The Son of Man came to seek and save that which was lost. It is Jesus' favorite title of Himself. I chosen this title because Jesus loved this title of Himself. We ought to never forget that Jesus is fully God and fully man: two natures in One Person. He is the God-man, the Incarnate Second Person of the Trinity. May we mediate on His life, death, burial, resurrection and ascension that we may be conformed to the image of the divine Son of Man! This blog web site will be a Christian defense of the Reformed doctrines of the Incarnate Son of Man. May all glory be to His name!

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Cyril of Jerusalem on 2 Thessalonians 2:14-15

What was the tradition that was handed down?  It was the teaching of the saving message of the gospel.  Many like to say this verse is the foundation of Marian dogmas or something like icons.  Rather it teaches not man's traditions but the loyalty by word of mouth from the divine Scriptures alone.  In the Scriptures alone we find the completeness of divine revelation.  I think Cyril of Jerusalem had something good to say on 2 Thessalonians 2:14-15.  I think he interpreted these verses correctly in light of the divine Word.  There is no biblical proof for the Marian doctrines of Orthodoxy or Romanism.  Rather we see the divine Word exalt God's saving unified merit of Jesus' imputed divine righteousness alone by faith alone as the only saving message of the sons and daughters of Adam.  For Cyril wrote:
"In learning and professing the faith, embrace and guard that only which is now delivered to you by the church and confirmed by all the Scriptures.  For since not everyone has the education and the leisure required to read and know the Scriptures, to prevent the soul perishing from ignorance, we sum up the whole doctrine of the faith in a few lines...For the present, just listen and memorize the creed as I recite it, and you will receive in due course the testimony from Scripture of each of its propositions.  For the articles of faith have not been composed to please human desire, but the most important points collected from the Scriptures make up one complete teaching of the faith.  And just as the mustered seed in a small grain contains in embryo many future branches, so also the creed embraces in a few words all the religious knowledge in both Old and New Testament.  Pay attention, therefore, brothers, and cling to the teachings which are now delivered to you, and "write them on the tablet of your heart."   (Gorday and Oden, ACCOS, NT IX, Colossians, 1-2 Thessalonians, 1-2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, pg. 115).