# Oration II Against the Arians

- Author: [Athanasius of Alexandria](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/authors/athanasius/)
- Latin title: *Oratio II contra Arianos*
- Date: ca. 339–346 (approximate)
- Source: William Bright, ed., The Orations of St. Athanasius against the Arians (Oxford: Clarendon, 1884) (Greek text: William Bright, The Orations of St. Athanasius against the Arians (Oxford: Clarendon, 1884), digitized by the First Thousand Years of Greek project (Open Greek and Latin), CC BY-SA 4.0)

- Translation: Claude, from the original text, unless a passage says otherwise; each passage below gives the translator
- Editions and translations: Karin Metzler and Kyriakos Savvidis, eds., Athanasius Werke, vol. 1.1, Die drei grossen Reden gegen die Arianer (Berlin: de Gruyter, 1998)
- Work page: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/
- Passages: 82

## Oration II Against the Arians 1

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/1/#p-1
- Source: Bright, 68–69
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Athanasius opens the second oration by naming the two texts the Arians now press, Prov 8:22 and Heb 3:2, and says that such sayings refer to the Word become man.

### Greek text

1. ἘΓΩ μὲν ᾤμην τοὺς τῆς Ἀρείου μανίας ὑποκριτὰς ἐπὶ τοῖς προειρημένοις πρὸ τούτου κατʼ αὐτῶν ἐλέγχοις, καὶ ταῖς περὶ τῆς ἀληθείας ἀποδείξεσιν ἀρκεῖσθαι, καὶ παυομένους λοιπὸν, μεταγινώσκειν ἐφʼ οἷς ἐφρόνησάν τε καὶ ἐλάλησαν κακῶς περὶ τοῦ Σωτῆρος· αὐτοὶ δὲ, οὐκ οἶδʼ ὅπως, οὐδὲ οὕτως καταδύονται· ἀλλʼ ὡς χοῖροι καὶ κύνες περὶ ‘τὰ ἵδια ἐξεράματαʼ καὶ τὸν ἑαυτῶν ‘βόρβορον κυλιόμενοι, ʼ ‘μᾶλλον ἐφευρίσκουσιν ἑαυτοῖς ἐπινοίας εἰς ἀσέβειαν. Μὴ νοοῦντες γοῦν μήτε τὸ ἐν ταῖς Παροιμίαις γεγραμμένον, ‘Κύριος ἔκτισέ με ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ εἰς ἔργα αὐτοῦ, ʼ μήτε τὸ παρὰ τοῦ ἀποστόλου εἰρημένον, ‘πιστὸν ὄντα τῷ ποιήσαντι αὐτὸν, ʼ φιλονεικοῦσιν ἁπλῶς, λέγοντες ‘ποίημα καὶ κτίσμαʼ εἶναι τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Υἱόν. Καὶ ἤρκει μὲν ἀπὸ τῶν προειρημένων αὐτοὺς συνιδεῖν, εἰ μὴ τέλεον καὶ τὰς αἰσθήσεις ἀπώλεσαν, ὡς τῆς ἀληθείας μαρτυρησάσης, μὴ εἶναι ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων μηδὲ ὅλως τῶν γενητῶν τὸν Υἱόν· Θεὸς γὰρ ὢν, οὐδʼ ἂν εἴη ποίημα, οὐδὲ θέμις λέγειν αὐτὸν κτίσμα. Κτισμάτων γὰρ καὶ ποιημάτων ἴδιον τὸ λέγεσθαι ‘ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων, ʼ καὶ ‘οὐκ ἦν πρὶν γεννηθῇ· ʼ ἀλλʼ ἐπειδὴ, ὥσπερ δεδιότες ἀποστῆναι τῆς ἰδίας μυθοπλαστίας, προφασίζονται συνήθως τὰ προειρημένα ῥητὰ τῶν θείων γραφῶν, τὰ καλῶς μὲν γεγραμμένα, ῥᾳδιουργηθέντα δὲ παρʼ αὐτῶν· φέρε, πάλιν ἐπαναλαβόντες τὸν νοῦν τῶν προειρημένων, τοὺς μὲν πιστοὺς ὑπομνήσωμεν, τούτους δὲ δείξωμεν καὶ ἐξ ἑκάστου τούτων, μηδʼ ὅλως εἰδέναι τὸν Χριστιανισμόν. Εἰ γὰρ ἐγίνωσκον, οὐκ ἂν ἑαυτοὺς ‘συνέκλειονʼ εἰς τὴν τῶν νῦν Ἰουδαίων ἀπιστίαν, ἀλλʼ ἐρωτῶντες ἐμάνθανον, ὅτι ‘ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ Λόγος, καὶ ὁ Λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ Θεὸς ἦν ὁ Λόγος·᾿ ὅτε δὲ εὐδοκήσαντος τοῦ Πατρὸς ὁ Λόγος αὐτὸς γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος, τότε εἰκότως εἴρηται περὶ αὐτοῦ παρὰ μὲν τοῦ Ἰωάννου τὸ ‘ὁ Λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο· ʼ παρὰ δὲ τοῦ Πέτρου, ‘Κύριον καὶ Χριστὸν αὐτὸν ἐποίησε·’ καὶ διὰ μὲν Σολομῶνος, ὡς παρʼ αὐτοῦ·᾿ τοῦ Κυρίου, ‘Κύριος ἔκτισέ με ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ εἰς ἔργα αὐτοῦ·᾿ παρὰ δὲ τοῦ Παύλου, ‘τοσούτῳ κρείττων γενόμενος τῶν ἀγγέλων·᾿ καὶ πάλιν, ‘ἑαυτὸν ἐκένωσε, μορφὴν δούλου λαβών·᾿ καὶ αὖθις, ‘Ὅθεν, ἀδελφοὶ ἅγιοι, κλήσεως ἐπουρανίου μέτοχοι, κατανοήσατε τὸν ἀπόστολον καὶ ἀρχιερέα τῆς ὁμολογίας ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν πιστὸν ὄντα τῷ ποιήσαντι αὐτόν·᾿ τὰ τοιαῦτα γὰρ πάντα ῥητὰ τὴν αὐτὴν ἔχει δύναμιν καὶ διάνοιαν βλέπουσαν εἰς εὐσέβειαν, καὶ δεικνύουσαν τὴν θεότητα τοῦ Λόγου, καὶ τὰ ἀνθρωπίνως λεγόμενα περὶ αὐτοῦ, διὰ τὸ γεγενῆσθαι αὐτὸν καὶ υἱὸν ἀνθρώπου. Καὶ εἰ καὶ αὐτάρκη ταῦτα πρὸς ἀπόδειξιν κατʼ αὐτῶν, ὅμως ἐπειδὴ μὴ νοοῦντες τὸ παρὰ τοῦ ἀποστόλου λεγόμενον, (ἵνα τούτου πρῶτον μνησθῶ, ) νομίζουσιν ἓν τῶν ποιημάτων εἶναι τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγον, διὰ τὸ γεγράφθαι, ‘πιστὸν ὄντα τῷ ποιήσαντι αὐτὸν, ʼ ἀναγκαῖον ἡγησάμην τοῦτο πάλιν λέγοντας αὐτοὺς ἐντρέπειν, ὥσπερ καὶ ἐν τοῖς πρὸ τούτων ἐλέγομεν, λαμβάνοντες παρʼ αὐτῶν τὸ λῆμμα.

### English translation (Claude)

I for my part supposed that the play-actors of Arius's madness would be satisfied with the refutations set out against them before this, and with the demonstrations concerning the truth, and that they would at last stop and repent of what they had wickedly thought and said about the Saviour. But they, I do not know how, do not shrink back even so; like swine and dogs wallowing about “their own vomit” and their own “mire,” they rather invent for themselves fresh devices for impiety. Not understanding what is written in the Proverbs, “The Lord created me a beginning of his ways for his works,” or what was said by the apostle, “being faithful to him who made him,” they simply contend, saying that the Son of God is “a work and a creature.” From what was said before they ought to have been able to see, unless they have completely lost even their senses, that, as the truth bears witness, the Son is not from things that are not, nor at all among things that have come into being; for being God, he cannot be a work, nor is it right to call him a creature. For it is proper to creatures and works to be spoken of as “from things that are not” and “he was not before he was begotten.” But since, as if afraid to depart from their own myth-making, they habitually put forward the sayings of the divine Scriptures mentioned above, which are well written but have been twisted by them, come, let us take up again the sense of those passages, to remind the faithful and to show these men from each of them that they do not know Christianity at all. For if they knew it, they would not “shut themselves up” in the unbelief of the Jews of today, but would ask and learn that “in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”; and that when, the Father being well pleased, the Word himself became man, then it was fittingly said of him by John, “The Word became flesh,” and by Peter, “He made him Lord and Christ,” and through Solomon, as from the Lord himself, “The Lord created me a beginning of his ways for his works,” and by Paul, “having become so much better than the angels,” and again, “he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant,” and once more, “Therefore, holy brothers, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high priest of our confession, Jesus, being faithful to him who made him.” All such sayings have the same force and a sense that looks to piety, showing both the divinity of the Word and the things said of him in human fashion because he has also become son of man. And although these things are enough to prove the case against them, nevertheless, since they do not understand what the apostle says (to mention this first) and think that the Word of God is one of the works because it is written, “being faithful to him who made him,” I have thought it necessary to put them to shame once more for saying this, as we did also in what went before, taking the premise from them.

### Scripture references

- 2 Pet 2:22: allusion, high confidence
- Prov 8:22: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 3:2: quotation, high confidence
- Gal 3:23: echo, low confidence
- John 1:1: quotation, high confidence
- John 1:14: quotation, high confidence
- Acts 2:36: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 1:4: quotation, high confidence
- Phil 2:7: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 3:1: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “Refutations set out before this” refers to the first Oration against the Arians.
- “Arian slogans” in quotation marks (“a work and a creature,” “he was not before he was begotten”) are the opponents' own formulas.
- The comparison with “the Jews of today” is the author's polemic, translated as written.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 1 (Bright, 68–69; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/1/#p-1).

## Oration II Against the Arians 2

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/1/#p-2
- Source: Bright, 69–70
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: If the Son were only a work, God would be a barren creator without Word or Wisdom; his begetting by nature must come before his creating by will.

### Greek text

2. Εἰ μὲν οὖν οὐκ ἔστιν Υἱὸς, λεγέσθω καὶ ποίημα· πάντα τε τὰ ἐπὶ τῶν ποιημάτων κατηγορείσθω καὶ ἐπʼ αὐτοῦ· καὶ μόνος μὴ λεγέσθω Υἱὸς, μὴ Λόγος, μὴ Σοφία· καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Θεὸς μὴ λεγέσθω Πατὴρ, ἀλλὰ μόνον δημιουργὸς καὶ κτίστης τῶν γινομένων ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ἔστω ἡ μὲν κτίσις εἰκὼν καὶ χαρακτὴρ τῆς δημιουργικῆς βουλήσεως αὐτοῦ· αὐτὸς δὲ κατʼ ἐκείνους μὴ ἔστω γεννητικῆς φύσεως· ὥστε τῆς ἰδίας οὐσίας αὐτοῦ μὴ εἶναι λόγον, μὴ Σοφίαν, μηδʼ ὅλως εἰκόνα. Εἰ γὰρ μή ἐστιν Υἱὸς, οὐδὲ εἰκών. Μὴ ὄντος δὲ Υἱοῦ, πῶς ἄρα τὸν Θεὸν κτίστην εἶναι λέγετε, εἴ γε ‘διὰ Λόγουʼ καὶ ‘ἐν σοφίᾳʼ πάντα τὰ γινόμενα γίνεται, χωρίς τε τούτου οὐκ ἄν τι γένοιτο, οὐκ ἔχει δὲ καθʼ ὑμᾶς ἐν ᾧ καὶ διʼ οὗ τὰ πάντα ποιεῖ; εἰ δὲ μὴ καρπογόνος ἐστὶν αὐτὴ ἡ θεία οὐσία, ἀλλʼ ἔρημος, κατʼ αὐτοὺς, ὡς φῶς μὴ φωτίζον, καὶ πηγὴ ξηρὰ, πῶς δημιουργικὴν ἐνέργειαν ἔχειν αὐτὸν λέγοντες οὐκ αἰσχύνονται; καὶ ἀναιροῦντες δὲ τὸ κατὰ φύσιν, πῶς τὸ κατὰ βούλησιν προηγεῖσθαι θέλοντες οὐκ ἐρυθριῶσιν; Εἰ δὲ τὰ ἐκτὸς καὶ οὐκ ὄντα πρότερον, βουλόμενος δὲ αὐτὰ εἶναι, δημιουργεῖ, καὶ γίνεται τούτων ποιητὴς, πολλῷ πρότερον εἴη ἂν πατὴρ γεννήματος ἐκ τῆς ἰδίας οὐσίας. Εἰ γὰρ τὸ βούλεσθαι περὶ τῶν μὴ ὄντων διδόασι τῷ Θεῷ, διὰ τί μὴ τὸ ὑπερκείμενον τῆς βουλήσεως οὐκ ἐπιγινώσκουσι τοῦ Θεοῦ; ὑπεραναβέβηκε δὲ τῆς βουλήσεως τὸ πεφυκέναι καὶ εἶναι αὐτὸν Πατέρα τοῦ ἰδίου Λόγου. Εἰ τοίνυν τὸ πρότερον, ὅπερ ἐστὶ κατὰ φύσιν, οὐχ ὑπῆρξε κατὰ τὴν ἐκείνων ἄνοιαν, πῶς τὸ δεύτερον, ὅπερ ἐστὶ κατὰ βούλησιν, γένοιτʼ ἄν; πρότερον δέ ἐστιν ὁ Λόγος, καὶ δεύτερον ἡ κτίσις. Ἀλλʼ ἔστιν ὁ Λόγος, κἂν πλείονα τολμῶσιν οἱ ἀσεβεῖς· ‘διʼ αὐτοῦ γὰρ γέγονεν ἡ κτίσις· καὶ δῆλον ἂν εἴη ὅτι, ποιητὴς ὢν, ὁ Θεὸς ἔχει καὶ τὸν δημιουργικὸν Λόγον οὐκ ἔξωθεν, ἀλλʼ ἴδιον ἑαυτοῦ· πάλιν γὰρ τὸ αὐτὸ ῥητέον. Εἰ τὸ βούλεσθαι ἔχει, καὶ τὸ βούλημα αὐτοῦ ποιητικόν ἐστι, καὶ ἀρκεῖ τὸ βούλημα αὐτοῦ πρὸς σύστασιν τῶν γινομένων· ὁ δὲ Λόγος ἐστὶν αὐτοῦ ποιητικὸς, καὶ δημιουργός· οὐκ ἀμφίβολον ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ἡ τοῦ Πατρὸς ζῶσα βουλὴ, καὶ ἐνούσιος ἐνέργεια, καὶ Λόγος ἀληθινὸς, ἐν ᾧ καὶ συνέστηκε καὶ διοικεῖται τὰ πάντα καλῶς. Οὐδεὶς δὲ οὐδὲ διστάξειεν ὡς ὁ ἁρμόζων τῆς ἁρμονίας καὶ τῶν ἁρμοζομένων πρόεστι. Καὶ δεύτερόν ἐστι, καθὰ προεῖπον, τὸ δημιουργεῖν τοῦ γεννᾷν τὸν Θεόν. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ‘Υἱὸςʼ ἴδιον καὶ ἀληθῶς ἐκ τῆς μακαρίας ἐκείνης καὶ ἀεὶ οὔσης οὐσίας ἐστί· τὰ δὲ ἐκ βουλήσεως αὐτῆς ἔξωθεν συνιστάμενα γίνεται, καὶ δημιουργεῖται διὰ τοῦ ἰδίου καὶ ἐξ αὐτῆς γεννήματος.

### English translation (Claude)

If, then, he is not Son, let him be called a work too; let everything that is predicated of works be predicated of him as well; and let him alone not be called Son, not Word, not Wisdom; and let God himself not be called Father, but only maker and creator of the things made by him. Let creation be the image and impress of his creative will, while he himself, as they would have it, is not of a begetting nature, so that there is neither Word nor Wisdom nor any image at all of his own substance. For if there is no Son, there is no image either. But if there is no Son, how then do you say that God is creator, since all things that come into being come into being “through the Word” and “in wisdom,” and without him nothing could come into being, and yet according to you he does not have that in which and through which he makes all things? And if the divine substance itself is not fruitful but barren, as they hold, like a light that does not shine and a dried-up spring, how are they not ashamed to say that he has creative energy? And when they do away with what is by nature, how do they not blush to want what is by will to take precedence? If he creates things that are outside him and did not exist before, by willing them to be, and becomes their maker, much more would he first be Father of an offspring from his own substance. For if they grant to God the willing of things that are not, why do they not acknowledge in God what lies above will? And it surpasses will that he is by nature, and is, Father of his own Word. If, then, the prior, which is by nature, did not exist, as their folly holds, how could the second, which is by will, come to be? The Word is prior, and creation second. But the Word exists, however much more the impious may dare; for creation came into being “through him”; and it would be clear that God, being a maker, has his creative Word also not from outside but as his own; for the same thing must be said again. If he has the power of willing, and his will is productive, and his will suffices to establish the things that come to be, and the Word is his productive agent and craftsman, there is no doubt that he is the living counsel of the Father, and the substantial energy, and the true Word, in whom all things both hold together and are well governed. No one would even doubt that the one who harmonizes comes before the harmony and the things harmonized. And, as I said before, God's creating is second to his begetting. For the Son is proper to that blessed and ever-existing substance and truly from it; but the things that come from its will are established from outside and are crafted through the offspring that is its own and from it.

### Scripture references

- John 1:3: allusion, high confidence
- Ps 104:24 (103:24 LXX): allusion, medium confidence
- Col 1:17: echo, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- “Substantial energy” renders ἐνούσιος ἐνέργεια, an activity that has real being in God's substance, as opposed to a passing act.
- The text reads Θεάν (a slip); corrected to Θεόν.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 2 (Bright, 69–70; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/1/#p-2).

## Oration II Against the Arians 3

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/1/#p-3
- Source: Bright, 70–71
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Words follow natures, not the reverse: Scripture calls sons “servants” and servants “children” without changing what they are, as with Solomon.

### Greek text

3. Οὐκοῦν τοῦ λόγου δεικνύντος πολλὴν ἀτοπίαν κατὰ τῶν λεγόντων μὴ εἶναι Υἱὸν Θεοῦ, ἀλλὰ ποίημα ἀνάγκη λοιπὸν ἡμᾶς συνομολογεῖν Υἱὸν εἶναι τὸν Κύριον. Εἰ δὲ Υἱός ἐστιν, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ἔστιν, ὡμολόγηται δὲ ὁ υἱὸς οὐκ ἔξωθεν, ἀλλʼ ἐκ τοῦ γεννῶντος εἶναι, μὴ διαφερέσθωσαν ταῖς λέξεσι, καθὰ προεῖπον, ἐὰν καὶ ἐπʼ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Λόγου ἀντὶ τοῦ ‘τῷ γεννήσαντι, ’ ‘τῷ ποιήσαντιʼ ὀνομάζουσιν οἱ ἅγιοι, ὡς ἀδιαφόρου τοῦ ῥήματος ὄντος ἐπὶ τῶν τοιούτων, ἕως τὸ κατὰ φύσιν ὁμολογεῖται. Οὐ γὰρ αἱ λέξεις τὴν φύσιν παραιροῦνται· ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον ἡ φύσις τὰς λέξεις εἰς ἑαυτὴν ἕλκουσα μεταβάλλει. Καὶ γὰρ οὐ πρότεραι τῶν οὐσιῶν αἱ λέξεις, ἀλλʼ αἱ οὐσίαι πρῶται, καὶ δεύτεραι τούτων αἱ λέξεις. Διὸ καὶ ὅταν ἡ οὐσία ποίημα ἢ κτίσμα ᾖ, τότε τὸ ‘ἐποίησε, ʼ καὶ τὸ ‘ἐγένετο, ’ καὶ τὸ ‘ἔκτισε, ʼ κυρίως ἐπʼ αὐτῶν λέγεταί τε καὶ σημαίνει τὸ ποίημα. Ὅταν δὲ ἡ οὐσία γέννημα ᾖ καὶ υἱὸς, τότε τὸ ‘ἐποίησε, ʼ καὶ τὸ ‘ἐγένετοʼ καὶ τὸ ‘ἔκτισεν, οὐκ ἔτι κυρίως ἐπʼ αὐτοῦ κεῖται, οὐδὲ ποίημα σημαίνει· ἀλλʼ ἀντὶ τοῦ ‘ἐγέννησε, ʼ τῷ ‘ἐποίησεν, ’ ἀδιαφόρως τις κέχρηται ῥήματι. Πολλάκις γοῦν πατέρες τοὺς ἐξ αὐτῶν φύντας υἱοὺς ‘δούλουςʼ ἑαυτῶν ὀνομάζουσι, καὶ οὐκ ἀρνοῦνται τὸ γνήσιον τῆς φύσεως· καὶ πολλάκις τοὺς ἰδίους δούλους φιλοφρονούμενοι ‘τέκναʼ καλοῦσι, καὶ οὐ κρύπτουσι τὴν ἐξ ἀρχῆς αὐτῶν κτῆσιν· τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἐπʼ ἐξουσίας, ὡς πατέρες, λέγουσι· τὸ δὲ φιλανθρώπως ὀνομάζουσι. Σάῤῥα γοῦν ‘τὸν Ἀβραὰμ κύριον ἐκάλει, ʼ καίτοι μὴ δούλη, ἀλλὰ σύζυγος οὖσα· καὶ ὁ μὲν ἀπόστολος Φιλήμονι τῷ κτησαμένῳ συνῆπτεν ὡς ‘ἀδελφὸνʼ Ὠνήσιμον τὸν δοῦλον· ἡ δὲ Βηρσαβεὲ, καίτοι μήτηρ οὖσα, τὸν υἱὸν ἐκάλει ‘δοῦλον, ʼ λέγουσα τῷ πατρὶ, ‘τὸν δοῦλόν σου Σολομῶνα·’ εἶτα καὶ Νάθαν ὁ προφήτης, εἰσελθὼν, τὰ αὐτὰ ἐκείνῃ ἔλεγε τῷ Δαβὶδ, ὅτι ‘Σολομῶνα τὸν δοῦλόν σου· καὶ οὐκ ἔμελεν αὐτοῖς τὸν υἱὸν εἰπεῖν ‘δοῦλον, ἀκούων γὰρ κἀκεῖνος ἐπεγίνωσκε τὴν φύσιν, καὶ οὗτοι δὲ λέγοντες οὕτως οὐκ ἠγνόουν τὸ γνήσιον. Κληρονόμον γοῦν ἠξίουν αὐτὸν τοῦ πατρὸς γενέσθαι, ὃν ὡς δοῦλον ἐκάλουν· ἦν γὰρ υἱὸς τῇ φύσει τοῦ Δαβίδ.

### English translation (Claude)

Therefore, since the argument shows great absurdity against those who say that the Son of God is not Son but a work, we must now agree that the Lord is Son. And if he is Son, as indeed he is, and it is agreed that a son is not from outside but from the one who begets, let them not quarrel over words, as I said before, if in the case of the Word himself the saints use “to him who made” instead of “to him who begot,” as though the word were indifferent in such cases, so long as what is by nature is acknowledged. For words do not take away the nature; rather the nature draws the words to itself and changes them. Words are not prior to substances; the substances come first and the words second. Therefore, when the substance is a work or a creature, then “he made,” “it came to be,” and “he created” are said of such things in the proper sense and signify the work. But when the substance is an offspring and a son, then “he made,” “it came to be,” and “he created” are no longer used of him in the proper sense, nor do they signify a work; rather one uses the word “he made” indifferently in place of “he begot.” Fathers, at any rate, often call the sons born of them their “servants” and do not deny the genuineness of their nature; and often, being affectionate toward their own servants, they call them “children” and do not conceal how they first acquired them; the one they say with authority, as fathers, the other they say out of kindness. Sarah, for instance, “called Abraham lord,” though she was not a servant but a wife; the apostle joined Onesimus the servant to Philemon, his owner, as a “brother”; and Bathsheba, though she was his mother, called her son a “servant,” saying to his father, “your servant Solomon”; then Nathan the prophet came in and said the same thing to David as she had, “Solomon your servant.” And it did not trouble them to call the son a “servant”; for David, hearing it, recognized the nature, and they in speaking so were not ignorant of his genuineness. Indeed they asked that the one they called a servant should become his father's heir; for he was by nature David's son.

### Scripture references

- 1 Pet 3:6: quotation, high confidence
- Phlm 1:16: allusion, high confidence
- 1 Kgs 1:19: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Kgs 1:26: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “Substances” renders οὐσίαι, the realities themselves as distinct from the words used of them.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 3 (Bright, 70–71; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/1/#p-3).

## Oration II Against the Arians 4

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/1/#p-4
- Source: Bright, 71–73
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Scripture regularly speaks of natural children as “made,” “acquired,” or “come to be,” so such words applied to the Son do not make him a work.

### Greek text

4. Ὥσπερ τοίνυν ἀναγινώσκοντες ταῦτα διανοούμεθα καλῶς, καὶ ἀκούοντες ‘δοῦλονʼ τὸν Σολομῶνα, οὐ νομίζομεν αὐτὸν εἶναι δοῦλον, ἀλλὰ φύσει καὶ γνήσιον υἱὸν, οὕτως ἐὰν καὶ περὶ τοῦ Σωτῆρος τοῦ ἀληθῶς ὁμολογουμένου Υἱοῦ, καὶ φύσει Λόγου ὄντος, λέγωσιν οἱ ἅγιοι, ‘πιστὸν ὄντα τῷ ποιήσαντι αὐτόν· ʼ ἢ αὐτὸς περὶ ἑαυτοῦ ἐὰν λέγῃ, ‘Κύριος ἔκτισέ μέ·’ καὶ ‘ἐγὼ δοῦλος σὸς, καὶ υἱὸς τῆς παιδίσκης σου· ʼ καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα· μὴ διὰ τοῦτο ἀρνείσθωσάν τινες τὴν ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς αὐτοῦ ἰδιότητα· ἀλλʼ, ὡς ἐπὶ Σολομῶνος καὶ τοῦ Δαβὶδ, διανοείσθωσαν ὀρθῶς περὶ τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ. Ἐπεὶ, εἰ ἀκούοντες Σολομῶνα ‘δοῦλον, ’ ὁμολογοῦσιν υἱὸν, πῶς οὐ πολλάκις ἀπολωλέναι δίκαιοί εἰσιν, ὅτι τὴν αὐτὴν ἐπὶ τοῦ Κυρίου διάνοιαν οὐ σώζουσιν, ἀλλʼ ὅταν μὲν ἀκούωσι ‘γέννημα, καὶ Λόγον, καὶ Σοφίαν, ʼ βιάζονται παρερμηνεύειν, καὶ ἀρνεῖσθαι τὴν φύσει καὶ γνησίαν γέννησιν τὴν ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς τοῦ Υἱοῦ· ἀκούοντες δὲ ‘ποιήματοςʼ φωνὰς καὶ λέξεις, εὐθὺς εἰς τὸ νομίζειν φύσει ποίημα τὸν Υἱὸν καταφέρονται, καὶ ἀρνοῦνται τὸν Λόγον· καίτοι δυνάμενοι, διὰ τὸ γεγενῆσθαι αὐτὸν ἄνθρωπον, πάσας τὰς τοιαύτας λέξεις ἐπιῤῥίπτειν ἐπὶ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον αὐτοῦ; Πῶς οὖν καὶ οὗτοι οὐ ‘βδελυκτοὶʼ παρὰ τῷ Κυρίῳ δείκνυνται, ‘δισσὰ στάθμιαʼ παρʼ ἑαυτοῖς ἔχοντες, καὶ τῷ μὲν ἐκεῖνα λογιζόμενοι, τῷ δὲ τὸν Κύριον βλασφημοῦντες; Ἀλλʼ ἴσως τὸ μὲν ‘δοῦλοςʼ ὡς κατὰ διάθεσιν λεγόμενον συντίθενται, τὸ δὲ ‘τῷ ποιήσαντιʼ κατέχουσιν, ὡς μέγα τι βοήθημα τῆς αἱρέσεως αὐτῶν. Ἔστι δὲ αὐτοῖς καὶ τοῦτο κάλαμος τεθλασμένος τὸ ἔρεισμα· καταγνώσονται γὰρ εὐθὺς ἑαυτῶν, εἰ μάθοιεν τὸ τῆς γραφῆς ἰδίωμα. Καὶ γὰρ ὥσπερ ‘δοῦλοςʼ λέγεται ὁ Σολομῶν, καίπερ ὢν υἱὸς, οὕτως, ἵνα τὰ ἐν τοῖς προτέροις εἰρημένα πάλιν εἴπωμεν, εἰ καὶ ‘ποιουμένους καὶ κτιζομένους καὶ γινομένουςʼ τοὺς ἐξ ἑαυτῶν φυομένους υἱοὺς λέγοιεν οἱ γονεῖς, οὐδὲν ἧττον οὐκ ἀρνοῦνται τὴν φύσιν. Ὁ γοῦν Ἐζεχίας, ὡς ἐν τῷ Ἡσαΐᾳ γέγραπται, εὐχόμενος ἔλεγεν· ‘Ἀπὸ γὰρ τῆς σήμερον παιδία ποιήσω, ἃ ἀναγγελοῦσι τὴν δικαιοσύνην σου, Κύριε τῆς σωτηρίας μουʼ. Καὶ αὐτὸς μὲν ἔλεγε, ‘ποιήσω·’ ὁ δὲ προφήτης ἔν τε αὐτῷ τῷ βιβλίῳ, καὶ τῇ τετάρτῃ τῶν Βασιλειῶν οὕτω φησί· ‘καὶ οἱ υἱοί σου, οἳ ἐξελεύσονται ἐκ σοῦ.’ Ἀντὶ τοῦ ‘γεννᾷνʼ ἄρα τὸ ‘ποιήσωʼ εἴρηκε· καὶ τοὺς ἐξ αὐτοῦ φυομένους, ὡς ποιουμένους φησί. Καὶ οὐ διαφέρεταί τις, ὡς περὶ τοῦ φύσει γεννήματός ἐστιν ἡ λέξις. Καὶ Εὔα δὲ τεκοῦσα τὸν Κάϊν, εἶπεν, ‘Ἐκτησάμην ἄνθρωπον διὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ.’ Ἀντὶ τοῦ ‘τεκεῖν, ʼ ἄρα καὶ αὐτὴ τὸ ‘ἐκτησάμηνʼ εἴρηκε. Καὶ γὰρ πρότερον ἰδοῦσα τὸν τόκον, ὕστερον εἶπε τὸ ‘ἐκτησάμην. ʼ Καὶ οὐ διὰ τὸ ‘ἐκτησάμην, ’ νομίσειεν ἄν τις ἔξωθεν ἠγοράσθαι τὸν Κάϊν, καὶ μὴ ἐξ αὐτῆς τετέχθαι. Καὶ ὁ πατριάρχης δὲ Ἰακὼβ ἔλεγε τῷ Ἰωσὴφ, ‘Νῦν οὖν οἱ δύο υἱοί σου, οἱ γενόμενοί σοι ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ, πρὸ τοῦ με ἐλθεῖν πρὸς σὲ εἰς Αἴγυπτον, ἐμοί εἰσιν, Ἐφραῒμ καὶ Μανασσῆς Καὶ ἡ Γραφὴ δὲ περὶ τοῦ Ἰώβ φησιν, ‘ἐγένοντο αὐτῷ υἱοὶ ἑπτὰ, καὶ θυγατέρες τρεῖς·’ ὥσπερ καὶ Μωϋσῆς εἴρηκεν ἐν τῷ νόμῳ· ‘Ἐὰν δὲ γένωνταί τινι υἱοί καὶ, ‘ἐὰν ποιήσῃ υἱόν.’

### English translation (Claude)

As, then, when we read these things we understand them rightly, and on hearing Solomon called “servant” we do not think that he is a servant but a genuine son by nature, so too, if the saints say of the Saviour, who is truly acknowledged to be Son and is Word by nature, “being faithful to him who made him,” or if he says of himself, “The Lord created me,” and “I am your servant and the son of your handmaid,” and the like, let no one on that account deny that he is proper to the Father and from him; but, as with Solomon and David, let them think rightly about the Father and the Son. Otherwise, if when they hear Solomon called “servant” they acknowledge him as son, how do they not deserve to perish many times over, since they do not keep the same understanding in the case of the Lord? When they hear “offspring,” and “Word,” and “Wisdom,” they strain to misinterpret and deny the Son's natural and genuine generation from the Father; but when they hear words and expressions about a “work,” they are at once carried away into thinking that the Son is by nature a work, and they deny the Word, though they could refer all such expressions to his humanity, because he has become man. How then are they too not shown to be “an abomination” to the Lord, keeping “double weights” with them, reckoning in one way in the one case and blaspheming the Lord in the other? But perhaps they allow that “servant” is said by way of a relationship, not of nature, but hold on to “to him who made” as some great support for their heresy. Yet this prop too is a broken reed for them; for they will at once condemn themselves if they learn the idiom of Scripture. For just as Solomon is called “servant” though he is a son, so, to repeat what was said earlier, even if parents speak of the sons who spring from them as “made,” “created,” and “come to be,” they no less do not deny their nature. Hezekiah, at any rate, as is written in Isaiah, said in his prayer, “For from this day I will make children, who will declare your righteousness, O Lord of my salvation.” He said, “I will make”; but the prophet, both in that very book and in the fourth book of Kingdoms, speaks thus: “and your sons, who will come forth from you.” So he said “I will make” instead of “I will beget,” and speaks of those who spring from him as made. And no one disputes that the word concerns natural offspring. Eve too, when she bore Cain, said, “I have acquired a man through God.” So she too said “I have acquired” instead of “I have borne.” For she first saw the birth and afterwards said “I have acquired.” And no one would suppose, because of “I have acquired,” that Cain was bought from outside and not born from her. The patriarch Jacob also said to Joseph, “Now then, your two sons who came to be to you in Egypt before I came to you into Egypt are mine, Ephraim and Manasseh.” And Scripture says of Job, “There came to be to him seven sons and three daughters,” just as Moses too said in the law, “If sons come to be to anyone,” and, “if he makes a son.”

### Scripture references

- Heb 3:2: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 8:22: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 116:16 (115:7 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Prov 20:10: allusion, medium confidence
- Isa 36:6: echo, low confidence
- Isa 38:19: quotation, high confidence
- Isa 39:7: quotation, high confidence
- 2 Kgs 20:18: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 4:1: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 48:5: quotation, high confidence
- Job 1:2: quotation, high confidence
- Deut 21:15: quotation, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- “By way of a relationship” renders κατὰ διάθεσιν (by disposition or attitude); the sense is disputed, and the phrase may mean “figuratively.”
- Hezekiah's prayer is quoted from the Septuagint of Isa 38:19 (“I will make children”); “your sons, who will come forth from you” is Isa 39:7 and 2 Kgs 20:18 (4 Kingdoms in the Septuagint).
- “I am your servant and the son of your handmaid” is Ps 116:16 (LXX 115:7), read as spoken by the Lord.
- The last two quotations “from the law” are probably Deut 21:15 and a paraphrase of related laws; the second is not identified with certainty.
- The text reads Υραφή (a slip); corrected to Γραφή.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 4 (Bright, 71–73; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/1/#p-4).

## Oration II Against the Arians 5

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/1/#p-5
- Source: Bright, 73
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The first question is whether the Lord is Son, Word, and Wisdom; if he is, he cannot be a work, since all works were made through him.

### Greek text

5. Ἰδοὺ πάλιν τοὺς γεννηθέντας, ὡς γενομένους καὶ ποιηθέντας εἰρήκασιν, εἰδότες ὅτι ἕως ὁμολογοῦνται υἱοὶ κἂν λέγῃ τις, ἐγένοντο, ʼ ἢ ‘ἐκτησάμην, ʼ ἢ ‘ἐποίησα, ʼ οὐδὲν διαφέρει. Ἡ γὰρ φύσις καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια ἕλκει τὴν διάνοιαν εἰς ἑαυτήν. Διὸ καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ζητοῦντας, εἰ κτίσμα καὶ ποίημά ἐστιν ὁ Κύριος, χρὴ πρότερον ζητεῖν εἰ Υἱός ἐστι, καὶ Λόγος, καὶ Σοφία. Τούτων γὰρ ἀποδεικνυμένων, ἐκβάλλεται εὐθὺς καὶ παύεται ἡ περὶ τοῦ ποιήματος καὶ κτίσματος ὑπόνοια· οὔτε γὰρ τὸ ποίημα Υἱὸς καὶ Λόγος ἂν εἴη, οὔτε ὁ Υἱὸς ποίημα ἂν εἴη. Τούτων δὲ πάλιν οὕτως ὄντων, φανερὰ πᾶσιν ἀπόδειξις, ὡς ἡ λέξις ἡ λέγουσα, ‘τῷ ποιήσαντι αὐτὸν, ʼ οὐκ εἰς ὄνησίν ἐστι τῇ αἱρέσει αὐτῶν, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον εἰς κατάγνωσιν. Δέδεικται γὰρ ὅτι ἡ τοῦ, ‘ἐποίησε, ’ λέξις, καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν γνησίων καὶ φύσει τέκνων ἐν τῇ θείᾳ κεῖται Γραφῇ· ὅθεν τοῦ Κυρίου ἀποδεικνυμένου φύσει καὶ γνησίου Υἱοῦ, Λόγου, καὶ Σοφίας τοῦ Πατρὸς, κἂν λέγηται ἐπʼ αὐτοῦ τὸ ‘ἐποίησεν, ’ ἢ τὸ ‘ἐγένετο, ʼ οὐχ ὡς ποιήματος ὄντος αὐτοῦ λέγεται, ἀλλʼ ἀδιαφόρως τῇ λέξει χρῶνται οἱ ἅγιοι, ὡς ἐπὶ τοῦ Σολομῶνος, καὶ τῶν Ἐζεχίου τέκνων. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ αὐτῶν γεννησάντων ἐξ ἑαυτῶν, γέγραπται· ‘ἐποίησα, ’ καὶ ‘ἐκτησάμην, ’ καὶ, ‘ἐγένετο, ’ Οὐκοῦν τὰ τοιαῦτα λεξείδια πολλάκις προφασισάμενοι οἱ θεομάχοι, ὀφείλουσι κἂν ὀψέ ποτε ἐκ τῶν εἰρημένων ἀποθέσθαι τὴν ἀσεβῇ φρόνησιν, καὶ φρονῆσαι περὶ τοῦ Κυρίου ὅτι Υἱός ἐστιν ἀληθινὸς, Λόγος καὶ Σοφία τοῦ Πατρὸς, οὐ ποίημα, οὐ κτίσμα. Εἰ γὰρ ποίημά ἐστιν ὁ Υἱὸς, ἐν ποίῳ ἄρα λόγῳ καὶ ἐν ποίᾳ σοφίᾳ γέγονεν αὐτός; Πάντα γὰρ τὰ ποιήματα διὰ τοῦ Λόγου καὶ τῆς Σοφίας, γέγονε, καθὼς γέγραπται· ‘Πάντα ἐν σοφίᾳ ἐποίησας·’ καὶ, ‘πάντα διʼ αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἕν. ʼ Εἰ δὲ αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ Λόγος καὶ ἡ Σοφία, ἐν ᾗ πάντα γίνεται, οὐκ ἄρα τῶν ποιουμένων ἐστὶν, οὐδὲ ὅλως τῶν γενητῶν, ἀλλὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς γέννημα.

### English translation (Claude)

See again how they have spoken of those who were begotten as “come to be” and “made,” knowing that so long as they are acknowledged to be sons, it makes no difference whether one says “they came to be,” or “I acquired,” or “I made.” For the nature and the truth draw the meaning to themselves. Therefore, with those who ask whether the Lord is a creature and a work, one must first ask whether he is Son, and Word, and Wisdom. For once these are proved, the suspicion of a work and a creature is at once thrown out and ceases; for a work could not be Son and Word, nor could the Son be a work. And since this is so, the proof is plain to all that the expression “to him who made him” is of no help to their heresy but rather condemns it. For it has been shown that the expression “he made” is used in the divine Scripture even of genuine children, children by nature; hence, since the Lord is proved to be by nature the genuine Son, Word, and Wisdom of the Father, even if “he made” or “he came to be” is said of him, it is not said as though he were a work, but the saints use the word indifferently, as in the case of Solomon and of Hezekiah's children. For though these too were begotten from their parents themselves, it is written “I made,” and “I acquired,” and “came to be.” Therefore the fighters against God, who have so often put forward such little phrases as a pretext, ought even at this late hour, in view of what has been said, to put away their impious thinking and to think of the Lord that he is true Son, Word and Wisdom of the Father, not a work, not a creature. For if the Son is a work, in what word and in what wisdom did he himself come to be? For all the works came to be through the Word and the Wisdom, as it is written, “In wisdom you made all things,” and “All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being.” But if he himself is the Word and the Wisdom in which all things come to be, then he is not among the things made, nor at all among things that have come into being, but is the Father's offspring.

### Scripture references

- Ps 104:24 (103:24 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- John 1:3: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Several letter slips are corrected: Σὀρίας to Σοφίας, ὄψέ to ὀψέ, ᾆρα to ἄρα, Κύριου to Κυρίου.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 5 (Bright, 73; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/1/#p-5).

## Oration II Against the Arians 6

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/1/#p-6
- Source: Bright, 73–74
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: A “work” is judged, but the Son is the judge; and “faithful” in Heb 3:2 means trustworthy, as it does of God, not believing, as it does of human beings.

### Greek text

6. Σκοπεῖτε γὰρ ὁπόσον ἔχει πτῶμα τὸ λέγειν ποίημα τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγον. Λέγει που Σολομὼν ἐν τῷ Ἐκκλησιαστῇ, ὅτι ‘σύμπαν τὸ ποίημα ἄξει ὁ Θεὸς εἰς κρίσιν, ἐν παντὶ παρεωρωμένῳ, ἐὰν ἀγαθὸν, καὶ ἐὰν πονηρόν.᾿ Οὐκοῦν εἰ ποίημά ἐστιν ὁ Λόγος, ἀχθήσεται καθʼ ὑμᾶς καὶ αὐτὸς εἰς κρίσιν; Καί που λοιπὸν ἡ κρίσις, κρινομένου τοῦ κριτοῦ; τίς δὲ τοῖς μὲν δικαίοις τὰς εὐλογίας δώσει, τοῖς δὲ ἀναξίοις τὰ ἐπιτιμίας, ἑστηκότος τοῦ Κυρίου καθʼ ὑμᾶς μετὰ πάντων ἐν κρίσει; ποίῳ δὲ καὶ νόμῳ κριθήσεται αὐτὸς ὁ νομοθέτης; Ταῦτα τῶν ποιημάτων ἴδιά ἐστι, τὸ κρίνεσθαι, τὸ παρὰ τοῦ Υἱοῦ εὐλογεῖσθαι καὶ ἐπιτιμᾶσθαι. Φοβήθητε λοιπὸν τὸν κριτὴν, καὶ πείσθητε τῷ Σολομῶνι λέγοντι. Εἰ γὰρ σύμπαν τὸ ποίημα ἄξει ὁ Θεὸς εἰς κρίσιν, ὁ δὲ Υἱὸς οὐκ ἔστι τῶν κρινομένων, ἀλλὰ καὶ μᾶλλον συμπάντων τῶν ποιημάτων αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ κριτής· πῶς οὐ λαμπρότερον ἡλίου δείκνυται μὴ ποίημα ὢν ὁ Υἱὸς, ἀλλὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς Λόγος, ἐν ᾧ τὰ ποιήματα γίνεταί τε καὶ κρίνεται; εἰ δʼ, ὅτι γέγραπται, ‘πιστὸν ὄντα, ʼ πάλιν ταράττει αὐτοὺς νομίζοντας ὡς ἐπὶ πάντων λέγεσθαι καὶ ἐπʼ αὐτοῦ τὸ ‘πιστὸν, ʼ ὅτι πιστεύων ἐκδέχεται τῆς πίστεως τὸν μισθόν· ὥρα καὶ διὰ τοῦτο πάλιν αὐτοὺς ἐγκαλεῖν Μωσεῖ μὲν λέγοντι, ‘ὁ Θεὸς πιστὸς καὶ ἀληθινός·’ τῷ δὲ Παύλῳ γράφοντι, ‘πιστὸς ὁ Θεὸς, ὃς οὐκ ἐάσει ὑμᾶς πειρασθῆναι ὑπὲρ ὃ δύνασθε, ʼ Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα λέγοντες οἱ ἅγιοι, οὐκ ἀνθρώπινα περὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ διενοοῦντο· ἀλλʼ ἐγίνωσκον διπλοῦν εἶναι τὸν νοῦν ἐν τῇ γραφῇ περὶ ‘τοῦ πιστοῦ·’ τὸ μὲν ὡς πιστεύον, τὸ δὲ, ὡς ἀξιόπιστον· καὶ τὸ μὲν ἐπʼ ἀνθρώπων, τὸ δὲ ἐπὶ Θεοῦ ἁρμόζειν. Πιστὸς γοῦν ὁ Ἀβραὰμ, ὅτι τῷ λαλοῦντι πεπίστευκε Θεῷ· πιστὸς δὲ ὁ Θεὸς, ὅτι, καθὼς ψάλλει Δαβὶδ, ‘πιστός ἐστιν ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς λόγοις αὑτοῦ ὁ Κύριος, ’ καὶ ἀξιόπιστός ἐστι, καὶ ‘ἀδύνατόν ἐστιν αὐτὸν ψεύσασθαι.’ Καὶ, ‘εἴ τίς ἐστι πιστὴ χήρας ἔχουσα, ʼ διὰ τὸ καλῶς πιστεύειν, πιστὴ καλεῖται. ‘Πιστὸς δὲ ὁ λόγος, ʼ ὅτι ὃ εἴρηκεν, ὀφείλει πιστεύεσθαι· ἀληθὲς γάρ ἐστι, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἄλλως. Καὶ τὸ γεγράφθαι τοίνυν, ‘πιστὸν ὄντα τῷ ποιήσαντι αὐτὸν, ’ οὐ πρὸς ἄλλους ἔχει τὴν ὁμοιότητα, οὐδʼ ὅτι πιστεύων, εὐάρεστος γέγονεν, ἀλλʼ ὅτι Υἱὸς ὢν τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ Θεοῦ, πιστός ἐστι καὶ αὐτὸς ὀφείλων πιστεύεσθαι, ἐν οἷς ἂν λέγῃ καὶ ποιῇ, αὐτὸς ἄτρεπτος μένων, καὶ μὴ ἀλλοιούμενος ἐν τῇ ἀνθρωπίνῃ οἰκονομίᾳ καὶ τῇ ἐνσάρκῳ παρουσίᾳ.

### English translation (Claude)

Consider how great a fall there is in calling the Word of God a work. Solomon says somewhere in Ecclesiastes that “God will bring every work into judgment, with every overlooked thing, whether good or evil.” If, then, the Word is a work, will he too, on your view, be brought into judgment? And where then is the judgment, if the judge is being judged? Who will give the blessings to the righteous and the penalties to the unworthy, if on your view the Lord stands in judgment with everyone else? And by what law will the lawgiver himself be judged? These things are proper to works: to be judged, to be blessed and rebuked by the Son. Fear the judge, then, and be persuaded by what Solomon says. For if God will bring every work into judgment, and the Son is not among those who are judged but is rather himself the judge of all the works, how is it not shown more brightly than the sun that the Son is not a work but the Father's Word, in whom the works both come to be and are judged? But if, because it is written “being faithful,” they are troubled again, thinking that “faithful” is said of him as of everyone, namely that by believing he awaits the reward of faith, it is time on that account to accuse Moses too, who says, “God is faithful and true,” and Paul, who writes, “God is faithful, who will not let you be tempted beyond what you are able.” But when the saints said these things they did not think of God in a human way; they knew that “faithful” has a twofold sense in Scripture: the one, believing; the other, trustworthy; and that the one fits human beings, the other God. Abraham, at any rate, is faithful because he believed God when he spoke; but God is faithful because, as David sings, “The Lord is faithful in all his words,” and he is trustworthy, and “it is impossible for him to lie.” And “if any faithful woman has widows,” she is called faithful because she believes rightly. But “the saying is faithful” because what it has said ought to be believed; for it is true and not otherwise. So too, that it is written, “being faithful to him who made him,” does not imply likeness to others, nor that by believing he became well-pleasing, but that, being Son of the true God, he too is faithful and ought to be believed in whatever he says and does, himself remaining unchangeable and not altered in the human economy and the presence in the flesh.

### Scripture references

- Eccl 12:14: quotation, high confidence
- Deut 32:4: quotation, medium confidence
- 1 Cor 10:13: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 145:13 (144:13 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Heb 6:18: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Tim 5:16: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Tim 1:15: allusion, medium confidence
- Heb 3:2: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 15:6: echo, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- The Greek πιστός means both “faithful, believing” and “trustworthy”; the argument turns on this double sense.
- “God is faithful and true” is given as Moses' words; the nearest text is Deut 32:4 (Septuagint).
- “The Lord is faithful in all his words” is the Septuagint addition at Ps 145:13 (LXX 144:13).

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 6 (Bright, 73–74; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/1/#p-6).

## Oration II Against the Arians 7

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/1/#p-7
- Source: Bright, 74–76
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Heb 3:1–2 speaks not of the Word's divine generation but of his becoming high priest in the flesh, as Aaron became high priest by putting on the priestly robes.

### Greek text

7. Οὕτως μὲν οὖν ἄν τις, πρὸς τὴν ἀναίδειαν αὐτῶν χωρῶν, δύναται καὶ ἐκ μόνης τῆς, ‘ἐποίησε, ʼ λέξεως, διελέγχειν αὐτοὺς πλανωμένους, καὶ νομίζοντας εἶναι ποίημα τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγον. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ ἡ διάνοια τῶν γεγραμμένων ἐστὶν ὀρθὴ, δεικνύουσα τὴν ‘ἐποίησεʼ λέξιν, πότε καὶ πρὸς τί λεγομένη σημαίνεται, ἀναγκαῖον καὶ ἐξ αὐτῆς δεῖξαι τῶν αἱρετικῶν τὴν ἀλογίαν, ἐὰν μάλιστα, ὡς ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν εἰρήκαμεν, καὶ τούτου τὸν καιρὸν καὶ τὴν χρείαν λάβοιμεν. Οὐ τοίνυν τὰ πρὸ τῆς κτίσεως διηγούμενος ὁ ἀπόστολος ταῦτα εἴρηκεν, ἀλλʼ ὅτε ‘ὁ Λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο οὕτω γὰρ γέγραπται· ‘Ὄθεν, ἀδελφοὶ ἅγιοι, κλήσεως ἐπουρανίου μέτοχοι, κατανοήσατε τὸν ἀπόστολον καὶ ἀρχίερέα τῆς ὁμολογίας ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν, πιστὸν ὄντα τῷ ποιήσαντι αὐτόν.’ Πότε οὖν ἀπεστάλη, ἢ ὁπηνίκα τὴν ἡμετέραν ἐνεδύσατο σάρκα, πότε δὲ ‘ἀρχιερεὺς τῆς ὁμολογίας ἡμῶν γέγονεν, ἢ ὅτε, προσενέγκας ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ἤγειρεν ἐκ νεκρῶν τὸ σῶμα, καὶ νῦν αὐτὸς τοὺς προσερχομένους αὐτοῦ τῇ πίστει προσάγει καὶ προσφέρει τῷ Πατρὶ, λυτρούμενος πάντας, καὶ ὑπὲρ πάντων ἱλασκόμενος τὰ πρὸς τὸν Θεόν; Οὐ τὴν οὐσίαν ἄρα τοῦ Λόγου, οὐδὲ τὴν ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς φυσικὴν γέννησιν σημᾶναι θέλων ὁ ἀπόστολος εἴρηκε, ‘πιστὸν ὄντα τῷ ποιήσαντι αὐτόν·᾿ (μὴ γένοιτο· ποιῶν γάρ ἐστιν ὁ Λόγος, οὐ ποιούμενος αὐτός·) ἀλλὰ τὴν εἰς ἀνθρώπους αὐτοῦ κάθοδον καὶ ἀρχιερωσύνην γενομένην, ἣν καλῶς ἄν τις ἴδοι ἐκ τῆς κατὰ τὸν νόμον καὶ τὸν Ἀαρὼν ἱστορίας. Οὕτως Ἀαρὼν οὐ γεγέννηται ἀρχιερεὺς, ἀλλὰ ἄνθρωπος, καὶ μετὰ χρόνον, ὅτε ὁ Θεὸς ἠθέλησε, γέγονεν ἀρχιερεύς· καὶ γέγονεν οὐχ ἀπλῶς, οὐδὲ ἐκ τῶν συνήθων ἱματίων γνωριζόμενος, ἀλλʼ ἐπενδιδυσκόμενος τὴν ἐπωμίδα, τὸ λογεῖον, τὸν ποδήρη, αἱ γυναῖκες μὲν εἰργάσαντο προστάξει τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἐν τούτοις δὲ εἰσερχόμενος εἰς τὰ ἅγια, τὴν ὑπὲρ τοῦ λαοῦ θυσίαν προσέφερε· καὶ ἐν τούτοις ὥσπερ ἐμεσίτευε τῇ ὀπτασίᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ταῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων θυσίαις. Οὕτω τοίνυν καὶ ὁ Κύριος ‘ἐν ἀρχῇ μὲν ἦν ὁ Λόγος, καὶ ὁ Λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ Θεὸς ἦν ὁ Λόγος ὅτε δὲ ἠθέλησεν ὁ Πατὴρ ὑπὲρ πάντων λύτρα δοθῆναι, καὶ πᾶσι χαρίσασθαι, τότε δὴ ὁ Λόγος, ὡς Ἀαρὼν τὸν ποδήρη, οὕτως αὐτὸς ἔλαβε τὴν ἀπὸ γῆς σάρκα, Μαρίαν ἀντὶ τῆς ἀνεργάστου γῆς ἐσχηκὼς μητέρα τοῦ σώματος, ἵνα ἔχων τὸ προσφερόμενον αὐτὸς, ὡς ἀρχιερεὺς ἑαυτὸν προσενέγκῃ τῷ Πατρὶ, καὶ τῷ ἰδίῳ αἵματι πάντας ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν καθαρίσῃ, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν νεκρῶν ἀναστήσῃ.

### English translation (Claude)

In this way, then, meeting their shamelessness, one can refute them even from the single expression “he made,” as they err in thinking that the Word of God is a work. But since the sense of what is written is also correct, showing when and for what purpose the expression “he made” is used, it is necessary to show the senselessness of the heretics from that too, especially if, as we said earlier, we grasp the occasion and the purpose of this passage too. The apostle did not say these things when narrating what was before creation, but of when “the Word became flesh”; for it is written thus: “Therefore, holy brothers, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high priest of our confession, Jesus, being faithful to him who made him.” When, then, was he sent, if not when he put on our flesh? And when did he become “high priest of our confession,” if not when, having offered himself for us, he raised the body from the dead, and now himself brings near and presents to the Father those who approach him in faith, redeeming all and making propitiation for all in the things that pertain to God? So it was not to signify the substance of the Word, or his natural generation from the Father, that the apostle said, “being faithful to him who made him” (God forbid! for the Word is the maker, not himself made), but to signify his descent to human beings and the high priesthood that came about, which one may see clearly from the account of Aaron in the law. Aaron was not born high priest but a man, and after a time, when God willed, he became high priest; and he became so not simply, nor recognized by his ordinary clothes, but by putting on over them the ephod, the breastpiece, and the long robe, which the women made at God's command; wearing these he entered the holy place and offered the sacrifice for the people; and in these he mediated, as it were, between the vision of God and the sacrifices of men. So too the Lord: “in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”; but when the Father willed that a ransom be given for all and grace be granted to all, then indeed the Word, as Aaron took the long robe, himself took flesh from the earth, having Mary as mother of his body in place of the untilled earth, so that, having in himself what was to be offered, he might as high priest offer himself to the Father, cleanse us all from sins by his own blood, and raise us from the dead.

### Scripture references

- John 1:14: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 3:1: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 3:2: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 2:17: allusion, medium confidence
- Exod 28:4: allusion, high confidence
- Exod 35:25: allusion, medium confidence
- John 1:1: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Tim 2:6: allusion, medium confidence
- Heb 9:14: echo, low confidence
- Gen 2:5: allusion, low confidence

### Translation notes

- “In place of the untilled earth”: as Adam was formed from earth not yet worked (Gen 2:5–7), so the Word took his body from Mary.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 7 (Bright, 74–76; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/1/#p-7).

## Oration II Against the Arians 8

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/1/#p-8
- Source: Bright, 76–77
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: As Aaron remained the same man when he put on the priestly robes, so the Word remained the same when he put on flesh; Heb 2:14–3:2 shows that “made” refers to his becoming man and high priest.

### Greek text

8. Τούτου γὰρ ἦν τὰ παλαιὰ σκιά· καὶ ὅπερ πεποίηκεν ἐλθὼν ὁ Σωτὴρ, τοῦτο κατὰ τὸν νόμον ἐσκιογράφει ὁ Ἀαρών. Ὥσπερ οὖν ὁ Ἀαρὼν, ὁ αὐτὸς ὢν, οὐκ ἠλλάσσετο περιτιθέμενος τὴν ἀρχιερατικὴν ἐσθῆτα, ἀλλὰ μένων ὁ αὐτὸς, ἐκαλύπτετο μόνον· καὶ εἰ ἔλεγέ τις ἑωρακὼς αὐτὸν προσφέροντα, ‘Ἰδοὺ γέγονε σήμερον ὁ Ἀαρὼν ἀρχιερεὺς, ’ οὐκ ἐσήμαινεν αὐτὸν ἄνθρωπον τότε γεγενῆσθαι· ἦν γὰρ, καὶ πρὸ τοῦ αὐτὸν ἀρχιερέα γενέσθαι, ἄνθρωπος· ἀλλʼ ὅτι τῇ λειτουργείᾳ πεποίηται ἀρχιερεὺς, περιθέμενος τὰ πεποιημένα καὶ κατασκευασθέντα ἱμάτια τῇ ἀρχιερατείᾳ· τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Κυρίου δυνατόν ἐστι καλῶς νοεῖν, ὡς οὐκ ἄλλος γέγονε τὴν σάρκα λαβὼν, ἀλλʼ ὁ αὐτὸς ὢν, ἐκαλύπτετο ταύτῃ· καὶ τὸ ‘γέγονε, καὶ τὸ ‘πεποίηται, ᾿ οὐχ ὅτι ὁ Λόγος, ᾗ Λόγος ἐστὶ, πεποίηται νοεῖν θέμις, ἀλλʼ ὅτι Λόγος, ὢν δημιουργὸς, ὕστερον πεποίηται ἀρχιερεύς, ἐνδυσάμενος σῶμα τὸ γενητὸν καὶ ποιητὸν, ὅπερ καὶ προσενεγκεῖν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν δύναται· διὸ καὶ λέγεται πεποιῆσθαι. Εἰ μὲν οὖν οὐ γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος ὁ Κύριος, μαχέσθωσαν οἱ Ἀρειανοί· εἰ δὲ ‘ὁ Λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο, ʼ τί ἔδει περὶ γεγονότος ἀνθρώπου λέγειν ἢ, πιστὸν ὄντα τῷ ποιήσαντι αὐτόν;’ Ὡς γὰρ ἴδιον περὶ τοῦ Λόγου εἰπεῖν, ‘Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ Λόγος, ʼ οὕτως ἀνθρώπων ἴδιόν ἐστι τὸ γίνεσθαι καὶ ποιεῖσθαι. Τίς γοῦν ἰδὼν τὸν Κύριον, ὡς ἄνθρωπον περιπατοῦντα, καὶ Θεὸν ἐκ τῶν ἔργων δεικνύμενον, οὐκ ἂν ἠρώτησε, ‘Τίς τοῦτον ἐποίησεν ἄνθρωπον; τίς δὲ πάλιν οὕτως ἐρωτηθεὶς οὐκ ἂν ἀπεκρίνετο, ὅτι ‘ὁ Πατὴρ τοῦτον ἐποίησεν ἄνθρωπον, καὶ ἀπέστειλεν αὐτὸν ἡμῖν ἀρχιερέα; τὴν δὲ τοιαύτην διάνοιαν καὶ τὸν καιρὸν, καὶ τὸ πρόσωπον, αὐτὸς ὁ ἀπόστολος ὁ καὶ γράψας, πιστὸν ὄντα τῷ ποιήσαντι αὐτὸν, ʼ δηλῶσαι μᾶλλον ἱκανός ἐστιν, ἐὰν τὰ ἔμπροσθεν λάβωμεν· μία γὰρ ἀκολουθία ἐστὶ, καὶ περὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ τὸ ἀνάγνωσμα τυγχάνει. Γράφει τοίνυν ἐν τῇ ἐπιστολῇ τῇ πρὸς Ἑβραίους ταῦτα· ‘Ἐπεὶ οὖν τὰ παιδία κεκοινώνηκεν αἵματος καὶ σαρκὸς, καὶ αὐτὸς παραπλησίως μετέσχε τῶν αὐτῶν, ἵνα διὰ τοῦ θανάτου καταργήσῃ τὸν τὸ κρατὸς ἔχοντα τοῦ θανάτου, τουτέστι τὸν διάβολον, καὶ ἀπαλλάξῃ τούτους ὅσοι φόβῳ θανάτου διαπαντὸς τοῦ ζῇν ἔνοχοι ἦσαν δουλείας. Οὐ γὰρ δήπου ἀγγέλων ἐπιλαμβάνεται, ἀλλὰ σπέρματος Ἀβραὰμ ἐπιλαμβάνεται. Ὅθεν ὤφειλε κατὰ πάντα τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ὁμοιωθῆναι, ἵνα ἐλεήμων γένηται καὶ πιστὸς ἀρχιερεὺς τὰ πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, εἰς τὸ ἱλάσκεσθαι τὰς ἁμαρτίας τοῦ λαοῦ· ἐν ᾧ γὰρ πέπονθεν αὐτὸς πειρασθεὶς, δύναται τοῖς πειραζομένοις βοηθῆσαι. Ὅθεν, ἀδελφοὶ ἅγιοι, κλήσεως ἐπουρανίου μέτοχοι, κατανοήσατε τὸν ἀπόστολον καὶ ἀρχιερέα τῆς ὁμολογίας ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν, πιστὸν ὄντα τῷ ποιήσαντι αὐτόν.’

### English translation (Claude)

For the things of old were a shadow of this; and what the Saviour did when he came, Aaron sketched in outline according to the law. As, then, Aaron, remaining the same, was not changed when he put on the high-priestly vesture, but remaining the same was only covered; and if someone who saw him offering said, “See, Aaron has become high priest today,” he did not mean that he had then become a man (for he was a man even before he became high priest), but that he had been made high priest by his ministry, having put on the garments made and prepared for the high priesthood; in the same way it is possible to understand rightly in the case of the Lord too that he did not become someone else by taking the flesh, but, being the same, was covered with it; and “he became” and “he has been made” must not be taken to mean that the Word, as Word, has been made, but that the Word, being the craftsman, was afterwards made high priest, having put on a body that came into being and was made, which he could also offer for us; that is why he is said to have been made. If, then, the Lord did not become man, let the Arians fight; but if “the Word became flesh,” what should have been said of one who had become man except “being faithful to him who made him”? For as it is proper to say of the Word, “In the beginning was the Word,” so it is proper to human beings to come to be and to be made. Who, seeing the Lord walking about as a man and shown to be God by his works, would not have asked, “Who made this man?” And who again, asked this, would not have answered, “The Father made him man and sent him to us as high priest”? This sense, and the occasion, and the person, the apostle himself who wrote “being faithful to him who made him” is better able to make plain, if we take what comes before; for it is one continuous passage, and the reading concerns the same person. He writes in the letter to the Hebrews as follows: “Since, then, the children share in blood and flesh, he himself likewise partook of the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and set free all those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. For surely it is not angels that he takes hold of, but he takes hold of the seed of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the things that pertain to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted. Therefore, holy brothers, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high priest of our confession, Jesus, being faithful to him who made him.”

### Scripture references

- Heb 10:1: echo, medium confidence
- John 1:14: quotation, high confidence
- John 1:1: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 2:14: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 2:15: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 2:16: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 2:17: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 2:18: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 3:1: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 3:2: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The text reads ἀρχιερεῖς (plural), a slip for ἀρχιερεύς; corrected.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 8 (Bright, 76–77; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/1/#p-8).

## Oration II Against the Arians 9

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/1/#p-9
- Source: Bright, 77–78
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: He became apostle and high priest when he shared our flesh; he is “faithful” because his once-for-all sacrifice abides and his high priesthood has no successor.

### Greek text

9. Τίς τὴν περικοπὴν ταύτην ὅλην ἀναγινώσκων, οὐ τῶν μὲν Ἀρειανῶν καταγινώσκει, τὸν δὲ μακάριον ἀπόστολον θαυμάζει, καλῶς εἰρηκότα; Πότε γὰρ ‘πεποίηται, ʼ καὶ πότε ‘ἀπόστολοςʼ γέγονεν, εἰ μὴ ὅτε ‘παραπλησίως ἡμῖν μετέσχε καὶ αὐτὸς αἵματος καὶ σαρκός;’ Καὶ πότε γέγονεν ‘ἐλεήμων καὶ πιστὸς ἀρχιερεὺς ἢ ὅτε ‘κατὰ πάντα τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ὡμοιώθη;’ ὡμοιώθη δὲ τότε, ὅτε γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος, ἐνδυσάμενος τὴν ἡμετέραν σάρκα. Οὐκοῦν περὶ τῆς κατὰ τὸν ἄνθρωπον οἰκονομίας τοῦ Λόγου γράφων ὁ Παῦλος ἔλεγε, ‘πιστὸν ὄντα τῷ ποιήσαντι αὐτὸν, ʼ καὶ οὐ περὶ τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ Λόγου. Μηκέτι τοίνυν μαίνεσθε λέγοντες ποίημα εἶναι τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγον. Ἔστι γὰρ αὐτὸς Υἱὸς φύσει μονογενής. Τότε δὲ ἔσχεν ἀδελφοὺς, ὅτε τὴν ὁμοίαν ἡμῖν ἐνεδύσατο σάρκα, ἣν καὶ προσφέρων αὐτὸς διʼ αὐτοῦ, ἀρχιερεὺς ὠνομάσθη, καὶ γέγονεν ἐλεήμων καὶ πιστός· ἐλεήμων μὲν, ὅτι ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν προσενέγκας ἑαυτὸν ἠλέησεν ἡμᾶς· πιστὸς δὲ, οὐ πίστεως μετέχων, οὐδὲ εἴς τινα πιστεύων ὥσπερ ἡμεῖς, ἀλλὰ πιστεύεσθαι ὀφείλων περὶ ὧν ἐὰν λέγῃ καὶ ποιῇ, καὶ ὅτι πιστὴν θυσίαν προσφέρει τὴν μένουσαν καὶ μὴ διαπίπτουσαν. Αἱ μὲν γὰρ κατὰ νόμον προσφερόμεναι οὐκ εἶχον τὸ πιστὸν, καθʼ ἡμέραν παρερχόμεναι, καὶ δεόμεναι πάλιν καθαρσίου· ἡ δὲ τοῦ Σωτῆρος θυσία ἅπαξ γενομένη ‘τετελείωκε τὸ πᾶν, καὶ πιστὴ γέγονε μένουσα διὰ παντός. Καὶ Ἀαρὼν μὲν ἔσχε τοὺς διαδεχομένους, καὶ ὅλως ἡ κατὰ νόμον ἱερατεία χρόνῳ καὶ θανάτῳ παρήμειβε τοὺς προτέρους· ὁ δὲ Κύριος ‘ἀπαράβατον καὶ ‘ἀδιάδεκτον ἔχων τὴν ἀρχιερωσύνηνʼ πιστὸς γέγονεν ἀρχιερεὺς, παραμένων ἀεὶ, καὶ τῇ ἐπαγγελίᾳ πιστὸς γενόμενος, εἰς τὸ ἐπακούειν καὶ μὴ πλανᾷν τοὺς προσερχομένους. Τοῦτο δὲ πάλιν καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ἐπιστολῆς τοῦ μεγάλου Πέτρου μαθεῖν ἔξεστι, λέγοντος· ‘Ὥστε καὶ οἱ πάσχοντες κατὰ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ, πιστῷ κτίστῃ παρατιθέσθωσαν τὰς ἑαυτῶν ψυχάς·’ πιστὸς γάρ ἐστιν, οὐκ ἀλλασσόμενος, ἀλλʼ ἀεὶ διαμένων, καὶ ἀποδιδοὺς ἃ ἐπηγγείλατο.

### English translation (Claude)

Who, reading this whole passage, does not condemn the Arians and admire the blessed apostle for having spoken well? For when was he “made,” and when did he become “apostle,” if not when “he likewise partook with us of blood and flesh”? And when did he become “a merciful and faithful high priest,” if not when “he was made like his brothers in every respect”? He was made like them then, when he became man, putting on our flesh. So Paul, writing about the Word's economy as man, said “being faithful to him who made him,” and not about the substance of the Word. Stop raving, then, and saying that the Word of God is a work. For he is by nature the only-begotten Son. He had brothers then, when he put on flesh like ours; offering this himself, through himself, he was named high priest and became merciful and faithful: merciful, because by offering himself for us he had mercy on us; faithful, not as sharing in faith or believing in someone as we do, but as one who ought to be believed in whatever he says and does, and because he offers a faithful sacrifice, one that abides and does not fail. For the sacrifices offered according to the law did not have this faithfulness, since they passed away day by day and needed cleansing again; but the Saviour's sacrifice, made once, “has perfected” everything and has become faithful, abiding for ever. Aaron had successors, and in general the priesthood under the law passed the earlier holders by through time and death; but the Lord, having a high priesthood “that does not pass away” and “has no successor,” has become a faithful high priest, remaining for ever, and has become faithful to his promise, so as to hear and not to mislead those who come to him. This can be learned again from the letter of the great Peter, who says, “So let those also who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful creator.” For he is faithful, not changing but abiding for ever, and rendering what he has promised.

### Scripture references

- Heb 3:2: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 2:14: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 2:17: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 10:14: allusion, high confidence
- Heb 7:23: allusion, high confidence
- Heb 7:24: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 7:27: allusion, medium confidence
- 1 Pet 4:19: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “Has no successor” (ἀδιάδεκτον) paraphrases Heb 7:24 (ἀπαράβατον, “does not pass away”).
- The text reads Ἒστι; corrected to Ἔστι.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 9 (Bright, 77–78; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/1/#p-9).

## Oration II Against the Arians 10

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/1/#p-10
- Source: Bright, 78–79
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Unlike the perishing gods of the Greeks, God and his Son are faithful because unchanging; Hebrews at once sets the Son above Moses as builder and Lord of the house.

