Ignatius 100ish AD shortly before his martydom in the coliseum I believe. Neither the ends of the earth nor the kingdoms of this age will be of benefit to me. It is better for me to die in Christ Jesus than to reign over the ends of the earth. I seek that one who died on my behalf. I desire that one who rose up on our account. But the pains of childbirth are upon me.  Be in agreement with me, brothers, do not hinder me from living, do not wish me to die. Do hand over not to the … Continue reading Only that I may reach Christ

Ignatius 100ish AD And I say these things, my beloved, not because I have learned that any from you are acting in this way, but as less than you, I desire to protect you, that you not be snagged by the fishhooks of worthless delusion, but to be fully convinced of the birth and the suffering and the resurrection, which took place in the time of the rule of Pontius Pilate. These things were really and truly done by Jesus Christ, our hope, from which may none of you ever turn away. Brannan, Rick, trans. 2012. The Apostolic Fathers in … Continue reading Nothing is better than Him

Maybe Clement 100ish AD Maybe a second century Homily and maybe one of the earliest quotes of Jesus word’s as Scripture outside of Scripture! And another scripture also says that “I have not come to call the righteous, but the sinners.”  He means this: that we must save those who are perishing.  For it is great and marvelous to strengthen not what is established but what has fallen.  So also Christ willed to save what was perishing, and he saved many, having come and having called us who were already perishing. Brannan, Rick, trans. 2012. The Apostolic Fathers in English. … Continue reading Not proper…

Clement 100ish AD Therefore let our whole body be saved in Christ Jesus, and let each of us be subject to his neighbor, according to the gift given to him.  Let the strong care for the weak and let the weak respect the strong. Let the rich provide for the poor and let the poor give thanks to God, that he gave to him one through whom he might supply his need. Let the wise one demonstrate his wisdom not with words but with good works. Do not let the humble person testify about himself, but allow him to be … Continue reading Let the rich and the poor love one another

Clement 100ish AD Therefore all of them were glorified and magnified, not through themselves or their deeds or righteous actions which they accomplished, but through his will.  And we, therefore, having been called through his will in Christ Jesus, we are not justified through ourselves, or through our wisdom or understanding or piety or deeds which we accomplished in holiness of heart, but through the faith by which all those since the beginning the Almighty God has justified to him be the glory forever, amen. Continue reading We are not justified