Cyril of Alexandria

Cyril of Alexandria (c.378–444) was a church father and a prominent figure during the council of Ephesus in 431(the fourth ecumenical council) His early arguments were against Arians and in support of Nicaea, but he is best known for his vehement disagreement with and arguments/writings against Nestorius.

Original Sin

Sola Fide

Justification by Faith is the Key to Understand Scripture and Distinguish Between Law & Gospel

The Lord's Super

Athanasius of Alexandria

Athanasius of Alexandria (c.293–2 May 373) was a church father who was one of the four great Eastern Fathers, and so one of the eight doctors of the Church. He was very focused on the trinity and defended it against Arianism at the first council of Nicaea in 325.  The Athanasian Creed was named after him.

Sola Scriptura

Athanasian Creed

Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic faith. Which faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled; without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. And the catholic faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; Neither confounding the Persons; nor dividing the Essence. For there is one Person of the Father; another of the Son; and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one; the Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is; such is the Son; and such is the Holy Ghost. The Father uncreated; the Son uncreated; and the Holy Ghost uncreated. The Father unlimited; the Son unlimited; and the Holy Ghost unlimited. The Father eternal; the Son eternal; and the Holy Ghost eternal. And yet they are not three eternals; but one eternal. As also there are not three uncreated; nor three infinites, but one uncreated; and one infinite. So likewise the Father is Almighty; the Son Almighty; and the Holy Ghost Almighty. And yet they are not three Almighties; but one Almighty. So the Father is God; the Son is God; and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet they are not three Gods; but one God. So likewise the Father is Lord; the Son Lord; and the Holy Ghost Lord. And yet not three Lords; but one Lord. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity; to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord; So are we forbidden by the catholic religion; to say, There are three Gods, or three Lords. The Father is made of none; neither created, nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone; not made, nor created; but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten; but proceeding. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts. And in this Trinity none is before, or after another; none is greater, or less than another. But the whole three Persons are coeternal, and coequal. So that in all things, as aforesaid; the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity, is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved, let him thus think of the Trinity.

Furthermore it is necessary to everlasting salvation; that he also believe faithfully the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess; that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man; God, of the Essence of the Father; begotten before the worlds; and Man, of the Essence of his Mother, born in the world. Perfect God; and perfect Man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting. Equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead; and inferior to the Father as touching his Manhood. Who although he is God and Man; yet he is not two, but one Christ. One; not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh; but by assumption of the Manhood by God. One altogether; not by confusion of Essence; but by unity of Person. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man; so God and Man is one Christ; Who suffered for our salvation; descended into hell; rose again the third day from the dead. He ascended into heaven, he sitteth on the right hand of the God the Father Almighty, from whence he will come to judge the living and the dead. At whose coming all men will rise again with their bodies; And shall give account for their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting; and they that have done evil, into everlasting fire. This is the catholic faith; which except a man believe truly and firmly, he cannot be saved.

He was pierced for our transgressions...

Old Testament prophecies of the Crucifixion

Isaiah 53:3-12

He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.

Isaiah 52:13-15
Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted. As many were astonished at you—his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind—so shall he sprinkle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of him; for that which has not been told them they see, and that which they have not heard they understand.

Psalm 22 (selected verses)
1: "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" 

6: despised of the people.
7: All those who see Me ridicule Me; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
8: He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him; let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!"
13: They gape at Me with their mouths, like a raging and roaring lion.
14: I am poured out like water, and all My bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it has melted within Me.
15: My mouth is dried up... my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death.
16a: For dogs have surrounded Me; the congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. 
16b: They pierced My hands and My feet;
17: I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me.
18: They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.

Deuteronomy 21:22-23
And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God.You shall not defile your land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance.

Numbers 21:8-9
And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.

Genesis 3:15
"I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

John Chrysostom

John Chrysostom (347-407) was a church father who was one of the four great eastern fathers, and so one of the eight doctors of the church.  Chrysostom means “Golden Mouth” because he was known for his rhetoric and for giving the best sermons. his Easter sermon is still commonly read in churches today.