### Greek text

10. Ἑλλήνων μὲν οὖν οἱ λεγόμενοι παρʼ αὐτοῖς ψευδώνυμοι θεοὶ οὔτε τῷ εἶναι, οὔτε τῷ ἐπαγγέλλεσθαί εἰσι πιστοί· οὔτε γὰρ οἱ αὐτοί εἰσι πανταχοῦ, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ κατὰ τόπους, τῷ χρόνῳ διαφθείρονται, καὶ περὶ ἑαυτοὺς καταῤῥέουσι· διὸ καὶ κατʼ αὐτῶν ὁ λόγος βοᾷ, ὅτι ‘πίστις οὐκ ἴσχυσενʼ ἐν αὐτοῖς, καὶ ‘ὕδωρ ψευδές εἰσι, ʼ καὶ οὐκ ἔστι πίστις ἐν αὐτοῖς.’ Ὁ δὲ τῶν ὅλων καὶ μόνος τῷ ὄντι ὄντως καὶ ἀληθινὸς ὢν Θεὸς πιστός ἐστιν, ὁ αὐτὸς ὢν, καὶ λέγων· ‘Ἴδετέ με, ἴδετε, ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι, ’ καὶ, ‘οὐκ ἠλλοίωμαι·᾿ διὸ καὶ ὁ τούτου Υἱὸς πιστός ἐστιν, ἀεὶ ὢν, καὶ οὐκ ἀλλοιούμενος, οὐδὲ διαψευδόμενος οὔτε ἐν τῷ εἶναι, οὔτε ἐν τῷ ἐπαγγέλλεσθαι, καθάπερ πάλιν ὁ ἀπόστολος γράφων Θεσσαλονικεῦσι μέν φησι· ‘Πιστὸς ὁ καλῶν ὑμᾶς, ὃς καὶ ποιήσει· ἐν γὰρ τῷ ποιεῖν ἂ ἐπαγγέλλεται, πιστός ἐστι λαλῶν· Ἑβραίοις δὲ περὶ τοῦ σημαίνειν τὴν λέξιν ταύτην καὶ τὸ ἀναλλοίωτον οὕτως γράφει· ‘Εἰ ἀπιστήσομεν, ἐκεῖνος πιστὸς μένει· ἀρνήσασθαι ἑαυτὸν οὐ δύναται. Οὐκοῦν εἰκότως ὁ ἀπόστολος τὴν σωματικὴν τοῦ Λόγου παρουσίαν διηγούμενός φησιν, ‘Ἀπόστολον καὶ πιστὸν ὄντα τῷ ποιήσαντι αὐτὸν, ʼ δεικνὺς, ὅτι καὶ ἄνθρωπος γενόμενος ‘Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς, χθὲς καὶ σήμερον ὁ αὐτὸς, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας ἀναλλοίωτός ἐστι. Καὶ ὥσπερ τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως αὐτοῦ διὰ τῆς ἀρχιερωσύνης μνημονεύει γράφων ὁ ἀπόστολος, οὕτω καὶ πάλιν οὐκ ἐσιώπησε μακρὰν, ἀλλʼ εὐθὺς περὶ τῆς θεότητος αὐτοῦ μνημονεύει, πανταχοῦ τῆς ἀσφαλείας γινόμενος, ἔνθα μάλιστα τὸ ταπεινὸν ὀνομάζει, ἵνʼ εὐθὺς αὐτοῦ τὴν ὑψηλότητα καὶ τὴν πατρικὴν μεγαλειότητα γινώσκωμεν. Φησὶ γοῦν, ‘Ὁ μὲν Μωσῆς θεράπων, ὁ δὲ Χριστὸς Υἱὸς, κἀκεῖνος μὲν πιστὸς εἰς τὸν οἶκον, οὗτος δὲ ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον, ’ ὡς αὐτὸς αὐτὸν κατασκευάσας, καὶ Κύριος αὐτοῦ καὶ δημιουργὸς τυγχάνων, καὶ ὡς Θεὸς ἁγιάζων αὐτόν. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ Μωσῆς, ἄνθρωπος φύσει ὢν, πιστὸς ἐγένετο, πιστεύων τῷ διὰ τοῦ Λόγου λαλοῦντι αὐτῷ Θεῷ· ὁ δὲ Λόγος οὐχ ὥσπερ τις τῶν γενητῶν ἦν ἐν σώματι, οὐδὲ ὡς κτίσμα ἐν κτίσμασιν, ἀλλὰ Θεὸς ἐν σαρκὶ καὶ δημιουργὸς, καὶ κατασκευαστὴς ἐν τῷ κατασκευασθέντι ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ, Καὶ οἱ μὲν ἄνθρωποι ἕνεκα τοῦ εἶναι καὶ ὑφεστάναι σάρκα περιβέβληνται· ὁ δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος ἕνεκα τοῦ ἁγιάζειν τὴν σάρκα γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος· καὶ Κύριος ὢν, ἐν τῇ μορφῇ τοῦ δούλου ἦν· δούλη γὰρ τοῦ Λόγου ἡ πᾶσα κτίσις, ἡ παρʼ αὐτοῦ γενομένη καὶ ποιηθεῖσα. Ἐκ δὲ τούτου συνέστηκεν, ὅτι καὶ τὸ λεγόμενον παρὰ τῷ ἀποστόλῳ, ‘ἐποίησεν, ʼ οὐ ποιούμενον δείκνυσι τὸν Λόγον, ἀλλʼ ὅπερ ἔλαβεν ὅμοιον ἡμῖν σῶμα· διὸ καὶ ἀδελφὸς ἡμῶν ἐχρημάτισε, γενόμενος ἄνθρωπος.

### English translation (Claude)

The so-called gods of the Greeks, falsely named, are faithful neither in their being nor in their promises; for they are not the same everywhere, but even the local ones perish with time and waste away of themselves; that is why the word cries out against them that “faith has not prevailed” among them, and “they are deceitful water,” and “there is no faith in them.” But the God of all, who alone truly and really is, and is true, is faithful, being the same and saying, “See me, see that I am,” and “I have not changed.” Therefore his Son too is faithful, being for ever and not changing, nor proving false either in his being or in his promising, as again the apostle, writing to the Thessalonians, says, “Faithful is he who calls you, who will also do it”; for in doing what he promises he is faithful to what he says. And to the Hebrews, concerning the fact that this word also means unchangeableness, he writes thus: “If we are faithless, he remains faithful; he cannot deny himself.” So it is fitting that the apostle, narrating the bodily presence of the Word, says “apostle and being faithful to him who made him,” showing that even having become man, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever,” unchangeable. And as the apostle in writing mentions his becoming man by way of the high priesthood, so again he did not keep silent long, but at once mentions his divinity, everywhere guarding against error, especially where he names what is lowly, so that we may at once recognize his loftiness and his Father's majesty. He says, at any rate, “Moses was a servant, but Christ a Son; and the one was faithful in the house, but this one over the house,” as having himself built it, being its Lord and craftsman, and as God sanctifying it. For Moses, being by nature a man, became faithful by believing God, who spoke to him through the Word; but the Word was not in a body as one of the things that have come into being, nor as a creature among creatures, but as God in the flesh, and craftsman, and builder in what he himself had built. Human beings have been clothed with flesh in order to exist and subsist; but the Word of God became man in order to sanctify the flesh; and being Lord, he was in the form of a servant; for the whole creation, which came to be and was made by him, is the Word's servant. From this it is established that what is said by the apostle, “he made,” does not show the Word as made, but the body like ours which he took; that is why he was called our brother, having become man.

### Scripture references

- Jer 9:3 (9:2 LXX): quotation, medium confidence
- Jer 15:18: quotation, high confidence
- Deut 32:20: quotation, high confidence
- Deut 32:39: quotation, high confidence
- Mal 3:6: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Thess 5:24: quotation, high confidence
- 2 Tim 2:13: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 3:1: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 3:2: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 13:8: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 3:5: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 3:6: quotation, high confidence
- Phil 2:7: allusion, high confidence
- Heb 2:11: echo, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- “Faith has not prevailed” is Jer 9:3 (Septuagint); “deceitful water” is Jer 15:18; “there is no faith in them” is Deut 32:20.
- “See me, see that I am” is Deut 32:39; “I have not changed” is Mal 3:6.
- The quotation “If we are faithless, he remains faithful” is 2 Tim 2:13, though Athanasius introduces it as written “to the Hebrews.”
- The Moses and Christ comparison paraphrases Heb 3:5–6.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 10 (Bright, 78–79; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/1/#p-10).

## Oration II Against the Arians 11

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/11/#p-11
- Source: Bright, 79–80
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Words like “made,” “created,” “servant,” or “brother” describe the Word's humanity; Scripture never says God made himself a Son or created a Word.

### Greek text

11. Εἰ δὲ δέδεικται, ὅτι, κἂν ἐπʼ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Λόγου τις λέγῃ τὸ ‘ἐποίησεν, ʼ ἀντὶ τοῦ ‘ἐγέννησεʼ λέγει· ποίαν ἄρα παρεξευρεῖν ἐπίνοιαν ἔτι μᾶλλον κακονοίας εἰς τοῦτο δυνήσονται, ὅπου γε πανταχόθεν ὁ λόγος τὸ ῥητὸν διακαθάρας, ἔδειξε μὴ εἶναι ποίημα τὸν Υἱὸν, ἀλλὰ τῇ μὲν οὐσίᾳ γέννημα τοῦ Πατρός· τῇ δὲ οἰκονομίᾳ κατʼ εὐδοκίαν τοῦ Πατρὸς, ἐποιήθη διʼ ἡμᾶς ἄνθρωπος καὶ συνίσταται; καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἄρα λέγεται παρὰ μὲν τῷ ἀποστόλῳ, ‘πιστὸν ὄντα τῷ ποιήσαντι αὐτὸν, ʼ ἐν δὲ ταῖς Παροιμίαις καὶ τὸ ‘κτίζεσθαι.’ Ἕως γὰρ ὁμολογεῖται ‘γενόμενος ἄνθρωπος, ’ οὐδὲν διαφέρει λέγειν, καθάπερ προείρηται, εἴτε ‘ἐγένετο, ’ εἴτε ‘πεποίηται, ’ εἴτε ‘ἔκτισται, ’ εἴτε ‘πέπλασται, ʼ εἴτε ‘δοῦλος, ’ εἴτε ‘υἱὸς παιδίσκης, ’ εἴτε ‘υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου, ʼ εἴτε ‘κατεστάθη, ’ εἴτε ‘ἀπεδήμησεν.’ εἴτε ‘νυμφίος, ’ εἴτε ‘ἀδελφιδοῦς, ’ εἴτε ‘ἀδελφός.’ Πάντα γὰρ ταῦτα τὰ λεξείδια τῆς ἀνθρώπων συστάσεως ἴδια τυγχάνει ὄντα· καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα οὐ τὴν οὐσίαν τοῦ Λόγου, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἄνθρωπον αὐτὸν γεγενῆσθαι σημαίνει. Τοιαύτην ἔχει διάνοιαν καὶ τὸ ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσι παρʼ αὐτῶν πάλιν προφερόμενον ῥητὸν τοῦ Πέτρου λέγοντος, ‘ὅτι Κύριον καὶ Χριστὸν ἐποίησε τοῦτον τὸν Ἰησοῦν, ὃν ὑμεῖς ἐσταυρώσατε.’ Οὐδὲ γὰρ οὐδὲ ἐνταῦθα γέγραπται, ‘ἐποίησεν ἑαυτῷ Υἱὸν, ’ ἢ, ‘ἐποίησεν ἑαυτῷ Λόγον, ʼ ἵνα καὶ τοιαῦτα φαντασθῶσιν. Εἰ μὲν οὖν μὴ ἐπελάθοντο ὅτι περὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ λαλοῦσιν, ἐρευνάτωσαν εἴ που γέγραπται, ‘ἐποίησεν ἑαυτῷ Υἱὸν ὁ Θεὸς ἢ ‘ἔκτισεν ἑαυτῷ Λόγον· ἢ πάλιν, εἴ που γέγραπται φανερῶς, ποίημά ἐστιν ἢ κτίσμα ὁ Λόγος· ʼ καὶ τότε προφασιζέσθωσαν, ἵνα καὶ οὕτως ἐλεγχθῶσιν οἱ ἀνόητοι. Εἰ δὲ μηδέν τι τοιοῦτον εὑρίσκουσι, μόνον δὲ εἴ που γέγραπται, ‘ἐποίησε, ’ καὶ ‘πεποίηται, ’ θηρεύουσι· φοβοῦμαι μὴ κατʼ ὀλίγον ἀκούοντες, ‘Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν, ʼ καὶ ‘ἐποίησε τὸν ἥλιον καὶ τὴν σελήνην, ʼ καὶ, ‘ἐποίησε τὴν θάλασσαν.’ εἴπωσιν αὐτὸν εἶναι τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ αὐτὸν εἶναι τὸ τῇ πρώτῃ ἡμέρᾳ γενόμενον φῶς, καὶ αὐτὸν εἶναι τὴν γῆν, καὶ ἕκαστον τῶν ποιηθέντων, ἵνα λοιπὸν ὁμοιωθῶσι καὶ τοῖς λεγομένοις Στωϊκοῖς. Ὅτι ἐκεῖνοι μὲν αὐτὸν τὸν Θεὸν ἐξαπλοῦσιν εἰς τὰ πάντα· οὗτοι δὲ τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγον εἰς ἕκαστον τῶν ποιημάτων συντάττουσιν, εἰ καὶ φθάσαντες εἰρήκασι τὰ ὅμοια, λέγοντες ἕνα τῶν ποιημάτων αὐτὸν εἶναι.

### English translation (Claude)

If it has been shown that even if someone says “he made” of the Word himself, he says it instead of “he begot,” what further device of ill will can they find for this, when the argument, having cleared the saying from every side, has shown that the Son is not a work, but in substance the offspring of the Father, while in the economy, according to the Father's good pleasure, he was made and constituted man for our sake? And this, then, is why it is said by the apostle, “being faithful to him who made him,” and in the Proverbs, “to be created.” For so long as it is acknowledged that he “became man,” it makes no difference, as was said before, whether one says “he came to be,” or “he has been made,” or “he has been created,” or “he has been formed,” or “servant,” or “son of a handmaid,” or “son of man,” or “he was appointed,” or “he went abroad,” or “bridegroom,” or “kinsman,” or “brother.” For all these little words belong to the makeup of human beings; and such words signify not the substance of the Word but that he has become man. The saying of Peter in the Acts, which they again put forward, has the same sense: “that God made this Jesus, whom you crucified, Lord and Christ.” For here too it is not written, “he made for himself a Son,” or “he made for himself a Word,” that they should imagine such things. If, then, they have not forgotten that they are speaking about the Son of God, let them search whether it is anywhere written, “God made for himself a Son,” or “he created for himself a Word,” or again whether it is anywhere written plainly, “the Word is a work or a creature”; and then let them put it forward, so that even so the fools may be refuted. But if they find nothing of the kind, and only hunt for places where “he made” and “has been made” is written, I fear that before long, hearing “In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth,” and “he made the sun and the moon,” and “he made the sea,” they will say that he is the heaven, and that he is the light that came to be on the first day, and that he is the earth and each of the things made, and so end by resembling the so-called Stoics too. For they extend God himself into all things, while these rank the Word of God with each of the works—though they have already said much the same thing, saying that he is one of the works.

### Scripture references

- Heb 3:2: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 8:22: allusion, high confidence
- Ps 2:6: echo, low confidence
- Matt 9:15: echo, low confidence
- Song 1:13: echo, low confidence
- Acts 2:36: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 1:1: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 1:16: quotation, medium confidence
- Ps 95:5 (94:5 LXX): quotation, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- The list of terms gathers biblical titles of Christ; “bridegroom” and “kinsman” (ἀδελφιδοῦς, the beloved of the Song of Songs) are among them.
- The Stoics taught that God pervades all things; Athanasius likens the Arian reading to this.
- The text reads Ἰσσοῦν; corrected to Ἰησοῦν.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 11 (Bright, 79–80; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/11/#p-11).

## Oration II Against the Arians 12

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/11/#p-12
- Source: Bright, 80–81
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: In Acts 2:36 “made” refers to the crucified humanity and means “displayed,” as Acts 2:22 shows; so too the Son “made himself equal to God” by displaying it in his works.

### Greek text

12. Ἀλλὰ πάλιν ἀκουέτωσαν τὰ αὐτὰ, καὶ μανθανέτωσαν πρῶτον, ὅτι Υἱός ἐστιν, ὡς καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν εἴρηται, καὶ οὐ ποίημα ὁ Λόγος, καὶ οὐ δεῖ τὰς τοιαύτας λέξεις εἰς τὴν θεότητα αὐτοῦ λαμβάνειν, ἀλλʼ ἐρευνᾶν διὰ τί καὶ πῶς ταῦτα γέγραπται· καὶ πάντως ἀπαντήσει τοῖς ζητοῦσιν ἡ ἀνθρωπίνη οἰκονομία, ἣν διʼ ἡμᾶς ἀνεδέξατο. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ὁ Πέτρος εἰρηκὼς, ‘Κύριον καὶ Χριστὸν αὐτὸν ἐποίησεν, ’ εὐθὺς ἐπήγαγε ‘τοῦτον τὸν Ἰησοῦν, ὃν ὑμεῖς ἐσταυρώσατε. ʼ καὶ πᾶσι γέγονε φανερὸν, (γένοιτο δʼ ἂν καὶ τούτοις, ἐὰν τὴν ἀκολουθίαν τηρήσωσιν, ) ὅτι οὐ τὴν οὐσίαν τοῦ Λόγου, ἀλλὰ κατά τὸ ἀνθρώπινον αὐτὸν πεποιῆσθαι ἔλεγε. Τί γάρ ἐστι τὸ σταυρούμενον ἢ τὸ σῶμα; τὸ δὲ σωματικὸν τοῦ Λόγου πῶς εἶχε σημᾶναι ἢ διὰ τοῦ εἰπεῖν, ἐποίησεν;’ ἄλλως τε καὶ τὸ λεγόμενον ἐνταῦθα, ‘ἐποίησεν, ʼ ὀρθὴν ἔχει τὴν διάνοιαν. Οὐ γάρ εἴρηκε, καθὰ προεῖπον, ἐποίησεν αὐτὸν Λόγον, ʼ ἀλλά, ‘Κύριον αὐτόν· ʼ καὶ οὐχ ἀπλῶς, ἀλλʼ ‘εἰς ὑμᾶς, ’ καὶ, ‘ἐν μέσῳ ὑμῶν ἐποίησεν, ʼ ἴσον τῷ εἰπεῖν, ‘ἀπέδειξε.’ Καὶ τοῦτο αὐτὸ ὁ Πέτρος, ἀρχόμενος τῆς τοιαύτης ἀρχιδιδασκαλίας, μετά παρατηρήσεως ἐσήμανεν, ἡνίκα πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἔλεγεν· ‘Ἄνδρες Ἰσραηλῖται, ἀκούσατε τοὺς λόγους τούτους· Ἰησοῦν τὸν Ναζωραῖον ἄνδρα ἀπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀποδεδειγμένον εἰς ὑμᾶς δυνάμεσι, καὶ τέρασι, καὶ σημείοις, οἷς ἐποίησε διʼ αὐτοῦ ὁ Θεὸς ἐν μέσῳ ὑμῶν, καθὼς αὐτοὶ οἴδατε.’ Τὸ ὁ ἄρα πρὸς τῷ τέλει λεγόμενον, ‘ἐποίησε, ʼ τοῦτο ἐν τῇ ἀρχῇ εἴρηκεν, ‘ἀπέδειξεν· ʼ ἀπὸ γὰρ τῶν σημείων καὶ ὧν ἐποίει θαυμασίων ὁ Κύριος, ἀπεδείχθη οὐχ ἀπλῶς ἄνθρωπος, ἀλλά Θεὸς ὢν ἐν σώματι, καὶ Κύριος αὐτὸς ὢν ὁ Χριστός. Τοιοῦτόν ἐστι καὶ τὸ ἐν τοῖς εὐαγγελίοις λεγόμενον παρὰ τοῦ Ἰωάννου· ‘Διὰ τοῦτο οὖν μᾶλλον ἐδίωκον αὐτὸν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι, ὅτι οὐ μόνον ἔλυε τὸ σάββατον, ἀλλὰ καὶ Πατέρα ἴδιον ἔλεγε τὸν Θεὸν, ἴσον ἑαυτὸν ποιῶν τῷ Θεῷ.’ Οὐ γὰρ ἔπλαττεν ἑαυτὸν ὁ Κύριος τότε Θεόν· οὐδὲ γὰρ ὅλως ἔνι ποιούμενος Θεός· ἀλλὰ ἀπεδείκνυε διὰ τῶν ἔργων, λέγων· ‘κἂν ἐμοὶ μὴ πιστεύητε, τοῖς ἔργοις μου πιστεύετε, ἵνα γνῶτε, ὅτι ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ Πατρὶ, καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἐν ἐμοί.᾿ Οὕτως τοίνυν Κύριον καὶ βασιλέα αὐτὸν πεποίηκεν ὁ Πατὴρ ἐν μέσῳ ἡμῶν, καὶ εἰς ἡμᾶς τοὺς πρότερον ἀπειθοῦντας. Καὶ δῆλόν ἐστιν, ὡς ὁ νῦν Κύριος καὶ βασιλεὺς ἀναδεικνύμενος, οὐκ ἀρχὴν ἔχει τοῦ γενέσθαι τότε βασιλεὺς καὶ Κύριος, ἀλλʼ ἀρχὴν ἔχει τοῦ τὴν κυριότητα ἑαυτοῦ δεικνύειν, καὶ ἐκτείνειν καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἀπειθήσαντας.

### English translation (Claude)

But let them hear the same things again, and learn first that the Word is Son, as has also been said earlier, and not a work, and that one must not take such expressions as referring to his divinity, but search why and how they were written; and the human economy which he undertook for our sake will certainly meet those who search. For Peter, having said, “He made him Lord and Christ,” at once added, “this Jesus whom you crucified”; and it has become plain to all (and would be to these too, if they kept to the sequence) that he said he had been made not with respect to the substance of the Word but with respect to his humanity. For what was crucified, if not the body? And how could he signify what belongs to the Word's body except by saying “he made”? Besides, the “he made” spoken here has a correct sense. For he did not say, as I said before, “he made him Word,” but “made him Lord”; and not simply, but “to you” and “made in your midst,” which is equal to saying “he displayed.” Peter himself, at the start of this first great teaching, marked this very thing carefully when he said to them, “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man displayed by God to you by mighty works and wonders and signs, which God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know.” So what he says toward the end as “he made,” he said at the beginning as “he displayed”; for from the signs and the marvels the Lord was doing he was shown to be not simply a man but God in a body, and himself Lord, being the Christ. Of the same kind is what John says in the Gospels: “For this reason, then, the Jews persecuted him all the more, because he was not only breaking the Sabbath but was also calling God his own Father, making himself equal to God.” For the Lord was not then fashioning himself into God; there is no such thing as a God who is made; but he was displaying himself through his works, saying, “Even if you do not believe me, believe my works, so that you may know that I am in the Father and the Father in me.” In this way, then, the Father has made him Lord and King in our midst and toward us who formerly disobeyed. And it is clear that he who is now displayed as Lord and King does not then begin to become King and Lord, but begins to show his lordship and to extend it even to those who had disobeyed.

### Scripture references

- Acts 2:36: quotation, high confidence
- Acts 2:22: quotation, high confidence
- John 5:18: quotation, high confidence
- John 10:38: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The Acts passage is Peter's Pentecost sermon; “displayed” renders ἀποδεδειγμένον (Acts 2:22).
- Two slips are corrected: Δαὶ to Διὰ, and a stray period after καὶ.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 12 (Bright, 80–81; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/11/#p-12).

## Oration II Against the Arians 13

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/11/#p-13
- Source: Bright, 81–82
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The Word was eternally Lord and King, as the Old Testament shows; Acts 2:36 speaks of the lordship over us that he acquired when he became man and redeemed all by the cross.

### Greek text

13. Εἰ μὲν οὖν νομίζουσιν ὅτι, καὶ πρὶν γένηται ἄνθρωπος καὶ σταυρὸν ὑπομείνῃ, οὐκ ἦν Κύριος καὶ Βασιλεὺς ὁ Σωτὴρ, ἀλλὰ τότε ἀρχὴν ἔσχε τοῦ εἶναι Κύριος· γνώτωσαν, ὅτι τὰ τοῦ Σαμοσατέως ἐκ φανεροῦ πάλιν φθέγγονται ῥήματα· εἰ δὲ, ὥσπερ ἀνέγνωμεν καὶ προείπομεν ἐν τοῖς προτέροις, Κύριος καὶ Βασιλεύς ἐστιν ἀΐδιος, τοῦ μὲν Ἀβραὰμ Κύριον αὐτὸν προσκυνοῦντος, τοῦ δὲ Μωσέως λέγοντος, ‘Καὶ Κύριος ἔβρεξεν ἐπὶ Σόδομα καὶ Γόμοῤῥα θεῖον καὶ πῦρ παρὰ Κυρίου ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ·’ καὶ τοῦ Δαβὶδ ψάλλοντος, ‘Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τῷ Κυρίῳ μου, Κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου·’ καὶ, ‘Ὁ θρόνος σου ὁ Θεὸς, εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος· ῥάβδος εὐθύτητος ἡ ῥάβδος τῆς βασιλείας σου·’ καὶ, ‘ἡ βασιλεία σου βασιλεία πάντων τῶν αἰώνων·’ δῆλόν ἐστιν ὡς, καὶ πρὸ τοῦ γενέσθαι ἄνθρωπος, βασιλεὺς καὶ Κύριος ἦν ἀΐδιος, εἰκὼν καὶ Λόγος τοῦ Πατρὸς ὑπάρχων. Ἀϊδίου δὲ ὄντος τοῦ Λόγου Κυρίου καὶ βασιλέως, πρόδηλον πάλιν, ὅτι οὐ τὴν οὐσίαν τοῦ Υἱοῦ πεποιῆσθαι ἔλεγεν ὁ Πέτρος, ἀλλὰ τὴν εἰς ἡμᾶς αὐτοῦ κυριότητα γενομένην, ὅτε γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος, καὶ τῷ σταυρῷ πάντας λυτρωσάμενος, πάντων γέγονε Κύριος καὶ βασιλεύς. Ἐὰν δὲ διὰ τὸ γεγράφθαι, ‘ἐποίησε, ʼ φιλονεικῶσι, μὴ θέλοντες ἴσον εἰρῆσθαι τὸ ‘ἐποίησε, ʼ τῷ ‘ἀπέδειξεν, ʼ ἢ μὴ νοοῦντες, ἢ διὰ τὴν Χριστομάχον αὐτῶν προαίρεσιν· ἀκουέτωσαν, ὅτι καὶ οὕτως ὀρθὴν ἔχει διάνοιαν τὰ τοῦ Πέτρου ῥήματα. Ὁ γὰρ γινόμενός τινων κύριος τοὺς ἤδη ὄντας κτᾶται ὑφʼ ἑαυτόν· εἰ δὲ ὁ Κύριος δημιουργός ἐστι πάντων καὶ βασιλεὺς ἀΐδιος, ὅτε δὲ γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος, τότε καὶ ἡμᾶς ἐκτήσατο δῆλον ἂν εἴη καὶ κατὰ τοῦτο, ὡς τὸ παρὰ τοῦ Πέτρου λεγόμενον οὐδʼ οὕτω ποίημα σημαίνει τὴν οὐσίαν τοῦ Λόγου, ἀλλὰ τὴν μετὰ ταῦτα τῶν πάντων ὑποταγὴν, καὶ τὴν εἰς πάντας γενομένην τοῦ Σωτῆρος κυριότητα· καὶ ἔστιν ὅμοιον τοῦτο τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐκεῖ παρετιθέμεθα τὰ ῥητὰ τὸ ‘γενοῦ μοι εἰς Θεὸν ὑπερασπιστὴν, ʼ καὶ τὸ ‘ἐγένετο Κύριος καταφυγὴ τῷ πένητι·’ καὶ ἐδείκνυεν ὁ λόγος, ὅτι μὴ ταῦτα γενητὸν δείκνυσι τὸν Θεὸν, ἀλλὰ τὴν εἰς ἕκαστον γινομένην εὐεργεσίαν παρʼ αὐτοῦ· οὕτω καὶ τὸ τοῦ Πέτρου ῥητὸν τὴν αὐτὴν ἔχει διάνοιαν.

### English translation (Claude)

If, then, they think that the Saviour was not Lord and King before he became man and endured the cross, but only then began to be Lord, let them know that they are openly uttering again the words of the Samosatene. But if, as we read and said before in the earlier discourse, he is eternal Lord and King (Abraham worshipping him as Lord, Moses saying, “And the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven,” and David singing, “The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand,” and “Your throne, O God, is for ever and ever; a scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom,” and “Your kingdom is a kingdom of all the ages”), it is clear that even before he became man he was eternal King and Lord, being the Father's image and Word. And since the Word is eternal Lord and King, it is again evident that Peter did not say that the Son's substance had been made, but his lordship toward us, which came about when he became man and, having redeemed all by the cross, became Lord and King of all. And if they quarrel because it is written “he made,” not wanting “he made” to be taken as equal to “he displayed,” whether because they do not understand or because of their Christ-fighting purpose, let them hear that even so Peter's words have a correct sense. For one who becomes lord of certain people acquires under himself those who already exist; and if the Lord is creator of all and eternal King, and when he became man he then acquired us, it would be clear on this count too that what Peter said does not signify, even so, that the substance of the Word is a work, but the subjection of all things that came afterwards and the Saviour's lordship that came about over all. And this is like what went before. For as there we cited the sayings, “Become for me a God who protects,” and “The Lord became a refuge for the poor,” and the argument showed that these do not show God as having come into being, but the benefit that comes from him to each, so too Peter's saying has the same sense.

### Scripture references

- Gen 18:2: allusion, medium confidence
- Gen 19:24: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 110:1 (109:1 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Ps 45:6 (44:7 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Ps 145:13 (144:13 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Acts 2:36: allusion, high confidence
- Ps 31:2 (30:3 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Ps 9:9 (9:10 LXX): quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “The Samosatene” is Paul of Samosata, bishop of Antioch, condemned ca. 268, who was held to teach that Christ began to exist at his human birth.
- “The earlier discourse” is the first Oration against the Arians, where the two Psalm sayings were discussed.
- Two slips are corrected: κοὶ του to καὶ τοῦ, and Κριστομάχον to Χριστομάχον.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 13 (Bright, 81–82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/11/#p-13).

## Oration II Against the Arians 14

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/11/#p-14
- Source: Bright, 82–83
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The eternal Lord became our Lord when he took flesh and redeemed us; as God “becomes” a protector without beginning to be God, so the Son was “made Lord” without beginning to be Lord.

### Greek text

14. Λόγος μὲν γὰρ ὢν αὐτὸς ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Υἱὸς, Κύριός ἐστι τοῦ παντός· ἡμεῖς δὲ τὸ πρὶν ἦμεν ὑπεύθυνοι ἐξ ἀρχῆς μὲν ‘τῇ δουλείᾳ τῆς φθορᾶςʼ καὶ ‘τῇ κατάρᾳ τοῦ νόμου, ’ ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ κατʼ ὀλίγον ἑαυτοῖς ἀναπλάσαντες τὰ μὴ ὄντα, ‘ἐδουλεύομεν, ’ ὡς εἶπεν ὁ μακάριος ἀπόστολος, ‘τοῖς φύσει μὴ οὖσι θεοῖς·’ καὶ τὸν μὲν ἀληθινὸν Θεὸν ἠγνοοῦμεν, τὰ δὲ μὴ ὄντα προετιμῶμεν τῆς ἀληθείας. Ἀλλʼ ὕστερον ὥσπερ ὁ πάλαι λαὸς ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ βαρούμενος ‘ἐστέναξεν, ’ οὕτω καὶ ἡμῶν ἐχόντων τὸν ἔμφυτον νόμον καὶ κατὰ τοὺς ‘ἀλαλήτους στεναγμοὺς τοῦ Πνεύματοςʼ ἐντυγχανόντων καὶ λεγόντων· ‘Κύριε, ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, κτῆσαι ἡμᾶς· γέγονεν ὥσπερ εἰς οἶκον καταφυγῆς καὶ εἰς Θεὸν ὑπερασπιστὴν, οὕτω καὶ Κύριος ἡμῶν γέγονε. Καὶ οὐκ ἀρχὴν τοῦ εἶναι αὐτὸς ἔσχε τότε· ἀλλʼ ἡμεῖς ἀρχὴν ἔσχομεν τοῦ εἶναι αὐτὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν. Λοιπὸν γὰρ ἀγαθὸς ὢν ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ Πατὴρ ὢν τοῦ Κυρίου, ἐλεήσας καὶ θέλων πᾶσι γνωσθῆναι, ποιεῖ τὸν ἑαυτοῦ Υἱὸν ἐνδύσασθαι σῶμα ἀνθρώπινον, καὶ γενέσθαι ἄνθρωπον, κληθῆναί τε αὐτὸν Ἰησοῦν, ἵνʼ, ἐν τούτῳ ἑαυτὸν προσενέγκας ὑπὲρ πάντων, τοὺς πάντας ἐλευθερώσῃ ἀπὸ τῆς θεοπλανησίας καὶ τῆς φθορᾶς, καὶ πάντων γένηται Κύριος καὶ βασιλεὺς αὐτός. Τὸ δὴ οὖν γενέσθαι αὐτὸν οὕτω Κύριον καὶ βασιλέα, τοῦτʼ ἔστιν ὃ ἔλεγεν ὁ Πέτρος, ‘ἐποίησεν αὐτὸν Κύριον, καὶ Χριστὸν ἀπέστειλεν·’ ἴσον τῷ εἰπεῖν, ὅτι καὶ ἄνθρωπον αὐτὸν ποίησας ὁ Πατήρ· ἴδιον γὰρ ἀνθρώπων τὸ ποιεῖσθαι. Οὐχ ἀπλῶς δὲ ἐποίησεν ἄνθρωπον, ἀλλʼ εἰς τὸ κυριεῦσαι πάντων αὐτὸν, καὶ ἁγιάζειν πάντας διὰ τοῦ χρίσματος πεποίηκεν. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ‘δούλου μορφὴν ἔλαβεν ὁ ἐν μορφῇ Θεοῦ ὑπάρχωνʼ λόγος, ἀλλʼ ἡ πρόσληψις τῆς σαρκὸς οὐκ ἐδούλου τὸν Λόγον φύσει Κύριον ὄντα· ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον ἐλευθέρωσις μὲν ἦν ἡ γινομένη παρὰ τοῦ Λόγου πάσης τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος· αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ φύσει Κύριος Λόγος, καὶ ἄνθρωπος ποιηθεὶς, διὰ τῆς τοῦ δούλου μορφῆς Κύριος πάντων καὶ Χριστὸς, τουτέστιν, εἰς τὸ ἁγιάζειν τῷ Πνεύματι πάντας, πεποίηται. Καὶ ὥσπερ ὁ Θεὸς γινόμενος εἰς Θεὸν ὑπερασπιστὴν, καὶ λέγων, ‘ἔσομαι αὐτοῖς Θεός·’ οὐ μᾶλλον τότε γίνεται Θεὸς, οὐδὲ τότε ἀρχὴν ἔχει τοῦ γίνεσθαι Θεός· ἀλλʼ ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἀεὶ, τοῦτο καὶ τοῖς δεομένοις γίνεται, ὅταν αὐτῷ, δοκῇ· οὕτω καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς φύσει Κύριος καὶ βασιλεὺς ἀίδιος ὢν, οὐχ ὅτε ἀποστέλλεται, μᾶλλον γίνεται Κύριος, οὐδὲ τότε ἀρχὴν λαμβάνει τοῦ εἶναι Κύριος καὶ βασιλεύς· ἀλλʼ ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἀεὶ, τοῦτο καὶ τότε κατὰ σάρκα πεποίηται, καὶ λυτρωσάμενος πάντας γίνεται καὶ οὕτω ζώντων καὶ νεκρῶν Κύριος· αὐτῷ γὰρ λοιπὸν τὰ πάντα δουλεύει· καὶ τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὅπερ ψάλλει καὶ ὁ Δαβίδ· ‘Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τῷ Κυρίῳ μου· Κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου, ἕως ἂν θῶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν σου. Οὐ γὰρ ἔπρεπε διʼ ἑτέρου τὴν λύτρωσιν γενέσθαι, ἀλλὰ διὰ τοῦ φύσει Κυρίου, ἵνα μὴ διὰ Υἱοῦ μὲν κτιζώμεθα, ἄλλον δὲ Κύριον ὀνομάζωμεν, καὶ πέσωμεν εἰς τὴν Ἀρειανὴν καὶ τὴν Ἑλληνικὴν ἀφροσύνην, κτίσει δουλεύοντες παρὰ τὸν κτίσαντα τὰ πάντα Θεόν.

### English translation (Claude)

For the Son of God himself, being Word, is Lord of all; but we were formerly subject, from the beginning, to “the slavery of corruption” and “the curse of the law,” and then, little by little fashioning for ourselves things that are not, “we served,” as the blessed apostle said, “beings that by nature are not gods”; we did not know the true God, but preferred things that are not to the truth. But later, as the people of old groaned when oppressed in Egypt, so we too, having the implanted law, and interceding with “the unutterable groanings of the Spirit,” and saying, “O Lord our God, acquire us,” he became our Lord, just as he became “a house of refuge” and “a God who protects.” And it was not he who then began to be; rather, we then began to have him as our Lord. For thereafter God, being good, and being Father of the Lord, having had mercy and wishing to be known by all, makes his own Son put on a human body and become man, and be called Jesus, so that, offering himself in this body for all, he might free all from error about God and from corruption, and himself become Lord and King of all. His becoming Lord and King in this way, then, is what Peter meant: “he made him Lord, and sent him as Christ”; which is equal to saying that the Father made him man as well; for to be made is proper to human beings. And he did not simply make him man, but made him so that he might be Lord of all and sanctify all through the anointing. For although the Word, who “was in the form of God, took the form of a servant,” the taking of the flesh did not make a servant of the Word, who is by nature Lord; rather, it was the liberation of all humanity, accomplished by the Word; and the Word himself, Lord by nature, having also been made man, has been made Lord of all and Christ through the form of the servant, that is, so as to sanctify all by the Spirit. And just as God, when he becomes “a God who protects” and says, “I will be their God,” does not then become God any more than before, nor then begin to become God, but what he always is he also becomes to those who need him, when he pleases; so too Christ, being by nature Lord and eternal King, does not become more Lord when he is sent, nor then begin to be Lord and King; but what he always is, this he has then also been made according to the flesh, and having redeemed all, he thus becomes Lord of the living and the dead; for thereafter all things serve him. And this is what David sings: “The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” For it was not fitting that the redemption should come about through another, but through him who is by nature Lord, so that we should not be created through the Son and yet name another as Lord, and fall into the folly of the Arians and the Greeks, serving the creature rather than God who created all things.

### Scripture references

- Rom 8:21: allusion, high confidence
- Gal 3:13: allusion, high confidence
- Gal 4:8: quotation, high confidence
- Exod 2:23: allusion, high confidence
- Rom 8:26: allusion, high confidence
- Isa 26:13: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 31:2 (30:3 LXX): allusion, high confidence
- Acts 2:36: quotation, high confidence
- Phil 2:6: quotation, high confidence
- Phil 2:7: quotation, high confidence
- Jer 31:33 (38:33 LXX): quotation, medium confidence
- Rom 14:9: allusion, high confidence
- Ps 110:1 (109:1 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Rom 1:25: allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “O Lord our God, acquire us” is Isa 26:13 (Septuagint).
- Athanasius here gives Acts 2:36 in the form “he made him Lord, and sent him as Christ,” probably a paraphrase; translated as written.
- Several slips are corrected: ἐστέναθεν to ἐστέναξεν, a repeated syllable (ἄνθρωπος πος), Εἷπεν to Εἶπεν.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 14 (Bright, 82–83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/11/#p-14).

## Oration II Against the Arians 15

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/11/#p-15
- Source: Bright, 83
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Peter's words answer the Jewish expectation of a merely human Christ who would not suffer; Christ himself had taught both his suffering and his divinity.

### Greek text

15. Αὕτη τοῦ ῥητοῦ κατά γε τὴν ἐμὴν οὐθένειαν ἡ διάνοια. Καὶ γὰρ ἀληθῆ καὶ χρηστὴν ἔχει τὴν αἰτίαν τὰ πρὸς τοὺς Ἰουδαίους τοιαῦτα ῥήματα τοῦ Πέτρου. Ἰουδαῖοι γὰρ πλανηθέντες ἀπὸ τῆς ἀληθείας, προσδοκῶσι μὲν ἐρχόμενον τὸν Χριστόν· οὐχ ἡγοῦνται δὲ αὐτὸν καὶ πάθος ἀναδέχεσθαι, λέγοντες ὅπερ οὐ νοοῦσιν· ‘Ἡμεῖς οἴδαμεν ὅτι, ὅταν ἔλθῃ ὁ Χριστὸς, μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα· καὶ πῶς σὺ λέγεις, ὅτι δεῖ αὐτὸν ὑψωθῆναι; ʼ ἔπειτα οὐ Λόγον γινόμενον ἐν σαρκὶ, ἀλλὰ ψιλὸν αὐτὸν ἄνθρωπον γίνεσθαι, ὡς πάντες γεγόνασιν οἱ βασιλεῖς ὑπολαμβάνουσιν. Ὁ μὲν οὖν Κύριος, τοὺς περὶ Κλεόπαν ἐντρέπων, ἐδίδασκεν, ὅτι τὸν Χριστὸν δεῖ πρῶτον παθεῖν· καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους δὲ Ἰουδαίους, ὅτι Θεὸν ἐπιδημῆσαι, λέγων· ‘Εἰ ἐκείνους εἶπε θεοὺς, πρὸς οὓς ὁ Λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ οὐ δύναται λυθῆναι ἡ γραφή· ὃν ὁ Πατὴρ ἡγίασε, καὶ ἀπέστειλεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον, ὑμεῖς λέγετε ὅτι “βλασφημεῖς·” ὅτι εἶπὸν, Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰμι;’

### English translation (Claude)

This, at least in my poor judgment, is the sense of the saying. For such words of Peter to the Jews have a true and good reason. The Jews, having strayed from the truth, expect the Christ to come, but do not think that he will also undergo suffering, saying what they do not understand: “We know that when the Christ comes, he remains for ever; and how do you say that he must be lifted up?” And then they suppose that he comes not as the Word in flesh, but as a mere man, as all the kings have been. So the Lord, putting Cleopas and his companion to shame, taught that the Christ must first suffer; and he taught the other Jews that God had come to dwell among them, saying, “If he called them gods to whom the word of God came, and the Scripture cannot be broken, do you say of him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?”

### Scripture references

- John 12:34: quotation, high confidence
- Luke 24:26: allusion, high confidence
- John 10:35: quotation, high confidence
- John 10:36: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “Cleopas and his companion” are the two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24).

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 15 (Bright, 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/11/#p-15).

## Oration II Against the Arians 16

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/11/#p-16
- Source: Bright, 84–85
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Athanasius paraphrases Peter's argument to the Jews: the Scriptures announce a divine, life-giving Christ, fulfilled in the crucified and risen Jesus, and God made the Word become man so that we would not worship a mere man.

### Greek text

16. Ὁ τοίνυν Πέτρος, μαθὼν ταῦτα παρὰ τοῦ Σωτῆρος, κατʼ ἀμφότερα διορθούμενος τοὺς Ἰουδαίους φησίν—Ὦ Ἰουδαῖοι, τὸν Χριστὸν καταγγέλλουσιν ἔρχεσθαι αἱ θεῖαι γραφαὶ, καὶ ὑμεῖς μὲν ψιλὸν ἄνθρωπον αὐτὸν, ὡς ἕνα τῶν ἐκ τοῦ Δαβὶδ, νομίζετε. τὰ δὲ γεγραμμένα περὶ αὐτοῦ οὐ τοιοῦτον αὐτὸν, οἷον ὑμεῖς λέγετε, σημαίνουσιν· ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον Κύριον καὶ Θεὸν, καὶ ἀθάνατον, καὶ χορηγὸν ζωῆς καταγγέλλουσιν. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ Μωσῆς εἴρηκεν, ‘Ὄψεσθε τὴν ζωὴν ὑμῶν κρεμαμένην ἀπέναντι τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ὑμῶν·᾿ ὁ δὲ Δαβὶδ ἐν μὲν τῷ ἑκατοστῷ ἐννάτῳ ψαλμῷ· ‘Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τῷ Κυρίῳ μου· Κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου, ἕως ἂν θῶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν σου· ʼ ἐν δὲ τῷ πεντεκαιδεκάτῳ· ‘Οὐκ ἐγκαταλείψεις τὴν ψυχήν μου εἰς ᾅδην, οὐδὲ δώσεις τὸν ὅσιόν σου ἰδεῖν διαφθοράν.᾿ Ὅτι μὲν οὖν οὐκ εἰς τὸν Δαβὶδ φθάνει τὰ τοιαῦτα ῥητὰ, αὐτὸς μὲν μαρτυρεῖ, ‘Κύριον ἑαυτοῦʼ φάσκων εἶναι τὸν ἐρχόμενον· συνορᾶτε δὲ καὶ ὑμεῖς, ὅτι ἀπέθανε, καὶ τὰ λείψανα αὐτοῦ παρʼ ὑμῖν ἐστιν. Ὅτι δὲ τὸν Χριστὸν τοιοῦτον εἶναι δεῖ, οἷον αὐτὸν λέγουσιν εἶναι αἱ γραφαὶ, πάντως καὶ ὑμεῖς συνομολογήσετε· παρὰ Θεοῦ γὰρ εἴρηνται οἱ λόγοι, καὶ οὐ δύναται ψεῦδος ἐν αὐτοῖς εἶναι. Εἰ μὲν οὖν δύνασθε εἰπεῖν, ὡς ἐλθόντος πρότερον τοιούτου, καὶ δύνασθε δεῖξαι Θεὸν αὐτὸν εἶναι, ἀφʼ ὧν ἐποίησε σημείων καὶ τεράτων, εἰκότως ἡμῖν διαμάχεσθε· εἰ δὲ δεῖξαι μὲν οὐ δύνασθε ὡς ἐλθόντα, προσδοκᾶτε δὲ ἀκμὴν τοιοῦτον, ἐπίγνωτε τὸν καιρὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ Δανιήλ· εἰς τὸν παρόντα γὰρ χρόνον τὰ λεχθέντα παρʼ αὐτοῦ φθάνει. Εἰ δὲ ὁ παρὼν καιρὸς οὗτός ἐστιν ἐκεῖνος ὁ πάλαι προκαταγγελλόμενος, καὶ τὰ γενόμενα δὲ νῦν ἐφʼ ἡμῖν ἑωράκατε, γνῶτε ὅτι οὗτος ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ὃν ὑμεῖς ἐσταυρώσατε, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ προσδοκώμενος· ὁ μὲν γὰρ Δαβὶδ καὶ πάντες οἱ προφῆται ἀπέθανον, καὶ τὰ μνήματα πάντων παρʼ ὑμῖν ἐστιν· ἡ δὲ γενομένη νῦν ἀνάστασις ἔδειξεν εἰς τοῦτον φθάνειν τὰ γεγραμμένα. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ σταυρωθῆναι, δείκνυσι τὸ ‘ὄψεσθε τὴν ζωὴν ὑμῶν κρεμαμένην·’ καὶ τὸ τῇ λόγχῃ δὲ τρωθῆναι τὴν πλευρὰν, πληροῖ τὸ ‘Ὡς πρόβατον ἐπὶ σφαγὴν ἤχθη·’ τὸ δὲ μὴ μόνον ἐξαναστῆναι, ἀλλὰ καὶ παλαιοὺς νεκροὺς ἐκ τῶν μνημείων ἐγεῖραι (τούτους γὰρ ἑωράκασιν ὑμῶν οἱ πλεῖστοι), τουτέστι τὸ ‘ Οὐκ ἐγκαταλείψεις τὴν ψυχήν μου εἰς ᾅδην·’ καὶ τὸ ‘Κατέπιεν ὁ θάνατος ἰσχύσας· καὶ πάλιν, ‘Ἀφεῖλεν ὁ Θεός.’ Τὸ δὲ καὶ τοιαῦτα σημεῖα ποιῆσαι αὐτὸν, οἷα γέγονε, δείκνυσι Θεὸν εἶναι τὸν ἐν σώματι, καὶ αὐτὸν εἶναι τὴν ζωὴν καὶ Κύριον τοῦ θανάτου. Ἔπρεπε γὰρ τὸν Χριστὸν, τὸν ἄλλοις ζωὴν διδόντα, αὐτὸν μὴ κρατεῖσθαι ὑπὸ τοῦ θανάτου· τοῦτο δὲ οὐκ ἂν ἐγεγόνει εἰ, ὡς ὑμεῖς νομίζετε, ψιλὸς ἄνθρωπος ἦν ὁ Χριστός. Ἀλλὰ μὴν αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ· ἄνθρωποι γὰρ πάντες ὑπεύθυνοι θανάτου εἰσί, Μηκέτι τοιγαροῦν ἀμφιβαλλέτω τις, ἀλλʼ ἀσφαλῶς γινωσκέτω πᾶς οἶκος Ἰσραὴλ, ὅτι οὗτος ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ὃν ἐθεωρήσατε σχήματι ἄνθρωπον, ποιοῦντα σημεῖα καὶ τοιαῦτα ἔργα, ἃ μηδεὶς πώποτε πεποίηκεν, αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς καὶ Κύριος πάντων. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἄνθρωπος γενόμενος, καὶ κληθεὶς Ἰησοῦς, ὥσπερ ἐν τοῖς προτέροις εἴπομεν, οὐκ ἠλαττώθη τῷ ἀνθρωπίνῳ πάθει, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον καὶ ἐν τῷ ποιηθῆναι ἄνθρωπος, ζώντων καὶ νεκρῶν ἀποδείκνυται Κύριος. ‘Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ, ʼ ὡς εἶπεν ὁ ἀπόστολος, ‘ἐν τῇ σοφίᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐκ ἔγνω ὁ κόσμος διὰ τῆς σοφίας τὸν Θεὸν, ηὐδόκησεν ὁ Θεὸς διὰ τῆς μωρίας τοῦ κηρύγματος σῶσαι τοὺς πιστεύοντας· οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς οἱ ἄνθρωποι, ἐπειδὴ οὐκ ἠθελήσαμεν διὰ τοῦ Λόγου αὐτοῦ ἐπιγνῶναι τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ δουλεῦσαι τῷ φύσει δεσπότῃ ἡμῶν τῷ Λόγῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ηὐδόκησεν ὁ Θεὸς ἐν ἀνθρώπῳ δεῖξαι τὴν ἑαυτοῦ κυριότητα, καὶ πάντας ἑλκῦσαι πρὸς ἑαυτόν. Διʼ ἀνθρώπου δὲ ψιλοῦ τοῦτο ποιῆσαι ἀπρεπὲς ἦν, ἵνα μὴ, ἄνθρωπον Κύριον ἔχοντες, ἀνθρωπολάτραι γενώμεθα· διὰ τοῦτο αὐτὸς ὁ Λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο, καὶ ἐκάλεσε τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦν, καὶ οὕτως ἐποίησεν αὐτὸν Κύριον καὶ Χριστὸν ὁ Πατὴρ, ἴσον τῷ εἰπεῖν, ‘εἰς τὸ κυριεύειν αὐτὸν καὶ βασιλεύειν ἐποίησεν· ἵνʼ ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ, ὃν ὑμεῖς ἐσταυρώσατε, ὥσπερ πᾶν γόνυ κάμπτει, οὕτω καὶ Κύριον καὶ βασιλέα αὐτόν τε τὸν Υἱὸν ἐπιγινώσκωμεν, καὶ διʼ αὐτοῦ τὸν Πατέρα.’

### English translation (Claude)

Peter, then, having learned these things from the Saviour, corrects the Jews on both counts and says: “O Jews, the divine Scriptures announce that the Christ is coming, and you think him a mere man, one of David's descendants. But what is written about him does not signify him to be such as you say; rather it announces him as Lord and God, immortal, and giver of life. For Moses said, ‘You will see your life hanging before your eyes’; and David in the hundred and ninth psalm, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet’; and in the fifteenth, ‘You will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor let your holy one see corruption.’ That such sayings do not refer to David he himself bears witness, saying that the one who is coming is ‘his own Lord’; and you yourselves see that he died, and his remains are among you. That the Christ must be such as the Scriptures say he is, you too will surely agree; for the words were spoken by God, and there can be no falsehood in them. If, then, you can say that such a one has come before, and can show that he is God from the signs and wonders he did, you have good reason to fight us; but if you cannot show that he has come, and are still expecting such a one, recognize the time from Daniel; for what he said reaches to the present time. And if the present time is the one foretold long ago, and you have seen what has now taken place among us, know that this Jesus, whom you crucified, is the Christ who is expected. For David and all the prophets died, and the tombs of all of them are among you; but the resurrection that has now taken place has shown that what is written refers to him. His being crucified shows the ‘you will see your life hanging’; the wounding of his side with the spear fulfills ‘He was led like a sheep to the slaughter’; and his not only rising again himself but also raising the dead of old from their tombs (for most of you have seen them) is the ‘You will not abandon my soul to Hades,’ and ‘Death in its strength swallowed up,’ and again, ‘God has taken away.’ And his doing such signs as have been done shows that the one in the body is God, and that he himself is the life and Lord of death. For it was fitting that the Christ, who gives life to others, should not himself be held by death; and this could not have happened if, as you think, the Christ were a mere man. But in fact he is the Son of God; for all human beings are subject to death. So let no one doubt any longer, but let all the house of Israel know assuredly that this Jesus, whom you saw in form a man doing such signs and such works as no one has ever done, is himself the Christ and Lord of all. For even having become man and been called Jesus, as we said earlier, he was not diminished by the human passion, but rather, even in being made man, he is displayed as Lord of the living and the dead.” For as the apostle said, “since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know God, God was pleased through the foolishness of the preaching to save those who believe”; so too, since we human beings were not willing to recognize God through his Word and to serve the Word of God, our Master by nature, God was pleased to show his own lordship in a man and to draw all to himself. But to do this through a mere man was unfitting, lest, having a man as Lord, we should become worshippers of a man; therefore the Word himself became flesh, and the Father called his name Jesus, and so made him Lord and Christ, which is equal to saying, “he made him so as to be Lord and to reign, so that in the name of Jesus, whom you crucified, as every knee bows, so we may acknowledge the Son himself as Lord and King, and through him the Father.”

### Scripture references

- Deut 28:66: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 110:1 (109:1 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Ps 16:10 (15:10 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Acts 2:29: allusion, high confidence
- Dan 9:24: allusion, medium confidence
- Acts 2:36: allusion, high confidence
- John 19:34: allusion, high confidence
- Isa 53:7: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 27:52: allusion, high confidence
- Isa 25:8: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 14:9: allusion, medium confidence
- 1 Cor 1:21: quotation, high confidence
- John 12:32: echo, medium confidence
- John 1:14: quotation, high confidence
- Phil 2:10: allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The long speech of Peter is Athanasius's paraphrase of Acts 2, not a quotation.
- Psalm numbers are those of the Septuagint (109 = Ps 110, 15 = Ps 16).
- “You will see your life hanging” is Deut 28:66, read as a prophecy of the cross.
- “Death in its strength swallowed up … God has taken away” is Isa 25:8 (Septuagint).
- The raising of “the dead of old” refers to Matt 27:52–53.
- The address to the Jews is the author's polemic, translated as written.
- Two slips are corrected: a repeated syllable (πεντεκαιδεκάτῳ· κάτῳ·) and τοιοῦντα for ποιοῦντα.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 16 (Bright, 84–85; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/11/#p-16).

## Oration II Against the Arians 17

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/11/#p-17
- Source: Bright, 85–86
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Isaac's words “I have made him your lord” show that “made” can denote a later authority rather than a creature's origin, as in Acts 2:36.

### Greek text

17. Ἰουδαίων μὲν οὖν οἱ πλεῖστοι, ταῦτα ἀκούοντες, ἐνετράπησαν, καὶ λοιπὸν ἐπέγνωσαν τὸν Χριστὸν, ὡς ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσι γέγραπται· ἐπειδὴ δὲ οἱ Ἀρειομανῖται αἱροῦνται ἀπομένειν Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ μάχεσθαι τῷ Πέτρῳ, φέρε, τὰς ὁμοίας λέξεις αὐτοῖς παραθώμεθα· ἴσως κἂν οὕτως ἐντραπῶσι, μαθόντες τὴν συνήθειαν τῆς θείας γραφῆς. Ὅτι μὲν οὖν ἀΐδιος Κύριός ἐστι καὶ βασιλεὺς ὁ Χριστὸς, δῆλον γέγονεν ἐκ τῶν προειρημένων, καὶ οὐδείς ἐστιν, ὃς ἀμφιβάλλει περὶ τούτου. Υἱὸς γὰρ ὢν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅμοιος αὐτοῦ ἂν εἴη· ὅμοιος δὲ ὢν, πάντως ἐστὶ καὶ Κύριος καὶ βασιλεύς· αὐτὸς γάρ φησιν, ‘Ὁ ἐμὲ ἑωρακὼς ἑώρακε τὸν Πατέρα.’ Ὅτι δὲ καὶ αὐτὸ μόνον τὸ λεγόμενον παρὰ τοῦ Πέτρου, ‘Κύριον αὐτὸν ἐποίησε καὶ Χριστὸν, ʼ οὐ ποίημα εἶναι τὸν Υἱὸν σημαίνει, ἔξεστιν ἰδεῖν ἀπὸ τῆς εὐλογίας τοῦ Ἰσαάκ; κἂν ἀμυδρά πως ἡ εἰκὼν αὕτη πρὸς τὸ προκείμενον ᾖ. Ἔφη τοίνυν τῷ μὲν Ἰακὼβ, ‘γίνου κύριος τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σοῦ·’ τῷ δὲ Ἠσαῦ, ‘Ἰδοὺ κύριον αὐτὸν ἐποίησά σου Εἰ μὲν οὖν τὸ ‘ἐποίησεʼ τὴν οὐσίαν καὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς γενέσεως τοῦ Ἰακὼβ ἐσήμαινεν, οὐδʼ οὕτω μὲν ἐχρῆν αὐτοὺς τοιαῦτα περὶ τοῦ Λόγου τοῦ Θεοῦ κἂν ἐνθυμεῖσθαι· οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ ποίημα, ὡς ὁ Ἰακώβ· πλὴν ἐδύναντό πως πυθόμενοι, μηκέτι παραφρονεῖν· εἰ δὲ ταῦτα οὐκ ἐπὶ τῆς οὐσίας, οὐδὲ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς τῆς γενέσεως λαμβάνουσι, καίτοι κατὰ φύσιν ὄντος τοῦ Ἰακὼβ κτίσματος καὶ ποιήματος, πῶς οὐ πλέον τοῦ διαβόλου μαίνονται, εἰ ἄρα ἃ μηδὲ τοῖς φύσει γεννητοῖς τολμῶσιν ἐκ τῶν ὁμοίων λέξεων συνάπτειν, ταῦτα τῷ Υἱῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ προσπλέκουσι, λέγοντες αὐτὸν ποίημα εἶναι; Ἔλεγε γὰρ ὁ Ἰσαὰκ, ‘γίνου, ’ καὶ, ‘ἐποίησα, ʼ οὔτε τὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς γενέσεως τοῦ Ἰακὼβ, οὔτε τὴν οὐσίαν αὐτοῦ σημαίνων· μετὰ γὰρ τριάκοντα καὶ πλεῖον ἔτη τῆς γενέσεως αὐτοῦ ταῦτα ἔλεγεν· ἀλλὰ τὴν εἰς τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἐξουσίαν αὐτοῦ, τὴν μετὰ ταῦτα γενομένην.

### English translation (Claude)

Most of the Jews, then, hearing these things, were put to shame and thereafter acknowledged the Christ, as is written in the Acts; but since the Ariomaniacs choose to remain Jews and to fight with Peter, come, let us set before them similar expressions; perhaps even so they may be put to shame, once they learn the usage of divine Scripture. That Christ is eternal Lord and King has become clear from what has been said, and there is no one who doubts it. For being Son of God he would be like him; and being like him, he is surely both Lord and King; for he himself says, “He who has seen me has seen the Father.” And that the saying of Peter taken by itself, “He made him Lord and Christ,” does not signify that the Son is a work, can be seen from the blessing of Isaac, even if this illustration is somewhat faint in relation to the matter at hand. He said to Jacob, “Be lord of your brother,” and to Esau, “See, I have made him your lord.” If, then, “I made” signified the substance of Jacob and the beginning of his coming into being, not even so ought they to entertain such thoughts about the Word of God, for the Son of God is not a work, as Jacob is; yet on inquiring they might somehow stop raving. But if they do not take these words of his substance, or of the beginning of his coming into being, although Jacob is by nature a creature and a work, how are they not madder than the devil, if what they do not dare to attach, on the strength of similar expressions, even to those who are begotten by nature, they fasten on the Son of God, saying that he is a work? For Isaac said “be” and “I have made” signifying neither the beginning of Jacob's coming into being nor his substance, since he said these things thirty and more years after his birth, but his authority over his brother, which came about afterwards.

### Scripture references

- Acts 2:41: allusion, medium confidence
- John 14:9: quotation, high confidence
- Acts 2:36: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 27:29: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 27:37: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “Ariomaniacs” (Ἀρειομανῖται) is Athanasius's polemical pun on “Arians” and “mania.”
- The text reads Κριστὸν; corrected to Χριστὸν.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 17 (Bright, 85–86; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/11/#p-17).

## Oration II Against the Arians 18

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/11/#p-18
- Source: Bright, 86–87
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Peter who calls Christ “made Lord” also says that he pours out the Spirit, which no creature can give; Athanasius reviews the Arian questions already refuted and turns to Prov 8:22.

### Greek text

18. Οὐκοῦν πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὁ Πέτρος οὐ ποίημα τὴν οὐσίαν τοῦ Λόγου σημαίνων ταῦτʼ ἔλεγεν· ᾔδει γὰρ αὐτὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὁμολογήσας, ‘Σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς, ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ ζῶντος· ἀλλὰ τὴν κατὰ χάριν ποιηθεῖσαν καὶ γενομένην καὶ εἰς ἡμᾶς αὐτοῦ βασιλείαν καὶ κυριότητα. Καὶ γὰρ ταῦτα λέγων, οὐκ ἐσιώπησε περὶ τῆς ἀϊδίου καὶ πατρικῆς θεότητος τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ· ἀλλὰ καὶ προειρηκὼς ἦν ὅτι καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα ἐξέχεεν ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς. Τὸ δὲ μετʼ ἐξουσίας διδόναι τὸ Πνεῦμα οὐ κτίσματος οὐδὲ ποιήματός ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ Θεοῦ δῶρον. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ κτίσματα ἁγιάζεται παρὰ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος· ὁ δὲ Υἱὸς οὐχ ἁγιαζόμενος παρὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον αὐτὸς διδοὺς αὐτὸ τοῖς πᾶσι, δείκνυται μὴ κτίσμα, ἀλλὰ Υἱὸς ἀληθινὸς τοῦ Πατρὸς ὤν. Πλὴν ὅτι ὁ διδοὺς τὸ Πνεῦμα, ὁ αὐτὸς λέγεται καὶ πεποιῆσθαι· πεποιῆσθαι μὲν ἐν ἡμῖν Κύριος διὰ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον, διδοὺς δὲ, ὅτι τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος ἐστίν. Ἦν γὰρ ἀεὶ καὶ ἔστιν, ὥσπερ Υἱὸς, οὕτω καὶ Κύριος καὶ παμβασιλεὺς τῶν πάντων, ὅμοιος ὢν κατὰ πάντα τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ πάντα τὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἔχων, ὡς εἴρηκεν αὐτός. Φέρε λοιπὸν καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ ἐν ταῖς Παροιμίαις λεγόμενον· ‘Κύριος ἔκτισέ με ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ, εἰς ἔργα αὐτοῦ, θεωρήσωμεν·’ εἰ καὶ μάλιστα, δειχθέντος τοῦ Λόγου, ὅτι μὴ ποίημά ἐστι, δέδεικται ὅτι μηδὲ κτίσμα ἐστί. Ταὐτὸν γάρ ἐστιν εἰπεῖν ποίημα καὶ κτίσμα· ὥστε καὶ τὴν ἀπόδειξιν τὴν περὶ τοῦ μὴ εἶναι ποίημα τὴν αὐτὴν εἶναι καὶ περὶ τοῦ μὴ εἶναι κτίσμα. Διὸ καὶ θαυμάσειεν ἄν τις αὐτοὺς ἐπινοοῦντας ἑαυτοῖς προφάσεις εἰς ἀσέβειαν, καὶ μὴ αἰσχυνομένους ἐπὶ τοῖς γενομένοις καθʼ ἕκαστον ἐλέγχοις. Πρότερον μὲν γὰρ ἐπενόουν ἀπατᾷν πυνθανόμενοι τῶν ἀκεραίων· ‘Ὁ ὢν τὸν μὴ ὄντα ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος ἐποίησεν, ἢ τὸν ὄντα;’ καὶ ‘Εἰ εἶχες υἱὸν, πρὶν γεννήσῃς;’ ὡς δὲ δέδεικται τοῦτο σαθρὸν, ἐφεῦρον λέγειν· ‘Ἓν τὸ ἀγένητον, ἢ δύο;’ εἶτʼ ἐν τούτῳ διελεγχθέντες συνῆψαν εὐθύς· ‘Αὐτεξούσιός ἐστι, καὶ τρεπτῆς ἐστι φύσεως;’ Ἀλλὰ ἐκβληθέντος καὶ τούτου, πάλιν ἐφεῦρον λέγειν· ‘Τοσούτῳ κρείττων γενόμενος τῶν ἀγγέλων.’ Ὡς δὲ καὶ τοῦτο ἡ ἀλήθεια διήλεγξε, νῦν λοιπὸν ἐκεῖνα πάντα συνάγοντες, διὰ τοῦ ‘ποιήματος καὶ κτίσματος, ʼ τὴν αἵρεσιν αὐτῶν συνιστᾷν νομίζουσι. Πάλιν γὰρ ἐκεῖνα σημαίνουσι, καὶ οὐκ ἀφίστανται τῶν ἰδίων κακονοιῶν, τὰ αὐτὰ ποικίλως ἀντιμεταβάλλοντες καὶ μεταστρέφοντες, ὅπως ἴσως τῇ ποικιλίᾳ τινὰς ἀπατῆσαι δυνηθῶσιν. Εἰ καὶ τὰ μάλιστα τοίνυν καὶ τὰ προειρημένα δείκνυσιν αὐτῶν καὶ ταύτην τὴν ἐπίνοιαν ματαίαν· ὅμως, ἐπειδὴ τῷ ἐκ τῶν Παροιμιῶν ῥητῷ τεθρυλλήκασι τὰ πανταχοῦ, καὶ παρὰ πολλοῖς τοῖς ἀγνοοῦσι τὴν Χριστιανῶν πίστιν δοκοῦσι τι λέγειν, ἀναγκαῖον καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ ῥητὸν, ὥσπερ τὸ πιστὸν ὄντα τῷ ποιήσαντι αὐτὸν, ʼ οὕτω καὶ τὸ ‘ἔκτισε, ’ καθʼ ἑαυτὸ ἐξετάσαι· ἵνʼ, ὡς ἐν πᾶσι, καὶ ἐν τούτῳ δειχθῶσι μηδὲν πλέον ἔχοντες ἢ φαντασίαν.

### English translation (Claude)

Much more, then, did Peter say these things without signifying that the substance of the Word is a work, for he knew him to be Son of God, having confessed, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”; he signified rather his kingship and lordship toward us, which was made and came about by grace. For in saying these things he did not keep silent about the eternal divinity of the Son of God, which is the Father's; he had said before that he poured out the Spirit on us. To give the Spirit with authority belongs not to a creature or a work; it is a gift of God. For creatures are sanctified by the Holy Spirit; but the Son, not being sanctified by the Spirit but rather himself giving it to all, is shown to be not a creature but the Father's true Son. Yet the one who gives the Spirit is the same who is said to have been made: made Lord among us because of his humanity, but giving the Spirit because he is the Word of God. For he always was and is, as Son, so also Lord and universal King of all things, being like the Father in all things and having all that is the Father's, as he himself said. Come now, let us consider the saying in the Proverbs itself, “The Lord created me a beginning of his ways, for his works”; although, once it was shown that the Word is not a work, it has in fact been shown that he is not a creature either. For to say “work” and “creature” is the same thing; so that the proof that he is not a work is the same as the proof that he is not a creature. One may well wonder, then, at their devising pretexts for impiety for themselves and not being ashamed at the refutations that have met them on each point. First they thought to deceive by asking simple people, “Did he who is make out of what was not him who was not, or him who was?” and, “Did you have a son before you begot?” When this was shown to be rotten, they invented the question, “Is the unoriginate one, or two?” Then, refuted on this, they at once added, “Has he free will, and is he of a changeable nature?” When this too was thrown out, they invented again, “Having become so much better than the angels.” And when the truth refuted this too, now at last, collecting all those together, they think to establish their heresy by means of “work and creature.” For they mean those same things again, and do not depart from their own ill will, changing and twisting the same things in various ways, so that perhaps by the variety they may deceive some. Although, then, what has already been said shows this device of theirs too to be vain, nevertheless, since they have trumpeted the saying from the Proverbs everywhere, and seem to many who do not know the Christians' faith to be saying something, it is necessary to examine this saying, “he created,” by itself too, as we did “being faithful to him who made him,” so that, as in all the rest, in this too they may be shown to have nothing more than a fancy.

### Scripture references

- Matt 16:16: quotation, high confidence
- Acts 2:33: allusion, high confidence
- John 16:15: allusion, high confidence
- Prov 8:22: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 1:4: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 3:2: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The Arian questions (“Did he who is make him who was not…?”, “Is the unoriginate one, or two?”, “Has he free will…?”) and Heb 1:4 were answered in the first Oration.
- A stray period after καὶ is removed.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 18 (Bright, 86–87; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/11/#p-18).

## Oration II Against the Arians 19

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/11/#p-19
- Source: Bright, 87–88
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The Arian formula “a creature, but not as one of the creatures” is a pretense: every creature differs from every other, so the phrase leaves the Son one creature among many.

### Greek text

19. Καὶ πρῶτά γε ἴδωμεν ἅπερ ἐπιδεδώκασι κατὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν, ἡνίκα ἡ αἵρεσις ἐπλάττετο παρʼ αὐτῶν, τῷ μακαρίτῃ Ἀλεξάνδρῳ. Ἔγραψαν τοίνυν λέγοντες· ‘Κτίσμα ἐστὶν, ἀλλʼ οὐχ ὡς ἓν τῶν κτισμάτων· ποίημά ἐστιν, ἀλλʼ οὐχ ὡς ἓν τῶν ποιημάτων· γέννημά ἐστιν, ἀλλʼ οὐχ ὡς ἓν τῶν γεννημάτων. ʼ Θεασάσθω δὴ ἕκαστος τὸ πανοῦργον καὶ δόλιον τῆς αἱρέσεως ταύτης· εἰδυῖα γὰρ τὸ πικρὸν τῆς ἰδίας κακοφροσύνης, καλλωπίζειν ἑαυτὴν βιάζεται πιθανότητι ῥημάτων· καὶ λέγει μὲν, ὅπερ φρονεῖ, ὅτι ‘κτίσμα ἐστὶ, νομίζει δὲ δύνασθαι κρύπτειν ἑαυτὴν ἐν τῷ λέγειν, ‘ἀλλʼ οὐχ ὡς ἓν τῶν κτισμάτων·’ Μᾶλλον δὲ οὕτω γράψαντες, διὰ τούτων πλέον ἤλεγξαν ἑαυτῶν τὴν ἀσέβειαν. Εἰ γὰρ ὅλως καθʼ ὑμᾶς κτίσμα ἐστὶ, πῶς ὑποκρίνεσθε λέγοντες, ‘ἀλλʼ οὐχ ὡς ἓν τῶν κτισμάτων; καὶ εἰ ὅλως ποίημά ἐστι, πῶς ‘οὐχ ὡς ἓν τῶν ποιημάτων;’ ἐν οἷς καὶ τὸν ἰὸν τῆς αἱρέσεως θεωρεῖν ἔξεστι. Λέγοντες γὰρ ‘γέννημα, ἀλλʼ οὐχ ὡς ἓν τῶν γεννημάτων, ’ πολλοὺς υἱοὺς συντάττουσι, καὶ τούτων ἕνα εἶναι τὸν Κύριον δογματίζουσιν· ὡς μηκέτι κατʼ αὐτοὺς μονογενῆ εἶναι, ἀλλʼ ἐκ πολλῶν ἀδελφῶν ἕνα καὶ αὐτὸν γέννημα καὶ Υἱὸν χρηματίζειν. Τίς οὖν χρεία τῆς ὑποκρίσεως, ὥστε λέγειν μὲν αὐτὸν κτίσμα, λέγειν δὲ αὐτὸν μὴ κτίσμα; καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐὰν λέγητε, οὐχ ὡς ἓν τῶν κτισμάτων, ʼ ἀνόητον ὑμῶν τὸ τοιοῦτον σόφισμα δειχθήσεται· ἓν γὰρ πάλιν τῶν κτισμάτων αὐτὸν εἶναι λέγετε· καὶ οἷα ἄν τις εἴποι καὶ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων κτισμάτων, τοιαῦτα καὶ περὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ φρονεῖτε, ὡς ἀληθῶς μωροὶ καὶ τυφλοί. ʼ Ποῖον γὰρ καὶ ἕτερον τῶν κτισμάτων τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν, οἷον γέγονε καὶ τὸ ἕτερον, ἵνα τοῦτο περὶ Υἱοῦ ὡς ἐξαίρετόν τι λέγητε; Καὶ πᾶσα ἡ φαινομένη κτίσις ἐν ἓξ ἡμέραις γέγονε· καὶ τῇ μὲν πρώτῃ τὸ φῶς, ὅπερ ἐκάλεσεν ἡμέραν· τῇ δὲ δευτέρᾳ τὸ στερέωμα· καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ, συναγαγὼν τὰ ὕδατα, ἔδειξε τὴν ξηρὰν, καὶ τοὺς ἐν αὐτῇ ποικίλους προήγαγε καρπούς· καὶ τῇ μὲν τετάρτῃ πεποίηκε τὸν ἥλιον καὶ τὴν σελήνην, καὶ πάντα τὸν τῶν ἀστέρων χορόν· τῇ δὲ πέμπτῃ τῶν ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ ζώων, καὶ τῶν ἐν τῷ ἀέρι πετεινῶν τὴν γένεσιν ἔκτισε· τῇ δὲ ἕκτῃ τὰ τετράποδα τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς πεποίηκε, καὶ λοιπὸν τὸν ἄνθρωπον. ‘Τά τε ἀόρατα αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ κτίσεως κόσμου, τοῖς ποιήμασι νοούμενα, καθορᾶται· καὶ οὔτε τὸ φῶς ὡς ἡ νὺξ, οὔτε ὁ ἥλιος ὡς ἡ σελήνη, οὔτε τὰ ἄλογα ὡς ὁ λογικὸς ἄνθρωπός ἐστιν· οὔτε οἱ ἄγγελοι ὡς οἱ θρόνοι, οὔτε οἱ θρόνοι ὡς αἱ ἐξουσίαι· ἀλλὰ πάντα μέν ἐστι κτίσματα, ἕκαστον δὲ τῶν γενομένων ‘κατὰ γένοςʼ τῇ ἰδίᾳ οὐσίᾳ, ὡς γέγονεν, ἐστί τε καὶ μένει.

