Re: The Early Christians: Creed, Confession and Scripture

The father of the universe is unbegotten. Therefore he cannot have any 
name attached to him, for whenever someone receives a name, the giver of 
the name is the older one. The words Father, God, Creator, Lord, and 
Ruler are not names but only descriptions of attributes derived from his 
good deeds and his works. However his Son, who alone is called his son in 
the proper sense, being the Logos who was in the Father before all 
creation, was begotten when he created and set in order all things 
through the Son in the beginning. He is called the Christ because he was 
anointed, and because God set all things in order through him.

Christ is a name that also contains an incomprehensible concept, just as 
the term "God" is no real name but the concept of an inexplicable being, 
inborn in human nature. However, "Jesus" points to the name and concept 
of a man and a redeemer, for, as we have said already, he became man. He 
was born in accordance with the will of God the Father for the sake of 
believing men and for the downfall of all demons, as you can see even now 
in that which takes place before your own eyes. After all, many of our 
people (the Christians namely) have healed a great number of possessed 
persons who did not receive healing from any other exorcist, sorcerer, or 
herb doctor. They did this throughout the whole world, and even in your 
own capital city, by driving out the demons in the name of Jesus Christ, 
who was crucified under Pontius Pilate.

Justin, Second Apology 6.

Greg G. wrote:

> It is he who has manifested himself. He revealed himself through
> faith. To faith alone is it given to see God. God, the Ruler and
> creator of the universe, he who made all things and arranged them in
> proper order, was man’s friend and full of kindness and patience. This
> he always was, is, and always will be: kind and good, slow to anger,
> and true. He alone is good. When he had conceived the great and
> ineffable thought, he communicated it only to his son. Now, as long as
> he kept and guarded his wise counsel within himself as a secret, it
> could appear as if he were not concerned and did not care about us.
> But he disclosed what he had in mind from the beginning through his
> beloved son. Through him he revealed it. Thus he granted us all things
> at once, to share in his blessings, to perceive, and to understand.
> Which of us could have expected all this? 
> 
> Letter to Diognetus 8.5-9.
>