Worship

"Our worship is not a stage show"

Sola Scriptura

Sola Fide

Sola Gratia

Divine Justice

The Capadocian Fathers

The Cappodocian Fathers were three friends, pastors, and theologians from Cappadocia, who attended and influenced the Council in Constantinople in 381. They were very important figures in the early church who helped shape Christian doctrine and the language used to explain it. Gregory of Nazianzus and Basil the Great were two of the four Great Eastern church fathers and Eight Doctors of the Church.  Gregory of Nyssa was Basil's brother.  He lacked Basil's administrative abilities and Gregory of Nazianzus' influence and rhetorical skills, but he was still a good theologian.

Gregory of Nyssa

Gregory of Nyssa (c.335 – after 394) was an Eastern church father. He participated in the Council of Constantinople.

Sola Scriptura

Basil of Caesarea (the Great)

Basil of Caesarea (a.k.a Basil the Great) (c.329-379) was one of the four great Eastern church fathers, and so one of the eight Doctors of the church. He supported the Nicene Creed. He was a key figure in the Council of Constantinople.

Sola Scriptura

Sola Fide

The Nativity of Our Lord

Old Testament prophecies of the Incarnation:

Prophecy of the birth of a Savior

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” -Genesis 3:15

Fulfillment

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. -John 1:1-5

Prophecy of the virgin birth

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. -Isaiah 7:14

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. -Isaiah 9:6

Fulfillment

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” -Matthew 1:18-23

Prophecy of being born in the town Bethlehem

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.” -Micah 5:2

Fulfillment

Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. -Luke 2:4-7

Prophecies of lineage:

Abraham: "Now the Lord had said to Abram...I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” -Genesis 12:1a,3

Isaac: Then God said: “No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him. -Genesis 17:19

Jacob: “I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, And batter the brow of Moab, And destroy all the sons of tumult.” -Numbers 24:17

Judah: “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.” -Genesis 49:10

King David: “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.” -Jeremiah 23:5

Fulfillment

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David the king. David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah. Solomon begot Rehoboam, Rehoboam begot Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa. Asa begot Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah. Uzziah begot Jotham, Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah. Hezekiah begot Manasseh, Manasseh begot Amon, and Amon begot Josiah. Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were carried away to Babylon. And after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor. Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud. Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob. And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ. -Matthew 1:1-16

John of Damascus

John of Damascus (c.676 - Dec 4, 749), was the last of the Church Fathers. He was known for his contributions to theology, but also to law, philosophy, and music. He also defended the use of icons against the iconoclasts.

Sola Scriptura

Sola Gratia

Jesus the Carpenter

Why was Jesus a carpenter and why does the Bible specify that is what he did? Some say that there is no reason that he was a carpenter, other than Joseph, his step father was and trades were generally passed down because sons helped their father in his trade. Others say it simply showed that he worked and was not a peasant or a king; or that he approves of hard work and serving God in your vocation, no matter what it is.

The Greek word translated carpenter, in Matthew 13:55 and Mark 6:3 is tektōn (τέκτων) (from which comes the English word “Technology). Tektōn can mean:

1. A worker in wood, a carpenter, or builder
2. Any craftsman, or workman
3. A planner or plotter (or author)

Some people would prefer to translate it in an even more generic term, such as “craftsman”. The specific type of craftsman is most likely carpenter, due to the definition, but also according to early church tradition. Justine Martyr, about 100 years after Jesus’ death, in his “Dialogue with Trypho” described Jesus as a carpenter making ploughs and yokes for local farmers, “by which he taught he symbols of righteousness and an active life.” The word carpenter itself is a very generic term basically just mean working with wood and there many kinds of related jobs. Some do administrative work, some build buildings, or tools, or do fine detailed work. He could have possibly built boats, as fishing was a local industry (some of his disciples were fishermen). It is unclear specifically what Jesus did while working. However, in a way, Jesus used the wooden cross to build a bridge for us.
 