### English translation (Claude)

First, let us see what they submitted at the beginning, when the heresy was being fashioned by them, to Alexander of blessed memory. They wrote as follows: “He is a creature, but not as one of the creatures; a work, but not as one of the works; an offspring, but not as one of the offsprings.” Let everyone observe the craft and deceit of this heresy: knowing the bitterness of its own evil-mindedness, it strains to adorn itself with plausible words. It says what it thinks, that “he is a creature,” but supposes it can hide itself by saying, “but not as one of the creatures.” Rather, by writing thus they have exposed their impiety all the more. For if on your view he is a creature at all, how do you play the hypocrite by saying, “but not as one of the creatures”? And if he is a work at all, how is he “not as one of the works”? In these words one can see the poison of the heresy too. For by saying “an offspring, but not as one of the offsprings,” they rank many sons together and lay down that the Lord is one of them; so that on their view he is no longer only-begotten, but one out of many brothers, and he too is called offspring and Son. What need, then, of pretense, to call him a creature and yet say he is not a creature? For even if you say “not as one of the creatures,” this sophism of yours will be shown to be senseless; for again you say he is one of the creatures; and such things as one might say about the other creatures, you think about the Son too, truly “fools and blind.” For what creature is such as another has come to be, that you should say this of the Son as something exceptional? The whole visible creation came to be in six days: on the first the light, which he called day; on the second the firmament; on the third, gathering the waters, he showed the dry land and brought forth the various fruits in it; on the fourth he made the sun and the moon and the whole chorus of stars; on the fifth he created the living things in the sea and the birds in the air; on the sixth he made the four-footed animals on the earth, and finally man. “His invisible things from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made”; and neither is the light as the night, nor the sun as the moon, nor the irrational animals as rational man; nor are the angels as the thrones, nor the thrones as the powers; but all are creatures, and each of the things that came to be is and remains, “according to its kind,” in its own substance, as it was made.

### Scripture references

- Matt 23:17: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 1:5: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 1:31: allusion, medium confidence
- Rom 1:20: quotation, high confidence
- Col 1:16: allusion, medium confidence
- Gen 1:11: allusion, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- The quoted formula comes from the Arians' early letter to Bishop Alexander of Alexandria (ca. 320).
- “Thrones” and “powers” are ranks of angels (Col 1:16).

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 19 (Bright, 87–88; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/11/#p-19).

## Oration II Against the Arians 20

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/11/#p-20
- Source: Bright, 89
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Creatures differ in glory but share the nature of creatures and praise their creator; the Word is that creator, the truth whom all creation hymns, and works eternally with the Father.

### Greek text

20. Ἢ τοίνυν ὁ Λόγος ἐξαιρείσθω τῶν ποιημάτων, καὶ ὡς κτίστης ἀποδιδόσθω τῷ Πατρὶ, καὶ ὁμολογείσθω φύσει Υἱός· ἢ εἰ ὅλως κτίσμα ἐστὶ, τὴν αὐτὴν ὁμολογείσθω τάξιν ἔχειν, οἵαν ἔχει καὶ τὰ ἕτερα πρὸς ἄλληλα· λεγέσθω δὲ κἀκείνων ἕκαστον ‘κτίσμα, ἀλλʼ οὐχ ὡς ἓν τῶν κτισμάτων, γέννημα ἢ ποίημα, οὐδʼ ὡς ἓν τῶν ποιημάτων ἢ γεννημάτων. ʼ Ταὐτὸν γὰρ εἰρήκατε τὸ γέννημα καὶ τὸ ποίημα, γράψαντες, ‘γεννηθέντα ἢ ποιηθέντα·’ κἂν γὰρ ὑπερέχῃ τῶν ἄλλων τῇ συγκρίσει ὁ Υἱὸς, ἀλλʼ οὐδὲν ἧττόν ἐστι κτίσμα, ὥσπερ κἀκεῖνα· καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς τοῖς φύσει κτίσμασιν εὑρεῖν ἔστιν ἕτερα ἑτέρων ὑπερέχοντα. ‘Ἀστὴρ γοῦν ἀστέρος διαφέρει ἐν δόξῃ·’ τά τε ἄλλα ἕκαστα πρὸς ἄλληλα κατὰ σύγκρισιν ἔχει τὴν διαφοράν· καὶ οὐ διὰ τοῦτο τὰ μὲν κύρια, τὰ δὲ τοῖς βελτίοσι δουλεύει· οὐδὲ τὰ μὲν ποιητικὰ αἴτιά ἐστι, τὰ δὲ παρʼ αὐτῶν γίνεται· ἀλλὰ πάντα τοῦ γίνεσθαι καὶ κτίζεσθαι τὴν φύσιν ἔχει, ὁμολογοῦντα διʼ ἑαυτῶν τὸν δημιουργὸν ἑαυτῶν, ὡς ψάλλει Δαβὶδ, Οἱ οὐρανοὶ διηγοῦνται δόξαν Θεοῦ, ποίησιν δὲ χειρῶν αὐτοῦ ἀναγγέλλει τὸ στερέωμα.’ καθάπερ καὶ Ζοροβάβελ ὁ σοφὸς λέγει, ‘Πᾶσα ἡ γῆ τὴν ἀλήθειαν καλεῖ, καὶ ὁ οὐρανὸς αὐτὴν εὐλογεῖ, καὶ πάντα τὰ ἔργα σείεται καὶ τρέμει.’ Εἰ δὲ πᾶσα ἡ γῆ τὸν δημιουργὸν καὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν ὑμνεῖ, καὶ εὐλογεῖ, καὶ τρέμει· δημιουργὸς δὲ ταύτης ὁ Λόγος ἐστὶ, καὶ αὐτὸς λέγει, ‘Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἀλήθεια· οὐκ ἄρα κτίσμα ἐστὶν ὁ Λόγος, ἀλλὰ μόνος ἴδιος τοῦ Πατρὸς, ἐν ᾧ τὰ πάντα ἥρμοσται, καὶ αὐτὸς ὑμνεῖται παρὰ πάντων, ὡς δημιουργός· ‘Ἤμην γὰρ, ’ ὡς αὐτός φησι, παρʼ αὐτῷ ἁρμόζουσα·’ καὶ, ‘Ὁ Πατήρ μου ἕως ἄρτι ἐργάζεται, κἀγὼ ἐργάζομαι. Τὸ δὲ ἕως ἄρτιʼ δείκνυσι τὸ ἀϊδίως, ὡς Λόγον, ὑπάρχειν αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ Πατρί· Λόγου γὰρ ἴδιον ἐργάζεσθαι τὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἔργα, καὶ μὴ εἶναι ἐκτὸς αὐτοῦ.

### English translation (Claude)

Either, then, let the Word be excepted from the works, and be assigned to the Father as creator, and be acknowledged Son by nature; or, if he is a creature at all, let it be acknowledged that he has the same rank as the others have toward one another, and let each of them too be called “a creature, but not as one of the creatures; an offspring or a work, but not as one of the works or offsprings.” For you have said that offspring and work are the same, writing “begotten or made”; for even if the Son surpasses the others by comparison, he is none the less a creature, as they are; for even among things that are by nature creatures one can find some surpassing others. “Star differs from star in glory,” at any rate, and all the rest differ from one another by comparison; yet not for that reason are some lords while others serve the better ones, nor are some productive causes while others come to be from them; but all have the nature of coming to be and being created, confessing through themselves their own creator, as David sings, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims the work of his hands”; as Zerubbabel the wise also says, “All the earth calls upon truth, and the heaven blesses her, and all the works shake and tremble.” If, then, all the earth hymns and blesses its creator and the truth, and trembles, and the Word is its creator, and he himself says, “I am the truth,” then the Word is not a creature, but alone proper to the Father, in whom all things have been harmonized, and he himself is hymned by all as creator; for, as he himself says, “I was beside him, harmonizing”; and “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” The “until now” shows that he exists eternally, as Word, in the Father; for it is proper to the Word to work the works of the Father and not to be outside him.

### Scripture references

- 1 Cor 15:41: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 19:1 (18:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- John 14:6: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 8:30: quotation, high confidence
- John 5:17: quotation, high confidence

### Extrabiblical texts

- 1 Esd 4:36 (1 Esdras): quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “Begotten or made” quotes an Arian formula (compare Arius's letter to Alexander).
- “Zerubbabel the wise” is quoted from 1 Esd 4:36, the contest of the three youths.
- “I was beside him, harmonizing” is Prov 8:30 in the Septuagint.
- The text reads Ὁἱ; corrected to Οἱ.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 20 (Bright, 89; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/11/#p-20).

## Oration II Against the Arians 21

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/21/#p-21
- Source: Bright, 89–90
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: If the Son were a creature he could not create, for no creature brings being out of nothing; only God fashions, while human beings merely rework existing matter.

### Greek text

21. Εἰ δὲ ἃ ὁ Πατὴρ ἐργάζεται, ταῦτα καὶ ὁ Υἱὸς ἐργάζεται· καὶ ἃ κτίζει ὁ Υἱὸς, ταῦτα τοῦ Πατρός ἐστι κτίσματα· ἔργον δὲ καὶ κτίσμα ἐστὶ τοῦ Πατρὸς ὁ Υἱός· ἢ καὶ αὐτὸς ἑαυτὸν ἐργάσεται, καὶ αὐτὸς ἑαυτὸν ἔσται κτίζων· (ἐπειδὴ ἃ ἐργάζεται ὁ Πατὴρ, ταῦτα καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ ἐστιν ἔργα·) ὅπερ ἄτοπον ἂν εἴη καὶ ἀδύνατον· ἢ τὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς κτίζων καὶ ἐργαζόμενος, αὐτὸς οὐκ ἂν εἴη ἔργον οὐδὲ κτίσμα, ἵνα μὴ, ὁ αὐτὸς ποιητικὸν αἴτιον ὢν, ἐν τοῖς ποιουμένοις εὑρίσκηται ποιῶν, ὅπερ γέγονεν αὐτός· μᾶλλον δὲ μηδὲ ποιεῖν δυνάμενος. Πῶς γὰρ, εἰ καθʼ ὑμᾶς ‘ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων γέγονεν, ʼ οἷός τέ ἐστι τὰ οὐκ ὄντα εἰς τὸ εἶναι δημιουργεῖν; Εἰ δὲ, κτίσμα ὢν, δημιουργεῖ καὶ αὐτὸς κτίσμα, ἔσται καὶ ἐφʼ ἑκάστου κτίσματος τὸ αὐτὸ νοούμενον, ὥστε δύνασθαι καὶ αὐτὰ δημιουργεῖν. Καὶ εἰ τοῦτο οὕτω βούλεσθε, τίς ἡ χρεία τοῦ Λόγου, δυναμένων τῶν ὑποβεβηκότων παρὰ τῶν ὑπερεχόντων γίνεσθαι; ἢ ὅλως δυναμένου καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἑκάστου τῶν γενομένων ἀκοῦσαι παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ‘Γενοῦ, ʼ καὶ, ‘Ποιήθητι·’ καὶ οὕτως ἂν ἕκαστον· ἐδημιουργεῖτο. Ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ γέγραπται τοῦτο, οὔτε δυνατὸν ἦν. Τῶν γὰρ γινομένων οὐδέν ἐστι ποιητικὸν αἴτιον· ‘πάντα γὰρ διὰ τοῦ Λόγου γέγονεν οὐκ ἂν ἐργασαμένου καὶ αὐτοῦ τὰ πάντα, εἰ καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Λόγος τῶν κτισμάτων ἦν· οὐδὲ γὰρ οὐδὲ ἄγγελοι δημιουργεῖν δυνήσονται, κτίσματα ὄντες καὶ αὐτοὶ, (κἂν Οὐαλεντῖνος καὶ Μαρκίων καὶ Βασιλείδης τοιαῦτα φρονῶσι, καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐκείνων ζηλωταὶ τυγχάνητε·) οὐδὲ ὁ ἥλιος, κτίσμα ὢν, ποιήσει ποτὲ τὸ μὴ ὂν εἰς τὸ εἶναι· οὐδὲ ἄνθρωπος ἄνθρωπον πλάσει, οὐδὲ λίθος λίθον ἐπινοήσει, οὐδὲ ξύλον ξύλον αὐξήσει· ἀλλʼ ὁ Θεὸς μέν ἐστιν ὁ ‘πλάσσων ἐν κοιλίᾳʼ ἄνθρωπον, καὶ ὄρη τιθεὶς, καὶ ξύλον μηκύνων· ὁ δὲ ἄνθρωπος, ἐπιστήμης ὢν δεκτικὸς, ταύτην τὴν ὕλην συντίθησι καὶ μεταῤῥυθμίζει, καὶ τὰ ὄντα ἐργάζεται, ὡς ἔμαθε· καὶ ἀγαπᾷ, ὅτι μόνον γέγονε· τήν τε φύσιν ἐπιγινώσκων τὴν ἑαυτοῦ, ἐάν τινος δέηται, τὸν Θεὸν οἶδεν αἰτεῖν.

### English translation (Claude)

If what the Father works the Son also works, and what the Son creates are the Father's creatures, and yet the Son is a work and creature of the Father, then either he will work himself and be creating himself (since what the Father works are also the Son's works), which would be absurd and impossible; or, creating and working the Father's things, he would not himself be a work or a creature, lest, being himself the productive cause, he be found among the things made, making what he himself became—or rather, lest he be found unable to make at all. For if on your view “he came into being from things that are not,” how is he able to craft things that are not into being? And if, being a creature, he too crafts a creature, the same will be understood of each creature, so that they too can craft. And if you would have it so, what need is there of the Word, since lower things could come to be from higher ones? Or indeed, each of the things that came into being could at the beginning have heard from God, “Come to be,” and “Be made,” and so each would have been crafted. But this is not written, nor was it possible. For none of the things that come into being is a productive cause; for “all things came into being through the Word,” who would not have worked all things if the Word himself were one of the creatures. For not even angels will be able to create, since they too are creatures (even if Valentinus, Marcion, and Basilides think such things, and you are their imitators); nor will the sun, being a creature, ever make what is not into being; nor will a man fashion a man, nor a stone devise a stone, nor a tree make a tree grow. It is God who “fashions man in the womb,” and sets the mountains, and makes the tree grow tall; man, being capable of knowledge, puts this material together and reshapes it, and works on things that exist, as he has learned; and he is content simply to have come into being; and recognizing his own nature, if he needs anything, he knows to ask God.

### Scripture references

- John 5:19: allusion, medium confidence
- John 1:3: quotation, high confidence
- Jer 1:5: allusion, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- Valentinus and Basilides (Gnostic teachers) and Marcion held that the world was made by lower powers or angels; Athanasius likens the Arians to them.
- “Fashions man in the womb” echoes Jer 1:5 and similar texts.
- Slips corrected: Βασιλείδη to Βασιλείδης, and μεταύῤῥυθμίζει to μεταῤῥυθμίζει.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 21 (Bright, 89–90; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/21/#p-21).

## Oration II Against the Arians 22

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/21/#p-22
- Source: Bright, 90–91
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: God calls things into being through his Word, so the Word cannot be one of them; only the Son knows and sees the Father, which no creature can do.

### Greek text

22. Εἰ μὲν οὖν καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἐξ ὕλης ἐστὶν ἐργαζόμενος καὶ συντιθεὶς, Ἑλληνικὸν μὲν τὸ φρόνημα, καὶ τεχνίτης, οὐ ποιητὴς ἂν κληθείη ὁ Θεός. Ἐργαζέσθω δὲ ὅμως οὕτω τὴν ὕλην ὁ Λόγος προσταττόμενος καὶ ὑπουργῶν τῷ Θεῷ. Εἰ δὲ τὰ οὐκ ὄντα καλεῖ διὰ τοῦ ἰδίου Λόγου εἰς τὸ εἶναι, οὐκ ἔστι τῶν μὴ ὄντων καὶ καλουμένων ὁ Λόγος, ἵνα μὴ καὶ ἕτερον Λόγον ζητῶμεν, διʼ οὗ καὶ οὗτος ἐκλήθη· Λόγῳ γὰρ τὰ οὐκ ὄντα γέγονε. Καὶ εἰ διʼ αὐτοῦ κτίζει καὶ ποιεῖ, οὐκ ἔστι τῶν κτιζομένων καὶ ποιουμένων αὐτός· ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον τοῦ κτίζοντος Θεοῦ Λόγος ἐστὶν, ὅστις καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἔργων τοῦ Πατρὸς, ὧν αὐτὸς ὁ Λόγος ἐργάζεται, γινώσκεται ὅτι αὐτὸς ἐν τῷ Πατρί ἐστι, καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἐν αὐτῷ, καὶ ὁ ἑωρακὼς αὐτὸν ἑώρακε τὸν Πατέρα, διὰ τὸ ἴδιον τῆς οὐσίας καὶ τὴν κατὰ πάντα ὁμοιότητα τοῦ Υἱοῦ πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα. Πῶς οὖν διʼ αὐτοῦ κτίζει, εἰ μὴ ὁ Λόγος ἐστὶν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἡ Σοφία; πῶς δὲ Λόγος ἂν εἴη καὶ Σοφία, εἰ μὴ ἴδιον γέννημα τῆς οὐσίας αὐτοῦ, ἀλλʼ ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων καὶ αὐτὸς ἐγένετο; πῶς δὲ πάντων ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων καὶ κτισμάτων ὄντων, καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ κατʼ ἐκείνους ἑνὸς ὄντος τῶν κτισμάτων, καὶ τῶν οὐκ ὄντων ποτὲ, μόνος οὗτος ἀποκαλύπτει τὸν Πατέρα, καὶ οὐδεὶς ἄλλος εἰ μὴ μόνος αὐτὸς γινώσκει τὸν Πατέρα; Εἰ γὰρ δυνατὸν, ποίημα ὄντα, τοῦτον γινώσκειν τὸν Πατέρα, γινωσκέσθω καὶ παρὰ πάντων κατʼ ἀναλογίαν τῶν ἑκάστου μέτρων· ποιήματα γὰρ πάντα, ὥσπερ καὶ αὐτός. Εἰ δὲ οὐ δυνατὸν τοῖς γενητοῖς οὔτε βλέπειν οὔτε γινώσκειν, ἀλλʼ ὑπερβαίνει πάντας ἥ τε ὄψις καὶ ἡ περὶ τούτου γνῶσις· καὶ γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς μὲν ὁ Θεὸς εἶπεν· ‘Οὐδεὶς ὄψεται τὸ πρόσωπόν μου, καὶ ζήσεται· ὁ δὲ Υἱὸς εἴρηκεν· ‘Οὐδεὶς γινώσκει τὸν Πατέρα εἰ μὴ ὁ Υἱός·’ ἄλλος ἂν εἴη τῶν γεννητῶν ὁ Λόγος, μόνος γινώσκων καὶ μόνος βλέπων τὸν Πατέρα, ὡς εἶπεν, ‘Οὐχ ὅτι τὸν Πατέρα τις ἑώρακεν εἰ μὴ ὁ ὢν παρὰ τοῦ Πατρός·’ καὶ, ‘Οὐδεὶς γινώσκει τὸν Πατέρα εἰ μὴ ὁ Υἱός·’ κἂν Ἀρείῳ μὴ δοκῇ. Πῶς οὖν ἔγνω μόνος, εἰ μὴ μόνος ἦν ἴδιος αὐτοῦ; πῶς δʼ ἂν ἦν ἴδιος, εἰ κτίσμα ἦν, καὶ μὴ Υἱὸς ἦν ἀληθινὸς ἐξ αὐτοῦ; Τὰ αὐτὰ γὰρ λέγειν καὶ πολλάκις περὶ εὐσεβείας οὐκ ὀκνητέον.) Ἀσεβὲς ἄρα τὸ φρονεῖν ἕνα τῶν πάντων εἶναι τὸν Υἱόν· βλάσφημον δὲ καὶ ἀνόητον τὸ λέγειν ‘κτίσμα, ἀλλʼ οὐχ ὡς ἓν τῶν κτισμάτων· καὶ ποίημα, ἀλλʼ οὐχ ὡς ἓν τῶν ποιημάτων· γέννημα, ἀλλʼ οὐχ ὡς ἓν τῶν γεννημάτων· Πῶς γὰρ οὐχ ὡς ἓν τούτων, εἴ γε κατʼ αὐτοὺς ‘οὐκ ἦν πρὶν γεννηθῇ;’ Ἴδιον γὰρ τῶν κτισμάτων καὶ ποιημάτων τὸ μὴ εἶναι πρὶν γενέσθαι, καὶ ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων ὑφίστασθαι, κἂν τῇ δόξῃ τῶν ἄλλων ὑπερέχῃ· τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἄλλοις κτίσμασι πρὸς ἑαυτὰ διαφέροντα εὑρεθήσεται, ὥσπερ καὶ βλεπόμενα δείκνυται.

### English translation (Claude)

If, then, God too works and composes out of matter, the idea is a Greek one, and God would be called a craftsman, not a maker. Yet even so, let the Word work the matter in this way, at God's command and in God's service. But if he calls things that are not into being through his own Word, the Word is not among the things that are not and are called, lest we look for yet another Word through whom this one too was called; for by a Word the things that are not came into being. And if he creates and makes through him, he himself is not among the things created and made; rather he is the Word of the creating God, who is known also from the works of the Father, which the Word himself works, to be in the Father, and the Father in him, and he who has seen him has seen the Father, because the Son is proper to the Father's substance and like him in all things. How, then, does God create through him, unless he is his Word and Wisdom? And how would he be Word and Wisdom, unless he were the proper offspring of his substance, rather than having himself come into being from things that are not? And if all things are from nothing and are creatures, and the Son, according to them, is one of the creatures and of the things that once were not, how does he alone reveal the Father, and how does no one else but he alone know the Father? For if it were possible for him, being a work, to know the Father, let the Father be known by all as well, in proportion to each one's measure; for all are works, as he is. But if it is not possible for things that have come into being either to see or to know him, but the sight and the knowledge of him surpass all—for God himself said, “No one shall see my face and live,” and the Son said, “No one knows the Father except the Son”—then the Word would be other than the things that have come into being, alone knowing and alone seeing the Father, as he said, “Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from the Father,” and “No one knows the Father except the Son,” even if Arius does not like it. How then did he alone know him, unless he alone was proper to him? And how would he be proper to him if he were a creature and not true Son from him? (For one must not shrink from saying the same things often about piety.) It is impious, then, to think that the Son is one of all things; and it is blasphemous and senseless to say “a creature, but not as one of the creatures; a work, but not as one of the works; an offspring, but not as one of the offsprings.” For how is he not as one of these, if according to them “he was not before he was begotten”? For it is proper to creatures and works not to be before they come to be, and to subsist from things that are not, even if one surpasses the others in glory; for this will be found in all the other creatures too, which differ among themselves, as what we see shows.

### Scripture references

- Rom 4:17: allusion, high confidence
- John 14:10: allusion, high confidence
- John 14:9: allusion, high confidence
- Matt 11:27: quotation, high confidence
- Exod 33:20: quotation, high confidence
- John 6:46: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Athanasius here speaks of the Son's “likeness in all things” (κατὰ πάντα ὁμοιότης) to the Father, alongside his being proper to the Father's substance.
- Slips corrected: οὕτος to οὗτος, ἢν to ἦν.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 22 (Bright, 90–91; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/21/#p-22).

## Oration II Against the Arians 23

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/21/#p-23
- Source: Bright, 91–93
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Scripture never ranks the Son above other creatures by degree but calls him the only Son; creatures refuse worship, but the Son receives it from angels, nations, and disciples.

### Greek text

23. Ἀλλʼ εἴπερ κατὰ τοὺς αἰρετικοὺς ‘κτίσμα μὲν ἢ ποίημα ἦν, οὐχ ὡς ἓν δὲ τῶν κτισμάτων, ʼ διὰ τὸ ἐν δόξῃ διαφέρειν αὐτῶν, ἔδει πρὸς τὰ ἄλλα ποιήματα τῇ κατὰ τὸ βέλτιον συγκρίσει σημαίνεσθαί τε παρὰ τῆς γραφῆς καὶ δείκνυσθαι αὐτὸν, οἷον ἔδει λέγεσθαι αὐτὸν μείζονα ἀρχαγγέλων· ἔδει ἐντιμότερον τῶν θρόνων, καὶ λαμπρότερον μὲν ἡλίου καὶ σελήνης, μείζονα δὲ τῶν οὐρανῶν. Νῦν δὲ οὕτω μὲν αὐτὸς οὐ σημαίνεται Υἱὸν δὲ αὐτὸν ἴδιον καὶ μόνον δείκνυσιν ἑαυτοῦ ὁ Πατὴρ, λέγων· ‘Υἱός μου εἶ σύ·’ καὶ ‘Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητὸς, ἐν ᾧ ηὐδόκησα·’ διὸ καὶ ‘διηκόνουν αὐτῷ οἱ ἄγγελοι, ʼ ὡς ἄλλῳ παρʼ αὐτοὺς ὄντι· καὶ προσκυνεῖται παρʼ αὐτῶν, οὐχ ὡς τῇ δόξῃ μείζων, ἀλλʼ ὡς ἄλλος παρὰ πάντα τὰ κτίσματα καὶ παρʼ ἐκείνους ὢν, μόνος δὲ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἴδιος ὢν κατʼ οὐσίαν Υἱός. Εἰ γὰρ ὡς ὑπερέχων τῇ δόξῃ προσεκυνεῖτο, ἔδει καὶ ἕκαστον τῶν ὑποβεβηκότων τὸν ὑπερέχοντα προσκυνεῖν. Ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἔστιν οὕτω· κτίσμα γὰρ κτίσματι οὐ προσκυνεῖ, ἀλλὰ δοῦλος δεσπότην, καὶ κτίσμα Θεόν, Πέτρος μὲν οὖν ὁ ἀπόστολος προσκυνῆσαι θέλοντα τὸν Κορνήλιον κωλύει, λέγων ὅτι ‘κἀγὼ ἄνθρωπός εἰμι·’ ἄγγελος δὲ θέλοντα προσκυνῆσαι τὸν Ἰωάννην ἐν τῇ Ἀποκαλύψει κωλύει, λέγων, ‘Ὄρα μή· σύνδουλός σου εἰμὶ, καὶ τῶν ἀδελφῶν σου τῶν προφητῶν, καὶ τῶν τηρούντων τοὺς λόγους τοῦ βιβλίου τούτου· τῷ Θεῷ προσκύνησον.’ Οὐκοῦν Θεοῦ ἐστι μόνου τὸ προσκυνεῖσθαι· καὶ τοῦτο ἴσασι καὶ αὐτοὶ οἱ ἄγγελοι, ὅτι κἂν ἄλλων ταῖς δόξαις ὑπερέχωσιν, ἀλλὰ κτίσματα πάντες εἰσὶ, καὶ οὐκ εἰσὶ τῶν προσκυνουμένων, ἀλλὰ τῶν προσκυνούντων τὸν Δεσπότην. Τὸν γοῦν πατέρα τοῦ Σαμψὼν τὸν Μανωὲ, θέλοντα θυσίαν προσενεγκεῖν τῷ ἀγγέλῳ, ἐκώλυσεν ὁ ἄγγελος λέγων ὅτι ‘μὴ ἐμοὶ, ἀλλὰ τῷ Θεῷ προσένεγκε.’ Ὁ δὲ Κύριος καὶ παρʼ ἀγγέλων προσκυνεῖται· γέγραπται γὰρ, ‘καὶ προσκυνησάτωσαν αὐτῷ πάντες ἄγγελοι Θεοῦ·’ καὶ παρὰ πάντων δὲ τῶν ἐθνῶν, ὡς ὁ Ἡσαΐας φησὶν, ‘Ἐκοπίασεν Αἴγυπτος καὶ ἐμπορία Αἰθιόπων, καὶ οἱ Σαβαεὶμ ἄνδρες ὑψηλοὶ ἐπὶ σὲ διαβήσονται, καί σοι ἔσονται δοῦλοι·’ εἶτα ἐξῆς· ‘Καὶ προσκυνήσουσί σοι, καὶ ἐν σοὶ προσεύξονται· ὅτι ἐν σοὶ ὁ Θεός ἐστι, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι Θεὸς πλὴν σοῦ·’ τούς τε μαθητὰς προσκυνοῦντας δέχεται, καὶ πληροφορεῖ τούτους, ὅστις ἐστὶ λέγων· ‘Οὐχ ὑμεῖς λέγετέ με, ὁ Κύριος καὶ ὁ διδάσκαλος; καὶ καλῶς λέγετε· εἰμὶ γάρ.’ Καὶ τὸν Θωμᾶν δὲ λέγοντα αὐτῷ, ‘Ὁ Κύριός μου καὶ ὁ Θεός μου, συγχωρεῖ λέγειν, καὶ μᾶλλον ἀποδέχεται, μὴ κωλύων αὐτόν. Ἔστι γὰρ αὐτὸς, ὡς οἵ τε ἄλλοι προφήται λέγουσι, καὶ Δαβὶδ ψάλλει, ‘Κύριος τῶν δυνάμεων, Κύριος Σαβαὼθ ὃ ἑρμηνεύεται, ‘Κύριος τῶν στρατιῶν, ʼ καὶ Θεὸς ἀληθινὸς καὶ παντοκράτωρ, κἂν οἱ Ἀρειανοὶ ἐν τούτῳ διαῤῥηγνύωσιν ἑαυτούς.

### English translation (Claude)

But if, as the heretics say, he was “a creature or a work, but not as one of the creatures,” because he differs from them in glory, Scripture ought to have signified and shown him by comparison with the other works as the better one; it ought, for example, to have called him greater than the archangels, more honored than the thrones, brighter than sun and moon, and greater than the heavens. But in fact he is not signified in this way; the Father shows him to be his own and only Son, saying, “You are my Son,” and “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” That is why “angels were ministering to him,” as to one other than themselves; and he is worshipped by them, not as greater in glory, but as being other than all the creatures and than them, and alone the Father's own Son by substance. For if he were worshipped as surpassing in glory, each of the lower beings would have to worship the one that surpasses it. But it is not so; for creature does not worship creature, but servant worships master, and creature worships God. Peter the apostle, then, stops Cornelius when he wants to worship him, saying, “I too am a man”; and an angel in the Revelation stops John when he wants to worship him, saying, “See that you do not; I am your fellow servant and of your brothers the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book; worship God.” So to be worshipped belongs to God alone; and the angels themselves know this, that even if they surpass others in glory, they are all creatures, and are not among those who are worshipped but among those who worship the Master. Manoah, Samson's father, at any rate, wanted to offer sacrifice to the angel, and the angel stopped him, saying, “Not to me, but offer it to God.” But the Lord is worshipped even by angels; for it is written, “And let all the angels of God worship him”; and by all the nations, as Isaiah says, “Egypt has labored, and the merchandise of the Ethiopians, and the Sabeans, men of stature, will come over to you and be your servants”; and then next, “And they will worship you and make supplication in you, because God is in you, and there is no God besides you.” And he accepts the disciples' worship and assures them who he is, saying, “Do you not call me the Lord and the Teacher? And you say well, for so I am.” And when Thomas says to him, “My Lord and my God,” he allows him to say it, or rather accepts it, and does not stop him. For he is, as the other prophets say and David sings, “the Lord of powers,” “the Lord Sabaoth,” which is interpreted “the Lord of armies,” and true God and almighty, even if the Arians burst themselves with rage at this.

### Scripture references

- Ps 2:7: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 3:17: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 4:11: quotation, high confidence
- Acts 10:26: quotation, high confidence
- Rev 22:9: quotation, high confidence
- Judg 13:16: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 1:6: quotation, high confidence
- Isa 45:14: quotation, high confidence
- John 13:13: quotation, high confidence
- John 20:28: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 24:10 (23:10 LXX): quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Isa 45:14 is quoted from the Septuagint and applied to Christ.
- “Let all the angels of God worship him” is Heb 1:6 (from Deut 32:43, Septuagint).
- The text reads ἴσαι, a slip for ἴσασι (“they know”); corrected. Οὖτός is corrected to Οὗτός.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 23 (Bright, 91–93; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/21/#p-23).

## Oration II Against the Arians 24

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/21/#p-24
- Source: Bright, 93–94
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Only the true Son is worshipped and has all that is the Father's; the Arian claim that God made the Son alone as a go-between because creation could not bear his direct hand is absurd.

### Greek text

24. Οὐκ ἂν δὲ οὐδὲ αὐτὸς προσεκυνήθη, οὐδὲ ταῦτʼ ἐλέγετο περὶ αὐτοῦ, εἰ ὅλως τῶν κτισμάτων ἦν. Νῦν δὲ ἐπειδὴ οὐκ ἔστι κτίσμα, ἀλλʼ ἴδιον τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ προσκυνουμένου Θεοῦ γέννημα, καὶ φύσει Υἱός ἐστι, διὰ τοῦτο προσκυνεῖται, καὶ Θεὸς πιστεύεται, καὶ Κύριος στρατιῶν καὶ ἐξουσιαστὴς καὶ παντοκράτωρ ἐστὶν, ὡς ὁ Πατήρ· αὐτὸς γὰρ εἴρηκε· ‘Πάντα ὅσα ἔχει ὁ Πατὴρ ἐμά ἐστιν· Υἱοῦ γὰρ ἴδιον τὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἔχειν, καὶ τοιοῦτον αὐτὸν εἶναι, ὡς ἐν αὐτῷ θεωρεῖσθαι τὸν Πατέρα· καὶ διʼ αὐτοῦ τὰ πάντα πεποιῆσθαι, καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ τὴν σωτηρίαν τῶν πάντων γίνεσθαί τε καὶ συνίστασθαι· ἐπεὶ καλὸν αὐτοὺς ἔρεσθαι καὶ τοῦτο, ἵνʼ ἔτι μᾶλλον ὁ ἔλεγχος τῆς αἱρέσεως αὐτῶν φαίνηται· διὰ τί, πάντων ὄντων κτισμάτων, καὶ πάντων ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος ἐχόντων τὴν σύστασιν, τοῦ τε Υἱοῦ καὶ αὐτοῦ ὄντος καθʼ ὑμᾶς κτίσματος καὶ ποιήματος, καὶ ἑνὸς τῶν οὐκ ὄντων ποτὲ, διʼ αὐτοῦ μόνου τὰ πάντα πεποίηκε, καὶ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἕν;’ ἢ διὰ τί, ὅταν μὲν ‘τὰ πάνταʼ λέγηται, οὐ τὸν Υἱόν τις ἐν τοῖς πᾶσι σημαίνεσθαι νοεῖ, ἀλλὰ τὰ γενητά; ὅταν δὲ περὶ τοῦ Λόγου λέγωσιν αἱ γραφαὶ, οὐκ ἐκ τῶν πάντων πάλιν αὐτὸν ὄντα νοοῦσιν, ἀλλὰ τῷ Πατρὶ συντάττουσιν αὐτὸν, ἐν ᾧ τὴν πάντων πρόνοιαν καὶ σωτηρίαν ἐργάζεται καὶ ποιεῖ ὁ Πατὴρ, καὶ μάλιστα δυναμένων τῶν πάντων τῷ αὐτῷ προστάγματι, ᾧ κἀκεῖνος παρὰ μόνου τοῦ Θεοῦ γέγονε, γενέσθαι; Οὐ γὰρ κάμνει ὁ Θεὸς προστάττων, οὐδὲ ἀσθενεῖ πρὸς τὴν τῶν πάντων ἐργασίαν, ἵνα τὸν μὲν Υἱὸν μόνος μόνον κτίσῃ, εἰς δὲ τὴν τῶν ἄλλων δημιουργίαν ὑπουργοῦ καὶ βοηθοῦ χρείαν ἔχῃ τοῦ Υἱοῦ, Οὐδὲ γὰρ οὐδὲ ὑπέρθεσιν ἔχει, ὅπερ ἂν ἐθελήσῃ γενέσθαι· ἀλλὰ μόνον ἠθέληκε, καὶ ὑπέστη τὰ πάντα, καὶ ‘τῷ βουλήματι αὐτοῦ οὐδεὶς ἀνθέστηκε.’ Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκα οὐ γέγονε τὰ πάντα παρὰ μόνου τοῦ Θεοῦ τῷ προστάγματι, ᾧ γέγονε καὶ ὁ Υἱὸς, ἢ διὰ τί διὰ τούτου πάντα γέγονε, καίτοι καὶ αὐτοῦ γενητοῦ τυγχάνοντος, λεγέτωσαν. Ἀλογία μὲν οὖν πᾶσα παρʼ αὐτοῖς· φασὶ δὲ ὅμως περὶ τούτου, ὡς ἄρα ‘θέλων ὁ Θεὸς τὴν γενητὴν κτίσαι φύσιν, ἐπειδὴ ἑώρα μὴ δυναμένην αὐτὴν μετασχεῖν τῆς τοῦ Πατρὸς ἀκράτου χειρὸς, καὶ τῆς παρʼ αὐτοῦ δημιουργίας, ποιεῖ καὶ κτίζει πρώτως μόνος μόνον ἕνα, καὶ καλεῖ τοῦτον Υἱὸν καὶ Λόγον, ἵνα, τούτου μέσου γενομένου, οὕτω λοιπὸν καὶ τὰ πάντα διʼ αὑτοῦ γενέσθαι δυνηθῇ.’ Ταῦτα οὐ μόνον εἰρήκασιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ γράψαι τετολμήκασιν Εὐσέβιός τε καὶ Ἄρειος, καὶ ὁ θύσας Ἀστέριος.

### English translation (Claude)

Nor would he himself have been worshipped, nor would these things have been said of him, if he were one of the creatures at all. But as it is, since he is not a creature but the proper offspring of the substance of the God who is worshipped, and is Son by nature, therefore he is worshipped, and believed to be God, and is Lord of armies, and ruler, and almighty, as the Father is; for he himself said, “All that the Father has is mine.” For it is proper to the Son to have what is the Father's, and to be such that the Father is seen in him, and that all things were made through him, and that the salvation of all comes about and is established in him. Indeed, it is well to ask them this too, so that the refutation of their heresy may appear still more clearly: why, if all things are creatures and all have their existence from what is not, and the Son too is on your view a creature and a work and one of the things that once were not, has God made all things through him alone, and “without him not one thing came into being”? Or why, when “all things” is said, does no one think that the Son is signified among all things, but only the things that have come into being; whereas when the Scriptures speak of the Word, they do not take him to be one of all things, but rank him with the Father, as the one in whom the Father works and effects the providence and salvation of all—especially since all things could have come into being by the same command by which he too came into being from God alone? For God does not grow weary in commanding, nor is he too weak for the working of all things, that he should create the Son alone by himself alone, but need the Son as an assistant and helper for crafting the rest. For he does not even delay whatever he wills to come to be; he only willed, and all things came to subsist, and “no one has resisted his will.” Why, then, did all things not come into being from God alone by the command by which the Son too came into being? Or why did all things come into being through him, though he too happens to be something that came into being? Let them tell us. There is every kind of unreason among them; yet about this they say that “God, wishing to create the originated nature, since he saw that it could not bear the untempered hand of the Father and creation by him, makes and creates first, alone, one alone, and calls him Son and Word, so that, he having become a mediator, all things might thereafter be able to come into being through him.” These things Eusebius and Arius and Asterius, who sacrificed, have not only said but have even dared to write.

### Scripture references

- John 16:15: quotation, high confidence
- John 14:9: allusion, medium confidence
- John 1:3: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 9:19: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The quotation is attributed to Eusebius (of Nicomedia), Arius, and Asterius the sophist, whom Athanasius calls “the sacrificer” because he lapsed and sacrificed during persecution.
- “Untempered hand” renders ἀκράτου χειρός (the Father's undiluted, unmediated hand).
- The text reads ἔνα; corrected to ἕνα.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 24 (Bright, 93–94; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/21/#p-24).

## Oration II Against the Arians 25

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/21/#p-25
- Source: Bright, 94–95
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: God neither tires nor disdains to make lesser things, since his providence reaches even sparrows and grass; so he did not need a created Son as a helper.

### Greek text

25. Πῶς οὖν οὐκ ἄν τις αὐτῶν ἐκ τούτων τέλεον καταγνοίη τῆς ἀσεβείας, ἣν, μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ἀφροσύνης ἑαυτοῖς κεράσαντες, οὐκ ἐρυθριῶσιν οὕτω καταμεθύοντες τῆς ἀληθείας. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ, διὰ τὸ κάμνειν τὸν Θεὸν πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἄλλων ἐργασίαν, φήσουσι μόνον αὐτὸν πεποιηκέναι τὸν Υἱὸν, καταβοήσει μὲν τούτων πᾶσα ἡ κτίσις, οὐκ ἄξια φθεγγομένων περὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ· ἐγγράφως δὲ ὁ Ἡσαΐας λέγων, ‘Θεὸς αἰώνιος, ὁ κατασκευάσας τὰ ἄκρα τῆς γῆς, οὐ πεινάσει, οὐδὲ κοπιάσει, οὐδέ ἐστιν ἐξεύρεσις τῆς φρονήσεως αὐτοῦ.’ Εἰ δὲ, ὡς ἀπαξιῶν ὁ Θεὸς τὰ ἄλλα ἐργάσασθαι, τὸν μὲν Υἱὸν μόνον εἰργάσατο, τὰ δὲ ἄλλα τῷ Υἱῷ ἐνεχείρισεν ὡς βοηθῷ, καὶ τοῦτο μὲν ἀνάξιον Θεοῦ, οὐκ ἔστι γὰρ ἐν Θεῷ τῦφος· ἐντρέψει δὲ αὐτοὺς ὅμως ὁ Κύριος λέγων, ‘Οὐχὶ δύο στρουθία ἀσσαρίου πωλεῖται; καὶ ἓν ἐξ αὐτῶν οὐ πεσεῖται ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἄνευ τοῦ Πατρὸς ὑμῶν, τοῦ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς; καὶ πάλιν, ‘Μὴ μεριμνᾶτε τῇ ψυχῇ ὑμῶν, τί φάγητε, μηδὲ τῷ σώματι ὑμῶν, τί ἐνδύσησθε. Οὐχὶ ἡ ψυχὴ πλεῖόν ἐστι τῆς τροφῆς, καὶ τὸ σῶμα τοῦ ἐνδύματος; Ἐμβλέψατε εἰς τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ὅτι οὐ σπείρουσιν, οὐδὲ θερίζουσιν, οὐδὲ συνάγουσιν εἰς τὰς ἀποθήκας· καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος τρέφει αὐτά. Οὐχ ὑμεῖς μᾶλλον διαφέρετε αὐτῶν; Τίς δὲ ἐξ ὑμῶν, μεριμνῶν, δύναται προσθεῖναι ἐπὶ τὴν ἡλικίαν αὐτοῦ πῆχυν ἕνα; Καὶ περὶ ἐνδύματος τί μεριμνᾶτε; Καταμάθετε τὰ κρίνα τοῦ ἀγροῦ, πῶς αὐξάνουσιν· οὐ κοπιῶσιν, οὐδὲ νήθουσι. Λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν, ὅτι οὐδὲ Σολομὼν ἐν πάσῃ τῇ δόξῃ αὐτοῦ περιεβάλετο, ὡς ἓν τούτων. Εἰ δὲ τὸν χόρτον τοῦ ἀγροῦ σήμερον ὄντα, καὶ αὔριον εἰς κλίβανον βαλλόμενον, ὁ Θεὸς οὕτως ἀμφιέννυσιν· οὐ πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὑμᾶς, ὀλιγόπιστοι; Εἰ γὰρ οὐκ ἀνάξιον Θεοῦ προνοεῖσθαι καὶ μέχρι τῶν οὕτω μικρῶν, τριχὸς κεφαλῆς, καὶ στρουθίου, καὶ τοῦ χόρτου τοῦ ἀγροῦ, οὐκ ἀνάξιον ἦν αὐτοῦ καὶ ταῦτα ἐργάσασθαι. Ὧν γὰρ τὴν πρόνοιαν ποιεῖται, τούτων καὶ ποιητής ἐστι διὰ τοῦ ἰδίου Λόγου. Ἄλλως τε καὶ μεῖζον ἄτοπον τοῖς τοῦτο λέγουσιν ἀπαντᾷ· διαιροῦσι γὰρ τὰ κτίσματα καὶ τὴν δημιουργίαν· καὶ τὸ μὲν τοῦ Πατρὸς ἔργον, τὰ δὲ τοῦ Υἱοῦ διδόασιν ἔργα· δέον ἢ καὶ τὰ πάντα μετὰ τοῦ Υἱοῦ παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς γίνεσθαι, ἢ εἰ διὰ τοῦ Υἱοῦ πάντα τὰ γενητὰ γίνεται, μὴ λέγειν αὐτὸν ἕνα τῶν γενητῶν εἶναι.

### English translation (Claude)

How, then, could anyone fail to condemn them utterly, from these words, for the impiety which they have mixed for themselves with much folly, and do not blush, being so drunk against the truth? For if they say that he made the Son alone because God grew weary in working the rest, all creation will cry out against them for uttering things unworthy of God, and Isaiah says in writing, “The eternal God, who prepared the ends of the earth, will not hunger nor grow weary, and there is no searching out of his understanding.” But if God made the Son alone as disdaining to work the rest, and entrusted the rest to the Son as a helper, this too is unworthy of God, for there is no pride in God; yet the Lord will put them to shame, saying, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father in heaven.” And again: “Do not be anxious for your life, what you will eat, nor for your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his stature? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, you of little faith?” For if it is not unworthy of God to exercise providence even down to things so small—a hair of the head, a sparrow, the grass of the field—neither was it unworthy of him to make them. For of the things for which he provides he is also the maker, through his own Word. Besides, a greater absurdity meets those who say this: they divide the creatures and the work of creation, and assign one work to the Father and the rest to the Son; whereas either all things must come to be from the Father together with the Son, or, if all things that come into being come into being through the Son, one must not say that he is one of the things that have come into being.

### Scripture references

- Isa 40:28: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 10:29: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 6:25: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 6:26: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 6:27: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 6:28: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 6:29: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 6:30: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 10:30: allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The text reads ἢν; corrected to ἣν.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 25 (Bright, 94–95; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/21/#p-25).

## Oration II Against the Arians 26

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/21/#p-26
- Source: Bright, 95
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: If the created nature needed a mediator to receive God's working, the created Word would need one too, and so on without end; nothing could ever have been made.

### Greek text

26. Ἔπειτα δὲ κἀκείνως ἐλέγξειεν ἄν τις αὐτῶν τὴν ἄνοιαν. Εἰ καὶ ὁ Λόγος τῆς γενητῆς φύσεώς ἐστι, πῶς, ταύτης ἀδυνάτου τυγχανούσης χωρεῖν τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ αὐτουργίαν, μόνος αὐτὸς ἐκ πάντων ἠδυνήθη παρὰ τῆς ἀγενήτου καὶ ἀκραιφνεστάτης οὐσίας τοῦ Θεοῦ γενέσθαι, ὡς ὑμεῖς λέγετε; Ἀνάγκη γὰρ ἢ, τούτου δυναμένου, καὶ πᾶσαν δύνασθαι· ἢ, πάσης ἀδυνάτου τυγχανούσης, μὴ δύνασθαι μηδὲ τὸν Λόγον, εἷς γάρ ἐστι τῶν γενητῶν καὶ οὗτος καθʼ ὑμᾶς. Πάλιν δὲ, εἰ, διὰ τὸ ἀδύνατον εἶναι τὴν γενητὴν φύσιν μετασχεῖν τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ αὐτουργίας, μεσίτου χρεία γέγονεν, ἀνάγκη πᾶσα, γενητοῦ καὶ κτίσματος ὄντος τοῦ Λόγου, μέσου χρείαν εἶναι καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς τούτου δημιουργίας, διὰ τὸ εἶναι ἕνα καὶ αὐτὸν τῆς γενητῆς φύσεως, τῆς μὴ δυναμένης μετασχεῖν τῆς παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐργασίας, ἀλλὰ μέσου δεομένης· κἂν ἐκείνου δέ τις εὑρεθῇ μέσος, πάλιν ἑτέρου χρεία μεσίτου διʼ ἐκεῖνον, καὶ οὕτω τις ἐπαναβαίνων καὶ διερευνῶν τῷ λογισμῷ εὑρήσει πολὺν ὄχλον ἐπιῤῥεόντων μεσιτῶν, καὶ οὕτως ἀδύνατον ὑποστῆναι τὴν κτίσιν ἀεὶ τοῦ μεσίτου δεομένην, καὶ τοῦ μέσου μὴ δυναμένου γενέσθαι χωρὶς ἑτέρου μεσίτου, διὰ τὸ πάντας εἶναι τῆς γενητῆς φύσεως, τῆς μὴ δυναμένης μετασχεῖν τῆς παρὰ μόνου τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐργασίας, ὡς ὑμεῖς λέγετε. Πόσης τοίνυν ἀφροσύνης εἰσὶ πλήρεις, διʼ ἣν καὶ τὰ ἤδη γενόμενα νομίζουσιν ἀδύνατον εἶναι γενέσθαι; Ἢ τάχα οὐδὲ γεγενῆσθαι αὐτὰ φαντάζονται, ζητοῦντες ἔτι τὸν μεσίτην. Κατὰ γὰρ τὴν οὕτως ἀσεβῆ καὶ μωρὰν διάνοιαν αὐτῶν, οὐδʼ ἂν ὑπέστη τὰ ὄντα, μὴ εὑρισκομένου τοῦ μέσου.

### English translation (Claude)

Then again, one might refute their senselessness in this way as well. If the Word too is of the originated nature, how, when that nature cannot bear God's own direct working, was he alone of all able to come into being from the unoriginate and utterly pure substance of God, as you say? For it follows necessarily either that, if he could, the whole of that nature could; or, if the whole of it cannot, the Word cannot either, for on your view he too is one of the originated things. Again, if a mediator was needed because the originated nature cannot partake of God's direct working, then it follows of necessity, since the Word is originated and a creature, that a mediator is needed for his crafting as well, because he too is one of the originated nature, which cannot partake of the working that comes from God but needs a mediator. And if a mediator is found for him, there is need again of another mediator for that one; and so, going up and searching it out by reasoning, one will find a great crowd of mediators streaming in, and thus creation could never come to subsist, since it always needs the mediator, and the mediator cannot come into being without another mediator, because all are of the originated nature, which cannot partake of the working that comes from God alone, as you say. How full of folly they are, then, that because of it they think that things which have already come into being cannot come into being! Or perhaps they imagine that these have not even come into being, since they are still looking for the mediator. For on their so impious and foolish reasoning the things that exist would never have come to subsist, since the mediator is not found.

### Translation notes

- “God's own direct working” renders αὐτουργία (God working by himself, without an intermediary).
- A stray period is removed, and εἷναι is corrected to εἶναι.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 26 (Bright, 95; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/21/#p-26).

## Oration II Against the Arians 27

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/21/#p-27
- Source: Bright, 95–97
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Moses only ministered, which many creatures do; creating belongs to God's one Word alone, and even the unique sun is not sufficient by itself for its task.

### Greek text

27. Ἀλλʼ ἐκεῖνο φάσκουσιν· ‘Ἰδοὺ δὴ καὶ διὰ Μωσέως ἐξήγαγε τὸν λαὸν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου, καὶ διʼ αὐτοῦ τὸν νόμον δέδωκε, καίτοι καὶ αὐτοῦ τυγχάνοντος ἀνθρώπου· ὥστε δυνατὸν διὰ τοῦ ὁμοίου τὰ ὅμοια γίνεσθαι. Τοῦτο δὲ λέγειν αὐτοὺς ἐγκαλυπτομένους ἔπρεπεν, ἵνα μὴ πολλὴν αἰσχύνην ἀπενέγκωνται. Μωσῆς γὰρ οὐ δημιουργεῖν ἐπέμπετο, οὐδὲ τὰ μὴ ὄντα εἰς τὸ εἶναι καλέσαι, καὶ πλάσαι τοὺς ὁμοίους ἀνθρώπους, ἀλλὰ διακονῆσαι μόνον ῥήματα πρὸς τὸν λαὸν καὶ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα Φαράω. Ἔχει δὲ τοῦτο πολλὴν τὴν διαφορὰν, ὅτι τὸ μὲν διακονεῖν τῶν γενητῶν ὡς δούλων ἐστί· τὸ δημιουργεῖν δὲ καὶ κτίζειν μόνου τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστι, καὶ τοῦ ἰδίου αὐτοῦ Λόγου καὶ τῆς σοφίας. Διὰ τοῦτο γοῦν ἐπὶ μὲν τοῦ δημιουργεῖν οὐκ ἄν τις ἄλλον εὕροι, ἢ μόνον τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγον· πάντα γὰρ ‘ἐν σοφίᾳʼ γέγονε, καὶ ‘χωρὶς τοῦ Λόγου ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἕν.’ Πρὸς δὲ τὰς διακονίας οὐχ εἷς, ἀλλʼ ἐκ πάντων πολλοί εἰσιν, οὓς ἐὰν θέλῃ πέμπειν ὁ Κύριος. Πολλοὶ μὲν γὰρ ἀρχάγγελοι, πολλοὶ δὲ ‘θρόνοι καὶ ἐξουσίαι, καὶ κυριότητες, χίλιαί τε χιλιάδες, καὶ μύριαι μυριάδεςʼ παρεστήκασι λειτουργούντων καὶ ἑτοίμων εἰς τὸ ἀποστέλλεσθαι. Καὶ προφῆται μὲν πολλοὶ, καὶ ἀπόστολοι δὲ δέκα καὶ δύο, καὶ ὁ Παῦλος· καὶ Μωσῆς δὲ αὐτὸς οὐ μόνος, ἀλλὰ καὶ Ἀαρὼν σὺν αὐτῷ, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἄλλοι ἑβδομήκοντα Πνεύματος ἐπληρώθησαν ἁγίου· καὶ Μωσῆν διεδέξατο Ἰησοῦς ὁ τοῦ Ναυῆ, κἀκεῖνον οἱ κριταὶ, κἀκείνους οὐχ εἶς, ἀλλά πλεῖστοι βασιλεῖς. Εἴπερ οὖν καὶ κτίσμα ἦν καὶ τῶν γενητῶν ὁ Υἱὸς, ἔδει καὶ πολλοὺς εἶναι τοιούτους υἱοὺς, ἵνα καὶ πολλοὺς τοιούτους διακόνους ἔχῃ ὁ Θεὸς, καθάπερ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων πλῆθός ἐστιν. Εἰ δὲ τοῦτο οὐκ ἔστιν ἰδεῖν, ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν κτίσματα πολλὰ, ὁ δὲ Λόγος εἷς ἐστι· τίς οὐ συνορᾷ καὶ ἐκ τούτων, ὅτι ὁ Υἱὸς διέστηκε τῶν πάντων, καὶ οὐ πρὸς τὰ κτίσματα τὴν ἐξίσωσιν ἔχει, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα τὴν ἰδιότητα; Ὅθεν οὐδὲ πολλοὶ Λόγοι, ἀλλά μόνος εἷς τοῦ ἑνὸς Πατρὸς Λόγος, καὶ μία τοῦ ἑνὸς Θεοῦ εἰκών ἐστιν. ‘Ἀλλʼ ἰδοὺ, ’ φασὶ, ‘καὶ ἥλιος μόνος εἷς καὶ ἡ γῆ μία. Ἄφρονες εἰπάτωσαν ὅτι καὶ ὕδωρ ἓν, καὶ πῦρ ἓν, ἵνα ἀκούσωσιν, ὅτι τῶν γενομένων ἕκαστον ἓν μὲν ἔστι κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν οὐσίαν, πρὸς δὲ τὴν ἐγχειριζομένην διακονίαν καὶ λειτουργίαν οὐκ ἔστιν ἕκαστον ἱκανὸν καὶ μόνον αὔταρκες. Εἶπε γάρ ὁ Θεός· ‘Γενηθήτωσαν φωστῆρες ἐν τῷ στερεώματι τοῦ οὐρανοῦ εἰς φαῦσιν τῆς γῆς, καὶ διαχωρίζειν ἀνὰ μέσον τῆς ἡμέρας, καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τῆς νυκτός· καὶ ἔστωσαν εἰς σημεία καὶ εἰς καιροὺς, καὶ εἰς ἡμέρας, καὶ εἰς ἐνιαυτούς.· Εἶτά φησι· ‘Καὶ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τοὺς δύο φωστῆρας, τοὺς μεγάλους, τὸν φωστῆρα τὸν μέγαν εἰς ἀρχὰς τῆς ἡμέρας, καὶ τὸν φωστῆρα τὸν ἐλάσσω εἰς ἀρχὰς τῆς νυκτὸς, καὶ τοὺς ἀστέρας· καὶ ἔθετο αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ στερεώματι τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ὥστε φαίνειν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἄρχειν τῆς ἡμέρας καὶ τῆς νυκτός. ʼ

### English translation (Claude)

But they say this: “See, through Moses too he led the people out of Egypt, and through him he gave the law, although he too was a man; so it is possible for like things to come about through one who is like them.” They ought to have covered their faces when saying this, so as not to bring great shame on themselves. For Moses was not sent to create, nor to call things that are not into being and fashion men like himself, but only to minister words to the people and to Pharaoh the king. And there is a great difference here: to minister belongs to originated beings, as servants; but to craft and create belongs to God alone, and to his own Word and Wisdom. That is why, where creating is concerned, one would find no one else but the Word of God alone; for all things came to be “in wisdom,” and “without the Word not one thing came into being.” But for ministries there is not one, but many, from all ranks, whomever the Lord wishes to send. For there are many archangels, many “thrones and authorities and dominions,” and “thousands of thousands and ten thousands of ten thousands” stand by, ministering and ready to be sent. And there are many prophets, and twelve apostles, and Paul; and Moses himself was not alone, but Aaron was with him, and afterwards seventy others were filled with the Holy Spirit; Joshua son of Nun succeeded Moses, the judges succeeded him, and not one but very many kings succeeded them. If, then, the Son were a creature and one of the originated, there would have had to be many such sons, so that God might have many such ministers, just as there is a multitude of the others. But if this is not to be seen, but the creatures are many while the Word is one, who does not see from this too that the Son stands apart from all things and has no equality with the creatures, but a propriety to the Father? Hence there are not many Words, but one sole Word of the one Father, and one image of the one God. “But see,” they say, “the sun too is one alone, and the earth one.” Let the fools say that water too is one and fire one, so that they may hear that each of the things that came to be is one in its own substance, but that for the ministry and service entrusted to it no one of them is sufficient or self-sufficient alone. For God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven to give light on the earth and to divide between the day and the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and for years.” Then he says, “And God made the two great lights, the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night, and the stars; and he set them in the firmament of heaven to shine on the earth and to rule the day and the night.”

### Scripture references

- Ps 104:24 (103:24 LXX): allusion, high confidence
- John 1:3: quotation, high confidence
- Col 1:16: allusion, high confidence
- Dan 7:10: allusion, high confidence
- Num 11:25: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 1:14: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 1:16: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 1:17: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 1:18: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “Propriety” renders ἰδιότης, the Son's being proper to (belonging to the very being of) the Father.
- The text reads ἒν; corrected to ἓν.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 27 (Bright, 95–97; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/21/#p-27).

## Oration II Against the Arians 28

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/21/#p-28
- Source: Bright, 97–98
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Creatures share their tasks and need one another, which cannot be said of the Word; and Asterius's claim that the Son learned to create would make Wisdom something acquired and losable.

### Greek text

28. Ἰδοὺ πολλοὶ φωστῆρες, καὶ οὐ μόνος ὁ ἥλιος, οὐδὲ σελήνη μόνη, ἀλλʼ ἕκαστον μὲν ἕν ἐστι κατʼ οὐσίαν, μία δὲ καὶ κοινὴ πάντων ἐστὶν ἡ λειτουργία· καὶ τὸ ἑκάστου λεῖπον παρὰ τοῦ ἑτέρου πληροῦται· καὶ τοῦ φωτίζειν ἡ χρεία παρὰ πάντων γίνεται. Ἥλιος γοῦν τοῦ μεθʼ ἡμέραν μόνου διαστήματος φαίνειν ἔχει τὴν ἐξουσίαν, καὶ ἡ σελήνη τὴν νύκτα· οἱ δὲ ἀστέρες μετὰ τούτων τοὺς καιροὺς καὶ ἐνιαυτοὺς ἐκτελοῦσι, καὶ ἕκαστος εἰς σημεῖα γίνεται πρὸς τὴν ἀπαιτοῦσαν χρείαν. Οὕτω καὶ ἡ γῆ οὐκ εἰς πάντα, ἀλλʼ εἰς μόνους τοὺς καρποὺς, καὶ βάσιν εἶναι τῶν ἐν αὐτῇ ζώων· τό τε ‘στερέωμα διαχωρίζειν ἀνὰ μέσον ὕδατος καὶ ὕδατος, ʼ καὶ ἡ θέσις τῶν φωστήρων ἐν αὐτῷ ἐστιν· οὕτω καὶ τὸ πῦρ καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ, μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων πάντων γέγονε, εἰς τὴν τῶν σωμάτων σύστασιν· καὶ ὅλως οὐδὲ ἓν μόνον, ἀλλʼ ἕκαστον τῶν γενομένων, ὥσπερ ‘ἀλλήλων ὄντα μέλη, ἓν καθάπερ σῶμα, ʼ τὸν κόσμον ἀποτελοῦσιν. Εἰ τοίνυν οὕτω καὶ τὸν Υἱὸν ὑπολαμβάνουσιν εἶναι, βαλλέσθωσαν παρὰ πάντων, μέρος νομίζοντες εἶναι τῶν πάντων τὸν Λόγον, καὶ μέρος οὐχ ἱκανὸν ἄνευ τῶν ἄλλων πρὸς τὴν ἐγχειρισθεῖσαν αὐτῷ λειτουργίαν. Εἰ δὲ τοῦτο ἐκ φανεροῦ δυσσεβές ἐστιν, ἐπιγνώτωσαν ὅτι μὴ τῶν γενητῶν ἐστιν ὁ Λόγος, ἀλλὰ τοῦ μὲν Πατρὸς μόνος ἴδιος Λόγος, τῶν δὲ γενητῶν δημιουργός. Ἀλλʼ εἰρήκασι· ‘Κτίσμα μὲν ἔστι, καὶ τῶν γενητῶν· ὡς δὲ παρὰ διδασκάλου καὶ τεχνίτου μεμάθηκε τὸ δημιουργεῖν, καὶ οὕτως ὑπηρέτησε τῷ διδάξαντι Θεῷ.’ Ταῦτα γὰρ καὶ Ἀστέριος ὁ σοφιστὴς, ὡς μαθὼν ἀρνεῖσθαι τὸν Κύριον, γράψαι τετόλμηκεν, οὐ συνορῶν τὴν ἐκ τούτων ἀλογίαν. Εἰ γὰρ διδακτόν ἐστι τὸ δημιουργεῖν, σκοπείτωσαν μὴ καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν Θεὸν εἴπωσι μὴ φύσει, ἀλλʼ ἐπιστήμῃ δημιουργὸν εἶναι, ὥστε καὶ δυνατὸν μεταπίπτειν ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ. Ἔπειτα εἰ ἡ Σοφία τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐκ διδασκαλίας ἐκτήσατο τὸ δημιουργεῖν, πῶς ἔτι σοφία ἐστὶ, δεομένη μαθημάτων; τί δὲ ἦν καὶ πρὸ τοῦ μαθεῖν; σοφία γὰρ οὐκ ἦν, λειπομένη διδασκαλίας. Κενὸν ἄρα τι πρᾶγμα ἦν, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν οὐσιώδης σοφία· ἀλλʼ ἐκ προκοπῆς ἔσχε τὸ ὄνομα τῆς σοφίας, καὶ ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον ἔσται σοφία, ἕως ἂν ὃ μεμάθηκε φυλάττῃ. Ὃ γὰρ μὴ φύσει τινὶ, ἀλλʼ ἐκ μαθήσεως προσγέγονε, δυνατόν ἐστι καὶ ἀπομαθεῖν ποτε. Τοιαῦτα δὲ λέγειν περὶ τοῦ Λόγου τοῦ Θεοῦ, οὐ Χριστιανῶν, ἀλλὰ Ἑλλήνων ἐστί.

### English translation (Claude)

See: many lights, not the sun alone nor the moon alone; each is one in substance, but the service of all is one and common; what each lacks is filled up by another, and the need for light is met by all. The sun, at any rate, has authority to shine only during the day, and the moon at night; the stars with them bring about the seasons and years, and each serves as a sign according to the need that calls for it. So too the earth is not for everything, but only for fruits and to be a base for the living things upon it; the firmament is “to divide between water and water,” and the lights are set in it; so too fire and water, with all the others, have come to be for the composition of bodies; and in general, not one alone, but each of the things that came to be, being as it were “members of one another,” together make up the world like “one body.” If, then, they suppose the Son to be like this, let them be pelted by everyone, since they think that the Word is a part of all things, and a part that is not sufficient without the others for the service entrusted to him. But if this is plainly impious, let them recognize that the Word is not among the originated things, but is the only Word proper to the Father, and the creator of originated things. But they have said, “He is a creature and one of the originated things; but he learned to create as from a teacher and craftsman, and so served God who taught him.” For Asterius the sophist, as one who has learned to deny the Lord, has dared to write this, not seeing the unreason that follows from it. For if creating can be taught, let them take care not to say that God himself too is creator not by nature but by knowledge, so that he could even lose it. Then, if the Wisdom of God acquired creating from teaching, how is it still wisdom, when it needs lessons? And what was it before it learned? It was not wisdom, since it lacked teaching. It was then something empty, and not substantial wisdom; it got the name of wisdom by progress, and will be wisdom only as long as it keeps what it learned. For what comes to someone not by nature but by learning can also be unlearned at some time. To say such things about the Word of God belongs not to Christians but to Greeks.

### Scripture references

- Gen 1:6: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 12:5: allusion, high confidence
- 1 Cor 12:12: allusion, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- “As one who has learned to deny the Lord” alludes to Asterius's lapse in persecution (compare 2.24).
- “Substantial wisdom” renders οὐσιώδης σοφία, wisdom that is such by its very being.
- The text reads Υἱὸῳ; corrected to Υἱὸν.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 28 (Bright, 97–98; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/21/#p-28).

## Oration II Against the Arians 29

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/21/#p-29
- Source: Bright, 98
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: A taught creator would imply envy and weakness in God; the Father still works, his will suffices, and the Son was not made merely as a tool for creating us.

### Greek text

29. Καὶ γὰρ εἰ ἐκ διδασκαλίας τὸ δημιουργεῖν τινι προσγίνεται, φθόνον καὶ ἀσθένειαν περὶ τὸν Θεὸν εἰσάγουσιν οἱ ἄφρονες· φθόνον μὲν, ὅτι μὴ πολλοὺς δημιουργεῖν ἐδίδαξεν, ἵνʼ ὥσπερ πολλοὶ ἀρχάγγελοι καὶ ἄγγελοι, οὕτω καὶ πολλοὶ δημιουργοὶ περὶ αὐτὸν ὦσιν· ἀσθένειαν δὲ, ὅτι μὴ μόνος ἠδυνήθη ποιῆσαι, συνεργοῦ δὲ ἢ ὑπουργοῦ χρείαν ἔσχε· καίτοι δειχθείσης καὶ τῆς γενητῆς φύσεως δυνατῆς οὔσης γίνεσθαι παρὰ μόνου τοῦ Θεοῦ, εἴ γε κατʼ αὐτοὺς ὁ Υἱὸς γενητὸς ὢν ἠδυνήθη παρὰ μόνου τοῦ Θεοῦ γενέσθαι. Ἀλλʼ οὐδενός ἐστιν ἐνδεὴς ὁ Θεός· μὴ γένοιτο· αὐτὸς γὰρ εἶπε, ‘Πλήρης εἰμί·’ οὐδὲ ἐκ διδασκαλίας γέγονε δημιουργὸς ὁ Λόγος· ἀλλʼ εἰκὼν καὶ σοφία ὢν τοῦ Πατρὸς, τὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐργάζεται. Οὐδὲ τῆς τῶν γενητῶν ἕνεκεν ἐργασίας τὸν Υἱὸν πεποίηκεν· ἰδοὺ γὰρ καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ ὄντος, φαίνεται πάλιν ἐργαζόμενος ὁ Πατὴρ, ὡς αὐτὸς ὁ Κύριός φησιν· ‘Ὁ Πατήρ μου ἕως ἄρτι ἐργάζεται, κἀγὼ ἐργάζομαι.’ Εἰ δὲ καθʼ ὑμᾶς διὰ τοῦτο γέγονεν ὁ Υἱὸς, ἵνα τὰ μετʼ αὐτὸν ἐργάσηται, φαίνεται δὲ ὁ Πατὴρ καὶ μετὰ τὸν Υἱὸν ἐργαζόμενος, περιττὴ καθʼ ὑμᾶς καὶ κατὰ τοῦτο ἡ τοῦ τοιούτου Υἱοῦ ποίησις. Ἄλλως τε διὰ τί ὅλως, θέλων ἡμᾶς κτίσαι, ζητεῖ τὸν μεσίτην, ὡς οὐκ ἀρκουμένου τοῦ βουλήματος αὐτοῦ συστῆσαι περὶ ὧν ἂν αὐτῷ δοκῇ; Καὶ μὴν αἱ γραφαὶ λέγουσι· ‘πάντα ὅσα ἠθέλησεν ἐποίησε·’ καὶ, ‘τῷ γὰρ βουλήματι αὐτοῦ τίς ἀνθέστηκεν;’ Εἰ δὲ καὶ τὸ βούλημα μόνον ἱκανόν ἐστιν αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὴν τῶν πάντων δημιουργίαν, περιττὴ πάλιν καθʼ ὑμᾶς ἡ τοῦ μεσίτου χρεία. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τὸ παράδειγμα τὸ περὶ τοῦ Μωσέως καὶ τοῦ ἡλίου καὶ σελήνης ὑμῶν δέδεικται σαθρόν. Κἀκεῖνο δὲ πάλιν ὑμᾶς ἐντρέψει. Εἰ θέλων ὁ Θεὸς τὴν γενητὴν κτίσαι φύσιν, περὶ δὲ ταύτης βουλευσάμενος, ἐπινοεῖ καὶ κτίζει τὸν Υἱὸν καθʼ ὑμᾶς, ἵνα διʼ αὐτοῦ ἡμᾶς δημιουργήσῃ, σκοπεῖτε πόσην ἀσέβειαν φθέγγεσθαι τετολμήκατε.

### English translation (Claude)

For if the power to create comes to anyone by teaching, the fools bring envy and weakness into God: envy, because he did not teach many to create, so that, as there are many archangels and angels, there might also be many creators around him; weakness, because he was not able to make things alone but needed a fellow worker or assistant; although it has been shown that the originated nature can come into being from God alone, if indeed, according to them, the Son, being originated, could come into being from God alone. But God lacks nothing—God forbid!—for he himself said, “I am full.” Nor did the Word become creator by teaching; but being the image and wisdom of the Father, he works the Father's works. Nor did God make the Son for the sake of working the originated things; for see, even now that the Son exists, the Father is seen working still, as the Lord himself says, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” But if, on your view, the Son came into being for this, to work the things after him, and the Father is seen working even after the Son, then on your view the making of such a Son is superfluous on this count too. Besides, why at all, when he wishes to create us, does he seek a mediator, as though his will were not sufficient to establish whatever he pleases? Yet the Scriptures say, “Whatever he willed he did,” and “For who has resisted his will?” And if his will alone suffices for the crafting of all things, then again, on your view, the need of a mediator is superfluous. Your example of Moses and of the sun and moon has also been shown to be rotten. And this too will put you to shame. If God, wishing to create the originated nature and having deliberated about it, devises and creates the Son, on your view, so that he might craft us through him, consider what great impiety you have dared to utter.

### Scripture references

- Isa 1:11: quotation, high confidence
- John 5:17: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 115:3 (113:11 LXX): quotation, medium confidence
- Ps 135:6 (134:6 LXX): quotation, medium confidence
- Rom 9:19: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “I am full” is Isa 1:11 (Septuagint), God's refusal of sacrifices, used here to show that God lacks nothing.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 29 (Bright, 98; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/21/#p-29).

## Oration II Against the Arians 30

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/21/#p-30
- Source: Bright, 98–99
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: If the Son were made for our sake as an instrument, we would be prior to him in God's purpose, which is absurd; rather, he is the Son whom God wills first.

