God the Son - first use

Steven Avery

Administrator
Facebook - Patristics for Protestants
https://www.facebook.com/groups/884609654958164/permalink/2023162961102822/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/884609654958164/permalink/2804613986291045/

Roger E. Olson
http://books.google.com/books?id=SUAidAp8AgEC&pg=PA23#

Lactantius
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactantius

Gregory Thaumaturgus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregory_Thaumaturgus

1699494637032.png
 
Last edited:

Steven Avery

Administrator
Facebook - Patristics for Protestants
https://www.facebook.com/groups/patristicsforprotestants/posts/6805926619493075/
“God the Son”
Does anybody know of early Pastristic usage?
And I know translators can occasionally throw it in as a mistranslation.
There is probably lots of post-Nicea usage.
“God the Son” today has a special doctrinal usage in tandem with “God the Father” and “God the (Holy) Spirit”, only one of which is direct Scripture.

While my main question is first use of “God the Son” the first use of the “Spirit” phrase and all three together would also be interesting.

I realize this is tricky because you cannot really trust the English Patristic texts on this type of question, since the translator may consider “God the Son” as very natural even when a poor match to the source language.
 
Last edited:

Steven Avery

Administrator
Jacob O’Flanagan
E-Sword has ANF available in the reference library and it can be searched for an exact phrase unlike CCEL from what I can tell. Of course this gives the English so, as you mention, you will likely want to reference the originals but it's a starting point.

I may have to dig into these a bit myself...

Volume 1:
- The closest is Justin Martyr, "Dialogue with Trypho" ch. 128 where Christ is referred to as "God the Son of God". Not quite the exact phrase but close enough to be interesting.

Volume 2:
- The quote from Athenagoras mention above from the work "A Plea for the Christians" ch. 10
-Clement, "Who is the Rich Man that Shall Be Saved?" ch. 34 (this has a footnote that it is not using the typical word for "son")

Volume 3:
-"Against Heresies" ch. 2 (this work has a note at the beginning that it is spuriously attributed to Tertullian, though still possibly ante-nicene)

Volume 5:
-Novatian, "A Treatise Concerning the Trinity" ch. 11, 12, 18 (2x), 23, and 30

Volume 6:
-Gregory Thaumaturgus, "A Declaration of Faith"

Volume 7:
-Lactantius, "The Epitome of the Divine Institutes" ch. 42 includes a pagan quote referring to "God the Son of God"-Lactantius, "The Divine Institutes" bk. 4, ch. 27 and 29 (2x)
 

Steven Avery

Administrator
Facebook - Broken Chains

Steven Avery I know where you are going with this, but I have to ask...Since the original text does not use the name Jesus does that mean we are talking about a different person?
But for sake of the argument here's a few passages you might want to look at:

Colossians 1:15; John 1:18; John 1:14; Matthew 28:19; Hebrews 1:8

Colossians 1:15 (AV)
Who is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn of every creature:

John 1:18 (AV)
No man hath seen God at any time,
the only begotten Son,
which is in the bosom of the Father,
he hath declared him

John 1:14 (A/v)
And the Word was made flesh,
and dwelt among us,
(and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,)
full of grace and truth.

Matthew 28:19 (AV)
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Hebrews 1:8-9 (AV)
But unto the Son he saith,
Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever:
a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity;
therefore God, even thy God,
hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
 
Top