On the Incarnation 12.1–22.5
Greek text: Robertson (Greek text: Archibald Robertson, St. Athanasius: On the Incarnation (London: David Nutt, 1891), digitized by the First Thousand Years of Greek project (Open Greek and Latin), CC BY-SA 4.0).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0). Compare: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 4 (1892).
Chapter 12
12.1Robertson
Αὐτάρκης μὲν γὰρ ἦν ἡ κατʼ εἰκόνα χάρις γνωρίζειν τὸν Θεὸν Λόγον, καὶ δʼ αὐτοῦ τὸν Πατέρα· εἰδὼς δὲ ὁ Θεὸς τὴν ἀσθένειαν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, προενοήσατο καὶ τῆς ἀμελείας τούτων, ἵνʼ ἐὰν ἀμελήσαιεν διʼ ἑαυτῶν τὸν Θεὸν ἐπιγνῶναι, ἔχωσι διὰ τῶν τῆς κτίσεως ἔργων τὸν δημιουργὸν μὴ ἀγνοεῖν.
Autarkēs men gar ēn hē katʼ eikona charis gnōrizein ton Theon Logon, kai dʼ autou ton Patera; eidōs de ho Theos tēn astheneian tōn anthrōpōn, proenoēsato kai tēs ameleias toutōn, hinʼ ean amelēsaien diʼ heautōn ton Theon epignōnai, echōsi dia tōn tēs ktiseōs ergōn ton dēmiourgon mē agnoein.
For the grace of being in the image was sufficient to make God the Word known, and through him the Father. But God, knowing the weakness of human beings, provided even for their carelessness, so that if they neglected to recognize God by themselves, they might have the works of creation through which not to be ignorant of the Maker.
Notes and citation
Summary: Besides the image, God provided the works of creation so that careless humans could still know their Maker.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (repeated letter in the digital text): ἀμελήσαιενν → ἀμελήσαιεν.
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 12.1 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-12-1).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
12.2Robertson
Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἡ ἀνθρώπων ἀμέλεια ἐπὶ τὰ χείρονα κατʼ ὀλίγον ἐπικαταβαίνει· προενοήσατο πάλιν ὁ Θεὸς καὶ τῆς τοιαύτης αὐτῶν ἀσθενείας, νόμον καὶ προφήτας τοὺς αὐτοῖς γνωρίμους ἀποστείλας, ἵνα ἐὰν καὶ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ὀκνήσωσιν ἀναβλέψαι καὶ γνῶναι τὸν ποιητήν, ἔχωσιν ἐκ τῶν ἐγγὺς τὴν διδασκαλίαν. ἄνθρωποι γὰρ παρὰ ἀνθρώπων ἐγγυτέρω δύνανται μαθεῖν περὶ τῶν κρειττόνων.
Epeidē de hē anthrōpōn ameleia epi ta cheirona katʼ oligon epikatabainei; proenoēsato palin ho Theos kai tēs toiautēs autōn astheneias, nomon kai prophētas tous autois gnōrimous aposteilas, hina ean kai eis ton ouranon oknēsōsin anablepsai kai gnōnai ton poiētēn, echōsin ek tōn engys tēn didaskalian. anthrōpoi gar para anthrōpōn engyterō dynantai mathein peri tōn kreittonōn.
And since human carelessness sinks little by little to worse things, God again provided for this weakness of theirs as well, sending the law and prophets known to them, so that if they were reluctant even to look up to heaven and know the Maker, they might have teaching from those near at hand. For human beings can learn about higher things more directly from human beings.
Notes and citation
Summary: God also sent the law and the prophets so that humans could learn of him from other humans.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (garbled word in the digital text): νᾷ ἐὰν → ἵνα ἐὰν.
Topics: Scripture and canon
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 12.2 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-12-2).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
12.3Robertson
Ἐξὸν οὖν ἦν ἀναβλέψαντας αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ μέγεθος τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ κατανοήσαντας τὴν τῆς κτίσεως ἁρμονίαν, γνῶναι τὸν ταύτης ἡγεμόνα τὸν τοῦ Πατρὸς Λόγον, τὸν τῇ ἑαυτοῦ εἰς πάντα προνοία γνωρίζοντα πᾶσι τὸν Πατέρα, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τὰ ὅλα κινοῦντα, ἵνα δʼ αὐτοῦ πάντες γινώσκωσι τὸν Θεόν.
Exon oun ēn anablepsantas autous eis to megethos tou ouranou, kai katanoēsantas tēn tēs ktiseōs harmonian, gnōnai ton tautēs hēgemona ton tou Patros Logon, ton tę̄ heautou eis panta pronoia gnōrizonta pasi ton Patera, kai dia touto ta hola kinounta, hina dʼ autou pantes ginōskōsi ton Theon.
It was possible for them, then, looking up to the greatness of heaven and considering the harmony of creation, to know its ruler, the Word of the Father, who by his providence over all things makes the Father known to all, and for this reason moves the universe, so that through him all may know God.
Notes and citation
Summary: The order of creation reveals the Word, who governs all so that through him all may know God.
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 12.3 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-12-3).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
12.4Robertson
Ἢ εἰ τοῦτο αὐτοῖς ἦν ὀκνηρόν, κἂν τοῖς ἀγίοις δυνατὸν ἦν αὐτοὺς συντυγχάνειν, καὶ διʼ αὐτῶν μαθεῖν τὸν τῶν πάντων δημιουργὸν Θεόν, τὸν τοῦ Χριστοῦ Πατέρα· καὶ ὅτι τῶν εἰδώλων ἡ θρησκεία ἀθεότης ἐστὶ καὶ πάσης ἀσεβείας μεστή.
Ē ei touto autois ēn oknēron, kan tois agiois dynaton ēn autous syntynchanein, kai diʼ autōn mathein ton tōn pantōn dēmiourgon Theon, ton tou Christou Patera; kai hoti tōn eidōlōn hē thrēskeia atheotēs esti kai pasēs asebeias mestē.
Or, if this was too much trouble for them, they could at least have met the saints and learned through them of God, the Maker of all, the Father of Christ, and that the worship of idols is godlessness and full of all impiety.
Notes and citation
Summary: Humans could have learned of God from the saints.
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 12.4 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-12-4).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
12.5Robertson
Ἐξὸν δὲ ἦν αὐτοὺς καὶ τὸν νόμον ἐγνωκότας, παύσασθαι πάσης παρανομίας καὶ τὸν κατʼ ἀρετὴν ζῆσαι βίον. οὐδὲ γὰρ διὰ Ἰουδαίους μόνους ὁ νόμος ἦν οὐδὲ διʼ αὐτοὺς μόνους οἱ προφῆται ἐπέμποντο, ἀλλὰ πρὸς Ἰουδαίους μὲν ἐπέμποντο, καὶ παρὰ Ἰουδαίων διώκοντο· πάσης δὲ τῆς οἰκουμένης ἦσαν διδασκάλιον ἱερὸν τῆς περὶ Θεοῦ γνώσεως καὶ τῆς κατὰ ψυχὴν πολιτείας.
Exon de ēn autous kai ton nomon egnōkotas, pausasthai pasēs paranomias kai ton katʼ aretēn zēsai bion. oude gar dia Ioudaious monous ho nomos ēn oude diʼ autous monous hoi prophētai epemponto, alla pros Ioudaious men epemponto, kai para Ioudaiōn diōkonto; pasēs de tēs oikoumenēs ēsan didaskalion hieron tēs peri Theou gnōseōs kai tēs kata psychēn politeias.
And it was possible for them, once they knew the law too, to cease from all lawlessness and live a life of virtue. For the law was not for the Jews alone, nor were the prophets sent for them alone; they were sent to the Jews and persecuted by the Jews, but they were for the whole inhabited world a sacred school of the knowledge of God and of the conduct of the soul.
Notes and citation
Summary: The law and prophets, though sent to the Jews, were a school of divine knowledge for the whole world.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (garbled preposition in the digital text; repeated word ending in the digital text): δέʼ αὐτοὺς → διʼ αὐτοὺς; οἰκουμένης μένης → οἰκουμένης.
Topics: Scripture and canon
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 12.5 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-12-5).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
12.6Robertson
Τοσαύτης οὖν οὔσης τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀγαθότητος καὶ φιλανθρωπίας· ὅμως οἱ ἄνθρωποι νικώμενοι ταῖς παραυτίκα ἡδοναῖς, καὶ ταῖς παρὰ δαιμόνων φαντασίαις καὶ ἀπάταις, οὐκ ἀνένευσαν πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν· ἀλλʼ ἑαυτοὺς πλείοσι κακοῖς καὶ ἁμαρτήμασιν ἐνεφόρησαν, ὡς μηκέτι δοκεῖν αὐτοὺς λογικούς, ἀλλὰ ἀλόγους ἐκ τῶν τρόπων νομίζεσθαι.
Tosautēs oun ousēs tēs tou Theou agathotētos kai philanthrōpias; homōs hoi anthrōpoi nikōmenoi tais parautika hēdonais, kai tais para daimonōn phantasiais kai apatais, ouk aneneusan pros tēn alētheian; allʼ heautous pleiosi kakois kai hamartēmasin enephorēsan, hōs mēketi dokein autous logikous, alla alogous ek tōn tropōn nomizesthai.
Yet, though the goodness and love for humankind of God were so great, human beings, overcome by the pleasures of the moment and by the illusions and deceits of demons, did not lift up their heads toward the truth, but filled themselves with more evils and sins, so that they no longer seemed rational but, from their ways, were thought irrational.
Notes and citation
Summary: Despite God's goodness, humans sank so deep in sin that they seemed irrational.
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 12.6 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-12-6).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 13
13.1Robertson
Οὕτω τοίνυν ἀλογωθέντων τῶν ἀνθρώπων, καὶ οὕτως τῆς δαιμονικῆς πλάνης ἐπισκιαζούσης τὰ πανταχοῦ, καὶ κρυπτούσης τὴν περὶ τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ Θεοῦ γνῶσιν, τί τὸν Θεὸν ἔδει ποιεῖν; σιωπῆσαι τὸ τηλικοῦτον, καὶ ἀφεῖναι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ὑπὸ δαιμόνων πλανᾶσθαι, καὶ μὴ γινώσκειν αὐτοὺς τὸν Θεόν;
Houtō toinyn alogōthentōn tōn anthrōpōn, kai houtōs tēs daimonikēs planēs episkiazousēs ta pantachou, kai kryptousēs tēn peri tou alēthinou Theou gnōsin, ti ton Theon edei poiein? siōpēsai to tēlikouton, kai apheinai tous anthrōpous hypo daimonōn planasthai, kai mē ginōskein autous ton Theon?
When human beings had thus become irrational, and demonic error was overshadowing everything everywhere and hiding the knowledge of the true God, what was God to do? Keep silent about so great a thing, and let human beings be led astray by demons and not know God?
Notes and citation
Summary: With humanity darkened by demonic error, what was God to do?
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 13.1 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-13-1).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
13.2Robertson
Καὶ τίς ἡ χρεία τοῦ καὶ ἐξ ἀρχῆς κατʼ εἰκόνα Θεοῦ γενέσθαι τὸν ἄνθρωπον; ἔδει γὰρ αὐτὸν ἁπλῶς ὡς ἄλογον γενέσθαι, ἢ γενόμενον λογικὸν τὴν τῶν ἀλόγων ζωὴν βιοῦν.
Kai tis hē chreia tou kai ex archēs katʼ eikona Theou genesthai ton anthrōpon? edei gar auton haplōs hōs alogon genesthai, ē genomenon logikon tēn tōn alogōn zōēn bioun.
And what need was there then for man to be made according to God's image in the beginning? He should simply have been made irrational, or, having been made rational, should not live the life of irrational creatures.
Notes and citation
Summary: If humans were to live like animals, there was no point in making them in God's image.
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 13.2 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-13-2).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
13.3Robertson
Τίς δὲ ὅλως ἦν χρεία ἐννοίας αὐτὸν λαβεῖν περὶ Θεοῦ ἐξ ἀρχῆς; εἰ γὰρ οὐδὲ νῦν ἄξιός ἐστι λαβεῖν, ἔδει μηδὲ κατὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν αὐτῷ δοθῆναι.
Tis de holōs ēn chreia ennoias auton labein peri Theou ex archēs? ei gar oude nyn axios esti labein, edei mēde kata tēn archēn autǭ dothēnai.
And what need was there at all for him to receive an idea of God in the beginning? For if he is not worthy to receive it even now, it ought not to have been given him at the beginning either.
Notes and citation
Summary: If humans were unworthy to know God, knowledge of God should never have been given.
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 13.3 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-13-3).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
13.4Robertson
Τί δὲ καὶ ὄφελος τῷ πεποιηκότι Θεῷ, ἢ ποία δόξα αὐτῷ ἂν εἴη, εἰ οἱ ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ γενόμενοι ἄνθρωποι οὐ προσκυνοῦσιν αὐτῷ, ἀλλʼ ἑτέρους εἶναι τοὺς πεποιηκότας αὐτοὺς νομίζουσιν; εὑρίσκεται γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς ἑτέροις καὶ οὐχ ἑαυτῷ τούτους δημιουργήσας.
Ti de kai ophelos tǭ pepoiēkoti Theǭ, ē poia doxa autǭ an eiē, ei hoi hypʼ autou genomenoi anthrōpoi ou proskynousin autǭ, allʼ heterous einai tous pepoiēkotas autous nomizousin? heurisketai gar ho Theos heterois kai ouch heautǭ toutous dēmiourgēsas.
And what profit is there for God who made them, or what glory could he have, if the human beings made by him do not worship him but think that others made them? For God would be found to have created them for others and not for himself.
Notes and citation
Summary: God gains no glory if his creatures credit others with their making.
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 13.4 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-13-4).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
13.5Robertson
Εἶτα βασιλεὺς μὲν ἄνθρωπος ὦν τὰς ὑπὸ αὐτοῦ κτισθείσας χώρας οὐκ ἀφίησιν ἐκδότους ἑτέροις δουλεύειν, οὐδὲ πρὸς ἄλλους καταφεύγειν· ἀλλὰ γράμμασιν αὐτοὺς ὑπομιμνήσκει, πολλάκις δὲ καὶ διὰ φίλων αὐτοῖς ἐπιστέλλει, εἰ δὲ καὶ χρεία γένηται, αὐτὸς παραγίνεται, τῇ παρουσία λοιπὸν αὐτοὺς δυσωπῶν· μόνον ἵνα μὴ ἑτέροις δουλεύσωσι, καὶ ἀργὸν αὐτοῦ τὸ ἔργον γένηται.
Eita basileus men anthrōpos ōn tas hypo autou ktistheisas chōras ouk aphiēsin ekdotous heterois douleuein, oude pros allous katapheugein; alla grammasin autous hypomimnēskei, pollakis de kai dia philōn autois epistellei, ei de kai chreia genētai, autos paraginetai, tę̄ parousia loipon autous dysōpōn; monon hina mē heterois douleusōsi, kai argon autou to ergon genētai.
