Arianism A fourth century heresy that denied the divinity of Jesus Christ. Its author was Arius, a priest of Alexandria, who in 318 began to teach the doctrine that there are not three distinct persons in God, co-eternal and equal in all things, but only one person, the Father. The Son is only a creature, made out of nothing, like all other created beings. (Pocket Catholic Dictionary by Father John A. Hardon, S.J., pgs. 29-30)
As we can see from the above example, this was a fourth century heresy which was opposed by the church. Especially under the guidance of Saint Athanasisus, Bishop of Alexandria, who was undoubtedly the main obstacle to the triumph of this heresy in the East .
The first council of Nicaea was convoked in 325 to meet the Arian crisis. The exact number of prelates who attended the council is not known. However, at least 220 Bishops, mostly from the east but also from Africa, Spain, Gaul, and Italy, signed the creed that affirmed the divinity of Christ and condemned Arius as a heretic. The formula of the creed read, "we believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Creator of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only begotten of the Father, that is, of the substance of the Father; God from God, light from light, true God from true God; begotten , not created, consubstantial with the Father."
Today, here in the 21st century we find that this heresy or a form of it is now being espoused around the world. One of the most disturbing trends is the teaching of this heresy within the walls of Catholic seminaries, universities, theological centers, and other institutes of higher learning. One of the aspects of this heresy which is being taught is the convoluted idea that Jesus Christ was unaware of his own divinity until he was crucified. There is also another aspect of this heresy which maintains that Christ had dark, even lustful and evil thoughts. Evidently the “teachers” of this particular brand of “theology” never bothered to consult scripture, the teachings of the Catholic Church, nor any of the writings of the early church fathers. Indeed, perhaps one can now see why I am fond of saying “lord, save me from theologians”. Here in Part One, we shall see that Jesus Christ was indeed aware of His Divinity.
When a theologian sees his or her self perceived “wisdom” as surpassing the true wisdom of holy scripture, the Magisterium of the Catholic Church, the saints of the church, and especially the wisdom of the early church fathers, then they not only fool and mislead themselves, but they also fool and mislead those whom they purport to “teach”. Not only are they teaching error and heresy, but, they are also throwing stumbling blocks before others, and endangering souls. For to deny even one aspect of the Divinity of Jesus Christ is to deny Christ altogether. As Jesus said in holy scripture, “If you deny me, I will deny you before My Father”.
The “teachers” of this idea of the “human Jesus” would like for you to believe that Jesus Christ was just the same as you and me, just another ordinary human being. They would like you to believe that He went about His ministry without knowing that He was God Incarnate, and that He was not made aware of who He was and Is, until He was crucified. They prefer to “teach” that the men who wrote the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, were merely fallible men who had no inspiration from their encounter with God in the flesh to write their Gospels, and that none of the men who wrote the books that we call the New Testament were guided by the Holy Spirit. Indeed, they essentially call these men liars and accuse them of writing what they pleased regarding the life of Jesus Christ on earth. These so called “teachers” are anything but teachers, and are in fact enemies of Christ. For they throw stumbling block after stumbling block before those they teach, and are comforted by the thought that they spread wisdom and knowledge, and will be renowned for their teaching. So...they want you and me to accept the convoluted ideas and words of men who seek the worlds esteem, over the ideas and truths of men who wrote what they wrote from what they and those whom they met that had witnessed all Jesus Christ did, said, and lived! Sorry, but, once again, I'll take the word of those men who were willing to die for what they wrote and what they taught, over the words of men caught up in the world. These “teachers” and their blinded followers are living proof, that some people have too much education for their intelligence.
Let us take the time here, to just post a few passages of scripture which prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus Christ was God, and was aware that He was God. As Jesus did forgive sin, which we know only God can do, to say He was not aware of His own Divinity is in essence to call Him insane. Because if He went throughout His ministry forgiving sin without knowledge of who He was, then only one who was insane would do such a thing. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John show beyond a doubt, that Jesus Christ knew who He was, and that was, is, and will be God. The scripture passages follow, and these are but a few that show Jesus knew of His Divinity:
Matthew 9: 2 - 7: And behold they brought to him one sick of the palsy lying in a bed. And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the man sick of the palsy: Be of good heart, son, thy sins are forgiven thee. And behold some of the scribes said within themselves: He blasphemeth. And Jesus seeing their thoughts, said: Why do you think evil in your hearts? Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee: or to say, Arise, and walk? But that you may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then said he to the man sick of palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go into thy house. And he arose, and went into his house.
Matthew 11 : 27: All things are delivered to me by my Father. And no one knoweth the Son, but the Father: neither doth any one know the Father, but the Son, and he to whom it shall please the Son to reveal him.
Matthew 12 : 5 - 8 : Or have ye not read in the law, that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple break the sabbath, and are without blame? But I tell you that there is here a greater than the temple. And if you knew what this meaneth: I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: you would never have condemned the innocent. For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath.