### Greek text

30. Πρῶτον μὲν, ὅτι φαίνεται μᾶλλον αὐτὸς ὁ Υἱὸς διʼ ἡμᾶς γεγονὼς, καὶ οὐχ ἡμεῖς διʼ αὐτόν· οὐ γὰρ διʼ αὐτὸν ἐκτίσθημεν, ἀλλʼ αὐτὸς διʼ ἡμᾶς πεποίηται· ὥστε χάριν αὐτὸν ἡμῖν μᾶλλον ἔχειν, καὶ μὴ ἡμᾶς αὐτῷ, καθάπερ καὶ ἡ γυνὴ τῷ ἀνδρί. ‘Οὐ γὰρ ἐκτίσθη, ʼ φησὶν ἡ γραφὴ, ‘ἀνὴρ διὰ τὴν γυναῖκα, ἀλλὰ γυνὴ διὰ τὸν ἄνδρα.’ Ἄῤ οὖν ὥσπερ ‘ὁ μὲν ἀνὴρ εἰκὼν καὶ δόξα Θεοῦ ὑπάρχει, ἡ δὲ γυνὴ δόξα ἀνδρός ἐστιν οὕτως ἡμεῖς μὲν τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰκὼν, καὶ εἰς δόξαν αὐτοῦ γεγόναμεν, ὁ δὲ Υἱὸς ἡμῶν ἐστιν εἰκὼν καὶ εἰς ἡμῶν δόξαν ὑπέστη. Καὶ ἡμεῖς μὲν εἰς τὸ εἶναι γεγόναμεν· ὁ δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος καθʼ ὑμᾶς, οὐκ εἰς τὸ εἶναι, ἀλλʼ εἰς τὴν ἡμῶν χρείαν, ὡς ὄργανον πεποίηται· ὥστε μὴ ἡμᾶς ἐξ αὐτοῦ, ἀλλʼ αὐτὸν ἐκ τῆς ἡμῶν χρείας συνίστασθαι. Καὶ πῶς οὐ πᾶσαν ἄνοιαν ὑπερβάλλουσιν οἱ ταῦτα καὶ μόνον ἐνθυμούμενοι; καὶ γὰρ εἰ διʼ ἡμᾶς γέγονεν ὁ Λόγος, οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδὲ πρῶτος ἡμῶν παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐκεῖνον ἔχων ἐν ἑαυτῷ περὶ ἡμῶν βουλεύεται· ἀλλʼ ἡμᾶς ἔχων ἐν ἑαυτῷ, βουλεύεται, ὡς ἐκεῖνοί φασι, περὶ τοῦ ἑαυτοῦ Λόγου. Εἰ δὲ τοῦτό ἐστι, τάχα οὐδὲ ὅλως ἤθελε τὸν Υἱὸν ὁ Πατήρ· οὐ γὰρ θέλων αὐτὸν ἔκτισεν· ἀλλʼ ἡμᾶς θέλων, διʼ ἡμᾶς αὐτὸν ἐδημιούργησε· μεθʼ ἡμᾶς γὰρ αὐτὸν ἐπενόησεν· ὥστε κατὰ τοὺς ἀσεβοῦντας περιττὸν εἶναι λοιπὸν τὸν Υἱὸν τὸν γενόμενον, ὡς ὄργανον, γενομένων ὧν ἕνεκα καὶ ἐκτίσθη. Εἰ δὲ ὡς δυνατὸς ὁ Υἱὸς μόνος παρὰ μόνου τοῦ Θεοῦ γέγονεν, ἡμεῖς δὲ ὡς ἀδύνατοι παρὰ τοῦ Λόγου γεγόναμεν, διὰ τί μὴ καὶ πρῶτον, ὡς δυνατοῦ ὄντος αὐτοῦ, περὶ αὐτοῦ βουλεύεται, ἀλλὰ περὶ ἡμῶν; ἢ διὰ τί τὸν δυνατὸν οὐ προκρίνει τῶν ἀσθενῶν; ἢ διὰ τί πρῶτον αὐτὸν ποιῶν, οὐχὶ καὶ περὶ τοῦ πρώτου αὐτοῦ βουλεύεται; ἢ διὰ τί περὶ ἡμῶν πρῶτον βουλευόμενος, οὐ πρώτους ἡμᾶς ἐργάζεται, ἱκανοῦ ὄντος τοῦ βουλήματος αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὴν τῶν πάντων σύστασιν; Ἀλλʼ ἐκεῖνον μὲν πρῶτον κτίζει, περὶ δὲ ἡμῶν πρῶτον βουλεύεται, καὶ πρώτους ἡμᾶς θέλει τοῦ μεσίτου· καὶ ἡμᾶς μὲν θέλων κτίσαι, καὶ περὶ ἡμῶν βουλευόμενος, κτίσματα καλεῖ· ἐκεῖνον δὲ, ὃν διʼ ἡμᾶς δημιουργεῖ, υἱὸν καλεῖ καὶ ἴδιον κληρονόμον. Ἔδει δὲ ἡμᾶς, ὧν ἕνεκα καὶ τοῦτον ποιεῖ, υἱοὺς μᾶλλον καλεῖσθαι· ἢ δηλονότι τοῦτον Υἱὸν ὄντα, τοῦτον καὶ προενθυμεῖσθαι καὶ θέλειν, διʼ ὃν καὶ πάντας ἡμᾶς ποιεῖ. Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν τῶν αἱρετικῶν ἔμετοι καὶ ναυτίαι.

### English translation (Claude)

First, the Son himself appears rather to have come into being for our sake, and not we for his; for we were not created for his sake, but he was made for ours; so that he owes thanks to us rather than we to him, as the woman does to the man. For “man was not created,” says Scripture, “for the woman, but the woman for the man.” Is it, then, that just as “the man is the image and glory of God, but the woman is the glory of the man,” so we are the image of God and have come to be for his glory, while the Son is our image and came to subsist for our glory? And we came to be in order to exist; but the Word of God, on your view, was made not in order to exist but for our need, as an instrument; so that it is not we who are established from him, but he from our need. How do those who so much as think these things not surpass all folly? For if the Word came into being for our sake, he is not even prior to us with God. For it is not that, having him in himself, God deliberates about us; rather, having us in himself, he deliberates, as they say, about his own Word. And if this is so, perhaps the Father did not want the Son at all; for he did not create him because he wanted him, but because he wanted us he crafted him for our sake; for he thought of him after us; so that, according to the impious, the Son who came into being as an instrument is thereafter superfluous, once the things for whose sake he was created have come into being. And if the Son, as able, came into being alone from God alone, while we, as unable, came into being from the Word, why does God not deliberate first about him, as being able, rather than about us? Or why does he not prefer the able one to the weak? Or why, making him first, does he not also deliberate first about him? Or why, deliberating first about us, does he not make us first, since his will suffices to establish all things? But he creates that one first, yet deliberates first about us, and wills us before the mediator; and us, whom he wishes to create and about whom he deliberates, he calls creatures; but that one, whom he crafts for our sake, he calls Son and his own heir. Yet we, for whose sake he makes this one, ought rather to be called sons; or else, clearly, since this one is Son, it is he whom God first thinks of and wills, and for whose sake he also makes us all. These, then, are the vomitings and nausea of the heretics.

### Scripture references

- 1 Cor 11:9: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Cor 11:7: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 1:2: allusion, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- The text reads κανοῦ, a slip for ἱκανοῦ (“sufficient”); corrected.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 30 (Bright, 98–99; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/21/#p-30).

## Oration II Against the Arians 31

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/31/#p-31
- Source: Bright, 100–101
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: We exist for the Word, not he for us; the Father creates through his own Word as light shines by its radiance, and the Word needs no instruction, unlike the creatures who question God.

### Greek text

31. Οὐ μὲν τό γε τῆς ἀληθείας φρόνημα δεῖ σιωπᾷν, ἀλλὰ μάλιστα τοῦτο καὶ μεγαληγορεῖν πρέπει. Ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ γὰρ Λόγος οὐ διʼ ἡμᾶς γέγονεν, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον ἡμεῖς διʼ αὐτὸν γεγόναμεν, καὶ ‘ἐν αὐτῷ ἐκτίσθη τὰ πάντα· οὐδὲ διὰ τὴν ἡμῶν ἀσθένειαν οὗτος, ὢν δυνατὸς, ὑπὸ μόνου τοῦ Πατρὸς γέγονεν, ἵνʼ ἡμᾶς διʼ αὐτοῦ ὡς διʼ ὀργάνου δημιουργήσῃ· μὴ γένοιτο· οὐκ ἔστιν οὕτως. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ εἰ δόξαν ἦν τῷ Θεῷ μὴ ποιῆσαι τὰ γενητὰ, ἀλλʼ ἦν οὐδὲν ἧττον ὁ Λόγος ‘πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, ʼ καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ ἦν ὁ Πατήρ. Τὰ μέντοι γενητὰ ἀδύνατον ἦν χωρὶς τοῦ Λόγου γενέσθαι· οὕτω γὰρ καὶ γέγονε διʼ αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἰκότως. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ Λόγος ἐστὶν ἴδιος φύσει τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ Θεοῦ ὁ Υἱὸς, ἐξ αὐτοῦ τέ ἐστι, καὶ ‘ἐν αὐτῷʼ ἐστιν, ὡς εἶπεν αὐτός· οὐκ ἠδύνατο μὴ διʼ αὐτοῦ γενέσθαι τὰ δημιουργήματα. Καθάπερ γὰρ τὸ φῶς τῷ ἀπαυγάσματι τὰ πάντα φωτίζει, καὶ ἄνευ τοῦ ἀπαυγάσματος οὐκ ἄν τι φωτισθείη, οὕτω καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ, ὡς διὰ χειρὸς, ἐν τῷ Λόγῳ εἰργάσατο τὰ πάντα, καὶ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ οὐδὲν ποιεῖ. Εἶπε γοῦν ὁ Θεὸς, ὡς καὶ Μωσῆς ἐμνημόνευσε, ‘Γενηθήτω φῶς, ’ καὶ ‘συναχθήτω τὸ ὕδωρ, ʼ καὶ, ‘ἐξαγαγέτω ἡ γῆ, ’ καὶ, ‘ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον· ʼ ὡς καὶ ὁ ἅγιος ψάλλει Δαυῒδ, ‘Αὐτὸς εἶπε, καὶ ἐγενήθησαν· αὐτὸς ἐνετείλατο, καὶ ἐκτίσθησαν.’ Εἶπε δὲ οὐχ ἵνα ὡς ἐπὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὑπουργός τις ἀκούσῃ, καὶ μαθὼν τὸ βούλημα τοῦ λέγοντος ἀπελθὼν ἐργάσηται. Τοῦτο γὰρ τῶν μὲν κτισμάτων ἴδιον, ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ Λόγου τοῦτο νοεῖν ἢ λέγειν ἀπρεπές. Ἔστι γὰρ ὁ Λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ δημιουργὸς, καὶ ποιητικὸς, καὶ αὐτός ἐστιν ἡ τοῦ Πατρὸς βουλή. Διὰ τοῦτο γοῦν οὐκ εἶπεν ἡ θεία γραφὴ, ὅτι ἤκουσε καὶ ἀπεκρίνατο ὁ ἀκούων, πῶς ἢ ποῖα βούλεται τὰ γινόμενα γενέσθαι· ἀλλὰ μόνον εἶπεν ὁ Θεὸς, ‘Γενηθήτω·’ καὶ ἐπήγαγε, ‘καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτω.’ Τὸ γὰρ δόξαν καὶ βουληθὲν εὐθὺς ἐγίνετο τῷ Λόγῳ καὶ ἀπηρτίζετο. Ὅταν μὲν γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς ἄλλοις ἢ ἀγγέλοις ἐντέλληται, ἢ τῷ Μωσεῖ ὁμιλῇ, ἢ τῷ Ἀβραὰμ ἐπαγγέλληται· τότε ὁ ἀκούων ἀποκρίνεται· καὶ ὁ μὲν λέγει, ‘κατὰ τί γνώσομαι;’ ὁ δὲ, προχείρισαι ἄλλον· ʼ καὶ πάλιν, ‘ἐὰν ἐρωτήσωσί με, Τί ὄνομα αὐτῷ; τί ἐρῷ πρὸς αὐτούς;’ Καὶ ὁ ἄγγελος τῷ μὲν Ζαχαρίᾳ ἔλεγε, ‘Τάδε λέγει Κύριος·’ τὸν δὲ Κύριον ἠρώτα, ‘Κύριε παντόκρατορ, ἕως τίνος οὐ μὴ ἐλεήσῃς τὴν Ἱερουσαλήμ;’ καὶ ἐκδέχεται ἀκοῦσαι λόγους καλοὺς καὶ παρακλητικούς.’ Ἔχει γὰρ τούτων ἕκαστος τὸν μεσίτην Λόγον, καὶ τὴν Σοφίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν γνωρίζουσαν τὸ βούλημα τοῦ Πατρός. Ὅταν δὲ ἐργάζηται αὐτὸς, καὶ κτίζῃ ὁ Λόγος, οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκεῖ ἐρώτησις καὶ ἀπόκρισις· ἐν αὐτῷ γάρ ἐστιν ὁ Πατὴρ, καὶ ὁ Λόγος ἐν τῷ Πατρί· ἀλλʼ ἀρκεῖ τὸ βούλεσθαι, καὶ τὸ ἔργον γίνεται· ἵνα τοῦ μὲν βουλήματος ᾖ γνώρισμα διʼ ἡμᾶς τὸ ‘εἶπε, ʼ τὸ δὲ ‘καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτω, ʼ τό τε ἔργον σημαίνηται τὸ διὰ τοῦ Λόγου καὶ τῆς Σοφίας, ἐν ᾗ καὶ ἡ βούλησίς ἐστι τοῦ Πατρός. Καὶ αὐτὸ δὲ τὸ ‘εἶπεν ὁ Θεὸς, ʼ ἐν τῷ λόγῳ γνωρίζεται· ‘πάντα γὰρ, ’ φησὶν, ‘ἐν σοφίᾳ ἐποίησας·’ καὶ, ‘Τῷ Λόγῳ Κυρίου οἱ οὐρανοὶ ἐστερεώθησαν, ʼ καὶ, ‘εἷς Κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς, διʼ οὗ τὰ πάντα, καὶ ἡμεῖς διʼ αὐτοῦ.

### English translation (Claude)

But the mind of truth must not keep silent; rather it is especially fitting to proclaim it aloud. The Word of God did not come into being for our sake; rather we came into being for his sake, and “in him all things were created.” Nor was it because of our weakness that he, being able, came into being from the Father alone, so that God might craft us through him as through an instrument—God forbid! it is not so. For even if God had resolved not to make originated things, the Word would nonetheless have been “with God,” and the Father in him. But the originated things could not come into being without the Word; that is how they came into being through him, and fittingly. For since the Son is the Word proper by nature to the substance of God, and is from him and “in him,” as he himself said, the things crafted could not come into being except through him. For as light illuminates all things by its radiance, and without the radiance nothing could be illuminated, so too the Father worked all things in the Word, as by a hand, and makes nothing without him. God said, at any rate, as Moses records, “Let there be light,” and “Let the water be gathered,” and “Let the earth bring forth,” and “Let us make man”; as holy David also sings, “He spoke, and they came to be; he commanded, and they were created.” And he spoke, not so that, as with human beings, some assistant should hear and, having learned the will of the speaker, go off and do the work. This is proper to creatures, but it is unfitting to think or say it of the Word. For the Word of God is creator and maker, and he himself is the Father's counsel. That is why the divine Scripture did not say that the one who heard heard and answered how or what kind of things he wanted to come to be; but God only said, “Let there be,” and it added, “And it was so.” For what was resolved and willed was at once done and completed by the Word. When God gives commands to others, or to angels, or converses with Moses, or makes a promise to Abraham, then the one who hears answers; one says, “By what shall I know?” and another, “Appoint someone else”; and again, “If they ask me, What is his name? what shall I say to them?” And the angel said to Zechariah, “Thus says the Lord,” but asked the Lord, “O Lord Almighty, how long will you not have mercy on Jerusalem?” and waits to hear good and comforting words. For each of these has the Word as mediator, and the Wisdom of God who makes known the Father's will. But when the Word himself works and creates, there is no question and answer there; for the Father is in him, and the Word in the Father; willing suffices, and the work is done; so that the “he said” is a sign of the will, for our sake, and the “and it was so” signifies the work done through the Word and the Wisdom, in whom also the Father's will is. And the very “God said” is made known in the Word; for “you made all things in wisdom,” it says, and “By the Word of the Lord the heavens were established,” and “one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him.”

### Scripture references

- Col 1:16: quotation, high confidence
- John 1:1: quotation, high confidence
- John 14:10: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 1:3: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 1:9: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 1:24: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 1:26: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 148:5: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 15:8: quotation, high confidence
- Exod 4:13: quotation, high confidence
- Exod 3:13: quotation, high confidence
- Zech 1:3: quotation, medium confidence
- Zech 1:12: quotation, high confidence
- Zech 1:13: allusion, high confidence
- Ps 104:24 (103:24 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Ps 33:6 (32:6 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- 1 Cor 8:6: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “Let the earth bring forth” (ἐξαγαγέτω) is Gen 1:24.
- “He spoke, and they came to be” is Ps 148:5 (compare Ps 33:9).
- Slips corrected: two stray marks (καὶ. and a misplaced period), Ἒστι to Ἔστι, τὸ γινόμενα to τὰ γινόμενα.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 31 (Bright, 100–101; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/31/#p-31).

## Oration II Against the Arians 32

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/31/#p-32
- Source: Bright, 101–102
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The Arians fight not with the church but with God's own testimony; Scripture's images of radiance and impress show the Word's eternity, and they suffice without prying into how.

### Greek text

32. Ἀπὸ δὴ τούτων ἔστι συνορᾷν, ὡς οὐ πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἔχουσιν τὴν μάχην οἱ Ἀρειανοὶ περὶ τῆς αἱρέσεως, ἀλλὰ σχηματίζονται μὲν πρὸς ἡμᾶς, πρὸς αὐτὴν δὲ τὴν θεότητα μάχονται. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἡμῶν ἦν ἡ φωνὴ ἡ λέγουσα, ‘Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Υἱός μου, ʼ μικρὰ ἦν αὐτοῖς ἡ παρʼ ἡμῶν μέμψις· εἰ δὲ τοῦ Πατρός ἐστιν ἡ φωνὴ, καὶ οἱ μὲν μαθηταὶ ἤκουσαν, αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Υἱὸς περὶ ἑαυτοῦ λέγει, ‘Πρὸ δὲ πάντων βουνῶν γεννᾷ με·’ πῶς οὐ κατὰ τοὺς μυθευομένους γίγαντας καὶ αὐτοὶ νῦν θεομαχοῦσι, ‘τὴν γλῶττανʼ ἔχοντες, ὡς εἶπεν ὁ ψάλλων, ‘μάχαιραν ὀξεῖαν εἰς ἀσέβειαν; Οὔτε γὰρ τὴν φωνὴν τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐφοβήθησαν, οὔτε τοῦ Σωτῆρος ᾐδέσθησαν τὰ ῥήματα· ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ τοῖς ἁγίοις ἐπείσθησαν, τοῦ μὲν γράφοντος, ‘ὃς ὢν ἀπαύγασμα τῆς δόξης καὶ χαρακτὴρ τῆς ὑποστάσεως αὐτοῦ·’ καὶ, ‘Χριστὸς Θεοῦ δύναμις, καὶ Θεοῦ σοφία·’ τοῦ δὲ ψάλλοντος, ‘ὅτι παρὰ σοὶ πηγὴ ζωῆς, ἐν τῷ φωτί σου ὀψόμεθα φῶς, καὶ, ‘πάντα ἐν σοφίᾳ ἐποίησας· καὶ τῶν μὲν προφητῶν λεγόντων, ‘καὶ ἐγένετο Λόγος Κυρίου πρὸς μέ·’ τοῦ δὲ Ἰωάννου, ‘ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ Λόγος·’ καὶ τοῦ Λουκᾶ, ‘καθὼς παρέδωκαν ἡμῖν οἱ ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς αὐτόπται καὶ ὑπηρέται γενόμενοι τοῦ Λόγου· ʼ ὡς καὶ πάλιν Δαυῒδ λέγει, ‘ἀπέστειλε τὸν Λόγον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἰάσατο αὐτούς.’ Ταῦτα γὰρ πάντα τὴν μὲν Ἀρειανὴν αἵρεσιν στηλιτεύει πανταχοῦ, τὴν δὲ τοῦ Λόγου ἀϊδιότητα σημαίνει, καὶ ὅτι οὐ ξένος, ἀλλʼ ἴδιος τῆς τοῦ Πατρὸς οὐσίας ἐστί. Πότε γὰρ εἶδέ τις φῶς χωρὶς τοῦ ἀπαυγάσματος; Ἢ τίς τολμᾷ λέγειν ἀλλότριον εἶναι τὸν χαρακτῆρα τῆς ὑποστάσεως; ἢ πῶς οὐ μαίνεται πλέον ὁ κἂν ἐνθυμούμενος ἄλογον καὶ ἄσοφόν ποτε τὸν Θεόν; Τοιαῦτα γὰρ τὰ παραδείγματα καὶ τοιαύτας τὰς εἰκόνας ἔθηκεν ἡ γραφὴ, ἵνʼ ἐπειδὴ ἀδύνατός ἐστιν ἡ ἀνθρωπίνη φύσις περὶ Θεοῦ καταλαβεῖν, κἂν ἐκ τούτων ὀλιγοστῶς πως καὶ ἀμυδρῶς, ὡς ἐφικτόν ἐστι, διανοεῖσθαι δυνηθῶμεν. Καὶ ὥσπερ περὶ τοῦ εἶναι Θεὸν καὶ πρόνοιαν αὐτάρκης ἡ κτίσις πρὸς τὴν γνῶσιν· ‘Ἐκ γὰρ μεγέθους καὶ καλλονῆς κτισμάτων ἀναλόγως ὁ γενεσιουργὸς αὐτῶν θεωρεῖται·’ καὶ οὐ φωνὰς ἀπαιτοῦντες παρʼ αὐτῶν μανθάνομεν, ἀλλʼ ἀκούοντες μὲν τῶν γραφῶν πιστεύομεν, καὶ αὐτὴν δὲ τὴν τάξιν τῶν πάντων θεωροῦντες καὶ τὴν ἁρμονίαν, ἐπιγινώσκομεν τοῦτον εἶναι πάντων ποιητὴν καὶ Δεσπότην καὶ Θεὸν, τούτου τε τὴν εἰς πάντα πρόνοιάν τε θαυμαστὴν καὶ ἡγεμονίαν καταλαμβάνομεν· τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον περὶ τῆς τοῦ Υἱοῦ θεότητος ἱκανῶν ὄντων τῶν προειρημένων ῥητῶν, περιττὸν, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ μανίας πλέον ἐστὶν ἀμφιβάλλειν, καὶ αἱρετικῶς πυνθάνεσθαι, ‘Πῶς οὖν δύναται ἀϊδίως εἶναι ὁ Υἱός; ἢ πῶς δύναται ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας εἶναι τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ μὴ μέρος εἶναι; τὸ γὰρ ἔκ τινος εἶναι λεγόμενον μέρος ἐστὶν αὐτοῦ· τὸ δὲ μεριζόμενον οὐκ ἔστιν ὁλόκληρον. ʼ

### English translation (Claude)

From these things it can be seen that the Arians' fight over their heresy is not with us; they make a show of fighting us, but they are fighting against the Godhead itself. For if the voice that says, “This is my Son,” were ours, our censure would matter little to them; but if the voice is the Father's, and the disciples heard it, and the Son himself says of himself, “Before all the hills he begets me,” how are they not now fighting against God like the giants of the myths, having, as the psalmist said, “their tongue a sharp sword” for impiety? For they neither feared the voice of the Father nor reverenced the words of the Saviour; nor were they persuaded by the saints: by the one who writes, “who, being the radiance of his glory and the impress of his subsistence,” and “Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God”; by the one who sings, “For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we shall see light,” and “You made all things in wisdom”; by the prophets who say, “And the word of the Lord came to me”; by John, “In the beginning was the Word”; and by Luke, “as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word handed them down to us”; as David too says again, “He sent his Word and healed them.” All these everywhere pillory the Arian heresy and signify the eternity of the Word, and that he is not foreign to the Father's substance but proper to it. For when has anyone seen light without its radiance? Or who dares to say that the impress is alien to the subsistence? Or how is one not even more mad who so much as imagines that God was ever without Word and without wisdom? For Scripture has set down such examples and such images so that, since human nature is incapable of comprehending God, we may be able to think of him from these at least in some small and faint way, as far as is attainable. And just as creation suffices for knowledge that God is and that there is providence—“for from the greatness and beauty of creatures their author is correspondingly perceived”—and we learn not by demanding voices from creatures, but hearing the Scriptures we believe, and contemplating the very order and harmony of all things we recognize that he is maker and Master and God of all, and we grasp his wonderful providence and governance over all; in the same way, since the sayings cited above suffice concerning the Son's divinity, it is superfluous, or rather beyond madness, to doubt and to ask in heretical fashion, “How then can the Son be eternally? Or how can he be from the Father's substance and not be a part? For what is said to be from something is a part of it; and what is divided is not whole.”

### Scripture references

- Matt 3:17: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 8:25: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 57:4 (56:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Heb 1:3: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Cor 1:24: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 36:9 (35:10 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Ps 104:24 (103:24 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Jer 1:4: quotation, medium confidence
- John 1:1: quotation, high confidence
- Luke 1:2: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 107:20 (106:20 LXX): quotation, high confidence

### Extrabiblical texts

- Wis 13:5 (Wisdom of Solomon): quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “Subsistence” renders ὑπόστασις (Heb 1:3), here used, as in Hebrews, of God's real being; it later became the technical term for a person of the Trinity.
- “Before all the hills he begets me” is Prov 8:25 (Septuagint).
- “From the greatness and beauty of creatures…” is Wis 13:5.
- The text reads ἧν; corrected to ἦν.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 32 (Bright, 101–102; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/31/#p-32).

## Oration II Against the Arians 33

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/31/#p-33
- Source: Bright, 102–103
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: A word from a mind and radiance from the sun are proper to their source, eternal with it, and do not divide it; so the Son is from the Father without division or beginning.

### Greek text

33. Ταῦτα γὰρ τῶν ἑτεροδόξων ἐστὶ τὰ σοφὰ κακουργήματα. Καὶ εἰ καὶ φθάσαντες ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν διηλέγξαμεν τὴν ἐν τούτοις αὐτῶν κενολογίαν, ὅμως καὶ τούτων τῶν ῥητῶν ἡ ἀκρίβεια, καὶ τῶν παραδειγμάτων ἡ διάνοια διελέγχει τὴν σκιαγραφίαν τοῦ μιαροῦ δόγματος αὐτῶν. Ὁρῶμεν γὰρ τὸν λόγον ἀεὶ ὄντα, καὶ ἐξ αὐτοῦ ὄντα, καὶ τῆς οὐσίας ἴδιον, οὗ καὶ ἔστιν ὁ λόγος, καὶ μὴ ἔχοντα τὸ πρότερον καὶ τὸ ὕστερον. Ὁρῶμεν καὶ τὸ ἀπαύγασμα ἐκ τοῦ ἡλίου ἴδιόν τε αὐτοῦ ὂν, καὶ μὴ διαιρουμένην μηδὲ μειουμένην τὴν οὐσίαν τοῦ ἡλίου· ἀλλʼ αὐτήν τε ὁλόκληρον οὔσαν, καὶ τὸ ἀπαύγασμα τέλειον καὶ ὁλόκληρον, καὶ μὴ μειοῦν τὴν οὐσίαν τοῦ φωτὸς, ἀλλʼ ὡς γέννημα ἀληθινὸν ἐξ αὐτοῦ. Συνορῶμεν καὶ τὸν Υἱὸν οὐκ ἔξωθεν, ἀλλʼ ‘ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸςʼ γεννώμενον, καὶ ὁλόκληρον μένοντα τὸν Πατέρα, τὸν δὲ χαρακτῆρα τῆς ὑποστάσεως ἀεὶ ὄντα, ἐμφέρειάν τε καὶ εἰκόνα ἀπαράλλακτον σώζοντα πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα· ὡς τὸν ἰδόντα τοῦτον, ὁρᾶν ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ τὴν ὑπόστασιν, ἧς καὶ χαρακτήρ ἐστιν. Ἔκ τε τῆς ἐνεργείας τοῦ χαρακτῆρος διανοούμεθα τὴν τῆς ὑποστάσεως ἀληθῶς θεότητα· τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Σωτὴρ διδάσκων ἔλεγεν, ‘ὁ μένων ἐν ἐμοὶ, αὐτὸς ποιεῖ τὰ ἔργα, ἃ ἐγὼ ποιῶ·’ καὶ, ‘Ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἕν ἐσμεν· ʼ καὶ, ‘ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ Πατρὶ καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἐν ἐμοί. Οὐκοῦν ἡ Χριστομάχος αἵρεσις πειρασάτω πρῶτον τὰ ἐν τοῖς γενητοῖς παραδείγματα διελεῖν καὶ εἰπεῖν, ‘ἦν ποτε ὁ ἥλιος χωρὶς τοῦ ἀπαυγάσματος·’ ἢ, ὅτι ‘τοῦτο οὐκ ἔστι τῆς τοῦ φωτὸς οὐσίας ἴδιον· ʼ ἢ, ‘ἴδιον μὲν ἔστι, κατὰ διαίρεσιν δὲ μέρος ἐστὶ τοῦτο τοῦ φωτός· ʼ καὶ πάλιν διελέτω τὸν λόγον, καὶ εἰπάτω τοῦτον ἀλλότριον εἶναι τοῦ νοῦ· ἢ ὅτι ‘ποτὲ οὐκ ἦνʼ ἢ ‘οὐκ ἔστιν ἴδιος τῆς οὐσίας αὐτοῦ·’ ἢ ‘ὅτι μέρος κατὰ διαίρεσίν ἐστιν οὗτος ἐκείνου.’ Περὶ δὲ τοῦ χαρακτῆρος καὶ τοῦ φωτὸς καὶ τῆς δυνάμεως, οὕτω διελέτω ὡς ἐπὶ τοῦ λόγου καὶ τοῦ ἀπαυγάσματος· καὶ τότε περὶ ὧν ἐὰν θελήσῃ φανταζέσθω. Εἰ δὲ ἀδύνατος αὐτοῖς ἐκείνοις ἡ τόλμα, πῶς οὐ μαίνονται μεγάλως, εἰς τὰ ὑπερέκεινα τῶν γενητῶν καὶ τῆς ἑαυτῶν φύσεως μάτην ἐπεκτείνοντες ἑαυτοὺς, καὶ ἀδυνάτοις ἐπιχειροῦντες;

### English translation (Claude)

These are the clever mischiefs of the heterodox. And although we have already refuted their empty talk on these points in what went before, nevertheless the precision of these sayings and the sense of the examples refute the shadow-painting of their foul doctrine. For we see that a word is always present, is from him whose word it is, and is proper to his substance, and has no before and after. We see too that the radiance from the sun is proper to it, and that the sun's substance is neither divided nor diminished, but is itself whole, and the radiance perfect and whole, not diminishing the substance of the light, but being its true offspring from it. We perceive likewise that the Son is begotten not from outside but “from the Father,” and that the Father remains whole, while the impress of his subsistence always exists and keeps an exact resemblance and unvarying image of the Father, so that whoever sees him sees in him also the subsistence of which he is the impress. And from the activity of the impress we understand the true divinity of the subsistence; for this is what the Saviour himself taught when he said, “He who abides in me, he does the works that I do,” and “I and the Father are one,” and “I am in the Father and the Father in me.” So let the Christ-fighting heresy first try to divide the examples found in originated things and say, “There was once when the sun was without its radiance,” or that “this is not proper to the substance of the light,” or “it is proper, but it is a part of the light by division”; and again let it divide the word and say that it is foreign to the mind, or that “once it was not,” or “it is not proper to its substance,” or “it is a part of it by division.” And let it divide the impress, the light, and the power in the same way as the word and the radiance; and then let it fancy whatever it pleases. But if they cannot dare even this in those cases, how are they not greatly mad, vainly stretching themselves toward what lies beyond originated things and beyond their own nature, and attempting impossibilities?

### Scripture references

- Heb 1:3: allusion, high confidence
- John 14:10: quotation, medium confidence
- John 14:12: allusion, medium confidence
- John 10:30: quotation, high confidence
- John 14:11: quotation, high confidence
- John 14:9: allusion, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- “A word” here is the human word or reason (λόγος), which is always present with the mind; Athanasius uses it as an image of the divine Word.
- “He who abides in me, he does the works that I do” loosely combines John 14:10 and 14:12.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 33 (Bright, 102–103; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/31/#p-33).

## Oration II Against the Arians 34

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/31/#p-34
- Source: Bright, 103–104
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Even bodily offspring do not divide their parents; the faith first taught to every Christian knew an eternal Son, until the Arian tares were sown with their objections from human generation and human words.

### Greek text

34. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἐπὶ τούτων τῶν γενητῶν καὶ σωματικῶν εὑρίσκεται τὰ γεννήματα μὴ ‘μέρη ὄντα τῶν οὐσιῶν ἐξ ὧν εἰσι, ’ μηδὲ ‘παθητικῶς ὑφιστάμενα, μηδὲ ‘μειοῦντα τὰς οὐσίας τῶν γονέων, ʼ πῶς πάλιν οὐ μαίνονται, ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀσωμάτου καὶ ἀληθινοῦ Θεοῦ ζητοῦντες καὶ ὑπονοοῦντες μέρη καὶ πάθη, διαιρέσεις δὲ προσάπτοντες τῷ ἀπαθεῖ καὶ ἀναλλοιώτῳ Θεῷ, ἵνα τὰς ἀκοὰς ἐν τούτοις ταράσσωσι τῶν ἀκεραιοτέρων, καὶ διαστρέψωσιν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀληθείας; Τίς γὰρ ἀκούων ‘υἱὸν, ʼ οὐκ ἐνθυμεῖται τὸ ἴδιον τῆς τοῦ πατρὸς οὐσίας; τίς δὲ, ἀκούσας, ὅτε κατηχεῖτο κατὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν, ὅτι ‘ὁ Θεὸς Υἱὸν ἔχει, καὶ τῷ ἰδίῳ Λόγῳ τὰ πάντα πεποίηκεν, οὐχ οὕτως ἐδέξατο κατὰ τὴν διάνοιαν ὡς νῦν ἡμεῖς φρονοῦμεν; τίς, ὅτε γέγονεν ἡ μιαρὰ τῶν Ἀρειανῶν αἵρεσις, οὐκ εὐθὺς, ἀκούσας ἃ λέγουσιν, ἐξενίσθη, ὡς ἀλλότρια λεγόντων αὐτῶν, καὶ παρὰ τὸν ἐξ ἀρχῆς σπαρέντα λόγον ἐπισπειρόντων; Τὸ μὲν γὰρ σπειρόμενόν ἐστιν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἑκάστῃ ψυχῇ, ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς Υἱὸν τὸν λόγον, τὴν Σοφίαν, τὴν δύναμιν ἔχει, καὶ ταῦτά ἐστιν αὐτοῦ εἰκὼν καὶ ἀπαύγασμα· φύεται δὲ εὐθὺς ἐκ τῶν ῥηθέντων τὸ ‘ἀεὶ, ’ τὸ ‘ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς, ’ τὸ ‘ὅμοιον, ’ τὸ ‘ἀΐδιον τοῦ γεννήματος τῆς οὐσίας·’ καὶ οὐδεμία περὶ ‘κτίσματοςʼ ἢ ‘ποιήματοςʼ ἐν τούτοις ἔννοια. Ὅτε δὲ ‘ἐχθρὸς ἄνθρωποςʼ κοιμωμένων τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐπέσπειρε τὸ ‘κτίσμα, ʼ καὶ τὸ ‘ἦν ποτε ὅτε οὐκ ἦν, ʼ καὶ τὸ πῶς οὖν δύναται; τότε λοιπὸν ὡς ζιζάνιον γέγονεν ἡ κακοῦργος αἵρεσις τῶν Χριστομάχων· καὶ εὐθὺς, ὡς ἐρημωθέντες πάσης ὀρθῆς φρονήσεως, δίκην λῃστῶν περιεργάζονται καὶ λέγειν τολμῶσι, ‘Πῶς οὖν δύναται ὁ Υἱὸς ἀϊδίως συνυπάρχειν τῷ Πατρί; καὶ γὰρ οἱ ἄνθρωποι μετὰ χρόνον ἐξ ἀνθρώπων υἱοὶ γίνονται· καὶ ὁ μὲν πατὴρ τριάκοντα ἐτῶν ἐστιν, ὁ δὲ υἱὸς ἀρχὴν ἔχει τότε γεννηθείς· καὶ ὅλως πᾶς υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἦν, πρὶν γεννηθῇ. Πάλιν τε ψιθυρίζουσι, ‘Πῶς δύναται ὁ Υἱὸς Λόγος εἶναι, ἢ ὁ Λόγος εἰκὼν τοῦ Θεοῦ; Ὁ γὰρ ἀνθρώπων λόγος ἐκ συλλαβῶν συγκείμενος, μόνον ἐσήμανε τὸ βούλημα τοῦ λαλήσαντος, καὶ εὐθὺς πέπαυται καὶ ἠφάνισται.

### English translation (Claude)

For if even among these originated and bodily things offspring are found not to be “parts of the substances from which they are,” nor to “come to subsist by way of passion,” nor to “diminish the substances of their parents,” how again are they not mad, looking for and suspecting parts and passions in the case of the incorporeal and true God, and attaching divisions to the impassible and unchangeable God, so as to trouble the ears of simpler people with these things and turn them away from the truth? For who, hearing “son,” does not think of what is proper to the father's substance? And who, when he was first instructed and heard that “God has a Son, and has made all things by his own Word,” did not receive it in his mind as we now think? Who, when the foul heresy of the Arians arose, was not at once startled on hearing what they say, as men saying alien things and sowing over the word sown from the beginning a seed contrary to it? For what is sown from the beginning in every soul is that God has a Son, the Word, the Wisdom, the Power, and that these are his image and radiance; and from what has been said there spring at once the “always,” the “from the Father,” the “like,” the “eternal” of the offspring of the substance; and in these there is no thought of “creature” or “work.” But when “an enemy” sowed, while people slept, the “creature,” and the “there was once when he was not,” and the “how then can it be?”, then the wicked heresy of the Christ-fighters came up like a tare; and at once, as men bereft of all right understanding, they busy themselves like robbers and dare to say, “How then can the Son coexist eternally with the Father? For human beings become sons from human beings after a time; the father is thirty years old, while the son begins then, having been begotten; and in general every son of man was not before he was begotten.” And again they whisper, “How can the Son be Word, or the Word be the image of God? For the word of human beings, composed of syllables, only signifies the will of the speaker, and at once ceases and vanishes.”

### Scripture references

- Matt 13:25: allusion, high confidence
- Matt 13:28: allusion, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- The phrases in quotation marks at the start (“parts of the substances,” “by way of passion”) are the Arians' objections to generation from the Father's substance.
- Slips corrected: ταράσσωσιτῶν (words run together), Ἀρειόνῶν to Ἀρειανῶν, αὐσίας to οὐσίας.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 34 (Bright, 103–104; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/31/#p-34).

## Oration II Against the Arians 35

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/31/#p-35
- Source: Bright, 104–105
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: God's Word is not like a passing human word: as God is eternal, so is his Word, living, active, and creative, perfect offspring of the perfect.

### Greek text

35. Ἐκεῖνοι μὲν οὖν, ὥσπερ ἐπιλαθόμενοι τῶν προλεχθέντων κατʼ αὐτῶν ἐλέγχων, τοιούτοις πάλιν ‘ἑαυτοὺςʼ δεσμοῖς ἀσεβείας ‘περιπείροντεςʼ διαλογίζονται τοιαῦτα· ὁ δὲ τῆς ἀληθείας λόγος ἐλέγχει τούτους οὕτως. Εἰ μὲν περὶ ἀνθρώπου τινὸς διαλογίζονται, ἀνθρωπίνως καὶ περὶ τοῦ λόγου αὐτοῦ καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ λογιζέσθωσαν· εἰ δὲ περὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ κτίσαντος τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, μηκέτι ἀνθρωπίνως, ἀλλὰ ἄλλως ὑπὲρ τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων φύσιν διανοείσθωσαν. Ὁποῖος γὰρ ἂν ᾖ ὁ γεννῶν, τοιοῦτον ἀνάγκη καὶ τὸ γέννημα εἶναι· καὶ ὁποῖος ἂν ὁ τοῦ Λόγου Πατὴρ, τοιοῦτος ἂν εἴη καὶ ὁ Λόγος αὐτοῦ. Ὁ μὲν οὖν ἄνθρωπος ἐν χρόνῳ γεννώμενος, ἐν χρόνῳ καὶ αὐτὸς γεννᾶ τὸ τέκνον· καὶ ἐπειδὴ ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος γέγονε, διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ λόγος αὐτοῦ παύεται, καὶ οὐ μένει· ‘ὁ δὲ Θεὸς οὐχ ὡς ἄνθρωπός ἐστι· ʼ τοῦτο γὰρ εἶπεν ἡ γραφή· ἀλλʼ ‘ὤν ἐστι καὶ ἀεί ἐστι· διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Λόγος αὐτοῦ ὤν ἐστι, καὶ ἀϊδίως ἐστὶ μετὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς, ὡς ἀπαύγασμα φωτός. Καὶ ὁ μὲν τῶν ἀνθρώπων λόγος ἐκ συλλαβῶν ἐστι συγκείμενος, καὶ οὔτε ζῇ, οὔτε τι ἐνεργεῖ, ἀλλὰ μόνον ἐστὶ σημαντικὸς τῆς τοῦ λαλοῦντος διανοίας, καὶ μόνον ἐξῆλθε, καὶ παρῆλθε μηκέτι φαινόμενος, ἐπειδὴ οὐδὲ ἦν ὅλως, πρὶν λαληθῇ· διὸ οὔτε ζῇ, οὔτε τι ἐνεργεῖ, οὔτε ὅλως ἄνθρωπός ἐστιν ὁ τῶν ἀνθρώπων λόγος· πάσχει δὲ τοῦτο, καθὰ προεῖπον, ἐπεὶ καὶ ὁ τοῦτον γεννῶν ἄνθρωπος ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος ἔχει τὴν φύσιν· ὁ δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος οὐχ, ὡς ἄν τις εἴποι, ’ προφορικός ἐστιν, οὐδὲ ψόφος ῥημάτων, οὐδὲ τὸ προστάξαι Θεὸν, τοῦτό ἐστιν ‘ὁ Υἱός·’ ἀλλʼ ὡς φωτὸς ἀπαύγασμα, οὕτως ἐστὶ γέννημα τέλειον ἐκ τελείου. Διὸ καὶ Θεός ἐστιν εἰκὼν τοῦ Θεοῦ· καὶ ‘Θεὸςʼ γὰρ ‘ἦν, ʼ φησὶν, ‘ὁ Λόγος.’ Καὶ οἱ μὲν λόγοι τῶν ἀνθρώπων οὐδέν εἰσιν εἰς ἐνέργειαν· διὸ οὐδὲ διὰ λόγων, ἀλλὰ διὰ χειρῶν ἄνθρωπος ἐργάζεται, ὅτι αὗται μὲν ὑπάρχουσιν, ὁ δὲ λόγος αὐτῶν οὐχ ὑφίσταται. Ὁ δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος, ὡς εἶπεν ὁ ἀπόστολος, ‘ζῶν ἐστιν ὁ Λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ἐνεργὴς, καὶ τομώτερος ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν μάχαιραν δίστομον, καὶ διικνούμενος ἄχρι μερισμοῦ ψυχῆς καὶ πνεύματος, ἁρμῶν τε καὶ μυελῶν, καὶ κριτικὸς ἐνθυμήσεων καὶ ἐννοιῶν καρδίας· καὶ οὐκ ἔστι κτίσις ἀφανὴς ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ· πάντα δὲ γυμνὰ καὶ τετραχηλισμένα τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ, πρὸς ὃν ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος. Δημιουργὸς οὖν ἐστι, καὶ ‘χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἓν, ʼ οὐδὲ δυνατόν τι γίνεσθαι χωρὶς αὐτοῦ.

### English translation (Claude)

They, then, as though forgetting the refutations already made against them, “pierce themselves” again with such bonds of impiety, and reason in this way; but the word of truth refutes them thus. If they are reasoning about some man, let them think in human terms about his word and his son; but if about God, who created human beings, let them no longer think in human terms, but otherwise, beyond human nature. For of whatever kind the begetter is, such must the offspring be; and of whatever kind the Father of the Word is, such also would his Word be. Man, then, being begotten in time, himself also begets his child in time; and since he came into being from what is not, his word too ceases and does not remain. But “God is not as man”—for this is what Scripture said—but he “is,” and is always; therefore his Word too “is,” and is eternally with the Father, as the radiance of light. The word of human beings is composed of syllables, and neither lives nor effects anything, but only signifies the mind of the speaker; it merely went out and passed by, no longer to be seen, since it did not exist at all before it was spoken; therefore the word of human beings neither lives nor effects anything, nor is it a man at all. It undergoes this, as I said before, because the man who begets it also has his nature from what is not. But the Word of God is not, as one might say, a word uttered, nor a sound of speech; nor is “the Son” God's commanding; but as the radiance of light, so he is perfect offspring from perfect. Therefore he is also God, being the image of God; for “the Word,” it says, “was God.” The words of human beings are of no effect for working; that is why a man works not by words but by his hands, because these exist, while his word does not subsist. But as for the Word of God, as the apostle said, “The Word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart; and no creature is hidden before him, but all things are naked and laid bare to his eyes, to whom we must give account.” He is creator, then, and “without him not one thing came into being,” nor can anything come into being without him.

### Scripture references

- 1 Tim 6:10: echo, medium confidence
- Num 23:19: quotation, high confidence
- Exod 3:14: allusion, medium confidence
- John 1:1: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 4:12: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 4:13: quotation, high confidence
- John 1:3: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “Pierce themselves” echoes 1 Tim 6:10.
- “A word uttered” renders προφορικός, the spoken word as distinct from the word in the mind; Athanasius denies that the Son is either a mere utterance or a command.
- Slips corrected: a leaked abbreviation “Heb.” inside the quotation of Heb 4:12 (restored to καὶ), ἤχει to ἔχει, ὂν to ὃν.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 35 (Bright, 104–105; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/31/#p-35).

## Oration II Against the Arians 36

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/31/#p-36
- Source: Bright, 105–106
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The manner of the Son's begetting is ineffable and should not be pried into; when at a loss one should believe in silence, and the one Word of the one God abides unchanging.

### Greek text

36. Οὐ δεῖ δὲ ζητεῖν, ‘διὰ τί μὴ τοιοῦτος ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος οἷος καὶ ὁ ἡμέτερος· ʼ ἐπεὶ μὴ τοιοῦτος ὁ Θεὸς οἷοι καὶ ἡμεῖς, ’ ὡς προείρηται· ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ πρέπει ζητεῖν ‘πῶς ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν ὁ Λόγος, ἢ πῶς ἀπαύγασμά ἐστι τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἢ πῶς γεννᾷ ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ τίς ὁ τρόπος τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ γεννήσεως· μαίνοιτο γὰρ ἄν τις τοιαῦτα τολμῶν, ὅτι πρᾶγμα ἄῥῥητον καὶ φύσεως ἴδιον Θεοῦ, μόνῳ τε αὐτῷ καὶ τῷ Υἱῷ γινωσκόμενον, ἀξιοῖ λόγοις αὐτὸ ἑρμηνευθῆναι· ἴσον γάρ ἐστι τοὺς τοιούτους ζητεῖν, ‘ποῦ ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ πῶς ἐστιν ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ ποταπός ἐστιν ὁ Πατήρ.’ Ἀλλʼ ὥσπερ τὸ τοιοῦτο ἐρωτᾷν ἀσεβές ἐστι, καὶ ἀγνοούντων τὸν Θεὸν, οὕτω καὶ οὐ θέμις οὐδὲ περὶ τῆς τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ γεννήσεως τοιαῦτα τολμᾷν, οὐδὲ τῇ ἑαυτῶν φύσει καὶ ἀσθενείᾳ συμμετρεῖν τὸν Θεὸν καὶ τὴν τούτου Σοφίαν· ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ διὰ τοῦτο καὶ παρὰ τὴν ἀλήθειαν νοεῖν προσήκει· οὐδὲ εἰ ἀπορεῖ τις ζητῶν περὶ τούτων, ὀφείλει καὶ ἀπιστεῖν τοῖς γεγραμμένοις. Βέλτιον γὰρ ἀποροῦντας σιωπᾷν καὶ πιστεύειν, ἢ ἀπιστεῖν διὰ τὸ ἀπορεῖν· διότι ὁ μὲν ἀπορῶν δύναταί πως καὶ συγγνώμην ἔχειν, ὅτι ὅλως κἂν ζητήσας ἠρέμησεν· ὁ δὲ διὰ τὸ ἀπορεῖν ἐπινοῶν ἑαυτῷ τὰ μὴ δέοντα, καὶ τὰ μὴ ἄξια περὶ Θεοῦ φθεγγόμενος, ἀσύγγνωστον ἔχει τῆς τόλμης τὴν δίκην. Δύναται γὰρ καὶ τῶν τοιούτων ἀποριῶν ἔχειν τινὰ παραμυθίαν ἐκ τῶν θείων γραφῶν, ὥστε λαμβάνειν μὲν καλῶς τὰ γεγραμμένα, νοεῖν δὲ ὡς ἐν παραδείγματι τὸν ἡμέτερον λόγον· ὅτι ὥσπερ οὗτος ἴδιος ἐξ ἡμῶν ἐστι, καὶ οὐκ ἔξωθεν ἡμῶν ἔργον, οὕτω καὶ ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος ἴδιός ἐστιν ἐξ αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι ποίημα, οὐδὲ ὡς ὁ τῶν ἀνθρώπων λόγος· ἐπεὶ καὶ τὸν Θεὸν ἀνάγκη νοεῖν ἄνθρωπον. Ἰδοὺ γὰρ πάλιν τῶν μὲν ἀνθρώπων πολλοὶ καὶ διάφοροι λόγοι καθʼ ἡμέραν παρέρχονται, διὰ τὸ τοὺς πρώτους μὴ μένειν, ἀλλʼ ἀφανίζεσθαι. Γίνεται δὲ πάλιν τοῦτο, ἐπεὶ καὶ οἱ τούτων πατέρες, ἄνθρωποι ὄντες, παρερχομένας μὲν ἔχουσι τὰς ἡλικίας, τὰ δὲ νοήματα ἐπερχόμενα· καὶ πρὸς ἃ λογίζονται καὶ ἐπιλογίζονται, τοιαῦτα καὶ φθέγγονται· ὥστε καὶ πολλοὺς λόγους ἔχειν, καὶ μετὰ τοὺς πολλοὺς μηδένα τούτων ὅλως· πέπαυται γὰρ ὁ λαλῶν, καὶ ὁ λόγος εὐθὺς ἀνήλωται. Ὁ δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος εἷς ἐστι καὶ ὁ αὐτὸς, καὶ, ὡς γέγραπται, ‘ὁ Λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα διαμένει, μὴ ἀλλοιούμενος, μηδὲ πρῶτος ἢ δεύτερος ἑτέρου, ἀλλʼ ὁ αὐτὸς ὑπάρχων ἀεί. Ἔπρεπε γὰρ, ἑνὸς ὄντος τοῦ Θεοῦ, μίαν εἶναι καὶ τὴν εἰκόνα, καὶ ἕνα τὸν τούτου Λόγον, καὶ μίαν τὴν τούτου Σοφίαν.

### English translation (Claude)

One must not ask, “Why is God's Word not such as ours is?”, since God is not such as we are, as was said before; nor is it fitting to ask, “How is the Word from God?” or “How is he the radiance of God?” or “How does God beget, and what is the manner of God's begetting?” For one would be mad to dare such things, since he demands that a thing ineffable and proper to God's nature, known to him alone and to the Son, be explained in words; for it is the same as for such people to ask, “Where is God, and how is God, and of what sort is the Father?” But as it is impious to ask such things, and belongs to those who do not know God, so too it is not right to dare such things about the begetting of the Son of God, nor to measure God and his Wisdom by their own nature and weakness. Nor on that account is it fitting to think contrary to the truth; nor, if someone is at a loss when he inquires about these things, ought he therefore to disbelieve what is written. For it is better, when at a loss, to be silent and believe than to disbelieve because one is at a loss; for the one who is at a loss may somehow have pardon, since, having inquired, he at least came to rest; but the one who because of his perplexity devises for himself what he should not, and utters things unworthy of God, incurs for his daring a penalty without pardon. For one can find some consolation even in such perplexities from the divine Scriptures, so as to take rightly what is written and to think of our own word as an example: that as this is proper to us and from us, and not a work outside us, so too the Word of God is proper to him and from him, and is not a work; nor is he like the word of human beings, since then one would have to think of God as a man. For see again: many and various words of human beings pass by every day, because the first do not remain but vanish. This happens, again, because those who father them, being men, have ages that pass and thoughts that come upon them one after another; and as they reason and reason further, so they speak; so that they have many words, and after the many, none of them at all; for the speaker has stopped, and the word is at once used up. But the Word of God is one and the same, and, as it is written, “The Word of God abides for ever,” not changing, nor first or second to another, but always being the same. For it was fitting, since God is one, that his image too should be one, and his Word one, and his Wisdom one.

### Scripture references

- Matt 11:27: allusion, medium confidence
- Isa 40:8: quotation, medium confidence
- 1 Pet 1:25: quotation, medium confidence
- Ps 119:89 (118:89 LXX): allusion, low confidence

### Translation notes

- “The Word of God abides for ever” is a free citation, close to Isa 40:8 and 1 Pet 1:25 (compare Ps 119:89).
- The text reads ὤσπερ; corrected to ὥσπερ.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 36 (Bright, 105–106; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/31/#p-36).

## Oration II Against the Arians 37

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/31/#p-37
- Source: Bright, 106–107
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The Arians posit a second, true Word and Wisdom in God, making the Son only notionally Word and Wisdom; Athanasius quotes Asterius's argument from 1 Cor 1:24 and Rom 1:20.

### Greek text

37. Διὸ καὶ θαυμάζω, πῶς, ἑνὸς ὄντος τοῦ Θεοῦ, οὗτοι κατὰ τὰς ἰδίας ἐπινοίας πολλὰς εἰκόνας καὶ σοφίας καὶ λόγους εἰσάγουσι, καὶ ἄλλον μὲν εἶναι τὸν ἴδιον καὶ φύσει Λόγον τοῦ Πατρὸς λέγουσιν, ἐν ᾧ καὶ τὸν Υἱὸν πεποίηκε, τὸν δὲ ἀληθῶς Υἱὸν κατʼ ἐπίνοιαν μόνον λέγεσθαι ‘Λόγον, ὡς ‘ἄμπελον, ’ καὶ ‘ὁδὸν, ʼ καὶ ‘θύραν, ’ καὶ ‘ξύλον ζωῆς.’ ‘Σοφίανʼ τε ὀνόματι λέγεσθαι αὐτόν φασιν, ἄλλην μέντοι εἶναι τὴν ἰδίαν καὶ ἀληθινὴν Σοφίαν τοῦ Πατρὸς, τὴν ἀγεννήτως συνυπάρχουσαν αὐτῷ, ἐν ᾗ καὶ τὸν Υἱὸν ποιήσας, ὠνόμασε κατὰ μετουσίαν ἐκείνης ‘σοφίανʼ αὐτόν. Ταῦτα δὲ οὐχ ἕως λόγων μόνον αὐτοῖς ἔφθασεν, ἀλλʼ Ἄρειος μὲν ἐν τῇ ἑαυτοῦ ‘Θαλείᾳ συνέθηκεν, ὁ δὲ σοφιστὴς Ἀστέριος ἔγραψεν, ἅπερ καὶ ἐν τοῖς προτέροις εἴπομεν, οὕτως· ‘Οὐκ εἶπεν ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος Χριστὸν κηρύσσειν τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ δύναμιν ἢ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ σοφίαν, ἀλλὰ δίχα τῆς τοῦ ἄρθρου προσθήκης, δύναμιν Θεοῦ καὶ Θεοῦ σοφίαν· ἄλλην μὲν εἶναι τὴν ἰδίαν αὐτοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ δύναμιν τὴν ἔμφυτον αὐτῷ καὶ συνυπάρχουσαν αὐτῷ ἀγεννήτως κηρύσσων, γεννητικὴν μὲν οὖσαν δηλονότι τοῦ Χριστοῦ, δημιουργικὴν δὲ τοῦ παντὸς κόσμου, περὶ ἧς ἐν τῇ πρὸς Ῥωμαίους ἐπιστολῇ διδάσκων λέγει, Τὰ γὰρ ἀόρατα αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ κτίσεως κόσμου τοῖς ποιήμασι νοούμενα καθορᾶται, ἥ τε ἀίδιος αὐτοῦ δύναμις καὶ θειότης. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὴν εἰρημένην ἐνταῦθα θειότητα οὐκ ἄν τις φαίη Χριστὸν εἶναι, ἀλλʼ αὐτὸν ὑπάρχειν τὸν Πατέρα· οὕτως οἶμαι καὶ ἡ ἀΐδιος αὐτοῦ δύναμις καὶ θειότης, οὐχ ὁ μονογενὴς Υἱὸς, ἀλλʼ ὁ γεννήσας ὑπάρχει Πατήρ. Ἄλλην δὲ δύναμιν καὶ σοφίαν διδάσκει Θεοῦ εἶναι διὰ Χριστοῦ δεικνυμένην. ʼ Καὶ μετʼ ὀλίγα ὁ αὐτὸς Ἀστέριός φησι· ‘Καίτοι γε ἡ μὲν ἀΐδιος αὐτοῦ δύναμις καὶ σοφία, ἣν ἄναρχόν τε καὶ ἀγέννητον οἱ τῆς ἀληθείας ἀποφαίνονται λογισμοὶ μία ἂν εἴη δήπουθεν καὶ ἡ αὐτή· πολλαὶ δὲ αἱ καθʼ ἕκαστον ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ κτισθεῖσαι, ὧν πρωτότοκος καὶ μονογενὴς ὁ Χριστός· πᾶσαί γε μὴν ὁμοίως εἰς τὸν κεκτημένον ἀνήρτηνται· καὶ πᾶσαι δυνάμεις αὐτοῦ τοῦ κτίσαντος καὶ χρωμένου καλοῦνται δικαίως· οἷον ὁ μὲν προφήτης τὴν ἀκρίδα, δίκην τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων ἁμαρτημάτων θεήλατον γινομένην, οὐ “δύναμιν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ “μεγάλην” φησὶν ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ προσαγορεύεσθαι τοῦ Θεοῦ· ὁ δέ γε μακάριος Δαυῒδ ἐν πλείοσι τῶν ψαλμῶν οὐκ ἀγγέλοις μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ δυνάμεσιν αἰνεῖν παρακελεύεται τὸν Θεόν.’

### English translation (Claude)

So I wonder how, though God is one, these men according to their own notions bring in many images and wisdoms and words, and say that the Father's proper and natural Word is another, in whom he also made the Son, while the one who is truly Son is only notionally called “Word,” as he is called “vine,” and “way,” and “door,” and “tree of life.” And they say that he is called “Wisdom” in name, but that the Father's proper and true Wisdom is another, which coexists with him unbegottenly, in which he made the Son too and named him “wisdom” by participation in that one. These things have not stopped with them at the level of talk: Arius composed them in his Thalia, and the sophist Asterius wrote what we cited in the earlier discourse too, as follows: “Blessed Paul did not say that he preaches Christ as the power of God or the wisdom of God, but without the addition of the article, ‘God's power and God's wisdom’; proclaiming that God's own proper power, which is innate in him and coexists with him unbegottenly, is another—generative, clearly, of Christ, and creative of the whole world—about which he teaches in the letter to the Romans, saying, ‘For his invisible things from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, both his eternal power and divinity.’ For just as no one would say that the divinity mentioned there is Christ, but that it is the Father himself, so, I think, his eternal power and divinity is not the only-begotten Son but the Father who begot him. But he teaches that there is another power and wisdom of God, which is shown through Christ.” And a little after, the same Asterius says: “And yet his eternal power and wisdom, which the reasonings of truth declare to be without beginning and unbegotten, would surely be one and the same; but those created by him individually are many, of which Christ is the firstborn and only-begotten; all of them, however, depend alike on their possessor, and all are rightly called powers of him who created and uses them; as the prophet says that the locust, sent by God as a penalty for human sins, is called by God himself not only ‘power’ but ‘great power’; and blessed David in many of the psalms bids not only angels but also powers to praise God.”

### Scripture references

- John 15:1: allusion, high confidence
- John 14:6: allusion, high confidence
- John 10:9: allusion, high confidence
- Rev 2:7: allusion, medium confidence
- 1 Cor 1:24: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 1:20: quotation, high confidence
- Joel 2:25: allusion, high confidence
- Ps 148:2: allusion, high confidence
- Ps 103:21 (102:21 LXX): allusion, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- The Thalia was Arius's work in verse and prose.
- Asterius argues that 1 Cor 1:24 lacks the article (“God's power,” not “the power of God”), so Christ is one power among many created powers.
- The locust as God's “great power” is Joel 2:25.
- Slips corrected: ᾖ to ᾗ, ἢν to ἣν, and a stray period.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 37 (Bright, 106–107; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/31/#p-37).

## Oration II Against the Arians 38

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/31/#p-38
- Source: Bright, 107–108
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: If the Son were Word, Wisdom, and Son only in name, he would be nothing in himself; and an unoriginate Wisdom coexisting with God is either the Son or makes God composite.

### Greek text

38. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ μόνον φθεγξάμενοι, πῶς οὐκ ἄξιοι παντὸς μίσους εἰσίν; εἰ γὰρ, ὡς αὐτοὶ νομίζουσιν, οὐ διὰ τὴν ἐκ Πατρὸς γέννησιν καὶ τὸ ἴδιον τῆς οὐσίας Υἱός ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὰ λογικὰ λόγος, καὶ διὰ τὰ σοφιζόμενα σοφία, καὶ διὰ τὰ δυναμούμενα δύναμις λέγεται· πάντως που καὶ διὰ τοὺς υἱοποιουμένους υἱὸς ἐκλήθη· καὶ τάχα διὰ τὰ ὄντα ἔχει καὶ τὸ εἶναι κατʼ ἐπίνοιαν. Τί οὖν ἄρα λοιπόν ἐστιν αὐτός; οὐδὲν γὰρ ἂν εἴη τούτων αὐτὸς, εἰ ὀνόματα μόνον ἐστὶν αὐτοῦ ταῦτα, καὶ μόνην τοῦ εἶναι φαντασίαν ἔχει, διʼ ἡμᾶς καὶ τοῖς ὀνόμασι τούτοις καλλωπιζόμενος. Ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦτο διαβολικὴ μᾶλλόν ἐστιν ἀπόνοια, τάχα δὲ καὶ πλεῖον, ὅτι ἑαυτοὺς μὲν ἀληθῶς ὑφεστάναι θέλουσι, τὸν δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγον ὀνόματι μόνον εἶναι νομίζουσιν. Πῶς δὲ οὐ τερατολογία αὐτῶν καὶ ταῦτα, λέγειν μὲν Σοφίαν συνυπάρχουσαν τῷ Πατρὶ, μὴ λέγειν δὲ ταύτην εἶναι τὸν Χριστὸν, ἀλλὰ πολλὰς κτιστὰς δυνάμεις καὶ σοφίας εἶναι, τούτων δὲ μίαν εἶναι τὸν Κύριον, τὸν καὶ τῇ κάμπῃ καὶ τῇ ἀκρίδι παραβαλλόμενον παρʼ αὐτῶν; πῶς δὲ καὶ οὐ πανοῦργοι, ὅτι, παρʼ ἡμῶν μὲν ἀκούοντες συνυπάρχειν τὸν Λόγον τῷ Πατρὶ, γογγύζουσιν εὐθὺς φάσκοντες· ‘Οὐκοῦν δύο ἀγένητα λέγετε; αὐτοὶ δὲ λέγοντες τὸ ‘ἡ ἀγένητος αὐτοῦ σοφία, ʼ οὐχ ὁρῶσι κατʼ αὐτῶν φθάνουσαν, ἣν αἰτιῶνται, ματαίαν μέμψιν; Καὶ γὰρ κἀκείνη πάλιν αὐτῶν ἡ διάνοια πῶς οὐ πάνυ μωρὰ, λέγειν τὴν ἀγένητον συνυπάρχουσαν τῷ Θεῷ Σοφίαν αὐτὸν εἶναι τὸν Θεόν; Τὸ γὰρ συνυπάρχον οὐχ ἑαυτῷ, τινὶ δὲ συνυπάρχει, ὡς περὶ τοῦ Κυρίου λέγουσιν οἱ εὐαγγελισταὶ, ὅτι συνῆν τοῖς μαθηταῖς· οὐ γὰρ ἑαυτῷ, ἀλλὰ τοῖς μαθηταῖς συνῆν· εἰ μὴ ἄρα σύνθετον εἴποιεν τὸν Θεὸν, ἔχοντα συμπεπλεγμένην ἢ συμπληρωτικὴν τῆς οὐσίας ἑαυτοῦ σοφίαν, ἀγένητον οὖσαν καὶ αὐτὴν, ἥντινα καὶ δημιουργὸν αὐτοὶ ἀντεισάγουσι τοῦ κόσμου, ἵνα καὶ τοῦ δημιουργεῖν τὸν Υἱὸν ἀφέλωνται. Πάντα γὰρ βιάζονται λέγειν, ἵνα μὴ περὶ τοῦ Κυρίου φρονήσωσιν ἐν ἀληθείᾳ.

### English translation (Claude)

Having uttered even this much, how are they not deserving of all hatred? For if, as they suppose, he is Son not because of his generation from the Father and his being proper to the Father's substance, but is called Word because of rational beings, Wisdom because of those made wise, and Power because of those empowered, then surely he was called Son because of those made sons; and perhaps he has even his being only notionally, because of the things that are. What then is he himself, after all? He would himself be none of these, if these are only his names and he has only an appearance of being, adorned with these names for our sake. But this is rather a devilish madness, and perhaps worse, that they want themselves to subsist truly, but think that the Word of God exists in name only. And how is this too not a monstrous tale of theirs: to speak of a Wisdom coexisting with the Father, but not to say that this is the Christ, and instead to say that there are many created powers and wisdoms, and that the Lord is one of them—he whom they compare with the caterpillar and the locust? And how are they not knaves, since when they hear from us that the Word coexists with the Father they grumble at once, saying, “So you say there are two unoriginates?”, while they themselves, saying “his unoriginate wisdom,” do not see that the vain censure they allege comes back on themselves? And how is that idea of theirs too not utterly foolish, to say that the unoriginate Wisdom coexisting with God is God himself? For what coexists coexists not with itself but with something else, as the evangelists say of the Lord that he was with the disciples; for he was with the disciples, not with himself. Unless indeed they would say that God is composite, having a wisdom interwoven with his substance or completing it, itself unoriginate, which they also bring in instead as creator of the world, so that they may take away from the Son even his creating. For they will say anything rather than think truly about the Lord.

### Scripture references

- Joel 2:25: allusion, high confidence
- Joel 1:4: allusion, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- The caterpillar and the locust are the “powers” of Joel 1:4 and 2:25, cited by Asterius (2.37).
- Slips corrected: ἢν to ἣν, Υὁὸν to Υἱὸν.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 38 (Bright, 107–108; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/31/#p-38).

## Oration II Against the Arians 39

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/31/#p-39
- Source: Bright, 108–109
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Scripture speaks of God's “words” only as commandments given through the one Word; it knows no second Word or Wisdom, which the Arians invent as the Manichees invent another god.

### Greek text

39. Ποῦ γὰρ ὅλως εὗρον παρὰ τῇ θείᾳ γραφῇ λεγόμενον, ἢ παρὰ τίνος ἥκουσαν, ὡς ὄντος ἄλλου Λόγου καὶ ἄλλης Σοφίας παρὰ τοῦτον τὸν Υἱὸν, ἵνα καὶ τοιαῦτα ἑαυτοῖς ἀναπλάσσωνται; Γέγραπται μὲν γάρ, ‘Οὐχ οἱ λόγοι μου ὥσπερ πῦρ, ἢ πέλυξ κόπτων πέτραν;’ καὶ ἐν ταῖς Παροιμίαις, ‘διδάξω δὲ ὑμᾶς ἐμοὺς λόγους. ʼ Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα ἐντολαὶ καὶ προστάγματά εἰσιν, ἃ διὰ τοῦ ἰδίου καὶ μόνου ἀληθινοῦ Λόγου τοῖς ἀγίοις λελάληκεν ὁ Θεὸς, περὶ ὧν ἔλεγεν ὁ ψάλλων· ‘Ἐκ πάσης ὁδοῦ πονηρᾶς ἐκώλυσα τοὺς πόδας μου, ὅπως ἂν φυλάξω τοὺς λόγους σου. ʼ Τὰ γοῦν τοιαῦτα σημαίνων ἄλλα παρʼ ἑαυτὸν εἶναι ὁ Σωτὴρ καὶ διʼ ἑαυτοῦ εἴρηκε, ‘τὰ ῥήματα, ἃ ἐγὼ λελάληκα ὑμῖν.’ Οὐ γὰρ δὴ οἱ τοιοῦτοι λόγοι γεννήματα ἢ υἱοί εἰσιν, οὐδὲ τοσοῦτοι δημιουργοὶ λόγοι, οὐδὲ τοσαῦται εἰκόνες τοῦ ἑνὸς Θεοῦ, οὐδὲ τοσοῦτοί εἰσιν οἱ γενόμενοι ἄνθρωποι ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, οὐδὲ ὡς ἐκ πολλῶν τοιούτων εἷς ἐστιν ὁ γενόμενος κατὰ τὸν Ἰωάννην σάρξ· ἀλλʼ ὡς μόνος ὢν τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος, εὐηγγελίσθη παρὰ τοῦ Ἰωάννου ‘ὁ Λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο, ʼ καὶ ‘πάντα διʼ αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο.’ Διὸ καὶ περὶ αὐτοῦ μόνου τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ περὶ τῆς πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα ἑνότητος αὐτοῦ γέγραπται καὶ δείκνυται τὰ μαρτύρια, τοῦ μὲν Πατρὸς σημαίνοντος ἕνα εἶναι τὸν Υἱὸν, τῶν δὲ ἁγίων μαθόντων τοῦτο, καὶ λεγόντων ἕνα τὸν Λόγον εἶναι, καὶ τοῦτον εἶναι μονογενῆ· τά τε ἔργα τὰ διʼ αὐτοῦ δείκνυται· ‘πάντα γὰρʼ τά τε ὁρατὰ καὶ τὰ ‘ἀόρατα διʼ αὐτοῦ γέγονε, καὶ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἕν.’ Περὶ δὲ ἑτέρου ἢ ἄλλου τινὸς οὐ φαντάζονται, καὶ ἀναπλάσσονται ἑαυτοῖς λόγους ἢ σοφίας, ὧν οὔτε ὄνομα, οὔτε ἔργον σημαίνεται ἀπὸ τῆς γραφῆς, ἢ παρὰ μόνων τούτων ὀνομάζεται. Τούτων γάρ ἐστιν ἐξεύρεμα καὶ Χριστομάχος ὑπόνοια, καὶ τῷ μὲν ὀνόματι τοῦ Λόγου καὶ τῆς Σοφίας καταχρῶνται, ἕτερα δὲ ἑαυτοῖς ἀναπλάττοντες, ἀρνοῦνται τὸν ἀληθινὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγον, καὶ τὴν ὄντως καὶ μόνην Σοφίαν τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ Μανιχαίους λοιπὸν ζηλοῦσιν οἱ ἄθλιοι. Κἀκεῖνοι γὰρ, τὰ μὲν ἔργα τοῦ Θεοῦ βλέποντες, ἀρνοῦνται αὐτὸν τὸν μόνον ὄντα καὶ ἀληθινὸν Θεὸν, ἕτερον δὲ ἑαυτοῖς ἀναπλάσσουσιν, οὗ μήτε ἔργον, μήτε τινὰ μαρτυρίαν ἀπὸ τῶν θείων λογίων δεικνύειν δύνανται.

### English translation (Claude)

For where at all did they find it said in the divine Scripture, or from whom did they hear, that there is another Word and another Wisdom besides this Son, that they should fashion such things for themselves? It is written indeed, “Are not my words like fire, or like an axe splitting rock?” and in the Proverbs, “I will teach you my words.” But these are commandments and precepts which God has spoken to the saints through his own and only true Word, about which the psalmist said, “I have kept my feet from every evil way, that I may keep your words.” The Saviour, at any rate, indicating that such words are other than himself, said in his own person, “the words that I have spoken to you.” For such words are not offspring or sons; nor are there so many creating words, nor so many images of the one God, nor so many who have become men for us; nor is the one who, according to John, became flesh one out of many such; but as the only Word of God he was proclaimed by John: “The Word became flesh,” and “all things came into being through him.” That is why the testimonies are written and shown about him alone, our Lord Jesus Christ, and about his unity with the Father: the Father indicating that the Son is one, and the saints, having learned this, saying that the Word is one and that he is only-begotten; and the works done through him are shown, for “all things,” visible and “invisible,” “came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being.” But of any other, different Word they have no notion; and yet they fashion for themselves words or wisdoms whose name and work Scripture nowhere indicates, and which are named by these men alone. For it is their invention and Christ-fighting surmise; they misuse the name of the Word and of Wisdom, and fashioning others for themselves they deny the true Word of God and the real and only Wisdom of the Father; and so the wretches now imitate the Manichees. For they too, seeing the works of God, deny him who alone is and is true God, and fashion for themselves another, whose work and any testimony they cannot show from the divine oracles.

