God father Quote by Bart D. Ehrman
““It should be noted that all four of these exalted roles—Jesus as messiah, as Lord, as Son of God, as Son of Man—imply, in one sense or another, that Jesus is God. In no sense, in this early period, is Jesus understood to be God the Father. He is not the One Almighty God. He is the one who has been elevated to a divine position and is God in a variety of senses.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Jesus: Apocalyptic Prophet of the New Millennium, Bart D. Ehrman, 1999
The passage explains that early Christian thought saw Jesus in multiple divine roles, but not as the singular Almighty Father, distinguishing between various divine titles.
In simple terms: Early Christians gave Jesus many divine titles, but not as the Father.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the nuance in early Christology.
Themes
theology
history
Christology
Mood
analytical
thoughtful
Type
academic
explanatory
When to use this quote
- Bible study
- seminary coursework
- interfaith dialogue
- academic research
Key Concepts
Divine titles
early Christianity
Trinitarian development
Questions to Reflect On
- How did early believers reconcile Jesus' multiple titles?
- What impact does this have on modern theology?
A Different Perspective
Some scholars argue that later doctrines retroactively imposed a unified divine identity.
