637# 在最初的时代，基督教世界中的所有人都承认，主耶稣基督就是上帝；一切在天上和地上的权柄都赐给了祂，祂也有管理一切凡有血气者的权柄，正如祂自己的话所说（太28:18；约17:2）。他们也照着祂从父上帝所领受的命令而信祂（约3:15，16，36；6:40；11:25，26）。
这一点也可由君士坦丁大帝召集所有主教一事清楚看出；召集他们的原因，是要他们依据圣经，使阿里乌及其追随者知罪并定他们的罪，因为这些人否认由童女马利亚所生的主拯救者的神性。此事确实完成了；然而，他们为避开狼，却落入了狮口；或者如谚语所说，想避开卡律布狄斯，却落入了斯库拉。[ 卡律布狄斯和斯库拉是希腊神话中位于狭窄海峡两侧的海怪，航行者若避开一方，往往会撞上另一方。此谚语意为“为避一祸，反陷另一祸”。]
他们虚构出一位从永恒而生的上帝之子，说祂降下来并取了人性；他们以为这样就维护并恢复了主的神性。殊不知，降下来的乃是宇宙的创造者上帝自己，为要成为救赎主，并由此重新成为创造者；这一点在旧约中有如下明白的经文为证（赛25:9；40:3，5，10，11；43:14；44:6，24；47:4；48:17；49:7，26；60:16；63:16；耶50:34；何13:4；诗19:14；约1:14；约1:14；19:15）。
637# 在初期时代，基督教界的所有人都承认主耶稣基督是神，“天上地上所有的权柄和管理所有肉体的权柄”都赐给了祂，如祂自己所说的（马太福音28:18; 约翰福音17:2）；他们照着从父神那里所吩咐祂的而信祂（约翰福音3:15，16，36; 6:40; 11:25，26），这一点从以下事实也很清楚地看出来：君士坦丁大帝召集所有主教，就是为了让他们可以从神圣著作中来驳斥和谴责阿里乌斯及其追随者，因为他们否认从童女马利亚所生的主救主的神性。他们的确做到了这一点，但在试图躲避狼时，却遇到了狮子，或如谚语所说的，他们本想躲开卡律布狄斯漩涡，却一头撞上了斯库拉海妖；他们发明了来自永恒的神的儿子，祂降临并取了人性。他们以为，他们这样做就澄清并恢复了主的神性，殊不知，是神自己，宇宙的创造者降临，为了成为救赎主，因而重新成为创造者，正如旧约所明确声明的：以赛亚书25:9; 40:3，5，10，11; 43:14; 44:6，24; 47:4; 48:17; 49:7，26; 60:16; 63:16; 耶利米书50:34; 何西阿书13:4; 诗篇19:14; 对此补充约翰福音1:14; 19:15。
637. In those early times, all who were then part of the Christian world acknowledged that the Lord Jesus Christ was God and that he had all power in heaven and on earth and power over all flesh, as he himself says (Matthew 28:18; John 17:2). In obedience to his command from God the Father, they believed in him (John 3:15-16, 36; 6:40; 11:25-26). The truth of this is obvious from the fact that when Arius and his followers began denying the divinity of our Lord and Savior who was born from the Virgin Mary, the emperor Constantine the Great called together all the bishops in order to convict and condemn that position, using Sacred Scripture. The bishops did indeed accomplish this, but to avoid a wolf they stumbled onto a lion, or as the saying goes, the one who tried to avoid Charybdis fell upon Scylla: They invented a Son of God from eternity, who descended and took on a human nature. They believed that by doing this they had rescued and restored the Lord's divinity. They did not realize that God himself, the Creator of the universe, had come down in order to become the Redeemer and therefore to be the Creator once again, according to the following clear statements in the Old Testament: Isaiah 25:9; 40:3, 5, 10-11; 43:14; 44:6, 24; 47:4; 48:17; 49:7, 26; 60:16; 63:16; Jeremiah 50:34; Hosea 13:4; Psalms 19:14.
637. In those earliest times all in that Christian world acknowledged that the Lord Jesus Christ was God, and to Him was given all power in heaven and on earth, and power over all flesh, as His actual words declare (Matthew 28:18; John 17:2). They believed in Him in accordance with His command from God the Father (John 3:15-16, 36; 6:40; 11:25-26). This same fact is also evident from the summoning of all the bishops by the emperor Constantine the Great, in order that Arius and his followers, who denied the divinity of the Lord the Saviour born of the Virgin Mary, should be convicted and condemned on the authority of scripture. This they succeeded in doing, but in avoiding the wolf they ran into the lion; or, as the proverb has it, the man who seeks to avoid Charybdis runs into Scylla. They devised the fiction of a Son of God from eternity, who came down and took upon Himself a human form, believing that they were thus claiming back and restoring His divinity to the Lord. But they did not know that God the Creator of the universe Himself came down in order to become the Redeemer, and thus a second Creator, as is clearly stated in the Old Testament (Isaiah 25:9; 40:3, 5, 10-11; 43:14; 44:6, 24; 47:4; 48:17; 49:7, 26; 60:16; 63:16; Jeremiah 50:34; Hosea 13:4; Psalms 19:14; add to these John 9:15 1 ).