### Scripture references

- Jer 23:29: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 1:23: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 119:101 (118:101 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- John 6:63: quotation, high confidence
- John 1:14: quotation, high confidence
- John 1:3: quotation, high confidence
- Col 1:16: allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The Manichees, followers of Mani (d. 277), taught two first principles; Athanasius compares the Arians' invented second Wisdom to the Manichees' second god.
- The text reads εἰς ἐστιν; corrected to εἷς ἐστιν.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 39 (Bright, 108–109; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/31/#p-39).

## Oration II Against the Arians 40

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/31/#p-40
- Source: Bright, 109–110
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The only unoriginate Wisdom coexisting with God is the Son; even Asterius, writing against pagans, confessed one Word and one Wisdom, contradicting himself.

### Greek text

40. Οὐκοῦν εἰ μήτε ἐν τοῖς θείοις λογίοις εὑρίσκεται ἄλλη σοφία παρὰ τοῦτον τὸν Υἱὸν, μήτε παρὰ τῶν πατέρων ἠκούσαμέν τι τοιοῦτον, ὡμολόγηται δὲ καὶ γέγραπται παρὰ τούτων ἀγενήτως ἡ σοφία συνυπάρχουσα τῷ Πατρὶ, ἰδία αὐτοῦ οὖσα, καὶ κόσμου δημιουργός· αὐτὸς ἂν εἴη ὁ Υἱὸς, ὁ καὶ κατʼ αὐτοὺς ἀϊδίως συνυπάρχων τῷ Πατρί. Αὐτὸς γάρ ἐστι καὶ δημιουργὸς, ὡς γέγραπται, ‘πάντα ἐν σοφίᾳ ἐποίησας. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς Ἀστέριος, ὥσπερ ἐπιλαθόμενος ὧν πρότερον ἔγραψεν, ὕστερον κατὰ τὸν Καϊάφαν ἄκων καὶ αὐτὸς πρὸς Ἔλληνας ἐνιστάμενος, οὐκέτι μὲν πολλὰς σοφίας, οὐδὲ τὴν κάμπην ὀνομάζει, μίαν δὲ λοιπὸν ὁμολογεῖ, γράφων οὕτως· ‘Εἷς μὲν ὁ Θεὸς Λόγος, πολλὰ δὲ τὰ λογικά· καὶ μία μὲν τῆς Σοφίας οὐσία τε καὶ φύσις, πολλὰ δὲ τὰ σοφὰ καὶ καλά.’ Καὶ μετʼ ὀλίγα πάλιν λέγει· ‘Τίνες ἂν εἶεν οὓς παῖδας Θεοῦ προσαγορεύειν ἀξιοῦσιν; οὐ γὰρ δὴ λόγους τε καὶ τούτους ὑπάρχειν φήσουσιν, οὐδὲ σοφίας εἶναι πλείονας ἐροῦσιν. Οὐ γὰρ δυνατὸν, ἑνὸς ὄντος τοῦ Λόγου, καὶ μιᾶς ἀποδειχθείσης τῆς Σοφίας, τῷ πλήθει τῶν παίδων τοῦ Λόγου τὴν οὐσίαν ἐπινέμειν, καὶ τῆς Σοφίας χαρίζεσθαι τὴν ἐπωνυμίαν. Θαυμαστὸν τοίνυν οὐδὲν, εἰ πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν οἱ Ἀρειανοὶ μάχονται, ὅπου γε καὶ τοῖς ἑαυτῶν προσκόπτοντες ἀλλήλοις συμπίπτουσι, ποτὲ μὲν λέγοντες πολλὰς εἶναι σοφίας, ποτὲ δὲ μίαν ἀποφαινόμενοι· καί ποτε μὲν τῇ κάμπῃ συνάπτουσι τὴν Σοφίαν, ποτὲ δὲ συνυπάρχειν τῷ Πατρὶ καὶ ἰδίαν αὐτοῦ λέγουσι· καὶ ἄλλοτε μὲν ἀγένητον μόνον τὸν Πατέρα, ἄλλοτε δὲ καὶ τὴν σοφίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν δύναμιν ἀγένητον. Καὶ μάχονται μὲν ἡμῖν λέγουσιν ‘ἀεὶ εἶναι τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγον, ʼ αὐτοὶ δὲ λέγοντες ‘ἀγενήτως συνυπάρχειν τῷ Θεῷ τὴν σοφίαν, ʼ ἐπιλανθάνονται τῶν ἰδίων. Οὕτω πρὸς πάντα σκοτοδινιῶσι, τὴν μὲν ἀληθινὴν Σοφίαν ἀρνούμενοι, καὶ τὴν μὴ οὖσαν ἐξευρίσκοντες, ὡς οἱ Μανιχαῖοι πλάττοντες ἑαυτοῖς ἕτερον, καὶ τὸν ὄντα Θεὸν ἀρνούμενοι.

### English translation (Claude)

If, then, no other wisdom besides this Son is found in the divine oracles, and we have heard nothing of the kind from the fathers, while these men acknowledge and have written that the wisdom coexists unoriginately with the Father, is proper to him, and is creator of the world, then this would be the Son himself, who even on their view coexists eternally with the Father. For he is also creator, as it is written, “You made all things in wisdom.” Indeed Asterius himself, as though forgetting what he wrote before, later, like Caiaphas, unwillingly, when he himself was opposing the Greeks, no longer names many wisdoms nor the caterpillar, but now confesses one, writing thus: “God the Word is one, but rational things are many; and the substance and nature of Wisdom is one, but wise and beautiful things are many.” And a little after he says again: “Who might those be whom they think fit to call children of God? For they will not say that these too are words, nor will they say that there are more wisdoms. For it is not possible, since the Word is one and Wisdom has been shown to be one, to distribute the substance of the Word to the multitude of children and to bestow on them the name of Wisdom.” It is no wonder, then, that the Arians fight against the truth, when they stumble even over their own writings and clash with one another, now saying there are many wisdoms, now declaring there is one; now joining Wisdom with the caterpillar, now saying it coexists with the Father and is proper to him; at one time saying the Father alone is unoriginate, at another that his wisdom and power too are unoriginate. They fight with us for saying that “the Word of God is always,” but when they themselves say that “wisdom coexists unoriginately with God,” they forget their own words. So they are dizzy about everything, denying the true Wisdom and inventing one that does not exist, like the Manichees, who fashion for themselves another god and deny the God who is.

### Scripture references

- Ps 104:24 (103:24 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- John 11:51: allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “Like Caiaphas, unwillingly” refers to John 11:49–51, where Caiaphas prophesies without knowing it.
- Slips corrected: a stray period after μάχονται, οὗσαν to οὖσαν.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 40 (Bright, 109–110; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/31/#p-40).

## Oration II Against the Arians 41

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/41/#p-41
- Source: Bright, 110–111
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The Son is named with the Father in baptism not because the Father is insufficient but because grace given by the Father is always given in his Son, as light shines by its radiance.

### Greek text

41. Ἀλλʼ ἀκουέτωσαν μὲν αἱ ἄλλαι αἱρέσεις καὶ Μανιχαῖοι ὅτι εἷς ἐστιν ὁ τοῦ μὲν Χριστοῦ Πατὴρ, τῆς δὲ κτίσεως δεσπότης καὶ ποιητὴς διὰ τοῦ ἰδίου Λόγου· ἀκουέτωσαν δὲ ἰδίᾳ καὶ Ἀρειομανῖται ὅτι εἷς ἐστιν ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος, ὁ μόνος ἴδιος καὶ γνήσιος ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας αὐτοῦ ὢν Υἱὸς, καὶ ἀχώριστον ἔχων πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα ἑαυτοῦ τὴν ἑνότητα τῆς θεότητος, ὡς πολλάκις εἴπομεν, μαθόντες παρʼ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Σωτῆρος. Ἐπεὶ εἰ μὴ οὕτως ἔχει, διὰ τί ‘διʼ αὐτοῦ κτίζειʼ ὁ Πατὴρ, καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ ‘ἀποκαλύπτεταιʼ οἷς ἐὰν θέλῃ, καὶ φωτίζει τούτους; ἢ διὰ τί καὶ ἐν τῇ τελειώσει τοῦ βαπτίσματος συγκατονομάζεται τῷ Πατρὶ ὁ Υἱός; εἰ μὲν γὰρ αὐτάρκης οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ Πατὴρ, ἀσεβὴς ἡ φωνή· εἰ δὲ αὐτάρκης (τοῦτο γὰρ θέμις εἰπεῖν), τίς ἡ χρεία τοῦ Υἱοῦ ἢ εἰς τὴν δημιουργίαν ἢ εἰς τὸ ἅγιον λουτρόν; ποία γὰρ κοινωνία τῷ κτίσματι πρὸς τὸν κτίστην; ἢ διὰ τί τὸ πεποιημένον συναριθμεῖται τῷ ποιήσαντι εἰς τὴν τῶν πάντων τελείωσιν; ἢ διὰ τί καθʼ ὑμᾶς ἡ πίστις εἰς ἕνα κτίστην καὶ εἰς ἓν κτίσμα παραδίδοται; Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἵνα συναφθῶμεν τῇ θεότητι, τίς χρεία τοῦ κτίσματος; εἰ δὲ ἵνα ἑνωθῶμεν τῷ Υἱῷ κτίσματι ὄντι, περιττὴ καθʼ ὑμᾶς ἡ ἐν τῷ βαπτίσματι τοῦ Υἱοῦ ὀνομασία· ὁ γὰρ αὐτὸν υἱοποιήσας Θεὸς ἱκανός ἐστι καὶ ἡμᾶς υἱοποιῆσαι. Ἄλλως τε εἰ κτίσμα ἐστὶν ὁ Υἱὸς, μιᾶς οὔσης τῆς φύσεως τῶν λογικῶν κτισμάτων, οὐδεμία παρὰ κτίσματος κτίσμασι βοήθεια γενήσεται, διὰ τὸ πάντας δεῖσθαι τῆς παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριτος. Ὀλίγα μὲν οὖν προλαβόντες εἴπομεν ὡς ἀκολούθως ‘διʼ αὐτοῦ γέγονε τὰ πάντα·’ ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου βαπτίσματος ἡ ἀκολουθία πεποίηκεν ἡμᾶς μνημονεῦσαι, ἀναγκαῖον, ὥς γε νοῶ καὶ πεπίστευκα, λέγειν, οὐχ ὡς μὴ αὐτάρκους ὄντος τοῦ Πατρὸς, συνονομάζεται καὶ ὁ Υἱὸς, οὐδὲ ἀπλῶς καὶ ὡς ἔτυχεν· ἀλλʼ ἐπειδὴ Λόγος ἐστὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ἰδία Σοφία, ἀπαύγασμά τε ὢν αὐτοῦ, ἀεί ἐστι μετὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς, διὰ τοῦτο ἀδύνατον, παρέχοντος τοῦ Πατρὸς, μὴ ἐν τῷ Υἱῷ δίδοσθαι τὴν χάριν· ἐν τῷ Πατρὶ γάρ ἐστιν ὁ Υἱὸς, ὡς τὸ ἀπαύγασμα ἐν τῷ φωτί. Οὐ γὰρ ὡς ἐνδεὴς ὁ Θεὸς, ἀλλʼ ὡς Πατὴρ, ‘τῇ ἑαυτοῦ Σοφίᾳ τεθεμελίωκε τὴν γῆν, ʼ καὶ τῷ ἐξ αὐτοῦ ‘Λόγῳ τὰ πάντα πεποίηκε, ’ τό τε ἅγιον λουτρὸν ἐν τῷ Υἱῷ βεβαιοῖ. Ἔνθα γὰρ ὁ Πατὴρ, ἐκεῖ καὶ ὁ Υἱός ἐστιν· ὡς ἔνθα τὸ φῶς, ἐκεῖ καὶ τὸ ἀπαύγασμα. Καὶ ὥσπερ ἃ ὁ Πατὴρ ἐργάζεται, διὰ τοῦ Υἱοῦ ἐργάζεται, καὶ λέγει αὐτὸς ὁ Κύριος, ‘ἂ βλέπω τὸν Πατέρα ποιοῦντα, ταῦτα κἀγὼ ποιῶ·’ οὕτω καὶ τοῦ βαπτίσματος διδομένου, ὃν βαπτίζει ὁ Πατὴρ, τοῦτον ὁ Υἱὸς βαπτίζει· καὶ ὃν ὁ Υἱὸς βαπτίζει, οὗτος ἐν Πνεύματι ἁγίῳ τελειοῦται. Πάλιν τε ὥσπερ τοῦ ἡλίου φαίνοντος, λέγοι ἄν τις καὶ τὸ ἀπαύγασμα φωτίζειν· ἓν γάρ ἐστι τὸ φῶς, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι διελεῖν, οὐδὲ ἀποσχίσαι· οὕτως ἔνθα πάλιν ὁ Πατήρ ἐστιν ἢ ὀνομάζεται, ἐκεῖ πάντως καὶ ὁ Υἱὸς ὑπάρχει· ὀνομάζεται δὲ ἐν τῷ βαπτίσματι ὁ Πατήρ· ἀνάγκη καὶ τὸν Υἱὸν συγκατονομάζεσθαι.

### English translation (Claude)

But let the other heresies and the Manichees hear that the Father of Christ is one, the Master and Maker of creation through his own Word; and let the Ariomaniacs in particular hear that the Word of God is one, being the only Son proper and genuine from his substance, and having an inseparable unity of Godhead with his own Father, as we have often said, having learned it from the Saviour himself. For if it is not so, why does the Father “create through him,” and “reveal himself” in him to whomever he wills, and enlighten them? Or why, in the completion of baptism too, is the Son named together with the Father? For if the Father is not sufficient, the statement is impious; but if he is sufficient (for this is what it is right to say), what need is there of the Son either for creation or for the holy washing? For what fellowship has the creature with the creator? Or why is the thing made numbered together with its maker for the completion of all? Or why, on your view, is faith handed down in one creator and one creature? For if it is so that we may be joined to the Godhead, what need is there of the creature? And if it is so that we may be united to the Son, who is a creature, then on your view the naming of the Son in baptism is superfluous; for God, who made him a son, is able to make us sons too. Besides, if the Son is a creature, then, since the nature of rational creatures is one, no help will come to creatures from a creature, because all need grace from God. We said a little earlier, in passing, how fittingly “all things came into being through him”; but since the course of the argument has made us mention holy baptism too, it is necessary to say, as I understand and have believed, that the Son is not named with the Father as though the Father were not sufficient, nor simply and at random; but since he is the Word of God and his own Wisdom, and being his radiance is always with the Father, therefore, when the Father bestows grace, it cannot be given otherwise than in the Son; for the Son is in the Father as the radiance is in the light. For not as one in need, but as Father, God “founded the earth by his own Wisdom,” and “made all things” by the “Word” that is from him, and he confirms the holy washing in the Son. For where the Father is, there the Son is too, as where the light is, there is the radiance too. And as what the Father works he works through the Son, and the Lord himself says, “What I see the Father doing, these things I also do,” so too when baptism is given, whom the Father baptizes, him the Son baptizes; and whom the Son baptizes, he is perfected in the Holy Spirit. And again, as when the sun shines one would say that the radiance too illuminates, for the light is one and cannot be divided or split off, so again, where the Father is or is named, there the Son surely is too; and the Father is named in baptism; so the Son must be named together with him.

### Scripture references

- John 1:3: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 11:27: allusion, high confidence
- Matt 28:19: allusion, high confidence
- 2 Cor 6:14: echo, medium confidence
- Prov 3:19: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 33:6 (32:6 LXX): allusion, medium confidence
- John 5:19: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “Completion” (τελείωσις) is Athanasius's term for baptism as the perfecting rite.
- The argument is from the baptismal formula of Matt 28:19; it is Athanasius's own view of what the naming of the Son in baptism implies.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 41 (Bright, 110–111; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/41/#p-41).

## Oration II Against the Arians 42

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/41/#p-42
- Source: Bright, 111–112
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Grace comes from the Father in the Son; those who deny the true Son, like the Jews who rejected him, endanger even baptism, which requires right faith together with the names.

### Greek text

42. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ τοῖς ἀγίοις ἐπαγγελλόμενος, οὕτως ἔλεγεν· ‘ἐλευσόμεθα ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ, καὶ μονὴν παρʼ αὐτῷ ποιήσομεν·’ καὶ πάλιν, ‘ἵνʼ ὡς ἐγὼ καὶ σὺ ἕν ἐσμεν, κἀκεῖνοι ἓν ὦσιν ἐν ἡμῖν.’ Καὶ ἡ διδομένη δὲ χάρις μία ἐστὶ παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐν Υἱῷ διδομένη, ὡς ὁ Παῦλος διὰ πάσης ἐπιστολῆς γράφει· ‘Χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη ἀπὸ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς ἡμῶν καὶ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.’ Δεῖ γὰρ τὸ φῶς εἶναι μετὰ τῆς αὐγῆς, καὶ τὸ ἀπαύγασμα συνορᾶσθαι μετὰ τοῦ ἰδίου φωτός. Ὅθεν Ἰουδαῖοι μετὰ τούτων ‘ἀρνούμενοι τὸν Υἱὸν, οὐκ ἔχουσιν οὐδὲ τὸν Πατέρα·᾿ ‘καταλείψαντες γὰρ τὴν πηγὴν τῆς σοφίας, ʼ ὡς ὀνειδίζων αὐτοὺς εἶπεν ὁ Βαροὺχ, ἀπέβαλον ἀφʼ ἑαυτῶν καὶ τὴν ἐκ ταύτης Σοφίαν τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν· ‘Χριστὸς γὰρ, ʼ φησὶν ὁ ἀπόστολος, ‘Θεοῦ δύναμις καὶ Θεοῦ Σοφία· ʼ λέγοντες· ‘Οὐκ ἔχομεν βασιλέα εἰ μὴ Καίσαρα.’ Ἰουδαῖοι μὲν οὖν ἔχουσι τῆς ἀρνήσεως τὰ ἐπίχειρα τῆς ἐπιτιμίας· ἀπώλεσαν γὰρ σὺν τῇ πόλει καὶ τὸν λογισμόν. Οὗτοι δὲ κινδυνεύουσι λοιπὸν καὶ περὶ αὐτὸ τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ μυστηρίου· φημὶ δὴ τὸ βάπτισμα. Εἰ γὰρ εἰς ὄνομα Πατρὸς καὶ Υἱοῦ δίδοται ἡ τελείωσις, οὐ λέγουσι δὲ Πατέρα ἀληθινὸν, διὰ τὸ ἀρνεῖσθαι τὸ ἐξ αὐτοῦ καὶ ὅμοιον τῆς οὐσίας, ἀρνοῦνται δὲ καὶ τὸν ἀληθινὸν Υἱὸν, καὶ ἄλλον ἑαυτοῖς ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων κτιστὸν ἀναπλάττοντες ὀνομάζουσι, πῶς οὐ παντελῶς κενὸν καὶ ἀλυσιτελὲς τὸ παρʼ αὐτῶν διδόμενόν ἐστι, προσποίησιν μὲν ἔχον, τῇ δὲ ἀληθείᾳ μηδὲν ἔχον πρὸς εὐσέβειαν βοήθημα; Οὐ γὰρ ‘εἰς Πατέρα καὶ Υἱὸνʼ διδόασιν οἱ Ἀρειανοὶ, ἀλλʼ εἰς κτίστην καὶ κτίσμα, καὶ εἰς ποιητὴν καὶ ποίημα. Ὥσπερ δὲ ἄλλο ἐστὶ κτίσμα παρὰ τὸν Υἱὸν, οὕτως ἄλλο ἂν εἴη τῆς ἀληθείας τὸ παρʼ αὐτῶν νομιζόμενον δίδοσθαι, κἂν τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ, διὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον, ὀνομάζειν προσποιῶνται. Οὐ γὰρ ὁ λέγων ἁπλῶς, ‘Κύριε, ʼ οὗτος καὶ δίδωσιν, ἀλλʼ ὁ μετὰ τοῦ ὀνόματος καὶ τὴν πίστιν ἔχων ὀρθήν. Διὰ τοῦτο γοῦν καὶ ὁ Σωτὴρ οὐχ ἀπλῶς ἐνετείλατο βαπτίζειν, ἀλλὰ πρῶτόν φησι, ‘μαθητεύσατε·’ εἶθʼ οὕτως· ‘βαπτίζετε εἰς ὄνομα Πατρὸς, καὶ Υἱοῦ, καὶ ἁγίου Πνεύματος·’ ἵνʼ ἐκ τῆς μαθήσεως ἡ πίστις ὀρθὴ γένηται, καὶ μετὰ πίστεως ἡ τοῦ βαπτίσματος τελείωσις προστεθῇ.

### English translation (Claude)

That is why, when he made promises to the saints, he spoke thus: “I and the Father will come and make our dwelling with him,” and again, “that as I and you are one, so they too may be one in us.” And the grace given is one, given from the Father in the Son, as Paul writes in every letter: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” For the light must be with its beam, and the radiance be seen together with its own light. Hence the Jews, along with these men, “denying the Son, do not have the Father either”; for “having forsaken the fountain of wisdom,” as Baruch said in reproach of them, they cast away from themselves also the Wisdom that is from it, our Lord Jesus Christ—for “Christ,” says the apostle, “is the power of God and the wisdom of God”—saying, “We have no king but Caesar.” The Jews, then, have the wages of their denial in their punishment; for together with their city they have lost their reason too. But these men are now in danger even concerning the very fullness of the mystery, I mean baptism. For if the completion is given into the name of the Father and of the Son, and they do not speak of a true Father, because they deny what is from him and like his substance, and they deny the true Son too, and fashioning for themselves another, created from nothing, they name him, how is what they give not entirely empty and unprofitable, having a pretense but in truth no help toward godliness? For the Arians do not give baptism “into the Father and the Son,” but into a creator and a creature, and into a maker and a work. And as a creature is other than the Son, so what they think they give would be other than the truth, even if they pretend to name the name of the Father and the Son because it is written. For it is not the one who simply says “Lord” who gives, but the one who along with the name also has the right faith. That is why the Saviour did not simply command them to baptize, but first says, “Make disciples,” and then, “baptize into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” so that from the learning faith might become right, and with faith the completion of baptism might be added.

### Scripture references

- John 14:23: quotation, high confidence
- John 17:21: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 1:7: quotation, high confidence
- 1 John 2:23: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Cor 1:24: quotation, high confidence
- John 19:15: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 7:21: allusion, medium confidence
- Matt 28:19: quotation, high confidence

### Extrabiblical texts

- Bar 3:12 (Baruch): quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “Having forsaken the fountain of wisdom” is Bar 3:12.
- “Together with their city” refers to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70; the remark about the Jews is the author's polemic, translated as written.
- Athanasius holds that baptism given with an Arian faith is empty; this is his own judgment, stated here without qualification.
- Slips corrected: Οἰκ to Οὐκ, Οὖτοι to Οὗτοι.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 42 (Bright, 111–112; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/41/#p-42).

## Oration II Against the Arians 43

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/41/#p-43
- Source: Bright, 112–113
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Heretical baptism with the right names but wrong faith is profitless; the Arians, backed by human patronage, are worse than heresies that err about Christ's body, since they blaspheme the Father's own Godhead in the Son.

### Greek text

43. Πολλαὶ γοῦν καὶ ἄλλαι αἱρέσεις, λέγουσαι τὰ ὀνόματα μόνον, μὴ φρονοῦσαι δὲ ὀρθῶς, ὡς εἴρηται, μηδὲ τὴν πίστιν ὑγιαίνουσαν ἔχουσαι, ἀλυσιτελὲς ἔχουσι καὶ τὸ παρʼ αὐτῶν διδόμενον ὕδωρ, λειπόμενον εὐσεβείᾳ· ὥστε καὶ τὸν ῥαντιζόμενον παρʼ αὐτῶν ῥυπαίνεσθαι μᾶλλον ἐν ἀσεβείᾳ ἢ λυτροῦσθαι. Οὕτω καὶ Ἔλληνες, καίτοι Θεὸν διὰ χειλέων λέγοντες, ἀθεότητος ἔχουσιν ἔγκλημα, ὅτι τὸν ὄντως ὄντα καὶ ἀληθινὸν Θεὸν οὐ γινώσκουσι, τὸν Πατέρα τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ· οὕτω Μανιχαῖοι καὶ Φρύγες, καὶ οἱ τοῦ Σαμοσατέως μαθηταὶ, τὰ ὀνόματα λέγοντες, οὐδὲν ἧττόν εἰσιν αἱρετικοί οὕτω καθεξῆς λοιπὸν καὶ οἱ τὰ Ἀρείου φρονοῦντες, κἂν ἀναγινώσκωσι τὰ γεγραμμένα, καὶ λέγωσι τὰ ὀνόματα, καὶ αὐτοὶ παίζουσι τοὺς λαμβάνοντας παρʼ αὐτῶν, πλέον τῶν ἄλλων αἱρέσεων ἀσεβέστεροι τυγχάνοντες, καὶ κατʼ ὀλίγον ὑπερκείμενοι ταύτας, καὶ δικαιοῦντες αὐτὰς ἐκ τῆς ἑαυτῶν ἀθυρογλωττίας. Ἐκεῖναι μὲν γὰρ πλέον τι τῆς ἀληθείας καταψεύδονται, καὶ ἢ περὶ τὸ σῶμα σφάλμα ἔχουσι, λέγοντες μὴ ἐκ Μαρίας ἐσχηκέναι σάρκα τὸν Κύριον, ἢ ὅτι ὅλως οὐ γέγονε θάνατος, οὐδὲ ὅλως ἄνθρωπος γέγονεν, ἀλλὰ μόνον ἐφάνη, καὶ οὐκ ἦν ἀληθῶς, καὶ ἐδόκει σῶμα ἔχειν, μὴ ἔχων, καὶ ἐδόκει ἄνθρωπος φαίνεσθαι ὡς ἐν ὀνείρῳ φαντασίας· οὗτοι δὲ εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν Πατέρα φανερῶς ἀσεβοῦσι. Τὴν γὰρ θεότητα αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν Υἱὸν ὡς ἐν εἰκόνι μαρτυρουμένην ἀκούοντες ἀπὸ τῶν γραφῶν, βλασφημοῦσι, λέγοντες αὐτὴν εἶναι κτίσμα, καὶ πανταχοῦ περὶ αὐτῆς τὸ ‘οὐκ ἦν, ʼ ὡς ἐν πήρᾳ βόρβορον, τὸ λεξείδιον τοῦτο περιφέρουσι, καὶ ὡς ὄφις τὸν ἰὸν, τοῦτο προβάλλονται. Εἶτα, ἐπειδὴ ναυσηρὸν παρὰ πᾶσι τὸ παρʼ αὐτοῖς ἐστι δόγμα, εὐθὺς ὥσπερ ἔρεισμα τῷ πτώματι τῆς αἱρέσεως, τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην προστασίαν ὑποτιθέασι, ἵνα ταύτην βλέπων ὁ ἁπλούστερος, ἢ καὶ δεδιὼς, μὴ κατανοῇ τὸ βλαβερὸν τῆς κακοφροσύνης αὐτῶν. Πῶς οὖν οὐκ ἄξιον οἰκτείρειν τοὺς παρʼ αὐτῶν ἀπατωμένους; ἢ πῶς οὐκ ἐπὶ τούτοις δακρῦσαι καλὸν, ὅτι τῇ παραυτίκα διὰ τὰς ἡδονὰς φαντασίᾳ προδιδόασι τὸ ἑαυτοῖς συμφέρον, καὶ ἐκπίπτουσι τῆς μελλούσης ἐλπίδος; Εἰς γὰρ τὸν οὐκ ὄντα δοκοῦντες λαμβάνειν, οὐδὲν εἰληφότες ἔσονται· κτίσματί τε συντασσόμενοι, οὐδεμίαν παρὰ τῆς κτίσεως ἕξουσι βοήθειαν. Καὶ εἰς ἀνόμοιον δὲ καὶ ἀλλότριον κατʼ οὐσίαν τοῦ Πατρὸς πιστεύοντες, οὐ συναφθήσονται τῷ Πατρὶ, μὴ ἔχοντες τὸν ἴδιον καὶ ἐξ αὐτοῦ φύσει Υἱὸν, τὸν ‘ὄντα ἐν τῷ Πατρὶ, ἐν ᾧ καὶ ὁ Πατήρ ἐστιν, ’ ὡς αὐτὸς εἴρηκεν· ἀλλὰ πλανηθέντες παρὰ τούτων, ἔρημοι καὶ γυμνοὶ λοιπὸν ἀπομένουσι τῆς θεότητος οἱ ἄθλιοι. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀκολουθήσει τούτοις ἀποθνήσκουσιν ἡ τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς φαντασία· οὐδʼ ὅταν ἴδωσιν, ὃν ἠρνήσαντο, Κύριον καθήμενον ἐπὶ τὸν θρόνον τοῦ Πατρὸς αὐτοῦ, καὶ κρίνοντα ζῶντας καὶ νεκροὺς, δυνήσεταί τις εἰς βοήθειαν ἐπικαλέσασθαί τινα τῶν νῦν ἀπατησάντων· κρινομένους γὰρ καὶ αὐτοὺς ὄψονται καὶ μεταμελομένους ἐφʼ οἷς ἠδίκησαν καὶ ἠσέβησαν.

### English translation (Claude)

Many other heresies too, at any rate, which say the names only but do not think rightly, as has been said, nor hold the sound faith, have the water they give unprofitable as well, since it lacks godliness; so that the one sprinkled by them is defiled in impiety rather than redeemed. So too the Greeks, though they say “God” with their lips, bear the charge of atheism, because they do not know the one who really is and is true God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; so too the Manichees and the Phrygians and the disciples of the Samosatene, though they say the names, are none the less heretics; and so, in turn, those who hold the views of Arius, even if they read what is written and say the names, are themselves mocking those who receive baptism from them, being more impious than the other heresies, gradually going beyond them, and making them look righteous by their own unbridled tongue. For those others lie against the truth on some point: either they err about the body, saying that the Lord did not have flesh from Mary, or that there was no death at all, or that he did not become man at all but only appeared, and was not truly so, and seemed to have a body though he had none, and seemed to appear as a man, as in the fancy of a dream. But these men openly commit impiety against the Father himself. For hearing from the Scriptures that his Godhead is attested in the Son as in an image, they blaspheme, saying that it is a creature, and everywhere they carry this little phrase “he was not” about with them, like mud in a bag, and throw it out as a serpent throws its venom. Then, since their doctrine is nauseating to all, they at once put forward human patronage as a prop for their tottering heresy, so that the simpler person, seeing it, or else from fear, may not perceive the harm of their evil-mindedness. How then is it not right to pity those deceived by them? Or how is it not fitting to weep over them, because for the fancy of the moment, for the sake of pleasures, they betray their own good and fall away from the hope to come? For thinking to receive baptism into one who does not exist, they will have received nothing; and ranked with a creature, they will have no help from the creation. And believing in one unlike and foreign in substance to the Father, they will not be joined to the Father, since they do not have his own Son, by nature from him, who “is in the Father, and in whom the Father is,” as he himself said; but led astray by these men, the wretches remain thereafter destitute and bare of the Godhead. For the fancy of earthly things will not follow them when they die; nor, when they see the Lord whom they denied sitting on the throne of his Father and judging the living and the dead, will anyone be able to call on any of those who now deceived them for help; for they will see them too being judged and repenting of the wrongs and impieties they committed.

### Scripture references

- Isa 29:13: echo, medium confidence
- John 14:10: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 25:31: allusion, medium confidence
- 2 Tim 4:1: allusion, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- The “Phrygians” are the Montanists; “the disciples of the Samosatene” are followers of Paul of Samosata.
- Those who said Christ only seemed to have a body are the docetists.
- “Human patronage” probably refers to the imperial support the Arian party enjoyed.
- Slips corrected: Ἱησοῦ to Ἰησοῦ, βλασφημοῦτι to βλασφημοῦσι.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 43 (Bright, 112–113; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/41/#p-43).

## Oration II Against the Arians 44

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/41/#p-44
- Source: Bright, 113–114
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Prov 8:22 is a proverb and must be interpreted by asking who speaks; Wisdom, the creator, speaks of the “house” she built, the body the Word took.

### Greek text

44. Ταῦτα πρὸ τοῦ ῥητοῦ τῶν Παροιμιῶν τέως διελάβομεν, ἐνιστάμενοι πρὸς τὰς ἀλόγους ἐκ καρδίας αὐτῶν μυθοπλαστίας· ἵνα γνόντες ὡς οὐχ ἁρμόζει λέγειν ‘κτίσμαʼ τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ, μάθωσι καλῶς ἀναγινώσκειν καὶ αὐτοὶ τὸ ἐν ταῖς Παροιμίαις ῥητὸν, ὀρθὴν ἔχον καὶ αὐτὸ τὴν διάνοιαν. Γέγραπται μὲν γάρ· ‘Κύριος ἔκτισέ με ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ εἰς ἔργα αὐτοῦ· ʼ ἀλλʼ ἐπειδὴ παροιμίαι εἰσὶ, καὶ παροιμιωδῶς ἐλέχθη, οὐ δεῖ τὴν πρόχειρον λέξιν ἀπλῶς οὕτως ἐκλαμβάνειν, ἀλλὰ τὸ πρόσωπον ζητεῖν, καὶ οὕτω μετʼ εὐσεβείας τὸν νοῦν ἐφαρμόζειν αὐτῷ. Τὰ γὰρ ἐν παροιμίαις λεγόμενα, οὐκ ἐκ φανεροῦ λέγεται, ἀλλὰ κεκρυμμένως ἀπαγγέλλεται, ὡς αὐτὸς ὁ Κύριος ἐδίδαξεν ἐν τῷ κατὰ Ἰωάννην εὐαγγελίῳ, λέγων, ‘Ταῦτα ἐν παροιμίαις λελάληκα ὑμῖν, ἀλλʼ ἔρχεται ὥρα, ὅτε οὐκέτι ἐν παροιμίαις λαλήσω ὑμῖν, ἀλλὰ παῤῥησίᾳ.’ Οὐκοῦν ἀποκαλύπτειν χρὴ τὸν νοῦν τοῦ ῥητοῦ, ὡς κεκρυμμένον τε τοῦτον ζητεῖν, καὶ μὴ ὡς ἐν παῤῥησίᾳ εἰρημένον ἀπλῶς ἐκλαμβάνειν, ἵνα μὴ παρεξηγούμενοι πλανηθῶμεν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀληθείας. Εἰ μὲν οὖν περὶ ἀγγέλου ἢ ἑτέρου τινὸς τῶν γενητῶν ἐστι τὸ γεγραμμένον, ὡς περὶ ἑνὸς ἡμῶν τῶν ποιημάτων, ἔστω λεγόμενον τὸ ‘ἔκτισέ με·’ εἰ δὲ ἡ Σοφία τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν, ἐν ᾗ πάντα τὰ γενητὰ δεδημιούργηται, ἡ περὶ ἑαυτῆς λέγουσα· τί δεῖ νοεῖν ἢ ὅτι τὸ ‘ἔκτισεʼ φάσκουσα, οὐκ ἐναντίον τῷ ‘ἐγέννησεʼ λέγει; οὐδὲ ὡς ἐπιλαθομένη ὅτι κτίζουσά ἐστι καὶ δημιουργὸς, ἢ ἀγνοοῦσα τὴν διαφορὰν τοῦ κτίζοντος καὶ τῶν κτισμάτων, ἐν τοῖς κτίσμασιν ἑαυτὴν συναριθμεῖ· ἀλλά τινα νοῦν, ὡς ἐν παροιμίαις, οὐ παῤῥησίᾳ, κεκρυμμένον δὲ σημαίνει· ὃν τοῖς μὲν ἀγίοις ἐνέπνεε προφητεύειν, αὐτὴ δὲ μετʼ ὀλίγα ἐκ παραλλήλου τὸ ‘ἔκτισενʼ ἐν ἑτέραις λέξεσι σημαίνουσά φησιν· ‘Ἡ Σοφία ᾠκοδόμησεν ἑαυτῇ οἶκον.’ Δῆλον δέ ἐστιν οἶκον εἶναι τῆς Σοφίας τὸ ἡμέτερον σῶμα, ὅπερ ἀναλαβὼν γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος· καὶ εἰκότως παρὰ μὲν Ἰωάννου λέγεται, ‘ὁ Λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο·’ διὰ δὲ Σολομῶνος περὶ ἑαυτῆς ἡ Σοφία μετὰ παρατηρήσεώς φησιν, οὐχ ὅτι ‘κτίσμα εἰμὶ, ʼ ἀλλὰ μόνον ὅτι ‘Κύριος ἔκτισέ με ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ εἰς ἔργα αὐτοῦ, ’ ἀλλʼ οὐκ ‘εἰς τὸ εἶναί με ἔκτισεν, ’ οὐδὲ ‘ὅτι κτίσματος ἀρχὴν καὶ γένεσιν ἔχω.’

### English translation (Claude)

These things we have set out meanwhile, before coming to the saying of the Proverbs, in opposition to the irrational fictions that come from their own hearts, so that, knowing that it is not fitting to call the Son of God “a creature,” they too may learn to read rightly the saying in the Proverbs, which itself also has a correct sense. For it is written, “The Lord created me a beginning of his ways for his works”; but since these are proverbs, and it was said in proverbial fashion, one must not simply take the obvious wording as it stands, but seek the person, and so, with piety, fit the sense to that person. For what is said in proverbs is not said openly but is announced in a hidden way, as the Lord himself taught in the Gospel according to John, saying, “These things I have spoken to you in proverbs; but the hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in proverbs, but plainly.” So one must uncover the sense of the saying, and seek it as something hidden, and not simply take it as spoken plainly, lest by misinterpreting we stray from the truth. If, then, what is written is about an angel or some other originated being, as about one of us who are works, let “he created me” be taken so; but if it is the Wisdom of God, in which all originated things have been crafted, that speaks about itself, what must we understand but that in saying “he created” it says nothing contrary to “he begot”? Nor, as though forgetting that it is creator and craftsman, or not knowing the difference between the creator and the creatures, does it number itself among the creatures; but it signifies a certain sense, as in proverbs, not plainly but hidden, which it inspired the saints to prophesy; and a little later, signifying “he created” in parallel in other words, it says itself, “Wisdom has built herself a house.” And it is clear that Wisdom's house is our body, which he took up and so became man; and fittingly it is said by John, “The Word became flesh,” while through Solomon Wisdom says of itself, with care, not “I am a creature,” but only “The Lord created me a beginning of his ways for his works”—not “he created me so that I might be,” nor “I have the beginning and origin of a creature.”

### Scripture references

- Prov 8:22: quotation, high confidence
- John 16:25: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 9:1: quotation, high confidence
- John 1:14: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Athanasius's key to Prov 8:22 is that “created” refers to the Word's human body, paralleled by Prov 9:1, “Wisdom has built herself a house.”

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 44 (Bright, 113–114; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/41/#p-44).

## Oration II Against the Arians 45

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/41/#p-45
- Source: Bright, 114–115
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: “He created” said of Wisdom does not mean “I am a creature”; Scripture uses “creature” for things created in their very substance, and “created” can refer to something that happens to someone.

### Greek text

45. Καὶ ἐνταῦθα γὰρ οὐ τὴν οὐσίαν τῆς θεότητος αὐτοῦ, οὐδὲ τὴν ἐκ Πατρὸς ἀΐδιον ἑαυτοῦ καὶ γνησίαν γέννησιν ὁ Λόγος σημαίνων, διὰ Σολομῶνος εἴρηκεν, ἀλλὰ πάλιν τὸ ἀνθρώπινον καὶ τὴν εἰς ἡμᾶς οἰκονομίαν αὐτοῦ, Διὸ καὶ, καθὼς προεῖπον, οὐκ εἶπε, ‘κτίσμα εἰμὶ, ʼ ἢ, ‘κτίσμα ἐγενόμην, ʼ ἀλλὰ μόνον, ‘ἔκτισε.’ Τὰ μὲν γὰρ ‘κτίσματα, ʼ κτιστὴν ἔχοντα τὴν οὐσίαν, τῶν γενητῶν ἐστι, καὶ λέγεται κτίζεσθαι, καὶ πάντως τὸ κτίσμα κτίζεται· ἡ δὲ τοῦ ‘ἔκτισεʼ μόνη λέξις λεγομένη οὐ πάντως τὴν οὐσίαν ἢ τὴν γέννησιν σημαίνει, ἀλλά τι ἕτερον δηλοῖ γίνεσθαι περὶ ἐκεῖνον περὶ οὗ λέγει· καὶ οὐ πάντως τὸ λεγόμενον κτίζεσθαι ἤδη καὶ τῇ φύσει καὶ τῇ οὐσίᾳ κτίσμα ἐστί. Καὶ ταύτην τὴν διαφορὰν οἶδεν ἡ θεία γραφὴ, περὶ μὲν τῶν κτισμάτων λέγουσα, ‘ἐπληρώθη ἡ γῆ τῆς κτίσεώς σου· ʼ καὶ, ‘αὐτὴ ἡ κτίσις συστενάζει καὶ συνωδίνει·’ ἐν δὲ τῇ Ἀποκαλύψει φησὶ, ‘καὶ ἀπέθανε τὸ τρίτον μέρος τῶν κτισμάτων τῶν ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ, τὰ ἔχοντα ψυχάς·’ καθὼς καὶ ὁ Παῦλος λέγει, ‘πᾶν κτίσμα Θεοῦ καλὸν, καὶ οὐδὲν ἀπόβλητον μετὰ εὐχαριστίας λαμβανόμενον· ἐν δὲ τῇ Σοφίᾳ γέγραπται· ‘Καὶ τῇ Σοφίᾳ σου κατεσκεύασας τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ἵνα δεσπόζῃ τῶν ὑπὸ σοῦ γενομένων κτισμάτων. ʼ Καὶ ὅτι ταῦτα, κτίσματα ὄντα, λέγει κτίζεσθαι, οὕτω πάλιν ἔστιν ἀκοῦσαι τοῦ μὲν Κυρίου λέγοντος, ‘ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς δὲ ὁ κτίσας, ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ ἐποίησεν αὐτούς·’ Μωσέως δὲ ἐν τῇ ᾠδῇ γράφοντος, ‘Ἐπερωτήσατε ἡμέρας τὰς γενομένας προτέρας σου ἀπὸ τῆς ἡμέρας, ἧς ἔκτισεν ὁ Θεὸς ἄνθρωπον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ ἄκρον τοῦ οὐρανοῦ·’ ὁ δὲ Παῦλος ἐν τῇ πρὸς Κολασσαεῖς φησιν, ὅς ἐστιν εἰκὼν τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ἀοράτου, πρωτότοκος πάσης κτίσεως· ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐκτίσθη τὰ πάντα τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς καὶ τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, τὰ ὁρατὰ καὶ τὰ ἀόρατα, εἴτε θρόνοι, εἴτε κυριότητες, εἴτε ἀρχαὶ, εἴτε ἐξουσίαι· τὰ πάντα διʼ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν ἔκτισται, καὶ αὐτός ἐστι πρὸ πάντων.’

### English translation (Claude)

For here too the Word, speaking through Solomon, is not signifying the substance of his Godhead, nor his eternal and genuine generation from the Father, but again his humanity and his economy toward us. That is why, as I said before, he did not say “I am a creature,” or “I became a creature,” but only “he created.” For “creatures,” having a created substance, are among originated things, and are said to be created, and a creature is certainly created; but the word “he created,” said by itself, does not necessarily signify the substance or the generation, but indicates that something else comes about concerning the one of whom it speaks; and what is said to be created is not necessarily, by that fact, a creature in nature and substance. The divine Scripture knows this difference, saying of the creatures, “The earth was filled with your creation,” and “Creation itself groans together and travails together”; and in the Revelation it says, “And a third of the creatures in the sea, those that had souls, died”; as Paul too says, “Every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving”; and in Wisdom it is written, “And by your Wisdom you formed man, to have dominion over the creatures made by you.” And that it says that these, being creatures, are created, one can hear again from the Lord, who says, “But he who created from the beginning made them male and female”; from Moses, writing in the song, “Ask of the days that were before you, from the day on which God created man upon the earth, and to the end of heaven”; and from Paul, who says in the letter to the Colossians, “who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things were created in the heavens and on the earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities; all things were created through him and for him, and he is before all.”

### Scripture references

- Ps 104:24 (103:24 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Rom 8:22: quotation, high confidence
- Rev 8:9: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Tim 4:4: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 19:4: quotation, high confidence
- Deut 4:32: quotation, high confidence
- Col 1:15: quotation, high confidence
- Col 1:16: quotation, high confidence
- Col 1:17: quotation, high confidence

### Extrabiblical texts

- Wis 9:2 (Wisdom of Solomon): quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “In Wisdom” is Wis 9:2.
- The quotation “Ask of the days that were before you” is Deut 4:32, not from the Song of Moses; Athanasius's attribution is kept.
- A stray period after τῇ is removed.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 45 (Bright, 114–115; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/41/#p-45).

## Oration II Against the Arians 46

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/41/#p-46
- Source: Bright, 115–116
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Scripture often uses “create” for renewal (a clean heart, the new man, a new people), so “the Lord created me” refers to the humanity of the Word, not his substance.

### Greek text

46. Ὅτι μὲν οὖν τὰ φύσει τὴν οὐσίαν ἔχοντα κτιστὴν κτίσματα λέγεται καὶ κτίζεται, ἀρκεῖ ταῦτα πρὸς ὑπόμνησιν εἰρῆσθαι, πλήρους οὔσης τῆς γραφῆς· ὅτι δὲ ἡ τοῦ ἔκτισεʼ μόνη λέξις λεγομένη οὐ πάντως τὴν οὐσίαν καὶ τὴν γένεσιν σημαίνει, ὁ μὲν Δαυῒδ ψάλλει, ‘Γραφήτω αὕτη εἰς γενεὰν ἑτέραν, καὶ λαὸς ὁ κτιζόμενος αἰνέσει τὸν Κύριον·’ καὶ πάλιν, ‘Καρδίαν καθαρὰν κτίσον ἐν ἐμοὶ, ὁ Θεός·’ ὁ δὲ Παῦλος ἐν τῇ πρὸς Ἐφεσίους φησὶ, ‘τὸν νόμον τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐν δόγμασι καταργήσας, ἵνα τοὺς δύο κτίσῃ ἐν ἑαυτῷ εἰς ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον·’ καὶ πάλιν· ἐνδύσασθε τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον, τὸν κατὰ Θεὸν κτισθέντα ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ καὶ ὁσιότητι τῆς ἀληθείας.’ Οὔτε γὰρ ὁ Δαυῒδ λαόν τινα κατʼ οὐσίαν κτιζόμενον ἔλεγεν, οὔτε καρδίαν ἑτέραν ηὔχετο λαβεῖν, παρʼ ἣν εἶχεν· ἀλλὰ τὴν κατὰ Θεὸν ἀνανέωσιν καὶ ἀνακαίνισιν ἐσήμαινεν. Οὔτε δὲ ὁ Παῦλος κατʼ οὐσίαν κτιζομένους ἐν τῷ Κυρίῳ δύο τινὰς ἐδήλου, ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ ἄλλον τινὰ ἐνδύσασθαι ἡμᾶς ἄνθρωπον συνεβούλευεν· ἀλλὰ τὸν μὲν κατὰ Θεὸν ἄνθρωπον, τὸν κατʼ ἀρετὴν βίον ἔλεγε, τοὺς δὲ κτιζομένους ἐν Χριστῷ τοὺς ἀνακαινιζομένους ἐν αὐτῷ δύο λαοὺς ἐσήμαινε. Τοιοῦτόν ἐστι καὶ τὸ λεγόμενον παρὰ τῷ Ἰερεμίᾳ, ‘Ἔκτισε Κύριος σωτηρίαν καινὴν εἰς καταφύτευσιν, ἐν ᾗ σωτηρίᾳ περιελεύσονται ἄνθρωποι·’ τοῦτο δὲ λέγων οὐκ οὐσίαν τινὰ κτίσματος σημαίνει, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἀνακαινιζομένην σωτηρίαν προφητεύει, τὴν γενομένην ἐν Χριστῷ πρὸς ἡμᾶς. Τοιαύτης δὴ οὔσης καὶ τῆς διαφορᾶς, περί τε τῶν κτισμάτων καὶ τοῦ λεγομένου μόνον ‘ἔκτισεν, ʼ εἰ μὲν εὕρητέ που τὸν Κύριον λεγόμενον ἐν τῇ θείᾳ γραφῇ ‘κτίσμαʼ δείξατε καὶ μάχεσθε· εἰ δὲ μὴ γέγραπταί που κτίσμα εἶναι αὐτὸν, λέγει δὲ αὐτὸς περὶ ἑαυτοῦ ἐν Παροιμίαις, ‘Κύριος ἔκτισέ με, ʼ ἐντράπητε ὑπὸ τῆς προειρημένης διαφορᾶς, καὶ τῶν παροιμιωδῶς εἰρημένων· καὶ λοιπὸν τὸ ‘ἔκτισεʼ μὴ κτίσμα ἀκούετε, ἀλλὰ τὸ περὶ αὐτὸν γενόμενον ἀνθρώπινον· τούτου γὰρ ἴδιόν ἐστι καὶ τὸ κτίζεσθαι. Ἐπεὶ πῶς οὐκ ἀδικεῖτε, ὅτι παρὰ μὲν τοῦ Δαυῒδ καὶ τοῦ Παύλου ἀκούοντες τὸ ‘ἔκτισενʼ οὐ τὴν οὐσίαν καὶ τὴν γένεσιν νοεῖτε, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἀνανέωσιν· παρὰ δὲ τοῦ Κυρίου ἀκούοντες τὸ ‘ἔκτισε, ’ τὴν οὐσίαν αὐτοῦ τοῖς κτίσμασι συναριθμεῖτε; πάλιν τε ἀκούοντες, ‘Ἡ Σοφία ᾠκοδόμησεν ἑαυτῇ οἶκον, καὶ ὑπήρεισε στύλους ἑπτὰ, ʼ τὸν μὲν ‘οἶκονʼ ἀλληγορεῖτε, τὸ δὲ ‘ἔκτισενʼ οὕτω λαμβάνοντες μεταποιεῖτε αὐτὸ εἰς κτίσμα· καὶ οὔτε τὸ εἶναι αὐτὸν δημιουργὸν ἐδυσώπησεν ὑμᾶς, οὔτε τὸ εἶναι αὐτὸν μόνον ἴδιον γέννημα τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐφοβήθητε· ἀλλὰ ἁπλῶς, ὡς πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀπογραψάμενοι, μάχεσθε, ἐλάττονά τε περὶ αὐτοῦ μᾶλλον ἢ περὶ ἀνθρώπων νοεῖτε.

### English translation (Claude)

That things which by nature have a created substance are called creatures and are created, these examples suffice as a reminder, since Scripture is full of them. But that the word “he created,” said by itself, does not necessarily signify the substance and the origin, David sings: “Let this be written for another generation, and a people that is being created will praise the Lord,” and again, “Create in me a clean heart, O God”; and Paul says in the letter to the Ephesians, “having abolished the law of commandments in ordinances, that he might create in himself the two into one new man,” and again, “Put on the new man, created according to God in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” For neither did David speak of a people being created in substance, nor did he pray to receive another heart besides the one he had; he meant the renewal and renovation according to God. Nor did Paul indicate two persons being created in substance in the Lord, nor did he advise us to put on some other man; by the man according to God he meant the life of virtue, and by those created in Christ he meant the two peoples renewed in him. Such too is what is said in Jeremiah: “The Lord created a new salvation for planting, in which salvation men shall go about”; in saying this he does not signify some substance of a creature, but prophesies the salvation renewed among human beings, which came to us in Christ. Since, then, there is such a difference between the creatures and the bare expression “he created,” if you find the Lord anywhere called “a creature” in the divine Scripture, show it and fight; but if it is nowhere written that he is a creature, and he himself says of himself in the Proverbs, “The Lord created me,” be put to shame by the difference just stated and by what is said in proverbial fashion; and from now on do not hear “he created” as “creature,” but as referring to the humanity that came about in him; for to be created is proper to this. For how are you not unjust, that when you hear “he created” from David and Paul you do not understand the substance and the origin but the renewal, while when you hear “he created” from the Lord, you number his substance with the creatures? And again, hearing, “Wisdom has built herself a house and set up seven pillars,” you take the “house” allegorically, but taking “he created” literally you turn it into a creature; and neither did his being creator make you ashamed, nor did you fear his being the only proper offspring of the Father; but simply, as if you had signed on against him, you fight, and you think less of him than of human beings.

### Scripture references

- Ps 102:18 (101:19 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Ps 51:10 (50:12 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Eph 2:15: quotation, high confidence
- Eph 4:24: quotation, high confidence
- Jer 31:22 (38:22 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Prov 8:22: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 9:1: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The Jeremiah quotation is the Septuagint of Jer 31:22 (LXX 38:22), which differs widely from the Hebrew.
- Slips corrected: a Latin T in Τοιοῦτόν, Ἱερεμίᾳ to Ἰερεμίᾳ.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 46 (Bright, 115–116; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/41/#p-46).

## Oration II Against the Arians 47

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/41/#p-47
- Source: Bright, 116–117
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: As the Word “became flesh,” “a curse,” and “sin” without being changed into them, so he was “created” by taking a created body for our salvation and deification.

### Greek text

47. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ ῥητὸν δείκνυσιν ὑμῶν μόνον εὕρημα εἶναι τὸ λέγειν κτίσμα τὸν Κύριον. Τὴν γὰρ οὐσίαν ἑαυτοῦ γινώσκων ὁ Κύριος μονογενῆ Σοφίαν καὶ γέννημα τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ ἄλλην οὖσαν παρὰ τὰ γενητὰ καὶ τὰ φύσει κτίσματα, φιλανθρώπως νῦν λέγει, ‘Κύριος ἔκτισέ με ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ·’ ἴσον τῷ εἰπεῖν, ‘Ὁ Πατὴρ σῶμά μοι κατηρτίσατο, καὶ εἰς ἀνθρώπους με ἔκτισεν, ὑπὲρ τῆς τῶν ἀνθρώπων σωτηρίας. ʼ Καὶ γὰρ ὥσπερ Ἰωάννου ἀκούοντες, ‘ὁ Λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο, ʼ οὐκ αὐτὸν ὅλον σάρκα νοοῦμεν τὸν Λόγον, ἀλλὰ σάρκα ἐνδυσάμενον, καὶ γενόμενον ἄνθρωπον· ἀκούοντές τε, ‘Χριστὸς γέγονεν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν κατάρα, ’ καὶ, ‘τὸν μὴ γνόντα ἁμαρτίαν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἁμαρτίαν ἐποίησεν, ʼ οὐκ αὐτὸ τοῦτο ὅλον κατάραν καὶ ἁμαρτίαν αὐτὸν νοοῦμεν γεγενῆσθαι, ἀλλʼ ὅτι τὴν μὲν καθʼ ἡμῶν κατάραν ἀνεδέξατο, ὡς εἶπεν ὁ ἀπόστολος, ἐξηγόρασεν ἡμᾶς ἐκ τῆς κατάρας·’ ‘τὰς δὲ ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν, ’ ὡς μὲν ὁ Ἡσαΐας εἶπεν, ἐβάστασεν, ’ ὡς δὲ ὁ Πέτρος ἔγραψεν. ‘ἀνήνεγκεν αὐτὰς τῷ σώματι ἐπὶ τὸ ξύλον.’ Οὕτως ἐὰν ἀκούωμεν ἐν ταῖς Παροιμίαις τὸ ‘ἔκτισεν, ʼ οὐ δεῖ κτίσμα τῇ φύσει ὅλον νοεῖν τὸν Λόγον, ἀλλʼ ὅτι τὸ κτιστὸν ἐνδύσατο σῶμα, καὶ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἔκτισεν αὐτὸν ὁ Θεὸς, εἰς ἡμᾶς τὸ κτιστὸν αὐτῷ καταρτίσας, ὡς γέγραπται, ‘σῶμα, ʼ ἵνʼ ἐν αὐτῷ ἀνακαινισθῆναι καὶ θεοποιηθῆναι δυνηθῶμεν. Τί τοίνυν ὑμᾶς ἠπάτησεν, ὦ ἀνόητοι, εἰπεῖν τὸν κτίστην ‘κτίσμα; ʼ ἢ πόθεν ἠγοράσατε ἑαυτοῖς τὸ καινὸν φρόνημα τοῦτο, καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ πομπεύετε; Αἱ γὰρ Παροιμίαι λέγουσι τὸ ‘ἔκτισεν·’ ἀλλʼ οὐ λέγουσι ‘κτίσμαʼ τὸν Υἱὸν, ἀλλὰ γέννημα, καὶ κατὰ τὴν προειρημένην δὲ ἐκ τῶν Γραφῶν διαστολὴν, λέγω τοῦ ‘ἔκτισεʼ καὶ τοῦ ‘κτίσματος, ’ τὸ μὲν ἴδιον φύσει τοῦ Υἱοῦ μονογενῆ Σοφίαν αὐτὸν καὶ δημιουργὸν τῶν κτισμάτων γινώσκουσι· τὸ δὲ ‘ἔκτισεʼ λέγουσαι, οὐκ ἐπὶ τῆς οὐσίας αὐτοῦ λέγουσιν, ἀλλὰ πολλῶν ‘ὁδῶν ἀρχὴνʼ αὐτὸν γίνεσθαι σημαίνουσιν, ὡς εἶναι ἐναντίον τὸ μὲν ‘ἔκτισεʼ τῷ γεννήματι, τὸ λεγόμενον ‘ἀρχὴν ὁδῶνʼ τῷ εἶναι αὐτὸν μονογενῆ Λόγον.

### English translation (Claude)

For the saying itself shows that calling the Lord a creature is your own invention. For the Lord, knowing his own substance to be the only-begotten Wisdom and offspring of the Father, other than originated things and things that are creatures by nature, now says out of love for humankind, “The Lord created me a beginning of his ways,” which is equal to saying, “The Father prepared a body for me, and created me for human beings, for the salvation of human beings.” For just as, hearing from John, “The Word became flesh,” we do not think that the Word himself is wholly flesh, but that he put on flesh and became man; and hearing, “Christ became a curse for us,” and “He made him who knew no sin to be sin for us,” we do not think that he became wholly this, a curse and sin, but that he took upon himself the curse that lay on us (as the apostle said, “he redeemed us from the curse”), and “our sins,” as Isaiah said, “he bore,” and as Peter wrote, “he carried them up in his body onto the tree”; so if we hear “he created” in the Proverbs, we must not think the Word wholly a creature by nature, but that he put on a created body, and God created him for our sake, preparing for him for us that created thing, “a body,” as it is written, so that in him we might be able to be renewed and deified. What, then, deceived you, you senseless ones, into calling the creator “a creature”? Or where did you buy this new idea for yourselves, that you parade in it? For the Proverbs say “he created,” but they do not call the Son “a creature,” but offspring; and according to the distinction drawn above from the Scriptures—I mean between “he created” and “creature”—they recognize what is proper by nature to the Son, that he is only-begotten Wisdom and creator of the creatures; and when they say “he created,” they do not say it of his substance, but signify that he becomes “a beginning of” many “ways,” so that “he created” stands over against “offspring,” and the phrase “beginning of ways” over against his being the only-begotten Word.

### Scripture references

- Prov 8:22: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 10:5: allusion, high confidence
- John 1:14: quotation, high confidence
- Gal 3:13: quotation, high confidence
- 2 Cor 5:21: quotation, high confidence
- Isa 53:4: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Pet 2:24: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “Deified” renders θεοποιηθῆναι, Athanasius's term for human beings being made partakers of God through the incarnate Word.
- “The Father prepared a body for me” echoes Heb 10:5 (Ps 40:6 LXX).
- Slips corrected: Τῆν to Τὴν, σάρκανοοῦμεν (words run together), ὔτως to Οὕτως, and a stray period.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 47 (Bright, 116–117; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/41/#p-47).

## Oration II Against the Arians 48

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/41/#p-48
- Source: Bright, 117–118
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: A “beginning” shares the nature of what follows it, as Reuben with his brothers or the first part of a city with the rest; creatures come to be together by kinds, so a created Word could be neither alone nor first.

### Greek text

48. Εἰ γὰρ γέννημά ἐστι, πῶς κτίσμα λέγετε αὐτόν; Οὐδεὶς γὰρ, ἅπερ κτίζει, λέγει γεννᾷν, οὐδὲ τὰ ἴδια γεννήματα καλεῖ κτίσματα. Πάλιν τε εἰ μονογενής ἐστι, πῶς ‘ἀρχὴ τῶν ὁδῶνʼ αὐτὸς γίνεται; Ἀνάγκη γὰρ, αὐτὸν ἀρχὴν τῶν πάντων κτισθέντα, μηκέτι μόνον εἶναι, ἔχοντα τοὺς μετʼ αὐτὸν γενομένους. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ Ῥουβὴμ, ‘ἀρχὴ τῶν τέκνωνʼ γενόμενος, οὐκ ἦν μονογενὴς, ἀλλὰ τῷ μὲν χρόνῳ πρῶτος, τῇ δὲ φύσει καὶ τῇ συγγενείᾳ εἷς ὢν τῶν μετʼ αὐτὸν ἐτύγχανεν. Οὐκοῦν εἰ καὶ ὁ Λόγος ‘ἀρχὴ τῶν ὁδῶνʼ ἐστι, καὶ αὐτὸς ἂν εἴη οἷαι καὶ αἱ ὁδοὶ, αἵ τε ὁδοὶ τοιαῦται ἂν εἶεν οἷός ἐστι καὶ ὁ Λόγος, κἂν πρῶτος αὐτῶν τῷ χρόνῳ κτίζηται. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ πόλεως ἡ ἀρχὴ τοιαύτη ἐστὶν, οἷα καὶ τὰ ἄλλα μέρη τῆς πόλεώς ἐστι, αὐτά τε τὰ μέρη, συναπτόμενα τῇ ἀρχῇ, ὁλόκληρον καὶ μίαν τὴν πόλιν ἀποτελεῖ, ὡς ἑνὸς σώματος πολλὰ μέλη· καὶ οὐ τὸ μὲν αὐτῆς τῶν ποιούντων ἐστὶ, τὸ δὲ τῶν γινομένων, καὶ ὑπόκειται τῷ ἑτέρῳ μέρει, ἀλλὰ πᾶσα παρὰ τοῦ πεποιηκότος ἐπίσης ἔχει τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν καὶ συνέστηκεν. Εἰ τοίνυν καὶ ὁ Κύριος οὕτως ἀρχὴ τῶν πάντων κτίζεται, ἀνάγκη μετὰ πάντων αὐτὸν μίαν τὴν κτίσιν ἀποτελεῖν, καὶ μήτε διαφέρειν τῶν ἄλλων, κἂν ἀρχὴ τῶν πάντων γένηται, μήτε Κύριον εἶναι τῶν ἄλλων μερῶν τῆς κτίσεως, κἂν τῷ χρόνῳ πρεσβύτερος ὢν τυγχάνῃ· μετὰ πάντων γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς ἕνα τὸν τῆς δημιουργίας ἔχει λόγον καὶ δεσπότην. Πῶς δὲ ὅλως, εἰ κτίσμα καθʼ ὑμᾶς ἐστι, δύναται μόνος καὶ πρῶτος κτίζεσθαι, ὥστε καὶ ἀρχὴν εἶναι πάντων, δήλου ὄντος ἐκ τῶν προειρημένων, ὅτι ἐν τοῖς κτίσμασιν οὐδέν ἐστιν ἔμμονον καθʼ ἑαυτὸ καὶ πρῶτον γενόμενον, ἀλλὰ μετὰ πάντων ἅμα τὴν γένεσιν ἔχει, κἂν ‘τῇ δόξῃ διαφέρῃʼ τῶν ἄλλων; Οὐ γὰρ ἕκαστος τῶν ἀστέρων, οὐδὲ τῶν μεγάλων φωστήρων ὁ μὲν πρῶτος, ὁ δὲ δεύτερος ἐφάνη, ἀλλὰ μιᾷ ἡμέρᾳ καὶ τῷ αὐτῷ προστάγματι οἱ πάντες ἐκλήθησαν εἰς τὸ εἶναι, Οὕτω καὶ τῶν τετραπόδων καὶ πετεινῶν, καὶ νηκτῶν, καὶ κτηνῶν, καὶ τῶν φυτῶν ἡ γένεσις ἐπλάσθη· οὕτω καὶ τὸ κατʼ εἰκόνα γένος γέγονε τῶν ἀνθρώπων· εἰ γὰρ καὶ ὁ Ἀδὰμ ἐκ γῆς μόνος ἐπλάσθη, ἀλλʼ ἐν αὐτῷ ἦσαν οἱ λόγοι τῆς διαδοχῆς παντὸς τοῦ γένους.

### English translation (Claude)

For if he is offspring, how do you call him a creature? No one says he begets what he creates, nor calls his own offspring creatures. And again, if he is only-begotten, how does he become “beginning of the ways”? For if he was created as beginning of all things, he would necessarily no longer be alone, having those who came into being after him. Reuben too, having become “the beginning of the children,” was not only-begotten, but was first in time, while in nature and kinship he was one of those after him. So if the Word too is “beginning of the ways,” he would be of the same kind as the ways, and the ways of the same kind as the Word, even if he is created first of them in time. For the beginning of a city too is of the same kind as the other parts of the city, and the parts, joined to the beginning, make up the city whole and one, like the many members of one body; one part of it is not among the makers and another among the things made, subject to the other part, but the whole city equally receives care from him who made it and is held together by him. If, then, the Lord too is created in this way as beginning of all, he must with all make up one creation, and neither differ from the others, even if he became the beginning of all, nor be Lord of the other parts of creation, even if he happens to be older in time; for he too, with all, has one principle of creation and one Master. And how at all, if he is a creature on your view, can he be created alone and first, so as to be the beginning of all, when it is clear from what was said earlier that among the creatures nothing exists that abides by itself and was made first, but each has its origin together with all, even if it “differs in glory” from the others? For of the stars, or of the great lights, one did not appear first and another second, but on one day and by the same command they were all called into being. So too the origin of four-footed beasts, birds, swimming things, cattle, and plants was fashioned; so too the race of human beings, made after the image, came to be; for even if Adam alone was fashioned from earth, yet in him were the principles of succession of the whole race.

### Scripture references

- Gen 49:3: allusion, high confidence
- 1 Cor 12:12: echo, medium confidence
- 1 Cor 15:41: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 1:14: allusion, medium confidence
- Gen 1:26: allusion, medium confidence
- Gen 2:7: allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Reuben is called “the beginning of my children” in Gen 49:3.
- “Principles” renders λόγοι, the seminal principles of Adam's descendants.
- The text reads μέτη; corrected to μέρη.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 48 (Bright, 117–118; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/41/#p-48).

## Oration II Against the Arians 49

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/41/#p-49
- Source: Bright, 118–119
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Creatures, even the angelic powers, come into being together by kinds; the Word, who is “before all” and alone Son, is therefore not the first of creatures but their creator, like none of them.

### Greek text

49. Ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς φαινομένης κτίσεως τοῦ κόσμου ‘τὰ ἀόρατα αὐτοῦ τοῖς ποιήμασι νοούμενα καθορῶμεν, ʼ ὅτι κἀκεῖ οὐ καθʼ ἕνα ἕκαστον ὁρῶμεν· οὐδὲ τὸ μὲν πρῶτον, τὸ δὲ δεύτερον, ἀλλὰ ὁμοῦ πάντα κατὰ γένος συνέστη. Οὐ γὰρ ἕκαστον ἠρίθμησεν ὁ ἀπόστολος, ὥστε εἰπεῖν, ‘εἴτε ἄγγελος, εἴτε θρόνος, εἴτε κυριότης, καὶ ἐξουσία· ἀλλʼ ὁμοῦ πάντα κατὰ τὴν τάξιν λέγει, ‘εἴτε ἄγγελοι, εἴτε ἀρχάγγελοι, εἴτε ἀρχαί· ʼ τῶν γὰρ κτισμάτων τοιαύτη ἡ γένεσις. Εἴπερ οὖν, καθὰ προεῖπον, κτίσμα ἦν ὁ Λόγος, ἔδει μὴ πρῶτον, ἀλλὰ μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων δυνάμεων ἅμα γίνεσθαι, κἂν τῇ δόξῃ πλέον τῶν ἄλλων ὑπερέχῃ· οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων εὑρεῖν ἔστιν, ὅτι ἅμα μὲν γεγόνασι, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι πρῶτος ἢ δεύτερος, διαφέρουσι δὲ ἀλλήλων ἐν δόξῃ, καὶ οἱ μὲν ἐκ δεξιῶν, οἱ δὲ κύκλῳ, καὶ ἄλλοι ἐξ ἀριστερῶν, καὶ πάντες ὑμνοῦσιν ἅμα, καὶ παρεστήκασι λειτουργοῦντες τῷ Κυρίῳ. Οὐκοῦν εἰ κτίσμα ἐστὶν ὁ Λόγος, οὐ πρῶτος ἂν εἴη, οὐδὲ ἀρχὴ τῶν ἄλλων· εἰ δὲ ‘πρὸ πάντωνʼ ἐστὶν, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ἔστι, καὶ μόνος αὐτὸς πρῶτος καὶ Υἱός ἐστιν, οὐκ ἄρα οὐδὲ ‘ἀρχὴ τῶν πάντωνʼ τῇ οὐσίᾳ ἐστίν· ἐν γὰρ τοῖς πᾶσι καὶ ἡ ἀρχὴ τῶν πάντων συναριθμεῖται. Εἰ δὲ μὴ ἀρχή ἐστιν, οὐδὲ κτίσμα ἐστίν· ἀλλʼ εὔδηλον ἂν εἴη ὡς τῇ οὐσίᾳ καὶ τῇ φύσει τῶν μὲν κτισμάτων διέστηκε, καὶ ἄλλος ἐστὶν αὐτῶν· τοῦ δὲ μόνου καὶ ἀληθινοῦ Θεοῦ ὁμοίωσις καὶ εἰκών ἐστι, μόνος καὶ αὐτὸς ὑπάρχων. Διὰ τοῦτο γοῦν οὐδὲ τοῖς κτίσμασιν αὐτὸν συντάττουσιν αἱ γραφαί· ἀλλʼ ὁ μὲν Δαυῒδ ἐπιπλήττει τοῖς τοιοῦτον αὐτὸν κἂν ἐνθυμεῖσθαι τολμῶσι, λέγων, ‘Τίς ὅμοιός σοι ἐν θεοῖς, Κύριε;’ καὶ, ‘τίς ὁμοιωθήσεται τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐν υἱοῖς Θεοῦ;’ Ὁ δὲ Βαροὺχ, ‘Οὗτος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, οὐ λογισθήσεται ἕτερος πρὸς αὐτόν.’ Ὁ μὲν γὰρ κτίζει, τὰ δὲ κτίζεται· καὶ ὁ μὲν τῆς τοῦ Πατρὸς οὐσίας ἴδιός ἐστι Λόγος καὶ Σοφία· τὰ δὲ γενόμενα, οὐκ ὄντα πρότερον, διʼ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Λόγου πεποίηται.

### English translation (Claude)

From the visible creation of the world “we clearly see his invisible things, understood by the things made,” because there too we do not see them one by one, nor one first and another second, but all came to subsist together according to their kinds. For the apostle did not enumerate them one by one, so as to say, “whether an angel, or a throne, or a dominion, and an authority,” but he speaks of all together according to their order: “whether angels, or archangels, or principalities”; for such is the origin of creatures. If, then, as I said before, the Word were a creature, he would have had to come into being not first but together with the other powers, even if he surpassed the others in glory; for so one can find with the others too, that they came into being together, and there is no first or second, but they differ from one another in glory, some on the right, some round about, others on the left, and all together hymn and stand ministering to the Lord. So if the Word is a creature, he would not be first, nor the beginning of the others; but if he is “before all,” as indeed he is, and he alone is first and Son, then neither is he in substance the “beginning of all”; for the beginning of all is numbered among all. And if he is not a beginning, he is not a creature either; but it would be very clear that in substance and nature he stands apart from the creatures and is other than they, and is the likeness and image of the only and true God, being himself also alone. That is why the Scriptures do not rank him with the creatures; but David rebukes those who dare even to think him such, saying, “Who is like you among the gods, O Lord?” and “Who shall be likened to the Lord among the sons of God?” And Baruch says, “This is our God; no other shall be reckoned beside him.” For he creates, and they are created; and he is the Word and Wisdom proper to the Father's substance, while the things that came into being, not having existed before, have been made through this Word.