Matthew 14: 26 - 33: And they seeing him walk upon the sea, were troubled, saying: It is an apparition. And they cried out for fear. And immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying: Be of good heart: it is I, fear ye not. And Peter making answer, said: Lord, if it be thou, bid me come to thee upon the waters. And he said: Come. And Peter going down out of the boat, walked upon the water to come to Jesus. But seeing the wind strong, he was afraid: and when he began to sink, he cried out, saying: Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretching forth his hand took hold of him, and said to him: O thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt? And when they were come up into the boat, the wind ceased. And they that were in the boat came and adored him, saying: Indeed thou art the Son of God.
Matthew 16: 13 - 19: And Jesus came into the quarters of Cesarea Philippi: and he asked his disciples, saying: Whom do men say that the Son of man is? But they said: Some John the Baptist, and other some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets. Jesus saith to them: But whom do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered and said: Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven. And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.
Mark 9 : 1 - 8: And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter and James and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves, and was transfigured before them. And his garments became shining and exceeding white as snow, so as no fuller upon earth can make white. And there appeared to them Elias with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter answering, said to Jesus: Rabbi, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. For he knew not what he said: for they were struck with fear.And there was a cloud overshadowing them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying: This is my most beloved son; hear ye him. And immediately looking about, they saw no man any more, but Jesus only with them. And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them not to tell any man what things they had seen, till the Son of man shall be risen again from the dead.
Luke 2: 46 - 49: And it came to pass, that, after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his wisdom and his answers. And seeing him, they wondered. And his mother said to him: Son, why hast thou done so to us? behold thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said to them: How is it that you sought me? did you not know, that I must be about my father's business?
Luke 7 : 44 - 50: And turning to the woman, he said unto Simon: Dost thou see this woman? I entered into thy house, thou gavest me no water for my feet; but she with tears hath washed my feet, and with her hairs hath wiped them. Thou gavest me no kiss; but she, since she came in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint; but she with ointment hath anointed my feet. Wherefore I say to thee: Many sins are forgiven her, because she hath loved much. But to whom less is forgiven, he loveth less. And he said to her: Thy sins are forgiven thee. And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves: Who is this that forgiveth sins also? And he said to the woman: Thy faith hath made thee safe, go in peace.
Luke 8 : 35 - 39: And they went out to see what was done; and they came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at his feet, clothed, and in his right mind; and they were afraid. And they also that had seen, told them how he had been healed from the legion. And all the multitude of the country of the Gerasens besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear. And he, going up into the ship, returned back again. Now the man, out of whom the devils were departed, besought him that he might be with him. But Jesus sent him away, saying: Return to thy house, and tell how great things God hath done to thee. And he went through the whole city, publishing how great things Jesus had done to him.
Luke 17 : 12 - 19: And as he entered into a certain town, there met him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off; And lifted up their voice, saying: Jesus, master, have mercy on us. Whom when he saw, he said: Go, shew yourselves to the priests. And it came to pass, as they went, they were made clean. And one of them, when he saw that he was made clean, went back, with a loud voice glorifying God. And he fell on his face before his feet, giving thanks: and this was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering, said, Were not ten made clean? and where are the nine? There is no one found to return and give glory to God, but this stranger. And he said to him: Arise, go thy way; for thy faith hath made thee whole.
John 5 : 16 - 18: Therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, because he did these things on the sabbath. But Jesus answered them: My Father worketh until now; and I work. Hereupon therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he did not only break the sabbath, but also said God was his Father, making himself equal to God.
John 6 : 41 - 45: The Jews therefore murmured at him, because he had said: I am the living bread which came down from heaven. And they said: Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then saith he, I came down from heaven? Jesus therefore answered, and said to them: Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to me, except the Father, who hath sent me, draw him; and I will raise him up in the last day. It is written in the prophets: And they shall all be taught by God. Every one that hath heard of the Father, and hath learned, cometh to me.
John 8 : 4 - 11: And said to him: Master, this woman was even now taken in adultery. Now Moses in the law commanded us to stone such a one. But what sayest thou? And this they said tempting him, that they might accuse him. But Jesus bowing himself down, wrote with his finger on the ground. When therefore they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said to them: He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again stooping down, he wrote on the ground. But they hearing this, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest. And Jesus alone remained, and the woman standing in the midst. Then Jesus lifting up himself, said to her: Woman, where are they that accused thee? Hath no man condemned thee? Who said: No man, Lord. And Jesus said: Neither will I condemn thee. Go, and now sin no more.
John 14 : 6 - 9: Jesus saith to him: I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me. If you had known me, you would without doubt have known my Father also: and from henceforth you shall know him, and you have seen him. Philip saith to him: Lord, shew us the Father, and it is enough for us. Jesus saith to him: Have I been so long a time with you; and have you not known me? Philip, he that seeth me seeth the Father also. How sayest thou, Shew us the Father?
Coming in Part Two: We will look at the mistaken notion that Jesus Christ had dark, sinful thoughts.
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