He is that is truly God is one," he also recognized other divine entities, such as the Logos, that existed under God. In Philos Questions on Genesis, Philo states: "For nothing mortal can be made in the likeness of the Most High One and Father of the Universe, but only in that of the second "God," who is His Logos." This is not the only passage in Questions on Genesis that he gives the title "god" to the Logos. For the Demiurge (an intermediary god in Greek philosophy) of Platos Timaeus, Philo substituted the LOGOS, or "divine word," as both the actual creator and the intermediary between a God (all spirit) and a world (all matter). Philos writings became a source of inspiration and study in early Christian Egypt. (Groliers Multimedia Encyclopedia and Reading The Apostolic Fathers, pg.181) 11

Philo comes from an area that is heavily influenced in Stoicism and Gnosticism. Notice that it says that he welded Judaism with Greek philosophy. The only possible outcome is disaster. Philos method of interpretation only made things worse. The allegorical method assumes that what is written is not really what is meant by the Scripture. It assumes there are hidden truths behind every text. People using this method usually found three or four ways to interpret a specific text. Philo already has the LOGOS as the actual creator (God) and as the intermediary between God and man. This concept is very Gnostic. It is also exactly how the second person of the Trinity (the logos) is thought of in the later writings of Origen, Tertullian and the other logos Christology theologians who shaped the theology of the orthodox church. The logos in Trinitarian Christianity is thought to be God himself, but also the mediator between God and man. It also mentions that his writings became a source of inspiration and study in early Christian Egypt. You can almost visualize how this hybrid teaching spread throughout the early church. People were actually studying this Stoic-Gnostic view of the Hebrew Scriptures. Now imagine how someone who has these beliefs will interpret John 1: 1-14. Thats right, they will make logos (God), and also the mediator between God and man (Jesus). Ready or not, here comes the Trinity. Pantaenus of Alexandria ( late second century AD) Pantaenus is the founder of the famous catechetical school at Alexandria. He attempted to link Christian principles with Greek philosophy, a task which continued to develop in his most famous pupil-Clement of Alexandria. Pantaenus believed that religious knowledge, or gnosis, prepares one for the stage of ecstasy in which perfect identity with God can be achieved. He held that only true gnosis, however, was to be found in the Christian faith. (Reading The Apostolic Fathers, pg.181) Pantaenus was an outright Christian Gnostic. He linked Christianity with Greek philosophy. Clement succeeded Pantaenus as the head of the catechetical school of Alexandria. This catechetical school was the mixing bowl of Christianity and Greek philosophy. Pantaenus was influenced by Philos writings. Pantaenus in turn taught Clement of Alexandria, Who in turn taught Origen of Alexandria.

12

CHAPTER 3

THE APOSTOLIC FATHERS

In this section we will be concerned with the writings of the Apostolic Fathers. I will list them in chronological order for the most part, the problem being that scholars are divided and unsure about the exact date of most of these letters, although they can give us a pretty accurate range of when they think the letter was written. It is not important for this study to have an exact date, an approximation will do just fine. The exception will be Polycarp and Ignatius who will be inverted for a specific reason. The Shepherd of Hermas has been intentionally left out because it is too symbolic. You cannot come to strong conclusions from this type of writing. The best you can arrive at is an educated guess. That is not the goal of this paper. We are trying to come to solid conclusions on the views of these authors, and in most of these letters it is very possible to achieve just that. In this chapter I will list a brief biography of the author and some basic information about the writing, and then we will proceed into the study of the material. This will include the verse in italics, and a brief comment underneath it. At the end I will give you my overall conclusions based on what was covered. I hope you read these letters as they were intended to be read. These were letters, just like the letters in the New Testament that were written for instruction, or to clarify a certain situation. When a person writes letters of this kind, they try very hard to be as simple, and as clear as possible in order for their message to be understood the way it was meant. You do not write a letter to clarify something and then put hidden meanings behind it. These letters are very easy to read and understand, just as they were meant to be. What you see is what you get.

THE FIRST LETTER CORINTHIANS (1 CLEMENT)

OF

CLEMENT

OF

ROME

TO

THE

13

Clement of Rome was the bishop of Rome, or pope, from AD 92 - 101. This letter to the Corinthians is considered the earliest piece of Christian literature other than the New Testament writings. The high esteem in which Clement was held is evident from the fact that until the 4th century his letter was accepted by some as Scripture. (Reading The Apostolic Fathers, pg.98) This letter was composed probably between AD 81 - 96. It was written in Rome. 1:3 "To them which are called by the will of God through our Lord Jesus Christ." This implies a clear separation between God and Jesus. Notice that it says, "the will of God," not Father. This is important to note because in this sentence, Jesus is not included in the term "God." It is the equivalent of someone saying, by the will of the President through an act of Congress. You can see that Congress is not considered to be the President, and just as Congress is not the President, Jesus is not God. 1:4 "Grace and peace from Almighty God through Jesus Christ be multiplied." There is a clear separation between Almighty God and Jesus Christ. Same conclusion as for verse 1:3. 14:6 "The good shall be dwellers in the land, and the innocent shall be left on it; but they that transgress shall be destroyed utterly from it." This verse indicates Clements view on where the kingdom of God will be. Right here on the land, not in heaven. 16:2 "The scepter of God, our Lord Jesus Christ came not in the pomp of arrogance or pride..." It states that Jesus is the scepter of God, not God. The scepter of royal authority has symbolized the power of earthly rulers since antiquity. In the mind of Clement, Jesus as the scepter of God represents the power and authority of God. But a representative is not the same person as the one he represents, or else he would not be called a representative. 18:18 "Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me."

14

Clement believes that the Holy Spirit is the presence of God. This is correct. There is no indication of him believing it to be a separate person of a triune God. 19:4 "And let us look steadfast unto the Father and Maker of the whole world." Clement is specific on creation. The Father is the Maker of the world. Jesus had absolutely nothing to do with creation, either directly, or as an agent. In Genesis 1:1 it says when God created the heavens and the earth. To Clement, Father = God. 26:1 "Do we think it to be a great and marvelous thing, if the Creator of the universe shall bring about the resurrection of them that have served Him with holiness in the assurance of a good faith." The author believes in the resurrection of the dead, not in going to heaven. Resurrection means to be raised from the dead. If your soul is in heaven, then you are not dead and you cannot be resurrected. 2:5-6 "By a word of His Majesty He compacted the universe; and by a word He can destroy it." Read this passage several times. The definition of word (logos) was discussed earlier. This is the correct usage of this word before its meaning was corrupted. Clement has no idea whatsoever that logos is a reference to Jesus, because it is not supposed to be. That idea came out of Egypt in the next century. Clement considers "word" to be an expression of thought. 36:6 "through him (Jesus) the Master willed that we should taste of the immortal knowledge." One can see that the Master and him are not the same being. Same concept as 1:3-4. 36:11-12 "Thou art My Son, I this day have begotten thee. Ask of Me, and I will give thee the Gentiles for thine inheritance, and the ends of the earth for thy possession." Clement is quoting Psalms 2:7-9 that is a description of the Messianic kingdom. That Messianic kingdom is just as it says in Psalm 2:7-9, on earth. Clement believes in the kingdom of God here on earth. 42:2-3 "Jesus Christ was sent forth from God. So then Christ is from God, and the Apostles are from Christ." 15