### Scripture references

- Rom 1:20: quotation, high confidence
- Col 1:16: allusion, high confidence
- Rom 8:38: allusion, medium confidence
- 1 Kgs 22:19: allusion, low confidence
- Col 1:17: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 86:8 (85:8 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Ps 89:6 (88:7 LXX): quotation, high confidence

### Extrabiblical texts

- Bar 3:36 (Baruch): quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The ranks of angels are listed loosely after Col 1:16 and Rom 8:38.
- “This is our God; no other shall be reckoned beside him” is Bar 3:36.
- The text has a Latin O in Οὗτος; corrected.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 49 (Bright, 118–119; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/41/#p-49).

## Oration II Against the Arians 50

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/41/#p-50
- Source: Bright, 119–120
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Prov 8:22 says “for the works,” so it cannot describe a Word who is before all things; the Son calls the Father “Lord” only as having taken the form of a servant.

### Greek text

50. Τὸ ἄρα πολυθρύλλητον παρʼ ὑμῶν εἰρημένον, ‘Κτίσμα ἐστὶν ὁ Υἱὸς, ʼ οὐκ ἔστιν ἀληθὲς, ἀλλʼ ὑμῶν φαντασία μόνη· καὶ κατηγορεῖσθε παρὰ τοῦ Σολομώνος, ὅτι πολλάκις αὐτοῦ κατεψεύσασθε. Οὐ γὰρ εἴρηκεν αὐτὸν κτίσμα, ἀλλὰ γέννημα καὶ Σοφίαν Θεοῦ, λέγων, ‘Ὁ Θεὸς τῇ σοφίᾳ ἐθεμελίωσε τὴν γῆν· καὶ, ‘Ἡ σοφία ᾠκοδόμησεν ἑαυτῇ οἶκον.’ Καὶ αὐτὸ δὲ τὸ ῥητὸν ἐξεταζόμενον ἐλέγχει τὴν δυσσέβειαν ὑμῶν· γέγραπται γὰρ, ‘Κύριος ἔκτισέ με ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ εἰς ἔργα αὐτοῦ·’ Οὐκοῦν εἰ πρὸ πάντων ἐστὶν αὐτὸς, λέγει δὲ, ‘ἔκτισέ με, ʼ οὐχ ‘ἵνα ποιήσω τὰ ἔργα, ’ ἀλλʼ ‘εἰς τὰ ἔργα, ʼ ἢ δεύτερόν ἐστιν αὐτοῦ τὸ ‘ἔκτισεν, ’ ἢ φανήσεται δεύτερος αὐτὸς τῶν ἔργων, εὑρίσκων αὐτὰ κτιζόμενος ἤδη πρὸ αὐτοῦ ὑφεστῶτα, ἐφʼ ἃ καὶ γίνεται. Εἰ δὲ τοῦτο, πῶς ἔτι ‘πρὸ πάντωνʼ ἐστὶν αὐτός; Πῶς δὲ καὶ ‘πάντα διʼ αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, ʼ καὶ ‘ἐν αὐτῷ συνέστηκεν;’ Ἰδοὺ γὰρ καθʼ ὑμᾶς καὶ πρὸ αὐτοῦ συνειστήκει τὰ ἔργα, εἰς ἃ κτίζεται καὶ ἀποστέλλεται. Ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἔστιν οὕτω· μὴ γένοιτο· ψευδής ἐστι τῶν αἱρετικῶν ἡ διάνοια. Οὐ γὰρ κτίσμα ἐστὶν, ἀλλὰ κτίστης μέν ἐστιν ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος· τότε δὲ λέγει παροιμιωδῶς, ‘ἔκτισέ με, ʼ ὅτε τὴν κτιστὴν ἐνεδύσατο σάρκα. Καὶ τοῦτο πάλιν δυνατόν ἐστι καὶ ἐξ αὐτοῦ τοῦ ῥητοῦ διανοεῖσθαι. Υἱὸς γὰρ ὢν καὶ Πατέρα τὸν Θεὸν ἔχων, (αὐτοῦ γὰρ ἴδιόν ἐστι γέννημα, ) ὅμως ‘Κύριονʼ νῦν ὀνομάζει τὸν Πατέρα· οὐχ ὅτι δοῦλος ἦν, ἀλλʼ ὅτι ‘τὴν τοῦ δούλου μορφὴν ἀνέλαβεν.’ Ἔπρεπε γὰρ αὐτὸν, ὥσπερ ὄντα Λόγον ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς, ‘Πατέραʼ τὸν Θεὸν καλεῖν· τοῦτο γὰρ ἴδιον υἱοῦ πρὸς πατέρα· οὕτως ἐλθόντα τελειῶσαι τὸ ἔργον, ʼ καὶ δούλου λαβόντα μορφὴν, ‘Κύριονʼ ὀνομάζειν τὸν Πατέρα. Καὶ ταύτην τὴν διαφορὰν αὐτὸς ἐδίδαξε μετὰ καλῆς τῆς διαστολῆς, λέγων ἐν τοῖς εὐαγγελίοις, ‘Ἐξομολογοῦμαί σοι, Πάτερ· εἶτα, ‘Κύριε τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς.’ Ἑαυτοῦ μὲν γὰρ εἶναι Πατέρα τὸν Θεὸν λέγει, τῶν δὲ κτισμάτων αὐτὸν ‘Κύριονʼ ὀνομάζει· ὡς ἐκ τούτου δείκνυσθαι λευκῶς, ὅτι, ἡνίκα τὸ κτιστὸν ἐνεδύσατο, τότε τὸν Πατέρα καλεῖ ‘Κύριονʼ Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐν τῇ προσευχῇ τοῦ Δαυῒδ τὴν αὐτὴν διαφορὰν σημαίνει τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, διὰ τῶν ψαλμῶν λέγον, ‘δὸς τὸ κράτος σου τῷ παιδί σου, καὶ σῶσον τὸν υἱὸν τῆς παιδίσκης σου.’ Ἄλλος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ φύσει καὶ ἀληθινὸς παῖς τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἄλλα τὰ τῆς παιδίσκης τέκνα, ἥτις ἐστὶ τῶν γενητῶν ἡ φύσις. Διὸ καὶ ὁ μὲν, ὡς Υἱὸς, ἔχει τὸ πατρικὸν κράτος, τὰ δὲ σωτηρίας ἐστὶ δεόμενα.

### English translation (Claude)

So the saying you have trumpeted so much, “The Son is a creature,” is not true, but only your fancy; and you stand accused by Solomon, because you have often lied against him. For he did not call him a creature but offspring and Wisdom of God, saying, “God by wisdom founded the earth,” and “Wisdom has built herself a house.” And the saying itself, when examined, refutes your impiety; for it is written, “The Lord created me a beginning of his ways for his works.” If, then, he himself is before all things, and yet he says “he created me,” not “so that I might make the works,” but “for the works,” then either “he created” comes later than he himself, or he will appear to be later than the works, finding them, when he is created, already existing before him—the works for which he also comes to be. And if so, how is he still “before all”? And how did “all things come into being through him,” and how do they “hold together in him”? For see, on your view the works had been established even before him, the works for which he is created and sent. But it is not so—God forbid!—the heretics' thinking is false. For the Word of God is not a creature but creator; and he says in proverbial fashion “he created me” at the time when he put on the created flesh. And this again can be understood from the saying itself. For being Son and having God as Father (for he is his own offspring), he nevertheless now names the Father “Lord”—not because he was a servant, but because he “took the form of the servant.” For it was fitting that, as being Word from the Father, he should call God “Father,” for this is proper to a son toward a father; and likewise that, having come “to accomplish the work” and having taken the form of a servant, he should name the Father “Lord.” He himself taught this difference with a fine distinction, saying in the Gospels, “I thank you, Father,” and then, “Lord of heaven and earth.” For he says that God is his own Father, but names him “Lord” of the creatures; so that it is clearly shown from this that when he put on what is created, then he calls the Father “Lord.” In David's prayer too the Holy Spirit signifies the same difference, saying through the Psalms, “Give your strength to your servant, and save the son of your handmaid.” For the one who is by nature and truly God's Child is one thing, and the children of the handmaid, who is the nature of originated things, are another. That is why the one, as Son, has the Father's strength, while the others need salvation.

### Scripture references

- Prov 3:19: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 9:1: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 8:22: quotation, high confidence
- Col 1:17: quotation, high confidence
- John 1:3: quotation, high confidence
- Phil 2:7: quotation, high confidence
- John 17:4: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 11:25: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 86:16 (85:16 LXX): quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The Greek παῖς means both “servant” and “child”; Athanasius reads the “servant” of Ps 86:16 as the true Child, distinct from the “son of the handmaid,” created nature.
- Slips corrected: Υἰὸς to Υἱὸς, παροιμιωδῶνς to παροιμιωδῶς.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 50 (Bright, 119–120; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/41/#p-50).

## Oration II Against the Arians 51

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/51/#p-51
- Source: Bright, 120–121
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: As adopted children call their Lord “Father” by grace, the Son calls his Father “Lord” in his humanity; and “created for the works” refers to a task given after being, as with Adam, Noah, and Moses.

### Greek text

51. Εἰ δʼ ὅτι ‘παῖςʼ ἐκλήθη φλυαροῦσι, γινωσκέτωσαν ὅτι καὶ Ἰσαὰκ παῖς ὠνομάσθη τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ, καὶ ὁ υἱὸς τῆς Σουμανίτιδος παιδάριον ἐκλήθη. Εἰδότως ἄρα, δούλων ἡμῶν ὄντων, ὅτε γέγονεν ὡς ἡμεῖς, ‘Κύριονʼ τὸν Πατέρα καλεῖ καὶ αὐτὸς, ὡς ἡμεῖς· καὶ τοῦτο δὲ φιλανθρωπευόμενος οὕτω πεποίηκεν, ἵνα καὶ ἡμεῖς, δοῦλοι κατὰ φύσιν ὄντες, καὶ δεξάμενοι τὸ Πνεῦμα τοῦ Υἱοῦ, ʼ θαῤῥήσωμεν τὸν φύσει Κύριον ἑαυτῶν, τοῦτον τῇ χάριτι ‘Πατέραʼ καλεῖν. Ἀλλʼ ὥσπερ ἡμεῖς τὸν Κύριον ‘Πατέραʼ καλοῦντες, οὐκ ἀρνούμεθα τὴν κατὰ φύσιν δουλείαν· (αὐτοῦ γάρ ἐσμεν ἔργα, καὶ ‘αὐτὸς ἐποίησεν ἡμᾶς καὶ οὐχ ἡμεῖς·’) οὕτως ὅταν ὁ Υἱὸς τὴν τοῦ δούλου μορφὴν λαμβάνων λέγῃ, ‘Κύριος ἔκτισέ με ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ, ’ μὴ ἀρνείσθωσαν τὴν ἀϊδιότητα τῆς τούτου θεότητος, καὶ ὅτι ‘ἐν ἀρχῇ μὲν ἦν ὁ Λόγος, ’ καὶ ‘πάντα διʼ αὐτοῦ γέγονε καὶ ‘ἐν αὐτῷ τὰ πάντα ἐκτίσθη.’ Τὸ δὲ ἐν ταῖς Παροιμίαις ῥητὸν, καθὰ προεῖπον, οὐ τὴν οὐσίαν, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον τοῦ Λόγου σημαίνει· εἰ γὰρ ‘εἰς ἔργαʼ φησὶν ἐκτίσθαι, φαίνεται μὴ τὴν οὐσίαν ἑαυτοῦ σημᾶναι θέλων, ἀλλὰ τὴν εἰς τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ οἰκονομίαν γενομένην, ὅπερ δεύτερόν ἐστι τοῦ εἶναι. Τὰ γὰρ γινόμενα καὶ κτιζόμενα προηγουμένως ἔνεκα τοῦ εἶναι καὶ τοῦ ὑπάρχειν πεποίηται, καὶ δεύτερον ἔχουσι τὸ ποιεῖν, περὶ ὧν ἂν αὐτοῖς ὁ Λόγος προστάττῃ, ὡς ἐπὶ πάντων ἔστιν ἰδεῖν τὸ τοιοῦτον. Ἀδὰμ γὰρ ἐκτίσθη, οὐχ ἵνα ἐργάζηται, ἀλλʼ ἵνα πρῶτον ὑπάρχῃ ἄνθρωπος· μετὰ ταῦτα γὰρ ἔλαβε τὴν ἐντολὴν τοῦ ἐργάζεσθαι. Νῶε δὲ ἐκτίσθη οὐ διὰ τὴν κιβωτὸν, ἀλλʼ ἵνα πρῶτον ὑπάρχῃ καὶ ἄνθρωπος γένηται· μετὰ ταῦτα γὰρ ἔλαβεν ἐντολὴν κατασκευάσαι τὴν κιβωτόν· καὶ ἐφʼ ἑκάστου δὲ ζητῶν ταῦτα εὕροι τις. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ Μωσῆς ὁ μέγας πρῶτον ἄνθρωπος γέγονε, καὶ δεύτερον τὴν ἡγεμονίαν τοῦ λαοῦ πεπίστευται. Οὐκοῦν καὶ ἐνταῦθα τοῦτο νοεῖν ἔξεστιν· ὁρᾷς γὰρ, ὅτι οὐκ εἰς τὸ εἶναι κτίζεται, ἀλλʼ ‘ἐν ἀρχῇ μὲν ἦν ὁ Λόγος, ’ μετὰ ταῦτα δὲ εἰς τὰ ἔργα πέμπεται, καὶ τὴν τούτων οἰκονομίαν· καὶ γὰρ πρὶν γενέσθαι τὰ ἔργα, ἦν μὲν ἀεὶ ὁ Υἱὸς, οὔπω δὲ χρεία ἦν αὐτὸν καὶ κτισθῆναι. Ὅτε δὲ ἐκτίσθη τὰ ἔργα, καὶ χρεία μετὰ ταῦτα γέγονε τῆς εἰς διόρθωσιν αὐτῶν οἰκονομίας, τότε δὴ καὶ ὁ Λόγος δέδωκεν ἑαυτὸν εἰς τὸ συγκαταβῆναι καὶ ὁμοιωθῆναι τοῖς ἔργοις· ὅπερ διὰ μὲν τῆς ‘ἔκτισεʼ λέξεως ἡμῖν δεδήλωκε, διὰ δὲ τοῦ προφήτου Ἡσαΐου τὸ ὅμοιον σημᾶναι θέλων, πάλιν λέγει, ‘Καὶ νῦν οὕτω λέγει Κύριος, ὁ πλάσας με ἐκ κοιλίας δοῦλον ἑαυτῷ, τοῦ συναγαγεῖν τὸν Ἰακὼβ πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ Ἰσραήλ· συναχθήσομαι καὶ δοξασθήσομαι ἐναντίον Κυρίου. ʼ

### English translation (Claude)

And if they babble because he was called “servant” (child), let them know that Isaac too was named Abraham's “child,” and the Shunammite's son was called a “lad.” Knowingly, then, since we are servants, when he became like us he too calls the Father “Lord,” as we do; and he did this out of love for humankind, so that we too, being servants by nature and having received “the Spirit of the Son,” might dare to call him who is our Lord by nature “Father” by grace. But as we, calling the Lord “Father,” do not deny our natural servitude (for we are his works, and “he made us, and not we ourselves”), so when the Son, taking the form of the servant, says, “The Lord created me a beginning of his ways,” let them not deny the eternity of his Godhead, and that “in the beginning was the Word,” and “all things came into being through him,” and “in him all things were created.” The saying in the Proverbs, as I said before, signifies not the substance but the humanity of the Word; for if he says he was created “for works,” he evidently does not wish to signify his own substance, but the economy that came about for his works, which is secondary to being. For things that come into being and are created are made first of all in order to be and to exist, and secondarily they have the task of doing whatever the Word commands them, as one can see in every case. Adam was created not in order to work, but first to exist as a man; for afterwards he received the command to work. Noah was created not because of the ark, but first to exist and become a man; for afterwards he received the command to build the ark; and anyone who looked would find this in each case. The great Moses too first became a man, and secondly was entrusted with the leadership of the people. So here too one can understand the same; for you see that he is not created in order to be, but “in the beginning was the Word,” and afterwards he is sent for the works and their economy. For before the works came into being, the Son always was, but there was not yet any need for him to be created as well. But when the works had been created, and afterwards the need arose of the economy for their restoration, then indeed the Word gave himself to come down and be made like the works; which he has shown us through the word “he created,” and, wishing to signify the same through the prophet Isaiah, he says again: “And now thus says the Lord, who formed me from the womb as his own servant, to gather Jacob to him, and Israel; I shall be gathered and glorified before the Lord.”

### Scripture references

- 2 Kgs 4:18: allusion, medium confidence
- Gal 4:6: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 100:3 (99:3 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Prov 8:22: quotation, high confidence
- John 1:1: quotation, high confidence
- John 1:3: quotation, high confidence
- Col 1:16: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 2:15: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 6:14: allusion, high confidence
- Isa 49:5: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The Shunammite's son is called παιδάριον (“lad”) in 2 Kgs 4.
- Slips corrected: a stray mark in τοῦʼ Ἀβραὰμ, διλανθρωπευόμενος to φιλανθρωπευόμενος, Ὄτε to Ὅτε.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 51 (Bright, 120–121; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/51/#p-51).

## Oration II Against the Arians 52

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/51/#p-52
- Source: Bright, 121–122
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: “Formed to gather Israel” (Isa 49:5) and “created for the works” refer to a mission to things that already existed; like a son disguised to recover his father's property, the Word put on our flesh.

### Greek text

52. Ἰδοὺ καὶ ἐνταῦθα οὐκ εἰς τὸ εἶναι πλάττεται, ἀλλʼ ἕνεκα τοῦ ‘συναγαγεῖνʼ τὰς φυλὰς, τὰς καὶ πρὸ τοῦ πλασθῆναι τοῦτον ὑπαρχούσας. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐκεῖ τὸ ‘ἔκτισεν, ’ οὕτως ὧδε τὸ ‘ἔπλασε·’ καὶ ὡς ἐκεῖ, ‘εἰς τὰ ἔργα οὕτως ὧδε, ‘ εἰς τὸ συναγαγεῖν·’ ὥστε πανταχόθεν φαίνεσθαι τοῦ εἶναι τὸν Λόγον δεύτερον λέγεσθαι τὸ ‘ἔκτισε, ’ καὶ τὸ ‘ἔπλασε.’ Καὶ γὰρ ὥσπερ πρὸ τῆς πλάσεως ὑπῆρχον αἱ φυλαὶ διʼ ἃς καὶ ἐπλάσθη· οὕτως ὑπάρχειν καὶ τὰ ἔργα φαίνεται, εἰς ἃ καὶ ἐκτίσθη, Καὶ ὅτε μὲν ‘ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ Λόγος οὔπω ἦν τὰ ἔργα, καθὰ προεῖπον· ὅτε δὲ τὰ ἔργα γέγονε, καὶ ἡ χρεία ἀπῄτησε, τότε τὸ ‘ἔκτισενʼ εἴρηται. Καὶ ὥσπερ ἂν εἴ τις υἱὸς, παραπολομένων κτημάτων καὶ παρὰ πολεμίοις ὄντων, ἐξ ἀμελείας αὐτῶν, χρείας τε καταλαβούσης, εἰ πέμποιτο παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς συλλαβέσθαι καὶ συναγαγεῖν αὐτὰ, καὶ οὗτος ἀπερχόμενος, ἐπενδιδύσκοιτο τὴν ὁμοίαν ἐκείνων ἐσθῆτα, καὶ σχηματίζοι ἑαυτὸν ὡς ἐκεῖνοι, ἵνα μὴ ὡς δεσπότην αὐτὸν ἐπιγνόντες οἱ κατέχοντες φύγωσι, καὶ κωλυθῇ κατελθεῖν καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ὑπὸ γῆν κρυπτομένους παρʼ ἐκείνων· εἶτα εἴ τις πυνθάνοιτο τούτου, διὰ τί οὕτως; ὁ τοιοῦτος εἶπεν ἂν, ‘Ὁ πατὴρ οὕτω με ἔπλασε καὶ κατήρτισεν εἰς τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ·’ λέγων τε οὕτως, οὔτε δοῦλον ἑαυτὸν οὔτε ἕνα τῶν ἔργων εἶναι σημαίνει· οὔτε δὲ τὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς γενέσεως αὐτοῦ λέγει, ἀλλὰ τὴν ὕστερον αὐτῷ δοθεῖσαν εἰς τὰ ἔργα φροντίδα· τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον καὶ ὁ Κύριος, ἐπενδυσάμενος τὴν ἡμετέραν σάρκα, καὶ ‘σχήματι εὑρεθεὶς ὡς ἄνθρωπος, ’ εἰ ἐρωτηθείη παρὰ τῶν οὕτως αὐτὸν ὁρώντων καὶ θαυμαζόντων, εἴποι ἂν, ‘Κύριος ἔκτισέ με ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ εἰς ἔργα αὐτοῦ·’ καὶ, ‘ἔπλασέ με τοῦ συναγαγεῖν τὸν Ἰσραήλ.’ Τοῦτο δὲ πάλιν καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα προσημαῖνον ἐν ψαλμοῖς ἔλεγε, ‘κατέστησας αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὰ ἔργα τῶν χειρῶν σου·’ ὅπερ καὶ περὶ ἑαυτοῦ σημαίνων αὐτὸς ὁ Κύριός φησιν, ‘ Ἐγὼ δὲ κατεστάθην βασιλεὺς ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ Σιὼν ὄρος τὸ ἅγιον αὐτοῦ, ’ Ὥσπερ δὲ, ὅτε ἐπέλαμψε σωματικῶς τῇ Σιὼν, οὐκ ἀρχὴν εἶχεν εἶναι οὐδὲ τοῦ βασιλεύειν· ἀλλὰ ὢν Λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ἀίδιος βασιλεὺς, κατηξίωσεν ἀνθρωπίνως ἐπιλάμψαι τὴν βασιλείαν ἑαυτοῦ καὶ ἐν τῇ Σιὼν, ἵνα ἀπὸ τῆς ‘βασιλευούσης ἐν αὐτοῖς ἁμαρτίας λυτρωσάμενος αὐτούς τε καὶ ἡμᾶς, ποιήσῃ ὑπὸ τὴν πατρικὴν βασιλείαν ἑαυτοῦ· οὕτω καθιστάμενος ‘εἰς τὰ ἔργα, ’ οὐκ εἰς τὰ μηδέπω ὄντα, ἀλλʼ εἰς τὰ ἤδη ὄντα καὶ δεόμενα διορθώσεως καθίσταται.

### English translation (Claude)

See, here too he is not formed in order to be, but for the sake of “gathering” the tribes, which existed even before he was formed. For as there it was “he created,” so here “he formed”; and as there “for the works,” so here “to gather”; so that from every side it is evident that “he created” and “he formed” are said of what comes after the Word's being. For just as the tribes for whose sake he was formed existed before his forming, so the works too for which he was created evidently exist. When “in the beginning was the Word,” the works did not yet exist, as I said before; but when the works had come into being and need required it, then “he created” was said. It is as if a son, when his father's servants (his possessions) were being lost and were in enemy hands through their own carelessness, and need was pressing, were sent by his father to rescue and gather them; and in going he put on clothing like theirs and made himself look like them, so that their captors should not recognize him as master and flee, and he be prevented from going down to those they had hidden underground; and then, if anyone asked him why he did so, he would say, “My father formed and fitted me thus for his works.” And in saying so he does not mean that he is a servant or one of the works, nor does he speak of the beginning of his origin, but of the charge over the works given him later. In the same way the Lord too, having put on our flesh and “being found in fashion as a man,” if he were asked by those who saw him so and marveled, would say, “The Lord created me a beginning of his ways for his works,” and “He formed me to gather Israel.” The Spirit too, foretelling this in the Psalms, said, “You set him over the works of your hands”; and the Lord himself, indicating this of himself, says, “But I was appointed king by him on Zion his holy mountain.” And just as, when he shone forth bodily in Zion, he did not then begin to be or to reign, but being God's Word and eternal King he deigned to let his kingdom shine forth in human fashion in Zion too, so that, having redeemed them and us from the “sin” that “reigned” in them, he might bring them under his Father's kingdom; so, being appointed “for the works,” he is appointed not for things not yet existing but for things already existing and needing restoration.

### Scripture references

- Isa 49:5: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 8:22: quotation, high confidence
- Phil 2:8: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 8:6 (8:7 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Ps 2:6: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 5:21: allusion, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- The parable of the disguised son is Athanasius's own illustration of the incarnation.
- The text reads συναγαυεῖν; corrected to συναγαγεῖν.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 52 (Bright, 121–122; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/51/#p-52).

## Oration II Against the Arians 53

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/51/#p-53
- Source: Bright, 122–123
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Scripture gives a reason (“for the works”) only when it speaks of the Word's becoming flesh; of his Godhead it speaks absolutely, since the Father's radiance has no cause beyond the Father.

### Greek text

53. Τὸ ἄρα ‘ἔκτισεʼ καὶ τὸ ‘ἔπλασεʼ καὶ τὸ ‘κατέστησε, ’ τὴν αὐτὴν ἔχοντα διάνοιαν, οὐ τὴν ἀρχὴν τοῦ εἶναι αὐτὸν, οὐδὲ τὴν οὐσίαν αὐτοῦ κτιστὴν δείκνυσιν, ἀλλὰ τὴν εἰς ἡμᾶς αὐτοῦ κατʼ εὐεργεσίαν γενομένην ἀνανέωσιν. Ταῦτα γοῦν λέγων, ἐδίδασκεν ὅμως καὶ πρὸ τούτων ὑπάρχειν ἑαυτὸν, ὅτε ἔλεγε, ‘πρὶν Ἀβραὰμ γενέσθαι, ἐγώ εἰμι·’ καὶ, ‘ἡνίκα τὸν οὐρανὸν ἡτοίμαζε, συμπαρήμην αὐτῷ·’ καὶ, ‘ἤμην παρʼ αὐτῷ ἁρμόζουσα.’ Ὥσπερ δὲ ἦν αὐτὸς ‘πρὶν Ἀβραὰμ γενέσθαι, ’ ὁ δὲ Ἰσραὴλ μετὰ τὸν Ἀβραὰμ γέγονε, καὶ δῆλόν ἐστιν ὅτι προϋπάρχων ὕστερον ‘πλάττεται, ’ καὶ ἡ πλάσις οὐ τὴν ἀρχὴν τοῦ εἶναι, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐνανθρώπησιν σημαίνει, ἐν ᾗ καὶ ἐπισυνάγει τὰς φυλὰς τοῦ Ἰσραήλ· οὕτως ἄρα ἀεὶ συνὼν τῷ Πατρὶ, αὐτὸς τῆς κτίσεως δημιουργός ἐστι, καὶ δῆλόν ἐστιν ὅτι δεύτερά ἐστιν αὐτοῦ τὰ ἔργα, καὶ τὸ ‘ἔκτισενʼ οὐκ ἀρχὴν τοῦ εἶναι αὐτὸν, ἀλλὰ τὴν εἰς τὰ ἔργα γενομένην οἰκονομίαν, ἣν ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ πεποίηκε, γνωρίζει. Ἔπρεπε γὰρ, ἄλλον αὐτὸν ὄντα τῶν ἔργων, καὶ μᾶλλον δημιουργὸν αὐτῶν ὄντα αὐτὸν, καὶ τὴν τούτων ἀνανέωσιν εἰς ἑαυτὸν ἀναδέξασθαι, ἵνα, αὐτοῦ κτιζομένου εἰς ἡμᾶς, τὰ πάντα εἰς ἑαυτὸν ἀνακτίσηται. Καὶ γὰρ λέγων ‘ἔκτισεν, εὐθὺς καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν ἐπήγαγε, λέγων, τὰ ἔργα, ʼ ἵνα τὸ ‘εἰς τὰ ἔργα κτίζεσθαιʼ τὸ γίνεσθαι ἄνθρωπον δηλώσῃ εἰς τὴν τούτων ἀνανέωσιν. Καὶ τοῦτο ἔθος ἐστὶ τῇ θείᾳ γραφῇ· ὅταν μὲν γὰρ σημαίνῃ τὴν κατὰ σάρκα γένεσιν τοῦ Λόγου, τίθησι καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν, διʼ ἣν γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος· ὅταν δὲ περὶ τῆς θεότητος αὐτοῦ αὐτός τε λέγῃ, καὶ οἱ τούτου θεράποντες ἐπαγγέλλωσι, πάντα ἁπλῇ τῇ λέξει, ἀπολελυμένῃ τε τῇ διανοίᾳ, καὶ οὐδὲν μετὰ συμπεπλεγμένης αἰτίας λέγεται. Τοῦ γὰρ Πατρός ἐστιν ἀπαύγασμα· ὥσπερ δὲ ὁ Πατὴρ οὐ διά τινα αἰτίαν ἐστὶν, οὕτως οὐδὲ τοῦ ἀπαυγάσματος τούτου χρὴ ζητεῖν τὴν αἰτίαν. ‘Ἐν ἀρχῇ οὖν ἦν ὁ Λόγος, καὶ ὁ Λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ Θεὸς ἦν ὁ Λόγος γέγραπται· καὶ οὐκ ἔχει τὸ διὰ τί ὅτε δὲ ‘ὁ Λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο, ’ τότε καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν τίθησι, διʼ ἣν γέγονε, λέγων ‘καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν, ʼ Πάλιν τε ὁ ἀπόστολος λέγων, ‘ὃς ἐν μορφῇ Θεοῦ ὑπάρχων, ʼ οὐκ ἔθηκε τὴν αἰτίαν εἰ μὴ ὅτε ‘τὴν μορφὴν ἔλαβε τοῦ δούλου·᾿ τότε γὰρ ἐπιφέρει λέγων, ‘ἐταπείνωσεν ἑαυτὸν μέχρι θανάτου, θανάτου δὲ σταυροῦʼ διὰ ταῦτα γὰρ καὶ σὰρξ γέγονε καὶ μορφὴν ἔλαβε δούλου.

### English translation (Claude)

So “he created,” “he formed,” and “he appointed,” having the same sense, show not the beginning of his being nor that his substance is created, but the renewal that came about for us through his beneficence. Even while saying these things, at any rate, he taught that he existed before them, when he said, “Before Abraham came to be, I am,” and “When he prepared the heaven, I was present with him,” and “I was beside him, harmonizing.” And as he was “before Abraham came to be,” while Israel came after Abraham, it is clear that, though pre-existing, he is afterwards “formed,” and the forming signifies not the beginning of his being but his becoming man, in which he also gathers the tribes of Israel; so, always being with the Father, he is himself creator of creation, and it is clear that the works are later than he, and “he created” makes known not a beginning of his being but the economy toward the works which he carried out in the flesh. For it was fitting that he, being other than the works and rather their creator, should also take their renewal upon himself, so that, as he is created for us, he might re-create all things in himself. For in saying “he created,” he at once added the reason, saying “the works,” so that “being created for the works” might show his becoming man for their renewal. And this is the custom of the divine Scripture: when it signifies the Word's origin according to the flesh, it adds the reason for which he became man; but when he himself speaks about his Godhead, or his servants proclaim it, everything is said in simple words and with an unqualified sense, and nothing is said with a reason attached. For he is the Father's radiance; and as the Father is not for any reason, so neither must one seek the reason for this radiance. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God,” it is written, and it has no “why”; but when “the Word became flesh,” then it also gives the reason why he became so, saying, “and dwelt among us.” And again the apostle, saying, “who, being in the form of God,” did not give the reason until “he took the form of the servant”; for then he adds, saying, “he humbled himself to death, even death on a cross”; for because of these things he both became flesh and took the form of a servant.

### Scripture references

- John 8:58: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 8:27: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 8:30: quotation, high confidence
- John 1:1: quotation, high confidence
- John 1:14: quotation, high confidence
- Phil 2:6: quotation, high confidence
- Phil 2:7: quotation, high confidence
- Phil 2:8: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The text reads σταυποῦ; corrected to σταυροῦ.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 53 (Bright, 122–123; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/51/#p-53).

## Oration II Against the Arians 54

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/51/#p-54
- Source: Bright, 123–124
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Christ speaks of his divinity without giving any reason, but of his incarnation he gives the reason: the need of human beings for life, light, truth, and deliverance from the devil.

### Greek text

54. Αὐτός τε ὁ Κύριος πολλὰ μὲν ἐν παροιμίαις λελάληκε· περὶ δὲ αὐτοῦ σημαίνων, ἀπολελυμένως εἴρηκεν, ‘ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ Πατρὶ, καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἐν ἐμοί·᾿ καὶ, ‘ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἕν ἐσμεν·’ καὶ, ‘ὁ ἑωρακὼς ἐμὲ, ἑώρακε τὸν Πατέρα·’ καὶ, ἐγώ εἰμι τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου· καὶ, ‘Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἀλήθεια·’ οὐ τιθεὶς ἐφʼ ἑκάστου τὴν αἰτίαν, οὐδὲ τὸ διὰ τί, ἵνα μὴ δεύτερος ἐκείνων εἶναι φαίνηται, ὧν χάριν καὶ γέγονεν. Ἀνάγκη γὰρ προηγεῖσθαι τὴν αἰτίαν τούτου, ἧς ἄνευ οὐκ ἂν οὐδʼ αὐτὸς ἐγεγόνει. Παῦλος γοῦν ‘ἀφωρισμένος ἀπόστολος εἰς εὐαγγέλιον, ὃ προεπηγγείλατο ὁ Κύριος διὰ τῶν προφητῶν εἶχε πρὸ ἑαυτοῦ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον, οὗ καὶ γέγονε ‘διάκονος·’ καὶ ὁ Ἰωάννης μὲν, προχειρισθεὶς εἰς τὸ προοδεῦσαι τοῦ Κυρίου, πρὸ ἑαυτοῦ εἶχε τὸν Κύριον· ὁ δὲ Κύριος οὐκ ἔχων πρὸ ἑαυτοῦ αἰτίαν τοῦ εἶναι Λόγος, ἢ μόνον ὅτι τοῦ Πατρός ἐστι γέννημα καὶ Σοφία μονογενὴς, ὅταν ἄνθρωπος γίνεται, τότε καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν τίθησι, διʼ ἣν μέλλει σάρκα φορεῖν· προηγεῖται γὰρ τοῦ γενέσθαι αὐτὸν ἄνθρωπον ἡ τῶν ἀνθρώπων χρεία, ἧς ἄνευ οὐκ ἂν ἐνεδύσατο σάρκα. Τίς δὲ ἡ χρεία, διʼ ἣν γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος, αὐτὸς μὲν ὁ Κύριος σημαίνων ταύτην ἔλεγε, ‘καταβέβηκα ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, οὐχ ἵνα ποιήσω τὸ θέλημα τὸ ἐμὸν, ἀλλὰ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πέμψαντός με. Τοῦτο δέ ἐστι τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πέμψαντός με, ἵνα πᾶν, ὃ δέδωκέ μοι, μὴ ἀπολέσω ἐξ αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ ἀναστήσω αὐτὸ ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ· τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Πατρός μου, ἵνα πᾶς ὁ θεωρῶν τὸν Υἱὸν καὶ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον, καὶ ἐγὼ ἀναστήσω αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ Καὶ πάλιν, ‘ Ἐγὼ φῶς εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἐλήλυθα, ἵνα πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ μὴ μείνῃ.’ Καὶ πάλιν φησὶν, ‘Ἐγὼ εἰς τοῦτο γεγέννημαι, καὶ εἰς τοῦτο ἐλήλυθα εἰς τὸν κόσμον, ἵνα μαρτυρήσω τῇ ἀληθείᾳ.’ Ὁ δὲ Ἰωάννης ἔγραψεν, ‘εἰς τοῦτο ἐφανερώθη ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἵνα λύσῃ τὰ ἔργα τοῦ διαβόλου.’

### English translation (Claude)

The Lord himself also spoke many things in proverbs; but when indicating things about himself he spoke without qualification: “I am in the Father and the Father in me,” and “I and the Father are one,” and “He who has seen me has seen the Father,” and “I am the light of the world,” and “I am the truth”; he did not add in each case the reason or the “why,” lest he should appear to be later than those for whose sake he came to be. For the reason must go before a thing that would not itself have come into being without it. Paul, at any rate, “set apart as an apostle for the gospel, which the Lord promised beforehand through the prophets,” had before himself the gospel, of which he also became “a minister”; and John, appointed to go before the Lord, had the Lord before himself. But the Lord, having no reason before himself for being Word, except only that he is the Father's offspring and only-begotten Wisdom, when he becomes man then also states the reason for which he is to bear flesh; for the need of human beings precedes his becoming man, and without it he would not have put on flesh. And what the need was for which he became man, the Lord himself indicated when he said: “I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that of all that he has given me I should lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” And again: “I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me may not remain in darkness.” And again he says, “For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth.” And John wrote, “For this the Son of God was manifested, to destroy the works of the devil.”

### Scripture references

- John 14:10: quotation, high confidence
- John 10:30: quotation, high confidence
- John 14:9: quotation, high confidence
- John 8:12: quotation, high confidence
- John 14:6: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 1:1: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 1:2: quotation, high confidence
- Col 1:23: allusion, medium confidence
- Luke 1:76: allusion, medium confidence
- John 6:38: quotation, high confidence
- John 6:39: quotation, high confidence
- John 6:40: quotation, high confidence
- John 12:46: quotation, high confidence
- John 18:37: quotation, high confidence
- 1 John 3:8: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Slips corrected: Υἱδς to Υἱὸς, διʼ ἧν to διʼ ἣν.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 54 (Bright, 123–124; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/51/#p-54).

## Oration II Against the Arians 55

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/51/#p-55
- Source: Bright, 124–125
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The Word came for our sake, to die, raise us, and condemn sin; as he creates in himself the “one new man,” he can say “he created me” of himself, as he is said to become sin and a curse for us.

### Greek text

55. Διὰ τὸ μαρτυρῆσαι ἄρα, καὶ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀναδέξασθαι θάνατον, καὶ διὰ τὸ ἀναστῆσαι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, καὶ ‘λῦσαι τὰ ἔργα τοῦ διαβόλουʼ ἐλήλυθεν ὁ Σωτὴρ, καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ αἰτία τῆς ἐνσάρκου παρουσίας αὐτοῦ, Ἄλλως γὰρ ἀνάστασις οὐκ ἂν ἐγένετο, εἰ μὴ θάνατος ἐγεγόνει· θάνατος δὲ πῶς ἂν ἐγεγόνει, εἰ μὴ τὸ ἀποθνῆσκον ἐσχήκει σῶμα; Τοῦτο παρʼ αὐτοῦ μαθὼν καὶ ὁ ἀπόστολος ἔλεγεν· ‘Ἐπεὶ οὖν τὰ παιδία κεκοινώνηκεν αἵματος καὶ σαρκὸς, καὶ αὐτὸς παραπλησίως μετέσχε τῶν αὐτῶν, ἵνα διὰ τοῦ θανάτου καταργήσῃ τὸν τὸ κράτος ἔχοντα τοῦ θανάτου, τὸν διάβολον, καὶ ἀπαλλάξῃ τούτους, ὅσοι φόβῳ θανάτου διὰ παντὸς τοῦ ζῆν ἔνοχοι ἦσαν δουλείας·᾿ καὶ, ‘Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ διʼ ἀνθρώπου ὁ θάνατος, καὶ διʼ ἀνθρώπου ἀνάστασις νεκρῶν·’ καὶ πάλιν, ‘Τὸ γὰρ ἀδύνατον τοῦ νόμου, ἐν ᾧ ἠσθένει διὰ τῆς σαρκὸς, ὁ Θεὸς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ Υἱὸν πέμψας ἐν ὁμοιώματι σαρκὸς ἀμαρτίας, καὶ περὶ ἁμαρτίας κατέκρινε τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐν τῇ σαρκί· ἵνα τὸ δικαίωμα τοῦ νόμου πληρωθῇ ἐν ἡμῖν, τοῖς μὴ κατὰ σάρκα περιπατοῦσιν ἀλλὰ κατὰ πνεῦμα.’ Καὶ ὁ δὲ Ἰωάννης φησὶν, ‘Οὐ γὰρ ἀπέστειλεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν Υἱὸν αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν κόσμον, ἵνα κρίνῃ τὸν κόσμον, ἀλλʼ ἵνα σωθῇ ὁ κόσμος διʼ αὐτοῦ, Πάλιν δὲ καὶ ὁ Σωτὴρ διʼ ἑαυτοῦ ἔλεγεν, ‘Εἰς κρῖμα ἐγὼ ἐλήλυθα εἰς τὸν κόσμον τοῦτον, ἵνα οἱ μὴ βλέποντες βλέπωσι, καὶ οἱ βλέποντες τυφλοὶ γένωνται.᾿ Οὐ διʼ ἑαυτὸν ἄρα, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν σωτηρίαν, καὶ διὰ τὸ καταργηθῆναι τὸν θάνατον, καὶ διὰ τὸ κατακριθῆναι τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, καὶ διὰ τὸ ἀναβλέψαι τυφλοὺς, καὶ διὰ τὸ ἀναστῆναι πάντας ἐκ νεκρῶν ἐλήλυθεν. Εἰ δὲ μὴ διʼ ἑαυτὸν ἐλήλυθεν, ἀλλὰ διʼ ἡμᾶς, οὐ διʼ ἑαυτὸν ἄρα, ἀλλὰ διʼ ἡμᾶς ‘κτίζεται.’ Εἰ δὲ οὐ διʼ ἑαυτὸν κτίζεται, ἀλλὰ διʼ ἡμᾶς, οὐκ ἔστιν ἄρα αὐτὸς κτίσμα, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἡμῶν ἐνδυσάμενος σάρκα, ταῦτα λέγει. Καὶ ὅτι ταύτην τὴν διάνοιαν ἔχουσιν αἱ γραφαὶ, ἐξὸν παρὰ τοῦ ἀποστόλου μαθεῖν· φησὶ γὰρ ἐν τῇ πρὸς Ἐφεσίους, ‘τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ λύσας, τὴν ἔχθραν ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ αὐτοῦ, τὸν νόμον τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐν δόγμασι καταργήσας, ἵνα τοὺς δύο κτίσῃ ἐν ἑαυτῷ εἰς ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον, ποιῶν εἰρήνην.᾿ Εἰ δὲ ἐν αὐτῷ κτίζονται οἱ δύο, καὶ οὗτοί εἰσιν ἐν τῷ σώματι αὐτοῦ, εἰκότως ἄρα, φορῶν τοὺς δύο ἐν αὐτῷ, ὡς αὐτός ἐστι κτισθείς· τοὺς γὰρ κτισθέντας ἐν ἑαυτῷ ἥνωσε, καὶ ἦν αὐτὸς ἐν αὐτοῖς, ὡς ἐκεῖνοι, Οὕτω δὲ τῶν δύο κτισθέντων ἐν αὐτῷ, ἁρμοζόντως ἂν λέγοι, ‘Κύριος ἔκτισέ με.᾿ Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὰς ἡμῶν ἀσθενείας δεχόμενος, λέγεται αὐτὸς ἀσθενεῖν, καίτοι μὴ ἀσθενῶν αὐτὸς, (δύναμις γάρ ἐστι τοῦ Θεοῦ, ) ‘ἁμαρτία τε ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν γέγονε καὶ κατάρα, ʼ καίτοι μὴ ἁμαρτήσας αὐτὸς, ἀλλʼ ὅτι τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν καὶ τὴν κατάραν ἐβάστασεν αὐτὸς, οὕτως ἡμᾶς ἐν αὐτῷ κτίζων, λεγέτω ὅτι καὶ ‘ἔκτισέ με εἰς ἔργα, ’ καίτοι κτίσμα μὴ ὢν αὐτός.

### English translation (Claude)

So the Saviour came to bear witness, and to undergo death for us, and to raise human beings, and “to destroy the works of the devil”; and this is the reason for his presence in the flesh. For otherwise there would have been no resurrection, had there been no death; and how could there have been death, had he not had a mortal body? The apostle, having learned this from him, said: “Since, then, the children share in blood and flesh, he himself likewise partook of the same, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, the devil, and set free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives”; and, “For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also came through a man”; and again, “For what the law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh, so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” And John says, “For God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him.” And again the Saviour said in his own person, “For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” So he came not for his own sake but for our salvation, and so that death might be destroyed, and sin condemned, and the blind see again, and all rise from the dead. And if he came not for his own sake but for ours, then it is not for his own sake but for ours that he is “created.” And if he is created not for his own sake but for ours, then he himself is not a creature, but says these things having put on our flesh. And that the Scriptures have this sense one can learn from the apostle; for he says in the letter to the Ephesians, “having broken down the dividing wall of the fence, the enmity, in his flesh, having abolished the law of commandments in ordinances, that he might create in himself the two into one new man, making peace.” And if the two are created in him, and they are in his body, then fittingly, bearing the two in himself, he is as though himself created; for he united in himself those who were created, and he was in them as they were. And since the two are thus created in him, he might fittingly say, “The Lord created me.” For just as, receiving our weaknesses, he is said to be weak himself, though he is not weak (for he is the power of God), and “became sin and a curse for us,” though he did not sin himself, but because he bore our sins and the curse, so, creating us in himself, let him say that “he created me for the works,” though he himself is not a creature.

### Scripture references

- 1 John 3:8: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 2:14: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 2:15: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Cor 15:21: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 8:3: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 8:4: quotation, high confidence
- John 3:17: quotation, high confidence
- John 9:39: quotation, high confidence
- Eph 2:14: quotation, high confidence
- Eph 2:15: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 8:22: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 8:17: allusion, medium confidence
- 1 Cor 1:24: allusion, medium confidence
- 2 Cor 5:21: allusion, high confidence
- Gal 3:13: allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Slips corrected: ἕκτισέ to ἔκτισέ, δʼ ἡμᾶς to διʼ ἡμᾶς.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 55 (Bright, 124–125; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/51/#p-55).

## Oration II Against the Arians 56

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/51/#p-56
- Source: Bright, 125–126
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: “He created me” is said for our sake, since we are created in Christ; but Prov 8:25, “he begets me,” speaks of the Son's generation without giving any reason, showing that he is Son, not creature.

### Greek text

56. Ἐπεὶ εἰ κατʼ ἐκείνους, ὡς κτιστῆς οὔσης τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ Λόγου, λέγει, ‘Κύριος ἔκτισέ με, ʼ κτίσμα ὢν, οὐ διʼ ἡμᾶς ἐκτίσθη. Διʼ ἡμᾶς δὲ μὴ κτισθέντος αὐτοῦ, οὐκ ἐκτίσθημεν ‘ἐν αὐτῷ·’ μὴ κτισθέντες δὲ ἐν αὐτῷ, οὐκ εἴχομεν αὐτὸν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς, ἀλλʼ ἔξωθεν εἴχομεν, εἰ ἄρα παρʼ αὐτοῦ τὴν μάθησιν ὡς παρὰ διδασκάλου ἐδεξάμεθα. Οὕτω δὲ ἡμῶν ὄντων, οὐδὲν ἧττον πάλιν ἡ ἁμαρτία τῆς σαρκὸς ‘ἐβασίλευσεν ἐμμένουσα, καὶ μὴ ἐκβληθεῖσα ἐξ αὐτῆς. Ἀλλὰ ὁ ἀπόστολος ἐναντιοῦται τούτοις πρὸ ὀλίγων τούτων φάσκων· ‘Αὐτοῦ γάρ ἐσμεν ποίημα, κτισθέντες ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ.᾿ Εἰ δὲ ἐν Χριστῷ ἡμεῖς ἐκτίσθημεν, οὐκ ἔστιν ἄρα αὐτὸς ὁ κτιζόμενος, ἀλλʼ ἡμεῖς ἐσμεν ἐν αὐτῷ κτιζόμενοι· καὶ διʼ ἡμᾶς ἐστιν ἡ τοῦ ‘ἔκτισε φωνή. Διὰ γὰρ τὴν ἡμῶν χρείαν, καίτοι κτίστης ὢν ὁ Λόγος, ὑπέμεινε καὶ τὴν τῶν κτιζομένων φωνήν· καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῦ, ᾗ Λόγος ἐστὶν, ἰδία ἡ φωνὴ, ἀλλʼ ἡμῶν τῶν ἐν αὐτῷ κτιζομένων ἐστὶ τὸ ‘ἔκτισε.᾿ Καὶ ὥσπερ Πατρὸς ὄντος ἀεὶ, ἀεί ἐστι καὶ ὁ τούτου Λόγος, καὶ ὢν ἀεὶ, λέγει, ‘ἐγὼ ἤμην, ᾗ προσέχαιρε· καθʼ ἡμέραν δὲ εὐφραινόμην ἐν προσώπῳ αὐτοῦ·᾿ καὶ, ‘ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ Πατρὶ, καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἐν ἐμοί·᾿ οὕτως ὅτε διὰ τὴν ἡμῶν χρείαν γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος, ἀκολούθως τὰ ἡμῶν, ὡς ἡμεῖς, αὐτὸς λέγει, ‘Κύριος ἔκτισέ με·᾿ ἵνα, αὐτοῦ ἐνοικήσαντος ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ, τελείως ἡ ἁμαρτία ἐξωσθῇ τῆς σαρκὸς, καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐλεύθερον ἔχωμεν τὸ φρόνημα. Τί δὲ ἔδει γενόμενον αὐτὸν ἄνθρωπον εἰπεῖν; ‘Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἤμην ἄνθρωπος;’ ἀλλʼ οὔτε γε ἥρμοζεν αὐτῷ τοῦτο, οὔτε ἀληθὲς ἦν· ὥσπερ δὲ τοῦτο οὐκ ἔπρεπεν εἰπεῖν, οὕτως οἰκεῖον καὶ ἴδιον ἐπʼ ἀνθρώπου ἐστὶ λέγειν τὸ ‘ἔκτισε, ’ καὶ, ‘ἐποίησεν αὐτόν.’ Διὰ τοῦτο γοῦν καὶ ἡ αἰτία τοῦ ‘ἔκτισεʼ πρόσκειται, ἥτις ἐστὶ τῶν ἔργων ἡ χρεία. Ἔνθα δὲ ἡ αἰτία πρόσκειται, αὐτὴ ἡ αἰτία πάντως διαλύει τὸ ἀνάγνωσμα καλῶς. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐνταῦθα ἐν μὲν τῷ ‘ἔκτισε, ’ τὴν αἰτίαν τίθησι ‘τὰ ἔργα·᾿ τὴν δὲ ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς γέννησιν ἀπολελυμένως σημαίνων, εὐθὺς ἐπήγαγε· ‘πρὸ δὲ πάντων βουνῶν γεννᾷ με·᾿ οὐ διὰ τί, ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τοῦ ‘ἔκτισέ με, ᾿ προσέθηκε λέγων, ‘εἰς ἔργα, ’ ἀλλὰ ἀπολελυμένως, ‘γεννᾷ μεʼ ὥσπερ τὸ ‘ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ Λόγος.᾿ Καὶ γὰρ καὶ εἰ μὴ τὰ ἔργα ἔκτιστο, ἀλλʼ ἦν ὁ Λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ, ‘καὶ Θεὸς ἦν ὁ Λόγος Τὸ δὲ γενέσθαι αὐτὸν ἄνθρωπον οὐκ ἂν ἐγένετο, εἰ μὴ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἡ χρεία γέγονεν αἰτία. Οὐκ ἔστιν ἄρα κτίσμα ὁ Υἱός· εἰ γὰρ κτίσμα ἦν, οὐκ ἂν εἶπε, ‘γεννᾷ με·᾿ ὅτι τὰ μὲν κτίσματα ἔξωθέν ἐστιν ἔργα τοῦ ποιοῦντος, τὸ δὲ γέννημα οὐκ ἔξωθεν, ὡς ἔργον, ἀλλʼ ἐκ τοῦ Πατρός ἐστιν ἴδιον τῆς οὐσίας. Διόπερ τὰ μὲν, κτίσματα· ὁ δὲ, Λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ Υἱὸς μονογενής.

### English translation (Claude)

For if, according to them, he says “The Lord created me” because the Word's substance is created, then, being a creature, he was not created for our sake. And if he was not created for our sake, we were not created “in him”; and not being created in him, we did not have him in ourselves but had him outside, as though we had received instruction from him as from a teacher. And if that were our state, sin would none the less have “reigned” in the flesh, remaining in it and not cast out of it. But the apostle contradicts them, saying a little before this, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus.” And if we were created in Christ, then it is not he who is created, but we who are created in him; and the word “he created” is used for our sake. For because of our need, though the Word is creator, he submitted also to the language used of created things; and the word is not proper to him as Word, but the “he created” belongs to us who are created in him. And as, since the Father is always, his Word too is always, and, being always, says, “I was the one in whom he delighted, and daily I rejoiced before his face,” and “I am in the Father and the Father in me,” so when for our need he became man, he consistently says of himself what is ours, as we do: “The Lord created me”; so that, since he has dwelt in the flesh, sin might be completely driven out of the flesh, and we might have a free mind. What else should he have said when he became man? “In the beginning I was man”? But this neither befitted him nor was true; and as that was not fitting to say, so it is fitting and proper in the case of a man to say “he created” and “he made him.” That is why the reason for “he created” is added as well, namely the need of the works. And where the reason is added, the reason itself certainly resolves the reading well. For here too, with “he created,” he states the reason, “the works”; but when signifying his generation from the Father without qualification, he at once added, “And before all the hills he begets me.” He did not add a “why,” as with “he created me,” where he said “for works,” but said without qualification, “he begets me,” like “In the beginning was the Word.” For even if the works had not been created, the Word of God still was, “and the Word was God.” But his becoming man would not have happened, had not the need of human beings become the cause. So the Son is not a creature; for if he were a creature, he would not have said “he begets me”; because creatures are works of the maker, from outside him, while the offspring is not from outside, as a work, but is from the Father, proper to his substance. Therefore they are creatures, but he is the Word of God, the only-begotten Son.

### Scripture references

- Rom 5:21: allusion, medium confidence
- Eph 2:10: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 8:30: quotation, high confidence
- John 14:10: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 8:22: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 8:25: quotation, high confidence
- John 1:1: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “I was the one in whom he delighted” is Prov 8:30 (Septuagint).
- Slips corrected: αὐτῶ to αὐτῷ, ὤσπερ to ὥσπερ.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 56 (Bright, 125–126; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/51/#p-56).

## Oration II Against the Arians 57

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/51/#p-57
- Source: Bright, 126–127
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Scripture says “made” of creatures and “begot” of the Son, and “in the beginning was” of the Word; creatures began to be, but the Word has his being without beginning in the Father.

### Greek text

57. Ἀμέλει ἐπὶ μὲν τῆς κτίσεως οὐκ εἴρηκε Μωσῆς· ‘Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐγέννησεν, ᾿ οὐδὲ, ‘Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν·᾿ ἀλλʼ ‘Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν·᾿ οὐδὲ ὁ Δαβὶδ ἔψαλεν· ‘Αἱ χεῖρές σου ἐγέννησάν με, ἀλλʼ ‘ἐποίησάν με καὶ ἔπλασάν με, ’ πανταχοῦ τὸ ‘ἐποίησεν, ᾿ ἐπὶ τῶν κτισμάτων λέγων· ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ Υἱοῦ τὸ ἔμπαλιν· οὐ γὰρ εἴρηκεν ‘ἐποίησα, ᾿ ἀλλʼ, ‘ἐγέννησα, ᾿ καὶ, ‘γεννᾷ με, ᾿ καὶ, ‘ἐξηρεύξατο ἡ καρδία μου Λόγον ἀγαθόν καὶ ἐπὶ μὲν τῆς κτίσεως, ‘ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ Υἱοῦ, ‘ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ Λόγος.᾿ Διαφέρει δὲ τοῦτο, ὅτι τὰ μὲν κτίσματα ὑπὸ τὴν ἀρχὴν πεποίηται, καὶ διαστηματικὴν ἀρχὴν τοῦ εἶναι ἔχει· διόπερ καὶ τὸ λεγόμενον ἐπʼ αὐτῶν, ‘ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν ἴσον ἐστὶ τῷ εἰπεῖν πάλιν ἐπʼ αὐτῶν τὸ ‘ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς ἐποίησεν, ᾿ ὥσπερ ὁ Κύριος, εἰδὼς ὅπερ ἐποίησεν, ἐδίδαξεν, ὅτε τοὺς Φαρισαίους ἐνέτρεπε λέγων, ‘ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς δὲ ὁ κτίσας αὐτοὺς, ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ ἐποίησεν αὐτούς.᾿ Ἀπὸ γὰρ ἀρχῆς τινος τοῦ μὴ εἶναί ποτε γέγονε καὶ ἐκτίσθη τὰ γενητά. Τοῦτο καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἐσήμαινεν ἐν ψαλμοῖς, λέγον, ‘Καὶ σὺ κατʼ ἀρχὰς, Κύριε, τὴν γῆν ἐθεμελίωσας· καὶ πάλιν, ‘Μνήσθητι τῆς συναγωγῆς σου, ἧς ἐκτήσω ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς Δῆλον δέ ἐστιν ὅτι τὸ ‘κατʼ ἀρχὰςʼ γινόμενον ἀρχὴν ἔχει τοῦ κτίζεσθαι, καὶ ὅτι τὴν συναγωγὴν ἀπό τινος ἀρχῆς ἐκτήσατο ὁ Θεός. Ὅτι δὲ τὸ ‘ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν, ᾿ ἐκ τοῦ λέγειν ‘ἐποίησενʼ τὸ ‘ἤρξατο ποιεῖνʼ ἐστιν, αὐτὸς Μωσῆς τοῦτο δηλοῖ μετὰ τὴν τῶν πάντων τελεσιουργίαν λέγων· ‘Καὶ εὐλόγησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὴν ἡμέραν τὴν ἑβδόμην, καὶ ἡγίασεν αὐτὴν, ὅτι ἐν αὐτῇ κατέπαυσεν ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ, ὧν ἤρξατο ὁ Θεὸς ποιῆσαι.᾿ Οὐκοῦν τὰ μὲν κτίσματα ἤρξατο γίνεσθαι· ὁ δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος, οὐκ ἔχων ἀρχὴν τοῦ εἶναι, εἰκότως οὐκ ἤρξατο τοῦ εἶναι, οὐδὲ ἤρξατο γίνεσθαι, ἀλλʼ ἦν ἀεί. Καὶ τὰ μὲν ἔργα ἀρχὴν ἐν τῷ ποιεῖσθαι ἔχει, καὶ προάγει τῶν γινομένων ἡ ἀρχή· ὁ δὲ Λόγος, οὐκ ὢν τῶν γινομένων, μᾶλλον τῶν ἀρχὴν ἐχόντων αὐτὸς δημιουργὸς γίνεται. Καὶ τῶν μὲν γενητῶν τὸ εἶναι ἐν τῷ γίνεσθαι μετρεῖται, καὶ ἀπό τινος ἀρχῆς ἄρχεται ταῦτα διὰ τοῦ Λόγου ποιεῖν ὁ Θεὸς, ἵνα καὶ τὸ μὴ εἶναι, πρὶν γενέσθαι, ταῦτα γινώσκηται· ὁ δὲ Λόγος τὸ εἶναι οὐκ ἐν ἄλλῃ ἀρχῇ ἔχει, ἀλλʼ ἐν τῷ Πατρὶ, τῷ καὶ κατʼ ἐκείνους ἀνάρχῳ, ἵνα καὶ αὐτὸς ἀνάρχως ὑπάρχῃ ἐν τῷ Πατρὶ, γέννημα καὶ οὐ κτίσμα τυγχάνων αὐτοῦ.

### English translation (Claude)

Certainly, of creation Moses did not say, “In the beginning he begot,” nor “In the beginning was,” but “In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth”; nor did David sing, “Your hands begot me,” but “made me and fashioned me,” everywhere using “he made” of the creatures. But of the Son it is the reverse; for he did not say “I made,” but “I begot,” and “he begets me,” and “My heart has uttered a good Word”; and of creation, “In the beginning he made,” but of the Son, “In the beginning was the Word.” The difference is this: the creatures were made at a beginning and have a beginning of being that is separated by an interval; therefore what is said of them, “In the beginning he made,” is equal to saying of them, “From the beginning he made,” as the Lord, knowing what he had made, taught when he put the Pharisees to shame, saying, “But he who created them from the beginning made them male and female.” For originated things came into being and were created from some beginning, having once not been. The Holy Spirit too signified this in the Psalms, saying, “And you, Lord, in the beginning founded the earth,” and again, “Remember your congregation, which you acquired from the beginning.” It is clear that what comes to be “in the beginning” has a beginning of being created, and that God acquired the congregation from some beginning. And that “In the beginning he made,” in saying “he made,” means “he began to make,” Moses himself shows after the completion of all things, saying, “And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on it he rested from all his works which God began to make.” So the creatures began to come into being; but the Word of God, having no beginning of being, fittingly did not begin to be, nor begin to come into being, but always was. The works have a beginning in their being made, and the beginning precedes the things that come into being; but the Word, not being among things that come into being, is rather himself the creator of the things that have a beginning. The being of originated things is measured by their coming into being, and from some beginning God begins to make them through the Word, so that it may be known that they did not exist before they came into being; but the Word has his being in no other beginning than in the Father, who even according to them is without beginning, so that he too exists without beginning in the Father, being his offspring and not his creature.

### Scripture references

- Gen 1:1: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 119:73 (118:73 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Ps 2:7: allusion, medium confidence
- Prov 8:25: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 45:1 (44:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- John 1:1: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 19:4: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 102:25 (101:26 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Ps 74:2 (73:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Gen 2:3: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “God began to make” follows the Septuagint of Gen 2:3.
- Slips corrected: ἀρκῇ to ἀρχῇ, two repeated syllables (ἐποίησα… ησα; ἐποίησεν ησεν), εἷναι to εἶναι.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 57 (Bright, 126–127; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/51/#p-57).

## Oration II Against the Arians 58

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/51/#p-58
- Source: Bright, 127–128
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: John's “was” excludes any interval before the Son; in Deut 32, Moses puts “made” before “begot,” showing that human beings are made by nature and only afterwards called begotten by grace.

### Greek text

58. Οὕτως ἄρα ἡ θεία γραφὴ τὴν διαφορὰν τοῦ γεννήματος οἶδε καὶ τῶν ποιημάτων, καὶ τὸ μὲν γέννημα ‘Υἱὸν, ᾿ οὐκ ἀπό τινος ἀρχῆς ἀρξάμενον, ἀλλʼ ἀΐδιον δείκνυσι· τὸ δὲ ποίημα, ὡς ἔξωθεν ἔργον τοῦ πεποιηκότος τυγχάνον, ἀρξάμενον τοῦ γίνεσθαι σημαίνει. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ὁ Ἰωάννης, περὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ θεολογῶν, καὶ γινώσκων τὴν τῶν λέξεων διαφορὰν, οὐκ εἶπεν· ‘Ἐν ἀρχῇ γέγονεν, ἢ πεποίηται, ᾿ ἀλλʼ, ‘Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ Λόγος·᾿ ἵνα τὸ γέννημα τῷ ‘ἦνʼ συνεξακούηται, καὶ μὴ ἐν διαστάσει τις λογίσηται, ἀλλʼ ἀεὶ καὶ ἀϊδίως ὑπάρχοντα τὸν Υἱὸν πιστεύῃ. Τούτων δὲ οὕτω δεικνυμένων, πῶς, ὦ Ἀρειανοὶ, μὴ νοήσαντες τὰ ἐν τῷ Δευτερονομίῳ ῥητὰ, καὶ ἐν τούτῳ πάλιν ἀσεβεῖν εἰς τὸν Κύριον ἐτολμήσατε λέγοντες, ‘ποίημα, ᾿ ἢ ‘κτίσμα, ᾿ ἤτοι ‘γέννημα εἶναι αὐτόν; Ταὐτὸν γὰρ τὸ γέννημα καὶ τὸ ποίημα σημαίνειν φάσκετε· καὶ ἐντεῦθεν γὰρ οὐδὲν ἧττον ἀπαίδευτοι καὶ ἀσεβεῖς γνωσθήσεσθε. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ πρῶτον ῥητόν ἐστι τοῦτο· ‘Οὐκ αὐτὸς οὗτός σου Πατὴρ ἐκτήσατό σε, καὶ ἐποίησέ σε, καὶ ἔκτισέ σε;’ καὶ μετʼ ὀλίγα ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ ᾠδῇ φησι, ‘Θεὸν τὸν γεννήσαντά σε ἐγκατέλιπες, καὶ ἐπελάθου Θεοῦ τοῦ τρέφοντός σε.᾿ Ἡ δὲ διάνοια πάνυ θαυμαστὴ τυγχάνει οὖσα. Οὐ γὰρ εἴρηκε πρῶτον τὸ ‘ἐγέννησεν, ᾿ ἵνα μὴ ἀδιάφορος ἡ λέξις ᾖ πρὸς τὸ ‘ἐποίησε, ᾿ καὶ πρόφασιν εὕρωσιν οὗτοι λέγειν, ‘Μωσῆς ἐξ ἀρχῆς μὲν εἶπεν εἰρηκέναι τὸν Θεὸν, “Ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον, ” αὐτὸς δὲ μετὰ ταῦτα ἔφησε, “Θεὸν τὸν γεννήσαντά σε ἐγκατέλιπες·” ὡς ἀδιαφόρων τῶν λέξεων οὐσῶν· ταὐτὸν γὰρ τὸ γέννημα καὶ ποίημά ἐστιν.᾿ Ἀλλὰ μετὰ τὸ ‘ἐκτήσατο, ᾿ καὶ ‘ἐποίησε, ᾿ λοιπὸν ὕστερον τὸ ‘ἐγέννησενʼ ἐπήγαγε, ἵνα καὶ ἑρμηνείαν ὁ λόγος ἔχων φανῇ. Ἐν μὲν γὰρ τῷ ‘ἐποίησεν, ’ ἀληθῶς σημαίνει τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὸ κατὰ φύσιν, ὅτι ἔργα τέ ἐστι καὶ ποιήματα· ἐν δὲ τῷ ἐγέννησε, δηλοῖ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ γενομένην εἰς ἀνθρώπους μετὰ τὸ κτίσαι αὐτοὺς φιλανθρωπίαν· καὶ ἐπειδὴ ἀχάριστοι γεγόνασιν ἐπὶ ταύτῃ, λοιπὸν Μωσῆς ὀνειδίζων αὐτοὺς πρῶτον μέν φησι, ‘Ταῦτα Κυρίῳ ἀνταποδίδοτε; ʼ εἶτα ἐπάγει, ‘Οὐκ αὐτὸς οὗτός σου Πατὴρ ἐκτήσατό σε, καὶ ἐποίησέ σε, καὶ ἔκτισέ σε; ʼ Καὶ δεύτερον πάλιν λέγει, ‘Ἔθυσαν δαιμονίοις καὶ οὐ Θεῷ, θεοῖς οἷς οὐκ ᾔδεισαν· καινοὶ πρόσφατοι ἥκασιν, οὓς οὐκ ᾔδεισαν οἱ πατέρες αὐτῶν· Θεὸν τὸν γεννήσαντά σε ἐγκατέλιπες.᾿

### English translation (Claude)

Thus the divine Scripture knows the difference between the offspring and the works: it shows the offspring as “Son,” not having begun from some beginning but eternal; while it signifies the work, which is a work of its maker from outside him, as having begun to come into being. So John too, speaking of the Son's divinity and knowing the difference between the words, did not say, “In the beginning he became,” or “was made,” but “In the beginning was the Word,” so that the offspring might be understood together with the “was,” and no one might reckon an interval, but might believe that the Son exists always and eternally. These things having been shown thus, how, you Arians, not understanding the sayings in Deuteronomy, have you dared in this too to commit impiety against the Lord, saying that he is “a work” or “a creature,” or else “an offspring,” meaning the same thing? For you claim that offspring and work mean the same; and from this too you will be known to be no less uneducated and impious. For the first saying is this: “Is not he himself your Father, who acquired you, and made you, and created you?” And a little later, in the same song, he says, “You forsook God who begot you, and forgot God who nourishes you.” The sense is quite wonderful. For he did not say “begot” first, lest the word be taken as no different from “made,” and these men find a pretext to say, “Moses said that in the beginning God said, ‘Let us make man,’ and he himself afterwards said, ‘You forsook God who begot you,’ as though the words were no different; for offspring and work are the same.” But after “acquired” and “made” he then added “begot” last, so that the passage might be seen to carry its own explanation. For by “made” he truly signifies what human beings are by nature, that they are works and things made; but by “begot” he shows the love for humankind that God showed to human beings after creating them; and since they became ungrateful for it, Moses, reproaching them, first says, “Do you repay the Lord thus?” and then adds, “Is not he himself your Father, who acquired you, and made you, and created you?” And secondly he says again, “They sacrificed to demons and not to God, to gods whom they did not know; new and recent ones came, whom their fathers did not know; you forsook God who begot you.”

### Scripture references

- John 1:1: quotation, high confidence
- Deut 32:6: quotation, high confidence
- Deut 32:18: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 1:26: quotation, high confidence
- Deut 32:17: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The Song of Moses (Deut 32) is quoted from the Septuagint.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 58 (Bright, 127–128; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/51/#p-58).

## Oration II Against the Arians 59

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/51/#p-59
- Source: Bright, 128–130
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Human beings are made by nature and become sons by grace, through receiving the Spirit of the true Son; the Word became flesh so that humanity could receive Godhead.

### Greek text

59. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ Θεὸς οὐ μόνον ἀνθρώπους αὐτοὺς ἔκτισεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ‘υἱοὺςʼ ἐκάλεσεν, ὡς γεννήσας αὐτούς. Τοῦ γὰρ ‘υἱὸςʼ καὶ ὧδε σημαντικόν ἐστι τὸ ‘ἐγέννησεν·᾿ ὡς καὶ διὰ τοῦ προφήτου φησὶν, ‘Υἱοὺς ἐγέννησα καὶ ὕψωσα·᾿ καὶ ὅλως ὅτε ἡ γραφὴ υἱόν σημᾶναι βούλεται, οὐ διὰ τῆς ‘ἔκτισα, ᾿ ἀλλὰ πάντως διὰ τῆς ἐγέννησα, ᾿ λέξεως σημαίνει. Καὶ τοῦτο πάλιν Ἰωάννης φαίνεται λέγων, ‘ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν τέκνα Θεοῦ γενέσθαι τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, οἳ οὐκ ἐξ αἱμάτων, οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος σαρκὸς, οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος ἀνδρὸς, ἀλλʼ ἐκ Θεοῦ ἐγεννήθησαν·᾿ πάνυ καλῶς ἐχούσης καὶ ἐνταῦθα τῆς παρατηρήσεως. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ‘γενέσθαι, ᾿ διὰ τὸ μὴ φύσει, ἀλλὰ θέσει αὐτοὺς λέγεσθαι υἱούς φησι τὸ δὲ ‘ἐγεννήθησαν, ᾿ διὰ τὸ ὅλως ὄνομα υἱοῦ καὶ αὐτοὺς εἰληφέναι, εἴρηκεν. Ἀλλʼ ὁ λαὸς, ὡς ὁ προφήτης φησὶν, ‘ἠθέτησαν τὸν εὐεργέτην. Αὕτη δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπία ἐστὶν, ὅτι ὧν ἐστι ποιητὴς, τούτων καὶ πατὴρ κατὰ χάριν ὕστερον γίνεται· γίνεται δὲ, ὅταν οἱ κτισθέντες ἄνθρωποι, ὡς εἶπεν ὁ ἀπόστολος, λάβωσιν ‘εἰς τὰς καρδίας ἑαυτῶν τὸ Πνεῦμα τοῦ Υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ, κρᾶζον, Ἀββᾶ, ὁ Πατήρ.᾿ Οὗτοι δέ εἰσιν ὅσοι, δεξάμενοι τὸν Λόγον, ἔλαβον ἐξουσίαν παρʼ αὐτοῦ τέκνα Θεοῦ γενέσθαι· ἄλλως γὰρ οὐκ ἂν γένοιντο υἱοὶ, ὄντες φύσει κτίσματα, εἰ μὴ τοῦ ὄντος φύσει καὶ ἀληθινοῦ Υἱοῦ τὸ Πνεῦμα ὑποδέξονται. Διὸ, ἵνα τοῦτο γένηται, ‘ὁ Λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο, ᾿ ἵνα τὸν ἄνθρωπον δεκτικὸν θεότητος ποιήσῃ. Ταύτην τὴν διάνοιαν καὶ παρὰ Μαλαχίου τοῦ προφήτου μαθεῖν ἔξεστι λέγοντος· ‘Οὐχὶ Θεὸς εἷς ἔκτισεν ὑμᾶς; οὐχὶ πάντων ὑμῶν εἷς πατήρ;’ Καὶ ἐνταῦθα γὰρ πάλιν πρῶτον τὸ ‘ἔκτισε καὶ δεύτερον τὸ ‘πατὴρʼ ἔθηκεν, ἵνα δείξῃ καὶ αὐτὸς, ὅτι ἐξ ἀρχῆς μὲν κατὰ φύσιν ἐσμὲν κτίσματα, καὶ κτίστης ἡμῶν ἐστιν ὁ Θεὸς διὰ τοῦ Λόγου, ὕστερον δὲ υἱοποιούμεθα, καὶ λοιπὸν ὁ κτίστης Θεὸς γίνεται καὶ πατὴρ ἡμῶν. Οὐκοῦν τὸ ‘Πατὴρ τοῦ Υἱοῦ ἐστιν ἴδιον, καὶ οὐ τὸ κτίσμα ἀλλὰ τὸ ‘Υἱὸςʼ τοῦ Πατρός ἐστιν ἴδιον. Ὥστε καὶ ἐκ τούτου δείκνυσθαι μὴ εἶναι ἡμᾶς φύσει υἱοὺς, ἀλλὰ τὸν ἐν ἡμῖν Υἱόν· καὶ μὴ εἶναι πάλιν ἡμῶν φύσει πατέρα τὸν Θεὸν, ἀλλὰ τοῦ ἐν ἡμῖν Λόγου, ἐν ᾧ καὶ διʼ ὃν κράζομεν, ‘Ἀββᾶ, ὁ Πατήρ.᾿ Ὥσπερ δὲ τοῦτο, οὕτως ὁ Πατὴρ ἐν οἷς ἐὰν βλέπῃ τὸν ἑαυτοῦ Υἱὸν, τούτους καὶ αὐτὸς ‘υἱοὺςʼ καλεῖ, καὶ λέγει, ‘ἐγέννησα·᾿ ἐπειδήπερ τὸ μὲν ‘γεννᾶν, ᾿ σημαντικόν ἐστιν υἱοῦ, τὸ δὲ ‘ποιεῖνʼ δηλωτικόν ἐστι τῶν ἔργων. Διὰ τοῦτο γοῦν ἡμεῖς οὐ πρῶτον γεννώμεθα, ἀλλὰ ποιούμεθα· γέγραπται γὰρ, ‘Ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον· ὕστερον δὲ, δεξάμενοι τὴν τοῦ Πνεύματος χάριν, λεγόμεθα τό τε λοιπὸν καὶ γεννᾶσθαι. Ἀμέλει καὶ ἐν τῇ ᾠδῇ Μωσῆς ὁ μέγας μετὰ διανοίας καλῆς πρῶτον τὸ ‘ἐκτήσατο, ʼ καὶ ὕστερον τὸ ‘ἐγέννησενʼ εἴρηκεν, ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ, ἀκούσαντας τὸ ‘ἐγέννησεν, ʼ ἐπιλαθέσθαι αὐτοὺς τῆς ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἑαυτῶν φύσεως, ἀλλʼ ἵνα γινώσκωσιν, ὅτι ἐξ ἀρχῆς μέν εἰσι κτίσματα, ὅταν δὲ κατὰ χάριν λέγωνται ‘γεννᾶσθαι, ʼ ὡς υἱοὶ, ἀλλʼ οὐδὲν ἧττόν εἰσι πάλιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι ποιήματα κατὰ φύσιν.

