Friday, May 2, 2014

A Voice from the Past - Ignatius of Antioch

And God the Word was truly born of the Virgin, having clothed Himself with a body of like passions with our own. He who forms all men in the womb, was Himself really in the womb, and made for Himself a body of the seed of the Virgin, but without any intercourse of man. He was carried in the womb, even as we are, for the usual period of time; and was really born, as we also are; and was in reality nourished with milk, and
partook of common meat and drink, even as we do. And when He had lived among men for thirty years, He was baptized by John, really and not in appearance; and when He had preached the Gospel three years, and done signs and wonders, He who was Himself the Judge was judged by the Jews, falsely so called, and by Pilate the governor; was scourged, was smitten on the cheek, was spit upon; He wore a crown of thorns and a purple robe; He was condemned: He was crucified in reality, and not in appearance, not in imagination, not in deceit. He really died, and was buried, and rose from the dead, even as He prayed in a certain place, saying, “But do Thou, O Lord, raise me up again, and I shall recompense them.” And the Father, who always hears Him, answered and said, “Arise, O God, and judge the earth; for Thou shall receive all the heathen for Thine inheritance.” The Father, therefore, who raised Him up, will also raise us up through Him, apart from whom no one will attain to true life.

Ignatius of Antioch, 35-98 AD, Epistle to the Trallians, Chapter X (The Apostolic Fathers with Irenaeus and Justin Martyr, Philip Schaff, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2001, pp. 102,103)

Why is it important that Jesus was fully human as well as God? What implication does it have for our lives?

2 comments:

  1. Interesting question Mike. God certainly 'could' have sent angels to show us what God was like. Yet it seems that angelic appearances in the scriptures is never prolonged more than a few minutes. My thinking is that coming as a human was the best way to show us the Father. What do you think?

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    1. God did on occasion send angels. But I think there is a difference between first hand knowledge and second hand knowledge no matter how good. I also thing it is possible to relate to a man among men in a way you cannot quite relate to an angel.

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