firstborn

by peacefulpete 4 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  peacefulpete

  Just an weird bit:

  Tatian's "Against the Greeks"
  Chapter VII.
  
  
  
  And, when men attached themselves to one who was more subtle than
  the rest, having regard to his being the first-born, and declared
  him to be God, though he was resisting the law of God, then the
  power of the Logos excluded the beginner of the folly and his
  adherents from all fellowship with Himself. And so he who was made
  in the likeness of God, since the more powerful spirit is separated
  from him, becomes mortal; but that first-begotten one through his
  transgression and ignorance becomes a demon; and they who imitated
  him, that is his illusions, are become a host of demons, and
  through their freedom of choice have been given up to their own
  infatuation.

  
  Here he appears to be addressing Satan as first-begotten of God. Any thoughts Leolaia or Narkissos or others.
• 

  gumby

  How the heck are ya Pete?

  Maybe some backround for us dummies would help.

  Gumby
• 

  Narkissos

  Complete text and introductions at http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/tatian.html

  It seems to be an interesting side effect of Jesus' deification process: as Jesus' divinity as Logos is taken for granted, the other terms which applied to him at earlier stages of the process (such as firstborn, first-begotten) may become available for other characters (in this case Satan, who is clearly distinguished from the Logos in the immediate context).

  Reciprocally, calling Jesus "God's prophet" or "servant" was OK to mainstream Christianity by the end of the first century or beginning of the second (cf. Luke / Acts); two centuries later it would brand you as a heretic.
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  Leolaia

  Sounds about right to me. Here's another idea. Since Tatian was writing concerning the Greeks, and his address included examples from Greek mythology, might "first-born" and "first-begotten" be allusions to the classical theogony which designated the first begotten sons of Uranus and Gaea as the evil Titans?
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  peacefulpete

  thanks guys