Folia Theologica 11. (2000)
László Vanyó: The Patristic Interpretation of 'Redemptio'
28 L. VANYÓ “isra” means “victor” and “el" means “strength and power”.22 In the name of Jesus is concealed the same power, he himself is the sower, who sow the seeds, his teaching.23 This soweing Logos (logos spermatikos) came to us in the incarnation to reclaim what is his own.24 This soteriol- ogy focuses its attention on the origin of the evil, on the activity and on the defeat of the demonic forces, and its culmination is the descensus ad inferos which is also a proposition of the apostolic creed. The most important battles of the struggle of Christ against the evil forces are: his baptism and his temptation, the expulsions of demons, his crucifixion and his resurrection. The christological title soter has by Justinus its origin in the liturgical and creed-formulas.25 Its importance is that the martyr apologet considered the sacraments, above all baptism and eucharist, as the continuation of Christ’s redeeming work. In this he was inspired not only by the Scripture but also by the sacramental praxis and by the formulas of creed of the Church. When he calls Jesus redemptor and helper, he mentions immediately that he was crucified under Pontius Pilate and also today demons are expelled in the Church in the name of Jesus Christ, and the demons tremble of his name. Similarly in a creed-like text he calls Jesus Christ Son of God, first-born of all creation, born of a virgin, who became a suffering man, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, died and was raised from the death, ascended into heaven, expelling, defeating and submitting all the demons.26 Justinus represents the connection with the Apostolic 22 Justinus, Dial 125,3 (E.J.Goodspeed, p.245): 3. kai to oun Israhl onoma touto shmainei: anqrwpoV nikwn dunamin: to gar isra anqrwpoV nikwn esti, to de hi dunamiV. 23 Cf. Mt 13,3-8; Lc 8,5-8. 24 Justinus, Dial 125,2: 2 ekniSi oov tod aval poo Kakqv yqv keyeiv 5a: ercaSq ye acavoç o epoç Kopioç, coç loxopoç Kai ôovaxoç, xa lôia 7tapa ttavxcov anaixqoa ektov, mi xov oiKovopov xov eaoxoo oo Kaxaôimaei, a yvcopiÇoi aoxov, 5ia xo eniaxaaGai oxi ôovaxoç eoxiv o Kopioç aoxoo Kai (4».178 a) ektov ajiaixqoei xa i5ia, 25 Cf. 1. Ap.33,7 61,3 66,2 67,2. 26 Dial XXX, 3: 3 ano yap xiov ôaipovuov, a eoxiv akkoxpia xryç Geooeßeiaq xoo 0eoo, oiç rcakai npoaeKovoopev, xov 0eov aei 5ia Iqoou Xpioxoo aovxqpqOqvai Ttaparakoopev, iva pexa xo e7tioxpe<|)ai ttpoo 0eov 5i aoxoo apcopoi copev. BoqBov yap exeivov Kai koxpcoxqv Kakoopev, oo Kai xqv xoo ovopaxoç layov Kai xa Saipovai xpepei, Kai appepov eÇopKiÇopeva Kaxa xoo ovopaxoç Iqaoo XpiaÇoo, xoo oxaopcoQevxoç em IIovxioo IJika- xoo, xoo yevopevoo£7axpo7too xr|ç looSaiaç onoxaoaexai, coç Kai (f. 79 a)
