Early Christian Beliefs About Redemption Through Christ

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book V Direct teaching

By His own blood he redeemed us, as also His apostle declares, “In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the remission of sins.” And as we are His members, we are also nourished by means of the creation (and He Himself grants the creation to us, for He causes His sun to rise, and sends rain when He wills).

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Direct teaching

...things, we are brought into union with Christ, into relationship through His blood, by which we are redeemed, and into sympathy because of the nourishment that flows from the Word, and into immortality through His guidance:

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness

In all respects, therefore, and in all things, we are brought into union with Christ, into relationship through His blood, by which we are redeemed;

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness

...lso. The flesh figuratively represents the Holy Spirit to us, for the flesh was created by Him. The blood points us to the Word, for the Word, like rich blood, has been poured into life. And the union of both is the Lord, the food of infants — the Lord who is Spirit and Word. This food, that is, the Lord Jesus, is the Word of God, the Spirit made flesh, the heavenly flesh made holy. The nourishment is the Father's milk, by which alone we infants are fed. The Word Himself, then, the beloved One and the One who nourishes us, has shed His own blood for us to save humanity. And through Him, we who believe in God flee to the Word, the Father's breast that soothes our cares. And He alone, as is fitting, gives us children the milk of love. And only those who drink from this breast are truly blessed. Therefore Peter also says, "Laying aside all malice, and all deceit, and hypocrisy, and envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the milk of the word, so that by it you may grow to salvation, if you have tasted that the Lord is Christ." And if someone were to grant them that solid food was something different from milk, then how would they avoid being impaled on their own spit,

Clement of Rome, First Epistle to the Corinthians Direct teaching

And thus they made it manifest that redemption should flow through the blood of the Lord to all them that believe and hope in God.

Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness

neither can His blood by which we are redeemed and quickened appear to be in the cup, when in the cup there is no wine whereby the blood of Christ is shown forth, which is declared by the sacrament and testimony of all the Scriptures.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

O our support, our powerful God, who does not accept persons, be the assister of this Your people, which You have redeemed with the precious blood of Your Christ;

Early Liturgies, Liturgy of Adaeus and Maris Supporting witness

And on account of the whole of Your wonderful dispensation towards us, we shall render thanks unto You, and glorify You without ceasing in Your Church, redeemed by the precious blood of Your Christ, with open mouths and joyful countenances:

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness

For there is the blood of His flesh, by which we are redeemed from corruption;

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book V Supporting witness

Remember, therefore, my beloved friend, that thou hast been redeemed by the flesh of our Lord, re-established by His blood;

Colossians 1:14 Direct teaching

In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

Ephesians 1:7 Direct teaching

In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Mathetes, Epistle to Diognetus Direct teaching

...patience and bore with us. He Himself took on the burden of our iniquities, giving His own Son as a ransom for us—the holy One for transgressors, the blameless One for the wicked, the righteous One for the unrighteous, the incorruptible One for the corruptible, the immortal One for those who are mortal. For what else could cover our sins but His righteousness? By whom else could we, the wicked and ungodly, be justified, but by the only Son of God? O sweet exchange! O unsearchable operation! O benefits surpassing all expectation! That the wickedness of many should be hidden in a single righteous One, and that the righteousness of One should justify many transgressors! Having therefore convinced us previously that our nature could not attain life, and now revealing the Saviour who can save even those things which it was formerly impossible to save, He desired through both these facts to lead us to trust in His kindness, to consider Him our Nourisher, Father, Teacher, Counsellor, Healer, our Wisdom, Light, Honour, Glory, Power, and Life, so that we would not worry about clothing and food.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching

...ed, since even our Lord Jesus Christ came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. Matthew 20:28 So they also ought to do the same, and not hesitate, if they should be required to lay down their life for a brother. For the Lord and our Savior Jesus Christ did not hesitate to lay down His life, as He Himself says, for His friends. John 15:13 If, therefore, the Lord of heaven and earth underwent all His sufferings for us, how then do you find it hard to minister to those who are in need? You ought to imitate Him who underwent servitude, want, stripes, and the cross for us. Therefore, we also ought to serve the brothers, in imitation of Christ. For He says, "He that will be great among you, let him be your minister; and he that will be first among you, let him be your servant." Matthew 20:26-27 For in this way He truly fulfilled the prophecy, and not in word only, of "serving many faithfully." Isaiah 53:11 For when He had taken a towel, He girded Himself. Afterward He put water into a basin, and while we were sitting at the meal, He came and washed the feet of us all, and wiped them with the towel. John 13:4-5 By doing this He showed us His kindnes