Then again, a king, though a man, does not let the lands he has founded be handed over to serve others or go over to others, but reminds them by letters, and often sends to them through friends; and if need be he comes himself, putting them to shame at last by his presence, only so that they may not serve others and his work come to nothing.
Notes and citation
Summary: A human king does not let his lands go over to others but writes, sends friends, and finally comes himself.
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 13.5 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-13-5).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
13.6Robertson
Οὐ πολλῷ πλέον ὁ Θεὸς τῶν ἑαυτοῦ κτισμάτων φείσεται πρὸς τὸ μὴ πλανηθῆναι ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ, καὶ τοῖς οὐκ οὖσι δουλεύειν; μάλιστα ὅτι ἡ τοιαύτη πλάνη ἀπωλείας αὐτοῖς αἰτία καὶ ἀφανισμοῦ γίνεται, οὐκ ἔδει δὲ τὰ ἅπαξ κοινωνήσαντα τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰκόνος ἀπολέσθαι.
Ou pollǭ pleon ho Theos tōn heautou ktismatōn pheisetai pros to mē planēthēnai apʼ autou, kai tois ouk ousi douleuein? malista hoti hē toiautē planē apōleias autois aitia kai aphanismou ginetai, ouk edei de ta hapax koinōnēsanta tēs tou Theou eikonos apolesthai.
Will not God much more spare his own creatures, so that they are not led astray from him and serve things that do not exist? Especially since such error becomes the cause of their destruction and disappearance, and it was not right that those who had once shared in God's image should perish.
Notes and citation
Summary: Much more will God keep his creatures who share his image from perishing through error.
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 13.6 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-13-6).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
13.7Robertson
Τί οὖν ἔδει ποιεῖν τὸν Θεόν; ἢ τί ἔδει γενέσθαι, ἀλλʼ ἢ τὸ κατʼ εἰκόνα πάλιν ἀνανεῶσαι, ἵνα διʼ αὐτοῦ πάλιν αὐτὸν γνῶναι δυνηθῶσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι; τοῦτο δὲ πῶς ἄν ἐγεγόνει, εἰ μὴ αὐτῆς τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰκόνος παραγενομένης τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ; διʼ ἀνθρώπων μὲν γὰρ οὐκ ἦν δυνατὸν, ἐπεὶ καὶ αὐτοὶ κατʼ εἰκόνα γεγόνασιν· ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ δʼ ἀγγέλων οὐδὲ γὰρ οὐδὲ αὐτοί εἰσιν εἰκόνες. ὅθεν ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος διʼ ἑαυτοῦ παρεγένετο, ἵνʼ ὡς εἰκὼν ὧν τοῦ Πατρὸς τὸν κατʼ εἰκόνα ἄνθρωπον ἀνακτίσαι δυνηθῇ.
Ti oun edei poiein ton Theon? ē ti edei genesthai, allʼ ē to katʼ eikona palin ananeōsai, hina diʼ autou palin auton gnōnai dynēthōsin hoi anthrōpoi? touto de pōs an egegonei, ei mē autēs tēs tou Theou eikonos paragenomenēs tou Sōtēros hēmōn Iēsou Christou? diʼ anthrōpōn men gar ouk ēn dynaton, epei kai autoi katʼ eikona gegonasin; allʼ oude dʼ angelōn oude gar oude autoi eisin eikones. hothen ho tou Theou Logos diʼ heautou paregeneto, hinʼ hōs eikōn hōn tou Patros ton katʼ eikona anthrōpon anaktisai dynēthę̄.
What then was God to do? Or what was to happen, but to renew again what was according to the image, so that through it human beings might be able once more to know him? But how could this have come about, except by the coming of the very image of God, our Savior Jesus Christ? It was not possible through human beings, since they themselves were made according to the image; nor through angels, for they are not images either. So the Word of God came in his own person, so that, being the image of the Father, he might be able to re-create man who was made according to the image.
Col 1:15 (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Only the Word, himself the image of the Father, could renew humanity made according to that image.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (garbled word and stray bracket in the digital text; stray letters joined to the word in the digital text; truncated word in the digital text): [νᾷ δʼ αὐτοῦ → ἵνα διʼ αὐτοῦ; Θεἰκόνος → εἰκόνος; ἄνθρωπον τίσαι → ἄνθρωπον ἀνακτίσαι.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 13.7 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-13-7).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
13.8Robertson
Ἄλλως δὲ πάλιν οὐκ ἄν ἐγεγόνει, εἰ μὴ ὁ θάνατος ἦν καὶ ἡ φθορὰ ἐξαφανισθεῖσα.
Allōs de palin ouk an egegonei, ei mē ho thanatos ēn kai hē phthora exaphanistheisa.
But again, it could not have come about unless death and corruption had been done away with.
Notes and citation
Summary: The renewal required the abolition of death and corruption.
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 13.8 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-13-8).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
13.9Robertson
Ὅθεν εἰκότως ἔλαβε σῶμα θνητόν, ἵνα καὶ ὁ θάνατος ἐν αὐτῷ λοιπὸν ἐξαφανισθῆναι δυνηθῇ, καὶ οἱ κατʼ εἰκόνα πάλιν ἀνακαινισθῶσιν ἄνθρωποι. οὐκοῦν ἑτέρου πρὸς ταύτην τὴν χρείαν οὐκ ἦν, εἰ μὴ τῆς εἰκόνος τοῦ Πατρός.
Hothen eikotōs elabe sōma thnēton, hina kai ho thanatos en autǭ loipon exaphanisthēnai dynēthę̄, kai hoi katʼ eikona palin anakainisthōsin anthrōpoi. oukoun heterou pros tautēn tēn chreian ouk ēn, ei mē tēs eikonos tou Patros.
So he fittingly took a mortal body, so that in it death might be done away with once for all, and human beings made according to the image might be renewed again. For this need, then, there was need of no other than the Image of the Father.
Notes and citation
Summary: The Word took a mortal body to abolish death and renew those made in the image.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (garbled word in the digital text): νᾷ καὶ → ἵνα καὶ.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 13.9 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-13-9).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 14
14.1Robertson
Ὣς γὰρ τῆς γραφείσης ἐν ξύλῳ μορφῆς παραφανισθείσης ἐκ τῶν ἔξωθεν ῥυπων, πάλιν χρεία τοῦτον παραγενέσθαι, οὗ καὶ ἔστιν ἡ μορφή, ἵνα ἀνακαινισθῆναι ἡ εἰκὼν δυνηθῇ ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ ὕλῃ· δία γὰρ τὴν ἐκείνου γραφὴν καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ ὕλη ἐν ἦ καὶ γέγραπται, οὐκ ἐκβάλλεται, ἀλλʼ ἐν αὐτῇ ἀνατυ
Hōs gar tēs grapheisēs en xylǭ morphēs paraphanistheisēs ek tōn exōthen rhypōn, palin chreia touton paragenesthai, hou kai estin hē morphē, hina anakainisthēnai hē eikōn dynēthę̄ en tę̄ autę̄ hylę̄; dia gar tēn ekeinou graphēn kai autē hē hylē en ē kai gegraptai, ouk ekballetai, allʼ en autę̄ anaty
For as, when a figure painted on wood has been obscured by dirt from outside, the one whose figure it is must come again, so that the image can be renewed on the same material (for because of his portrait the very material on which it is painted is not thrown away, but the likeness is drawn again on it):
Notes and citation
Summary: A portrait spoiled by dirt is redrawn on the same wood when the subject sits for it again.
- The last word of the section is cut short in the digital text (ἀνατυ…, “is drawn again”); the sentence continues in 14.2.
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 14.1 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-14-1).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
14.2Robertson
κατὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ πανάγιος τοῦ Πατρὸς Υἱός, εἰκὼν ὦν τοῦ Πατρός, παρεγένετο ἐπὶ τοὺς ἡμετέρους τόπους, ἵνα τὸν κατʼ αὐτὸν πεποιημένον ἄνθρωπον ἀνακαινίσῃ, καὶ ὡς ἀπολόμενον εὕρῃ διὰ τῆς τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἀφέσεως, ᾖ φησι καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν τοῖς Εὐαγγελίοις· Ἦλθον τὸ ἀπολόμενον εὑρεῖν καὶ σῶσαι. ὅθεν καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἰδίους ἔλεγεν, Ἐὰν μή τις ἀναγεννηθῇ· οὐ τὴν ἐκ γυναικῶν γέννησιν σημαίνων ὥσπερ ὑπενόουν ἐκεῖνοι, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἀναγενωμένην καὶ ἀνακτιζομένην ψυχὴν ἐν τῷ κατʼ εἰκόνα δηλῶν.
kata touto kai ho panagios tou Patros Huios, eikōn ōn tou Patros, paregeneto epi tous hēmeterous topous, hina ton katʼ auton pepoiēmenon anthrōpon anakainisę̄, kai hōs apolomenon heurę̄ dia tēs tōn hamartiōn apheseōs, ę̄ phēsi kai autos en tois Euangeliois; Ēlthon to apolomenon heurein kai sōsai. hothen kai pros tous idious elegen, Ean mē tis anagennēthę̄; ou tēn ek gynaikōn gennēsin sēmainōn hōsper hypenooun ekeinoi, alla tēn anagenōmenēn kai anaktizomenēn psychēn en tǭ katʼ eikona dēlōn.
in the same way the all-holy Son of the Father, being the Father's image, came to our regions to renew man made according to him, and to find him as one lost, through the forgiveness of sins; as he himself says in the Gospels: “I came to find and to save what was lost.” So he also said to those of his own people, “Unless one is born again”, not meaning birth from women, as they supposed, but indicating the soul born again and re-created in what is according to the image.
Luke 19:10 (quotation, high confidence) · John 3:3 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The Son, the Father's image, came to renew and find lost humanity, and spoke of rebirth of the soul.
- Luke 19:10; John 3:3.
Topics: Christology, Baptism
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 14.2 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-14-2).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
14.3Robertson
Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ εἰδωλομανία καὶ ἀθεότης κατεῖχε τὴν οἰκουμένην, καὶ ἡ περὶ Θεοῦ γνῶσις ἐκέκρυπτο· τίνος ἦν διδάξαι τὴν οἰκουμένην περὶ Πατρός; ἀνθρώπου φαίη τις ἄν; ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἦν ἀνθρώπων ἐνὸν τὴν ὑφήλιον πᾶσαν ὑπελθεῖν, οὔτε τῇ φύσει τοσοῦτον ἰσχυόντων δραμεῖν, οὔτε ἀξιοπίστων περὶ τούτου δυναμένων γενέσθαι, οὔτε πρὸς τὴν τῶν δαιμόνων ἀπάτην καὶ φαντασίαν ἱκανῶν διʼ ἑαυτῶν ἀντιστῆναι.
Epeidē de kai eidōlomania kai atheotēs kateiche tēn oikoumenēn, kai hē peri Theou gnōsis ekekrypto; tinos ēn didaxai tēn oikoumenēn peri Patros? anthrōpou phaiē tis an? allʼ ouk ēn anthrōpōn enon tēn hyphēlion pasan hypelthein, oute tę̄ physei tosouton ischyontōn dramein, oute axiopistōn peri toutou dynamenōn genesthai, oute pros tēn tōn daimonōn apatēn kai phantasian hikanōn diʼ heautōn antistēnai.
And since mad worship of idols and godlessness held the world, and the knowledge of God was hidden, whose task was it to teach the world about the Father? A man's, someone might say. But it was not possible for human beings to travel over the whole world under the sun: they were neither strong enough by nature to run so far, nor able to be trusted in this matter, nor able by themselves to withstand the deceit and illusion of demons.
Notes and citation
Summary: No mere human could teach the whole world about the Father or withstand the demons.
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 14.3 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-14-3).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
14.4Robertson
Πάντων γὰρ κατὰ ψυχὴν πληγέντων καὶ ταραχθέντων παρὰ τῆς δαιμονικῆς ἀπάτης καὶ τῆς τῶν εἰδώλων ματαιότητος, πῶς οἷόν τε ἦν ἀνθρώπου ψυχὴν καὶ ἀνθρώπων νοῦν μεταπεῖσαι, ὅπουγε οὐδὲ ὁρᾶν αὐτοὺς δύνανται; ὃ δὲ μὴ ὁρᾷ τις, πῶς δύναται μεταπαιδεῦσαι.
Pantōn gar kata psychēn plēgentōn kai tarachthentōn para tēs daimonikēs apatēs kai tēs tōn eidōlōn mataiotētos, pōs hoion te ēn anthrōpou psychēn kai anthrōpōn noun metapeisai, hopouge oude horan autous dynantai? ho de mē horą tis, pōs dynatai metapaideusai.
For since all had been struck and troubled in soul by demonic deceit and the vanity of idols, how could anyone have won over the soul and mind of human beings, when they cannot even see them? And how can one re-educate what one does not see?
Notes and citation
Summary: Humans cannot convert souls they cannot even see.
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 14.4 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-14-4).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
14.5Robertson
Ἀλλʼ ἴσως ἄν τις εἴποι τὴν κτίσιν ἀρκεῖσθαι· ἀλλʼ εἰ ἡ κτίσις ἤρκει οὐκ ἂν ἐγεγόνει τὰ τηλικαῦτα κακά. ἦν γὰρ καὶ ἡ κτίσις, καὶ οὐδὲν ἧττον οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ περὶ Θεοῦ πλάνῃ ἐκυλίοντο.
Allʼ isōs an tis eipoi tēn ktisin arkeisthai; allʼ ei hē ktisis ērkei ouk an egegonei ta tēlikauta kaka. ēn gar kai hē ktisis, kai ouden hētton hoi anthrōpoi en tę̄ autę̄ peri Theou planę̄ ekylionto.
But perhaps someone would say that creation was enough. But if creation had been enough, such great evils would not have happened. For creation was there, and none the less human beings wallowed in the same error about God.
Notes and citation
Summary: Creation alone was not enough, since humans erred despite it.
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 14.5 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-14-5).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
14.6Robertson
Τίνος οὖν ἦν πάλιν χρεία τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου τοῦ καὶ ψυχὴν καὶ νοῦν ὁρῶντος, τοῦ καὶ τὰ ὅλα ἐν τῇ κτίσει κινοῦντος, καὶ διʼ αὐτῶν γνωρίζοντος τὸν Πατέρα; τοῦ γὰρ διὰ τῆς ἰδίας προνοίας καὶ διακοσμήσεως τῶν ὅλων διδάσκοντος περὶ τοῦ Πατρὸς, αὐτοῦ ἦν καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν διδασκαλίαν ἀνανεῶσαι.
Tinos oun ēn palin chreia tou Theou Logou tou kai psychēn kai noun horōntos, tou kai ta hola en tę̄ ktisei kinountos, kai diʼ autōn gnōrizontos ton Patera? tou gar dia tēs idias pronoias kai diakosmēseōs tōn holōn didaskontos peri tou Patros, autou ēn kai tēn autēn didaskalian ananeōsai.