This is an excellent verse in order to see that to Clement, Jesus is by no means God. If you somehow force the implication that Clement thinks that Christ is God, then in this verse it stands to reason that Clement must also think that the Apostles are Christ. Not very Biblical. 42:6-7 "They (Apostles) went forth with glad tidings that the kingdom of God should come. So preaching everywhere in country and town." This verse not only shows that he believes in the kingdom of God, but it proves that the kingdom of God is a kingdom that will come in the future, and not a kingdom of the heart. He says that the Apostles went forth preaching the kingdom of God should come. The Apostolic journeys took place after Pentecost. If Pentecost was the arrival of the kingdom of God, then why are the Apostles after Pentecost preaching that the kingdom should come? 46:9 "Have we not one God and one Christ and one Spirit of grace that was shed upon us?" One God and one Christ. You cannot get separation between two individuals than this. much more

Obviously, the one Christ is not considered to be the one God. 49:13 "For the love which He had toward us, Jesus Christ our Lord has given His blood for us by the will of God." Here again, Jesus is not considered in the term God. Jesus gave his blood by the will of someone other than himself, which is God. If Jesus is God, then this sentence should end as, Jesus Christ our Lord has given his blood for us. 50:4-8 "All the generations from Adam unto this day have passed away: and they shall be made manifest in the visitation of the kingdom of God. For it is written; Enter into the closet for a very little while, until Mine anger and My wrath shall pass away, and I will remember a good day and will raise you from your tombs." Clement believes that when a person dies, he dies completely. He believes that the dead will be raised from their tombs in the visitation of the kingdom (when the kingdom of God comes). People will be raised from their tombs, they will not come back from heaven. The kingdom also is a thing of the future, it has not come yet.

16

50:13 "This declaration of blessedness was pronounced upon them that have been elected by God through Jesus Christ." Again, Jesus is not considered in the term "God." 59:28 "Let all the Gentile know that Thou art God alone, and Jesus Christ is Thy Son, and we are Thy people and the sheep of Thy pasture." Jesus is the Son of the being who is God alone. If you try to include Jesus in the term "God," then by rule, you will also have to include Thy people in the term "God." Doesnt work, does it? 62:4 "Even as our fathers, of whom we spake before, pleased Him, being lowly-minded towards their Father and God and Creator and towards all men." This author considers the Father = God = Creator. Jesus is nowhere considered in this equation. He is neither God nor the Creator. Only the Father is. This verse agrees perfectly with 1 Corinthians 8:6 "Yet for us there is but one God, the Father."

Conclusion - One can see why this letter until the 4th century was considered by some to be Scripture. It is completely in agreement with the New Testament. Clement does not believe Jesus to be anyone but the Son of the only God. He does not consider Jesus to be God. On the contrary, he distinguishes between them completely. He believes in the dead being dead until the coming of the kingdom of God in the future. I find absolutely no evidence at all of any Trinitarian concept in his theology, which would have been evident had he believed in that doctrine. At this stage in time, Jesus Christianity was still intact. I give Clement of Rome an A+ in theology.

THE EPISTLE OF POLYCARP TO THE PHILIPPIANS

Polycarp AD 69 - 155, was the bishop of Smyrna. The date of the letter is probably from AD 105 - 110. According to Irenaeus, Polycarp is considered to have been a disciple of the Apostle John. Furthermore, John was purported to have 17

appointed Polycarp to be bishop at Smyrna. Historically he formed a link between the apostolic and patristic ages (Encyclopedia Britannica). Also according to the Encyclopedia Britannica: "Polycarp was the beloved friend of Ignatius, the bishop of Antioch." Polycarp Marcion. wrote against Gnosticism, especially against

Prologue:1 " mercy unto you and peace from God Almighty and Jesus Christ our Savior be multiplied." Polycarp distinguishes Almighty God from Jesus Christ. Peace from God Almighty AND Jesus Christ. According to Websters Dictionary the word "and" means - also, in addition, plus. Polycarp does not consider Jesus to be the Almighty God. If he did, why would he offer peace from the same person twice? Just read it the way you would read anything else. 1:1 "That be truly chosen of God AND our Lord." Same conclusion as in prologue. 1:2 "Unto our Lord Jesus Christ, who endured to face even death for our sins, whom God raised, having loosed the pangs of death." Emphasis on whom God raised. Obviously, who ever God raised is not God. This sentence states that Jesus was raised by God, therefore, Jesus cannot be God. Acts 9:41 is where Peter raises Tabitha from the dead. it reads, He gave her his hand and raised her up. No one would argue that Tabitha who was raised is Peter who raised her. Read 1:2 the same way. 1:3 "But by the will of God through Jesus Christ." Jesus Christ is not considered in the term "God." Go to 1 Clement 1:3 for explanation. 2:1 "That ye have believed on Him that raised our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead and gave unto him a throne on His right hand." Distinguishes between Him that raised Jesus from the dead and gave him a throne at His right hand, and from Jesus. There is no other way to read this, unless you think that the same person who raised himself, then gave himself a throne 18

next to himself, so that he himself could sit next to himself. This is exactly how a Trinitarian has to interpret this verse. Extremely unlikely, to say the least! 3:3 "While hope followeth after and love goeth before--love toward God and Christ and toward our neighbor." There is a distinction between God AND Christ AND our neighbor. If we claim that Christ is God, then our neighbor must also be God. 5:2 "For if we well pleasing unto Him in this present world, we shall receive the future world also, according as He promised us to raise us from the dead, and that if we conduct ourselves worthily of Him we shall also reign with Him." Polycarp believes that we will be raised from the dead and we will receive the kingdom of God in the future (it has not yet come). We will also help the Messiah reign. In complete agreement with Revelation 5:10 and 20:6. 7:1 "For everyone who shall not confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is antichrist." This verse echoes 1 John 4:2 and 2 John verse 7. Polycarp is in agreement with John that anyone who does not confess that Jesus was truly a human being , is the antichrist. According to Strongs Greek Dictionary, flesh - Human being. The Trinitarian definition of Jesus according to the Council of Chalcedon is: "That he is fully God and fully man undivided, inseparable." Someone with that makeup is not truly a human being. Obviously the Chalcedon Creed is not the definition of Jesus that Polycarp believes in. 7:2 "Wherefore let us forsake the vain doing of the many and their false teachings, and turn unto the word which was delivered unto us from the beginning." Polycarp is urging the people to turn away from false teachings and turn unto the word. His usage of word is very Jewish, and identical to the way John the Apostle uses it. This is fitting because Polycarp was a disciple of John, and one would expect his views to coincide with Johns, which they do. Polycarp is saying , turn away from false teachings and turn unto the word (plan, or will ) of God which was delivered unto us from the beginning (from the time of the Patriarchs). Polycarp has no idea of "the word" being Jesus. He even says 19

