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.

[Salvation]

Isd this getting to antagonism?

If that is true....please check out the rules for Ecumenical threads.

[Salvation]

Is this getting to antagonism?

If that is true....please check out the rules for Ecumenical threads.

[one Lord one faith one baptism]

not in my opinion, it’s a healthy debate that i think many people are benefitting from. i think you started the thread, so if you want me to leave, i will.

[smvoice]

Your first problem with your Bible is your Bible, If you had a KJV, you would read dispensation. Do NOT accuse me of changing God's word. I have a KJV and that's what I use. Strike one on this post. For an outright lie about me changing words.

You do not know enough of your Bible to know that the Kingdom is in remission now, Israel has been temporarily blinded and God is dealing with another group of people, apart from Israel. Strike two on this post, for not having enough Biblical sense to follow it.

And IF you could read along, you would discover that Paul was proud that he had baptized so few. THe dispensations were changing from law to grace and what the law demanded, grace provided. Strike three on this post, for not taking the time to read Rom. through Phil. to at least TRY to get it.

I am going to tell you one last time on this post, do not EVER accuse me of lying, or changing God's word. I take accusations like those seriously.

[Religion Moderator]

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

Also, this Religion Forum thread is labeled "ecumenical" meaning no antagonism is allowed.

Both of you: tone it down.

[one Lord one faith one baptism]

the first problem is even if the KJV uses the word “dispensation”, it does not mean it in the sense you are claiming, so yes, in effect you changed the word. in context, the word here means to “manage, to hand out, to dispense”, it absolutely isn’t saying that a new “age” has dawned different than Acts 2!
Jesus says the Kingdom will be preached than the end will come, since He is the King, i think He should know if His Kingdom is still in effect. you keep changing your story, yesterday you said the Kingdom has been replaced by the new dispensation of grace and now you say the Kingdom is in “remission” ( but, of course, no Scriptures are provided that says this )
no my friend, Jesus’s Kingdom is not in remission, he dealt the devil a death blow at the cross, he bound the strong man and thru His Church has been plundering the kingdom of Satan for 2,000 years.
again, you provide no Scripture for your “unique” belief that baptism is not for today, even though Jesus specifically commanded it in Matthew 28. St Paul was glad he baptized so few because he didn’t want factions in the Church at Corinth, but the fact remains, HE DID BAPTIZE!! and all of the people who received the word of God, WERE BAPTIZED BY PAUL OR SOMEBODY ELSE! you can’t provide any Scripture where Paul or any other Apostle says BAPTISM IS NOT FOR TODAY. this is such a weird reading of the Bible that 99.9% of non-Catholics reject it, even Baptists, with all of their false teaching, still baptize.
again, i ask you to provide Scripture that baptism is not for today. your posts are full of your unique opinion, but very little Scripture to back up what you are saying.

[Zionist Conspirator]

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.

Then I will endeavor (beli neder) to ping you to such posts in the future and will expect you to speak out.

i wish you would believe in Jesus and His sacrificial death for your sins,

Now you're sounding just like one of those awful Fundamentalist Protestants you despise so much.

Jesus said unless you believe He was sent by the Father, you will die in your sin.

So? Joseph Smith claimed to be a prophet.

[one Lord one faith one baptism]

yes, please do ping me and i will join you in denouncing them.

don’t despise the FP, just despise their FALSE beliefs. If they agree with the Catholics on the need for Faith in the sacrificial death of Jesus to be reconciled with the Father, i rejoice!!

comparing Jesus with Joseph Smith, i am speechless.

[Religion Moderator]

you despise

Reading the mind of another Freeper is a form of "making it personal."

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

[Zionist Conspirator]

yes, please do ping me and i will join you in denouncing them.

I will try to do so (beli neder).

don’t despise the FP, just despise their FALSE beliefs. If they agree with the Catholics on the need for Faith in the sacrificial death of Jesus to be reconciled with the Father, i rejoice!!

I thought vicarious atonement was a heretical Protestant concept unknown to the ancient churches.

comparing Jesus with Joseph Smith, i am speechless.

Hey, they were both human beings. The foundation of my religious beliefs isn't any human being, "demigod" or not.

[Zionist Conspirator]

My apologies. I try to watch my words, but sometimes I fail.

[one Lord one faith one baptism]

isn’t Isaiah 53:4-6 in your Scriptures?

[Zionist Conspirator]

isn’t Isaiah 53:4-6 in your Scriptures?

Bevadday.