### English translation (Claude)

For God not only created them as human beings, but also called them “sons,” as having begotten them. For here too “he begot” indicates a son; as he also says through the prophet, “I begot sons and raised them up”; and in general, when Scripture wishes to signify a son, it does so not by the word “I created” but always by “I begot.” And John evidently says this again: “He gave power to become children of God to those who believe in his name, who were born not of bloods, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God”—and here too the precision is very fine. For he says “become” because they are called sons not by nature but by adoption, and he said “were born” because they too have received the name of son at all. But the people, as the prophet says, “set aside their benefactor.” This is God's love for humankind, that of those whose maker he is he later becomes Father too, by grace; and he becomes so when created human beings, as the apostle said, receive “into their hearts the Spirit of his Son, crying, Abba, Father.” These are all who, having received the Word, received power from him to become children of God; for otherwise, being creatures by nature, they could not become sons unless they received the Spirit of him who is by nature the true Son. That is why, so that this might happen, “the Word became flesh,” to make man capable of receiving Godhead. One can also learn this sense from Malachi the prophet, who says, “Did not one God create you? Is there not one Father of you all?” For here too he put “created” first and “Father” second, so that he too might show that from the beginning we are by nature creatures, and God is our creator through the Word, but afterwards we are made sons, and then God the creator becomes our Father too. So the name “Father” belongs properly to the Son, and what belongs properly to the Father is not “creature” but “Son.” So from this too it is shown that we are not sons by nature, but the Son who is in us; and again that God is not our Father by nature, but the Father of the Word in us, in whom and because of whom we cry, “Abba, Father.” And as this is so, the Father calls “sons” those in whom he sees his own Son, and says, “I begot”; since “begetting” indicates a son, while “making” indicates works. That is why we are not first begotten but made; for it is written, “Let us make man”; but afterwards, having received the grace of the Spirit, we are thereafter said to be begotten too. Indeed, in the song the great Moses, with fine insight, said “acquired” first and “begot” afterwards, so that, on hearing “begot,” they would not forget their original nature, but would know that from the beginning they are creatures, and that when they are said by grace to be “begotten” as sons, human beings are none the less by nature things made.

### Scripture references

- Isa 1:2: quotation, high confidence
- John 1:12: quotation, high confidence
- John 1:13: quotation, high confidence
- Gal 4:6: quotation, high confidence
- John 1:14: quotation, high confidence
- Mal 2:10: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 8:15: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 1:26: quotation, high confidence
- Deut 32:6: allusion, high confidence
- Deut 32:18: allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “I begot sons and raised them up” is Isa 1:2 (Septuagint).
- “By adoption” renders θέσει, as opposed to φύσει (“by nature”).
- The text reads γεννῷν; corrected to γεννᾶν.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 59 (Bright, 128–130; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/51/#p-59).

## Oration II Against the Arians 60

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/51/#p-60
- Source: Bright, 130–131
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The “but” joining Prov 8:22 and 8:25 shows that the begetting before all things precedes and differs from the creating as “beginning of ways,” which refers to the incarnation.

### Greek text

60. Ὅτι δὲ οὐ ταὐτόν ἐστι κτίσμα καὶ γέννημα, ἀλλὰ διεστήκασιν ἀλλήλων τῇ τε φύσει καὶ τῇ ἐκ τῶν λέξεων σημασίᾳ, αὐτὸς ὁ Κύριος ἐν αὐταῖς ταῖς Παροιμίαις δείκνυσιν. Εἰρηκὼς γὰρ τὸ ‘Κύριος ἔκτισέ με ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ, ᾿ ἐπήγαγε, ‘πρὸ δὲ πάντων βουνῶν γεννᾷ με.᾿ Εἰ μὲν οὖν ἦν φύσει καὶ τῇ οὐσίᾳ κτίσμα ὁ Λόγος, καὶ μὴ διαφορὰ ἦν τοῦ γεννήματος πρὸς τὸ κτίσμα, οὐκ ἂν ἐπήγαγε τὸ ‘γεννᾷ με, ᾿ ἀλλʼ ἠρκεῖτο τῷ ‘ἔκτισεν, ᾿ ὡς τῆς λέξεως ταύτης σημαινούσης τὸ ‘ἐγέννησε·᾿ νῦν δὲ εἰρηκὼς, ‘ἔκτισέ με ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ εἰς ἔργα αὐτοῦ, ʼ ἐπήγαγεν οὐχ ἀπλῶς τὸ ‘γεννᾷ με, ᾿ ἀλλὰ μετὰ συμπλοκῆς τοῦ ‘δὲ συνδέσμου, ὡς ἀσφαλιζόμενος ἐν τούτῳ τὴν τοῦ ‘ἔκτισεʼ λέξιν, λέγων· ‘πρὸ δὲ πάντων βουνῶν γεννᾷ με.᾿ Τὸ γὰρ γεννᾶ με, τῷ ‘ἔκτισεʼ συμπεπλεγμένως ἐπιφερόμενον, μίαν ποιεῖ τὴν διάνοιαν, καὶ δείκνυσιν ὅτι τὸ μὲν ‘ἔκτισεʼ διά τι εἴρηται· τὸ δὲ ‘γεννᾷ με πρὸ τοῦ ‘ἔκτισεν, ᾿ ἐστίν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ εἰ ἔμπαλιν εἰρήκει, ‘Κύριος γεννᾷ με, ’ καὶ ἐπέφερε, ‘πρὸ δὲ πάντων βουνῶν ἔκτισέ με, ᾿ πάντως προηγεῖτο τοῦ ‘ἐγέννησεʼ τὸ ‘ἔκτισεν οὕτως εἰρηκὼς πρῶτον, ‘ἔκτισεν, ʼ εἶτα ἐπαγαγὼν, πρὸ δὲ πάντων γεννᾷ με, ᾿ ἐξ ἀνάγκης δείκνυσι προηγεῖσθαι τὸ ‘ἐγέννησεʼ τοῦ ‘ἔκτισε.᾿ Καὶ γὰρ καὶ λέγων, ‘πρὸ πάντων γεννᾷ με, ’ ἄλλον ἑαυτὸν εἶναι τῶν πάντων σημαίνει, δειξάσης ἐν τοῖς πρὸ τούτων τῆς ἀληθείας, ὅτι περὶ τῶν κτισμάτων οὐδὲν ἕτερον τοῦ ἑτέρου προγέγονεν, ἀλλʼ ἀθρόως ἅμα πάντα τὰ γενητὰ ἑνὶ καὶ τῷ αὐτῷ προστάγματι ὑπέστη. Διὰ τοῦτο γοῦν οὐδὲ τὰ ἐπὶ τοῦ ‘ἔκτισε, ταῦτα καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ ‘γεννᾷ μεʼ κεῖται· ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ μὲν τοῦ ‘ἔκτισε, ʼ κεῖται ‘ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν·’ ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ ‘γεννᾷ μεʼ οὐκ εἶπεν, ‘ἀρχὴν γεννᾷ με, ᾿ ἀλλὰ, ‘πρὸ πάντων γεννᾷ με.᾿ Ὁ δὲ πρὸ πάντων ὢν οὐκ ἔστιν ἀρχὴ τῶν πάντων, ἀλλʼ ἄλλος ἐστὶ τῶν πάντων. Εἰ δὲ ἄλλος ἐστὶ τῶν πάντων, ἐν οἷς καὶ ἡ ἀρχὴ τῶν πάντων σημαίνεται, δῆλον ὅτι ἄλλος ἐστὶ τῶν κτισμάτων· καὶ συνίσταται φανερῶς, ὅτι ἄλλος ὢν ὁ Λόγος τῶν πάντων καὶ πρὸ πάντων ὢν, ὕστερον κτίζεται ‘ἀρχὴ τῶν ὁδῶν εἰς ἔργαʼ διὰ τὴν ἐνανθρώπησιν, ἵνα, ὡς εἶπεν ὁ ἀπόστολος, ‘ὅς ἐστιν ἀρχὴ, πρωτότοκος ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν, ἵνα γένηται ἐν πάσιν αὐτὸς πρωτεύων.᾿

### English translation (Claude)

That creature and offspring are not the same, but differ from each other both in nature and in the meaning of the words, the Lord himself shows in the Proverbs themselves. For having said, “The Lord created me a beginning of his ways,” he added, “but before all the hills he begets me.” If, then, the Word were by nature and substance a creature, and there were no difference between offspring and creature, he would not have added “he begets me,” but would have been content with “he created,” as though this word meant “he begot.” But as it is, having said, “He created me a beginning of his ways for his works,” he added not simply “he begets me,” but joined it with the conjunction “but,” as though guarding the word “he created” by it, saying, “but before all the hills he begets me.” For “he begets me,” brought in joined to “he created,” makes one sense, and shows that “he created” is said for a particular reason, while “he begets me” is prior to “he created.” For just as, if he had said the reverse, “The Lord begets me,” and added, “but before all the hills he created me,” “he created” would surely have preceded “he begot”; so, having said “he created” first and then added, “but before all he begets me,” he necessarily shows that “he begot” precedes “he created.” For in saying “before all he begets me,” he signifies that he is other than all things, since the truth has shown in what went before that among the creatures none came into being before another, but all originated things came to subsist together, at once, by one and the same command. That is why what is said with “he created” is not also said with “he begets me”: with “he created” we have “beginning of ways,” but with “he begets me” he did not say, “he begets me as a beginning,” but “before all he begets me.” And he who is before all is not the beginning of all, but other than all. And if he is other than all, among which the beginning of all is also signified, it is clear that he is other than the creatures; and it is plainly established that the Word, being other than all and before all, is afterwards created “beginning of the ways for works” because of his becoming man, so that, as the apostle said, he “who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,” might be “preeminent in all things.”

### Scripture references

- Prov 8:22: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 8:25: quotation, high confidence
- Col 1:18: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Slips corrected: γεεννᾷ to γεννᾷ, ἃμα to ἅμα, εἷπεν to εἶπεν, and a stray period.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 60 (Bright, 130–131; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/51/#p-60).

## Oration II Against the Arians 61

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/61/#p-61
- Source: Bright, 131–132
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: God is first creator, then Father of human beings by grace; but he is first Father of the Word and afterwards his creator in the flesh; so Christ is our brother and “firstborn,” his flesh saved first.

### Greek text

61. Τοιαύτης τοίνυν οὔσης τῆς διαφορᾶς τοῦ ἔκτισε, ᾿ καὶ τοῦ ‘γεννᾷ με, ᾿ καὶ, ‘τῆς ἀρχῆς ὁδῶν, ᾿ καὶ τοῦ ‘πρὸ πάντων·’ τῶν μὲν ἀνθρώπων κτίστης ὢν ὁ Θεὸς, οὕτως, ὥσπερ εἴρηται, γίνεται καὶ ὕστερον πατὴρ, διὰ τὸν ἐν αὐτοῖς οἰκοῦντα Λόγον αὐτοῦ, Ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ Λόγου τὸ ἔμπαλιν· Πατὴρ γὰρ ὢν αὐτοῦ φύσει ὁ Θεὸς, γίνεται μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ κτίστης αὐτοῦ καὶ ποιητὴς, ὅταν τὴν κτισθεῖσαν καὶ ποιηθεῖσαν ἐνδύσηται σάρκα ὁ Λόγος, καὶ γένηται ἄνθρωπος. Ὥσπερ γὰρ οἱ ἄνθρωποι, λαμβάνοντες ‘τὸ Πνεῦμα τοῦ Υἱοῦ, ᾿ γίνονται τέκνα διʼ αὐτοῦ· οὕτως ὁ Λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅτε καὶ αὐτὸς ἐνεδύσατο τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὴν σάρκα, τότε λέγεται καὶ κτίζεσθαι καὶ πεποιῆσθαι. Εἰ μὲν οὖν ἡμεῖς κατὰ φύσιν υἱοὶ, δῆλον ὅτι κἀκεῖνος κατὰ φύσιν κτίσμα καὶ ποίημα· εἰ δὲ ἡμεῖς θέσει καὶ κατὰ χάριν γινόμεθα υἱοὶ, δῆλον ὅτι καὶ ὁ Λόγος διὰ τὴν εἰς ἡμᾶς χάριν γενόμενος ἄνθρωπος εἴρηκε, ‘Κύριος ἔκτισε με.᾿ Εἶτα ἐπειδὴ τὸ κτιστὸν ἐνδυσάμενος, γέγονεν ἡμῖν ὅμοιος κατὰ τὸ σῶμα, διὰ τοῦτο εἰκότως καὶ ‘ἀδελφὸςʼ ἡμῶν καὶ ‘πρωτότοκοςʼ ἐκλήθη. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ μεθʼ ἡμᾶς διʼ ἡμᾶς γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος, καὶ ἀδελφὸς ἡμῶν διὰ τὴν τοῦ σώματος ὁμοίωσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τούτῳ ‘πρωτότοκος λέγεται καὶ ἔστιν ἡμῶν, ἐπειδὴ, πάντων τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀπολλυμένων κατὰ τὴν παράβασιν τοῦ Ἀδὰμ, πρώτη τῶν ἄλλων ἐσώθη καὶ ἠλευθερώθη ἡ ἐκείνου σὰρξ, ὡς αὐτοῦ τοῦ Λόγου σῶμα γενομένη· καὶ λοιπὸν ἡμεῖς, ὡς ‘σύσσωμοιʼ τυγχάνοντες, κατʼ ἐκεῖνο σωζόμεθα. Ἐν ἐκείνῳ γὰρ ἡμῶν καὶ ὁδηγὸς ὁ Κύριος εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν, καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ Πατέρα γίνεται, λέγων, ‘Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ὁδὸςʼ καὶ ‘ἡ θύρα, καὶ διʼ ἐμοῦ δεῖ πάντας εἰσελθεῖν.᾿ Ὅθεν καὶ ‘πρωτότοκοςʼ λέγεται πάλιν ‘ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν, ’ οὐχ ὅτι πρῶτος ἡμῶν ἀπέθανε· (προετεθνήκειμεν γὰρ ἡμεῖς·) ἀλλʼ ὅτι τὸν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀναδεξάμενος θάνατον, καὶ τοῦτον ‘καταργήσας, ʼ ἀνέστη πρῶτος, ὡς ἄνθρωπος, ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀναστήσας τὸ ἑαυτοῦ σῶμα. Λοιπὸν γὰρ ἀναστάντος ἐκείνου, καθεξῆς καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀπʼ ἐκείνου καὶ διʼ ἐκεῖνον ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν ἐγειρόμεθα.

### English translation (Claude)

Since, then, there is such a difference between “he created” and “he begets me,” and between “beginning of ways” and “before all,” God, being the creator of human beings, thus, as has been said, becomes afterwards their Father too, because of his Word dwelling in them. But with the Word it is the reverse: God, being his Father by nature, afterwards becomes also his creator and maker, when the Word puts on the flesh that was created and made, and becomes man. For just as human beings, receiving “the Spirit of the Son,” become children through him, so the Word of God, when he himself put on human flesh, is then said to be created and made. If, then, we are sons by nature, clearly he too is by nature a creature and a work; but if we become sons by adoption and by grace, clearly the Word too, having become man because of the grace toward us, said, “The Lord created me.” Then, since, having put on what is created, he became like us in body, he was fittingly called our “brother” and “firstborn.” For even though he became man after us and for our sake, and our brother by the likeness of the body, yet in this too he is called and is our “firstborn,” because, when all human beings were perishing through the transgression of Adam, his flesh was saved and set free before all others, having become the body of the Word himself; and thereafter we, being “of the same body,” are saved according to it. For in it the Lord becomes our guide into the kingdom of heaven and to his own Father, saying, “I am the way” and “the door,” and “through me all must enter.” Hence he is also called “firstborn from the dead,” not because he died before us—for we had died before him—but because, having undergone death for us and “destroyed” it, he rose first, as man, raising his own body for our sake. For since he has risen, we too thereafter in turn are raised from the dead, from him and because of him.

### Scripture references

- Gal 4:6: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 8:22: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 8:29: allusion, high confidence
- Heb 2:11: allusion, medium confidence
- Eph 3:6: allusion, medium confidence
- John 14:6: quotation, high confidence
- John 10:9: quotation, high confidence
- Col 1:18: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 2:14: allusion, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- “Through me all must enter” is a paraphrase of John 10:9 and 14:6.
- Slips corrected: τοὺ to τοῦ, ὀδῶν to ὁδῶν, Εἷτα to Εἶτα, του σώματος to τοῦ σώματος, τυγχάυοντες to τυγχάνοντες, δεὶ to δεῖ, and a repeated syllable (καταργήσας… γήσας).

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 61 (Bright, 131–132; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/61/#p-61).

## Oration II Against the Arians 62

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/61/#p-62
- Source: Bright, 132–133
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: “Only-begotten” describes the Son's relation to the Father; “firstborn” describes his condescension to creation and his making many his brothers.

### Greek text

62. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ‘πρωτότοκος τῆς κτίσεως λέγεται, ἀλλʼ οὐχ ὡς ἐξισούμενος τοῖς κτίσμασι, καὶ πρῶτος αὐτῶν κατὰ χρόνον, πρωτότοκος λέγεται· (πῶς γὰρ, ὅπου γε ‘μονογενήςʼ ἐστιν αὐτός;) ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν πρὸς τὰ κτίσματα συγκατάβασιν τοῦ Λόγου, καθʼ ἣν καὶ ‘πολλῶνʼ γέγονεν ‘ἀδελφός.᾿ Ὁ γάρ τοι μονογενὴς, οὐκ ὄντων ἄλλων ἀδελφῶν, μονογενής ἐστιν· ὁ δὲ πρωτότοκος διὰ τοὺς ἄλλους ἀδελφοὺς πρωτότοκος λέγεται. Διὰ τοῦτο γοῦν οὐδαμοῦ τῶν γραφῶν εἴρηται, ‘πρωτότοκος τοῦ Θεοῦ, ᾿ οὐδὲ, ‘κτίσμα τοῦ Θεοῦ·᾿ ἀλλὰ τὸ ‘μονογενὴς, ᾿ καὶ τὸ ‘Υἱὸς, ᾿ καὶ ὁ Λόγος καὶ ‘ἡ Σοφία, ᾿ εἰς τὸν Πατέρα τὴν ἀναφορὰν ἔχει καὶ τὴν ἰδιότητα· ‘ἐθεασάμεθα γὰρ τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, δόξαν ὡς μονογενοῦς παρὰ Πατρός·᾿ καὶ ‘ἀπέστειλεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν Υἱὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν μονογενῆ·᾿ καὶ, ‘εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, Κύριε, ὁ Λόγος σου διαμένει·᾿ καὶ ‘Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ Λόγος, καὶ ὁ Λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν·᾿ καὶ ‘Χριστὸς Θεοῦ δύναμις καὶ Θεοῦ σοφία·᾿ καὶ ‘Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός·᾿ καὶ ‘Σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς, ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ ζῶντος. Τὸ δὲ ‘πρωτότοκοςʼ εἰς τὴν κτίσιν ἔχει τὴν συγκατάβασιν· αὐτῆς γὰρ καὶ ‘πρωτότοκοςʼ ἐλέχθη. Καὶ τὸ ‘ἔκτισεʼ δὲ εἰς τὰ ἔργα τὴν χάριν ἔχει· εἰς αὐτὰ γὰρ καὶ κτίζεται. Εἰ μὲν οὖν μονογενής ἐστιν, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ἔστιν, ἑρμηνευέσθω τὸ ‘πρωτότοκος·᾿ εἰ δὲ πρωτότοκός ἐστι, μὴ ἔστω μονογενής. Οὐ δύναται γὰρ ὁ αὐτὸς μονογενής τε καὶ πρωτότοκος εἶναι, εἰ μὴ ἄρα πρὸς ἄλλο καὶ ἄλλο ἵνα μονογενὴς μὲν διὰ τὴν ἐκ Πατρὸς γέννησιν, ὥσπερ εἴρηται, πρωτότοκος δὲ διὰ τὴν εἰς τὴν κτίσιν συγκατάβασιν, καὶ τὴν τῶν πολλῶν ἀδελφοποίησιν. Ἀμέλει, τῶν δύο τούτων ῥητῶν ἀντικειμένων ἀλλήλοις, κρατεῖν ἄν τις εἴποι δικαίως ἐπὶ τοῦ Λόγου τὸ τοῦ μονογενοῦς μᾶλλον ἰδίωμα, διὰ τὸ μὴ εἶναι ἕτερον Λόγον, ἢ ἄλλην Σοφίαν, ἀλλὰ τοῦτον μόνον ἀληθινὸν Υἱὸν εἶναι τοῦ Πατρός. Καὶ γὰρ, ὥσπερ ἔμπροσθεν εἴρηται, οὐ μετά τινος συμπεπλεγμένης αἰτίας, ἀλλὰ ἀπολελυμένως μὲν εἴρηται ἐπʼ αὐτοῦ τὸ ‘ὁ μονογενὴς Υἱὸς ὁ ὢν εἰς τὸν κόλπον τοῦ Πατρός·᾿ τὸ δὲ ‘πρωτότοκος συμπεπλεγμένην ἔχει πάλιν τὴν τῆς κτίσεως αἰτίαν, ἣν ἐπήγαγεν ὁ Παῦλος λέγων, ‘ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐκτίσθη τὰ πάντα.᾿ Εἰ δὲ πάντα τὰ κτίσματα ἐν αὐτῷ ἐκτίσθη, ἄλλος ἐστὶ τῶν κτισμάτων, καὶ κτίσμα μὲν οὐκ ἔστι, κτίστης δὲ τῶν κτισμάτων.

### English translation (Claude)

And if he is also called “firstborn of creation,” he is not called firstborn as being put on a level with the creatures and first of them in time (for how could that be, when he is “only-begotten”?), but because of the Word's condescension to the creatures, by which he has also become “brother” of “many.” For the only-begotten is only-begotten because there are no other brothers; but the firstborn is called firstborn because of the other brothers. That is why nowhere in the Scriptures is it said, “the firstborn of God,” nor “the creature of God”; but “only-begotten,” and “Son,” and “Word,” and “Wisdom” have their reference to the Father and express what is proper to him: “For we beheld his glory, glory as of the only-begotten from the Father,” and “God sent his only-begotten Son,” and “For ever, O Lord, your Word abides,” and “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,” and “Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God,” and “This is my beloved Son,” and “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” But “firstborn” refers to his condescension to creation; for it is of creation that he was called “firstborn.” And “he created” refers to his grace toward the works; for it is for them that he is created. If, then, he is only-begotten, as indeed he is, let “firstborn” be interpreted; but if he is firstborn, then let him not be only-begotten. For the same one cannot be both only-begotten and firstborn, except in different respects: only-begotten because of his generation from the Father, as has been said, and firstborn because of his condescension to creation and his making many into brothers. Indeed, since these two sayings stand over against each other, one would rightly say that the property of being only-begotten prevails in the case of the Word, because there is no other Word nor other Wisdom, but he alone is the Father's true Son. And indeed, as was said before, “the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father,” is said of him not with any reason attached but without qualification; but “firstborn” again has the reason attached, namely creation, which Paul added, saying, “for in him all things were created.” And if all creatures were created in him, he is other than the creatures, and is not a creature but the creator of creatures.

### Scripture references

- Col 1:15: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 8:29: allusion, high confidence
- John 1:14: quotation, high confidence
- 1 John 4:9: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 119:89 (118:89 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- John 1:1: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Cor 1:24: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 3:17: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 16:16: quotation, high confidence
- John 1:18: quotation, high confidence
- Col 1:16: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Slips corrected: καἰ to καὶ, εἷ to εἶ.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 62 (Bright, 132–133; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/61/#p-62).

## Oration II Against the Arians 63

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/61/#p-63
- Source: Bright, 133–134
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: “Firstborn of all creation” sets the Son apart from creation; he is firstborn among brothers by the flesh, from the dead by the resurrection, and of creation by the Father's love that will set creation free.

### Greek text

63. Οὐ διὰ τὸ ἐκ Πατρὸς ἄρα ‘πρωτότοκοςʼ ἐκλήθη, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ ἐν αὐτῷ γεγενῆσθαι τὴν κτίσιν. Καὶ ὥσπερ πρὸ τῆς κτίσεως ἦν αὐτὸς ὁ Υἱὸς, διʼ οὗ γέγονεν ἡ κτίσις, οὕτω καὶ πρὸ τοῦ κληθῆναι ‘πρωτότοκος πάσης τῆς κτίσεως, ᾿ ἦν οὐδὲν ἧττον αὐτὸς ‘ὁ Λόγος πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ Θεὸς ἦν ὁ Λόγος. Ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦτο μὴ νοήσαντες οἱ δυσσεβεῖς, περιέρχονται λέγοντες· ‘Εἰ πρωτότοκός ἐστι πάσης κτίσεως, δῆλον ὅτι καὶ αὐτὸς εἷς ἐστι τῆς κτίσεως. Ἄφρονες· εἰ ὅλως πάσης τῆς κτίσεως πρωτότοκὸς ἐστιν, ἄρα πάσης τῆς κτίσεως ἄλλος ἐστίν. Οὐ γὰρ εἴρηκε, ‘πρωτότοκός ἐστι τῶν ἄλλων κτισμάτων, ᾿ ἵνα μὴ ὡς εἷς τῶν κτισμάτων εἶναι νομισθῇ· ἀλλὰ πάσης τῆς κτίσεωςʼ γέγραπται, ἵνα ἄλλος τῆς κτίσεως εἶναι δειχθῇ. Ὁ γοῦν Ῥουβὴν οὐκ εἴρηται πρωτότοκος πάντων τῶν τέκνων τοῦ Ἰακὼβ, ἀλλʼ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Ἰακὼβ καὶ τῶν ἀδελφῶν, ἵνα μὴ ἄλλος παρὰ τὰ τέκνα τοῦ Ἰακὼβ εἶναι νομισθῇ. Ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου ὁ ἀπόστολος οὐκ εἴρηκεν, ‘ἵνα γένηται πρωτότοκος πάντων, ʼ ἵνα μὴ ἄλλο παρὰ τὸ ἡμῶν σῶμα φορεῖν νομισθῇ, ἀλλʼ ‘ἐν πολλοῖς ἀδελφοῖς διὰ τὴν ὁμοιότητα τῆς σαρκός. Εἰ τοίνυν καὶ ὁ Λόγος εἷς ἦν τῶν κτισμάτων, εἶπεν ἂν ἡ γραφὴ καὶ περὶ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ‘πρωτότοκος τῶν ἄλλων κτισμάτων ἐστί·᾿ νῦν δὲ, λεγόντων τῶν ἀγίων ὅτι ‘πρωτότοκός ἐστι πάσης τῆς κτίσεως, ᾿ ἄντικρυς δείκνυται ἄλλος ὢν πάσης τῆς κτίσεως, καὶ μὴ κτίσμα, ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Υἱός. Εἰ γὰρ κτίσμα ἐστὶν, ἔσται καὶ αὐτὸς ἑαυτοῦ πρωτότοκος. Πῶς οὖν δύναται, Ἀρειανοὶ, καὶ πρῶτος ἑαυτοῦ καὶ δεύτερος εἶναι; Ἔπειτα εἰ κτίσμα ἐστὶ, καὶ πᾶσα ἡ κτίσις διʼ αὐτοῦ γέγονε, καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ συνέστηκε, πῶς δύναται καὶ κτίζειν τὴν κτίσιν, καὶ εἷς εἶναι τῶν ἐν αὐτῷ συνεστηκότων; Ἀτόπου δὲ τῆς τοιαύτης αὐτῶν ἐπινοίας φαινομένης, ἐλέγχονται παρὰ τῆς ἀληθείας, ὅτι ‘πρωτότοκος μὲν ἐν πολλοῖς ἀδελφοῖςʼ ἐκλήθη, διὰ τὴν τῆς σαρκὸς συγγένειαν· ‘πρωτότοκος δὲ ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν διὰ τὸ ἐξ αὐτοῦ καὶ μετʼ αὐτὸν εἶναι τὴν τῶν νεκρῶν ἀνάστασιν· ‘πρωτότοκος δὲ πάσης κτίσεωςʼ διὰ τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν τοῦ Πατρὸς, διʼ ἣν ἐν τῷ Λόγῳ αὐτοῦ οὐ μόνον τὰ πάντα συνέστηκεν, ἀλλʼ ὅτι καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ κτίσις, περὶ ἧς εἶπεν ὁ ἀπόστολος, ‘ἀπεκδεχομένη τὴν ἀποκάλυψιν τῶν υἱῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἐλευθερωθήσεταί ποτε ἀπὸ τῆς δουλείας τῆς φθορᾶς εἰς τὴν ἐλευθερίαν τῆς δόξης τῶν τέκνων τοῦ Θεοῦ.᾿ Οὕτω δὲ αὐτῆς ἐλευθερωθείσης, ἔσται καὶ αὐτῆς μετὰ καὶ πάντων τῶν τεκνοποιηθέντων πρωτότοκος ὁ Κύριος, ἵνʼ, ἐν τῷ λέγεσθαι ‘Πρῶτον αὐτὸν, τὰ μετʼ αὐτὸν διαμείνῃ, ὥσπερ ἔκ τινος ἀρχῆς τοῦ Λόγου συνημμένα.

### English translation (Claude)

So he was called “firstborn” not because he is from the Father, but because creation came to be in him. And just as the Son himself, through whom creation came to be, was before creation, so too, before he was called “firstborn of all creation,” he was none the less himself “the Word with God, and the Word was God.” But the impious, not understanding this either, go around saying, “If he is firstborn of all creation, clearly he too is one of the creation.” Fools! If he is firstborn of all creation at all, then he is other than all creation. For it did not say, “He is firstborn of the other creatures,” lest he be thought to be one of the creatures; but it is written “of all creation,” so that he might be shown to be other than creation. Reuben, at any rate, is not called firstborn of all the children of Jacob, but of Jacob himself and of his brothers, lest he be thought other than Jacob's children. And of the Lord himself the apostle did not say, “that he might become firstborn of all,” lest he be thought to bear a body other than ours, but “among many brothers,” because of the likeness of the flesh. If, then, the Word too were one of the creatures, Scripture would have said of him too that “he is firstborn of the other creatures”; but as it is, since the saints say that “he is firstborn of all creation,” the Son of God is shown outright to be other than all creation, and not a creature. For if he is a creature, he will be firstborn of himself. How then, Arians, can he be both first and second to himself? Then, if he is a creature, and all creation came to be through him and holds together in him, how can he both create creation and be one of the things that hold together in him? Since such a notion of theirs appears absurd, they are refuted by the truth: he was called “firstborn among many brothers” because of kinship of the flesh; “firstborn from the dead” because the resurrection of the dead is from him and after him; and “firstborn of all creation” because of the Father's love for humankind, because of which not only do all things hold together in his Word, but creation itself too, of which the apostle said that it “awaits the revelation of the sons of God,” will one day “be set free from the bondage of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” And when it is thus set free, the Lord will be firstborn of it too and of all who have been made children, so that, by his being called “first,” the things after him may abide, joined to the Word as to a beginning.

### Scripture references

- Col 1:15: quotation, high confidence
- John 1:1: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 49:3: allusion, medium confidence
- Rom 8:29: quotation, high confidence
- Col 1:17: allusion, high confidence
- Col 1:18: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 8:19: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 8:21: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Slips corrected: εἰς to εἷς (three times), Ἄφροωες to Ἄφρονες, ἐλεευθερωθήσεταί to ἐλευθερωθήσεταί, Κύριοις to Κύριος.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 63 (Bright, 133–134; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/61/#p-63).

## Oration II Against the Arians 64

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/61/#p-64
- Source: Bright, 134–135
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: If “firstborn” meant a creature among creatures, the Son would be brother to beasts and stones; he is firstborn because he condescended to creation both in making it and in entering the world to make all sons.

### Greek text

64. Ἡγοῦμαι δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἀσεβεῖς αὐτοὺς ἐντραπήσεσθαι ἐκ τῆς τοιαύτης διανοίας· εἰ γὰρ μὴ οὕτως ἔχοι, ὥσπερ εἴπομεν, ἀλλʼ ὡς τῇ οὐσίᾳ κτίσμα ἐν κτίσμασι πρωτότοκον αὐτὸν θελήσουσιν εἶναι πάσης τῆς κτίσεως, ᾿ σκοπείτωσαν, ὅτι καὶ τῶν ἀλόγων καὶ τῶν ἀψύχων αὐτὸν ἀδελφὸν καὶ ὅμοιον ὑπονοήσουσιν εἶναι. Πάσης γὰρ τῆς κτίσεως καὶ ταῦτα μέρη τυγχάνει ὄντα· ἀνάγκη δὲ τὸν πρωτότοκον μόνῳ μὲν τῷ χρόνῳ πρῶτον εἶναι, τῷ δὲ γένει καὶ τῇ ὁμοιότητι τὸν αὐτὸν εἶναι πρὸς πάντας. Πῶς οὖν, καὶ τοῦτο λέγοντες, οὐ πᾶσαν ἀσέβειαν ὑπερβάλλουσιν; ἢ τίς ἀνέξεται τούτων ταῦτα λεγόντων; ἢ πῶς καὶ μόνον αὐτοὺς ἐνθυμουμένους τοιαῦτα οὐ μισήσειεν ἄν τις; πᾶσι γάρ ἐστι δῆλον ὅτι οὔτε διʼ ἑαυτὸν, ὡς κτίσμα ὢν, οὔτε διὰ τὸ συγγένειάν τινα κατʼ οὐσίαν πρὸς πᾶσαν τὴν κτίσιν ἔχειν, ‘πρωτότοκος αὐτῆς ἐκλήθη· ἀλλʼ ὅτι καὶ κατʼ ἀρχὴν μὲν δημιουργῶν ὁ λόγος τὰ κτίσματα, συγκαταβέβηκε τοῖς γενητοῖς, ἵνα γενέσθαι ταῦτα δυνηθῇ. Οὐκ ἂν γὰρ ἤνεγκεν αὐτοῦ τὴν φύσιν ἄκρατον καὶ πατρικὴν οὖσαν λαμπρότητα, εἰ μὴ φιλανθρωπίᾳ πατρικῇ συγκαταβὰς ἀντελάβετο, καὶ κρατήσας αὐτὰ εἰς οὐσίαν ἤνεγκε. Καὶ δεύτερον δὲ πάλιν, ὅτι καὶ συγκαταβάντος τοῦ Λόγου, υἱοποιεῖται καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ κτίσις διʼ αὐτοῦ· ἵνα καὶ αὐτῆς, καθάπερ εἴρηται, ‘πρωτότοκοςʼ κατὰ πάντα γένηται, ἔν τε τῷ κτίζειν, καὶ ἐν τῷ εἰσάγεσθαι ὑπὲρ πάντων εἰς αὐτὴν τὴν οἰκουμένην. Οὕτω γὰρ γέγραπται· ‘ὅταν δὲ εἰσαγάγῃ τὸν πρωτότοκον εἰς τὴν οἰκουμένην, λέγει· Καὶ προσκυνησάτωσαν αὐτῷ πάντες ἄγγελοι Θεοῦ.’ Ἀκουέτωσαν οἱ Χριστομάχοι, καὶ σπαραττέτωσαν ἑαυτοὺς, ὅτι τὸ εἰσελθεῖν αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν οἰκουμένην ἐποίησε καὶ ‘πρωτότοκονʼ πάντων κληθῆναι· ὥστε τοῦ μὲν Πατρὸς εἶναι μονογενῆ τὸν Υἱὸν, διὰ τὸ ἐξ αὐτοῦ μόνον αὐτὸν εἶναι, τῆς δὲ κτίσεως ‘πρωτότοκονʼ διὰ τὴν τῶν πάντων υἱοποίησιν, Ὡς δὲ ἐν ἀδελφοῖς πρωτότοκος, καὶ ἐκ νεκρῶν ‘ἀπαρχὴ τῶν κεκοιμημένωνʼ ἀνέστη· οὕτως, ἐπειδήπερ ἔπρεπεν ‘ἐν πᾶσιν αὐτὸν πρωτεύειν, ᾿ διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ‘ἀρχὴ ὁδῶν κτίζεται·’ ἵνα, ταύτης ἐπιβάντες καὶ εἰσελθόντες διʼ αὐτοῦ λέγοντος, ‘Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ὁδὸς καὶ ἡ θύρα, ʼ μεταλαβόντες τε τῆς περὶ τοῦ Πατρὸς γνώσεως, ἀκούσωμεν καὶ ἡμεῖς· ‘Μακάριοι οἱ ἄμωμοι ἐν ὁδῷ, ᾿ καὶ, ‘Μακάριοι οἱ καθαροὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ, ὅτι αὐτοὶ τὸν Θεὸν ὄψονται.’

### English translation (Claude)

I think that even the impious themselves will be put to shame by such an understanding. For if it is not as we have said, but they will have him be “firstborn of all creation” as a creature in substance among creatures, let them consider that they will be supposing him to be brother and like even to irrational and lifeless things. For these too are parts of all creation; and the firstborn must be first only in time, but the same in kind and likeness with all. How then, in saying this too, do they not exceed all impiety? Or who will bear them saying such things? Or who would not hate them for merely thinking such things? For it is clear to all that he was called its “firstborn” neither for his own sake, as being a creature, nor because he has some kinship in substance with all creation; but because, when at the beginning the Word was crafting the creatures, he condescended to originated things, so that they might be able to come into being. For they could not have borne his nature, which is untempered and the Father's own splendor, had he not condescended with the Father's love for humankind and taken hold of them, and, holding them fast, brought them into being. And secondly, because when the Word condescended, creation itself too is made a son through him, so that he might become its “firstborn” in every respect, as has been said, both in creating it and in being brought into the world itself for the sake of all. For so it is written: “And when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, And let all the angels of God worship him.” Let the Christ-fighters hear and tear themselves, that his coming into the world made him also be called “firstborn” of all; so that the Son is only-begotten of the Father, because he alone is from him, but “firstborn” of creation because all are made sons. And as he is firstborn among brothers and rose from the dead as “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep,” so, since it was fitting that “he should be preeminent in all things,” therefore he is also “created a beginning of ways,” so that, walking on this way and entering through him who says, “I am the way and the door,” and sharing in the knowledge of the Father, we too may hear, “Blessed are the blameless in the way,” and “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

### Scripture references

- Col 1:15: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 1:6: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Cor 15:20: quotation, high confidence
- Col 1:18: quotation, high confidence
- John 14:6: quotation, high confidence
- John 10:9: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 119:1 (118:1 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Matt 5:8: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “Untempered” renders ἄκρατον (undiluted); creatures could not bear the Word's unmediated splendor without his condescension.
- Two repeated syllables are removed (κεκοιμημένων… μένων; πρωτεύειν… τεύειν).

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 64 (Bright, 134–135; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/61/#p-64).

## Oration II Against the Arians 65

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/61/#p-65
- Source: Bright, 135–136
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The way through Adam was lost; the Word put on created flesh to open a new and living way, becoming the beginning of the new creation.

### Greek text

65. Τῆς ἀληθείας τοίνυν δειξάσης μὴ εἶναι κατὰ φύσιν κτίσμα τὸν Λόγον, ἀκόλουθον λοιπὸν εἰπεῖν, πῶς καὶ ‘ἀρχὴ τῶν ὁδῶνʼ εἴρηται. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἡ πρώτη ἡ διὰ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ ὁδὸς ἀπώλετο, καὶ ἀντὶ τοῦ παραδείσου ἐξεκλίναμεν εἰς τὸν θάνατον, ἠκούσαμέν τε, ‘γῆ εἶ, καὶ εἰς γῆν ἀπελεύσῃ, ʼ διὰ τοῦτο ὁ φιλάνθρωπος τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος βουλήσει τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐνδιδύσκεται τὴν κτισθεῖσαν σάρκα, ἵνα ἣν ἐνέκρωσεν ὁ πρῶτος ἄνθρωπος διὰ τῆς παραβάσεως, ταύτην αὐτὸς ἐν τῷ αἵματι τοῦ ἰδίου σώματος ζωοποιήσῃ, καὶ ἐγκαινίσῃ ‘ἡμῖν ὁδὸν πρόσφατον καὶ ζῶσαν, ʼ ὡς εἴρηκεν ὁ ἀπόστολος, ‘διὰ τοῦ καταπετάσματος, τουτέστι διὰ τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ.᾿ Ὅπερ καὶ ἐν ἑτέρῳ σημαίνων, φησὶν, ‘ὥστε εἴ τις ἐν Χριστῷ, καινὴ κτίσις· τὰ ἀρχαῖα παρῆλθεν, ἰδοὺ γέγονε τὰ πάντα καινά. ʼ Εἰ δὲ καινὴ κτίσις γέγονεν, ἔδει ταύτης τῆς κτίσεως πρῶτόν τινα εἶναι· ἄνθρωπος μὲν οὖν ψιλὸς καὶ μόνον ‘χοϊκὸς, ᾿ οἷοι γεγόναμεν ἡμεῖς ἐκ τῆς παραβάσεως, οὐκ ἠδύνατο εἶναι. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ κτίσει ἄπιστοι γεγόνασιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, καὶ διʼ αὐτῶν ἀπώλετο ἡ πρώτη· χρεία δὲ ἦν ἄλλου τοῦ ἀνανεοῦντος καὶ τὴν πρώτην, καὶ τὴν καινὴν γενομένην διατηροῦντος. Οὐκοῦν φιλανθρώπως οὐχ ἕτερός τις, ἀλλʼ ὁ Κύριος, ἀρχὴ τῆς καινῆς κτίσεως κτίζεται ὁδὸς, καὶ εἰκότως λέγει· ‘Κύριος ἔκτισέ με ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ εἰς ἔργα αὐτοῦ, ᾿ ἵνα μηκέτι κατὰ τὴν πρώτην ἐκείνην ὁ ἄνθρωπος πολιτεύηται, ἀλλʼ ὡς ἀρχῆς οὔσης καινῆς κτίσεως, καὶ τὸν Χριστὸν ἔχοντες ταύτης ‘ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν, ʼ τούτῳ λοιπὸν ἀκολουθῶμεν λέγοντι· ‘Ἐγὼ εἰμι ἡ ὁδός.’ Τοῦτο γὰρ διδάσκων καὶ ὁ μακάριος ἀπόστολος ἐν τῇ πρὸς Κολοσσαεῖς, ἔλεγεν, ‘αὐτός ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλὴ τοῦ σώματος, τῆς ἐκκλησίας, ὅς ἐστιν ἀρχὴ, πρωτότοκος ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν, ἵνα γένηται ἐν πᾶσιν αὐτὸς πρωτεύων.’

### English translation (Claude)

Since the truth has shown that the Word is not a creature by nature, it follows now to say how he is also called “beginning of the ways.” For since the first way, the one through Adam, was lost, and instead of paradise we turned aside into death, and heard, “You are earth, and to earth you shall return,” therefore the Word of God, who loves humankind, by the will of the Father puts on the created flesh, so that the flesh which the first man had made dead through the transgression he himself might make alive in the blood of his own body, and might open “for us a new and living way,” as the apostle said, “through the veil, that is, through his flesh.” Indicating this elsewhere too, he says, “So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; the old things have passed away; see, all things have become new.” And if a new creation has come about, there had to be someone first of this creation; but a mere man, only “earthy,” such as we have become through the transgression, could not be this. For in the first creation too human beings proved unfaithful, and through them the first creation was lost; and there was need of another, who would renew the first and preserve the new one that had come to be. So in his love for humankind no one else but the Lord is created as beginning of the new creation, as the way, and fittingly he says, “The Lord created me a beginning of his ways for his works,” so that man might no longer live according to that first creation, but, since there is a beginning of a new creation, and we have Christ as the “beginning of the ways” of it, we may henceforth follow him who says, “I am the way.” For the blessed apostle too, teaching this in the letter to the Colossians, said, “He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might be preeminent.”

### Scripture references

- Gen 3:19: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 10:20: quotation, high confidence
- 2 Cor 5:17: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Cor 15:47: allusion, high confidence
- Prov 8:22: quotation, high confidence
- John 14:6: quotation, high confidence
- Col 1:18: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Slips corrected: a repeated syllable (ζωοποιήσῃ, ποιήσῃ), ὁδὼν to ὁδῶν.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 65 (Bright, 135–136; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/61/#p-65).

## Oration II Against the Arians 66

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/61/#p-66
- Source: Bright, 136–137
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: As “beginning” of the resurrection the Word was created in the flesh, taking an incomplete body to pay our debt and complete what man lacked: immortality and the way to paradise.

### Greek text

66. Εἰ γὰρ, καθάπερ εἴρηται, διὰ τὴν ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀνάστασιν λέγεται καὶ διὰ ταύτην αὐτὸς ‘ἀρχὴ, ’ τότε δὲ γέγονεν ἀνάστασις, ὅτε τὴν ἡμετέραν σάρκα φέρων δέδωκεν ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν τῷ θανάτῳ· φανερὸν ἂν εἴη, ὅτι καὶ τὸ λεγόμενον ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ, ‘ἔκτισέ με ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν, ᾿ οὐ τῆς οὐσίας αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ τῆς ἐνσωμάτου παρουσίας αὐτοῦ σημαντικόν ἐστι. Τοῦ γὰρ σώματος ἴδιον ἦν ὁ θάνατος· καὶ ὥσπερ τοῦ σώματος ἴδιός ἐστιν ὁ θάνατος, οὕτω τῆς σωματικῆς παρουσίας ἴδιον ἂν εἴη τὸ λεγόμενον, ‘Κύριος ἔκτισέ με ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ.᾿ Τοῦ γὰρ Σωτῆρος οὕτω κατὰ σάρκα κτισθέντος, καὶ ἀρχῆς γενομένου τῶν ἀνακτιζομένων, καὶ ἔχοντος ἡμῶν τὴν ἀπαρχὴν, ἣν προσέλαβεν ἀνθρωπίνην σάρκα, ἀκολούθως μετʼ αὐτὸν καὶ ὁ μέλλων λαὸς κτίζεται, λέγοντος τοῦ Δαβὶδ, ‘Γραφήτω αὕτη εἰς γενεὰν ἑτέραν, καὶ λαὸς ὁ κτιζόμενος αἰνέσει τὸν Κύριον·᾿ καὶ πάλιν ἐν τῷ εἰκοστῷ πρώτῳ ψαλμῷ, ‘ἀναγγελήσεται τῷ Κυρίῳ γενεὰ ἡ ἐρχομένη, καὶ ἀναγγελοῦσι τὴν δικαιοσύνην αὐτοῦ λαῷ τῷ τεχθησομένῳ, ὃν ἐποίησεν ὁ Κύριος. Οὐκέτι γὰρ ἀκουσόμεθα, ‘ᾗ δʼ ἂν ἡμέρᾳ φάγητε ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ, θανάτῳ ἀποθανεῖσθε ἀλλὰ, ‘ὅπου εἰμὶ ἐγὼ, καὶ ὑμεῖς ἔσεσθε·᾿ ὥστε λέγειν ἡμᾶς, ‘αὐτοῦ γάρ ἐσμεν ποίημα, κτισθέντες ἐπʼ ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς.᾿ Πάλιν τε, ἐπειδὴ τὸ ‘ἔργονʼ τοῦ Θεοῦ, τουτέστιν ὁ ἄνθρωπος, τέλειος κτισθεὶς, ἐλλιπὴς γέγονε διὰ τῆς παραβάσεως, καὶ γέγονε τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ νεκρὸς, ἀπρεπὲς δὲ ἦν μένειν τὸ ἔργον τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀτελές· διὸ καὶ ἐδέοντο πάντες οἱ ἅγιοι περὶ τούτου λέγοντες ἐν τῷ ἑκατοστῷ τριακοστῷ καὶ ἑβδόμῳ ψαλμῷ, ‘Κύριε, ἀνταποδώσεις ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ· Κύριε, τὰ ἔργα τῶν χειρῶν σου μὴ παρίδῃς·᾿ διὰ τοῦτο ὁ τέλειος τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος τὸ ἀτελὲς περιτίθεται σῶμα, καὶ λέγεται ‘εἰς τὰ ἔργα κτίζεσθαι, ᾿ ἵνα, ἀνθʼ ἡμῶν τὴν ὀφειλὴν ἀποδιδοὺς, τὰ λείποντα τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ διʼ ἑαυτοῦ τελειώσῃ. Ἔλειπε δὲ αὐτῷ ἡ ἀθανασία, καὶ ἡ εἰς τὸν παράδεισον ὁδός. Καὶ τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ λεγόμενον παρὰ τοῦ Σωτῆρος, ‘Ἐγώ σε ἐδόξασα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· τὸ ἔργον ἐτελείωσα, ὃ δέδωκάς μοι, ἵνα ποιήσω· καὶ πάλιν, ‘τὰ ἔργα, ἃ δέδωκέ μοι ὁ Πατὴρ, ἵνα τελειώσω αὐτὰ, αὐτὰ τὰ ἔργα, ἃ ποιῶ, μαρτυρεῖ περὶ ἐμοῦ.᾿ Ἃ δὲ λέγει ἐνταῦθα ἔργα δεδωκέναι αὐτῷ τὸν Πατέρα εἰς τελείωσιν, ταῦτά ἐστι εἰς ἃ κτίζεται, λέγων ἐν ταῖς Παροιμίαις· ‘Κύριος ἔκτισέ με ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ εἰς ἔργα αὐτοῦ ἴσον γάρ ἐστι τὸ εἰπεῖν, ‘ἔδωκέ μοι ὁ Πατὴρ τὰ ἔργα, καὶ, ‘ἔκτισέ με Κύριος εἰς ἔργα.’

### English translation (Claude)

For if, as has been said, he is called “beginning” because of the resurrection from the dead, and the resurrection happened when, bearing our flesh, he gave himself up to death for us, it would be evident that what he says, “He created me a beginning of ways,” signifies not his substance but his presence in the body. For death was proper to the body; and as death is proper to the body, so what is said, “The Lord created me a beginning of his ways,” would be proper to the bodily presence. For since the Saviour was thus created according to the flesh and became the beginning of those being re-created, having as our firstfruits the human flesh which he took, the people to come is consequently also created after him, as David says, “Let this be written for another generation, and a people that is being created will praise the Lord,” and again in the twenty-first psalm, “The generation to come will be told of the Lord, and they will proclaim his righteousness to a people that shall be born, which the Lord has made.” For we shall no longer hear, “In the day you eat of it, you shall surely die,” but “Where I am, you too shall be”; so that we may say, “For we are his workmanship, created for good works.” And again, since God's “work,” that is, man, though created perfect, became deficient through the transgression and became dead by sin, and it was unfitting that the work of God should remain incomplete (which is why all the saints prayed about this, saying in the hundred and thirty-seventh psalm, “Lord, you will repay on my behalf; Lord, do not overlook the works of your hands”), therefore the perfect Word of God puts on the incomplete body and is said to be “created for the works,” so that, paying the debt in our place, he might through himself complete what was lacking to man. And what man lacked was immortality and the way to paradise. And this is what the Saviour says: “I glorified you on the earth; I completed the work which you gave me to do”; and again, “The works which the Father has given me to complete, these very works which I do bear witness about me.” And the works which he here says the Father gave him to complete are those for which he is created, as he says in the Proverbs, “The Lord created me a beginning of his ways for his works”; for it is the same to say, “The Father gave me the works,” and “The Lord created me for works.”

### Scripture references

- Col 1:18: allusion, high confidence
- Prov 8:22: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 102:18 (101:19 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Ps 22:30 (21:31 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Ps 22:31 (21:32 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Gen 2:17: quotation, high confidence
- John 14:3: quotation, high confidence
- Eph 2:10: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 138:8 (137:8 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- John 17:4: quotation, high confidence
- John 5:36: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Psalm numbers are those of the Septuagint (21 = Ps 22; 137 = Ps 138).
- Slips corrected: κτίζεστθαι to κτίζεσθαι, ἢ to ᾗ.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 66 (Bright, 136–137; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/61/#p-66).

## Oration II Against the Arians 67

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/61/#p-67
- Source: Bright, 137–138
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The Word received the works to complete when he became man; only one who is God, not a creature, could join humanity to God and undo God's own sentence of death.

### Greek text

67. Πότε οὖν ἔλαβε τὰ ἔργα εἰς τὸ τελειῶσαι, ὦ θεομάχοι; ἐκ γὰρ τούτου καὶ τὸ ‘ἔκτισεʼ γνωσθήσεται. ‘Κατὰ μὲν οὖν τὴν ἀρχὴν, ὅτε ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος εἰς τὸ εἶναι αὐτὰ ἐποίει, ʼ ἐὰν εἴπητε, ψεῦδός ἐστιν· οὔπω γὰρ ἦν γενόμενα· φαίνεται δὲ λέγων, ὡς τὰ ἤδη ὄντα λαμβάνων. Ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ τὸν πρὸ τοῦ γένηται ὁ Λόγος σὰρξ χρόνον εἰπεῖν εὐαγὲς, ἵνα μὴ περιττὴ λοιπὸν αὐτοῦ ἡ ἐπιδημία φανῇ· τούτων γὰρ χάριν καὶ ἡ ἐπιδημία ἐγένετο. Οὐκοῦν λείπει λοιπὸν εἰπεῖν ὅτι, ὅτε γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος, τότε ἔλαβε τὰ ἔργα· τότε γὰρ αὐτὰ καὶ ἐτελείωσεν, ἰασάμενος τὰ τραύματα ἡμῶν, καὶ χαρισάμενος ἡμῖν τὴν ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀνάστασιν. Εἰ δὲ ὅτε γέγονεν ὁ Λόγος σὰρξ, τότε ἐδόθη αὐτῷ τὰ ἔργα, δῆλον ὅτι, ὅτε γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος, τότε καὶ ‘εἰς τὰ ἔργα κτίζεται.’ Οὐκ ἄρα τῆς οὐσίας αὐτοῦ σημαντικόν ἐστι τὸ ‘ἔκτισεν, ʼ ὥσπερ πολλάκις εἴρηται, ἀλλὰ τῆς σωματικῆς αὐτοῦ γενέσεως. Τότε γὰρ διὰ τὸ γεγενῆσθαι ἀπὸ τῆς παραβάσεως ἀτελῆ καὶ χωλὰ τὰ ἔργα, λέγεται σωματικῶς ὅτι ‘κτίζεται, ʼ ἵνα, τελειώσας αὐτὰ καὶ ὁλόκληρα ποιήσας, παραστήσῃ τῷ Πατρὶ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, ὡς εἶπεν ὁ ἀπόστολος, ‘μὴ ἔχουσαν σπῖλον ἢ ῥυτίδα, ἤ τι τῶν τοιούτων, ἀλλʼ ἵνα ᾖ ἁγία καὶ ἄμωμος.᾿ Τετελείωται οὖν ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἀποκατεστάθη, ὥσπερ ἦν καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν γεγονὸς, τὸ ἀνθρώπινον γένος, καὶ μείζονι μᾶλλον ‘χάριτι·’ ἀναστάντες γὰρ ἐκ νεκρῶν, οὐκέτι φοβούμεθα θάνατον, ἀλλʼ ἐν Χριστῷ βασιλεύσομεν ἀεὶ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. Τοῦτο δὲ γέγονεν, ἐπειδὴ αὐτὸς ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος ἴδιος καὶ ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς ὢν ἐνεδύσατο τὴν σάρκα, καὶ γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος. Εἰ γάρ, κτίσμα ὢν, ἐγεγόνει ἄνθρωπος, ἔμενεν οὐδὲν ἧττον ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ὥσπερ καὶ ἦν, οὐ συναφθεὶς τῷ Θεῷ. Πῶς γὰρ ἂν, ποίημα ὢν, διὰ ποιήματος συνήπτετο τῷ κτίστῃ; ἢ ποία βοήθεια παρὰ τῶν ὁμοίων τοῖς ὁμοίοις γένοιτʼ ἂν, δεομένων καὶ αὐτῶν τῆς αὐτῆς βοηθείας; πῶς δὲ, εἴπερ κτίσμα ἦν ὁ Λόγος, τὴν ἀπόφασιν τοῦ Θεοῦ λῦσαι δυνατὸς ἦν, καὶ ἀφεῖναι τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, γεγραμμένου παρὰ τοῖς προφήταις, ὅτι τοῦτο Θεοῦ ἐστι; ‘Τίς γὰρ Θεὸς ὥσπερ σὺ, ἐξαίρων ἁμαρτίας, καὶ ὑπερβαίνων ἀνομίας; Ὁ μὲν γὰρ Θεὸς εἶπε, ‘γῆ εἶ, καὶ εἰς γῆν ἀπελεύσῃ·’ οἱ δὲ ἄνθρωποι γεγόνασι θνητοί, Πῶς τοίνυν οἷόν τε ἦν παρά τῶν γενητῶν λυθῆναι τὴν ἁμαρτίαν; ἀλλʼ ἔλυσέ γε αὐτὸς ὁ Κύριος, ὡς εἶπεν αὐτὸς, ‘ἐὰν μὴ ὁ Υἱὸς ὑμᾶς ἐλευθερώσῃ·᾿ καὶ ἔδειξεν ἀληθῶς ὁ Υἱὸς ὁ ἐλευθερώσας, ὡς οὐκ ἔστι κτίσμα, οὐδὲ τῶν γενητῶν, ἀλλὰ ἴδιος Λόγος, καὶ εἰκὼν τῆς τοῦ Πατρὸς οὐσίας, τοῦ καὶ κατά τὴν ἀρχὴν ἀποφηναμένου, καὶ ‘ἀφιέντος μόνου τὰς ἁμαρτίας, ’ Ἐπειδὴ γάρ εἴρηται ἐν τῷ λόγῳ, γῆ εἶ, καὶ εἰς γῆν ἀπελεύσῃ, ἀκολούθως διʼ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Λόγου καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ ἡ ἐλευθερία καὶ ἡ λύσις τῆς κατακρίσεως γεγένηται.

### English translation (Claude)

When, then, did he receive the works to complete them, you fighters against God? For from this “he created” too will be understood. If you say, “At the beginning, when he made them out of what was not into being,” it is false; for they had not yet come into being, whereas he evidently speaks as one receiving things that already existed. Nor is it reverent to name the time before the Word became flesh, lest his coming should then appear superfluous; for it was for the sake of these works that the coming took place. So it remains to say that when he became man, then he received the works; for then he also completed them, healing our wounds and granting us the resurrection from the dead. And if the works were given to him when the Word became flesh, it is clear that when he became man, then too he is “created for the works.” So “he created” signifies not his substance, as has often been said, but his bodily origin. For then, because the works had become incomplete and lame through the transgression, he is said in a bodily sense to be “created,” so that, having completed them and made them whole, he might present the church to the Father, as the apostle said, “not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it might be holy and blameless.” So the human race has been perfected in him and restored, as it was when made at the beginning, and indeed with greater “grace”; for having risen from the dead we no longer fear death, but in Christ we shall reign for ever in the heavens. And this has happened because the Word of God himself, who is proper to the Father and from him, put on the flesh and became man. For if he had become man while being a creature, man would have remained none the less as he was, not joined to God. For how, being a work, could he join a work to the creator? Or what help could come from like to like, when they themselves need the same help? And how, if the Word were a creature, could he have undone God's sentence and forgiven sin, when it is written in the prophets that this belongs to God? “For who is a God like you, taking away sins and passing over iniquities?” For God said, “You are earth, and to earth you shall return”; and human beings became mortal. How then could sin be undone by originated beings? But the Lord himself undid it, as he himself said, “If the Son sets you free”; and the Son who set them free truly showed that he is not a creature, nor one of the originated beings, but the proper Word and image of the Father's substance, of him who at the beginning pronounced the sentence and who “alone forgives sins.” For since it was said in the Word, “You are earth, and to earth you shall return,” it followed that through the Word himself and in him the freedom and the undoing of the condemnation came about.

### Scripture references

- Eph 5:27: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 5:17: allusion, medium confidence
- 2 Tim 2:12: allusion, medium confidence
- Mic 7:18: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 3:19: quotation, high confidence
- John 8:36: quotation, high confidence
- Mark 2:7: allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “Who alone forgives sins” echoes Mark 2:7.
- Slips corrected: ἧν to ἦν (twice), a repeated syllable and a leaked footnote number (ὑπερβαίνων βαίνων ἀνομίας;6), εἷπε to εἶπε.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 67 (Bright, 137–138; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/61/#p-67).

## Oration II Against the Arians 68

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/61/#p-68
- Source: Bright, 138–139
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: God could have undone the curse by a word, but what he does is chosen for what profits us; a mere command would have left grace external and humanity ever falling again.

### Greek text

68. ‘Ἀλλʼ ἠδύνατο, ᾿ φασὶ, ‘καὶ κτίσματος ὄντος τοῦ Σωτῆρος, μόνον εἰπεῖν ὁ Θεὸς καὶ λῦσαι τὴν κατάραν.᾿ Τὸ αὐτὸ δʼ ἂν ἀκούσαιεν καὶ αὐτοὶ παρʼ ἑτέρου λέγοντος· ‘Ἠδύνατο, καὶ μηδʼ ὅλως ἐπιδημήσαντος αὐτοῦ, μόνον εἰπεῖν ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ λῦσαι τὴν κατάραν. ʼ Ἀλλὰ σκοπεῖν δεῖ τὸ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις λυσιτελοῦν, καὶ μὴ ἐν πᾶσι τὸ δυνατὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ λογίζεσθαι· ἐπεὶ ἠδύνατο καὶ πρὸ τῆς Νῶε κιβωτοῦ τοὺς τότε παραβάντας ἀνθρώπους ἀπολέσαι· ἀλλά μετά τὴν κιβωτὸν πεποίηκεν. Ἠδύνατο καὶ χωρὶς Μωσέως καὶ μόνον εἰπεῖν, καὶ ἐξαγαγεῖν τὸν λαὸν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου· ἀλλά συνέφερε διά Μωσέως. Ἠδύνατο καὶ χωρὶς τῶν κριτῶν σώζειν τὸν λαὸν ὁ Θεός· ἀλλὰ συνέφερε τοῖς λαοῖς κατὰ καιρὸν ἐγείρεσθαι κριτὴν αὐτοῖς. Ἠδύνατο καὶ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ὁ Σωτὴρ ἐπιδημῆσαι, ἢ ἐλθὼν μὴ παραδοθῆναι Πιλάτῳ· ἀλλὰ καὶ ‘ἐπὶ συντελείᾳ τῶν αἰώνωνʼ ἦλθε, καὶ ζητούμενος εἶπεν, ‘Ἐγώ εἰμι.᾿ Ὃ γὰρ ποιεῖ, τοῦτο καὶ συμφέρει τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, καὶ ἄλλως οὐκ ἔπρεπε γενέσθαι· καὶ ὅπερ δὲ συμφέρει καὶ πρέπει, τούτου καὶ πρόνοιαν ποιεῖται, Ἦλθε γοῦν, ‘οὐχ ἵνα διακονηθῇ, ἀλλʼ ἵνα διακονήσῃ, ’ καὶ τὴν ἡμῶν ἐργάσηται σωτηρίαν. Ἀμέλει δυνάμενος ἀπὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ λαλῆσαι τὸν νόμον, εἶδεν ὅτι λυσιτελεῖ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἀπὸ τοῦ Σινᾶ λαλῆσαι· καὶ τοῦτο πεποίηκεν, ἵνα καὶ Μωσῆς ἀναβῆναι δυνηθῇ, κἀκεῖνοι τὸν λόγον ἐγγύθεν ἀκούοντες μᾶλλον πιστεῦσαι δυνηθῶσι, Πλὴν καὶ τὸ εὔλογον τοῦ γενομένου θεωρεῖν ἔξεστιν ἐντεῦθεν· εἰ διὰ τὸ δυνατὸν εἰρήκει, καὶ ἐλέλυτο ἡ κατάρα, τοῦ μὲν κελεύσαντος ἡ δύναμις ἐπεδείκνυτο, ὁ μέντοι ἄνθρωπος τοιοῦτος ἐγίνετο, οἷος ἦν καὶ ὁ Ἀδὰμ πρὸ τῆς παραβάσεως, ἔξωθεν λαβὼν τὴν χάριν, καὶ μὴ συνηρμοσμένην ἔχων αὐτὴν τῷ σώματι· τοιοῦτος γὰρ ὢν καὶ τότε τέθειτο ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ· τάχα δὲ καὶ χείρων ἐγίνετο, ὅτι καὶ παραβαίνειν μεμάθηκεν. Ὢν τοίνυν τοιοῦτος, εἰ καὶ παραπέπειστο ὑπὸ τοῦ ὄφεως, ἐγίνετο πάλιν χρεία ‘προστάξαι τὸν Θεὸν καὶ λῦσαι τὴν κατάραν· ʼ καὶ οὕτως εἰς ἄπειρον ἐγίνετο ἡ χρεία, καὶ οὐδὲν ἧττον οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἔμενον ὑπεύθυνοι, δουλεύοντες τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ· ἀεὶ δὲ ἁμαρτάνοντες, ἀεὶ ἐδέοντο τοῦ συγχωροῦντος, καὶ οὐδέποτε ἠλευθεροῦντο, σάρκες ὄντες καθʼ ἑαυτοὺς, καὶ ἀεὶ ἡττώμενοι τῷ νόμῳ διὰ τὴν ἀσθένειαν τῆς σαρκός.

### English translation (Claude)

“But,” they say, “even if the Saviour were a creature, God could simply have spoken and undone the curse.” They might hear the same thing from someone else who says, “Even if he had not come at all, God could simply have spoken and undone the curse.” But one must consider what is profitable to human beings, and not reckon in every case what is possible to God. For he could have destroyed the transgressors of that time even before Noah's ark, but he did it after the ark. He could have brought the people out of Egypt without Moses, simply by speaking, but it was expedient to do it through Moses. God could have saved the people without the judges, but it was expedient for the peoples that a judge be raised up for them from time to time. The Saviour could have come at the beginning, or, having come, not have been handed over to Pilate; but he came “at the consummation of the ages,” and when he was sought he said, “I am he.” For what he does is what is expedient for human beings, and it was not fitting that it should happen otherwise; and for what is expedient and fitting he makes provision. He came, at any rate, “not to be served but to serve,” and to work our salvation. Certainly, though he could have spoken the law from heaven, he saw that it was profitable to human beings to speak it from Sinai; and he did so, so that Moses might be able to go up, and they, hearing the word from close by, might be better able to believe. Besides, one can see the reasonableness of what happened from this: if he had spoken because he had the power, and the curse had been undone, the power of him who commanded would have been displayed, but man would have become such as Adam was before the transgression, having received grace from outside and not having it fitted to the body; for that is how he was when he was placed in paradise; and perhaps he would even have become worse, because he had learned to transgress. Being such, then, if he had again been led astray by the serpent, there would again have been need “for God to command and undo the curse”; and so the need would have gone on without end, and human beings would none the less have remained liable, serving sin; always sinning, they would always have needed someone to pardon them, and would never have been set free, being flesh in themselves and always worsted by the law because of the weakness of the flesh.

### Scripture references

- Heb 9:26: quotation, high confidence
- John 18:5: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 20:28: quotation, high confidence
- Exod 19:20: allusion, high confidence
- Rom 8:3: allusion, high confidence
- Rom 6:17: allusion, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- A repeated syllable (παραπέπειστο πέπειστο) is removed.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 68 (Bright, 138–139; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/61/#p-68).

## Oration II Against the Arians 69

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/61/#p-69
- Source: Bright, 139–140
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: No creature could save creation; the Son took flesh, died for all, and in his flesh destroyed sin and death, so that we, joined to him, shall be free of the serpent and of death.

### Greek text

69. Πάλιν τε εἰ κτίσμα ἦν ὁ Υἱὸς, ἔμενεν ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὐδὲν ἧττον θνητὸς, μὴ συναπτόμενος τῷ Θεῷ· οὐ γὰρ κτίσμα συνῆπτε τὰ κτίσματα τῷ Θεῷ, ζητοῦν καὶ αὐτὸ τὸν συνάπτοντα· οὐδὲ τὸ μέρος τῆς κτίσεως σωτηρία τῆς κτίσεως ἂν εἴη, δεόμενον καὶ αὐτὸ σωτηρίας. Ἵνα οὖν μηδὲ τοῦτο γένηται, πέμπει τὸν ἑαυτοῦ Υἱὸν, καὶ γίνεται υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου, τὴν κτιστὴν σάρκα λαβών· ἵνʼ, ἐπειδὴ πάντες εἰσὶν ὑπεύθυνοι τῷ θανάτῳ, ἄλλος ὢν τῶν πάντων, αὐτὸς ὑπὲρ πάντων τὸ ἴδιον σῶμα τῷ θανάτῳ προσενέγκῃ, καὶ λοιπὸν, ὡς πάντων διʼ αὐτοῦ ἀποθανόντων, ὁ μὲν λόγος τῆς ἀποφάσεως πληρωθῇ (‘πάντες γὰρ ἀπέθανον ἐν Χριστῷ᾿)· πάντες δὲ διʼ αὐτοῦ γένωνται λοιπὸν ἐλεύθεροι μὲν ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας καὶ τῆς διʼ αὐτὴν κατάρας, ἀληθῶς δὲ διαμείνωσιν εἰσαεὶ ἀναστάντες ἐκ νεκρῶν, καὶ ἀθανασίαν καὶ ἀφθαρσίαν ἐνδυσάμενοι. Τοῦ γὰρ Λόγου ἐνδυσαμένου τὴν σάρκα, καθὼς πολλάκις δέδεικται, πᾶν μὲν δῆγμα τοῦ ὄφεως διʼ ὅλου κατεσβέννυτο ἀπʼ αὐτῆς· εἴ τι ἐκ τῶν σαρκικῶν κινημάτων ἀνεφύετο κακὸν, ἐξεκόπτετο, καὶ συνανῃρεῖτο τούτοις ὁ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἀκόλουθος θάνατος, ὡς αὐτὸς ὁ Κύριός φησιν, ‘ἔρχεται ὁ ἄρχων τοῦ κόσμου τούτου, καὶ οὐδὲν εὑρίσκει ἐν ἐμοί·’ καὶ, εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ ἐφανερώθη, ᾿ ὡς ἔγραψεν ὁ Ἰωάννης, ‘ἵνα λύσῃ τὰ ἔργα τοῦ διαβόλου Τούτων δὲ λυθέντων ἀπὸ τῆς σαρκὸς, πάντες οὕτω κατὰ τὴν συγγένειαν τῆς σαρκὸς ἠλευθερώθημεν, καὶ λοιπὸν συνήφθημεν καὶ ἡμεῖς τῷ Λόγῳ. Συναφθέντες δὲ τῷ Θεῷ, οὐκέτι μὲν ἐπὶ γῆς ἀπομένομεν, ἀλλʼ ὡς αὐτὸς εἶπεν, ‘ὅπου αὐτὸς, καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐσόμεθα·’ καὶ λοιπὸν οὔτε τὸν ὄφιν ἔτι φοβηθησόμεθα· κατηργήθη γὰρ, ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ διωχθεὶς παρὰ τοῦ Σωτῆρος, καὶ ἀκούσας, ‘Ὕπαγε ὀπίσω μου, Σατανᾶ·᾿ καὶ οὕτως ἔξω τοῦ παραδείσου τυγχάνει βαλλόμενος εἰς τὸ πῦρ τὸ αἰώνιον· οὔτε δὲ γυναῖκα παραπείθουσαν φυλαξόμεθα· ‘ἐν γὰρ τῇ ἀναστάσει οὔτε γαμοῦσιν, οὔτε γαμίζονται, ἀλλʼ εἰσὶν ὡς ἄγγελοι·᾿ καὶ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ‘καινὴ κτίσιςʼ ἔσται, καὶ ‘οὔτε ἄρσεν, οὔτε θῆλυ, ἀλλὰ ‘πάντα καὶ ἐν πᾶσινʼ ἔσται ὁ Χριστός. Ἔνθα δὲ ὁ Χριστὸς, ποῖος φόβος ἢ ποῖος κίνδυνος ἔτι γενήσεται;

### English translation (Claude)

Again, if the Son were a creature, man would have remained none the less mortal, not being joined to God; for a creature would not join creatures to God, since it too seeks one to join it; nor could a part of creation be the salvation of creation, since it too needs salvation. So that this too should not happen, he sends his own Son, and he becomes son of man, taking the created flesh; so that, since all are liable to death, he, being other than all, might himself offer his own body to death for all; and thereafter, as though all had died through him, the word of the sentence might be fulfilled (“for all died in Christ”), and all through him might thereafter become free from sin and from the curse that came through it, and might truly abide for ever, risen from the dead and clothed with immortality and incorruption. For when the Word put on the flesh, as has often been shown, every bite of the serpent was entirely quenched in it; whatever evil sprang up from the impulses of the flesh was cut off, and together with these the death that follows sin was destroyed, as the Lord himself says, “The ruler of this world is coming, and finds nothing in me,” and “For this he was manifested,” as John wrote, “to destroy the works of the devil.” And these having been destroyed from the flesh, we were all thus set free by kinship of the flesh, and thereafter we too were joined to the Word. And being joined to God, we no longer remain on earth, but, as he himself said, “Where he is, we too shall be”; and thereafter we shall no longer fear the serpent; for he was brought to nothing, driven out in the flesh by the Saviour and hearing, “Get behind me, Satan”; and so he is cast out of paradise into the eternal fire. Nor shall we have to guard against a woman who leads astray; for “in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as angels”; and in Christ Jesus there will be “a new creation,” and “neither male nor female,” but Christ will be “all and in all.” And where Christ is, what fear or what danger will there be any longer?

