The Early Church Fathers on the Scriptures: Reading Scripture with the Early Church...[Ecumenical]

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[Salvation]

The Early Church Fathers on the Scriptures

 
Introduction: Reading Scripture with the Early Church Fathers 

What can the early church fathers teach us about Scripture?
Why read the early church fathers and what can they teach us about the scriptures? It is easy to underestimate the contributions of the past and to exaggerate the wisdom of the present. Can we trust the Christian teachers of  the early church period? Did they read the scriptures well? Did their own cultural and religious blind spots prevent them from understanding the heart of the gospel? Today there is renewed interest in the writings of the early church fathers among Protestants, Catholics, and Orthodox. Many are rediscovering the rich treasure of wisdom and insight of the early church scholars, pastors, and teachers who devoted their lives to the study of the scriptures. The early fathers had a tremendous zeal for God and the Scriptures. What we see from a distance of some 2000 years, they saw close-up because of their access to the teachings of the apostles and the disciples of the apostles who also passed on their wisdom and insight. 

Who are the early church fathers?
The age of the church fathers begins with the apostles and the first disciples who had the privilege of personal contact with the Lord Jesus. They are the hearers of the Incarnate Word who kept and handed on the words of the Word. The age of the apostles ends with the death of John the Evangelist at the close of the first century. 

The patristic period began with some of the fathers who remembered the apostles John or Peter personally. They did not see Jesus in the flesh, but they had a personal share in the transmission of the apostles' testimony. 

The golden period of the fathers runs from the fourth to the sixth century.  Most date the end of the age of the Fathers of the West with the death of Isidore of Seville in 636, and the age of the Fathers of the East with the death of John Damascene in 749. 

What characterizes a father of the church?
What qualified someone to be recognized as a "father of the church"?  There are four key characteristics. First, their antiquity. The first church father is Clement of Rome, who wrote his letter around the year 96 AD. The early fathers lived and breathed the scriptures and the teachings of the apostles. They were the disciples of—and the disciples of the disciples of—the apostles. They demonstrate how Christ is present in all the Scriptures, from Genesis through Revelations.  [See How the Scriptures are one book in Christ.] 

A second characteristic of the church fathers is their holiness of life. They studied, meditated, and lived as faithful witnesses of the gospel. And they exhibited a tremendous zeal for God and the Scriptures. They have much to teach us about reverence for God's word and for study and meditation upon it. 

A third characteristic is their orthodox doctrine. Their teaching is recognized as sound within the bounds of Scripture and church tradition. They affirm the central truths of the faith, such as belief in the triune God, that Christ was fully divine and fully human, the redemptive efficacy of Christ's death on the cross, the absolute authority and infallibility of Scripture, the fallen condition of humanity, the significance of baptism, the vital importance of prayer and of the disciplined spiritual life. They were not just theologians, but pastors of the church.  Most of the early fathers were bishops. As shepherds of the church they spoke to the hearts and needs of those in their care. 

The fourth characteristic is ecclesiastical approval. They were affirmed as such by the church itself. Within the broader classification of "Church Fathers" eight are designated as "Doctors of the Church": Ambrose, Jerome, Augustine and Gregory the Great in the West; Basil the Great, Gregory of Nazianzus, Athanasius and John Chrysostom in the East. They are eminent among the fathers for the depth of their learning. 

Reading Scripture is a spiritual activity
How did the early church fathers approach the reading of the Bible? They show us that it's not just an intellectual activity, but more importantly a spiritual one. In fact we need to prepare our hearts and minds for the fruitful study and meditation of the Scriptures. 

Listen to what the early fathers say about reading the Scriptures: 

Origen, who lived between 185-254 AD,  wrote: "The Word of God is in your heart. The Word digs in this soil so that the spring may gush out." 

Jerome, who lived between 342-419 AD, wrote: "You are reading? No.Your betrothed is talking to you. It is your betrothed, that is, Christ, who is united with you. He tears you away from the solitude of the desert and brings you into his home, saying to you, 'Enter into the joy of your Master.'" 

John Chrysostom, who lived between 347-407 AD, wrote: "Listen carefully to me..Procure books [of the Bible] that will be medicines for the soul. At least get a copy of the New Testament, the Apostle's epistles, the Acts, the Gospels, for your constant teachers. If you encounter grief, dive into them as into a chest of medicines; take from them comfort for your trouble, whether it be loss, or death, or bereavement over the loss of relations. Don't simply dive into them. Swim in them. Keep them constantly in your mind. The cause of all evils is the failure to know the Scriptures well."

The reading of the Bible should impact daily living. The Scriptures must be put into practice and translated into daily experience. We must be living testimonies of the Word of God. Reading the church fathers can be very rewarding, but it requires some serious effort. We have to transcend our modern culture and way of looking at things in order to understand the mind and culture of the early church and its way of thinking. If we are willing to hunt and dig a little in our study, then we will find a rich treasure of wisdom and inspiration from the writings of early fathers on the Scriptures.