that the word was delivered unto us in the beginning. Jesus was not delivered unto us in the beginning, Hebrews 1:2 states: "In these last days He spoke to us through a son." Ignatius who was a contemporary of Polycarp and a fellow bishop says in his letter to the Magnesians in verse 6:2, Christ... "And appeared at the end of times." But Gods plan, or will, was delivered unto us in the beginning through the Patriarchs and the Prophets. This is a direct parallel to John 1: 1-14. Polycarp would never have read all that logos Christology into John 1:1-14, as is evident by this verse. 11:2 "That the saints shall judge the world." This shows his belief in the saints judging (administering) the world when the kingdom of God comes. 12:2 "Now may the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the eternal high priest Himself the Son of God Jesus Christ, build you up in faith and truth." This is the clearest verse that shows who Polycarp thinks Jesus to be. He thinks Jesus to be the Son of God, not God. Polycarp says, the GOD and Father of Jesus Christ. Jesus has a God. Jesus cannot have a God and be God at the same time because that would mean that there are two Gods. Two Gods are an impossibility for Christianity. Polycarps view that Jesus has a God is in agreement with Jesus view in John 20:17, Matthew 27:46, and Revelation 3:12, with Pauls view in Ephesians 1:3, 1:7, and Corinthians 1:3, and with Peters view in 1 Peter 1:1.

Conclusion - As one can easily see, Polycarp is in theological agreement with Clement of Rome. Polycarp believes that Jesus has a God, the Almighty. Jesus is not God. Polycarp believes in the future coming of the kingdom of God and the resurrection of the dead. There is no going to heaven. I found absolutely no sign of any kind that would suggest that Polycarp had even heard of the concept of a triune God. His letter is completely contrary to that thought. Christianity is still in good shape. I give Polycarp an A+ in theology. 20

THE SEVEN LETTERS OF IGNATIUS

Ignatius (?-108 AD) was the bishop of Antioch. He wrote these letters after he had been arrested and was being transported to Rome for trial. These letters were probably written around AD 105 - 110. Ignatius is also said to have known the Apostle John. He considered Polycarp to be his beloved friend. (Encyclopedia Britannica and Reading The Apostolic Fathers, pg.53) Ignatius letters stress especially Jesus Christs humanity and warn about false teachings. His letters have been considered by some to be of dubious value because they contradict themselves on one important point, the person of Jesus Christ. These seven letters are almost split right down the middle. Three of them distinguish completely between Jesus and God, three of them call Jesus "God," and the last one has two versions of the same letter that are in opposition to each other. Some people claim that Ignatius is very confusing to understand because of these opposing views. Others claim that maybe he was influenced by Greek philosophy. I do not think he is neither hard to understand, nor was his theology influenced by Greek philosophy. After much research, my conclusion is that one of these sets of letters were forged by people trying to prove their own theology. There is no logical explanation of how someone could write a letter with definite opinions on certain topics, and then write another letter at almost the same time, and completely contradict himself. It would be the equivalent of reading a letter on Abraham Lincoln which said, Abraham Lincoln was a great man. He freed the slaves, and kept the rebellious South from destroying the Union. Then, reading another letter that said, Abraham Lincoln was a tyrant. He violated the Southern States Constitutional rights, stole our property, and forced us into a war that we did not want. You would never think that the same author had written both, and so it is with Ignatius.

21

The next question is, which group is the forged set? You will have to do a little detective work, and use a lot of common sense, but it will be quite obvious which group has been tampered with. My opinion is that the group of letters that claim that Jesus is God are the ones that have been altered. You might then ask, do you have any proof of this? Yes, I do. First, I would like to state, that apart from the literary evidence that I have found to be convincing, several outside sources state that Ignatius letters were forged. They do not however, say which one. Clayton Jefford, author of Reading the Apostolic Fathers writes: "Unfortunately for modern scholars, however, some of the manuscripts were edited and reshaped by copyists of devout faith who wanted the writings to represent their own theological perspectives or the doctrinal positions of the institutional church. Perhaps the best illustration of this process is found in the letters of Ignatius, which became expanded and corrupted by scribes over the years." The Encyclopedia Britannica writes: "In the 4th century these letters were corrupted by the heavy insertions of an interpolator, and the collection was augmented by six letters forged under Ignatius name." Ignatius stressed especially the humanity of Jesus. This does not agree with someone who thinks Jesus to be God. The Encyclopedia Britannica also states that Ignatius and Polycarp were "beloved friends." They both had known John the Apostle. During his journey to Rome, Ignatius stayed in Smyrna with Polycarp for a sufficiently long time. Ignatius while on his journey, asked Polycarp to write to the churches in his name. Later, Polycarp made a collection of Ignatius letters, and along with his own letter, sent them to the church in Philipi. This last fact is stated in Polycarps own letter to the Philippians in verse 13:2. Here is where common sense begins. Both of them had known John the Apostle, so their theology would probably be very similar. They both shared the same views on the resurrection of the dead and the future coming of the kingdom of God. While the jury is still out on Ignatius view of Jesus, it is in on Polycarp. Polycarp most definitely does not think Jesus to be God. In fact, He believes that Jesus has a God, just as the New Testament states that he does. Polycarp distinguishes from Almighty God and Jesus over and 22