Tatian, The Diatessaron Supporting witness

... In the same way, the Son of man also came not to be served, but to serve, and to give himself as a ransom in place of the many." He said this, and was traveling through villages and cities, teaching, as he went to Jerusalem. A man asked him, "Are there few who will be saved?" Jesus answered and said to them, "Strive to enter through the narrow door. I say to you, many will seek to enter and will not be able. From the time when the master of the house rises and closes the door, you will stand outside and knock at the door, and begin to say, 'Our lord, open to us.' Then he will answer and say, 'I say to you, I do not know you or where you are from.' Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank before you, and you taught in our markets.' But he will say to you, 'I do not know you or where you are from. Depart from me, you servants of untruth.' There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, while you are thrown outside. And they will come from the east and the west, and from the north and the south, and will sit down in the kingdom of God. And then there will be last who have become first, and first who h

Tertullian, De Fuga in Persecutione Supporting witness

but that you should ransom with money a man whom Christ has ransomed with His blood, how unworthy is it of God and His ways of acting, who spared not His own Son for you, that He might be made a curse for us, because cursed is he that hangs on a tree, — Him who was led as a sheep to be a sacrifice, and just as a lamb before its shearer, so opened He not His mouth;

Tertullian, De Corona Supporting witness

but you have been already ransomed by Christ, and that at a great price.

Clement of Alexandria, Who Is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved? Supporting witness

And about to be offered up and giving Himself a ransom, He left for us a new Covenant-testament: My love I give unto you.

Ignatius of Antioch, Connection to 1 Timothy 2:6 Supporting witness

He loved us when He gave Himself a ransom

1 Timothy 2:6 Direct teaching

who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book V Direct teaching

But now, by means of communion with Himself, the Lord has reconciled man to God the Father, in reconciling us to Himself by the body of His own flesh, and redeeming us by His own blood, as the apostle says to the Ephesians, “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the remission of sins;” and again to the same he says, “Ye who formerly were far off have been brought near in the blood of Christ;” and again, “Abolishing in His flesh the enmities, [even] the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances.” And in every Epistle the apostle plainly testifies, that through the flesh of our Lord, and through His blood, we have been saved.

Origen, Commentary on John Direct teaching

But Christ is our redemption because we had become prisoners and needed ransoming.

Origen, Commentary on John Supporting witness

...rist to that same extent, since He is power. The same should be understood about sanctification and redemption. For Jesus Himself was made sanctification to us and redemption. Each of us is sanctified by that sanctification and redeemed by that redemption. Consider also whether the words "to us," added by the Apostle, have some special force. Christ, he says, "was made to us of God, wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." In other passages, he speaks of Christ as wisdom without any such qualification, and of His being power, saying that Christ is "the power of God and the wisdom of God," although we might have thought that He was not the wisdom of God or the power of God absolutely, but only for us. Now with respect to wisdom and power, we have both forms of the statement, the relative and the absolute. But with respect to sanctification and redemption, this is not so. Consider, therefore, since Hebrews 2:11 says, "He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all of one," whether the Father is the sanctification of Him who is our sanctification, just as, with Christ being our head, God is His head. But Christ is our redemption because we had become

Origen, Commentary on John Supporting witness

After carefully examining what is relative to us and what is absolute—since sanctification and redemption are relative to us and not absolute, while wisdom and redemption are both relative to us and absolute—we must not fail to ask about the place of righteousness in the same passage. That Christ is righteousness in relation to us is clear from the words, “Who was made to us from God wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” And if we do not find that He is righteousness absolutely, as He is absolutely the wisdom and the power of God, then we must ask whether, for Christ Himself, just as the Father is sanctification, so the Father is also righteousness. We know that there is no unrighteousness with God; John 7:18. He is a righteous and holy Lord, Revelation 16:5, 7, and His judgments are in righteousness, and since He is righteous, He orders all things righteously.

Origen, Commentary on John Supporting witness

Each of us is sanctified with that sanctification, and redeemed with that redemption.

Romans 3:24 Direct teaching

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Romans 5:11 Direct teaching

And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

Alexander of Alexandria, Epistles on the Arian Heresy Direct teaching

...buried in the bosom of the earth, and on the third day to rise again from the dead; in the cause of redemption, to give life for life, blood for blood, and to undergo death for death? For Christ, by dying, has discharged the debt of death to which man was subject. Oh, the new and ineffable mystery! The Judge was judged. He who absolves from sin was bound. He was mocked who once framed the world. He was stretched upon the cross who stretched out the heavens. He was fed with gall who gave the manna to be bread. He died who gives life. He was given up to the tomb who raises the dead. The powers were astonished. The angels wondered. The elements trembled. The whole created universe was shaken. The earth quaked, and its foundations rocked. The sun fled away. The elements were subverted. The light of day receded, because they could not bear to look upon their crucified Lord. The creature, in amazement, said, "What is this novel mystery? The Judge is judged and is silent. The invisible is seen and is not confounded. The incomprehensible is grasped and is not indignant at it. The immeasurable is contained in a measure and makes no opposition. The impassable suffers and does not avenge i

Tertullian, On Modesty Supporting witness

For Christian discipline dates from the renewing of the Testament, and (as we have premised) from the redemption of flesh — that is, the Lord's passion.

