The First Council of Nicaea was a council of Christian bishops convened in the city of Nicaea (now İznik in Turkey) by the Roman Emperor Constantine I in AD 325. It produced the Nicene Creed the most widely accepted summary of Christian belief about God and Jesus.
In the history of Christianity, the first seven councils include the following: the First Council of Nicaea in 325, the First Council of Constantinople in 381, the Council of Ephesus in 431, the Council of Chalcedon in 451, the Second Council of Constantinople in 553, the Third Council of Constantinople from 680–681 and finally, the Second Council of Nicaea in 787.
God willing I will produce a separate video on each council.
Categories: Christianity
Now is time to make a “New 21st Century Council of Nicaea”. They should vote again to decide if Jesus is God or Not God. Because a lot of Christian now become Unitarian or they don’t believe Jesus is God anymore.
They should invite everyone in this world who believes in the Bible to take a vote, by online, mail or come to nearest church.
Are you ready for a New Bible?
Interesting…I heard there is poll that most Christians in UK do not believe Jesus is God if I remember correctly
There you go!
The far right will claim voter fraud if the majority vote against the Trinitarian belief. Some will blame Iran , China and Hugo Chavez
I commend you on making it clear that the Council of Nicea of 325 AD was not about the canon of Scripture.
Athanasius was a deacon at the time of Nicea under the bishop Alexander of Alexandria.
Athanasius later became the bishop of Alexandria in 328 AD and then spend the rest of his life defending Nicean doctrine / orthodoxy / the Deity of Christ, and the Trinity.
Athanasius as a deacon at Nicea did not vote.
His writings are after Nicea defending its doctrine.
The main theologians at the Council of Nicea in 325 were bishops:
Alexander of Alexandria
Marcellus of Ankyra
Macarius of Jerusalem
Ossius ( or Hosius) of Cordova, Spain
Eustathius of Antioch
It is important to understand that the 300 or 318 bishops there had just come out of the worst persecution – of Diocletian – 303-311 AD. (most sources say there were 318, although some say around 300)
At the end of the discussion and debate only 2 bishops of the 318 sided with Arius’ view.
They stood for the faith under intense persecution; some of them with scars from beatings and whippings.
The doctrine of the Deity of Christ did not just suddenly appear in 325 AD.
The verses you emphasize about Jesus saying “the Father is greater than I” (John 10:29) and “Why do you call me good? Only God is good” (Mark 10:17-18) are true, and explainable in the context of the Incarnation and hierarchy within the Trinity and that Jesus in Mark 10 is using an indirect eastern method of indirectly saying, “if you recognize Me as good; and only God is Good; then by nature, I am God – same substance as the Father” – which the rest of the NT confirms this theology.
They used verses such as John 1:1-5;
In the beginning was the Word; and the Word was with God [Jesus was with the Father = 2 persons of the 3 person Trinity] and the Word was God” (the Word was God by nature / substance / essence)
1:14-18 – The Word became flesh . . .
Philippians 2:5-8; “although He existed in the form of God, He humbled Himself and became a man . . . ”
“homo-ousias” = same substance is derived from these texts of Scripture.
Colossians 2:9; “all the fulness of Deity dwells in Jesus in bodily form”
John 5:17-18; The Jews were trying to stone Him for blasphemy, for calling God His Father, making Himself equal with God”
8:56-57; “before Abraham was, I am” (claim to be Yahweh, “I am that I am”, “the ever existing one” – the picked up stones to stone Him.
10:30-39; ” I and the Father are one”
14:9; “if you have seen Me, you have seen the Father”
John 20:28 – Thomas said to Jesus – “My Lord and My God!”
Around 107-110 AD – Ignatius in his letters calls Jesus “God” some 7 to 9 times
Around 150 AD – Justin Martyr affirmed the Deity of Christ and the Logos theology (John 1:1-14)
180-220 – Irenaeus and Tertullian wrote extensively of the Deity of Christ and the Holy Spirit and the Trinity. Tertullian himself made famous “Trinitas Unitas” and “unitas trinitas” (three in One and one in three)
Polycarp in 150, Cyprian around 250, and Origen around 250 also all affirmed the Deity of Christ and the Triad of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Theses are all pre-Nicea; so the Deity of Christ and the Trinity did not just suddenly “pop up” into existence.
Mark clearly also teaches the Deity of Christ.
Mark 2:28 – “the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath Day” = a clear claim to be Yahweh of Genesis 1-2 and creator of the seventh day of rest.
Mark 12:35 – 37
35 And Jesus responded and began saying, as He taught in the temple area, “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ [ The Messiah } is the son of David?
36 David himself said in the Holy Spirit,
‘The Lord (kupios for Yahweh) said to my Lord (and Kurios for Adoni = Master, boss, Lord, Sovereign),
“Sit at My right hand,
Until I put Your enemies under Your feet.”’ (quoting Psalm 110:1)
37 David himself calls Him ‘Lord’; so in what sense is He his son?” And the large crowd enjoyed listening to Him.
David, inspired by the Holy Spirit to write this, calls the Messiah, Lord (kurios – the Greek word also used to translate for the Hebrew, Yahweh.)
Mark calls Jesus the Son of God all through:
Mark 1:1
Mark 1:11
Mark 3:11
Mark 5:7
Mark 9:7
Mark 14:60-64
Mark 15:39
Jesus as the Son, says He was with the Father in eternity past – John 17:5
“restore to Me the glory that I had with You before the world was”
This is in harmony with John 1:1 and Philippians 2:5-8 – “he existed in the form of God”
Taken all together, this is why the Council said that Jesus is “homo-ousias” (same substance) of the Father