The Church Fathers and the Death of Christ

“Because of the love he had for us, Jesus Christ our Lord, in accordance with God’s will, gave his blood for us, and his flesh for our flesh, and his life for our lives.” Clement of Rome, Letter of the Romans to the Corinthians

“The Father of all wished his Christ take upon himself the curses of the whole human family, knowing that, after he had been crucified and was dead, he would raise him up. . . . His Father wished him to suffer this, in order that by his stripes the human race might be healed.” Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho

“When the Son of God became incarnate, and made man, he commenced anew the long line of human beings, and furnished us with salvation in brief, comprehensive manner. So what we had lost in Adam–namely, to be according to the image and likeness of God–that we might recover in Jesus Christ.” Irenaeus, Against Heresies

“And so it was that two wonderful things came to pass at once: the death of everyone was accomplished in the Lord’s body, and death and corruption were completely done away with by reason of the Word that was united with it. For death was necessary, and death must be suffered on behalf of everyone, so that the debt owed by everyone might be paid.” Athanasius, On the Incarnation of the Word

“Christ, though guiltless, took our punishment, that he might cancel our guilt, and do away with our punishment. . . . Confess that he died, and you may also confess that he, without taking our sin, took its punishment.” Augustine, Reply to Faustus the Manichaean