Archelaus, Disputation with Manes Supporting witness

...ived from Tiberius onward, according to your view, is to be saved. For it is Christ Himself who has redeemed them from the curse of the law. As Paul also has given these further testimonies: that the letter kills and gives life to no one, and that the law is the ministry of death and the strength of sin. Archelaus said: You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures or the power of God. For many have also perished from the time of Christ's coming until the present time, and many are still perishing. I mean those who have not chosen to give themselves to works of righteousness. But only those who have received Him, and who still receive Him, have obtained power to become the sons of God. For the evangelist did not say that all have obtained that power. But on the other hand, he also did not set any limit on the time. This is what he says: "As many as received Him." Moreover, from the creation of the world He has always been with righteous people, and He has never stopped requiring their blood from the hands of the wicked, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zacharias. And from where, then, did righteous Abel and all those worthy people after him, who are counted among

Novatian, Treatise Concerning the Trinity Background

...y will be said to have been predestined before this predestination of Christ to glory. And on those terms Christ is found to be lower than other men, although He is actually found to be better and greater, and more ancient than the angels themselves. Either then let all these things be set aside, so that Christ’s divinity may be destroyed; or if these things cannot be set aside, let the heretics attribute Christ’s proper divinity to Him.

Victorinus, Commentary on the Apocalypse Background

...y will be said to have been predestined before this predestination of Christ to glory. And on these terms Christ is found to be inferior to other men, although He is truly found to be better and greater, and more ancient than the angels themselves. Either, then, let all these things be set aside, so that Christ’s divinity may be destroyed; or if these things cannot be set aside, let the heretics attribute His proper divinity to Christ.

Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness

...e," John 15:1, the blood of Christ is certainly not water, but wine. And His blood, by which we are redeemed and made alive, cannot seem to be in the cup if there is no wine in the cup, by which the blood of Christ is shown, as it is declared by the sacrament and the testimony of all the Scriptures.

Alexander of Alexandria, Epistles on the Arian Heresy Supporting witness

in the cause of redemption to give life for life, blood for blood, to undergo death for death?

Alexander of Alexandria, Epistles on the Arian Heresy Supporting witness

For Christ, by dying, has discharged the debt of death to which man was obnoxious.

Hippolytus, Exegetical Fragments Supporting witness

And they sing a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for You were slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Your blood.

Romans 3:25 Direct teaching

whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,

Romans 5:9 Direct teaching

Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

Hebrews 9:12 Direct teaching

Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Background

... the Holy Scriptures that proclaim repentance, because he has never learned them from you, perishes through his own folly. But like a compassionate shepherd and a careful feeder of the flock, search out your flock and keep account of it. Seek what is missing. Matthew 18:12 For the Lord God, our gracious Father, sent His own Son, the good Shepherd and Saviour, our Master Jesus, and commanded Him to leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and to go search for the one that was lost. And when He found it, He was to place it on His shoulders and carry it into the flock, rejoicing that He had found what was lost. In the same way, be obedient, O bishop, and seek what was lost. Guide what has wandered out of the right way. Bring back what has gone astray. For you have authority to bring them back and to deliver those who are broken-hearted by remission. For through you our Saviour says to the one discouraged by the sense of his sins, “Your sins are forgiven you; your faith has saved you; go in peace.” But this peace and haven of tranquillity is the Church of Christ. When you have loosed them from their sins, restore them to it, since they are now sound and blameless, full of good hope, d

Anonymous, Treatise on Re-Baptism Supporting witness

...t for that reason cut off from salvation. Rather, whenever they came to a right mind, they obtained through repentance a sound hope of salvation, especially when they received the Holy Spirit, by whom every man ought to be baptized. This is the kind of point they would have meant. Likewise, we do not think that Peter alone underwent this in the Gospel, but all the disciples did. For although they had already been baptized, the Lord afterward says to them, "All of you will be offended because of Me," Mark 14:27. And, as we see, after they corrected their faith, they were baptized with the Holy Spirit after the Lord's resurrection. So, not without reason, we also at the present day may believe that men who have been corrected from their former error may be baptized in the Holy Spirit, even though they had already been baptized with water in the name of the Lord and may have had a somewhat imperfect faith. For it makes a great difference whether a man has not been baptized at all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, or whether he is lacking in some respect when he is baptized with the baptism of water. That is of less account, provided that afterward a sincere faith in the truth i

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

...and teaches us, saying, "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you are sealed to the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and anger, and wrath, and clamour, and blasphemy, be put away from you." Ephesians 4:30-31 For if the Christian has departed from rage and fleshly conflict as if from the storms of the sea, and has already begun to be calm and gentle in the harbor of Christ, he ought to allow neither anger nor discord into his heart, since he must neither return evil for evil nor hold hatred.