over again in his letter. If we allege that the unaltered letters are the ones that say that Jesus is God, then Ignatius and Polycarps view of Jesus are 180 degrees of each other. It is highly unlikely that in that scenario they would be as helpful to each other as they were. Both of these men wrote against false teachings. If their views were so opposed to each other, I do not think that Ignatius would ask Polycarp to write to the churches in his name. I also do not think that Polycarp would have made a collection of Ignatius letters (which he would have considered false teachings) and then attached his own letter to it, and sent them out to Philipi for them to be read and studied. Notice how Polycarp in his letter to the Philippians in verse 7:1, refers to people who do not share his view of Jesus as, "Of the devil... that they are the firstborn of Satan." Ignatius also states when speaking about false teachers in his letter to the Smyrnaeans in chapter 7, "It is proper, therefore, to avoid association with such people." Yet, Polycarp and Ignatius are beloved friends. Ignatius mentions Polycarp warmly in several of his letters. Ignatius associated with Polycarp on his journey, and I do not think that Polycarp considered Ignatius of the devil. Here are a few quotations from Ignatius on Polycarp: Epistle of Ignatius to Polycarp 1:2 "Welcoming thy godly mind which is grounded as it were on an immovable rock." 7:3 "It becometh thee, most blessed Polycarp to call together a godly council..." Epistle of Ignatius to the Magnesians 15:3 "And they have comforted me in all things, together with Polycarp bishop of Smyrna." These reasons have lead me to believe that Ignatius shared the same view of Jesus as did Polycarp, that he was not God, but the Son of God. This is why I believe that the group which consists of the letters to the Romans, Smyrnaeans, and the Ephesians to be corrupted. In his letter to the Ephesians there is a middle version and a long version. In this letter you will see exactly where they have been altered, because the middle version and the long version are almost identical, except in the areas of the nature of Jesus. Of the same verse, one will say, "Jesus our God," and the other will say "Jesus our Lord and Savior." The letters that I believe to be corrupted also contradict each other, while the other group does not. I will first list those letters that I believe to be corrupted except for Ephesians. Then I will list the non- altered letters followed by Ephesians with both versions listed next to each other. 23

You decide.

THE EPISTLE OF IGNATIUS TO THE SMYRNAEANS

0:1 "To the Church of God the Father and of Jesus Christ the beloved." This sentence states that the only God is the Father. Jesus is not considered in the term "God" or "Father." He is neither God, nor the Father. 1:1 "I extol Jesus Christ, the God who has granted you such wisdom." He refers to Jesus as God. Contradicts verse 0:1. 1:1 "He is really of the line of David according to the flesh, and the Son of God by the will and power of God." Ignatius states that Jesus is a human being from the line of David. This contradicts the verse above that he is God. He also says that Jesus is the Son of God by the will and power of God. Jesus is His Son because of Gods (someone other than Jesus) will and power. It does not say "Father," it says "God." This means that Jesus is not God. If I said, Abel is the son of Adam by the will and desire of Adam, you would not take that sentence to mean that Abel and Adam are the same person. This is the same sentence structure. 2:1 "And he suffered really, as he also really raised himself from the dead." This verse seems to say that Jesus raised himself up from the dead. If this letter has not been altered, then he contradicts himself in this same letter in 6:2 in which he writes," and which the Father in His loving kindness raised from the dead." He also says the same thing in his letter to the Trallians in 8:1, "his Father having raised him." The Father raising Jesus is vastly different from Jesus raising himself. That would be the Son raised the Son. 10:1 "Ye have done well in that ye have received as servants of Christ, who is God, Philo and Rheus Agathopus." This verse states Jesus is God. Contradicts verse 0:1 and 1:1

24

Conclusion - This letter contradicts itself. It states that Jesus is God, but it also distinguishes between God and Jesus. It states that the Son raised himself, and then says that the Father raised Jesus. Even if we assume that the writer believes Jesus to be God, there is still no evidence of a triune God. My opinion is that this letter has been tampered with.

THE EPISTLE OF IGNATIUS TO THE ROMANS

0:1 "Majesty of the Father Most High and of Jesus Christ, His only Son." The Father is considered Most High. Since the Father is the Most High, the Son must therefore be subordinate. It is apparent that this author does not consider the Father and Jesus to be equal. The Doctrine of the Trinity does consider the Father and Son to be equal. 0:2 "Good wishes for unimpaired joy in Jesus Christ our God." Considers Jesus to be God. 3:3 "Nothing visible is good. For our God Jesus Christ, being in the Father, is the more plainly seen." This is a very Platonic view of the world, that all matter (everything visible) is evil. This verse stands apart from all of the other writings of Ignatius. Ignatius considers Jesus to be flesh, of the line of David. Jesus is definitely visible, and I do not think that Ignatius would consider Jesus to be not good. 6:3 "Permit me to be an imitator of my suffering God." This author considers God to have suffered on the cross. This is a Modalist view of God, it is not Trinitarian. Conclusion - In this letter Ignatius considers Jesus to be God. There is still no mention of any Trinity, or even of the third member of the Trinity. As a matter of fact, this view that the Father is above the Son is not even Trinitarian. This letter shows signs of Greek philosophy. In my opinion, this letter has been altered. 25

THE EPISTLE OF IGNATIUS TO POLYCARP

1:1 "Who hath for his bishop God the Father and Jesus Christ." A clear distinction between God the Father AND Jesus Christ. Only the Father is God in this sentence. 3:7 "The eternal, the invisible, who became visible for our sake." It sounds as if he thinks that Jesus pre-existed.

Conclusion - From this letter I do not think Ignatius thinks that Jesus is God. I do however, think he is hinting at preexistence, which is a very Gnostic concept. Although his view of Jesus and God as being separate beings is correct, I am suspicious of his implication of pre-existence. It is possible that this letter has been altered.

EPISTLE OF IGNATIUS TO THE MAGNESIANS

1:2 "Blessed through the grace of God the Father through Jesus Christ our Savior." As you will see repeatedly in this letter, is the fact that Ignatius considers only the Father to be God. Jesus is never mentioned in any way as to imply that he is God. This verse states that Gods blessings come to us through His Son Jesus Christ. This is identical to Genesis 12:3 where God tells Abram , "All the communities of the earth shall be blessed through you." The communities of the earth will be blessed because of Abram, and likewise, we are blessed because of Jesus Christ. In these sentences it is important to notice that Abram is not the communities, and likewise, Jesus is not God the Father.

26

1:3 "And I wish her abundant greeting in God the Father and in Jesus Christ." There is a definite distinction between God the Father AND Jesus Christ. 6:2 "Having been entrusted with the diaconate of Jesus Christ, who was with the Father before the worlds, and appeared at the end of times." This verse might appear to give the impression that Jesus preexisted in heaven, but this is just a way of writing that was common in those days. Take for example Revelation 13:8. It says, "In the book of life of the Lamb who was slain before the foundation of the world." In Matthew 25:34 it says, "Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." Obviously, Revelation 13:8 does not mean that Jesus was crucified before the world was created. It means that the plan of salvation had been prepared by God before the foundation of the world. It is the same concept with Matthew 25:34, and also in this verse 6:2. Ignatius is saying that the role of Jesus Christ as the Messiah was planned by the Father before the worlds even existed. 8:5-6 "That there is one God who manifested Himself through Jesus Christ His Son, who is His word that proceeded from silence." Jesus is again not included in the term "one God." Jesus came to reveal God and His plan of salvation to us. In John 17:6 Jesus says, "I have manifested thy name ( your real self ) to the men whom thou has given me out of the world." Jesus is His word (the embodiment of Gods plan). He is not "The Word," the second member of the Trinity. Ignatius in his letter to the Romans says in 2:2, "I am the word of God." He does not mean that he is the second member of the Trinity, he means that he reveals the will of God. This must be kept in consideration when reading John 1:1-14 because Ignatius and Polycarp both knew John, and I am sure their usage of the word logos is identical. Conclusion - Ignatius distinguishes between God the Father and Jesus Christ at least four times. He definitely does not consider them to be the same person. I find no evidence or any trace of the concept of the Trinity at all in this letter. I do not believe this letter has been altered, and I also believe this letter reflects Ignatius true beliefs.

