First Christian Voices: Practices of the Apostolic Fathers

Chapter 3: God the Son

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Jesus the Eternal Word of God I gnatius to the M agnesians 8: Do not be deceived by strange doctrines, nor by old fables which are unprofitable. If we still live according to the Jewish law, then we acknowledge that we have not received grace. For the divine prophets lived according to Christ Jesus. On this account also they were persecuted, being inspired by His grace to fully convince the unbelieving that there is one God who has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ His Son, who is His eternal Word, who did not come from silence, and who in all things pleased Him that sent Him. T o D iogenetus 7: For, as I said, this was no mere earthly invention which was delivered to them, nor was it a mere human system of opinion which they judged right to preserve so carefully, nor does it have a dispensation of mere human mysteries that was committed to them. Rather, the invisible God Himself who is the Almighty Creator of all things has rightly sent the true and holy incomprehensible Word from heaven and placed Him among people. He has firmly established Him in their hearts. He did not, as one might have imagined, send to people just any servant, or angel, or ruler, or any one of those who have influence over earthly things. Neither did He send one of those entrusted with the administration of things in the heavens. Rather, He sent the very Creator and Fashioner of all things by whom He made the heavens, by whom He enclosed the sea within its proper bounds, the One whose mysteries all the stars faithfully observe, from whom the sun has received the measure of his daily