The Logos before Christ’s incarnation

So that some people may not reason foolishly and, in order to turn others away from what we teach, say that we claim Christ was born only one hundred and fifty years ago under Quirinius and later, in the time of Pontius Pilate, taught the things we say he taught—and then object that all human beings born before him were therefore without responsibility—we will address this difficulty in advance.

We have been taught that Christ is the firstborn of God, and we have already declared that he is the Logos in whom every race of humanity has shared. Those who lived with reason are Christians, even if they were regarded as atheists. Among the Greeks were Socrates, Heraclitus, and others like them; among the non-Greeks were Abraham, Ananias, Azarias, Mishael, Elijah, and many others. Since we know it would be lengthy to list their deeds and names, we will refrain from doing so now.

Consequently, those who lived before Christ but lived without reason were worthless and hostile to Christ, and they killed those who lived with reason. But those who have lived and now live with reason are Christians, fearless and untroubled.

For what reason, through the power of the Logos and according to the will of God, the Father and Lord of all, he was born as a human being through a virgin, was named Jesus, was crucified and died, rose again, and ascended into heaven, an intelligent person can understand from all that has already been said. Since a demonstration of this point is not now necessary, we will turn for the present to the proofs that are more urgent.