27

THE EPISTLE OF IGNATIUS TO THE TRALLIANS

1:1 "Ignatius, who is also Theophorus, unto her that is beloved by God the Father of Jesus Christ." To Ignatius, God = Father. Very similar to Philippians 1:2, "peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."A clear distinction between God and Jesus. 1:6 "Polybius your bishop informed me, who by the will of God and of Jesus Christ visited me." There are two wills. One will is Gods, and the other is Jesus. Notice that it says that by the will of God AND of Jesus Christ. It does not say Father and Jesus Christ. Therefore, God does not equal Jesus. This verse is in agreement with Luke 22:42 where Jesus says, "Still, not my will but yours be done." 8:8 "Jesus Christ, who was of the race of David, who was the son of Mary, who was truly born and ate and drank, was truly persecuted under Pontius Pilate, was truly crucified and died.." Ignatius is stressing the full humanity of Jesus. He is in complete agreement with his mentor John the Apostle who says in 2 John vv. 7, "Those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh; (human being) such is the deceitful one and the antichrist." 12:5 "And to the honor of Jesus Christ and of the Apostles." I wrote this verse to make an obvious point. When a writer uses and, he means - also, in addition to. Just as God and Jesus are not the same being in verse 1:6, the Apostles and Jesus are not the same being in this verse.

Conclusion - In this letter Ignatius separates God and Jesus repeatedly. There is absolutely no hint of Jesus being God, or any idea of a Trinity. On the contrary, their wills are not even the same will. I find this letter to be representative of Ignatius true beliefs on God and Jesus.

28

THE EPISTLE OF IGNATIUS TO THE PHILADELPHIANS

1:2 "To the church of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." We have already mentioned the meaning of AND. God the Father does not equal Jesus in this sentence. 1:9 "But by the love of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." Same explanation as above. 3:3 "Surely, all those that belong to God and Jesus Christ..." Same. 3:6 "If a man runs after a schismatic, he will not inherit the kingdom of God." Ignatius believes a person will inherit the kingdom of God, not heaven. To me, when I use the word inherit, it is something that will happen in the future. An example; when my rich uncle passes away, I will inherit his estate. Its a morbid example, but it illustrates the point. I believe Ignatius is using it in the same way. Conclusion - This letter shows no conception of Jesus being God or of any concept of a triune God. On the contrary. From what he writes, we must come to the conclusion that he considers them to be separate beings. He believes the goal of an individual is to inherit the kingdom of God.

THE EPISTLE OF IGNATIUS TO THE EPHESIANS

This is the letter in which we will be able to actually see the letter has been physically altered. I will list what is known as the middle version, identified by an M, and the long version that will be identified by an L. M 0:1 "Of God the Father." L 0:1 "Of God the Father." 29

Both think of God as the Father. M 0:2 "By the will of the Father and of Jesus Christ our God." L 0:2 "By the will of God the Father and of our Lord Jesus Christ our savior." Version L coincides with verse 0:1 above. M 1:1 "Being imitators of God, and having your hearts kindled in the blood of God." L 1:1 "Being imitators of the love of God, and having your hearts kindled in the blood of Christ." Version L agrees with what he wrote in his epistle to the Trallians in verse 8:2. Ignatius in his letters always refers to the blood of Christ, never of God. Nobody in the New Testament ever used this phrase, the blood of God. All the New Testament writers always used the blood of Christ. Are the Apostles wrong? Not likely. M 7:8 "There is only one physician, of flesh and of spirit, generate and ingenerate, God in man, true life in death, Son of Mary and Son of God, first passable and then impassable, Jesus Christ our Lord." L is the same. The reason I wrote this verse is to show you how he says, God in man, and not God is man. If Jesus is God, than God is man. The Messiah is supposed to be a man anointed by Gods Spirit, which is God in man. M 9:5 "Prepared beforehand for a building of God the Father, being hoisted up to the heights through the engine of Jesus Christ." L version is the same. Ignatius is distinguishing between the two, God the Father and the engine, Jesus. It fits version L, but it contradicts version M. M 16:1 "Corrupters of houses shall not inherit the kingdom of God." L is the same. Ignatius believes in the future kingdom of God. M 20:2 "In one faith and one Jesus Christ, who after the flesh was of Davids race, who is the Son of Man and the Son of God."

30

L version is the same. Ignatius is very adamant about the humanity of Jesus. This is totally contrary to someone who thinks that Jesus is God. This sentence fits L, but disagrees with M. M 21:9 "Fare ye well in God the Father and in Jesus Christ our common hope." L version is the same." God = Father. Jesus is not included in the term "God the Father." This statement contradicts M to a point where it becomes very confusing to understand Ignatius view of Jesus. On the other hand, it fits in perfectly with L.

Conclusion - The conclusion that this letter has been tampered with is unmistakable. The question you must ask yourself is which one? For me, the matter is easy. Apart from the view of Jesus, version M is in conflict with the other letters of Ignatius in other matters, such as the blood of Christ. It also contradicts itself in the same letter. In one instance it says that Jesus is clearly God, and it then turns around and separates God the Father from Jesus. It is very inconsistent and confusing. L on the other hand, does not contradict itself in this letter, and neither is it in conflict with his other letters in related topics. In my opinion the true version of this letter is L. Version M has been highly tampered with.

Final Conclusion - After a careful study of Ignatius letters, I find him to be in complete agreement with his contemporaries Polycarp, and 1 Clement. I do not think that Ignatius considered Jesus to be God as some have suggested for the reasons that I mentioned earlier. Ignatius is also very clear that the goal of a Christian is to inherit the kingdom of God, and not to go to heaven. He does not know or believe in the concept of souls separating from the body at death. The only difference that I noticed was in his epistle to Polycarp in which there is a hint of the notion of pre-existence. Whether this was altered is unclear, but I suspect it was. There is absolutely no indication in any of his letters that Ignatius knew anything of a Trinity. His thoughts of God actually contradict that doctrine.

31

When you separate the altered letters from the originals, I think Ignatius theology is very similar to his beloved friend Polycarps theology. I give Ignatius an A- in theology.