Some hypothesize that he was more like a stonemason builder, since that was the common building material of the time and the word tektōn was sometimes used in that way at that time. They site that Christ is stone the builders rejected (Mark 12:10), Christ is the rock (1 Cor. 10:4, 9:33), the Wise man built his house upon the rock (Matthew 7:24), etc… However, God is also described as a “Prince of Peace, Wonderful Councilor, King of Kings, Great Physician, the Good Shepherd, etc. Obviously Jesus could not have had all of these professions. Some generic structure builders at the time worked with both wood and stone as well. One thing to remember is that if the Bible does not specify something, then it is not important for our salvation, so we don’t really need to know the answer.

Whatever specific job he did, craftsman and builders make and mold things out of natural elements, just as man was created out of the dust of the ground through Jesus (John 1:3). In Jeremiah 18, the pre-incarnate Jesus (link) came to Jeremiah and told him God the Father is a potter, who molds us like clay through him. This imagery is used throughout Isaiah (29:16, 51:25, 45:9, 64:8) as well as in the New Testament in Romans 9:21. Carpenters and craftsman also fix things that are broken, just as Jesus fixed broken humanity.

God's Will (references)

Last Post I showed a diagram of God's Will and how everything comes in pairs. This post, I am showing my references, both to Bible verses and previous posts discussing the topics.

God's two types of will
Declarative [Genesis 1]
Prescriptive [Exodus 20]

God’s two categories of will

Hidden [Deuteronomy 29:29a]

Revealed [Deuteronomy 29:29b]

Two kinds of revelation

General [Jeremiah 33:25]

Specific (Scripture Alone) [1 Tim. 3:16, Hebrews 1:1-2]

Two kinds of general revelation

Knowledge of God and some about Him [Psalm 19:1-4]

Knowledge of Morality (Natural Law) [Romans 1:20]

Two doctrines in Scripture

Law [1 Tim. 1:8]

Gospel [John 3:16]

Two Tables/Commandments of the Law

Love God [Mark 12:30]

Love your neighbor [Mark 12:31]

Two Functions of the Law [convention]

Negative (Informed by general revelation)

Positive (Informs outcomes of subjective justification)

Two Negative Uses of the Law (God's Alien Work)

Curb (Informed by Natural Law) (1st use of the law) [Romans 1:28-32, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10]

Mirror(Informed by knowledge of God) (2nd use of the law) [1 John 1:8, John 3:20]

Two kinds of sin

Original [1 Cor. 2:14]

Specific [Galatians 5:19-21]

Two Positives of the Law

Ruler (3rd use of the law) [Psalms 1:1,2; 119:1,35,47,70,97]

Earned Righteousness (Merit) of God in Jesus only. Jesus is the law fulfilled [Hebrews 7:26-27]

Two sides of the Gospel

Mercy (Not getting what we deserve) [Psalm 123:3]

Grace (Getting what we don’t deserve) (God's Proper Work)  [2 Corinthians 12:8-9]

Two kinds of justification

Objective (through universal atonement from God’s grace and Jesus earned righteousness) [Colossians 1:21-22, Hebrews 10:10]

Subjective (applied individually, through the Holy Spirit) [Philippians 1:29, Titus 3:5-7]

Two Outcomes of Justification

Righteousness [Romans 3:21-22; 10:3]

Sanctification [2 Timothy 2:21]

Two kinds of righteousness

Vertical, Imputed [Romans 3:10-11, 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Corinthians 1:30]

Horizontal, Incipient (Informed by the 3^rd use of the law) [Galatians 5:22-24]

Two kinds of Sanctification

Wide sense, being set apart as holy [Ephesians 5:25-27; Hebrews 10:10,14; Hebrews 13:12]

Narrow sense, progressive (Informed by the 3rd use of the law) [1 Thessalonians 4:3]

Two Means of Grace

Word [Romans 10:17]

Sacraments [convention]

Two Sacraments with physical elements

Baptism [1 Peter 3:21]

Lord’s Supper [Matthew 26:28]