Jared Ortiz and Daniel A. Keating on the use of ὁμοιούσιος (homoousios) Before the Council of Nicea

  

We have only a piecemeal knowledge about the use of the term homoousios (consubstantial) before 325. It first appears in Gnostic writings of the second century, where it communicates a kind of emanation of one divine being from another, with the derived deity possessing part of the divinity from which it emanated. This reflects a conception of God foreign to Christian faith and plainly was not acceptable to describe the relationship between the Father and the Son as found in the Scriptures. In the third century, homoousios was used positively on occasion to describe the relationship between the Father and the Son—that the Son was homoousios with the Father. In general, when used positively, homoousios tended to communicate the sense of “the same order of being.” But at the same time, the term was condemned at the Council of Antioch in 268. The exact reason for this condemnation is unclear, but it was probably condemned as communicating a kind of materialistic emanation of the Son from the Father—the idea that the Son possessed part of the Father’s being. Thus, before 325 the term homoousios itself had a mixed heritage in the Christian tradition. (Jared Ortiz and Daniel A. Keating, The Nicene Creed: A Scriptural, Historical and Theological Commentary [Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 2024], 92)

 

Jared Ortiz and Daniel A. Keating on Creation Ex Nihilo

  

Scripture alone does not clearly resolve the question of the origin of matter. Genesis 1:2, which speaks of “the earth [being] without form and void” and the deep waters, was interpreted by ancient Jews and many early Christians to mean that God created the world from preexisting matter. This is also the consensus of modern biblical scholars. This reading of Genesis seems to be presupposed by the author of the Wisdom of Solomon, who refers to God’s “all-powerful hand, which created the world out of formless matter” (Wis. 11:17). While these passages do not definitely rule out creatio ex nihilo, neither do they confirm it.

 

. . .

 

By the second and third centuries, these texts[2 Maccabees 7:28-29; Rom 4:17; Heb 11:3] were taken as evidence of creatio ex nihilo. Yet these passages were not decisive. The language used here is similar to the philosophical language of the Stoics and the Platonists. These philosophers held that matter always was there and that God gave form to matter, which, because it was formless, did not properly have the status of existing (“to ex-ist” means, literally, “to stand out”). But in light of the challenges of philosophy and Gnosticism, Christianity in the second century asked more clearly about the extent of God’s almighty power and the origin of matter. By working through these challenges, Christians drew out what was implicit in Scripture and their beliefs about God. (Jared Ortiz and Daniel A. Keating, The Nicene Creed: A Scriptural, Historical and Theological Commentary [Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 2024], 65-66)

 

Further Reading:

 

Blake T. Ostler, Out of Nothing: A History of Creation ex Nihilo in Early Christian Thought

 

 

Augustine on the Faith of Infants

  

9. You know that in ordinary parlance we often say, when Easter is approaching, "Tomorrow or the day after is the Lord's Passion," although He suffered so many years ago, and His passion was endured once for all time. In like manner, on Easter Sunday, we say, "This day the Lord rose from the dead," although so many years have passed since His resurrection. But no one is so foolish as to accuse us of falsehood when we use these phrases, for this reason, that we give such names to these days on the ground of a likeness between them and the days on which the events referred to actually transpired, the day being called the day of that event, although it is not the very day on which the event took place, but one corresponding to it by the revolution of the same time of the year, and the event itself being said to take place on that day, because, although it really took place long before, it is on that day sacramentally celebrated. Was not Christ once for all offered up in His own person as a sacrifice? and yet, is He not likewise offered up in the sacrament as a sacrifice, not only in the special solemnities of Easter, but also daily among our congregations; so that the man who, being questioned, answers that He is offered as a sacrifice in that ordinance, declares what is strictly true? For if sacraments had not some points of real resemblance to the things of which they are the sacraments, they would not be sacraments at all. In most cases, moreover, they do in virtue of this likeness bear the names of the realities which they resemble. As, therefore, in a certain manner the sacrament of Christ's body is Christ's body, and the sacrament of Christ's blood is Christ's blood,1 in the same manner the sacrament of faith is faith. Now believing is nothing else than having faith; and accordingly, when, on behalf of an infant as yet incapable of exercising faith, the answer is given that he believes, this answer means that he has faith because of the sacrament of faith, and in like manner the answer is made that he turns himself to God because of the sacrament of conversion, since the answer itself belongs to the celebration of the sacrament. Thus the apostle says, in regard to this sacrament of Baptism: "We are buried with Christ by baptism into death." He does not say, "We have signified our being buried with Him," but "We have been buried with Him." He has therefore given to the sacrament pertaining to so great a transaction no other name than the word describing the transaction itself.

 

10. Therefore an infant, although he is not yet a believer in the sense of having that faith which includes the consenting will of those who exercise it, nevertheless becomes a believer through the sacrament of that faith. For as it is answered that he believes, so also he is called a believer, not because he assents to the truth by an act of his own judgment, but because he receives the sacrament of that truth. When, however, he begins to have the discretion of manhood, he will not repeat the sacrament, but understand its meaning, and become conformed to the truth which it contains, with his will also consenting. During the time in which he is by reason of youth unable to do this, the sacrament will avail for his protection against adverse powers, and will avail so much on his behalf, that if before he arrives at the use of reason he depart from this life, he is delivered by Christian help, namely, by the love of the Church commending him through this sacrament unto God, from that condemnation which by one man entered into the world. He who does not believe this, and thinks that it is impossible, is assuredly an unbeliever, although he may have received the sacrament of faith; and far before him in merit is the infant which, though not yet possessing a faith helped by the understanding, is not obstructing faith by any antagonism of the understanding, and therefore receives with profit the sacrament of faith. (Augustine, Letter 98.9-10, 408 A.D. [NPNF₁ 1:409-10])