[smvoice]

The moment you are water baptized, the Holy Spirit baptizes you into the Body of Christ? Is this what you believe

[one Lord one faith one baptism]

Why do you use unbiblical terms like “water baptism” can you find me one verse where the term is used in the Scriptures? Again, Ephesians teaches there is one baptism, not two. If you can find any Scripture that says there are two baptisms, please produce it. let me correct your statement so you understand what the Christian Faith teaches - the moment you are baptized, the Holy Spirit baptizes you into the Body of Christ. there, that is much better!

[smvoice]

the moment you are baptized(1), the Holy Spirit baptizes(2) you into the Body of Christ. there, that is much better! Tell me how you are not describing 2 baptisms here?

You don't seem to understand regeneration. "For BY ONE SPIRIT WE ARE BAPTIZED INTO ONE BODY." It is the Holy Spirit doing the baptism. He is performing it. He is what? SPIRIT. So His baptism is what? SPIRITUAL BAPTISM.

[one Lord one faith one baptism]

no, if you understood the Christian Faith, you would understand there is only one baptism. again i invite you to provide chapter and verse that says there are two baptisms or that say anything about “water baptism” you do get your beliefs from the Bible, correct?
a mistake a lot of people make who are not aware of what the Christian Faith teaches, is assuming the Holy Spirit works indpendently from or in opposition to, The Church. No, the Scriptures are clear, the Holy Spirit works thru the Church, as Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to lead the Church and as i mentioned earlier, He commanded the Church to teach and baptize in Matthew 28. I am happy to share the Christian Faith with you and others who may be finding this out for the first time.

[smvoice]

Where one is baptized in water? Matt. 3:6, 13-16; Mk. 1:5, 8-9; Acts 1:5;20:47;11:16. Ministers, not God or the Holy Spirit, are the agents in this.

Baptism in the Holy Spirit or with the Holy Spirit: Mt. 3:11; Mk. 1:8; Lk. 3:16; Jn. 1:21-33; Acts 1:5; 11:16. Christ, not the minister, is the agent in this baptism.

Baptism into Jesus Christ or into His body: Rom. 6:3-4; 1 Cor.12:13; Gal. 3:27. The Holy Spirit, Himself, NOT Christ or the minister is the agent in this baptism. ROm 6:3-6 with 8:2, 13; 1 Cor. 6:11; 12:13; Col 2:12; Tit. 3:5.

[Zionist Conspirator]

you come across someone who admits to not believing in Jesus Christ and not being in His Body, and you tell him all he needs to say is God doesn’t lie? yet you attack Orthodox Biblical beliefs!! very interesting.

If believing in J*sus Chr*st means believing that A-mighty G-d is a liar (chas vechalilah!), then what person with a scintilla of the fear of Heaven would want to believe in J*sus Chr*st?

[one Lord one faith one baptism]

no, the question isn’t where is one baptized in Scripture. the question is where does Scripture refer to “water baptism” like you do? the answer is no where! all the baptismal references you posted are of the same Baptism ( although some in the Gospels may be referring to John’s baptism, i didn’t go thru the whole list! )

you keep trying to make two baptisms, when Paul is crystal clear in Ephesians, there is only ONE baptism. This has been the Christian Faith for 2,000 years and i am glad to share it with you.

Again, if there is a Scripture that says there are two baptisms, please share with me and everyone else following this thread.

[one Lord one faith one baptism]

you admitted to not being a Christian. your post means Christian beliefs make Almighty God a liar, very interesting.

btw- why can’t you type God? what’s with G-d?

[one Lord one faith one baptism]

you admitted to not being a Christian. your post means Christian beliefs make Almighty God a liar, very interesting.

btw- why can’t you type God? what’s with G-d?

[Zionist Conspirator]

you admitted to not being a Christian. your post means Christian beliefs make Almighty God a liar, very interesting.

Hey, you're the one who says the Bible is full of errors and mistakes. What does that mean? Either G-d is not all-knowing or else He is not all truthful.

Shame on you. All I'm doing is exposing you.

[one Lord one faith one baptism]

you must have me confused with someone else.

[Zionist Conspirator]

you must have me confused with someone else.

Not you personally; the Catholic Church. As you probably knew.

Please don't lecture me. You "conservative" Catholics never defend Biblical inerrancy when your "the Bible was written by primitive savages and therefor full of mistakes" co-religionists shoot off their big bazoos.

I'll pay attention to your claims when you begin to defend the truth of the Bible with the same intensity you have in defending Catholic "truths" that Protestants have problems understanding.

[one Lord one faith one baptism]

if i find someone saying the Bible was written by primitive savages, i will join you in denouncing them. The Holy Spirit is the author of the Scriptures.
i wish you would believe in Jesus and His sacrificial death for your sins, Jesus said unless you believe He was sent by the Father, you will die in your sin.

[smvoice]

OMG. Stop. Just STOP with the one baptism. You cannot even figure out that the ONE BAPTISM you are so proud of is NOT the one baptism of Ephesians. It’s laughable by now. Find someone else to peddle your simpleton ways. I’ve had enough of your lack of Biblical knowledge mixed with continual badgering. Either read what the Bible says or buy a coloring book. You are gaining nothing by reading with your eyes closed.