Whom then was there need of again, but of the Word of God, who sees both soul and mind, who moves all things in creation and through them makes the Father known? For it belonged to him who teaches about the Father through his own providence and ordering of the universe to renew the same teaching as well.
Notes and citation
Summary: Only the Word, who sees souls and reveals the Father through creation, could renew the knowledge of God.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (truncated word in the digital text): διδάσ περὶ → διδάσκοντος περὶ.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 14.6 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-14-6).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
14.7Robertson
Πῶς οὖν ἄν ἐγεγόνει τοῦτο; ἴσως ἄν τις εἴποι ὅτι ἐξὸν ἦν διὰ τῶν αὐτῶν, ὥστε πάλιν διὰ τῶν τῆς κτίσεως ἔργων τὰ περὶ αὐτοῦ δεῖξαι. ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἦν ἀσφαλὲς ἔτι τοῦτο. οὐχί γε· παρεῖδον γὰρ τοῦτο πρότερον οἱ ἄνθρωποι, καὶ οὐκέτι μὲν ἄνω, κάτω δὲ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐσχήκασιν.
Pōs oun an egegonei touto? isōs an tis eipoi hoti exon ēn dia tōn autōn, hōste palin dia tōn tēs ktiseōs ergōn ta peri autou deixai. allʼ ouk ēn asphales eti touto. ouchi ge; pareidon gar touto proteron hoi anthrōpoi, kai ouketi men anō, katō de tous ophthalmous eschēkasin.
How then could this have come about? Perhaps someone would say that it was possible by the same means, so as to show the truth about him again through the works of creation. But this was no longer safe. Certainly not; for human beings had overlooked this before, and no longer had their eyes upward, but downward.
Notes and citation
Summary: Creation could no longer teach humans, whose eyes were now turned downward.
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 14.7 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-14-7).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
14.8Robertson
Ὅθεν εἰκότως ἀνθρώπους θέλων ὠφελῆσαι, ὡς ἄνθρωπος ἐπιδημεῖ, λαμβάνων ἑαυτῷ σῶμα ὅμοιον ἐκείνοις, καὶ ἐκ τῶν κάτω λέγω δὴ διὰ τῶν τοῦ σώματος ἔργων· ἵνα οἱ μὴ θελήσαντες αὐτὸν γνῶναι ἐκ τῆς εἰς τὰ ὅλα προνοίας καὶ ἡγεμονίας αὐτοῦ, κἂν ἐκ τῶν δʼ αὐτοῦ τοῦ σώματος ἔργων γνώσωνται τὸν ἐν τῷ σώματι τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγον, καὶ διʼ αὐτοῦ τὸν Πατέρα.
Hothen eikotōs anthrōpous thelōn ōphelēsai, hōs anthrōpos epidēmei, lambanōn heautǭ sōma homoion ekeinois, kai ek tōn katō legō dē dia tōn tou sōmatos ergōn; hina hoi mē thelēsantes auton gnōnai ek tēs eis ta hola pronoias kai hēgemonias autou, kan ek tōn dʼ autou tou sōmatos ergōn gnōsōntai ton en tǭ sōmati tou Theou Logon, kai diʼ autou ton Patera.
So, fittingly, wishing to help human beings, he comes to dwell as a man, taking to himself a body like theirs, and from things below, I mean through the works of the body, so that those who would not know him from his providence and rule over the universe might at least from the works done through the body itself know the Word of God who is in the body, and through him the Father.
Notes and citation
Summary: The Word came as a man so that those who ignored creation might know him through the works of his body.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (garbled preposition in the digital text): δέʼ αὐτοῦ τὸν Πατέρα → διʼ αὐτοῦ τὸν Πατέρα.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 14.8 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-14-8).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 15
15.1Robertson
Ὣς γὰρ ἀγαθὸς διδάσκαλος κηδόμενος τῶν ἑαυτοῦ μαθητῶν, τοὺς μὴ δυναμένους ἐκ τῶν μειζόνων ὠφεληθῆναι, πάντως διὰ τῶν εὐτελεστέρων καταβαίνων αὐτοὺς παιδεύει· οὕτως καὶ ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος, καθὼς καὶ ὁ Παῦλός φησι· ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐν τῇ σοφίᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐκ ἔγνω ὁ κόσμος διὰ τῆς σοφίας τὸν Θεόν, εὐδόκησεν ὁ Θεὸς διὰ τῆς μωρίας τοῦ κηρύγματος σῶσαι τοὺς πιστεύοντας.
Hōs gar agathos didaskalos kēdomenos tōn heautou mathētōn, tous mē dynamenous ek tōn meizonōn ōphelēthēnai, pantōs dia tōn eutelesterōn katabainōn autous paideuei; houtōs kai ho tou Theou Logos, kathōs kai ho Paulos phēsi; epeidē gar en tę̄ sophią tou Theou ouk egnō ho kosmos dia tēs sophias ton Theon, eudokēsen ho Theos dia tēs mōrias tou kērygmatos sōsai tous pisteuontas.
For as a good teacher who cares for his pupils always comes down and teaches by simpler means those who cannot profit from higher things, so also does the Word of God, as Paul also says: “For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe.”
1 Cor 1:21 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Like a good teacher, the Word came down to teach by simpler means, as 1 Corinthians 1:21 says.
- 1 Cor 1:21.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (truncated word in the digital text): μειζό ὠφεληθῆναι → μειζόνων ὠφεληθῆναι.
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 15.1 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-15-1).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
15.2Robertson
Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἀποστραφέντες τὴν πρὸς Θεὸν θεωρίαν, καὶ ὡς ἐν βυθῷ βυθισθέντες κάτω τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἔχοντες, ἐν γενέσει καὶ τοῖς αἰσθητοῖς τὸν Θεὸν ἀνεζήτουν, ἀνθρώποις θνητοὺς καὶ δαίμονας ἑαυτοῖς θεοὺς ἀνατυπούμενοι· τούτου ἕνεκα ὁ φιλάνθρωπος καὶ κοινὸς πάντων Σωτὴρ, ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος, λαμβάνει ἑαυτῷ σῶμα, καὶ ὡς ἄνθρωπος ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἀναστρέφεται, καὶ τὰς αἰσθήσεις πάντων ἀνθρώπων προσλαμβάνει, ἵνα οἱ ἐν σωματικοῖς νοοῦντες εἶναι τὸν Θεὸν, ἀφʼ ὧν ὁ Κύριος ἐργάζεται διὰ τῶν τοῦ σώματος ἔργων, ἀπʼ αὐτῶν νοήσωσι τὴν ἀλήθειαν, καὶ διʼ αὐτοῦ τὸν Πατέρα λογίσωνται.
Epeidē gar hoi anthrōpoi apostraphentes tēn pros Theon theōrian, kai hōs en bythǭ bythisthentes katō tous ophthalmous echontes, en genesei kai tois aisthētois ton Theon anezētoun, anthrōpois thnētous kai daimonas heautois theous anatypoumenoi; toutou heneka ho philanthrōpos kai koinos pantōn Sōtēr, ho tou Theou Logos, lambanei heautǭ sōma, kai hōs anthrōpos en anthrōpois anastrephetai, kai tas aisthēseis pantōn anthrōpōn proslambanei, hina hoi en sōmatikois noountes einai ton Theon, aphʼ hōn ho Kyrios ergazetai dia tōn tou sōmatos ergōn, apʼ autōn noēsōsi tēn alētheian, kai diʼ autou ton Patera logisōntai.
For since human beings had turned away from the contemplation of God and, as if sunk in the deep, with their eyes downward, were seeking God in the world of becoming and in things of sense, shaping mortal men and demons into gods for themselves, for this reason the Savior of all, who loves humankind, the Word of God, takes to himself a body and lives as a man among men, and draws to himself the senses of all human beings, so that those who think God is in bodily things might, from what the Lord does through the works of the body, perceive the truth, and through him come to consider the Father.
Notes and citation
Summary: Because humans sought God in bodily things, the Word took a body so that through his bodily works they might find the truth and the Father.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (stray mark in the digital text): κάτω? τοὺς → κάτω τοὺς.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 15.2 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-15-2).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
15.3Robertson
Ἄνθρωποι δὲ ὄντες καὶ ἀνθρώπινα πάντα νοοῦντες, οἷς ἐὰν ἐπέβαλον τὰς ἑαυτῶν αἰσθήσεις, ἐν τούτοις προσλαμβανομένους ἑαυτοὺς ἑώρων, καὶ πανταχόθεν διδασκομένους τὴν ἀλήθειαν.
Anthrōpoi de ontes kai anthrōpina panta noountes, hois ean epebalon tas heautōn aisthēseis, en toutois proslambanomenous heautous heōrōn, kai pantachothen didaskomenous tēn alētheian.
Being human and thinking of everything in human terms, wherever they turned their senses they saw themselves met there and taught the truth from every side.
Notes and citation
Summary: Wherever humans turned, the incarnate Word met them and taught them.
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 15.3 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-15-3).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
15.4Robertson
Εἴτε γὰρ εἰς τὴν κτίσιν ἐπτόηντο, ἀλλʼ ἑώρων αὐτὴν ὁμολογοῦσαν τὸν Χριστὸν Κύριον· εἴτε εἰς ἀνθρώπους ἦν αὐτῶν ἡ διάνοια προληφθεῖσα, ὥστε τούτους θεοὺς νομίζειν, ἀλλʼ ἐκ τῶν ἔργων τοῦ Σωτῆρος, συγκρινόντων τε ἐκείνων, ἐφαίνετο ἐν ἀνθρώποις μόνος ὁ Σωτὴρ Θεοῦ Υἱός· οὐκ ὄντων παρʼ ἐκείνοις τοιούτων ὁποῖα παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου γέγονεν.
Eite gar eis tēn ktisin eptoēnto, allʼ heōrōn autēn homologousan ton Christon Kyrion; eite eis anthrōpous ēn autōn hē dianoia prolēphtheisa, hōste toutous theous nomizein, allʼ ek tōn ergōn tou Sōtēros, synkrinontōn te ekeinōn, ephaineto en anthrōpois monos ho Sōtēr Theou Huios; ouk ontōn parʼ ekeinois toioutōn hopoia para tou Theou Logou gegonen.
If they were awestruck at creation, they saw it confessing Christ as Lord. If their minds had been taken up with human beings, so as to think them gods, then from the works of the Savior, compared with theirs, the Savior alone among human beings appeared as Son of God, since nothing done by them was like what was done by the Word of God.
Notes and citation
Summary: Creation confessed Christ, and his works showed him alone to be the Son of God among men.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 15.4 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-15-4).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
15.5Robertson
Εἰ δὲ καὶ εἰς δαίμονας ἦσαν προληφθέντες, ἀλλὰ ὁρῶντες αὐτοὺς διωκομένους ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου, ἐγίνωσκον μόνον εἶναι τοῦτον τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγον, καὶ οὐκ εἶναι θεοὺς τοὺς δαίμονας.
Ei de kai eis daimonas ēsan prolēphthentes, alla horōntes autous diōkomenous hypo tou Kyriou, eginōskon monon einai touton ton tou Theou Logon, kai ouk einai theous tous daimonas.
If they had been taken up with demons, yet seeing them driven out by the Lord they knew that he alone is the Word of God, and that the demons are not gods.
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ's expulsion of demons showed they were not gods.
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 15.5 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-15-5).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
15.6Robertson
Εἰ δὲ καὶ εἰς νεκροὺς ἤδη τούτων ἦν ὁ νοῦς κατασχεθείς ὥστε θρησκεύειν ἥρωας, καὶ τοὺς παρὰ ποιηταῖς λεγομένους θεούς· ἀλλʼ ὁρῶντες τὴν τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἀνάστασιν, ὡμολόγουν ἐκείνους εἶναι ψευδεῖς, καὶ μόνον τὸν Κύριον ἀληθινὸν τὸν τοῦ Πατρὸς Λόγον, τὸν καὶ τοῦ θανάτου κυριεύοντα.
Ei de kai eis nekrous ēdē toutōn ēn ho nous kataschetheis hōste thrēskeuein hērōas, kai tous para poiētais legomenous theous; allʼ horōntes tēn tou Sōtēros anastasin, hōmologoun ekeinous einai pseudeis, kai monon ton Kyrion alēthinon ton tou Patros Logon, ton kai tou thanatou kyrieuonta.
If their minds had already been held fast by the dead, so that they worshiped heroes and the gods spoken of by the poets, yet seeing the Savior's resurrection they confessed that those were false, and that the Lord alone is true, the Word of the Father, who is Lord even over death.
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ's resurrection showed the heroes and poets' gods to be false.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 15.6 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-15-6).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
15.7Robertson
Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ γεγέννηται, καὶ ἄνθρωπος ἐφάνη, καὶ ἀπέθανε, καὶ ἀνέστη, ἀμβλύνας καὶ ἐπισκιάσας τὰ τῶν πώποτε γενομένων ἀνθρώπων διὰ τῶν ἰδίων ἔργων, ἵνα ὅπου δʼ ἂν ὦσι προληφθέντες οἱ ἄνθρωποι, ἐκεῖθεν αὐτοὺς ἀναγάγῃ, καὶ διδάξῃ τὸν ἀληθινὸν ἑαυτοῦ Πατέρα, καθάπερ καὶ αὐτός φησιν, ἦλθον σῶσαι καὶ εὑρεῖν τὸ ἀπολωλός·
Dia touto kai gegennētai, kai anthrōpos ephanē, kai apethane, kai anestē, amblynas kai episkiasas ta tōn pōpote genomenōn anthrōpōn dia tōn idiōn ergōn, hina hopou dʼ an ōsi prolēphthentes hoi anthrōpoi, ekeithen autous anagagę̄, kai didaxę̄ ton alēthinon heautou Patera, kathaper kai autos phēsin, ēlthon sōsai kai heurein to apolōlos;
This is why he was born, appeared as a man, died, and rose again: dulling and eclipsing by his own works the deeds of all human beings who had ever lived, so that wherever human beings had been taken up, he might lead them up from there and teach them his own true Father; as he himself says: “I came to save and to find what was lost.”
Luke 19:10 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ's birth, death, and resurrection eclipsed all human deeds so as to lead people from every error to the Father.
- Luke 19:10.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 15.7 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-15-7).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 16
16.1Robertson
Ἅπαξ γὰρ εἰς αἰσθητὰ πεσούσης τῆς διανοίας τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὑπέβαλεν ἑαυτὸν διὰ σώματος φανῆναι ὁ Λόγος, ἵνα μετενέγκῃ εἰς ἑαυτὸν ὡς ἄνθρωπον τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, καὶ τὰς αἰσθήσεις αὐτῶν εἰς ἑαυτὸν ἀποκλίνῃ, καὶ λοιπὸν ἐκείνους ὡς ἄνθρωπον αὐτὸν ὁρῶντας, δʼ ὦν ἐργάζεται ἔργων, πείσῃ μὴ εἶναι ἑαυτὸν ἄνθρωπον μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ Θεὸν καὶ Θεοῦ ἀληθινοῦ Λόγον καὶ Σοφίαν.