THE TEACHING OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES ( THE DIDACHE )

The Apostles did not write this letter as the title suggests. It was written by a group of unknown Christian authors probably around 80 -120 AD. in Antioch. It was written to provide specific Christian instruction for community leaders. (Reading The Apostolic Fathers, pg.48) 3:12 "The meek shall inherit the earth." This shows a belief in the future kingdom of God on earth. 10:4 -5 "Thou, Almighty Master, didst create all things for Thy names sake... but didst bestow upon us spiritual food and drink and eternal life through Thy Son." In this sentence Almighty Master and Thy Son are not the same being. 10:9 "And (the church) gather it together from the four winds, even the church which has been sanctified, into Thy kingdom which Thou has prepared for it." The authors believe in the future kingdom of God. They speak of gathering the church and entering the kingdom. In other words, it has not been gathered yet, which means they have not entered the kingdom either. 16:14 -16 "First a sign of a rift in heaven, then a sign of a voice of a trumpet, and thirdly a resurrection of the dead; yet not of all, but as it was said: The Lord shall come and all his saints with him." This is very specific about the coming of Jesus and the resurrection of the just first, (conditionalist view) and then at the second resurrection the rise of everyone else for judgment. It is in agreement with Revelation 21:4-15. Conclusion - It is clear that these writers believed in the meek inheriting the earth. This is a correct understanding of the 32

future kingdom of God in which the Messiah will rule the world with his saints (his followers). There is no conception of going to heaven. The writers do not believe the Son to be the Almighty Master. There is no mention of any triune God. I give them an A+ in theology. THE EPISTLE OF BARNABAS

This letter was written by a non-Jewish Christian who applied the name of Barnabas for authority. It was probably written around 96-100 AD in the city of Alexandria in Egypt (Reading The Apostolic Fathers,, pg.11). There are some signs of a Gnostic influence in the letter, which would not be surprising because of the fact that Alexandria was the home for the early Gnostic movement. 5:5 "Onto whom (Jesus) God said from the foundation of the world, let us make man in our image and likeness." This is a clear belief in the pre-existence of Jesus. The belief in pre-existence is a very Gnostic concept. 5:10 "For if he had not come in the flesh neither would men have looked upon him and been saved." The author believes that Jesus was fully human. He repeats this in 6:9. Although, how a pre-existent spirit can become a truly human being is perplexing. 6:16 "For the Lord said again, For wherein shall I appear unto the Lord my God and be glorified?" This clearly states that the writer knows that Jesus has a God, (God the Father). They are not the same being. There can only be one God, and if Jesus is God and he has a God, that would mean that there are two Gods. 6:17 "So in like manner we also, being kept alive by our faith in the promise and by the word, shall live and be lords of the earth." This indicates a belief in the followers of the Messiah inheriting the earth. This is the concept of the kingdom of God. 7:11 "They that desire to see me, and to attain unto my kingdom, must lay hold on me through tribulation and affliction." 33

To attain implies something to be accomplished in the future. 9:2 "Hear O Israel, for thus saith the LORD (YHWH) thy God, " who is he that desireth to live forever, let him hear with his ears the voice of My servant." This verse shows a definite distinction between the LORD and His servant (Jesus). 21:1 "For he that doeth these things shall be glorified in the kingdom of God... For this cause is the resurrection." This implies glorification as something that will happen in the future. It also mentions the resurrection of the dead. Conclusion - The writer of Barnabas does not believe Jesus to be God, but in fact acknowledges that Jesus has a God. He believes in the future kingdom of God and the resurrection of the dead. He also believes that Jesus pre-existed before coming to earth. There is no mention of any triune God or in going to heaven. There can be no doctrine of the Trinity if you believe that Jesus has a God. It is an impossibility. I give the writer of Barnabas a B+ in theology. Christianity for the most part is still intact.

SECOND CLEMENT

This letter was written by an unknown author who attributed the letter to Clement of Rome for authority. It was probably written in Rome, Corinth, or Alexandria in about 120-140 AD. (Reading The Apostolic Fathers, pg.117) 1:1 "Brethren, we ought to think of Jesus Christ, as of God." This does not mean, to think Jesus is God. It means to think of Jesus as if he were God, because Jesus represents Gods authority on earth. It is the same as if the President of the U.S. is taken ill, and the Vice President takes over. We will think of the Vice President as the President because he now possesses the authority of the President, but he is not in reality the President. In 15:3 of this letter it says, that we with boldness as of God. This is the same sentence structure, and this obviously does not mean that we are God.

34

9:6 "Let us therefore love one another, that we all may come unto the kingdom of God." A definite futuristic kingdom. 12:1 "Let us therefore await the kingdom of God betimes in love and righteousness, since we know not the day of Gods appearing." You cannot be any clearer on the kingdom of God being in the future. It is not of the heart. It has not happened yet. They acknowledge that they do not know the day when it will happen. 14:1 "If we do the will of God our Father." God = Father. 17:5 "And they will be amazed when they see the kingdom of the world given to Jesus." Clearly the Messianic kingdom of the future that Christ will inherit. 19:3 "They will gather the immortal fruit of the resurrection." He believes in the resurrection of the dead. 19:4 "He (the godly) shall live again in heaven with our fathers." This implies a Gnostic belief in heavenly rest with the One. It does not make sense with the writers belief in the kingdom of God on earth, as is mentioned in 17:5. 20:5 "To the only God invisible, the Father of truth, who sent forth unto us the Savior and Prince of immortality." The only invisible God is the Father of truth. This being sent the Savior. They are distinct beings. Conclusion - This writer does not believe Jesus to be God, nor does he have any idea of a triune God. Jesus has the kingdom given to him. This implies subordination, which is not possible in the Doctrine of the Trinity. He strongly believes in the future kingdom of God and in the resurrection of the dead. He then at the end implies a belief about going to heaven. There might be more to this verse than I can gather. It makes no sense at all for a person to write what he wrote in verses 12:1

35

& 17:5 and then to say that we go to heaven. Those two beliefs are opposed to each other. According to this letter, Christianity is still in good shape, except for the heaven comment. I give second Clement a B+ in theology.

FRAGMENTS OF PAPIAS FROM THE EXPOSITION OF THE ORACLES OF THE LORD

Papias (80-155 AD) was the bishop of Hierapolis in Anatolia and is said to have been a disciple of John the Apostle and a companion of Polycarp. His explanations of the Sayings of the Lord, a work in five books that survives only in fragments preserved by Eusebius of Caesarea and Irenaeus of Lyon is important because it contains many oral traditions of apostolic times (Groliers Multimedia Encyclopedia). These fragments were probably written between 80-155, although I think it is more likely to be toward the latter part of this time frame, due to his view of heaven, which started to infiltrate Christianity around that time. V.2 "For the first will be taken up into the heavens, the second class will dwell in Paradise, and the last will inhabit the city, and on this account the Lord said, "In my Fathers house there are many mansions." This is a middle of the road approach to the afterlife. It says that some will go to heaven, some to paradise, (it does not specify if it is on earth) and some to the city which is on earth. This is probably a good indication of when the Platonic concept of going to heavenly rest with the One started to creep into the church. One thing to notice is the fact that as of yet, there are still people who are not going to heaven but are here on earth. Later, that would be removed completely, and everyone would go to either heaven or hell. It was around this time that Justin Martyr in 150 AD wrote in Dialogue with Trypho, "If you meet some who say that their souls go to heaven when they die, do not believe that they are Christians." He wrote this in order to warn his fellow Christians of a strange doctrine that was creeping into the church.

