Note (return) — Chapter III

3. But the earliest tradition not only spoke of Jesus as κυριος, σωτηρ, and διδασκαλος, but as "'ο 'υιος του θεου", and this name was firmly adhered to in the Gentile Christian communities.244 It followed immediately from this that Jesus belongs to the sphere of God, and that, as is said in the earliest preaching known to us,245 one must think of him "'ως περι θεου." This formula describes in a classic manner the indirect "theologia Christi" which we find unanimously expressed in all witnesses of the earliest epoch.246 We must think about Christ as we think about God, because, on the one hand, God had exalted him, and committed to him as Lord, judgment over the living and the dead, and because, on the other hand, he has brought the knowledge of the truth, called sinful men, delivered them from the dominion of demons, and hath led, or will lead them, out of the night of death and corruption to eternal life. Jesus Christ is "our faith", "our hope", "our life", and in this sense "our God." The religious assurance that he is this, for we find no wavering on this point, is the root of the "theologia Christi"; but we must also remember that the formula "θεος" was inserted beside "κυριος," that the "dominus ac deus," was very common at that time,247 and that a Saviour σωτηρ could only be represented somehow as a Divine being.248 Yet Christ never was, as "θεος," placed on an equality with the Father,249—monotheism guarded against that. Whether he was intentionally and deliberately identified with Him the following paragraph will shew.