Re: The Early Christians: Creed, Confession and Scripture

Greasy wrote:

> G Banks wrote:
> 
>> The salvation of the soul would be the final goal of only a part of
>> the human, not of the whole. In order that the final goal can be
>> realized, the body must be united with the soul, which is possible
>> only through resurrection.
>> 
>> Athenagoras, On the Resurrection of the Dead 24-25 (summary). 
> 
> Moses was the first prophet. He said in these very words, "A ruler
> shall never be lacking in Judah nor a leader from his thigh until he
> comes for whom it is reserved. And he shall be the expectation of the
> nations." The words "he shall be the expectation of the nations" were
> meant to be a testimony that people of every nation would expect his
> return, as you can see with your own eyes and be convinced by the
> fact. 
> 
> Justin, First Apology 32.
> 

The men of God, vessels of the Holy Spirit and prophets, were inspired 
and instructed by God himself. They were God-taught, holy, and just men. 
Therefore they were considered worthy of the reward of becoming God’s 
instruments and receiving the wisdom flowing out from him. In this wisdom 
they spoke prophetically about the creation of the world and all other 
matters. Thus they spoke out prophetic revelations about pestilence, 
famine, and war. And this was not done by just one or two; no, a great 
number arose among the Hebrews, according to the times and circumstances, 
and among the Greeks too there was the Sibyl. All their sayings stand in 
perfect harmony with each other: what they spoke about the time that had 
gone before them, their utterances about what happened in their own time, 
and their words about the things being fulfilled now in our own time. 
Therefore we are convinced that future events will come about in the same 
way as past events did, which have already occurred in accordance with 
their words.

Theophilus of Antioch, To Autolycus II.9.