36

This verse is confusing because Papias as you will read, believes the kingdom of God to be here on earth. Maybe there is another meaning to this verse that I am missing. V.2 "For in the times of the kingdom the just man who is on the earth shall forget to die." This implies that the kingdom is here on earth. V.2 "But when He saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that He is excepted which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto Him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all." Papias is quoting 1 Corinthians 15:25 which shows that he is in agreement with Paul. This verse shows Papias belief that the Son and God are not the same being. It also shows a belief in the Son being subordinate to God, which according to the Doctrine of the Trinity they are said to be equal. VI.10 "Amongst these he says that there will be a millennium after the resurrection from the dead, when the personal reign of Christ will be established on this earth." This verse shows Papias to believe that the kingdom of God, ruled by the Messiah is here on earth, and commences after the resurrection of the dead and lasts for a millennium (symbolic for a long period of time). X.6 "Mary mother of the Lord." I just wrote this to show you the view of Mary before it was altered. She was the mother of Jesus. Later, because of Trinitarian theology, she became the mother of God. Conclusion - Papias distinguishes between the Messiah Jesus and God. He believes in the millennium kingdom of Christ here on earth. His views are contrary to any form of a Trinitarian formula, and he shows no signs of even being aware of any such thought. I give Papias a B+ in theology.

THE MARTYRDOM OF POLYCARP

37

This letter was written by Christians of Smyrnea who witnessed the martyrdom of Polycarp. It was written around 155-160 AD (Reading The Apostolic Fathers, pg.84). This letter has not been listed with the usual chapter and verse, so I will just list them numerically. Prologue "peace and love from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ." A clear distinction between God the Father AND Jesus Christ. 1. "O Lord God Almighty, the Father of Thy beloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ." God Almighty = Father. Jesus is not included in this term by any normal rules of language. 2. "And glorifieth the Almighty God and Father, and blesseth our Lord Jesus Christ." Same as 1. 3. "Through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ." "But in the reign of the Eternal King Jesus Christ." "Lord Jesus Christ." "Son of God." Jesus is referred to by several different titles, but he is never referred to as God. Only the Father is considered God. This agrees with 1 Corinthians 8:6 where it says, yet for us there is one God, the Father. 4. "In whose footsteps may it be our lot to be found in the kingdom of God." This verse shows the writers understanding and belief in the kingdom of God. Conclusion - This letter shows an obvious distinction between Almighty God and Jesus Christ. The writers show no knowledge of Jesus being God, or a triune God of any sort. Their writings make that thought impossibility. They mention the kingdom of Jesus, (the Messianic kingdom). These writers were students of Polycarp and it shows. Their theology is (from what I can tell from this short letter) identical to their bishops. I give them an A+ in theology.

38

THE EPISTLE TO DIOGNETUS

This letter was written by an unknown non-Jewish Christian probably around the middle to late second century, although some scholars place it as late as 310 AD. It is constructed from two separate documents. One is an apology of the faith, and chapters 11-12 are a homily for a specific event of Christian worship. Chapters 11&12 show signs of being from a much later time period than the first 10 chapters. Its setting is unknown. (Reading The Apostolic Fathers, pg.159) 6:8 "The soul tabernacle." though immortal dwelleth in a mortal

This is a very Neo-Platonic view of the soul. The Bible states that only God is immortal. 7:2 "By whom he made the heavens... him He sent unto them." This verse is very long, but its main theme is that All Mighty God made the universe through His Son whom he sent to us in meekness. It shows a belief in pre-existence. It sounds Arian in belief. 7:4 "Not so. But in gentleness and meekness has he sent him, as a king might send his son who is a king. He sent him, as sending God, He sent him, as a man unto men." This writer does not believe the Son to be God. He says that God sent him with the authority as if he were God. He further states that the Son was a man. 8:5 "No one has either seen or recognized Him (God), but he revealed Himself. And He revealed Himself by faith." The author acknowledges that no one can see God, which rules out Jesus as God. 8:8 "And He (God) alone is good." This author is quoting Luke 18:19 where Jesus says to the rich official, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God."

39

Jesus considers only God to be good and not himself. Jesus in that verse does not include himself in the term "God," and this is what the author in this verse means also. 9:1 "And having made clear our inability to enter into the kingdom of God of ourselves." This verse shows that we have to enter into the kingdom of God, not that the kingdom of God enters into our hearts. 9:5 "That the iniquity of many should be concealed in one righteous man." He stresses the humanity of Jesus. Jesus to this writer is not part God and part man. 10:2 "He sent His only begotten Son to whom He promised the kingdom which is in heaven." This sort of implies that the kingdom is in heaven, but Gods treasures are said to be in heaven waiting to be given to us, much like your money is in the bank, but you do not plan to live in the bank. It is just being stored there. 1 Peter 1:4, "to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you." 11:5 "This Word, who was from the beginning, who appeared as new and yet proved to be old." This verse is implying the pre-existence of the Word. This train of thought is from the third century, and is used later in time to imply that Jesus is God. This would be in conflict with what the writer wrote in 8:8. 11:5 "He, I say, who is eternal, who today was accounted a Son." This says that the Son is eternal. This is in opposition to everything that was written in chapters 1-10. Conclusion - Chapters 1-10 imply that Jesus is not God but His representative on earth. Only God is good. They do imply preexistence and Jesus as the craftsman of the universe. The soul is immortal to the author. Chapters 11&12 now have the "Word" (which in the first 10 chapters was always referred to as Son) as eternal. These two sources are definitely from different time periods. Word (logos) Christology was a primary concern of the third century theologians. There is still no mention of a triune God. This writer does not mention the Holy Spirit. He is in my opinion, from a time period which 40

should not include him as an apostolic writer. Chapters 1-10 shows the influence of Platonism, and later Arianism. I give those chapters a C in theology. Chapters 11&12 are full of Gnosticism, and I give them a D-. Conclusion of the Apostolic Fathers - From what we have covered, it should be quite obvious that the Apostolic Fathers did not have any knowledge of a triune God. They unanimously consider only the Father to be Almighty God, just as the Apostle Paul and all the other writers of the New Testament do. They are all in agreement about the Christian goal of entering into the kingdom of God. Their theology reflects the New Testament theology of the Apostles, and it should, because some of them did know at least one of the Apostles. They represent the Christian thought that existed right after the Apostles. I think for the most part, the Apostles would be in agreement with most of their views, except of course the Epistle to Diognetus, which some scholars do not believe to be from the same time period as the rest of the Apostolic Fathers writings. The fact that the Doctrine of the Trinity is completely missing should be of great concern for those that claim that the Apostles taught the trinity in the New Testament. If the Apostles had taught the Trinity in the New Testament, then these writers should have been familiar with it, and their writings should have been reflective of that fact as it is in the writers of the late 3rd and 4th centuries. But it is not present in any shape or form. Their views actually contradict the Doctrine of the Trinity. You will see that as we get further away in time from these writers, the more corrupted Christianity becomes.

