William Albrecht

2^nd Century AD

St. Clement of Alexandria (150-215 AD)

“The believer through discipline divests himself of his passions and passes to the mansion better than the former one, passing through torments with repentance for post-baptismal sins. Although these punishments cease after purification, God’s righteousness allows for temporary suffering during expiation.” (Patres Groeci. IX, col. 332)

Tertullian (160-220 AD)

“[Beware lest, as] a transgressor of your agreement, before God the judge . . . this judge deliver you to the angel who executes the sentence, and he commit you to the prison of hell, out of which there will be no dismissal until even the smallest delinquency is paid off.” (The Soul 35 [A.D. 210])

3^rd Century AD

St. Cyprian of Carthage (c. 253 AD)

“It is one thing to stand for pardon, another to attain glory; it is one thing, when cast into prison, not to go out until one has paid the uttermost farthing; another thing to be cleansed and purged by fire and attain to the wages of faith.” (Letters 51[55]:20 [A.D. 253])

Origen (184-253 AD)

“When one comes to that place [of judgment], if he brings many good works and very little iniquity, that little is separated by fire and purified.” (Homily VI on Exodus)

St. Perpetua (d. 203 AD)

“I made my prayer for my deceased brother Dinocrates day and night, weeping, until I saw that he was translated from the place of punishment to refreshment.” (Acts of the Martyrdom of Felicity and Perpetua, Chapters iii-x)

4^th Century AD

Lactantius (240-323 AD)

“When God will judge the just, it is in fire that He will try them. Those whose sins are grave will be drawn into the fire and be burned, while those imbued with virtue will not feel it.” (Divine Institutes 7.21 [A.D. 323])

St. Cyril of Jerusalem (315-386 AD)

“We pray for our fathers and bishops and in general for all among us who are departed this life, believing this to be the greatest relief to them, for whom the holy and tremendous victim is offered up.” (Catechetical Lectures 23:10 [A.D. 350])

St. Serapion of Thmuis (c. 350 AD)

“Sanctify all who have fallen asleep in the Lord, and give them a place and abode in Your kingdom.” (The Sacramentary, 13:5 [A.D. 350])

Basil the Great (360 AD)

“Sins are consumed and devoured by the purgatorial fire…which beckons to purgation, as the Apostle teaches, ‘he will be saved as if by fire’.” (Commentary on Isaiah 9)

St. Ambrose (340-397 AD)

“He shall be saved, but he shall suffer the pains of fire, being purged by the fire… Before the resurrection, all must pass through the fire, which examines them as the Cherub’s burning sword at the gates of heaven.” (Explanation of Psalms 46, 118)

St. Epiphanius of Salamis (315-403 AD)

“What is the Passover? Christ’s sacrifice and the prayer for the dead… Jewish customs continue in Christian tradition, including prayers for the departed.” (Panarion 75)

Late 4^th to Early 5^th Century AD

John Chrysostom (347-407 AD)

“Let us help and commemorate them… If Job’s sons were purified by their father’s sacrifice, why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them consolation?” (Homilies on First Corinthians 41:5 [A.D. 392])

“Let us weep for them and assist them with prayers and alms. Remembrance of the departed in the awesome mysteries brings much gain for them.” (Homilies on Philippians 3:9-10 [A.D. 402])

St. Augustine (354-430 AD)

“Not all who suffer temporal punishments after death will come to eternal punishment, but some will be purified through a certain purgatorial fire.” (The City of God 21:13 [A.D. 419])

“There is an ecclesiastical discipline where prayer is offered for other dead, though not for martyrs.”
(Sermons 159:1 [A.D. 411])

“Some faithful may be saved more quickly or more slowly through purgatorial fire.”
(Handbook on Faith, Hope, and Charity 18:69 [A.D. 421])

Ambrosiaster (4^th Century AD)

“He may suffer punishments of fire, but will be saved by being purified.” (Commentary on Paul’s Epistles)

5^th Century AD

Bl. Theodoret of Cyr (420s)

The teacher teaches what is right. Some follow him; others do not. Those who follow will be like gold and silver—purified by the fire and shining when they emerge from it. The others will be burned up. But the teacher will not lose anything by this. If he has been faithful, he will receive his reward regardless. Commentary on the First Epistle to the Corinthians, 183

6^th Century AD

Pope St. Gregory the Great (540-604 AD)

“They who had the perfection of a good will in confession of sin after death pass by Purgatorial pain to life, if they may not have a sufficient amount of love to wash away their sins: and hence St. Paul says: ‘They are saved as so by fire.’ But let the sinner who has deserved to be saved by fire there, supply by affliction of the flesh here, that defect of ardent love which he knows he wants.” Dialogues, 4:39

“But, however, it must be believed that there is a Purgatorial fire for some light faults before judgment … but we must believe that this can only happen in the case of small and very small sins.” Dialogues, 4:39

St. Caesarius of Arles (500s)

There are many people who understand this text incorrectly, deceiving themselves with a false assurance. They believe that if they build serious sins upon the foundation of Christ, those very offenses can be purified by transitory flames, and they themselves can later reach eternal life. This kind of understanding must be corrected. People deceive themselves when they flatter themselves in this way. For in that fire it is slight sins which are purged, not serious ones. Even worse, it is not only the greater sins but the smaller ones as well which can ruin a person. Sermons 179.1