Hapax gar eis aisthēta pesousēs tēs dianoias tōn anthrōpōn, hypebalen heauton dia sōmatos phanēnai ho Logos, hina metenenkę̄ eis heauton hōs anthrōpon tous anthrōpous, kai tas aisthēseis autōn eis heauton apoklinę̄, kai loipon ekeinous hōs anthrōpon auton horōntas, dʼ ōn ergazetai ergōn, peisę̄ mē einai heauton anthrōpon monon, alla kai Theon kai Theou alēthinou Logon kai Sophian.
For once the understanding of human beings had fallen to things of sense, the Word submitted to appearing through a body, so that as a man he might draw human beings over to himself, turn their senses toward himself, and from then on, as they saw him as a man, persuade them by the works he did that he is not a man only, but also God, and the Word and Wisdom of the true God.
Notes and citation
Summary: The Word appeared in a body to turn human senses to himself and show by his works that he is God.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (truncated words in the digital text): πεσούσς τῆς δια τῶν → πεσούσης τῆς διανοίας τῶν.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 16.1 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-16-1).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
16.2Robertson
Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ὁ Παῦλος βουλόμενος σημᾶναι, φησίν· ἐν ἀγάπῃ ἐῤῥιζωμένοι καὶ τεθεμελιωμένοι, ἵνα ἐξισχύσητε καταλαβέσθαι σὺν πᾶσι τοῖς ἀγίοις τί τὸ πλάτος καὶ μῆκος, καὶ ὕψος καὶ βάθος, γνῶναί τε τὴν ὑπερβάλλουσαν τῆς γνώσεως ἀγάπην τοῦ Χριστοῦ· ἵνα πληρωθῆτε εἰς πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ Θεοῦ.
Touto de kai ho Paulos boulomenos sēmanai, phēsin; en agapę̄ errhizōmenoi kai tethemeliōmenoi, hina exischysēte katalabesthai syn pasi tois agiois ti to platos kai mēkos, kai hypsos kai bathos, gnōnai te tēn hyperballousan tēs gnōseōs agapēn tou Christou; hina plērōthēte eis pan to plērōma tou Theou.
Paul too, wishing to indicate this, says: “Being rooted and grounded in love, so that you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled to all the fullness of God.”
Eph 3:17 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 3:18 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 3:19 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Ephesians 3:17–19 speaks of the breadth, length, height, and depth of Christ's love.
- Eph 3:17–19.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (garbled word in the digital text; misplaced accent in the digital text): νᾷ ἐξισχύσητε → ἵνα ἐξισχύσητε; ἵνᾷ πληρωθῆτε → ἵνα πληρωθῆτε.
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 16.2 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-16-2).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
16.3Robertson
Πανταχοῦ γὰρ τοῦ Λόγου ἑαυτὸν ἁπλώσαντος, καὶ ἄνω καὶ κάτω, καὶ εἰς τὸ βάθος καὶ εἰς τὸ πλάτος· ἄνω μὲν εἰς τὴν κτίσιν, κάτω δὲ εἰς τὴν ἐνανθρώπησιν, εἰς βάθος δὲ εἰς τὸν ᾅδην, εἰς πλάτος δὲ εἰς τὸν κόσμον· τὰ πάντα τῆς περὶ Θεοῦ γνώσεως πεπλήρωται.
Pantachou gar tou Logou heauton haplōsantos, kai anō kai katō, kai eis to bathos kai eis to platos; anō men eis tēn ktisin, katō de eis tēn enanthrōpēsin, eis bathos de eis ton hądēn, eis platos de eis ton kosmon; ta panta tēs peri Theou gnōseōs peplērōtai.
For since the Word has spread himself out everywhere, above and below, into the depth and into the breadth (above into creation, below into the incarnation, into the depth into Hades, into the breadth into the world), all things have been filled with the knowledge of God.
Notes and citation
Summary: The Word has reached every dimension, creation, incarnation, Hades, and the world, filling all with the knowledge of God.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 16.3 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-16-3).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
16.4Robertson
Δία δὲ τοῦτο, οὐδὲ παρʼ αὐτὰ παραγενόμενος τὴν θυσίαν τὴν ὑπὲρ πάντων ἐπετέλει, παραδιδοὺς τὸ σῶμα τῷ θανάτῳ, καὶ ἀνιστῶν αὐτό, ἀφανῇ ἑαυτὸν διὰ τούτου ποιῶν. ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐμφανῇ ἑαυτὸν διὰ τούτου καθίστη διαμένων ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ τοιαῦτα τελῶν ἔργα καὶ σημεῖα διδούς, ἃ μηκέτι ἄνθρωπον, ἀλλὰ Θεὸν Λόγον αὐτὸν ἐγνώριζον.
Dia de touto, oude parʼ auta paragenomenos tēn thysian tēn hyper pantōn epetelei, paradidous to sōma tǭ thanatǭ, kai anistōn auto, aphanę̄ heauton dia toutou poiōn. alla kai emphanę̄ heauton dia toutou kathistē diamenōn en autǭ kai toiauta telōn erga kai sēmeia didous, ha mēketi anthrōpon, alla Theon Logon auton egnōrizon.
For this reason he did not complete the sacrifice on behalf of all immediately on his coming, by giving his body over to death and raising it, thereby making himself invisible. Rather, he made himself visible through the body, remaining in it and doing such works and giving such signs as made him known no longer as a man but as God the Word.
Notes and citation
Summary: The Word did not offer his sacrifice at once but first lived in the body, showing by his works that he is God.
- “Immediately” reads the digital text's παρʼ αὐτά as the adverb παραυτά.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 16.4 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-16-4).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
16.5Robertson
Ἀμφότερα γὰρ ἐφιλανθρωπεύετο ὁ Σωτὴρ διὰ τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως, ὅτι καὶ τὸν θάνατον ἐξ ἡμῶν ἠφάνιζε, καὶ ἀνεκαίνιζεν ἡμᾶς· καὶ ὅτι ἀφανὴς ὢν καὶ ἀόρατος, διὰ τῶν ἔργων ἐνέφαινε, καὶ ἐγνώριζεν ἑαυτὸν εἶναι τὸν Λόγον τοῦ Πατρός, τὸν τοῦ παντὸς ἡγεμόνα καὶ βασιλέα.
Amphotera gar ephilanthrōpeueto ho Sōtēr dia tēs enanthrōpēseōs, hoti kai ton thanaton ex hēmōn ēphanize, kai anekainizen hēmas; kai hoti aphanēs ōn kai aoratos, dia tōn ergōn enephaine, kai egnōrizen heauton einai ton Logon tou Patros, ton tou pantos hēgemona kai basilea.
For the Savior in his love for humankind accomplished both through his becoming man: he put away death from us and renewed us; and, being unseen and invisible, he manifested himself through his works and made himself known to be the Word of the Father, the ruler and king of the universe.
Notes and citation
Summary: By becoming man the Savior both abolished death and revealed himself as the Word, the king of all.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 16.5 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-16-5).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 17
17.1Robertson
Οὐ γὰρ δὴ περικεκλεισμένος ἦν ἐν τῷ σώματι· οὐδὲ ἐν σώματι μὲν ἦν, ἀλλαχόσε δὲ οὐκ ἦν. οὐδὲ ἐκεῖνο μὲν ἐκίνει, τὰ ὅλα δὲ τῆς τούτου ἐνεργείας καὶ προνοίας κεκένωτο· ἀλλὰ τὸ παραδοξότατον, Λόγος ὤν, οὐ συνείχετο μὲν ὑπό τινος· συνεῖχε δὲ τὰ πάντα μᾶλλον αὐτός· καὶ ὥσπερ ἐν πάσῃ τῇ κτίσει ὢν, ἐκτὸς μέν ἐστι τοῦ παντὸς κατʼ οὐσίαν, ἐν πᾶσι δέ ἐστι ταῖς ἑαυτοῦ δυνάμεσι, τὰ πάντα διακοσμῶν, καὶ εἰς πάντα ἐν πᾶσι τὴν ἑαυτοῦ πρόνοιαν ἐφαπλῶν, καὶ ἕκαστον καὶ πάντα ὁμοῦ ζωοποιῶν, περιέχων τὰ ὅλα καὶ μὴ περιεχόμενος, ἀλλʼ ἐν μόνῳ τῷ ἑαυτοῦ Πατρὶ ὅλος ὢν κατὰ πάντα,
Ou gar dē perikekleismenos ēn en tǭ sōmati; oude en sōmati men ēn, allachose de ouk ēn. oude ekeino men ekinei, ta hola de tēs toutou energeias kai pronoias kekenōto; alla to paradoxotaton, Logos ōn, ou syneicheto men hypo tinos; syneiche de ta panta mallon autos; kai hōsper en pasę̄ tę̄ ktisei ōn, ektos men esti tou pantos katʼ ousian, en pasi de esti tais heautou dynamesi, ta panta diakosmōn, kai eis panta en pasi tēn heautou pronoian ephaplōn, kai hekaston kai panta homou zōopoiōn, periechōn ta hola kai mē periechomenos, allʼ en monǭ tǭ heautou Patri holos ōn kata panta,
For he was not enclosed in the body; nor was he in the body but nowhere else; nor did he move that body while the universe was left empty of his activity and providence. But, most wonderful of all, being the Word, he was not contained by anything, but rather himself contained all things. And just as, while present in the whole of creation, he is outside the universe in his being (οὐσία) but in all things by his powers, ordering all things, extending his providence over everything in all things, giving life to each and all together, containing the universe and not contained, but wholly in his own Father alone in every respect,
Notes and citation
Summary: The incarnate Word was not confined to the body: he contains all things, outside the universe in his being and present in all by his powers.
- The sentence continues in 17.2. οὐσία is rendered “being” here.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 17.1 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-17-1).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
17.2Robertson
οὕτως καὶ ἐν τῷ ἀνθρωπίνῳ σώματι ὤν, καὶ αὐτὸς αὐτὸ ζωοποιῶν, εἰκότως ἐζωοποίει καὶ τὰ ὅλα καὶ ἐν τοῖς πᾶσιν ἐγίνετο, καὶ ἔξω τῶν ὅλων ἦν καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ σώματος δὲ διὰ τῶν ἔργων γνωριζόμενος, οὐκ ἀφανὴς ἦν καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν ὅλων ἐνεργείας.
houtōs kai en tǭ anthrōpinǭ sōmati ōn, kai autos auto zōopoiōn, eikotōs ezōopoiei kai ta hola kai en tois pasin egineto, kai exō tōn holōn ēn kai apo tou sōmatos de dia tōn ergōn gnōrizomenos, ouk aphanēs ēn kai apo tēs tōn holōn energeias.
so too, being in the human body and himself giving it life, he fittingly gave life to the universe as well, and was in all things, and was outside all things; and while he was made known from the body through his works, he was not unseen in his activity in the universe either.
Notes and citation
Summary: Though in a human body, the Word continued to give life to and govern the whole universe.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 17.2 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-17-2).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
17.3Robertson
Ψυχῆς μὲν οὖν ἔργον ἐστι, θεωρεῖν μὲν καὶ τὰ ἔξω τοῦ ἰδίου σώματος τοῖς λογισμοῖς, οὐ μὴν καὶ ἔξωθεν τοῦ ἰδίου σώματος ἐνεργεῖν, ἢ τὰ τούτου μακρὰν τῇ παρουσίᾳ κινεῖν. οὐδέποτε γοῦν ἄνθρωπος διανοούμενος τὰ μακράν, ἤδη καὶ ταῦτα κινεῖ καὶ μεταφέρει· οὐδὲ εἰ ἐπὶ τῆς ἰδίας οἰκίας καθέζοιτό τις καὶ λογίζοιτο τὰ ἐν οὐρανῷ, ἤδη καὶ τὸν ἥλιον κινεῖ, καὶ τὸν οὐρανὸν περιστρέφει. ἀλλʼ ὁρᾷ μὲν αὐτὰ κινούμενα καὶ γεγονότα, οὐ μὴν ὥστε ἐργάζεσθαι αὐτὰ δυνατὸς τυγχάνει.
Psychēs men oun ergon esti, theōrein men kai ta exō tou idiou sōmatos tois logismois, ou mēn kai exōthen tou idiou sōmatos energein, ē ta toutou makran tę̄ parousią kinein. oudepote goun anthrōpos dianooumenos ta makran, ēdē kai tauta kinei kai metapherei; oude ei epi tēs idias oikias kathezoito tis kai logizoito ta en ouranǭ, ēdē kai ton hēlion kinei, kai ton ouranon peristrephei. allʼ horą men auta kinoumena kai gegonota, ou mēn hōste ergazesthai auta dynatos tynchanei.
Now it is the work of a soul to contemplate by its reasoning even things outside its own body, but not to act outside its own body or move by its presence things far from it. Never does a man, by thinking about distant things, thereby move or shift them; nor if someone sat in his own house and reasoned about the things in heaven would he thereby move the sun or make the heaven revolve. He sees them moving and existing, but he is not able to make them.
Notes and citation
Summary: A human soul can think of distant things but cannot move them.
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 17.3 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-17-3).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
17.4Robertson
Οὐ δὴ τοιοῦτος ἦν ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος ἐν τῷ Ἀνθρώπῳ· οὐ γὰρ συνεδέδετο τῷ σώματι, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον αὐτὸς ἐκράτει τοῦτο, ὥστε καὶ ἐν τούτῳ ἦν καὶ ἐν τοῖς πᾶσιν ἐτύγχανε, καὶ ἔξω τῶν ὄντων ἦν, καὶ ἐν μόνῳ τῷ Πατρὶ ἀνεπαύετο.
Ou dē toioutos ēn ho tou Theou Logos en tǭ Anthrōpǭ; ou gar synededeto tǭ sōmati, alla mallon autos ekratei touto, hōste kai en toutǭ ēn kai en tois pasin etynchane, kai exō tōn ontōn ēn, kai en monǭ tǭ Patri anepaueto.
The Word of God in the man was not like this. For he was not bound to the body, but rather himself had power over it, so that he was both in it and in all things, and was outside all beings, and rested in the Father alone.
Notes and citation
Summary: Unlike a soul, the Word was not bound to his body but was in it, in all things, beyond all, and at rest in the Father.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 17.4 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-17-4).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
17.5Robertson
Καὶ τὸ θαυμαστὸν τοῦτο ἦν, ὅτι καὶ ὡς ἄνθρωπος ἐπολιτεύετο, καὶ ὡς Λόγος τὰ πάντα ἐζωογόνει, καὶ ὡς Υἱὸς τῷ Πατρὶ συνῆν. ὅθεν οὐδὲ τῆς Παρθένου τικτούσης ἔπασχεν αὐτός, οὐδὲ ἐν σώματι ὧν ἐμολύνετο· ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον καὶ τὸ σῶμα ἡγίαζεν.
Kai to thaumaston touto ēn, hoti kai hōs anthrōpos epoliteueto, kai hōs Logos ta panta ezōogonei, kai hōs Huios tǭ Patri synēn. hothen oude tēs Parthenou tiktousēs epaschen autos, oude en sōmati hōn emolyneto; alla mallon kai to sōma hēgiazen.