CHAPTER 4

THE CHURCH FATHERS

JUSTIN MARTYR

41

Justin Martyr (100 - 165 AD) is considered one of the most important Greek philosopher - Apologists in the early Christian Church, whose writings represent the first positive encounter of Christian revelation with Greek philosophy, and laid the basis for a theology of history. Justin considers himself a philosopher, his whole motivation in life, he says, was to find the true philosophy. He was reared a pagan and studied Stoic, Platonic, Pythagorean, and other Greek philosophies, and then became a Christian (Encyclopedia Britannica). According to Steve Mason of York University, "Justins somewhat innocent identification of Christianity with a philosophical school was a radical departure from earlier Christian views. Few of his contemporaries and none of his predecessors would have felt at all comfortable with such an understanding of Christianity." Although a Christian, Justin unfortunately brought with him a lot baggage from his pagan days. This lead to his Stoic interpretation of logos. He was martyred in Rome for his faith in 165 AD.

THE FIRST APOLOGY OF JUSTIN

V. "For not only among the Greeks did reason (Logos) prevail to condemn these things through Socrates, but also among the Barbarians (Christians) were they condemned by Reason (or the Word, the Logos) Himself, who took shape, and became man, and was called Jesus Christ." Excellent example! Justin is comparing logos in Johns gospel to the divine Logos of the Stoics. Justin believes that the divine pre-existent logos became man because just about anyone with his background would read Johns gospel in that manner. It would make all the sense in the world to them. VIII. "We seek the abode that is with God, the Father and Creator of all."

42

For Justin God = Father, and He is the creator of all. This is different from later Trinitarian belief that the Father planned creation and the Son created it. XI. "And when you hear that we look for a kingdom, you suppose, without making any inquiry, that we speak of a human kingdom; whereas we speak of that which is with God." This verse shows that Justin knows about the kingdom of God. It does not however, give us enough information to determine if he believes it to be here on earth. XII. "And that you will not succeed is declared by the Word, than whom, after God begat him." Justin believes that God created Jesus. Jesus is not eternal like modern Trinitarians believe. XIV. "And follow the only unbegotten God through His Son." God does not equal Son. Only God is unbegotten. Verse XII states that Jesus was begat, and this verse says that God is unbegotten. Therefore, Jesus cannot be God to Justin. XIIL . "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, 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." In this verse Justin distinguishes between the Son and true God, the unchangeable and eternal God, the creator of all. If you follow the simple rules of language, you can see the difference. He says Son OF the true God. The Son is not the true God. Justin also believes in a hierarchy; God is above all, in second place is Jesus, followed by the Spirit. This is not in accordance with post Nicene Trinitarians (which is what exists today) where the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are equal. XIX. "And like seeds resolved into earth, should in Gods appointed time rise again and put on incorruption." Justin believes in the resurrection of the dead in the future. XXXII. "And the first power after God the Father and Lord of all is the Word, who is also the Son." To Justin, the Son is the pre-existent Word, but he is after the Father. 43

XXXIX. "Strive to escape the power of God the Father and Lord of all, and the power of Christ himself." God the Father does not equal Christ. XXXIX. "Tho art My Son; this day I have begotten Thee. Ask of Me, and I shall give you Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth as thy possession." This verse shows his belief in the future kingdom of God with the Messiah as King. LII. "He shall come from heaven with glory, accompanied by his angelic host, when also he shall raise the bodies of all men who have lived, and shall clothe those of the worthy with immortality." Justin believes in the return of Jesus and the resurrection of the dead. LV. There is not one particular verse in this chapter that I would like to single out. What I would like to point out however, is the thought of the whole chapter. It is too long to write out, so I will do my best to paraphrase it. Justin believes that everything worthy in Greek philosophy was stolen by the Greeks from Moses and the prophets. This is an old and common view, going back at least to Philo of Alexandria. Justin gives certain examples to try and prove this theory. The reason I even mention this is to try and show you Justins logic and how it is going to lead him in the wrong direction concerning the logos. If he believes that Greek philosophy stole some concepts from Judaism, it is going to be much easier for him to fit Greek ideas into Christianity. LXI. "For, in the name of God, the Father and Lord of the universe, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, they then receive the washing with water." This verse is obviously referring to Matthew 28:19. As you can see, Justin does not imply in any way that these three are one, in fact, he says that the Father and Lord of the universe is God the Father, not the Son. Jesus is our Savior. There is no Trinity in this verse. On the contrary, it is very anti-Trinitarian. LXIII. "And the Angel of God spoke to Moses, in a flame of fire out of the bush...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." 44

Justin believes the angel of the Lord to be Jesus before he came to earth as a man. He obviously never read the first chapter of Hebrews, or Matthew 2:19. LXIII. "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, even though dead, are let in existence, and are men belonging to Christ himself." This verse shows that he believes that when you die you are dead, your soul does not go to heaven when you die. The goal is resurrection. Combine this verse with what he said in LII.

FRAGMENTS OF RESURRECTION

THE

LOST

WORK

OF

JUSTIN

ON

THE

I. "And God, the Father of the universe, who is the perfect intelligence, is the truth...And this is Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord." God = Father, Jesus = Savior. God does not equal Jesus. VIII. "And God has called man to life and resurrection, He has called not a part, but the whole, which is the soul and the body." Justin believes in the resurrection of the soul and body. He does not agree with the Pythagoreans view of the soul departing from the body. IX. "That it is not impossible for flesh to ascend to heaven" (as he has said that our dwelling place is in heaven). This verse claims that when you are resurrected in the flesh, you will then go to heaven. This kind of thought will erase the teachings of Jesus on the kingdom of God on earth. X. "We are retrograding when we listen to such an argument as this; that the soul is immortal, but the body mortal, and incapable of being revived? For this we used to hear from the Pythagoreans and Plato, even before we learned the truth."

45

Justin is actually telling us where the false Doctrine of the Transmigration of Souls came from.

OTHER FRAGMENTS FROM THE LOST WRITINGS OF JUSTIN

II. "That he (Justin) would not have