[one Lord one faith one baptism]

let’s be logical for a second and leave the insults aside for a moment. you state i can’t figure out the One Baptism i am so proud of is not the One Baptism of Ephesians. now, IF you are correct, then logically one and one if they are not the same, then they are different. if they are different, then you have TWO baptisms! you can’t espape it. your so-called “water baptism” is one baptism and your so-called “Spirit baptism” is another baptism, that makes two baptisms. this of course is unbiblical, unhistorical and unorthodox. Ephesians 4:5, St Paul can not make it any clearer, it’s as if the Holy Spirit was looking 2,000 years down the road, saw this doctrine of demons and wanted the Church to have the proof text to dismiss it immediately! The Christian Faith is there is one baptism in which we receive the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit baptizes us into the Body of Christ using the Church and water as His instruments. The true Church has followed Jesus and His command in Matthew 28 for 2,000 years. This is the Christian Faith and i am glad to share it with you. I am also glad to know there are many more who are following this exchange we are having and have to be noticing you are not producing any Scriptures to refute Ephesians 4 and back up your claim of two baptisms. you also have not been able to produce any Scriptures to back your using the term “water baptism”, where does anyone in the NT use this term? finally, i can’t STOP with the one baptism, how can i, it’s what the Bible says?

[smvoice]

[[[sigh]]]...there is NO water baptism today for remission of sins.

The only baptism operative today, in the dispensation of the Grace of God is the Holy Spirit baptizing believers into the body of Christ. It contains NO WATER. It is spiritual.

[one Lord one faith one baptism]

please produce the Scriptures that say we are not to “water baptize” anyone in the so-called dispensation of grace ( another unbiblical term ) Your statement is a violation of Matthew 28:19 “go therefore and make disciples of all nations, BAPTIZING them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit” this command was for all time as verse 20 clearly shows. by the time St Paul died, the Gospel had not yet been preached in North and South America, so when missionaries made disciples in these territories, they had the choice of following Jesus’s command in Matthew 28 or your unique understanding that so-called “water baptism” is not for today. well, the choice is easy, the Church, under the direction of the Holy SPIRIT, must follow it’s Lord Jesus. it’s been this way for 2,000 years, it’s the Christian Faith.
so i again ask you to show me from the Bible where Jesus’s command to the Church in Matthew 28 was made null, void and of no effect?

[smvoice]

so-called dispensation of grace ( another unbiblical term )

"If ye have heard of the Dispensation of the grace of God which IS GIVEN ME to to-ward:..."Eph. 3:2,3,5,6,9).

Evidently you are wrong as there is a dispensatin of the grace of God. Given to Paul by Christ. A MOST BIBLICAL TERM. Strike one on this Scriptural post of yours.

Matthew 28:19 is in the Dispensation of the Kingdom, not grace. Water baptism was part of remission of sins in the Kindgom Dispensation. We do not live in that dispensation. That is times past. We are in the But Now part of the Scriptures. Strike two on this Scriptural post of yours.

In this present Dispensation, we have no works to do to gain remission of sins. We must accept the finished work of Christ for remission of sins. Strike three on this Scriptural post of yours.

Now, if you had lived during the dispensation of the Kingdom, you would have faired very well with your beliefs. Unfortunately for you, you live today. In the Dispensation of the Grace of God. Which seems to be a huge problem for you in your understanding of what the Bible says during this period. Hint: Romans through Philemon is your private mail, directly to you and for you. Read it sometimes and grow in God's word. Or not, and wallow in a past you cannot go back to, nor can you please the very ONE you want to please.

[one Lord one faith one baptism]

let’s see, you change the word stewardship to dispensation, very slick! then you talk about the dispensation of the kingdom, don’t you know the King Jesus is reigning over his Kingdom, the CHurch, right now? no, of course you don’t. then you mistake baptism for a “work” a work is something you do, being baptized is something done TO you. it is not a work. again, you provide no Scripture where Jesus’s command of Matthew 28 is null and void. Jesus said to make disciples of all nations and to BAPTIZE them, not me. St Paul also was totally unaware of your unique teaching, because in 1 Corinthians 1:14 he names two people he baptized and allows there may have been more! What was Paul baptizing for in this so-called dispensation of grace? St Peter didn’t get the message either because he says in 1 Peter 3:21 “baptism..now saves you...” Too bad you weren’t there to tell him not to baptize anyone.
finally, let me point out what Jesus had to say in Matthew 24:14 “and this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world,as a testimony to all nations and then the end will come” I guess Jesus wasn’t aware the kingdom dispensation would end before the end of the world!
no my friend, the words of Jesus apply today just as they did 2,000 years ago. please provide Scripture where Matthew 28 is made null and void.

[Religion Moderator]

don’t you know the King Jesus is reigning over his Kingdom, the CHurch, right now? no, of course you don’t

The first part of the excerpt was not mind reading because it was framed as a question.

But the second part, answering the question, is mind reading and therefore "making it personal."

Discuss the issues all you want, but do not make it personal.