And this was the wonder: that he lived as a man, and as the Word gave life to all things, and as the Son was with the Father. So neither when the Virgin gave birth did he himself suffer, nor was he defiled by being in a body; rather he sanctified the body.
Notes and citation
Summary: The Word lived as a man while giving life to all and remaining with the Father; he was not defiled by the body but sanctified it.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (dropped initial letter in the digital text): ὡς ἱὸς → ὡς Υἱὸς.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 17.5 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-17-5).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
17.6Robertson
Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς πᾶσιν ὥν, τῶν πάντων μεταλαμβάνει, ἀλλὰ πάντα μᾶλλον ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ ζωογονεῖται καὶ τρέφεται.
Oude gar en tois pasin hōn, tōn pantōn metalambanei, alla panta mallon hypʼ autou zōogoneitai kai trephetai.
For though he is in all things, he does not partake of all things; rather all things are given life and sustained by him.
Notes and citation
Summary: The Word is in all things without sharing their nature.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 17.6 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-17-6).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
17.7Robertson
Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἥλιος ὁ ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ γενόμενος καὶ ὑφʼ ἡμῶν ὁρώμενος, περιπολῶν ἐν οὐρανῷ, οὐ ῥυπαίνεται τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς σωμάτων ἁπτόμενος, οὐδὲ ὑπὸ σκότους ἀφανίζεται, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον αὐτὸς καὶ ταῦτα φωτίζει καὶ καθαρίζει· πολλῷ πλέον ὁ πανάγιος τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος, ὁ καὶ τοῦ ἡλίου ποιητὴς καὶ Κύριος, ἐν σώματι γνωριζόμενος οὐκ ἐῤῥυπαίνετο· ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον ἄφθαρτος ὥν, καὶ τὸ σῶμα θνητὸν τυγχάνον ἐζωοποίει καὶ ἐκαθάριζεν. Ὅς ἁμαρτίαν γάρ φησιν οὐκ ἐποίησεν, οὐδὲ εὑρέθη δόλος ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ.
Ei gar kai hēlios ho hypʼ autou genomenos kai hyphʼ hēmōn horōmenos, peripolōn en ouranǭ, ou rhypainetai tōn epi gēs sōmatōn haptomenos, oude hypo skotous aphanizetai, alla mallon autos kai tauta phōtizei kai katharizei; pollǭ pleon ho panagios tou Theou Logos, ho kai tou hēliou poiētēs kai Kyrios, en sōmati gnōrizomenos ouk errhypaineto; alla mallon aphthartos hōn, kai to sōma thnēton tynchanon ezōopoiei kai ekatharizen. Hos hamartian gar phēsin ouk epoiēsen, oude heurethē dolos en tǭ stomati autou.
For if even the sun, which was made by him and is seen by us, as it circles in heaven is not soiled by touching bodies on earth, nor put out by darkness, but rather itself lights and cleanses them, much more was the all-holy Word of God, the Maker and Lord of the sun as well, not soiled by being made known in a body; rather, being incorruptible, he gave life to and cleansed the body too, mortal as it was. For “he committed no sin,” it says, “nor was deceit found in his mouth.”
1 Pet 2:22 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 53:9 (quotation, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: As the sun is not soiled by what it shines on, the Word was not soiled by his body but cleansed it.
- 1 Pet 2:22 (from Isa 53:9).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: ρ for ο; dropped letter in the digital text): γνωριζόμνος → γνωριζόμενος; τυγχάνρν → τυγχάνον.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 17.7 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-17-7).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 18
18.1Robertson
Ὅταν τοίνυν ἐσθίοντα καὶ πίνοντα καὶ τικτόμενον αὐτὸν λέγωσιν οἱ περὶ τούτου θεολόγοι, γίνωσκε ὅτι τὸ μὲν σῶμα, ὡς σῶμα, ἐτίκτετο καὶ καταλήλοις ἐτρέφετο τροφαῖς, αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ συνὼν τῷ σώματι Θεὸς Λόγος τὰ πάντα διακοσμῶν, καὶ διʼ ὦν εἰργάζετο ἐν τῷ σώματι οὐκ ἄνθρωπον ἑαυτόν, ἀλλὰ Θεὸν Λόγον ἐγνώριζεν. λέγεται δὲ περὶ αὐτοῦ ταῦτα, ἐπειδὴ καὶ τὸ σῶμα ἐσθίον καὶ τικτόμενον καὶ πάσχον, οὐχ ἑτέρου τινός, ἀλλὰ τοῦ Κυρίου ἦν· καὶ ὅτι ἀνθρώπου γενομένου, ἔπρεπε καὶ ταῦτα ὡς περὶ ἀνθρώπου λέγεσθαι, ἵνα ἀληθείᾳ καὶ μὴ φαντασίᾳ σῶμα ἔχων φαίνηται.
Hotan toinyn esthionta kai pinonta kai tiktomenon auton legōsin hoi peri toutou theologoi, ginōske hoti to men sōma, hōs sōma, etikteto kai katalēlois etrepheto trophais, autos de ho synōn tǭ sōmati Theos Logos ta panta diakosmōn, kai diʼ ōn eirgazeto en tǭ sōmati ouk anthrōpon heauton, alla Theon Logon egnōrizen. legetai de peri autou tauta, epeidē kai to sōma esthion kai tiktomenon kai paschon, ouch heterou tinos, alla tou Kyriou ēn; kai hoti anthrōpou genomenou, eprepe kai tauta hōs peri anthrōpou legesthai, hina alētheią kai mē phantasią sōma echōn phainētai.
So when those who speak of God about him say that he ate and drank and was born, know that the body, as a body, was born and was nourished with suitable food, while he himself, God the Word, who was united with the body, was ordering all things, and by what he did in the body made himself known not as a man but as God the Word. These things are said of him because the body that ate and was born and suffered belonged to no one else but the Lord; and because, since he had become man, it was fitting that these things too should be said of him as of a man, so that he might be seen to have a body in truth and not in appearance.
Notes and citation
Summary: Eating, birth, and suffering are said of the Word because the body was truly his own, not a mere appearance.
- “In truth and not in appearance” rejects the view that Christ only seemed to have a body.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 18.1 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-18-1).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
18.2Robertson
Ἀλλʼ ὥσπερ ἐκ τούτων ἐγινώσκετο σωματικῶς παρών, οὕτως ἐκ τῶν ἔργων ὧν ἐποίει διὰ τοῦ σώματος, Υἱὸν Θεοῦ ἑαυτὸν ἐγνώριζεν. ὅθεν καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἀπίστους Ἰουδαίους ἐβόα λέγων· εἰ οὐ ποιῶ τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Πατρός μου, μὴ πιστεύητέ μοι· εἰ δὲ ποιῶ, κἂν ἐμοὶ μὴ πιστεύητε, τοῖς ἔργοις μου πιστεύσατε· ἵνα γνῶτε καὶ γινώσκητε, ὅτι ἐν ἐμοὶ ὁ Πατὴρ κἀγὼ ἐν τῷ Πατρί.
Allʼ hōsper ek toutōn eginōsketo sōmatikōs parōn, houtōs ek tōn ergōn hōn epoiei dia tou sōmatos, Huion Theou heauton egnōrizen. hothen kai pros tous apistous Ioudaious eboa legōn; ei ou poiō ta erga tou Patros mou, mē pisteuēte moi; ei de poiō, kan emoi mē pisteuēte, tois ergois mou pisteusate; hina gnōte kai ginōskēte, hoti en emoi ho Patēr kagō en tǭ Patri.
But as from these things he was known to be bodily present, so from the works he did through the body he made himself known as Son of God. So he cried out to the unbelieving Jews, saying: “If I do not do the works of my Father, do not believe me; but if I do them, even if you do not believe me, believe my works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”
John 10:37 (quotation, high confidence) · John 10:38 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ's works showed him to be the Son of God, as he told his unbelieving hearers.
- John 10:37–38.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 18.2 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-18-2).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
18.3Robertson
Ὡς γὰρ ἀόρατος ὤν, ἀπὸ τῶν τῆς κτίσεως ἔργων γινώσκεται· οὕτως ἄνθρωπος γενόμενος, καὶ ἐν σώματι μὴ ὁρώμενος, ἐκ τῶν ἔργων ἂν γνωσθείη, ὅτι οὐκ ἄνθρωπος ἀλλὰ Θεοῦ δύναμις καὶ Λόγος ἐστὶν ὁ ταῦτα ἐργαζόμενος.
Hōs gar aoratos ōn, apo tōn tēs ktiseōs ergōn ginōsketai; houtōs anthrōpos genomenos, kai en sōmati mē horōmenos, ek tōn ergōn an gnōstheiē, hoti ouk anthrōpos alla Theou dynamis kai Logos estin ho tauta ergazomenos.
For as, being invisible, he is known from the works of creation, so, having become man and not being seen in the body, he would be known from his works to be not a man, but the Power and Word of God who does these things.
Notes and citation
Summary: As creation reveals the invisible Word, so his works in the body reveal him as God's Power and Word.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 18.3 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-18-3).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
18.4Robertson
Τὸ γὰρ ἐπιτάσσειν αὐτὸν τοῖς δαίμοσι, κἀκείνους ἀπελαύνεσθαι, οὐκ ἀνθρώπινον ἀλλὰ θεῖόν ἐστι τὸ ἔργον. ἢ τίς ἰδὼν αὐτὸν τὰς νόσους ἰώμενον, ἐν αἷς ὑπόκειται τὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένος, ἔτι ἄνθρωπον καὶ οὐ Θεὸν ἡγεῖτο; λεπροὺς γὰρ ἐκαθάριζε, χωλοὺς περιπατεῖν ἐποίει, κωφῶν τὴν ἀκοὴν ἤνοιγε, τυφλοὺς ἀναβλέπειν ἐποίει, καὶ πάσας ἀπλῶς νόσους καὶ πᾶσαν μαλακίαν ἀπήλαυνεν ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἀφʼ ὧν ἦν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸν τυχόντα τὴν θεότητα θεωρεῖν. τίς γὰρ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν ἀποδιδόντα τὸ λεῖπον, οἷς ἡ γένεσις ἐνέλειψε, καὶ τοῦ ἐκ γενετῆς τυφλοῦ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἀνοίγοντα, οὐκ ἂν ἐνενόησε τὴν ἀνθρώπων ὑποκειμένην αὐτῷ γένεσιν, καὶ ταύτης εἶναι τοῦτον δημιουργὸν καὶ ποιητήν; ὁ γὰρ τὸ μὴ ὃ ἐκ γενέσεως ἔσχεν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἀποδιδούς, δῆλος ἄν εἴη πάντως, ὅτι Κύριος οὗτός ἐστι καὶ τῆς γενέσεως τῶν ἀνθρώπων.
To gar epitassein auton tois daimosi, kakeinous apelaunesthai, ouk anthrōpinon alla theion esti to ergon. ē tis idōn auton tas nosous iōmenon, en hais hypokeitai to tōn anthrōpōn genos, eti anthrōpon kai ou Theon hēgeito? leprous gar ekatharize, chōlous peripatein epoiei, kōphōn tēn akoēn ēnoige, typhlous anablepein epoiei, kai pasas aplōs nosous kai pasan malakian apēlaunen apo tōn anthrōpōn, aphʼ hōn ēn autou kai ton tychonta tēn theotēta theōrein. tis gar idōn auton apodidonta to leipon, hois hē genesis eneleipse, kai tou ek genetēs typhlou tous ophthalmous anoigonta, ouk an enenoēse tēn anthrōpōn hypokeimenēn autǭ genesin, kai tautēs einai touton dēmiourgon kai poiētēn? ho gar to mē ho ek geneseōs eschen ho anthrōpos apodidous, dēlos an eiē pantōs, hoti Kyrios houtos esti kai tēs geneseōs tōn anthrōpōn.
For his commanding the demons, and their being driven out, is not a human but a divine work. Or who, seeing him heal the diseases to which the human race is subject, would still think him a man and not God? He cleansed lepers, made the lame walk, opened the ears of the deaf, made the blind see, and in short drove away every disease and every sickness from human beings; from which even an ordinary person could behold his divinity. For who, seeing him give back what was lacking to those whose birth had left them deficient, and open the eyes of the man blind from birth, would not have understood that the birth of human beings is subject to him, and that he is its Maker and Creator? For he who gives back what a man did not have from birth must surely be the Lord of the birth of human beings as well.
Matt 11:5 (allusion, high confidence) · John 9:1 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ's power over demons and diseases, especially healing the man born blind, shows him to be Lord and Maker of human nature.
- Matt 11:5; John 9:1–7.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 18.4 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-18-4).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
18.5Robertson
Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἐν ἀρχὴ κατερχόμενος πρὸς ἡμᾶς, ἐκ παρθένου πλάττει ἑαυτῷ τὸ σῶμα, ἵνα μὴ μικρὸν τῆς θεότητος αὐτοῦ γνώρισμα πᾶσι παράσχῃ, ὅτι ὁ τοῦτο πλάσας αὐτός ἐστι καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ποιητής. τίς γὰρ ἰδὼν χωρὶς ἀνδρὸς ἐκ παρθένου μόνης χόμενον σῶμα, οὐκ ἐνθυμεῖται τὸν ἐν τούτῳ φαινόμενον εἶναι καὶ τῶν ἄλλῶν σωμάτων ποιητὴν καὶ Κύριον;
Dia touto kai en archē katerchomenos pros hēmas, ek parthenou plattei heautǭ to sōma, hina mē mikron tēs theotētos autou gnōrisma pasi paraschę̄, hoti ho touto plasas autos esti kai tōn allōn poiētēs. tis gar idōn chōris andros ek parthenou monēs chomenon sōma, ouk enthymeitai ton en toutǭ phainomenon einai kai tōn allōn sōmatōn poiētēn kai Kyrion?
This is why, at the beginning, when he came down to us, he fashioned the body for himself from a virgin, so as to give all no small sign of his divinity: that he who fashioned it is himself the Maker of other things as well. For who, seeing a body come forth from a virgin alone without a man, does not conclude that the one appearing in it is the Maker and Lord of other bodies too?
Notes and citation
Summary: His virgin birth was a sign that he is the Maker and Lord of all bodies.
