The Separation of Church and Faith
How Did We Get FROM THERE: SCRIPTURE?
To here: church traditions?
6. Ante-Nicene
Apostolic Fathers (1st–2nd centuries, POST-Apostolic)
ANTE-Nicene Fathers (2nd – 3rd centuries)
Nicene Fathers (fourth century)
POST-Nicene Fathers (fifth century)
Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, Book 5, chapter 5.5
“The … the church at Jerusalem …
before the war, removed from the city,
and dwelt at a certain town
beyond the Jordan, called Pella.”
Epiphanius, Panarion 29:7
“…consider the heretics who call themselves Nazarenes;
…they are simply complete Jews.
They use not only the New Testament
but the Old Testament as well, as the Jews do…
they do not repudiate
the Law, the Prophets, and the … Writings.‘’
Epiphanius, Panarion 29:7 …
“They … confess everything exactly as the Law proclaims it …
except for their belief in Christ …
For they acknowledge both the resurrection of the dead
and the divine creation of all things,
and declare that God is one,
and that his Son is Jesus Christ.”
Epiphanius, Panarion 29:7 …
“…the entire Law, the Prophets, and the so-called Writings…
the poetic books, Kings, Chronicles, Esther and all the rest
are read in Hebrew, as they surely are by Jews.
They are different from Jews,
and different from Christians, only in the following.
They disagree with Jews because they have come to faith in Christ;
but since they are still fettered by the Law –
circumcision, the Sabbath, and the rest –
they are not in accord with Christians…
Epiphanius, Panarion 29:7
"The Nazarene sect exists in Berea near Coele-Syria,
in the Decapolis near the region of Pella, and in Bashan.
That is where the sect began,
when all the disciples were living in Pella
after they moved from Jerusalem,
since Christ told them to leave Jerusalem and withdraw
because it was about to be besieged."
By AD 100, chief opposition to Apostolic Teachings:
 Paganism: worship of demons, local gods, “nature” ancient superstitions – the barbarians
 Gnosticism: Hellenic philosophies, ‘knowledge’ will accomplish utopia
 Rabbinicism: Post-Temple, Post-Pharisee …
 Syncretism: any or all of the above ‘philosophies’ –
blended or combined with Scripture;
diluting or replacing the authority of Scripture
Yavne Sanhedrin, ca. AD 80
Sages: ‫ תנאים‬Tanna’im … apologists:
“2ND Century Reformation”
Focus: ‘consolidation’ of denominations
– the birth and ‘mainstreaming’ of Rabbinicism
Yavne Sanhedrin
deliberated to keep Apostolic Writings – out of The Canon: Tanakh
Aramaic word play from the Greek:
Yoo-ang-ghel'-ee-on – εὐαγγέλιον - Gospel, Good News
Ha-Gilyonin - ‫ הגליונין‬- “The Blank Pages”
MELITO, Bishop of Sardis,
On Pascha, (written ca. AD 165)
Latin Pascha:
from Greek πάσχα Paskha,
‫ פסחא‬Pa-skha
from Hebrew ‫ פסח‬Pe’-sakh - “Passover” …
from Aramaic
the destroying angel "passed over the houses of the children of Israel”
Melito of Sardis, On Pascha … “Deicide”
“And where was He put to death? In the midst of Jerusalem.
By whom? By Israel …
Alas for the new wickedness of the new murder!
… they slew God
God has suffered from the right hand of Israel.”
Acts 2:36-39
“Let all the House of Israel therefore know for certain
that God has made Him both Lord and Christ,
this Jesus whom you crucified.”
Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart …
“Repent and be baptized …in the Name of Jesus Christ
for the forgiveness of your sins,
and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
FOR THE PROMISE IS FOR YOU, AND FOR YOUR CHILDREN
AND FOR ALL WHO ARE FAR OFF,
everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”
Gen 12:2; 15:5; 17:1; 28:14; Isaiah 57:19
“…for you and for your descendants” …
and “all who are far off”
Peter Quotes The Promises with Abraham and Israel
Acts 4:27
“For truly in this city there were gathered together
against Your Holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed,
both Herod and Pontius Pilate,
ALONG WITH THE GENTILES and the peoples of Israel”
Melito of Sardis (ca.AD 165), On Pascha continues
“The people Israel was precious before the Church arose…
But when the Church arose … the model was made void,
conceding its power to the reality …
the people was made void
when the Church arose.”
Apostolic Reality: Galatians 3:8 “Gospel was preached to Abraham”
Isaiah 52:7 “How lovely on the mountains
Are the feet of him who brings the Gospel …announcing Shalom.
And brings the Gospel…announcing Salvation,
Saying to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
Acts 7:38 re. Moses:
“This is the one who was in the ek-klay-see'-ah in the wilderness”
Gen 35:11 Jacob: “a nation and an ek-klay-see-ah of nations
Matt 16:18 Jesus: “upon this rock I will build My ek-klay-see-ah ”
G#1577 ἐκκλησία ek-klay-see'-ah … from H#6951 ‫ ָקהָ ל‬ka-hal
Melito of Sardis (ca. AD 164)
First written record of the Christian Church dismissing
Hebrew Scriptures – the BOOKS THEMSELVES – as irrelevant:
“OLD Covenant” … Greek: palaia diatheke
Jerome, Latin Vulgate, ca. AD 405,
translated diatheke into Latin: testamentum.
the title: “Old Testament” become the misleading norm
Giving the idea that the “Writings and Books” are “the old”,
Rather than the specific Covenant at Sinai
Jerome’s Latin Vulgate
was widely used throughout the Middle Ages:
John Wycliffe (1382) … William Tyndale (1524)
The Geneva Bible (1557) … King James Bible (1611)
the title: “Old Testament” become the misleading norm
Giving the idea that the “Writings and Books” are “the old”,
Rather than the specific Covenant at Sinai
Hippolytus of Rome, AD 210,
Expository Treatise Against the Jews
Further developed the doctrine of Deicide:
That all Jews are collectively guilty forever
“… give heed, you Jew… Come therefore, and let us consider together...
I became … an alien unto my mother's children,
meaning by the mother the synagogue…”
Hippolytus, Expository Treatise Against the Jews
“And they that drink sang against me, that is,
they who drink wine at the feast of the Passover.
But as for me, in my prayer unto You, O Lord,
I said, Father, forgive them, namely the Gentiles”
Hippolytus of Rome, Expository Treatise Against the Jews
“And surely you have been darkened in the eyes of your soul
with a darkness utter and everlasting…
And their back you bend always; that means,
in order that they may be slaves to the nations,
not four hundred and thirty years as in Egypt,
nor seventy as in Babylon,
but bend them to servitude, he says, always”
Hippolytus, Expository Treatise Against the Jews
“…because they killed the Son …
let them not enter into Your righteousness,
that is, into Your kingdom;
but let them be blotted out of the book of the living,
and not be written with the righteous…”
The Church Fathers rejected John 10:17-18
“For this reason, the Father loves Me,
because I lay down My life so that I may take it again.
No one has taken it away from Me,
but I lay it down on My own initiative.
I have authority to lay it down,
and I have authority to take it up again.
This commandment I received from My Father.”
Psalm 118:22-26
“The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
This is the LORD’s doing;
It is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the Day the LORD has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.
Isaiah 1:18
“Though your sins be as scarlet …”
Psalm 69:35-36
“For God will save Zion and build the cities of Judah,
That they may dwell there and possess it.
The seed of His Servant will inherit it,
And those who love His Name will dwell in it.”
Cyprian of Carthage, ca. AD 200-258
Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews, Treatise 12, First Book
“we may keep the way of life through the saving sacraments.”
“… two peoples were foretold, the elder and the younger …
the old people of the Jews, and the new one which should consist of us
And the Lord said unto Rebekah, ‘Two nations are in your womb …
and the one people shall overcome the other people;
and the elder shall serve the younger.’”