Anonymous, Treatise on Re-Baptism Supporting witness

...ir own blood is lacking without harm, because, being baptized in the name of Christ, they have been redeemed with the most precious blood of the Lord. Since both of these rivers of the baptism of the Lord proceed from one and the same fountain, everyone who thirsts may come and drink, as the Scripture says, "From his belly flowed rivers of living water" (John 7:38). These rivers were first shown in the Lord's passion, when blood and water flowed from His side after it was pierced by the soldier's spear. So the one side of the same person sent out two rivers of a different kind, so that whoever should believe and drink of both rivers might be filled with the Holy Spirit. For, speaking of these rivers, the Lord set this forth, signifying the Holy Spirit whom those should receive who should believe in Him: "But the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified" (John 7:39). And when He thus said how baptism might be brought forth, which the apostle declares to be one, it is surely clear on that principle that there are different kinds of one and the same baptism, flowing from one wound into water and blood; since there are two baptisms of water of which we have spok

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Background

...Gospel according to John, the Lord showed this by symbols when He said, “Eat my flesh, and drink my blood,” John 6:34. By metaphor He clearly described the drinkable nature of faith and of the promise. By these, the Church, like a human being made up of many members, is refreshed and grows. It is joined together and made firm out of both: faith, which is the body, and hope, which is the soul, just as the Lord is of flesh and blood. For in truth the blood of faith is hope, by which faith is held together like a life-giving principle. And when hope dies out, it is as if blood has flowed away, and the life of faith is destroyed. If, then, some object and say that milk means the first lessons, like first food, and that meat means those spiritual understandings that they reach by lifting themselves up to knowledge, let them understand this: when they say that meat is solid food, and the flesh and blood of Jesus, their own vain wisdom brings them to the true simplicity. For blood is found to be a primary product in man, and for this reason some have dared to call it the substance of the soul. And this blood, changed by a natural process in the mother during pregnancy, through the mutu

Anonymous, Treatise on Re-Baptism Supporting witness

... rashness. For John says of our Lord in his epistle, teaching us, “This is He who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. For three bear witness, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood, and these three are one,” 1 John 5:6. From these words we may gather both that water is accustomed to confer the Spirit, and that a man's own blood is accustomed to confer the Spirit, and that the Spirit Himself also is accustomed to confer the Spirit. For since water is poured out just as blood is, the Spirit also was poured out by the Lord upon all who believed. Certainly, both in water, and no less in their own blood, and then especially in the Holy Spirit, men may be baptized. For Peter says, “But this is what was spoken by the prophet: ‘It shall come to pass in the last days, says the Lord, I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and their sons and their daughters shall prophesy, and their young men shall see visions, and their old men shall dream dreams. And upon my servants and upon my handmaidens I will pour out of my Spirit,’” Acts 2:17-18. We find that this Spirit was comm

Anonymous, Treatise on Re-Baptism Supporting witness

And also to those who are made lawful believers, the baptism of their own blood is wanting without mischief, because, being baptized in the name of Christ, they have been redeemed with the most precious blood of the Lord;

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

6. That, being redeemed and quickened by the blood of Christ, we ought to prefer nothing to Christ

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Background

Concerning the Christian Life, and the Eucharist, and the Initiation into Christ.

Hippolytus, Connection to Matthew 3:15 Background

Why was Christ baptized? He needed no baptism; but He sanctified the waters by His own baptism, and consecrated them to sanctify us.

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

...ered the disasters and harms that he had seen, and that he might have escaped and avoided if he had redeemed his sins by almsgiving. Raphael the angel also teaches the same and urges that alms should be given freely and generously, saying, "Prayer is good, with fasting and alms; because alms does deliver from death, and it purges away sins." Tobit 12:8-9 He shows that our prayers and fastings are less effective unless they are helped by almsgiving; that requests alone have little power to obtain what they seek unless they are made sufficient by the addition of deeds and good works. The angel reveals and makes clear and certain that our petitions become effective by almsgiving, that life is redeemed from dangers by almsgiving, and that souls are delivered from death by almsgiving.