- “Come forth” translates the damaged word χόμενον in the digital text by sense.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 18.5 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-18-5).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
18.6Robertson
Τίς δὲ ἰδὼν καὶ τὴν ὑδάτων ἀλλασσομένην οὐσίαν, καὶ εἰς οἶνον μεταβαλοῦσαν, οὐκ ἐννοεῖ τὸν τοῦτο ποιήσαντα Κύριον εἶναι καὶ κτίστην τῆς τῶν ὅλων ὑδάτων οὐσίας; διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ ὡς δεσπότης ἐπέβαινε καὶ τῇ θαλάσσῃ, καὶ περιεπάτει ὡς ἐπὶ γῆς, γνώρισμα τῆς ἐπὶ πάντα δεσποτείας αὐτοῦ τοῖς ὁρῶσι παρέχων. τρέφων δὲ καὶ ἐξ ὀλίγων τοσοῦτον πλῆθος, καὶ ἐξ ἀπόρων εὐπορῶν αὐτός, ὥστε ἀπὸ πέντε ἄρτων πεντακισχιλίους κορεσθῆναι, καὶ ἄλλο τοσοῦτο καταλεῖψαι, οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἢ αὐτὸν εἶναι καὶ τὸν τῆς ὅλων προνοίας Κύριον ἐγνώριζε;
Tis de idōn kai tēn hydatōn allassomenēn ousian, kai eis oinon metabalousan, ouk ennoei ton touto poiēsanta Kyrion einai kai ktistēn tēs tōn holōn hydatōn ousias? dia touto gar hōs despotēs epebaine kai tę̄ thalassę̄, kai periepatei hōs epi gēs, gnōrisma tēs epi panta despoteias autou tois horōsi parechōn. trephōn de kai ex oligōn tosouton plēthos, kai ex aporōn euporōn autos, hōste apo pente artōn pentakischilious koresthēnai, kai allo tosouto kataleipsai, ouden heteron ē auton einai kai ton tēs holōn pronoias Kyrion egnōrize?
And who, seeing the substance of water changed and turned into wine, does not realize that the one who did this is the Lord and Creator of the substance of all waters? For this reason he walked on the sea as its master and walked as on land, giving those who saw it a sign of his lordship over all things. And by feeding so great a multitude from little, and himself producing plenty out of scarcity, so that five thousand were filled from five loaves and as much again was left over, did he not make himself known as none other than the Lord of the providence over all things?
John 2:9 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 14:25 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 14:21 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Turning water to wine, walking on the sea, and feeding the five thousand show his lordship over creation.
- John 2:1–11; Matt 14:25; Matt 14:15–21. “As much again was left over” is Athanasius's phrasing.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (dropped letter in the digital text; garbled word in the digital text): Τίς δὲ δὸν → Τίς δὲ ἰδὼν; ἐγνώρζε → ἐγνώριζε.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 18.6 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-18-6).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 19
19.1Robertson
Ταῦτα δὲ πάντα ποιεῖν τῷ Σωτῆρι καλῶς ἔχειν ἐδόκει· ἵνʼ ἐπειδὴ τὴν ἐν τοῖς πᾶσιν αὐτοῦ πρόνοιαν ἠγνόησαν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, καὶ οὐ κατενόησαν τὴν διὰ τῆς κτίσεως αὐτοῦ θεότητα, κἂν ἐκ τῶν διὰ τοῦ σώματος ἔργων αὐτοῦ ἀναβλέψωσι, καὶ ἔννοιαν λάβωσι διʼ αὐτοῦ τῆς εἰς τὸν Πατέρα γνώσεως, ἐκ τῶν κατὰ μέρος τὴν εἰς τὰ ὅλα αὐτοῦ πρόνοιαν, ὡς προεῖπον, ἀναλογιζόμενοι
Tauta de panta poiein tǭ Sōtēri kalōs echein edokei; hinʼ epeidē tēn en tois pasin autou pronoian ēgnoēsan hoi anthrōpoi, kai ou katenoēsan tēn dia tēs ktiseōs autou theotēta, kan ek tōn dia tou sōmatos ergōn autou anablepsōsi, kai ennoian labōsi diʼ autou tēs eis ton Patera gnōseōs, ek tōn kata meros tēn eis ta hola autou pronoian, hōs proeipon, analogizomenoi
The Savior thought it good to do all these things so that, since human beings had failed to recognize his providence in all things and had not perceived his divinity through creation, they might at least look up from the works done through his body, and through him receive an idea of the knowledge of the Father, inferring, as I said before, from the particular things his providence over the whole.
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ's bodily works were meant to lead those blind to creation to know the Father through him.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 19.1 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-19-1).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
19.2Robertson
Τίς γὰρ ἰδὼν αὐτοῦ τὴν κατὰ δαιμόνων ἐξουσίαν, ἢ τίς ἰδὼν τοὺς δαίμονας ὁμολογοῦντας εἶναι τούτων αὐτὸν Κύριον, ἔτι τὴν διάνοιαν ἀμφίβολον ἕξει, εἰ οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Υἱὸς καὶ ἡ Σοφία, καὶ ἡ Δύναμις.
Tis gar idōn autou tēn kata daimonōn exousian, ē tis idōn tous daimonas homologountas einai toutōn auton Kyrion, eti tēn dianoian amphibolon hexei, ei houtos estin ho tou Theou Huios kai hē Sophia, kai hē Dynamis.
For who, seeing his authority over demons, or seeing the demons confess that he is their Lord, will still be of doubtful mind whether this is the Son of God, the Wisdom and the Power?
Mark 1:24 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Cor 1:24 (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: His authority over demons, which they themselves confess, shows he is the Son of God.
- The demons' confession: e.g. Mark 1:24; 5:7. “Wisdom and Power”: 1 Cor 1:24.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (dropped initial letter in the digital text; garbled word in the digital text): τίς δῶν τοὺς → τίς ἰδὼν τοὺς; ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἱὸς → ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Υἱὸς.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 19.2 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-19-2).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
19.3Robertson
Οὐδὲ γὰρ τὴν κτίσιν αὐτὴν σιωπῆσαι πεποίηκεν, ἀλλὰ τό γε θαυμαστόν, καὶ ἐν τῷ θανάτῳ, μᾶλλον δὲ ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ κατὰ τοῦ θανάτου τροπαίῳ, λέγω δὴ τῷ σταυρῷ, πᾶσα ἡ κτίσις ὡμολόγει τὸν ἐν τῷ σώματι γνωριζόμενον καὶ πάσχοντα οὐχ ἁπλῶς εἶναι ἄνθρωπον, ἀλλὰ Θεοῦ Υἱὸν καὶ Σωτῆρα πάντων. ὅ τε γὰρ ἥλιος ἀπεστράφη, καὶ ἡ γῆ ἐσείετο, καὶ τὰ ὄρη ἐῤῥήγνυτο, πάντες κατέπτησσον. ταῦτα δὲ τὸν μὲν ἐν τῷ σταυρῷ Χριστὸν Θεὸν ἐδείκνυον, τὴν δὲ κτίσιν πᾶσαν τούτου δούλην εἶναι, καὶ μαρτυροῦσαν τῷ φόβῳ τὴν τοῦ δεσπότου παρουσίαν.
Oude gar tēn ktisin autēn siōpēsai pepoiēken, alla to ge thaumaston, kai en tǭ thanatǭ, mallon de en autǭ tǭ kata tou thanatou tropaiǭ, legō dē tǭ staurǭ, pasa hē ktisis hōmologei ton en tǭ sōmati gnōrizomenon kai paschonta ouch haplōs einai anthrōpon, alla Theou Huion kai Sōtēra pantōn. ho te gar hēlios apestraphē, kai hē gē eseieto, kai ta orē errhēgnyto, pantes kateptēsson. tauta de ton men en tǭ staurǭ Christon Theon edeiknyon, tēn de ktisin pasan toutou doulēn einai, kai martyrousan tǭ phobǭ tēn tou despotou parousian.
Nor did he make creation itself keep silent; but, most wonderful of all, even in his death, or rather in the very trophy over death, I mean the cross, all creation confessed that he who was made known and suffered in the body was not simply a man but the Son of God and Savior of all. For the sun turned away, the earth quaked, the mountains were rent, and all were terrified. These things showed that Christ on the cross was God, and that all creation was his servant and bore witness by its fear to the presence of its Master.
Matt 27:45 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 27:51 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 27:54 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: At the cross the darkened sun, the earthquake, and the split rocks confessed Christ as God and Savior.
- Matt 27:45, 51–54.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 19.3 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-19-3).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
19.4Robertson
Οὕτω μὲν οὖν ὁ Θεὸς Λόγος διὰ τῶν ἔργων ἑαυτὸν ἐνεφάνιζε τοῖς ἀνθρώποις. ἀκόλουθον δʼ ἂν εἴη καὶ τὸ τέλος τῆς ἐν σώματι διαγωγῆς καὶ περιπολήσεως αὐτοῦ διηγήσασθαι, καὶ εἰπεῖν καὶ ὁποῖος γέγονεν ὁ τοῦ σώματος θάνατος· μάλιστα ὅτι τὸ κεφάλαιον τῆς πίστεως ἡμῶν ἐστὶ τοῦτο, καὶ πάντες ἁπλῶς ἄνθρωποι περὶ τούτου θρυλλοῦσιν· ἵνα γνῷς ὅτι καὶ ἐκ τούτου μᾶλλον οὐδὲν ἧττον γινώσκεται Θεὸς ὁ Χριστὸς καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ Υίός.
Houtō men oun ho Theos Logos dia tōn ergōn heauton enephanize tois anthrōpois. akolouthon dʼ an eiē kai to telos tēs en sōmati diagōgēs kai peripolēseōs autou diēgēsasthai, kai eipein kai hopoios gegonen ho tou sōmatos thanatos; malista hoti to kephalaion tēs pisteōs hēmōn esti touto, kai pantes haplōs anthrōpoi peri toutou thryllousin; hina gnǭs hoti kai ek toutou mallon ouden hētton ginōsketai Theos ho Christos kai tou Theou Uios.
In this way, then, God the Word manifested himself to human beings through his works. It would be fitting next to relate the end of his life and conduct in the body, and to say what kind of death the body suffered; above all because this is the chief point of our faith, and absolutely everyone talks about it; so that you may know that from this too, no less, Christ is known to be God and the Son of God.
Notes and citation
Summary: Athanasius turns to Christ's death, the chief point of the faith, which also shows him to be God.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 19.4 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-19-4).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 20
20.1Robertson
Τὴν μὲν οὖν αἰτίαν τῆς σωματικῆς ἐπιφανείας αὐτοῦ, ὡς οἷόν τε ἦν, ἐκ μέρους, καὶ ὡς ἡμεῖς ἠδυνήθημεν νοῆσαι, προείπομεν, ὅτι οὐκ ἄλλου ἦν τὸ φθαρτὸν εἰς ἀφθαρσίαν μεταβαλεῖν, εἰ μὴ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Σωτῆρος, τοῦ καὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων πεποιηκότος τὰ ὅλα· καὶ οὐκ ἄλλου ἦν, τὸ κατʼ εἰκόνα πάλιν ἀνακτίσαι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, εἰ μὴ τῆς Εἰκόνος τοῦ Πατρός· καὶ οὐκ ἄλλου ἦν τὸ θνητὸν ἀθάνατον παραστῆσαι, εἰ μὴ τῆς Αὐτοζωῆς οὔσης τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ· καὶ οὐκ ἄλλου ἦν περὶ Πατρὸς διδάξαι, καὶ τὴν εἰδώλων καθαιρῆσαι θρησκείαν, εἰ μὴ τοῦ τὰ πάντα διακοσμοῦντος Λόγου, καὶ μόνου τοῦ Πατρὸς ὄντος Υἱοῦ μονογενοῦς ἀληθινοῦ.
Tēn men oun aitian tēs sōmatikēs epiphaneias autou, hōs hoion te ēn, ek merous, kai hōs hēmeis ēdynēthēmen noēsai, proeipomen, hoti ouk allou ēn to phtharton eis aphtharsian metabalein, ei mē autou tou Sōtēros, tou kai tēn archēn ex ouk ontōn pepoiēkotos ta hola; kai ouk allou ēn, to katʼ eikona palin anaktisai tois anthrōpois, ei mē tēs Eikonos tou Patros; kai ouk allou ēn to thnēton athanaton parastēsai, ei mē tēs Autozōēs ousēs tou Kyriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou; kai ouk allou ēn peri Patros didaxai, kai tēn eidōlōn kathairēsai thrēskeian, ei mē tou ta panta diakosmountos Logou, kai monou tou Patros ontos Huiou monogenous alēthinou.
We have stated before, in part, as far as was possible and as far as we were able to understand, the reason for his bodily appearing: that it belonged to no one else to change the corruptible into incorruption but to the Savior himself, who in the beginning made the universe out of nothing; that it belonged to no one else to re-create for human beings what was according to the image but to the Image of the Father; that it belonged to no one else to render the mortal immortal but to our Lord Jesus Christ, who is Life itself; and that it belonged to no one else to teach about the Father and overthrow the worship of idols but to the Word who orders all things, who alone is the true, only-begotten Son of the Father.
Notes and citation
Summary: Athanasius sums up: only the creating Word, the Image and Life itself, could restore incorruption, renew the image, and teach of the Father.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 20.1 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-20-1).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
20.2Robertson
Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ τὸ ὀφειλόμενον παρὰ πάντων ἔδει λοιπὸν ἀποδοθῆναι· ὠφείλετο γὰρ πάντας, ὡς προεῖπον, ἀποθανεῖν, δʼ ὃ μάλιστα καὶ ἐπεδήμησε· τούτου ἕνεκεν μετὰ τὰς περὶ θεότητος αὐτοῦ ἐκ τῶν ἔργων ἀποδείξεις, ἤδη λοιπὸν καὶ ὑπὲρ πάντων τὴν θυσίαν ἀνέφερεν, ἀντὶ πάντων τὸν ἑαυτοῦ ναὸν εἰς θάνατον παραδιδούς, ἵνα τοὺς μὲν πάντας ἀνυπευθύνους καὶ ἐλευθέρους τῆς ἀρχαίας παραβάσεως ποιήσῃ· δείξη δὲ ἑαυτὸν καὶ θανάτου κρείττονα, ἀπαρχὴν τῆς τῶν ὅλων ἀναστάσεως τὸ ἴδιον σῶμα ἄφθαρτον ἐπιδεικνύμενος.
Epeidē de kai to opheilomenon para pantōn edei loipon apodothēnai; ōpheileto gar pantas, hōs proeipon, apothanein, dʼ ho malista kai epedēmēse; toutou heneken meta tas peri theotētos autou ek tōn ergōn apodeixeis, ēdē loipon kai hyper pantōn tēn thysian anepheren, anti pantōn ton heautou naon eis thanaton paradidous, hina tous men pantas anypeuthynous kai eleutherous tēs archaias parabaseōs poiēsę̄; deixē de heauton kai thanatou kreittona, aparchēn tēs tōn holōn anastaseōs to idion sōma aphtharton epideiknymenos.
But since the debt owed by all had still to be paid (for, as I said before, all were bound to die), and this was the chief reason for his coming, for this reason, after the proofs of his divinity from his works, he now also offered the sacrifice on behalf of all, giving over his own temple to death in place of all, so as to make all free from liability and from the ancient transgression, and to show himself stronger even than death, displaying his own body incorruptible as the firstfruits of the resurrection of all.
1 Cor 15:20 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Having shown his divinity, Christ paid the debt of death for all and showed his incorruptible body as the firstfruits of the resurrection.