Cyprian of Carthage, ca. AD 200-258
Rejects the literal message of Scripture with his own allegory,
His own ‘Lectio Divina’ – typical of Gnosticism, Eastern mysticism
Church Doctrine from Cyprian declares that:
• Israel really represents the Gentile church
• Esau really represents the Jews
• Hosea = allegory about the gentile Church
• Hosea has nothing to do with the people or Land of Israel
Hosea 14:4…9
‘“I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely,
For My anger has turned away from him…
his beauty shall be like an olive tree…
7 Those
who dwell under his shadow shall return;
They shall be revived like grain; And grow like a vine.
Their scent shall be like the wine of Lebanon.
9 Who
is wise? Let him understand these things.
Who is prudent? Let him know them….”
Acts 9:31
“the assemblies throughout
all Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace,
being built up and going on in the fear of the Lord
and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit,
it continued to increase.”
Ca. 130-135: Bar Kochba Rebellion
R. Akiva: changed: Bar Kosba  Bar Kochba: Son of the Star
Tanna’im: refer to Bar Kosba as: Bar Koziba: Son of a Lie
Hadrian banned Jews from Aelia Capitolina (Jerusalem) for 100 years.
‘Church-Synagogues’ were destroyed and
Jewish leaders were replaced with gentile bishops.
AD 220, Origen denied inspiration and infallibility of Scripture
Described the literal meaning of Scripture as “bread”
And the need to go “beyond the bread” to the “wine” of allegory,
where one can become “intoxicated and transported to heavenly realms.”
Rejected the Genesis record:
 Original creation was ONLY spiritual – Became physical AFTER the Fall –
 Creation (and Satan) will be restored to a spiritual state …
 “Old Testament”, if taken literally, detracts from the moral perfection of God
Origen taught that man can become divine, just like Jesus
“For Christians see that with Jesus,
human and divine nature begin to be woven together,
so that by fellowship with divinity,
human nature might become divine,
not only in Jesus, but also in all those who believe
and go on to undertake the life which Jesus taught...”
(Against Celsus, 3:28).
Origen teaches that
 The deity of Jesus is not unique but is a model for all men
 salvation is ACHIEVED by DOING the teachings of Jesus …
cf. Spiritual Disciplines, Spiritual Formation, Contemplative Prayer,
Emergent – Neo-Modern – Neo-Pagan Pop Christianity
‘New-Ancient’ Faith: Re-emphasis on Doctrines of ‘Church Fathers’
Universalist-Driven Church … Ecumenical Spirituality
Origen believed in a form of purgatory and universalism
ALL humanity will be able to ATONE THEMSELVES and be saved
“It seems… that every sinner kindles for himself the flame of his own fire
and is not plunged into some fire which was kindled beforehand …
or which already existed before him ...
And when this dissolution and tearing asunder of the soul
shall have been accomplished
…no doubt it will afterwards be solidified into
… a restoration of itself ”
Gal 1:6-8
“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting
Him who called you in the grace of Messiah
and are turning to a different gospel—
7 not
that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and
want to distort the Gospel of Messiah.
8 But
even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you
a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you,
let him be accursed.”
Origen: Anti-Jewish Replacement Theology:
“We may thus assert in utter confidence
that the Jews will not return to their earlier situation,
for they have committed the most abominable of crimes,
in forming this conspiracy against the Savior of the human race.”
“… and another people was called by God to the blessed election.”
“…although guilty of many other sins,
yet has been suffered so severely for none,
as for those committed against our Jesus.”
By AD 220, “Christian” theology has gone from Scripture:
 1 Cor 10:32
“Jews, gentiles and the Assembly of God”
… to
 Jews and Christians (!)
… and then to
 Jews and the human race
Next week:
“Nicene Fathers”
Eusebius, Ambrose, John Chrysostom …
early Church Councils and Edicts