 

 

Joseph Smith on the Then-Future War in November 1837 (cf. D&C 87)

 

 

Be it known unto the Saints scattered abroad, greeting:

 

That myself together with my beloved brother Sidney Rigdon, having been appointed by a general conference of elders held in Kirtland in the house of the Lord on the 18th of September for the purpose of establishing places of gathering for the Saints etc., we therefore would inform our readers that we started from Kirtland in company with V. Knight and Wm. Smith on the 27th of Sept. last, for the purpose of visiting the Far West, and also to discover situations suitable for the location of the Saints who are gathering for a refuge and safety, in the day of the wrath of God which is soon to burst upon the head of this generation, according to the testimony of the prophets; who speak expressly concerning the last days. We had a prosperous and a speedy journey; we held one meeting in Norton township, Ohio, and three in Dublin, Ia., one between Dublin and Tere Haute, Ia. two in Tere Haute, one in Palmyra, Mo. 2 in Huntsville, one in Carlton, all of which were tended with good success and generally allayed the prejudice and feeling of the people as we judge from the treatment we received, being kindly and hospitably entertained. On our arrival at the city of Far West, we found the church of Latter Day Saints in that place in as prosperous a condition as we could have expected, and as we believe enjoying a goodly portion of the Spirit of God, to the joy and satisfaction of our hearts.

 

The High council was immediately called and many difficulties adjusted, and the object of our mission was laid before them, after which the subject of the propriety of the Saints, gathering to the city of Far West, was taken into consideration. After a lengthy discussion upon the subject, it was voted that the work of the gathering to that place be continued, and that there is a plenty of provisions in the upper counties for the support of that place, and also the emigration of the Saints; also voted that other Stakes be appointed in the regions round about. Therefore, a committee was appointed to locate the same, consisting of Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, John Corrill, and Lyman Wight, who started on their mission before we left.

 

It was also voted that the Saints be directed to those men for instruction concerning those places, and it may be expected that all the information necessary will be had from them concerning the location of those places, roads &c. Now we would recommend to the Saints scattered abroad, that they make all possible exertions to gather themselves together unto those places, as peace, verily thus saith the Lord, peace shall soon be taken from the earth, and it has already began to be taken, for a lying spirit has gone out upon all the face of the earth and shall perplex the nations, and shall stir them up to anger against one another. For behold, saith the Lord, very fierce and very terrible war is near at hand, even at your doors. Therefore, make haste saith the Lord, O ye my people, and gather yourselves together and be at peace among yourselves, or there shall be no safety for you.

 

We furthermore say to those who wish to stop short of the city of Far West, to call on us and get information concerning those places of gathering. We would say to the Saints it is now a day of warning and not of many words; therefore, a word to the wise is sufficient. We exhort you to remember the words of the prophet Malachi which says, bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be meet in mine house, and prove me herewith saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it, and I will rebuke the devourer for your sake, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts, and all nations shall call you blessed for ye shall be a delightsome land saith the Lord of hosts. We would also say to the Saints that we were much please with the location of the Far West, and also the society of that place; and we purpose of locating our families in that place as soon as our circumstances will admit.

 

 We shall be under the necessity of observing brevity in this our communication for want of room to publish it and we shall close after naming a few questions which are daily and hourly asked by all classes of people whilst we are traveling and will answer them in our next. (Joseph Smith, Elders' Journal 1, no. 2 [November 1837]: 27-28, emphasis added)

 

 Further Reading:

Resources on Joseph Smith's Prophecies

 

W. W. Phelp's Copy of D&C 87 from 1835

This version of D&C 87 (received by Joseph on December 25, 1832) was copied sometime in 1835 by W. W. Phelps:

 

A prophecy or Commandment given Dec. 1832

 

Verily thus saith the Lord, concerning the wars that will shortly come to pass, beginning at the rebellion of South Carolina, which will eventually terminate in the death and misery of many souls; and the days will come, that war will be poured out upon all nations beginning at this place: for behold the Southern States shall be divided against the northern States; and the Southern States will call on other nations, even the nation of Great Britain, as it is called, and they shall also call upon other nations in order to defend themselves against other nations: And thus war shall be poured out upon all nations. And it shall come to pass, after many days, Slaves shall rise up against their masters, who shall be disciplined for war, and it shall come to pass, also, that the Remnant who are left of the land, will be marshalled themselves, and shall become exceeding angry and shall vex the Gentiles with a sore vexation. And thus with the Sword, and by bloodshed, the inhabitants of the earth shall be mourned and with famine, and plague, and earthquakes, and the thunder of heaven, and the fierce & vivid lightning, also, shall the inhabitants of the earth be made to feel the wrath and indignation and chastening hand of an Almighty God until the consumption decreed hath made a full end of all nations; that the cry of the saints, and of the blood shed of the saints, shall cease to come into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, from the earth, to be avenged of their enemies: wherefore, stand ye in holy places, and be not moved until the day of the Lord. Amen.

 

Further Reading:

Resources on Joseph Smith's Prophecies

Blog Is Back! (and how to support my research/writing)

I forgot to announce that, after 10 days (April 8-18), my blog was reinstated after some people reported this blog as a “spam blog” (showing they cannot meaningfully respond to anything I have written against their Satanic Protestant theology).

 

Anyway, for those who wish to support this blog (and my youtube channel), you can do so via:

 

Paypal and also

 

Venmo

Brian Hales, The Entheogen Theory: REALITY CHECK

 

The Entheogen Theory: REALITY CHECK