- “Firstfruits”: 1 Cor 15:20.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 20.2 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-20-2).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
20.3Robertson
Καὶ μήτοι θαυμάσῃς εἰ πολλάκις τὰ αὐτὰ περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν λέγομεν. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ περὶ τῆς εὐδοκίας τοῦ Θεοῦ λαλοῦμεν, διὰ τοῦτο τὸν αὐτὸν εἰς διὰ πλειόνων ἑρμηνεύομεν, μὴ ἅρα τι παραλιμπάνειν δόξωμεν, καὶ ἔγκλημα γένηται ὡς ἐνδεῶς εἰρηκόσι· καὶ γὰρ βέλτιον ταὐτολογίας μέμψιν ὑποστῆναι, ἡ παραλεῖψαί τι τῶν ὀφειλόντων γραφῆναι.
Kai mētoi thaumasę̄s ei pollakis ta auta peri tōn autōn legomen. epeidē gar peri tēs eudokias tou Theou laloumen, dia touto ton auton eis dia pleionōn hermēneuomen, mē hara ti paralimpanein doxōmen, kai enklēma genētai hōs endeōs eirēkosi; kai gar beltion tautologias mempsin hypostēnai, hē paraleipsai ti tōn opheilontōn graphēnai.
And do not be surprised if we often say the same things about the same matters. For since we are speaking of the good pleasure of God, for that reason we express the same meaning in more ways than one, lest we seem to leave anything out and be charged with having spoken inadequately. For it is better to incur the blame of repetition than to omit anything that ought to be written.
Notes and citation
Summary: Athanasius excuses his repetitions as better than omissions.
- “The same meaning” renders a damaged phrase (τὸν αὐτὸν εἰς) by sense.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (garbled word in the digital text): μὰ τοῦτο → διὰ τοῦτο; δᾶ πλειόνων → διὰ πλειόνων.
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 20.3 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-20-3).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
20.4Robertson
Τὸ μὲν οὖν σῶμα, ὡς καὶ αὐτὸ κοινὴν ἔχον τοῖς πᾶσι τὴν οὐσίαν· σῶμα γὰρ ἦν ἀνθρώπινον· εἰ καὶ καινοτέρῳ θαύματι συνέστη ἐκ παρθένου μόνης, ὅμως θνητὸν ὃν κατὰ ἀκολουθίαν τῶν ὁμοίων καὶ ἀπέθνησκε· τῇ δὲ τοῦ Λόγου εἰς αὐτὸ ἐπιβάσει, οὐκέτι κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν φύσιν ἐφθείρετο· ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸν ἐνοικήσαντα τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγον, ἐκτὸς ἐγίνετο φθορᾶς.
To men oun sōma, hōs kai auto koinēn echon tois pasi tēn ousian; sōma gar ēn anthrōpinon; ei kai kainoterǭ thaumati synestē ek parthenou monēs, homōs thnēton hon kata akolouthian tōn homoiōn kai apethnēske; tę̄ de tou Logou eis auto epibasei, ouketi kata tēn idian physin ephtheireto; alla dia ton enoikēsanta tou Theou Logon, ektos egineto phthoras.
The body, then, since it too had the same being (οὐσία) as all (for it was a human body), even though it was formed by a new miracle from a virgin alone, yet being mortal it also died, in keeping with bodies like it. But by the Word's coming into it, it was no longer corrupted according to its own nature, but, because of the Word of God who had come to dwell in it, it came to be beyond corruption.
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ's body, fully human, truly died, but because the Word dwelt in it, it did not see corruption.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (garbled word in the digital text): δᾴαν φύσιν → ἰδίαν φύσιν.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 20.4 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-20-4).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
20.5Robertson
Καὶ συνέβαινεν ἀμφότερα ἐν ταὐτῷ γενέσθαι παραδόξως· ὅτι τε ὁ πάντων θάνατος ἐν τῷ Κυριακῷ σώματι ἐπληροῦτο, καὶ ὁ θάνατος καὶ ἡ φθορὰ δία τὸν συνόντα Λόγον ἐξηφανίζετο. θανάτου γὰρ ἦν χρεία, καὶ θάνατον ὑπὲρ πάντων ἔδει γενέσθαι, ἵνα τὸ παρὰ πάντων ὀφειλόμενον γένηται.
Kai synebainen amphotera en tautǭ genesthai paradoxōs; hoti te ho pantōn thanatos en tǭ Kyriakǭ sōmati eplērouto, kai ho thanatos kai hē phthora dia ton synonta Logon exēphanizeto. thanatou gar ēn chreia, kai thanaton hyper pantōn edei genesthai, hina to para pantōn opheilomenon genētai.
And so both things happened, wonderfully, in the same act: the death of all was fulfilled in the Lord's body, and death and corruption were done away because of the Word who was united with it. For there was need of death, and death had to take place on behalf of all, so that what was owed by all might be paid.
Notes and citation
Summary: In Christ's body the death of all was fulfilled and death itself destroyed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (garbled word and stray bracket in the digital text): [νᾷ τὸ → ἵνα τὸ.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 20.5 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-20-5).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
20.6Robertson
Ὅθεν, ὡς προεῖπον, ὁ Λόγος, ἐπεὶ οὐχ οἷόν τε ἦν αὐτὸν ἀποθανεῖν· ἀθάνατος γὰρ ἦν· ἔλαβεν ἑαυτῷ σῶμα τὸ δυνάμενον ἀποθανεῖν, ἵνα ὡς ἴδιον ἀντὶ πάντων αὐτὸ προσενέγκῃ, καὶ ὡς αὐτὸς ὑπὲρ πάντων πάσχων, διὰ τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸ ἐπίβασιν, καταργήσῃ τὸν τὸ κράτος ἔχοντα τοῦ θανάτου, τουτέστι τὸν διάβολον· καὶ ἀπαλλάξῃ τούτους, ὅσοι φόβῳ θανάτου διὰ παντὸς τοῦ ζῆν ἔνοχοι ἦσαν δουλείας.
Hothen, hōs proeipon, ho Logos, epei ouch hoion te ēn auton apothanein; athanatos gar ēn; elaben heautǭ sōma to dynamenon apothanein, hina hōs idion anti pantōn auto prosenenkę̄, kai hōs autos hyper pantōn paschōn, dia tēn pros auto epibasin, katargēsę̄ ton to kratos echonta tou thanatou, toutesti ton diabolon; kai apallaxę̄ toutous, hosoi phobǭ thanatou dia pantos tou zēn enochoi ēsan douleias.
So, as I said before, since it was not possible for the Word to die (for he was immortal), he took to himself a body capable of dying, so that he might offer it as his own in place of all, and, suffering on behalf of all through his coming into it, “might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.”
Heb 2:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 2:15 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The immortal Word took a mortal body to offer it for all and to destroy the devil.
- Heb 2:14–15.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 20.6 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-20-6).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 21
21.1Robertson
Ἀμέλει τοῦ κοινοῦ πάντων Σωτῆρος θανόντος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, οὐκέτι νῦν ὥσπερ πάλαι κατὰ τὴν τοῦ νόμου ἀπειλὴν θανάτῳ ἀποθνήσκομεν οἱ ἐν Χριστῷ πιστοί· πέπαυται γὰρ ἡ τοιαύτη καταδίκη· ἀλλὰ τῆς φθορᾶς παυομένης καὶ ἀφανιζομένης ἐν τῇ τῆς ἀναστάσεως χάριτι, λοιπὸν κατὰ τὸ τοῦ σώματος θνητὸν διαλυόμεθα μόνον τῷ χρόνῳ ὃν ἑκάστῳ ὁ Θεὸς ὥρισεν, ἵνα κρείττονος ἀναστάσεως τυχεῖν δυνηθῶμεν.
Amelei tou koinou pantōn Sōtēros thanontos hyper hēmōn, ouketi nyn hōsper palai kata tēn tou nomou apeilēn thanatǭ apothnēskomen hoi en Christǭ pistoi; pepautai gar hē toiautē katadikē; alla tēs phthoras pauomenēs kai aphanizomenēs en tę̄ tēs anastaseōs chariti, loipon kata to tou sōmatos thnēton dialyometha monon tǭ chronǭ hon hekastǭ ho Theos hōrisen, hina kreittonos anastaseōs tychein dynēthōmen.
Indeed, now that the common Savior of all has died for us, we who believe in Christ no longer die by death as before, according to the threat of the law; for that condemnation has ceased. Rather, since corruption has ceased and been done away by the grace of the resurrection, from now on we are dissolved only according to the body's mortality, at the time God has appointed for each, so that we may be able to obtain a better resurrection.
Heb 11:35 (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Since Christ's death, believers no longer die under condemnation but are only dissolved for a time, to gain a better resurrection.
- “A better resurrection”: Heb 11:35.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (misplaced accent in the digital text): ἵνᾷ κρείττονος → ἵνα κρείττονος.
Topics: Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 21.1 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-21-1).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
21.2Robertson
Δίκην γὰρ τῶν ἐν τῇ γῇ καταβαλλομένων σπερμάτων, οὐκ ἀπολλύμεθα διαλυόμενοι, ἀλλʼ ὡς σπειρόμενοι ἀναστησόμεθα, καταργηθέντος τοῦ θανάτου κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Σωτῆρος χάριν. διὰ τοῦτο γοῦν καὶ ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος ἐγγυητὴς τῆς ἀναστάσεως πᾶσι γενόμενός φησι· δεῖ τὸ φθαρτὸν τοῦτο ἐνδύσασθαι ἀφθαρσίαν, καὶ τὸ θνητὸν τοῦτο ἐνδύσασθαι ἀθανασίαν· ὅταν δὲ τὸ θνητὸν τοῦτο ἐνδύσηται ἀθανασίαν, τότε γενήσεται ὁ λόγος ὁ γεγραμμένος· κατεπόθη ὁ θάνατος εἰς νῖκος. ποῦ σοῦ, θάνατε, τὸ κέντρον;
Dikēn gar tōn en tę̄ gę̄ kataballomenōn spermatōn, ouk apollymetha dialyomenoi, allʼ hōs speiromenoi anastēsometha, katargēthentos tou thanatou kata tēn tou Sōtēros charin. dia touto goun kai ho makarios Paulos engyētēs tēs anastaseōs pasi genomenos phēsi; dei to phtharton touto endysasthai aphtharsian, kai to thnēton touto endysasthai athanasian; hotan de to thnēton touto endysētai athanasian, tote genēsetai ho logos ho gegrammenos; katepothē ho thanatos eis nikos. pou sou, thanate, to kentron?
For like seeds cast into the earth, we do not perish when we are dissolved, but, as those that are sown, we shall rise again, since death has been abolished by the grace of the Savior. So the blessed Paul, who became for all a guarantor of the resurrection, says: “This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. And when this mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the word that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your sting?”
1 Cor 15:53 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 15:54 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 15:55 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 15:36 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Believers are like seeds sown for resurrection, as 1 Corinthians 15 promises.
- 1 Cor 15:53–55 (quoting Isa 25:8; Hos 13:14). The seed image: 1 Cor 15:36–37.
Topics: Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 21.2 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-21-2).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
21.3Robertson
Διὰ τί οὖν, ἄν τις εἴποι, εἴπερ ἀναγκαῖον ἦν ἀντὶ πάντων αὐτὸν παραδοῦναι τὸ σῶμα θανάτῳ, οὐχ ὡς ἄνθρωπος ἰδίως ἀπέθετο τοῦτο, ἀλλὰ καὶ μέχρι τοῦ σταυρωθῆναι παρῆλθεν; ἐντίμως γὰρ μᾶλλον αὐτὸν ἔπρεπεν ἀποθέσθαι τὸ σῶμα, ἤπερ μεθʼ ὕβρεως τὸν τοιοῦτον θάνατον ὑπομεῖναι.
Dia ti oun, an tis eipoi, eiper anankaion ēn anti pantōn auton paradounai to sōma thanatǭ, ouch hōs anthrōpos idiōs apetheto touto, alla kai mechri tou staurōthēnai parēlthen? entimōs gar mallon auton eprepen apothesthai to sōma, ēper methʼ hybreōs ton toiouton thanaton hypomeinai.
Why then, someone might say, if it was necessary for him to give his body over to death in place of all, did he not lay it aside privately as a man, instead of going as far as being crucified? For it would have been more fitting for him to lay aside his body honorably than to endure such a death with outrage.
Notes and citation
Summary: An objector asks why Christ did not die privately and honorably rather than by the shameful cross.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 21.3 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-21-3).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
21.4Robertson
Θέα δὴ πάλιν εἰ μὴ ἡ τοιαύτη ἀντίθεσίς ἐστιν ἀνθρωπίνη· τὸ δὲ ὑπὸ τοῦ Σωτῆρος γενόμενον, θεῖον ἀληθῶς καὶ ἄξιον τῆς αὐτοῦ θεότητος διὰ πολλά. Πρῶτον μέν, ὅτι ὁ συμβαίνων τοῖς ἀνθρώποις θάνατος κατὰ ἀσθένειαν τῆς αὐτῶν φύσεως αὐτοῖς παραγίνεται· οὐ δυνάμενοι γὰρ ἐπὶ πολὺ διαμένειν, τῷ χρόνῳ διαλύονται. διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ νόσοι τούτοις συμβαίνουσι, καὶ ἐξασθενήσαντες ἀποθνήσκουσιν. ὁ δὲ Κύριος οὐκ ἀσθενής, ἀλλὰ Θεοῦ Δύναμις, καὶ Θεοῦ Λόγος ἐστί, καὶ Αὐτοζωή.
Thea dē palin ei mē hē toiautē antithesis estin anthrōpinē; to de hypo tou Sōtēros genomenon, theion alēthōs kai axion tēs autou theotētos dia polla. Prōton men, hoti ho symbainōn tois anthrōpois thanatos kata astheneian tēs autōn physeōs autois paraginetai; ou dynamenoi gar epi poly diamenein, tǭ chronǭ dialyontai. dia touto gar kai nosoi toutois symbainousi, kai exasthenēsantes apothnēskousin. ho de Kyrios ouk asthenēs, alla Theou Dynamis, kai Theou Logos esti, kai Autozōē.
See, again, whether such an objection is not merely human, while what the Savior did is truly divine and worthy of his divinity for many reasons. First, the death that befalls human beings comes to them through the weakness of their nature: not able to last long, they are dissolved in time. That is why diseases befall them, and they grow weak and die. But the Lord is not weak; he is the Power of God and the Word of God and Life itself.
