87. Tertullian wrote in his Apology, XXI,
“God made this universe by his word, reason and power .... We also claim that the word, reason and virtue, by which we have said that God made all things, have spirit as their substance [substantia] ... This Word [Jn 1:1] we have learnt, was produced from God, and was generated by being produced, and therefore is called the Son of God [Jn 1:34], and God [or ‘a god’: Jn 1:1c], from unity of substance [spirit] with God. For God too is spirit.” - p. 112, Eerdman’s Handbook to the History of Christianity, 1977.
We must not forget, however, that even angels are spirit, and are called 'sons of God,' and are even, on occasion, called gods! (see the BOWGOD study) - pp. 39, 591, Today’s Dictionary of the Bible, Bethany House Publ.; and pp. 37, 1133, New Bible Dictionary, 2nd ed., Tyndale House Publ.
Entire Study File
Trinity Index
No comments:
Post a Comment