St. Cassiodorus (500s)

“…those who build with wood, hay, and straw are those who, although faithful Christians, are entangled by too great a love of their possessions. When persecution comes or they are required to either give up their property or deny Christ, they do not value their possessions more highly than Christ and so they give them up. Yet since they love them more than they ought, their loss causes them pain and tribulation. So they will be saved, but only as through fire, that is, by tribulation. And the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. That is, his work will be tested by a trial or a present tribulation, which is often compared to fire. Gold and silver are made brighter in the fire; wood, hay, and straw will burn up. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss. If anyone teaches carelessly, either by example or by word, he labors in vain because the product is paltry. Though he himself will be saved.” (Commentary on First Corinthians)

FURTHER READING

EARLY CHURCH ON PRAYERS FOR THE DEAD

In this chart I share just some of the many verses which identify Jesus as YHWH God who became flesh.

YHWH

JESUS

“O Israel, wait for Yahweh; For with Yahweh there is lovingkindness, And with Him is abundant redemption. And it is He who will redeem Israel From all his iniquities.” Psalm 130:7-8   “Of old You founded the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. Even they will perish, but You will remain; And all of them will wear out like a garment; Like clothing You will change them and they will be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not come to an end.” Psalm 102:25-27   “And it will be that everyone who calls on the name of Yahweh Will be delivered; For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem There will be those who escape, As Yahweh has said, Even among the survivors whom Yahweh calls.” Joel 2:32   “Now it will be in that day, that the remnant of Israel and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel. A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God (El Gibbor).” Isaiah 10:20-21   “For Yahweh your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the fearsome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe.” Deuteronomy 10:17   “The king answered Daniel and said, ‘Truly your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries since you have been able to reveal this mystery.’” Daniel 2:47 – Cf. Ps. 136:3   “Thus says Yahweh, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, Yahweh of hosts: ‘I am the first, and I am the last, And there is no God besides Me.’” Isaiah 44:6 – Cf. 41:4; 48:12   “‘So now then, if you will indeed listen to My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My treasured possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.” Exodus 19:5-6   “Declare and draw near with your case; Indeed, let them consult together. Who has made this heard from of old? Who has long since declared it? Is it not I, Yahweh? And there is no other God besides Me, A righteous God and a Savior; There is none except Me. Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other.” Isaiah 45:21-22   “I have sworn by Myself, The word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness And will not turn back, That to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance.” Isaiah 45:23   “And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.” Zechariah 12:10   “Moses and Aaron were among His priests, And Samuel was among those who called on His name; They would call upon Yahweh and He would answer them. He would speak to them in the pillar of cloud; They kept His testimonies And the statute that He gave them.” Psalm 99:6-7 – Cf. 116:2, 4, 13, 17; 145:18; Gen. 12:8; 21:33; Deut. 4:7   “Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have ransomed me, O Yahweh, God of truth.” Psalm 31:5   “then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.” Ecclesiastes 12:7   “O Yahweh, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth, Who displays Your splendor above the heavens! From the mouth of infants and nursing babies You have established strength Because of Your adversaries, To make the enemy and the revengeful cease.” Psalm 8:1-2

“And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21   “But of the Son He [the Father] says, ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, And the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom.’… And, ‘You, Lord [the Son], in the beginning founded the earth, And the heavens are the works of Your hands; They will perish, but You remain; And they all will wear out like a garment, And like a mantle You will roll them up; Like a garment they will also be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not come to an end.’” Hebrews 1:8, 10-12   “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved… for ‘Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” Romans 10:9, 13   “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God (El Gibbor), Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of Yahweh of hosts will accomplish this.” Isaiah 9:6-7   “that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He will bring about at the proper time—He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal might! Amen.” 1 Timothy 6:14-16   “These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and elect and faithful.” Revelation 17:14 – Cf. 19:16   “Nathanael answered Him, ‘Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.’” John 1:49   “And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, ‘Do not fear; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.’” Revelation 1:17-18 – Cf. 2:8; 22:12-13, 16, 20   “looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from all lawlessness, and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good works.” Titus 2:13-14   “Simeon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received the same kind of faith as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:” 2 Peter 1:1   “so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:10-11   “And again another Scripture says, ‘They shall look on Him whom they pierced.’” John 19:37   “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. Yes, amen.” Revelation 1:7   “To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called as saints, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:” 1 Corinthians 1:2 – Cf. Acts 9:14, 21   “They went on stoning Stephen as he was calling out and saying, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!’ Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them!’ And having said this, he fell asleep.” Acts 7:59-60 “But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the marvelous things which He had done, and the children who were shouting in the temple, saying, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David,’ they became indignant and said to Him, ‘Do You hear what these children are saying?’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Yes; have you never read, “Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise for Yourself”?’” Matthew 21:15-16

All scriptural references taken from the Legacy Standard Bible (LSB).

FURTHER READING

Jesus Christ in the Bible

Jesus Is Yahweh: Examining the New Testament Use of Old Testament Passages to Demonstrate the Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ

Jesus as Yahweh: Examining Paul’s use of Lord in reference to Christ

THE SOVEREIGN LORD YHWH BECOMES FLESH

MORE IMPLICIT PROOF THAT CHRIST IS GOD

JESUS CHRIST: THE GOD-MAN

JESUS: THE GOD OF ISRAEL HAS COME