Early Church Fathers” were Catholic
October, 2001
In the several volume set entitled The Ante Nicene Fathers edited by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson (WM B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan), we have a record of the writings of “early church fathers” who are revered by many as godly men. If this record is accurate, in other words, if what is found in these writings is truly what these men believed, then they were deceivers, ungodly men, who in no way should be honored. In the first volume of this set, in the preface of the 1885 edition this boast is found:
This volume, containing the equivalent of three volumes of the Edinburgh series of the Ante-Nicene Fathers, will be found a library somewhat complete in itself. The Apostolic Fathers and those associated with them in the third generation, are here placed together in a handbook, which, with the inestimable Scriptures, supplies a succinct autobiography of the Spouse of Christ for the first two centuries. No Christian scholar has ever before possessed, in faithful versions of such compact form, a supplement so essential to the right understanding of the New Testament itself. It is a volume indispensable to all scholars, and to every library, private or public, in this country. (p. v, first paragraph quoted in its entirety, bold added)
“Ante-Nicene” means “before Nicene” and refers to those “Fathers” that lived before the Council of Nicaea (325 AD). This preface claims the writings of these early church fathers are “essential to the right understanding of the New Testament.” Such language Paul warned against in Colossians 2:8 (“tradition of men”), and such thinking denies the words of 1 John 2:27.
But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.
What is “essential to the right understanding of the New Testament” is “the anointing” (i.e. the Holy Spirit, John 16:13), not any man or men or “Church Father.”
From this first volume, it is clear from their own writings that Ignatius, Justin Martyr, and Irenaeus were Catholic false teachers (see below, IV. Ignatius, VI. Justin Martyr, VII. Irenaeus). The Martyrdom of Polycarp reveals Polycarp to likewise be a Catholic (see below, III. Polycarp). For the rest, you can note the false doctrine propagated. The context of this volume is indeed Catholic. The following records some of the false teaching found in this first volume of those “early church fathers.”
I. Clement
The first writing in this first volume of The Ante Nicene Fathers is entitled, “First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians.” In the introductory note, it claims that Clement lived about 30-100 AD and he is believed to be the Clement found in Philippians 4:3. The problem with this is, the Clement who purportedly wrote this epistle did not know God. In this epistle, this Clement writes,
. . . let us look stedfastly to the Father and Creator of the universe, and cleave to His mighty and surpassing great gifts and benefactions of peace. Let us contemplate Him with our understanding, and look with the eyes of our soul to His long-suffering will. Let us reflect how free from wrath He is towards all His creation. (The Ante Nicene Fathers, vol. I, p. 10, chap. XIX)
God is not “free from wrath” towards all His creation. “God is angry every day.” (Psalm 7:11). “The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men” (Romans 1:18).
For we have been consumed by Your anger, and by Your wrath we are terrified. You have set our iniquities before You, our secret sins in the light of Your countenance. For all our days have passed away in Your wrath; we finish our years like a sigh. The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Who knows the power of Your anger? For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath. (Psalm 90:7-11)
To know God, is to know and understand His wrath. “For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath” (Psalm 90:11). God is not free from wrath towards all His creation. He is very much occupied with wrath and anger on a daily basis (Psalm 7:11; John 3:36; Romans 13:4).
Clement continues in this lie as he speaks of the natural world:
The very smallest of living beings meet together in peace and concord. All these the great Creator and Lord of all has appointed to exist in peace and harmony; (ibid., p. 11, chap. XX)
Not only did Clement not know God, but he was also blind to the reality around him. Indeed, there are many moments of peace and harmony in the natural world, but there is also much turmoil and disharmony. Death reigns over plants and animals (Ecclesiastes 3:19). They even fight, kill, and eat each other, which is all a result of the wrath and curse of God. Paul wrote,
For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. (Romans 8:20-22)
The earth has been cursed (Genesis 3:17; 5:29). It is not free from wrath, and the Lord has not appointed the very smallest of living beings to exist in peace and harmony. The Lord does not appoint such peace and harmony until He returns (Isaiah 11:1-9; 65:25).
Watchmen On The Pod 