Footnotes:
637. That in that primitive time all in the then Christian world acknowledged that the Lord Jesus Christ is God, to whom was given "all power in heaven and on earth," and "power over all flesh," according to His own express words (Matthew 28:18; John 17:2), and that they believed in Him, according to His command given from God the Father (John 3:15, 16, 36; 6:40; 11:25, 26), is also clearly evident from the convoking of all the bishops by the Emperor Constantine the Great, in order that they might from the sacred writings refute and condemn Arius and his followers, who denied the Divinity of the Lord the Savior born of the virgin Mary. This indeed they did, but in trying to escape the wolf they came upon the lion, or, according to the proverb, wishing to avoid Charybdis they ran upon Scylla; which they did by inventing a Son of God from eternity, who descended and assumed a Human, believing that they had thus vindicated and reestablished the Lord's Divinity, not knowing that God Himself the Creator of the universe descended in order to become a Redeemer, and thus a Creator anew, according to the following plain declarations in the Old Testament:Isaiah 25:9; 40:3, 5, 10, 11; 43:14; 44:6, 24; 47:4; 48:17; 49:7, 260:16; 63:16; Jeremiah 1:34; Hosea 13:4; Psalms 19:14; to which add John 1:14; 19:15.
637. In those early days all Christians throughout the world acknowledged that the Lord Jesus Christ was God, to whom all power has been given in heaven and in earth, and power over all flesh, according to His own words, Matthew 28:18; John 17:2; and they believed in Him, according to His commandment delivered to them from God the Father, John 3:15-16, 36; 6:40; 11:25-26. This is also plainly evident from the fact that the Emperor Constantine the Great 1 convened all the bishops for the purpose of refuting and condemning, from the sacred writings, Arius 2 and his followers, who denied the Divinity of the Lord the Savior, born of the virgin Mary. This indeed was done; but, endeavouring to escape a wolf, they ran into a lion; for, in the words of the proverb, "He who wishes to avoid Charybdis 3 falls upon Scylla." 4 By inventing the fiction of a Son of God from eternity, who descended and assumed humanity (Humanum), they supposed they would thus vindicate and restore Divinity to the Lord: they did not know that God Himself, the Creator of the universe, descended in order to become the Redeemer, and thus a Creator anew, according to these plain declarations in the Old Testament:
Isaiah 25:9; 40:3, 5, 10-11; 43:14; 44:6, 24; 47:4; 48:17; 49:7, 26; 60:16; 63:16 Jeremiah 50:34; Hosea 13:4; Psalms 19:14; and to these add John 1:14.
Footnotes:
1. Constantine, Emperor of Rome, A. D. 272-337. A convert to Christianity, he summoned the Council of Nice, A.D. 325 to settle the Arian controversy. This Council gave its name to the Nicene Creed which resulted, and which subsequently became the standard creed of the Christian Church.
2. Arius, theologian of Alexandria, A.D 256-336; founder of Arianism, affirming that Christ was an originated Being. Excommunicated by bishops of Egypt for denying that Christ was made of the same substance (homo-ousion) of any previously existing substance. To settle the consequent dispute Constantine called the Council of Nicaea, A.D. 325. Athanasius successfully led the opposition to Arius; and Arius, with Eusebius, who also refused to accept the Athanasian position, was banished.
3. Charybdis, whirlpool between Sicily and Italy, opposite the rock Scylla.
4. Scylla, rock between Italy and Sicily, opposite to Charybdis, a whirlpool.
637. Quod in primaevo illo tempore, omnes in Christiano isto Orbe agnoverint, 1 quod Dominus Jesus Christus esset Deus, Cui data est omnis potestas in Coelo et in Terra, et potestas omnis carnis, secundum ipsissima Ejus verba, Matthaeus 28:18; Johannes 17:2et quod crediderint in Ipsum, secundum mandatum Ipsius ex Deo Patre, Johannes 3:15-16, 36; 6:40; 11:25-26, idem hoc etiam manifeste patet ex convocatione omnium Episcoporum ab Imperatore Constantino magno, propter causam, ut Arium et ejus asseclas, qui negabant Divinitatem Domini Salvatoris a Maria Virgine nati, ex sacris literis convincerent et damnarent; quod quidem factum, sed hi vitaturi lupum inciderunt in leonem, aut sicut dicitur in proverbio, 2 cupiens vitare Charybdin 3 incidit in Scyllam; 4 fingendo Filium Dei ab aeterno, qui descendit et assumsit Humanum, credentes quod sic vindicaverint et restituerint Domino Divinitatem; non scientes quod Ipse Deus Creator universi descenderit, ut fieret Redemptor, et sic e novo Creator, secundum haec manifesta in Veteri Testamento, Esaias 25:9; 40:3, 5, 10-11; 43:14; 44:6, 24; 47:4; 48:17; 49:7, 26; 60:16; 63:16, Jeremias 50:34, Hoschea 13:4, Psalm 19:15, 5 his adde Johannes 4:42. 6
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: agnoverunt.
2. Prima editio: provervio.
3. Prima editio: charybdin.
4. Prima editio: scyllam.
5. Sic Schmidt et Biblia Hebraica, sed 19:14 apud Biblia Anglica.