1 Cor 1:24 (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Human death comes from natural weakness, but the Lord is not weak; he is God's Power, Word, and Life itself.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (dropped letter in the digital text; garbled word ending in the digital text): ὁ δὲ Κύρος → ὁ δὲ Κύριος; Λόγος ἐστῆ → Λόγος ἐστί.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 21.4 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-21-4).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
21.5Robertson
Εἰ μὲν οὖν ἦν ἰδίᾳ που, καὶ κατὰ τὴν συνήθειαν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀποθέμενος τὸ σῶμα ἐν κλίνῃ, ἐνομίσθη ἄν καὶ αὐτὸς κατὰ τὴν τῆς φύσεως ἀσθένειαν τοῦτο παθών, καὶ μηδὲν ἔχων πλέον τῶν ἄλλων ἀνθρώπων. ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ Ζωὴ ἦν, καὶ Θεοῦ Λόγος, καὶ ἔδει τὸν ὑπὲρ πάντων γενέσθαι θάνατον, διὰ τοῦτο ὡς μὲν Ζωὴ καὶ δύναμις ὡν συνίσχυεν ἐν αὐτῷ τὸ σῶμα·
Ei men oun ēn idią pou, kai kata tēn synētheian tōn anthrōpōn apothemenos to sōma en klinę̄, enomisthē an kai autos kata tēn tēs physeōs astheneian touto pathōn, kai mēden echōn pleon tōn allōn anthrōpōn. epeidē de kai Zōē ēn, kai Theou Logos, kai edei ton hyper pantōn genesthai thanaton, dia touto hōs men Zōē kai dynamis hōn synischyen en autǭ to sōma;
If, then, he had laid aside his body privately somewhere, in a bed, after the manner of human beings, it would have been thought that he too suffered this through the weakness of nature, and had nothing more than other human beings. But since he was Life and the Word of God, and the death on behalf of all had to take place, for this reason, as Life and Power, he strengthened the body within himself;
Notes and citation
Summary: A private death in bed would have made Christ seem merely human; as Life and Power he kept his body strong.
- The sentence continues in 21.6.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: [ for Ζ; OCR: Φ for Θ): Φεοῦ Λόγος → Θεοῦ Λόγος; [ωὴ καὶ → Ζωὴ καὶ.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 21.5 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-21-5).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
21.6Robertson
ὡς δὲ ὀφεῖλοντος γενέσθαι τοῦ θανάτου, οὐχ ἑαυτῷ, ἀλλὰ παρʼ ἑτέρων ἐλάμβανε τὴν πρόφασιν τοῦ τελειῶσαι τὴν θυσίαν· ἐπεὶ μηδὲ νοσεῖν ἔδει τὸν Κύριον, τὸν τῶν ἄλλων τὰς νόσους θεραπεύοντα. ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ ἐξασθενῆσαι ἔδει πάλιν τὸ σῶμα, ἐν ᾧ καὶ τὰς τῶν ἄλλων ἀσθενείας ἰσχυροποίει.
hōs de opheilontos genesthai tou thanatou, ouch heautǭ, alla parʼ heterōn elambane tēn prophasin tou teleiōsai tēn thysian; epei mēde nosein edei ton Kyrion, ton tōn allōn tas nosous therapeuonta. allʼ oude exasthenēsai edei palin to sōma, en hǭ kai tas tōn allōn astheneias ischyropoiei.
but since death had to take place, he took the occasion of completing the sacrifice not from himself but from others. For it was not right for the Lord to fall sick, who healed the diseases of others; nor again for that body to grow weak in which he strengthened the weaknesses of others.
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ received death from others rather than from sickness, since the healer could not be sick.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (garbled words in the digital text): ἐξασθενθσαι δεῖ πόλν τὸ τέμα, ἐν καὶ → ἐξασθενῆσαι ἔδει πάλιν τὸ σῶμα, ἐν ᾧ καὶ.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 21.6 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-21-6).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
21.7Robertson
Διὰ τί οὖν καὶ τὸν θάνατον ὥσπερ καὶ τὸ νοσεῖν οὐκ ἐκώλυσεν; ὅτι διὰ τοῦτον ἔσχε τὸ σῶμα, καὶ ἀπρεπὲς ἦν κωλῦσαι· ἵνα μὴ καὶ ἡ ἀνάστασις ἐμποδισθῇ· προηγήσασθαι μέντοι τοῦ θανάτου νόσον, ἀπρεπὲς πάλιν ἦν, ἵνα μὴ ἀσθένεια τοῦ ἐν τῷ σώματι νομισθῇ, οὐκ ἐπείνασεν οὖν; ναὶ ἐπεῖνασε διὰ τὸ ἴδιον τοῦ σώματος· ἀλλʼ οὐ λιμῷ διεφθάρη, διὰ τὸν φοροῦντα αὐτὸ Κύριον. διὰ τοῦτο εἰ καὶ ἀπέθανε διὰ τὸ ὑπὲρ πάντων λύτρον, ἀλλʼ οὐκ εἶδε διαφθοράν. ὁλόκληρον γὰρ ἀνέστη· ἐπεὶ μηδὲ ἄλλου τινός, ἀλλʼ αὐτῆς τῆς Ζωῆς ἦν τὸ σῶμα.
Dia ti oun kai ton thanaton hōsper kai to nosein ouk ekōlysen? hoti dia touton esche to sōma, kai aprepes ēn kōlysai; hina mē kai hē anastasis empodisthę̄; proēgēsasthai mentoi tou thanatou noson, aprepes palin ēn, hina mē astheneia tou en tǭ sōmati nomisthę̄, ouk epeinasen oun? nai epeinase dia to idion tou sōmatos; allʼ ou limǭ diephtharē, dia ton phorounta auto Kyrion. dia touto ei kai apethane dia to hyper pantōn lytron, allʼ ouk eide diaphthoran. holoklēron gar anestē; epei mēde allou tinos, allʼ autēs tēs Zōēs ēn to sōma.
Why then did he not prevent death as he did sickness? Because it was for this that he had the body, and it was unfitting to prevent it, lest the resurrection too be hindered. Yet for sickness to precede his death was again unfitting, lest it be thought a weakness of the one in the body. Did he not hunger, then? Yes, he hungered, because this belongs to the body; but he did not perish of hunger, because of the Lord who bore it. So even though he died as a ransom for all, he did not see corruption. For he rose whole, since the body belonged to no other but to Life itself.
Matt 4:2 (allusion, medium confidence) · Mark 10:45 (echo, medium confidence) · Ps 16:10 (15:10 LXX) (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ accepted death but not sickness; he hungered but did not perish, and his body rose whole without corruption.
- Matt 4:2; Mark 10:45; Ps 16:10 (LXX 15:10; Acts 2:27, 31).
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 21.7 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-21-7).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 22
22.1Robertson
Ἀλλʼ ἔδει, φήσειεν ἄν τις, κρυβῆναι τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν τῶν Ἰουδαίων, ἵνα καθόλου τὸ ἑαυτοῦ σῶμα ἀθάνατον φυλάξῃ. ἀκουέτω δὴ ὁ τοιοῦτος, ὅτι καὶ τοῦτο ἀπρεπὲς ἦν τῷ Κυρίῳ· ὡς γὰρ οὐκ ἔπρεπε τῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγῳ, ζωῇ ὄντι, τῷ σώματι ἑαυτοῦ θάνατον παρʼ ἑαυτοῦ διδόναι· οὕτως οὐχ ἥρμοζεν οὐδὲ τὸν παρʼ ἑτέρων διδόμενον φεύγειν· ἀλλὰ καὶ μᾶλλον διώκειν αὐτὸν εἰς ἀναίρεσιν, ὅθεν εἰκότως οὔτε ἑαυτῷ ἀπέθετο τὸ σῶμα, οὔτε πάλιν ἐπιβουλεύοντας τοὺς Ιουδαίους ἔφυγε.
Allʼ edei, phēseien an tis, krybēnai tēn epiboulēn tōn Ioudaiōn, hina katholou to heautou sōma athanaton phylaxę̄. akouetō dē ho toioutos, hoti kai touto aprepes ēn tǭ Kyriǭ; hōs gar ouk eprepe tǭ tou Theou Logǭ, zōę̄ onti, tǭ sōmati heautou thanaton parʼ heautou didonai; houtōs ouch hērmozen oude ton parʼ heterōn didomenon pheugein; alla kai mallon diōkein auton eis anairesin, hothen eikotōs oute heautǭ apetheto to sōma, oute palin epibouleuontas tous Ioudaious ephyge.
But, someone might say, he ought to have hidden from the plot of the Jews, so as to keep his own body wholly immortal. Let such a person hear that this too was unfitting for the Lord. For as it was not fitting for the Word of God, being Life, to give death to his own body from himself, so neither was it fitting to flee the death given by others, but rather to pursue it to its destruction. So, fittingly, he neither laid aside his body of himself, nor again fled from the Jews who plotted against him.
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ neither died of himself nor fled the plot against him, but met death to destroy it.
- Translated as written; the reference is to the Gospel accounts of the plot against Jesus.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 22.1 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-22-1).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
22.2Robertson
Τὸ δὲ τοιοῦτον οὐκ ἀσθένειαν ἐδείκνυε τοῦ Λόγου, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον καὶ Σωτῆρα καὶ Ζωὴν αὐτὸν ἐγνώριζεν· ὅτι καὶ τὸν θάνατον εἰς ἀναίρεσιν περιέμενε, καὶ τὸν διδόμενον θάνατον ὑπὲρ τῆς πάντων σωτηρίας ἔσπευδε τελειῶσαι.
To de toiouton ouk astheneian edeiknye tou Logou, alla mallon kai Sōtēra kai Zōēn auton egnōrizen; hoti kai ton thanaton eis anairesin periemene, kai ton didomenon thanaton hyper tēs pantōn sōtērias espeude teleiōsai.
This showed no weakness in the Word, but rather made him known as Savior and Life: that he awaited death so as to destroy it, and hastened to complete the death given him for the salvation of all.
Notes and citation
Summary: Awaiting death to destroy it showed Christ as Savior and Life.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 22.2 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-22-2).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
22.3Robertson
Καὶ ἄλλως δέ, οὐ τὸν ἑαυτοῦ θάνατον ἀλλὰ τὸν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἦλθε τελειῶσαι ὁ Σωτήρ· ὅθεν οὐκ ἰδίῳ θανάτῳ, οὐκ εἶχε γὰρ Ζωὴ ὤν, ἀπετίθετο τὸ σῶμα· ἀλλὰ τὸν παρὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐδέχετο, ἵνα καὶ τοῦτον ἐν τῷ ἑαυτοῦ σώματι προσελθόντα τέλεον ἐξαφανίσῃ.
Kai allōs de, ou ton heautou thanaton alla ton tōn anthrōpōn ēlthe teleiōsai ho Sōtēr; hothen ouk idiǭ thanatǭ, ouk eiche gar Zōē ōn, apetitheto to sōma; alla ton para tōn anthrōpōn edecheto, hina kai touton en tǭ heautou sōmati proselthonta teleon exaphanisę̄.
Besides, the Savior came to accomplish not his own death but that of human beings. So he did not lay aside his body by a death of his own (for, being Life, he had none), but received the death that came from human beings, so as to destroy it completely when it came upon his own body.
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ had no death of his own; he received humanity's death in order to destroy it.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 22.3 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-22-3).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
22.4Robertson
Ἔπειτα καὶ ἐκ τούτων ἄν τις εὐλόγως ἴδοι τὸ τοιοῦτον τέλος ἐσχηκέναι τὸ Κυριακὸν σῶμα. Ἔμελε τῷ Κυρίῳ μάλιστα περὶ ἧς ἔμελλε ποιεῖν ἀναστάσεως τοῦ σώματος· τοῦτο γὰρ ἦν κατὰ τοῦ θανάτου τρόπαιον ταύτην ἐπιδείξασθαι πᾶσι, καὶ πάντας πιστώσασθαι τὴν παρʼ αὐτοῦ γενομένην τῆς φθορᾶς ἀπόλειψιν, καὶ λοιπὸν τὴν τῶν σωμάτων ἀφθαρσίαν, ἧς πᾶσιν ὥσπερ ἐνέχυρον καὶ γνώρισμα τῆς ἐπὶ πάντων ἐσομένης ἀναστάσεως τετήρηκεν ἄφθαρτον τὸ ἑαυτοῦ σῶμα.
Epeita kai ek toutōn an tis eulogōs idoi to toiouton telos eschēkenai to Kyriakon sōma. Emele tǭ Kyriǭ malista peri hēs emelle poiein anastaseōs tou sōmatos; touto gar ēn kata tou thanatou tropaion tautēn epideixasthai pasi, kai pantas pistōsasthai tēn parʼ autou genomenēn tēs phthoras apoleipsin, kai loipon tēn tōn sōmatōn aphtharsian, hēs pasin hōsper enechyron kai gnōrisma tēs epi pantōn esomenēs anastaseōs tetērēken aphtharton to heautou sōma.
Then, from the following too one may reasonably see why the Lord's body had such an end. The Lord was above all concerned with the resurrection of the body which he was about to bring about. For this was the trophy over death: to display the resurrection to all, and to assure all that corruption had been put away by him, and that from then on bodies are incorruptible. As a pledge and sign to all of this, and of the resurrection that is to come upon all, he kept his own body incorruptible.
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ's public death served his resurrection, a trophy over death and a pledge of the resurrection of all.
Topics: Christology, Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 22.4 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-22-4).
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.
22.5Robertson
Εἰ μὲν οὐκ ἦν πάλιν νοσῆσαν τὸ σῶμα, καὶ ἐπʼ ὄψει πάντων διαλυθεὶς ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ ὁ Λόγος, ἀπρεπὲς μὲν ἦν τὸν τῶν ἄλλων τὰς νόσους θεραπεύοντα, παρορᾶν τὸ ἴδιον ὄργανον ἐν νόσοις τηκόμενον πῶς γὰρ ἂν ἐπιστεύθη τὰς ἄλλων ἀπελάσας ἀσθενείας, ἀσθενοῦντος ἐν αὐτῷ τοῦ ἰδίου ναοῦ; ἢ γὰρ ὡς οὐ δυνάμενος ἀπελάσαι νόσον ἐγελάσθη· ἢ δυνάμενος, καὶ μὴ ποιῶν, ἀφιλάνθρωπος καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἄλλους ἐνομίζετο.
Ei men ouk ēn palin nosēsan to sōma, kai epʼ opsei pantōn dialytheis apʼ autou ho Logos, aprepes men ēn ton tōn allōn tas nosous therapeuonta, paroran to idion organon en nosois tēkomenon pōs gar an episteuthē tas allōn apelasas astheneias, asthenountos en autǭ tou idiou naou? ē gar hōs ou dynamenos apelasai noson egelasthē; ē dynamenos, kai mē poiōn, aphilanthrōpos kai pros tous allous enomizeto.
If, then, his body had fallen sick and the Word had been parted from it in the sight of all, it would have been unfitting for one who healed the diseases of others to neglect his own instrument wasting away in sickness. For how could he have been believed to drive away the weaknesses of others, if his own temple was weak in him? Either he would have been mocked as unable to drive away disease, or, if able and not doing so, he would have been thought unloving toward others as well.
Notes and citation
Summary: Had his body grown sick, Christ would have seemed powerless or unloving as a healer.
- The digital text reads “if not” (οὐκ) where the sense requires “then” (οὖν); translated by sense.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Inc. 22.5 (Robertson; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-incarnatione/12-1/#p-22-5).
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-athanasius-incarnatione-22-5) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Robertson (1891); made independently of existing English translations and compared afterwards with NPNF² 4.