### Scripture references

- 2 Cor 5:14: quotation, medium confidence
- 1 Cor 15:53: allusion, high confidence
- John 14:30: quotation, high confidence
- 1 John 3:8: quotation, high confidence
- John 14:3: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 16:23: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 25:41: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 3:6: allusion, medium confidence
- Matt 22:30: quotation, high confidence
- 2 Cor 5:17: quotation, high confidence
- Gal 3:28: quotation, high confidence
- Col 3:11: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “A woman who leads astray” alludes to Eve in Gen 3; the point is that the resurrection life is free of the first temptation.
- “For all died in Christ” combines 2 Cor 5:14 and 1 Cor 15:22.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 69 (Bright, 139–140; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/61/#p-69).

## Oration II Against the Arians 70

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/61/#p-70
- Source: Bright, 140–141
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Only if the Word is true God and his flesh truly human could humanity be freed and deified; Arians who deny the first are as wrong as Valentinians who deny the second.

### Greek text

70. Τοῦτο δὲ οὐκ ἂν ἐγεγόνει, εἰ κτίσμα ἦν ὁ Λόγος. Πρὸς γὰρ κτίσμα, κτίσμα ὢν καὶ ὁ διάβολος, εἶχεν ἀεὶ τὴν μάχην· καὶ μέσος ὢν ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ὕποπτος ἦν ἀεὶ τῷ θανάτῳ, μὴ ἔχων ἐν ᾧ καὶ διʼ οὗ συναφθεὶς τῷ Θεῷ ἐλεύθερος παντὸς φόβου γένηται. Ὅθεν ἡ ἀλήθεια δείκνυσι μὴ εἶναι τῶν γενητῶν τὸν Λόγον, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον τούτων αὐτὸν δημιουργόν· οὕτω γὰρ καὶ προσελάβετο τὸ γενητὸν καὶ ἀνθρώπινον σῶμα, ἵνα τοῦτο ὡς δημιουργὸς ἀνακαινίσας, ἐν ἑαυτῷ θεοποιήσῃ, καὶ οὕτως εἰς βασιλείαν οὐρανῶν εἰσαγάγῃ πάντας ἡμᾶς καθʼ ὁμοιότητα κείνου. Οὐκ ἂν δὲ πάλιν ἐθεοποιήθη κτίσματι συναφθεὶς ὁ ἄνθρωπος, εἰ μὴ Θεὸς ἦν ἀληθινὸς ὁ Υἱὸς· καὶ οὐκ ἂν παρέστη τῷ Πατρὶ ὁ ἄνθρωπος, εἰ μὴ φύσει καὶ ἀληθινὸς ἦν αὐτοῦ Λόγος ὁ ἐνδυσάμενος τὸ σῶμα. Καὶ ὥσπερ οὐκ ἂν ἠλευθερώθημεν ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας καὶ τῆς κατάρας, εἰ μὴ φύσει σὰρξ ἦν ἀνθρωπίνη, ἣν ἐνεδύσατο ὁ Λόγος· (οὐδὲν γὰρ κοινὸν ἦν ἡμῖν πρὸς τὸ ἀλλότριον·) οὕτως οὐκ ἂν ἐθεοποιήθη ὁ ἄνθρωπος, εἰ μὴ φύσει ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ ἀληθινὸς καὶ ἴδιος αὐτοῦ ἦν ὁ Λόγος, ὁ γενόμενος σάρξ. Διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ τοιαύτη γέγονεν ἡ συναφὴ, ἵνα τῷ κατὰ φύσιν τῆς θεότητος συνάψῃ τὸν φύσει ἄνθρωπον, καὶ βεβαία γένηται ἡ σωτηρία καὶ ἡ θεοποίησις αὐτοῦ, Οὐκοῦν οἱ ἀρνούμενοι ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς εἶναι φύσει καὶ ἴδιον αὐτοῦ τῆς οὐσίας τὸν Υἱὸν ἀρνείσθωσαν καὶ ἀληθινὴν σάρκα ἀνθρωπίνην αὐτὸν εἰληφέναι ἐκ Μαρίας τῆς ἀειπαρθένου. Οὐδὲν γὰρ πλέον ἡμῖν κέρδος τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἦν, εἰ μήτε ἀληθινὸς καὶ φύσει ἦν Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ ὁ Λόγος, μήτε ἀληθινὴ σὰρξ ἦν, ἣν προσελάβετο. Ἀλλʼ ἔλαβέ γε ἀληθινὴν σάρκα, κἂν μαίνηται Οὐαλεντῖνος· ἦν γὰρ καὶ φύσει καὶ ἀληθινὸς Θεὸς ὁ Λόγος, κἂν μαίνωνται οἱ Ἀρειομανῖται· καὶ ἐν ἐκείνῃ γέγονεν ἡμῶν ἡ ἀρχὴ τῆς καινῆς κτίσεως, κτισθεὶς ἄνθρωπος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, καὶ τὴν ὁδὸν ἡμῖν ἐκείνην ἐγκαινίσας, ὥσπερ εἴρηται.

### English translation (Claude)

But this would not have happened if the Word were a creature. For the devil, being himself a creature, would always have kept up the fight with a creature; and man, being in the middle, would always have been exposed to death, not having one in whom and through whom he might be joined to God and become free of all fear. Hence the truth shows that the Word is not among originated things, but rather their creator; for this is how he also took the originated, human body, so that, having renewed it as creator, he might deify it in himself, and so bring us all into the kingdom of heaven after its likeness. But man would not have been deified by being joined to a creature, had the Son not been true God; nor would man have been brought into the Father's presence, had the one who put on the body not been his natural and true Word. And just as we would not have been set free from sin and the curse had the flesh which the Word put on not been human by nature (for we would have had nothing in common with what was foreign to us), so man would not have been deified had the Word who became flesh not been by nature from the Father, true, and proper to him. For this is why such a union took place: that he might join what is by nature man to what is by nature Godhead, and that man's salvation and deification might be secure. So let those who deny that the Son is by nature from the Father and proper to his substance deny also that he took true human flesh from Mary ever-virgin. For there would have been no further gain for us human beings if either the Word were not true and natural Son of God, or the flesh which he assumed were not true. But he did take true flesh, even if Valentinus rages; for the Word was by nature and truly God, even if the Ariomaniacs rage; and in that flesh the beginning of our new creation came about, he having been created man for us and having opened for us that way, as has been said.

### Scripture references

- Heb 10:20: allusion, medium confidence
- John 1:14: allusion, high confidence
- 2 Pet 1:4: echo, low confidence

### Translation notes

- “Deify” renders θεοποιέω; Athanasius means human beings made partakers of God's life and incorruption through union with the Word.
- “Mary ever-virgin” (ἀειπάρθενος) is Athanasius's title for Mary.
- Valentinus, the Gnostic teacher, was held to deny that Christ had real human flesh.
- The text reads Υίος; corrected to Υἱὸς.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 70 (Bright, 140–141; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/61/#p-70).

## Oration II Against the Arians 71

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/61/#p-71
- Source: Bright, 141–142
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: “For works” shows the Word to be other than the works, as one who enters a house is not the house; he is God's hand and wisdom, and the three youths call on all works to praise but never the Word.

### Greek text

71. Οὔτε οὖν κτίσμα ἐστὶν ὁ Λόγος, οὔτε ἔργον· ταὐτὸν γάρ ἐστι κτίσμα καὶ ποίημα, καὶ ἔργον· καὶ εἴπερ κτίσμα καὶ ποίημα ἦν, ἦν ἂν καὶ ἔργον. Διὰ τοῦτο γοῦν οὐδὲ εἴρηκεν, ‘ ἔκτισέ με ἔργον, ᾿ οὐδὲ, ‘σὺν τοῖς ἔργοις ἐποίησεν, ἵνα μὴ τῇ φύσει καὶ τῇ οὐσίᾳ κτίσμα εἶναι δόξῃ· οὔτε ὅτι, ‘ διὰ τὸ ποιῆσαί με ἔργα, ἔκτισεν, ʼ ἵνα μὴ πάλιν κατὰ τὴν κακόνοιαν τῶν ἀσεβῶν ὡς ὄργανον διʼ ἡμᾶς γενόμενος νομισθῇ· ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ὅτι ‘ πρὸ τῶν ἔργων ἔκτισέ μεʼ ἀνήγγειλεν, ἵνα μὴ, ὥσπερ ἐστὶ γέννημα ὢν πρὸ πάντων, οὕτω καὶ κτιζόμενος πρὸ τῶν ἔργων, ταὐτὸν ποιήσῃ νομίζεσθαι τὸ ‘γέννημαʼ καὶ τὸ ‘ ἔκτισεν·᾿ ἀλλὰ μετὰ παρατηρήσεως ἀκριβοῦς, ‘ εἰς ἔργαʼ εἴρηκεν· ἴσον τῷ εἰπεῖν, ‘εἰς σάρκα με πεποίηκεν ὁ Πατὴρ γενέσθαι ἄνθρωπον· ὥστε καὶ ἐκ τούτου πάλιν δείκνυσθαι μὴ εἶναι ἔργον αὐτὸν, ἀλλὰ γέννημα. Ὡς γὰρ ὁ εἰσερχόμενος εἰς οἰκίαν οὐκ ἔστι μέρος τῆς οἰκίας, ἀλλὰ ἄλλος ἐστὶ παρὰ τὴν οἰκίαν· οὕτως ὁ εἰς τὰ ἔργα κτιζόμενος ἄλλος ἂν εἴη τὴν φύσιν παρὰ τὰ ἔργα· ἐπεὶ εἰ καθʼ ὑμᾶς ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος ἔργον ἐστὶν, ὦ Ἀρειανοὶ, ἐν ποίᾳ ἄρα χειρὶ καὶ σοφίᾳ γέγονε καὶ αὐτός; πάντα γὰρ τὰ γενόμενα ἐν τῇ χειρὶ καὶ ἐν σοφίᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ γέγονε, λέγοντος μὲν αὐτοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἡ χείρ μου ἐποίησε ταῦτα πάντα· τοῦ δὲ Δαβὶδ ψάλλοντος, ‘ Καὶ σὺ κατʼ ἀρχὰς, Κύριε, τὴν γῆν ἐθεμελίωσας, καὶ τὰ ἔργα τῶν χειρῶν σου εἰσὶν οἱ οὐρανοί·᾿ καὶ πάλιν ἐν τῷ ἑκατοστῷ τεσσαρακοστῷ δευτέρῳ ψαλμῷ, ‘Ἐμνήσθην ἡμερῶν ἀρχαίων, καὶ ἐμελέτησα ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἔργοις σου, ἐν ποιήμασι τῶν χειρῶν σου ἐμελέτων. ʼ Οὐκοῦν εἰ ἐν χειρὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὰ ποιήματα εἰργάσθη, γέγραπται δὲ, ὅτι ‘ πάντα διὰ τοῦ Λόγου ἐγένετο, καὶ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἕν·᾿ καὶ πάλιν, ‘ εἷς Κύριος Ἰησοῦς, διʼ οὗ τὰ πάντα, ᾿ καὶ ὅτι ‘ ἐν αὐτῷ τὰ πάντα συνέστηκεν· εὔδηλον ὡς οὐκ ἂν εἴη ὁ Υἱὸς ἔργον, ἀλλʼ αὐτός ἐστιν ἡ χεὶρ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ἡ σοφία. Τοῦτο γινώσκοντες καὶ οἱ ἐν Βαβυλῶνι γενόμενοι μάρτυρες, Ἀνανίας, Ἀζαρίας, Μισαὴλ, ἐλέγχουσι τὴν Ἀρειανὴν ἀσέβειαν. Εἰπόντες γὰρ, ‘Εὐλογεῖτε πάντα τὰ ἔργα Κυρίου τὸν Κύριον·᾿ τὰ μὲν ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ τὰ ἐπὶ γῆς, καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν κτίσιν, ὡς ἔργα κατέλεξαν· τὸν δὲ Υἱὸν οὐκ ὠνόμασαν· οὐ γὰρ εἰρήκασιν, ‘Εὐλόγει, Λόγε, καὶ ὕμνει, Σοφία·᾿ ἵνα δείξωσιν ὅτι τὰ μὲν ἄλλα πάντα ὑμνοῦντά ἐστι, καὶ ἔργα ἐστί· ὁ δὲ Λόγος οὐκ ἔστιν ἔργον οὐδὲ τῶν ὑμνούντων, ἀλλὰ σὺν τῷ Πατρὶ ὑμνούμενος, καὶ προσκυνούμενός ἐστι καὶ θεολογούμενος, Λόγος μὲν αὐτοῦ καὶ Σοφία ὢν, τῶν δὲ ἔργων δημιουργός. Τοῦτο καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα ἐν Ψαλμοῖς μετὰ καλλίστης διαστολῆς εἴρηκεν, ὅτι ‘εὐθὺς ὁ Λόγος τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ πάντα τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ ἐν πίστει·’ καθάπερ καὶ ἐν ἑτέρῳ φησὶν, ‘Ὡς ἐμεγαλύνθη τὰ ἔργα σου, Κύριε· πάντα ἐν σοφίᾳ ἐποίησας.᾿

### English translation (Claude)

So the Word is neither a creature nor a work; for creature, thing made, and work are the same; and if he were a creature and a thing made, he would also be a work. That is why he did not say, “He created me a work,” nor “He made me with the works,” lest he seem to be a creature in nature and substance; nor “He created me so that I might make works,” lest again, according to the ill will of the impious, he be thought to have come into being for our sake as an instrument; nor did he announce, “He created me before the works,” lest, as he is offspring before all, so, being also created before the works, he should cause “offspring” and “he created” to be thought the same. But with precise care he said, “for works,” which is equal to saying, “The Father made me into flesh, to become man”; so that from this too it is again shown that he is not a work but offspring. For as one who enters a house is not part of the house but other than the house, so one who is created for the works would be other in nature than the works. For if, as you say, Arians, the Word of God is a work, by what hand and in what wisdom did he himself come into being? For all things that came into being came into being by the hand and in the wisdom of God, as God himself says, “My hand made all these things,” and David sings, “And you, Lord, in the beginning founded the earth, and the heavens are the works of your hands,” and again in the hundred and forty-second psalm, “I remembered the days of old, and I meditated on all your works; I meditated on the works of your hands.” If, then, the things made were wrought by the hand of God, and it is written that “all things came into being through the Word, and without him not one thing came into being,” and again, “one Lord Jesus, through whom are all things,” and that “in him all things hold together,” it is very clear that the Son would not be a work, but that he himself is the hand of God and his wisdom. Knowing this, the martyrs in Babylon, Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, refute the Arian impiety. For saying, “Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord,” they listed the things in heaven and on earth and all creation as works; but they did not name the Son; for they did not say, “Bless, O Word, and praise, O Wisdom,” so as to show that all the others are praising and are works, while the Word is not a work nor one of those who praise, but is praised together with the Father, and worshipped, and confessed as God, being his Word and Wisdom and the creator of the works. The Spirit too said this in the Psalms with a most beautiful distinction: “The Word of the Lord is upright, and all his works are in faithfulness”; as it says in another place too, “How great are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you have made them all.”

### Scripture references

- Isa 66:2: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 102:25 (101:26 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Ps 143:5 (142:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- John 1:3: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Cor 8:6: quotation, high confidence
- Col 1:17: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 33:4 (32:4 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Ps 104:24 (103:24 LXX): quotation, high confidence

### Extrabiblical texts

- Pr Azar 35 (Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Young Men): quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “Ananias, Azarias, and Misael” are the three youths of Dan 3; their song is in the Greek additions to Daniel (Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three, v. 35).
- Psalm numbers are Septuagint (142 = Ps 143).
- Several letter slips are corrected: ἴνα to ἵνα (three times), ὣν to ὢν, a stray semicolon in Ὡς;, ὅλλος to ἄλλος, τεσσαπακοστῷ to τεσσαρακοστῷ, εἴς to εἷς, πόντα to πάντα.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 71 (Bright, 141–142; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/61/#p-71).

## Oration II Against the Arians 72

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/72/#p-72
- Source: Bright, 142–143
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Scripture distinguishes the Word from all works: he judges and sets free, while all creation groans for freedom; Athanasius then turns to Prov 8:23, “before the age he founded me.”

### Greek text

72. Εἰ δὲ ἔργον ἦν ὁ Λόγος, πάντως ἂν καὶ αὐτὸς ‘ἐν σοφίᾳ ἐγεγόνει, καὶ οὔτʼ ἂν διέστελλεν αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων ἡ γραφὴ, οὔτε τὰ μὲν ‘ἔργαʼ ὠνόμαζε, τὸν δὲ ‘Λόγον καὶ σοφίαν ἰδίαν τοῦ Θεοῦʼ εὐηγγελίζετο. Νῦν δὲ, διαστέλλουσα τῶν ἔργων αὐτὸν, ἡ γραφὴ δείκνυσιν ὅτι τῶν ἔργων δημιουργός ἐστιν ἡ Σοφία, καὶ οὐκ ἔργον. Ταύτη τῇ διαστολῇ καὶ ὁ Παῦλος κέχρηται γράφων Ἑβραίοις· ‘ζῶν γὰρ ὁ Λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἐνεργὴς, καὶ τομώτερος ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν μάχαιραν δίστομον, καὶ διικνούμενος ἄχρι μερισμοῦ ψυχῆς καὶ πνεύματος, ἁρμῶν τε καὶ μυελῶν, καὶ κριτικὸς ἐνθυμήσεων καὶ ἐννοιῶν καρδίας, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι κτίσις ἀφανὴς ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, πάντα δὲ γυμνὰ καὶ τετραχηλισμένα τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ, πρὸς ὃν ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος.᾿ Ἰδοὺ γὰρ τὰ μὲν γενητὰ ‘κτίσινʼ ὠνόμασε· τὸν δὲ Υἱὸν ‘Λόγονʼ οἶδεν ὄντα τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὡς ἄλλου ὄντος αὐτοῦ παρὰ τὰ κτίσματα. Πάλιν δὲ λέγων, ‘πάντα δὲ γυμνὰ καὶ τετραχηλισμένα τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ, πρὸς ὃν ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος, ʼ ἄλλον αὐτὸν εἶναι σημαίνει τῶν πάντων. Διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ὁ μὲν κρίνει, τῶν δὲ γενητῶν πάντων ἕκαστος ὑπεύθυνός ἐστιν αὐτῷ διδόναι λόγον. Οὕτως ἄρα καὶ ‘τῆς κτίσεως πάσης συστεναζούσης ἡμῖν εἰς τὸ ἐλευθερωθῆναι ἀπὸ τῆς δουλείας τῆς φθορᾶς, ʼ ἄλλος τῶν κτισμάτων δείκνυται εἶναι ὁ Υἱός. Εἰ γὰρ ἦν κτίσμα, εἷς ἦν καὶ αὐτὸς τῶν στεναζόντων, καὶ δεόμενος τοῦ υἱοποιοῦντος καὶ ἐλευθεροῦντος καὶ αὐτὸν μετὰ πάντων. Εἰ δὲ πᾶσα μὲν ἡ κτίσις συστενάζει ἐλευθερίας χάριν τῆς ἀπὸ τῆς φθορᾶς τῆς δουλείας, ὁ δὲ Υἱὸς οὐκ ἔστι τῶν στεναζόντων, οὐδὲ τῶν δεομένων ἐλευθερίας, ἀλλʼ αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱοποιῶν καὶ ἐλευθερῶν τὰ πάντα, λέγων τοῖς τότε Ἰουδαίοις, ‘ὁ δὲ δοῦλος οὐ μένει ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα· ὁ δὲ υἱὸς μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα· ἐὰν οὖν ὁ Υἱὸς ὑμᾶς ἐλευθερώσῃ, ὄντως ἐλεύθεροι ἔσεσθε·᾿ λευκότερον φωτὸς ἀποδείκνυται καὶ ἐκ τούτων, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι κτίσμα ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος, ἀλλʼ Υἱὸς ἀληθινὸς καὶ φύσει γνήσιος τοῦ Πατρός. Περὶ μὲν οὖν τοῦ ‘Κύριος ἔκτισέ με ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν, ᾿ εἰ καὶ διʼ ὀλίγων, ἀλλʼ ἱκανά ἐστιν, ὥς γε νομίζω, πρόφασιν παρασχεῖν ταῦτα τοῖς λογιωτέροις πλείονα κατασκευάζειν εἰς ἀναίρεσιν τῆς ἀρειανῆς αἱρέσεως· ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ τὸν ἑξῆς στίχον ἀναγινώσκοντες οἱ αἱρετικοὶ, κακῶς καὶ περὶ τούτου ἐνθυμούμενοι, νομίζουσιν, ἐπειδὴ γέγραπται, ‘πρὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος ἐθεμελίωσέ με, ᾿ εἰς τὴν θεότητα τοῦ Λόγου καὶ μὴ εἰς τὴν ἔνσαρκον αὐτοῦ παρουσίαν εἰρῆσθαι καὶ ταῦτα, ἀναγκαῖον, καὶ τοῦτον τὸν στίχον διαλύοντας, δεῖξαι τὴν πλάνην ἐκείνων.

### English translation (Claude)

If the Word were a work, he too would certainly have come into being “in wisdom,” and Scripture would neither have distinguished him from the works, nor named them “works” while proclaiming him as “Word and God's own Wisdom.” But as it is, by distinguishing him from the works, Scripture shows that Wisdom is the creator of the works and not a work. Paul too uses this distinction, writing to the Hebrews: “For the Word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart; and no creature is hidden before him, but all are naked and laid bare to his eyes, to whom we must give account.” See, he named originated things “creature,” but knows the Son to be the Word of God, as being other than the creatures. And again, in saying, “but all are naked and laid bare to his eyes, to whom we must give account,” he signifies that he is other than all. For this is why he judges, while each of all originated things is answerable to give account to him. So too, when “the whole creation groans together with us to be set free from the bondage of corruption,” the Son is shown to be other than the creatures. For if he were a creature, he too would be one of those who groan, and would need one to make him a son and set him free along with all. But if the whole creation groans together for the sake of freedom from the bondage of corruption, while the Son is not one of those who groan, nor of those who need freedom, but is himself the one who makes all things sons and sets them free, saying to the Jews of that time, “The slave does not remain in the house for ever; the son remains for ever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed,” then it is shown from these words too, more brightly than light, that the Word of God is not a creature but the true Son of the Father, genuine by nature. About “The Lord created me a beginning of ways,” then, though in few words, these things are sufficient, as I think, to give the more learned occasion to construct more arguments for the overthrow of the Arian heresy. But since the heretics, reading the next verse too and thinking wrongly about it, suppose, because it is written, “Before the age he founded me,” that these words too are said of the Godhead of the Word and not of his presence in the flesh, it is necessary to explain this verse as well and show their error.

### Scripture references

- Ps 104:24 (103:24 LXX): allusion, high confidence
- Heb 4:12: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 4:13: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 8:22: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 8:21: quotation, high confidence
- John 8:35: quotation, high confidence
- John 8:36: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 8:22: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 8:23: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Slips corrected: ὠνφόμαζε to ὠνόμαζε, ὀδθαλμοῖς to ὀφθαλμοῖς, εἰς ἧν to εἷς ἦν.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 72 (Bright, 142–143; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/72/#p-72).

## Oration II Against the Arians 73

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/72/#p-73
- Source: Bright, 143–144
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Wisdom, by whom the earth was founded, was “founded” for us as the foundation of the new creation; the decisive question, which even the devil asked, is whether he is the Son.

### Greek text

73. Γέγραπται, ‘ὁ Θεὸς τῇ Σοφίᾳ ἐθεμελίωσε τὴν γῆν·᾿ εἰ τοίνυν τῇ Σοφίᾳ ἡ γῆ τεθεμελίωται, πῶς ὁ θεμελιῶν θεμελιοῦται; ἀλλὰ παροιμιωδῶς ἐστιν εἰρημένον καὶ τοῦτο· καὶ δεῖ καὶ τούτου τὸν νοῦν ζητεῖν, ἵνα γινώσκωμεν, ὅτι τῇ μὲν Σοφίᾳ ὁ Πατὴρ δημιουργεῖ, καὶ θεμελιοῖ τὴν γῆν εἰς τὸ εἶναι ἑδραίαν καὶ διαμένειν αὐτήν· αὐτὴ δὲ ἡ Σοφία ἐθεμελιοῦτο εἰς ἡμᾶς, ἵνα ἀρχὴ καὶ θεμέλιος τῆς καινῆς ἡμῶν κτίσεως καὶ ἀνακαινίσεως γένηται. Οὐκ εἴρηκε γοῦν οὐδὲ ἐν τούτοις, ‘πρὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος Λόγον ἢ Υἱόν με πεποίηκεν, ἵνα μὴ ὡς ἀρχὴν ἔχῃ τοῦ ποιεῖσθαι· τοῦτο γὰρ πρὸ πάντων δεῖ ζητεῖν, εἰ Υἱός ἐστι, καὶ περὶ τούτου τὰς γραφὰς προηγουμένως ἐρευνᾶν. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ τῶν ἀποστόλων ἐρωτηθέντων ὁ Πέτρος ἀπεκρίνατο, λέγων, ‘Σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς, ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος·᾿ τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ὁ πατὴρ τῆς Ἀρειανῆς αἱρέσεως ἐν πρώτοις ἠρώτησεν, ‘εἰ Υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ Θεοῦ·᾿ ᾔδει γὰρ ὅτι τοῦτό ἐστιν ἡ ἀλήθεια, καὶ τὸ κύριον τῆς πίστεως ἡμῶν· καὶ ὅτι, ἐὰν μὲν αὐτὸς ᾖ ὁ Υἱὸς, τέλος ἕξει ἡ διαβολικὴ τυραννίς· ἐὰν δὲ κτίσμα ᾖ, εἷς ἐστι καὶ αὐτὸς τῶν ἐκ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ τοῦ ἀπατηθέντος παρʼ αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐδεμία φροντὶς ἦν αὐτῷ. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ οἱ τότε Ἰουδαῖοι ἠγανάκτουν, ὅτι ὁ Κύριος Υἱὸν Θεοῦ ἑαυτὸν, καὶ ‘Πατέρα ἴδιον ἔλεγεν ἑαυτοῦʼ εἶναι τὸν Θεόν. Εἰ γὰρ ἦν ἑαυτὸν ἕνα τῶν κτισμάτων εἰρηκὼς, ἢ ὅτι ‘ποίημά εἰμι, ᾿ οὐκ ἐξενίζοντο ἀκούοντες, οὐδὲ βλασφημίαν ἐνόμιζον τὰ τοιαῦτα ῥήματα, εἰδότες καὶ ἀγγέλων ἐπιδημίαν γενομένην πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας· ἀλλʼ ἐπειδὴ Υἱὸν ἑαυτὸν ἔλεγεν, ἐθεώρουν μὴ κτίσματος εἶναι τὸ τοιοῦτον γνώρισμα, ἀλλὰ θεότητος καὶ φύσεως πατρικῆς.

### English translation (Claude)

It is written, “God by Wisdom founded the earth.” If, then, the earth has been founded by Wisdom, how is the one who founds it himself founded? But this too is said in proverbial fashion, and we must seek its sense too, so that we may know that by Wisdom the Father creates and founds the earth, so that it may be firm and endure, while Wisdom herself was founded for us, so that she might become the beginning and foundation of our new creation and renewal. At any rate, not even here did he say, “Before the age he made me Word or Son,” lest he should seem to have a beginning of being made. For this above all must be asked, whether he is Son, and the Scriptures must be searched first of all about this. For this is what Peter answered when the apostles were asked, saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”; and this is what the father of the Arian heresy asked among the first things: “If you are the Son of God”; for he knew that this is the truth and the sovereign point of our faith; and that, if he is the Son, the devil's tyranny will have an end; but if he is a creature, he too is one of those descended from Adam, whom the devil had deceived, and he need have no concern about him. That is why the Jews of that time too were indignant, because the Lord said that he was Son of God and that God was “his own Father.” For if he had said that he was one of the creatures, or “I am a work,” they would not have been startled on hearing it, nor would they have thought such words blasphemy, knowing that angels too had come to the fathers; but since he called himself Son, they perceived that such a mark belongs not to a creature but to Godhead and the Father's nature.

### Scripture references

- Prov 3:19: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 8:23: allusion, high confidence
- Matt 16:16: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 4:3: quotation, high confidence
- John 5:18: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “The father of the Arian heresy” is the devil, who tempted Christ with “If you are the Son of God” (Matt 4:3).
- Slips corrected: γῇ to γῆ, Οεοῦ to Θεοῦ, εἰς to εἷς, Ἰουδαίοι to Ἰουδαῖοι.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 73 (Bright, 143–144; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/72/#p-73).

## Oration II Against the Arians 74

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/72/#p-74
- Source: Bright, 144–145
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: “He founded me” (Prov 8:23) refers to the Word's taking flesh, so that, like a stone set as foundation, he might bear us who are built on him as living stones.

### Greek text

74. Ἔδει τοίνυν τοὺς Ἀρειανοὺς, κἂν τὸν πατέρα ἑαυτῶν τὸν διάβολον μιμουμένους, περιεργάζεσθαι· καὶ εἰ μὲν εἴρηκε, ‘Λόγον ἢ Υἱόν με ἐθεμελίωσε, ᾿ φρονεῖν ὡς φρονοῦσιν· εἰ δὲ μὴ οὕτως εἴρηκε, μὴ ἐπινοεῖν ἑαυτοῖς τὰ μὴ ὄντα. Οὐ γὰρ εἴρηκε, ‘πρὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος Λόγον ἢ Υἱόν με ἐθεμελίωσεν, ᾿ ἀλλʼ ἁπλῶς, ‘ἐθεμελίωσέ με, ʼ ἵνα δείξῃ πάλιν, καθάπερ εἶπον, ὅτι οὐ διʼ ἑαυτὸν, διὰ δὲ τοὺς ἐποικοδομουμένους ἐπʼ αὐτὸν παροιμιωδῶς καὶ τοῦτο λέγει. Τοῦτο γὰρ εἰδὼς καὶ ὁ ἀπόστολος γράφει, ‘Θεμέλιον γὰρ ἄλλον οὐδεὶς δύναται θεῖναι παρὰ τὸν κείμενον, ὅς ἐστιν Ἰησοῦς Χριστός. Ἕκαστος δὲ βλεπέτω, πῶς ἐποικοδομεῖ, ᾿ Ἀνάγκη δὲ τὸν θεμέλιον τοιοῦτον εἶναι, οἷα καὶ τὰ ἐποικοδομούμενά ἐστιν, ἵνα καὶ συναρμολογεῖσθαι δυνηθῇ. Λόγος μὲν οὖν ὢν, ᾗ Λόγος ἐστὶν, οὐκ ἔχει τοιούτους, οἷός ἐστι καὶ αὐτὸς, τοὺς συναρμολογουμένους αὐτῷ· μονογενὴς γάρ ἐστιν· ἄνθρωπος δὲ γενόμενος, ἔχει τοὺς ὁμοίους, ὧν καὶ τὴν ὁμοίαν ἐνεδύσατο σάρκα. Οὐκοῦν κατὰ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον ‘θεμελιοῦται, ’ ἵνα καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐπʼ αὐτὸν ὡς ‘λίθοι τίμιοιʼ ἐποικοδομεῖσθαι δυνηθῶμεν, καὶ γενώμεθα ‘ναὸς τοῦ ἐν ἡμῖν οἰκοῦντος ἁγίου Πνεύματος.᾿ Ὥσπερ δὲ θεμέλιος αὐτὸς, ἡμεῖς δὲ λίθοι ἐποικοδομούμενοι ἐπʼ αὐτὸν, οὕτως αὐτὸς πάλιν ‘ἄμπελόςʼ ἐστιν, ἡμεῖς δὲ ὡς κλήματα συνημμένα, οὐ κατὰ τὴν οὐσίαν τῆς θεότητος (ἀδύνατον γὰρ τοῦτό γε), ἀλλὰ πάλιν κατὰ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον· ὅμοια γὰρ εἶναι δεῖ τὰ κλήματα τῇ ἀμπέλῳ· ἐπεὶ καὶ ἡμεῖς ὅμοιοι κατὰ τὴν σάρκα τυγχάνομεν ὄντες αὐτοῦ, Ἄλλως τε ἀνθρώπινα φρονοῦντας τοὺς αἱρετικοὺς, ἀνθρωπίνοις παραδείγμασι διελέγχειν προσήκει διὰ τῶν αὐτῶν λόγων. Οὐκ εἴρηκε γοῦν ὅτι ‘θεμέλιόν με πεποίηκεν, ἵνα μὴ, ὡς ποιήματος καὶ ἀρχὴν ἔχοντος αὐτοῦ τοῦ γίνεσθαι, κἂν ἐν τούτῳ πρόφασιν εὕρωσιν ἀναίσχυντον πρὸς ἀσέβειαν· ἀλλʼ ὅτι ‘ἐθεμελίωσέ με.᾿ Τὸ δὲ θεμελιούμενον θεμελιοῦται μὲν διὰ τοὺς ἐπιβαλλομένους ἐπʼ αὐτὸ λίθους· γίνεται δὲ οὐχ ἀπλῶς, ἀλλʼ ὅταν ἐξ ὄρους μετενεχθῇ λίθος, καὶ εἰς τὸ βάθος τῆς γῆς κατατεθῇ. Καὶ ἕως μὲν ἐν τῷ ὄρει λίθος ἐστὶν, οὔπω τεθεμελίωται· ἐπειδὰν δὲ ἡ χρεία ἀπαιτῇ, καὶ μετενεχθῇ, καὶ περιβάληται τὸ βάθος τῆς γῆς, τότε λοιπὸν, εἰ λάβοι φωνὴν ὁ λίθος, εἴποι ἂν, ‘νῦν ἐθεμελίωσέ με, ὁ ἐξ ὄρους ὧδε μεταθείς.᾿ Οὐκοῦν οὐχ ὁ Κύριος καὶ ὅτε τεθεμελίωται, ἀρχὴν ἔχει τοῦ εἶναι (ἦν γὰρ καὶ πρὸ τούτου Λόγος)· ἀλλʼ ὅτε τὸ ἡμέτερον ἐνεδύσατο σῶμα, ὅπερ ἐκ Μαρίας τμηθὲν ἔλαβε, τότε φησὶν, ἐθεμελίωσέ με· ἴσον τῷ εἰπεῖν, ‘Λόγον ὄντα με περιέβαλε γηίνῳ σώματι.’ Οὕτω γὰρ διʼ ἡμᾶς θεμελιοῦται, τὰ ἡμῶν ἀναδεχόμενος, ἵνα ἡμεῖς, ὡς σύσσωμοι συναρμολογούμενοι καὶ συνδεθέντες ἐν αὐτῷ διὰ τῆς ὁμοιώσεως τῆς σαρκὸς, ‘εἰς ἄνδρα τέλειονʼ καταντήσαντες, ἀθάνατοι καὶ ἄφθαρτοι διαμείνωμεν.

### English translation (Claude)

The Arians, then, even while imitating their father the devil, ought to have examined the matter: if he had said, “He founded me as Word or Son,” they might think as they do; but if he did not say so, they should not invent for themselves things that are not. For he did not say, “Before the age he founded me as Word or Son,” but simply, “He founded me,” so as to show again, as I said, that he says this too in proverbial fashion, not for his own sake but for the sake of those who are built upon him. Knowing this, the apostle too writes, “For no one can lay another foundation than the one that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. But let each one take care how he builds upon it.” And the foundation must be of the same kind as what is built upon it, so that it can be fitted together with it. As Word, then, insofar as he is Word, he has none like himself to be fitted together with him; for he is only-begotten; but having become man, he has those who are like him, whose like flesh he also put on. So it is according to his humanity that he “is founded,” so that we too may be built upon him as “precious stones,” and become “a temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.” And as he is the foundation, and we the stones built upon him, so again he is the “vine,” and we are joined to him as branches, not according to the substance of the Godhead (for that is impossible), but again according to his humanity; for the branches must be like the vine, since we too are like him according to the flesh. Besides, since the heretics think in human terms, it is fitting to refute them with human examples, in their own terms. He did not say, then, “He made me a foundation,” lest, as though he were a thing made with a beginning of coming to be, they should find even in this a shameless pretext for impiety; but “He founded me.” What is founded is founded for the sake of the stones laid upon it; and it does not become so simply, but when a stone is moved from a mountain and set down in the depth of the earth. As long as the stone is in the mountain, it has not yet been founded; but when need requires, and it is moved and the depth of the earth surrounds it, then, if the stone could speak, it would say, “Now he has founded me, he who moved me here from the mountain.” So the Lord too did not begin to be when he was founded (for he was Word even before this); but when he put on our body, which he took, cut from Mary, then he says, “He founded me,” which is equal to saying, “He clothed me, who am Word, with an earthly body.” For so he is founded for our sake, taking on what is ours, so that we, being fitted together as one body and bound together in him through the likeness of the flesh, may attain “to a perfect man” and abide immortal and incorruptible.

### Scripture references

- John 8:44: allusion, medium confidence
- Prov 8:23: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Cor 3:11: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Cor 3:10: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Cor 3:12: allusion, high confidence
- 1 Cor 3:16: quotation, medium confidence
- John 15:5: allusion, high confidence
- Dan 2:34: allusion, medium confidence
- Eph 2:21: allusion, medium confidence
- Eph 4:13: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “Cut from Mary” echoes the stone “cut from the mountain without hands” of Dan 2:34, 45, a traditional image of the virgin birth.
- The Arians' “father the devil” echoes John 8:44; the polemic is the author's.
- The text reads θεμελιουται; corrected to θεμελιοῦται.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 74 (Bright, 144–145; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/72/#p-74).

## Oration II Against the Arians 75

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/72/#p-75
- Source: Bright, 145–146
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: “Before the age” refers to God's eternal purpose of salvation prepared in the Word before creation, since God foreknew the fall, as 2 Tim 1:9–10 and Eph 1:3–5 teach.

### Greek text

75. Τὸ δὲ, ‘πρὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος καὶ, ‘πρὸ τοῦ τὴν γῆν ποιῆσαι, ’ καὶ, ‘πρὸ τοῦ ὄρη ἑδρασθῆναι, ’ μηδένα ταραττέτω· πάνυ γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο καλῶς συνῆψε τῷ ‘ἐθεμελίωσε, ’ καὶ τῷ ‘ἔκτισε·’ τοῦτο γὰρ πάλιν τῆς κατὰ σάρκα οἰκονομίας ἅπτεται. Ἡ γὰρ παρὰ τοῦ Σωτῆρος εἰς ἡμᾶς γενομένη ‘χάριςʼ ἄρτι μὲν ‘ἐπεφάνη, ’ ὡς εἶπεν ὁ ἀπόστολος, καὶ γέγονεν ἐπιδημήσαντος αὐτοῦ· προητοίμαστο δὲ αὕτη καὶ πρὶν γενέσθαι ἡμᾶς, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ πρὸ τῆς καταβολῆς τοῦ κόσμου· καὶ ἡ αἰτία χρηστὴ καὶ θαυμαστή πως ἐστιν. Οὐκ ἔπρεπε τὸν Θεὸν ὕστερον περὶ ἡμῶν βουλεύεσθαι, ἵνα μὴ ὡς ἀγνοῶν τὰ καθʼ ἡμᾶς φαίνηται. Κτίζων τοίνυν ἡμᾶς διὰ τοῦ ἰδίου Λόγου ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς, καὶ εἰδὼς τὰ ἡμῶν ὑπὲρ ἡμᾶς, προγινώσκων τε ὅτι, ‘καλοὶʼ γενόμενοι, ὕστερον παραβάται τῆς ἐντολῆς ἐσόμεθα, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ παραδείσου ἐκβληθησόμεθα διὰ τὴν παρακοὴν, φιλάνθρωπος καὶ ἀγαθὸς ὢν, προετοιμάζει ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ Λόγῳ, διʼ οὗ καὶ ἔκτισεν ἡμᾶς, τὴν περὶ τῆς σωτηρίας ἡμῶν οἰκονομίαν, ἵνα, κἂν ἀπατηθέντες παρὰ τοῦ ὄφεως ἐκπέσωμεν, μὴ τέλεον ἀπομείνωμεν νεκροὶ, ἀλλʼ ἔχοντες ἐν τῷ Λόγῳ τὴν προητοιμασμένην ἡμῖν λύτρωσίν τε καὶ σωτηρίαν, πάλιν ἀναστάντες, ἀθάνατοι διαμείνωμεν, ὅταν αὐτὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ‘ἀρχὴ τῶν ὁδῶν κτισθῇ, ᾿ καὶ ὁ ‘πρωτότοκος τῆς κτίσεωςʼ γένηται ‘πρωτότοκος ἀδελφῶν, ’ καὶ αὐτὸς ‘ἀπαρχὴ τῶν νεκρῶνʼ ἀναστῇ. Τοῦτο Παῦλος ὁ μακάριος ἀπόστολος γράφων διδάσκει· τὸ γὰρ ἐν ταῖς Παροιμίαις, ‘πρὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος, ’ καὶ ‘πρὸ τοῦ τὴν γῆν γενέσθαι, ’ διερμηνεύων, οὕτω φησὶ πρὸς μὲν Τιμόθεον· ‘Συγκακοπάθησον τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ κατὰ δύναμιν Θεοῦ, τοῦ σώσαντος ἡμᾶς καὶ καλέσαντος κλήσει ἁγίᾳ, οὐ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα ἡμῶν, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν πρόθεσιν καὶ χάριν, τὴν δοθεῖσαν ἡμῖν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ πρὸ χρόνων αἰωνίων, φανερωθεῖσαν δὲ νῦν διὰ τῆς ἐπιφανείας τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, καταργήσαντος μὲν τὸν θάνατον, φωτίσαντος δὲ τὴν ζωήν.’ Πρὸς δὲ τοὺς Ἐφεσίους· ‘Εὐλογητὸς ὁ Θεὸς καὶ Πατὴρ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὁ εὐλογήσας ἡμᾶς ἐν πάσῃ εὐλογίᾳ πνευματικῇ ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις ἐν Χριστῷʼ Ἰησοῦ· καθὼς ἐξελέξατο ἡμᾶς ἐν αὐτῷ πρὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου εἶναι ἡμᾶς ἁγίους καὶ ἀμώμους κατʼ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ ἐν ἀγάπῃ, προορίσας ἡμᾶς εἰς υἱοθεσίαν διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ εἰς αὐτόν.’

### English translation (Claude)

And let no one be troubled by “before the age,” and “before he made the earth,” and “before the mountains were settled”; for this too he joined very well to “he founded” and “he created,” since this again concerns the economy in the flesh. For the “grace” that has come to us from the Saviour has only now “appeared,” as the apostle said, and came about when he came to dwell among us; but it had been prepared even before we came into being, or rather even before the foundation of the world; and the reason is kind and wonderful. It was not fitting for God to deliberate about us afterwards, lest he should appear ignorant of what concerns us. The God of all, then, creating us through his own Word, and knowing our affairs better than we do, and foreknowing that, having been made “good,” we would afterwards become transgressors of the commandment and be cast out of paradise for disobedience, being loving toward humankind and good, prepares beforehand in his own Word, through whom he also created us, the economy for our salvation, so that, even if we fell, deceived by the serpent, we should not remain utterly dead, but, having in the Word the redemption and salvation prepared for us beforehand, might rise again and abide immortal, when he for our sake should be “created a beginning of the ways,” and the “firstborn of creation” should become “firstborn of brothers,” and himself rise as “firstfruits of the dead.” Paul the blessed apostle teaches this in his writing; for, interpreting “before the age” and “before the earth came to be” in the Proverbs, he says to Timothy: “Share in suffering for the gospel, according to the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before eternal times, but has now been manifested through the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who abolished death and brought life to light.” And to the Ephesians: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him in love, having predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to himself.”

### Scripture references

- Prov 8:23: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 8:24: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 8:25: quotation, high confidence
- Titus 2:11: allusion, high confidence
- Eph 1:4: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 1:31: allusion, medium confidence
- Col 1:15: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 8:29: allusion, high confidence
- 1 Cor 15:20: allusion, high confidence
- 2 Tim 1:8: quotation, high confidence
- 2 Tim 1:9: quotation, high confidence
- 2 Tim 1:10: quotation, high confidence
- Eph 1:3: quotation, high confidence
- Eph 1:5: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Slips corrected: τεὅτι (words run together), ἐκβληθησάμεθα to ἐκβληθησόμεθα, σωτηπίαν to σωτηρίαν, υενέσθαι to γενέσθαι, a repeated syllable (Τιμόθεον· θεον·), Συγκακοπάθησαον to Συγκακοπάθησον.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 75 (Bright, 145–146; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/72/#p-75).

## Oration II Against the Arians 76

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/72/#p-76
- Source: Bright, 146–147
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Our election, adoption, and inheritance “before the foundation of the world” were founded in the Word, so that when the world passes away our life, prepared in Christ, will endure.

### Greek text

76. Πῶς οὖν ἐξελέξατο πρὶν γενέσθαι ἡμᾶς, εἰ μὴ, ὡς αὐτὸς εἴρηκεν, ‘ἐν αὐτῷ ἦμεν προτετυπωμένοι; πῶς δὲ ὅλως, πρὶν ἀνθρώπους κτισθῆναι, ‘ἡμᾶς προώρισεν εἰς υἱοθεσίαν, ’ εἰ μὴ αὐτὸς ὁ Υἱὸς πρὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος τεθεμελίωτο, ἀναδεξάμενος τὴν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν οἰκονομίαν; ἢ πῶς, ὡς ἐπιφέρει λέγων ὁ ἀπόστολος, ‘ἐκληρώθημεν προορισθέντες, ’ εἰ μὴ αὐτὸς ὁ Κύριος πρὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος ἦν θεμελιωθεὶς, ὥστε αὐτὸν πρόθεσιν ἔχειν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν πάντα τὸν καθʼ ἡμῶν κλῆρον τοῦ κρίματος ἀναδέξασθαι διὰ τῆς σαρκὸς, καὶ λοιπὸν ἡμᾶς ἐν αὐτῷ υἱοποιηθῆναι; πῶς δὲ καὶ ‘πρὸ χρόνων αἰωνίωνʼ ἐλαμβάνομεν, μήπω γεγονότες, ἀλλʼ ἐν χρόνῳ γεγονότες, εἰ μὴ ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ ἦν ἀποκειμένη ἡ εἰς ἡμᾶς φθάνουσα χάρις; διὸ καὶ ἐν τῇ κρίσει, ὅταν ἕκαστος ‘κατὰ τὴν πρᾶξινʼ ἀπολαμβάνῃ, φησὶ, ‘Δεῦτε, οἱ εὐλογημένοι τοῦ Πατρός μου, κληρονομήσατε τὴν ἡτοιμασμένην ὑμῖν βασιλείαν ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου· Πῶς οὖν, ἢ ἐν τίνι, πρὶν γενέσθαι ἡμᾶς, ἡτοιμάσθη, εἰ μὴ ἐν τῷ Κυρίῳ τῷ πρὸ αἰῶνος εἰς τοῦτο θεμελιωθέντι, ἵνʼ ἡμεῖς, ὡς ἐπʼ αὐτὸν ἐποικοδομούμενοι, μεταλάβωμεν, ὡς λίθοι εὐάρμοστοι, τῆς παρʼ αὐτοῦ ζωῆς τε καὶ χάριτος; Τοῦτο δὲ γέγονεν, ὥς γε μετρίως ἐπέρχεταί τινι νοεῖν εὐσεβῶς, ἵνα, καθὰ προεῖπον, ἀναστάντες ἀπὸ τοῦ πρὸς ὀλίγον θανάτου, αἰωνίως ζῆσαι δυνηθῶμεν, οὐκ ἂν δυνηθέντες, ἄνθρωποι τυγχάνοντες ἀπὸ γῆς, εἰ μὴ πρὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος ἦν προετοιμασθεῖσα ἡμῖν ἐν Χριστῷ ἡ τῆς ζωῆς καὶ σωτηρίας ἐλπίς. Οὐκοῦν εἰκότως ἐπιβαίνων ὁ Λόγος εἰς τὴν ἡμετέραν σάρκα, καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ ‘κτιζόμενος ἀρχὴ ὁδῶν εἰς ἔργα αὐτοῦ, ’ θεμελιοῦται οὕτως, ὥσπερ ἦν ἐν αὐτῷ τὸ βούλημα τοῦ Πατρὸς, καθάπερ εἴρηται, πρὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος, καὶ πρὸ τοῦ τὴν γῆν γενέσθαι, καὶ πρὸ τοῦ ὄρη ἑδρασθῆναι, καὶ πρὸ τοῦ τὰς πηγὰς προελθεῖν·’ ἵνα κἂν ‘ἡ γῆ, ’ καὶ τὰ ὄρη, καὶ τὰ σχήματα τῶν φαινομένων ‘παρέλθῃʼ ἐν τῇ συντελείᾳ τοῦ ἐνεστῶτος αἰῶνος, μὴ κατʼ αὐτὰ ‘παλαιωθῶμεν καὶ ἡμεῖς, ἀλλὰ δυνηθῶμεν καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ζῇν, ἔχοντες τὴν πρὸ τούτων ἑτοιμασθεῖσαν ἡμῖν ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ Λόγῳ, κατʼ ἐκλογὴν, ζωήν τε καὶ εὐλογίαν πνευματικήν. Οὕτω γὰρ δυνησόμεθα μὴ πρόσκαιρον ἔχειν ζωὴν, ἀλλὰ μετὰ ταῦτα διαμεῖναι ζῶντες ἐν Χριστῷ· ἐπειδὴ καὶ πρὸ τούτων, ἡ ζωὴ ἡμῶν ἐτεθεμελίωτο καὶ ἡτοίμαστο ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ.

### English translation (Claude)

How, then, did he choose us before we came into being, unless, as he himself has said, we were prefigured in him? And how at all, before human beings were created, did he “predestine us for adoption,” unless the Son himself had been founded before the age, having undertaken the economy on our behalf? Or how, as the apostle goes on to say, “were we given an inheritance, having been predestined,” unless the Lord himself had been founded before the age, so that he had the purpose, on our behalf, to take upon himself through the flesh the whole sentence of judgment that lay against us, and thereafter we might be made sons in him? And how did we receive grace “before eternal times,” when we had not yet come into being but came into being in time, unless the grace that reaches us had been laid up in Christ? That is why at the judgment too, when each receives “according to his deeds,” he says, “Come, you who are blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” How then, or in whom, was it prepared before we came into being, unless in the Lord, who was founded for this before the age, so that we, as built upon him, might partake, as well-fitted stones, of the life and grace that come from him? And this has happened, as one may piously understand in some measure, so that, as I said before, rising from our brief death, we might be able to live eternally; which we could not have done, being men from the earth, had not the hope of life and salvation been prepared for us in Christ before the age. So, fittingly, the Word, entering our flesh and in it “created a beginning of ways for his works,” is founded in this way, as the Father's will was in him, as has been said, “before the age,” and “before the earth came to be,” and “before the mountains were settled,” and “before the springs came forth”; so that even if “the earth,” and the mountains, and the forms of visible things “pass away” at the consummation of the present age, we should not “grow old” with them, but might be able to live even after them, having the life and spiritual blessing prepared for us before them in the Word himself, according to election. For so we shall be able to have not a temporary life, but to abide living afterwards in Christ, since even before these things our life had been founded and prepared in Christ Jesus.

### Scripture references

- Eph 1:4: allusion, high confidence
- Eph 1:5: quotation, high confidence
- Eph 1:11: quotation, high confidence
- 2 Tim 1:9: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 2:6: allusion, medium confidence
- Matt 25:34: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Pet 2:5: allusion, medium confidence
- Prov 8:22: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 8:23: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 8:24: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 8:25: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Cor 7:31: allusion, medium confidence
- Heb 1:11: allusion, medium confidence
- Eph 1:3: allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The text reads αἰνωίων; corrected to αἰωνίων.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 76 (Bright, 146–147; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/72/#p-76).

## Oration II Against the Arians 77

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/72/#p-77
- Source: Bright, 147–148
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Like an architect who provides for repairs before building, God founded our renewal in Christ before creation; Athanasius then introduces a further sense of Prov 8:22.

### Greek text

77. Οὐδὲ γὰρ οὐδὲ ἐν ἄλλῳ θεμελιωθῆναι τὴν ζωὴν ἡμῶν ἔπρεπεν ἢ ἐν τῷ Κυρίῳ τῷ πρὸ αἰώνων ὄντι, ‘διʼ οὗʼ καὶ οἱ αἰῶνες γεγόνασιν, ἵνʼ ὡς ἐν αὐτῷ αὐτῆς οὔσης, δυνηθῶμεν καὶ ἡμεῖς αἰώνιον κληρονομῆσαι ζωήν. Ἀγαθὸς γὰρ ὁ Θεός· ἀγαθὸς δὲ ὢν ἀεὶ, τοῦτο βεβούληται, γινώσκων τὴν ἡμετέραν ἀσθενῆ φύσιν Χρῄζουσαν τῆς παρʼ αὐτοῦ βοηθείας τε καὶ σωτηρίας. Καὶ ὥσπερ ἂν εἴ τις ἀρχιτέκτων σοφὸς, προθέμενος οἰκίαν οἰκοδομεῖν, βουλεύεται ἅμα ἵνα, ἐάν ποτε καὶ φθαρῇ μετὰ τὸ γενέσθαι ταύτην, πάλιν ἀνανεώσηται, τοῦτο δὲ βουλευόμενος προετοιμάζει, καὶ δίδωσι τῷ ἐργασαμένῳ τὴν εἰς ἀνανέωσιν παρασκευὴν, καὶ γίνεται πρὸ τῆς οἰκίας ἡ τῆς ἀνανεώσεως προπαρασκευή· τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον πρὸ ἡμῶν ἡ τῆς ἡμετέρας σωτηρίας ἀνανέωσις θεμελιοῦται ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ, ἵνʼ ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἀνακτισθῆναι δυνηθῶμεν. Καὶ ἡ μὲν βουλὴ καὶ ἡ πρόθεσις πρὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος ἡτοιμάσθη· τὸ δὲ ἔργον γέγονεν ὅτε ἡ χρεία ἀπῄτησε, καὶ ἐπεδήμησεν ὁ Σωτήρ· αὐτὸς γὰρ ὁ Κύριος ἀντὶ πάντων ἡμῖν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς γενήσεται, προσλαμβάνων ἡμᾶς εἰς τὴν αἰώνιον ζωήν. Ἤρκει μὲν οὖν ταῦτα πρὸς ἀπόδειξιν τοῦ μὴ εἶναι κτίσμα τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὀρθὴν εἶναι τὴν τοῦ ῥητοῦ διάνοιαν. ἐπειδὴ δὲ διερευνώμενον τὸ ῥητὸν ὀρθὸν ἔχει πανταχόθεν τὸν νοῦν, ἀκόλουθον καὶ τοῦτον τὸν νοῦν εἰπεῖν· ἴσως ἐκ πολλῶν ἐντραπῶσιν οἱ ἀνόητοι. Χρεία δὲ πάλιν τῶν προειρημένων· περὶ γὰρ τῆς αὐτῆς παροιμίας καὶ τῆς αὐτῆς σοφίας ἐστὶ τὸ προκείμενον. Οὐκ εἴρηκεν ἑαυτὸν εἶναι τῇ φύσει κτίσμα ὁ Λόγος, ἀλλʼ ἐν παροιμίαις εἴρηκε τὸ ‘Κύριος ἔκτισέ με·᾿ καὶ δῆλόν ἐστιν ὅτι νοῦν τινα οὐ παῤῥησίᾳ, ἀλλὰ τοῦτον κεκρυμμένον σημαίνει, ὅντινα καὶ ἡμᾶς δυνατὸν εὑρεῖν, εἰ ‘περιέλοιμεν τὸ κάλυμμα τῆς παροιμίας. Τίς γὰρ ἀκούων τῆς δημιουργοῦ Σοφίας, ‘Κύριος ἔκτισέ με ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ, ʼ φασκούσης, οὐκ εὐθὺς ζητεῖ τὴν διάνοιαν, λογιζόμενος πῶς δύναται ἡ κτίζουσα κτίζεσθαι; τίς, ἀκούσας τοῦ μονογενοῦς Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ λέγοντος ‘ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν ἑαυτὸν κτίζεσθαι, ʼ οὐκ ἐρευνᾷ τὸν νοῦν, θαυμάζων πῶς δύναται ὁ μονογενὴς Υἱὸς ἄλλων πολλῶν ἀρχὴ γίνεσθαι; αἴνιγμα μὲν ἔστιν· ‘ὁ δὲ νοήμων, ’ φησὶ, ‘νοήσει παραβολὴν καὶ σκοτεινὸν λόγον, ῥήσεις τε σοφῶν καὶ αἰνίγματα.’

### English translation (Claude)

For it was not fitting that our life should be founded in any other than the Lord, who is before the ages, “through whom” the ages too came into being, so that, since it is in him, we too might be able to inherit eternal life. For God is good; and being always good, he willed this, knowing that our weak nature needs help and salvation from him. And as a wise architect, intending to build a house, plans at the same time that if it should ever be ruined after it is built he may renew it, and planning this makes preparation beforehand, and gives the builder the provision for renewal, so that the preparation for renewal comes about before the house; in the same way, before us, the renewal of our salvation is founded in Christ, so that in him we might also be re-created. The counsel and the purpose were prepared before the age; but the work came about when need required it and the Saviour came. For the Lord himself will be all things to us in the heavens, receiving us into eternal life. These things, then, would suffice to prove that the Word of God is not a creature, and that the sense of the saying is correct. But since the saying, when searched, has a correct sense from every side, it follows that this sense too should be stated; perhaps the senseless may be put to shame by many arguments. And there is need again of what was said before; for the matter at hand concerns the same proverb and the same Wisdom. The Word did not say that he is by nature a creature, but said in proverbs, “The Lord created me”; and it is clear that he signifies a certain sense, not plainly but hidden, which we too can find if we “remove the veil” of the proverb. For who, hearing the creating Wisdom say, “The Lord created me a beginning of his ways,” does not at once seek the meaning, reasoning how the one who creates can be created? Who, hearing the only-begotten Son of God say that he is created “a beginning of ways,” does not search out the sense, wondering how the only-begotten Son can become the beginning of many others? It is a riddle; but “the man of understanding,” it says, “will understand a parable and a dark word, the sayings of the wise and their riddles.”

### Scripture references

- Heb 1:2: allusion, high confidence
- 1 Cor 15:28: allusion, medium confidence
- 2 Cor 3:16: allusion, medium confidence
- Prov 8:22: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 1:5: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 1:6: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The “further sense” announced here is developed in 2.78–82: the “created” Wisdom is the image of Wisdom stamped on creation and on us.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 77 (Bright, 147–148; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/72/#p-77).

## Oration II Against the Arians 78

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/72/#p-78
- Source: Bright, 148–149
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: A second reading of Prov 8:22: the Wisdom that is “created” is the image of divine Wisdom stamped on creation and on us, which the true Wisdom speaks of as its own.

### Greek text

78. Ἡ μὲν οὖν μονογενὴς καὶ αὐτοσοφία τοῦ Θεοῦ κτίζουσα καὶ δημιουργός ἐστι τῶν πάντων· ‘Πάνταʼ γὰρ, φησὶν, ‘ἐν σοφίᾳ ἐποίησας, καὶ ‘ἐπληρώθη ἡ γῆ τῆς κτίσεώς σου.’ Ἵνα δὲ μὴ μόνον ὑπάρχῃ τὰ γενόμενα, ἀλλὰ καὶ καλῶς ὑπάρχῃ, ηὐδόκησεν ὁ Θεὸς συγκαταβῆναι τὴν ἑαυτοῦ Σοφίαν τοῖς κτίσμασιν· ὥστε τύπον τινὰ καὶ φαντασίαν εἰκόνος αὐτῆς ἐν πᾶσί τε κοινῇ καὶ ἑκάστῳ ἐνθεῖναι, ἵνα καὶ σοφὰ τὰ γενόμενα, καὶ ἄξια τοῦ Θεοῦ ἔργα δείκνυται. Ὡς γὰρ Λόγου ὄντος τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰκών ἐστιν ὁ ἡμέτερος λόγος, οὕτως ὄντος αὐτοῦ Σοφίας εἰκὼν πάλιν ἐστὶν ἡ ἐν ἡμῖν γενομένη σοφία· ἐν ᾗ τὸ εἰδέναι καὶ τὸ φρονεῖν ἔχοντες, δεκτικοὶ γινόμεθα τῆς δημιουργοῦ Σοφίας, καὶ διʼ αὐτῆς γινώσκειν δυνάμεθα τὸν αὐτῆς Πατέρα. ‘Ὁ γὰρ ἔχων, ’ φησὶ, ‘τὸν Υἱὸν, ἔχει καὶ τὸν Πατέρα·’ καὶ, ‘ὁ δεχόμενός με, δέχεται τὸν ἀποστείλαντά με.᾿ Τοιούτου τοίνυν τύπου τῆς Σοφίας κτισθέντος ἐν ἡμῖν τε καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἔργοις ὄντος, εἰκότως ἡ ἀληθινὴ καὶ δημιουργὸς Σοφία, τὰ τοῦ τύπου ἑαυτῆς εἰς ἑαυτὴν ἀναλαμβάνουσα, φησὶ τὸ ‘Κύριος ἔκτισέ με εἰς ἔργα αὐτοῦ.’ Ἃ γὰρ ἡ ἐν ἡμῖν σοφία εἶπε, ταῦτα αὐτὸς ὁ Κύριος ὡς ἴδια λέγει· καὶ οὐκ ἔστι μὲν αὐτὸς κτιζόμενος κτίστης ὢν, διὰ δὲ τὴν ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις εἰκόνα κτισθεῖσαν αὐτοῦ, ταῦτα αὐτὸς ὡς περὶ ἑαυτοῦ λέγει. Καὶ ὥσπερ αὐτὸς ὁ Κύριος εἴρηκεν, ‘Ὁ δεχόμενος ὑμᾶς ἐμὲ δέχεται, ᾿ διὰ τὸ τὸν τύπον αὐτοῦ ἐν ἡμῖν εἶναι· οὕτως, καίτοι μὴ ὢν τῶν κτιζομένων, ὅμως διὰ τὸ τὴν εἰκόνα αὐτοῦ καὶ τύπον ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις κτίζεσθαι, ὡς αὐτὸς ὢν, λέγει· ‘Κύριος ἔκτισέ με ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ εἰς ἔργα αὐτοῦ Οὕτω δὲ γέγονεν ὁ ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις τῆς Σοφίας τύπος, ἵνα, καθὰ προεῖπον, ὁ κόσμος ἐν αὐτῇ γινώσκῃ τὸν ἑαυτοῦ δημιουργὸν Λόγον, καὶ διʼ αὐτοῦ τὸν Πατέρα. Καὶ τοῦτό ἐστιν ὃ ἔλεγεν ὁ Παῦλος, ‘διότι τὸ γνωστὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ φανερόν ἐστιν ἐν αὐτοῖς· ὁ γὰρ Θεὸς αὐτοῖς ἐφανέρωσε· τὰ γὰρ ἀόρατα αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ κτίσεως κόσμου τοῖς ποιήμασι νοούμενα καθορᾶται Ὥστε οὐκ ἔστι κτίσμα τῇ οὐσίᾳ ὁ Λόγος, ἀλλὰ περὶ τῆς ἐν ἡμῖν οὔσης καὶ λεγομένης σοφίας, ἐστὶ τὸ ἐν ταῖς Παροιμίαις ῥητόν.

### English translation (Claude)

The only-begotten, very Wisdom of God is the creator and craftsman of all things; for “You made all things in wisdom,” it says, and “the earth was filled with your creation.” But so that the things that came into being might not only exist but exist well, God was pleased that his own Wisdom should come down to the creatures, so as to set a certain impress and semblance of its image in all in common and in each, so that the things made might be shown to be wise and works worthy of God. For as our word is an image of the Son of God, who is Word, so again the wisdom that has come to be in us is an image of him, who is Wisdom; having in it the power to know and understand, we become capable of receiving the creating Wisdom, and through it we can know its Father. For “he who has the Son,” it says, “has the Father too”; and “he who receives me receives him who sent me.” Since, then, such an impress of Wisdom has been created in us and is in all the works, fittingly the true and creating Wisdom, taking to itself what belongs to its own impress, says, “The Lord created me for his works.” For what the wisdom in us says, the Lord himself says as his own; and he is not himself created, being creator, but because of his image created in the works he says these things as of himself. And as the Lord himself said, “He who receives you receives me,” because his impress is in us, so, though he is not among the things created, yet because his image and impress is created in the works, he says, as though it were himself, “The Lord created me a beginning of his ways for his works.” And the impress of Wisdom has come to be in the works for this reason: that, as I said before, the world might in it know its own creating Word, and through him the Father. And this is what Paul said: “For what can be known of God is plain to them, for God has shown it to them; for his invisible things from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made.” So the Word is not a creature in substance; the saying in the Proverbs concerns the wisdom that is in us and is so called.

### Scripture references

- Ps 104:24 (103:24 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- 1 John 2:23: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 10:40: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 8:22: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 1:19: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 1:20: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Slips corrected: ὤστε to ὥστε, ἕκτισέ to ἔκτισέ.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 78 (Bright, 148–149; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/72/#p-78).

## Oration II Against the Arians 79

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/72/#p-79
- Source: Bright, 149–150
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Scripture speaks of a wisdom poured out on creation and on human beings; the true Wisdom calls this impress of itself “created,” as a prince might say his name was built into his father's city.

### Greek text

79. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τούτοις ἀπιστοῦσι, λεγέτωσαν ἡμῖν αὐτοὶ, εἰ ἔστι τις σοφία ἐν τοῖς κτίσμασι, ἢ οὐκ ἔστιν; Εἰ μὲν οὖν οὐκ ἔστι, πῶς ὁ ἀπόστολος αἰτιᾶται, λέγων, ‘ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐν τῇ σοφίᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐκ ἔγνω ὁ κόσμος διὰ τῆς σοφίας τὸν Θεόν;’ ἢ πῶς, εἰ μή ἐστι σοφία, ‘πλῆθος σοφῶνʼ ἐν τῇ γραφῇ εὑρίσκεται; καὶ, σοφὸς γὰρ φοβηθεὶς ἐξέκλινεν ἀπὸ κακοῦ·’ καὶ, ‘Μετὰ σοφίας οἰκοδομεῖται οἶκος.’ Ὁ δὲ Ἐκκλησιαστὴς λέγει, ‘Σοφία ἀνθρώπου φωτιεῖ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ·’ καὶ μέμφεται τοῖς προπετευομένοις, λέγων, ‘Μὴ εἴπῃς, Τί ἐγένετο, ὅτι αἱ ἡμέραι αἱ πρότερον ἦσαν ἀγαθαὶ ὑπὲρ ταύτας; ὅτι οὐκ ἐν σοφίᾳ ἠρώτησας περὶ τούτου· Εἰ δέ ἐστιν, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ὁ τοῦ Σιράχ φησιν· ‘ἐξέχεεν αὐτὴν ἐπὶ πάντα τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ μετὰ πάσης σαρκὸς κατὰ τὴν δόσιν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐχορήγησεν αὐτὴν τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτόν·’ ἡ δὲ τοιαύτη ἔκχυσις οὐ τῆς οὐσίας τῆς αὐτοσοφίας καὶ μονογενοῦς ἐστι γνώρισμα, ἀλλὰ τῆς ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἐξεικονισθείσης· τί ἄπιστον εἰ αὐτὴ ἡ δημιουργὸς καὶ ἀληθινὴ Σοφία, ἧς τύπος ἐστὶν ἡ ἐν κόσμῳ ἐκχυθεῖσα σοφία καὶ ἐπιστήμη, ὡς περὶ ἑαυτῆς ἐστι, καθὰ προεῖπον, λέγουσα, ‘Κύριος ἔκτισέ με εἰς ἔργα αὐτοῦ;’ οὐ γὰρ ἡ ἐν κόσμῳ σοφία κτίζουσά ἐστιν, ἀλλʼ ἡ ἐγκτιζομένη τοῖς ἔργοις, καθʼ ἣν ‘οἱ μὲν οὐρανοὶ διηγοῦνται δόξαν Θεοῦ, ποίησιν δὲ χειρῶν αὐτοῦ ἀναγγέλλει τὸ στερέωμα Οἱ δὲ ἄνθρωποι, εἰ ταύτην ἐν ἑαυτοῖς φέροιεν, ἐπιγνώσονται τὴν ἀληθινὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ Σοφίαν· καὶ γνωσθήσονται, ὅτι ὄντως κατʼ εἰκόνα Θεοῦ γεγόνασι. Καὶ ὥσπερ ἂν εἴ τις βασιλέως υἱὸς, θέλοντος πατρὸς οἰκοδομῆσαι πόλιν, καὶ ποιῶν ἐν ἑκάστῳ τῶν γινομένων ἔργων ἐγγραφῆναι τὸ ἑαυτοῦ ὄνομα, ἀσφαλείας τε χάριν τοῦ διαμένειν τὰ ἔργα διὰ τὴν ἐν ἑκάστῳ τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ φαντασίαν, καὶ ἵνʼ ἐκ τοῦ ὀνόματος ἀναμιμνήσκεσθαι αὐτοῦ τε καὶ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ δύνωνται, τελειώσας δὲ εἰ ἐρωτηθείη περὶ τῆς πόλεως, πῶς γέγονεν, εἴποι ἄν· ’Ἀσφαλῶς γέγονε· κατὰ γὰρ τὸ βούλημα τοῦ πατρὸς, ἐν ἑκάστῳ ἔργῳ ἐξεικονίσθην· τὸ γὰρ ἐμὸν ὄνομα ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις ἐνεκτίσθη·’ τοῦτο δὲ λέγων, οὐ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ οὐσίαν κτισθεῖσαν σημαίνει, ἀλλὰ τὸν ἑαυτοῦ τύπον διὰ τοῦ ὀνόματος· τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον κατὰ τὴν ὁμοιότητα τοῦ παραδείγματος τοῖς θαυμάζουσι τὴν ἐν τοῖς κτίσμασι σοφίαν ἀποκρίνεται ἡ ἀληθινὴ Σοφία, ‘Κύριος ἔκτισέ με εἰς ἔργα· ἐμοῦ γὰρ τύπος ἐστὶν ὁ ἐν αὐτοῖς· κἀγὼ οὕτω συγκατέβην τῇ δημιουργίᾳ.’

### English translation (Claude)

And if they disbelieve even these things, let them tell us themselves whether there is any wisdom in the creatures or not. If there is not, how does the apostle complain, saying, “For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom did not know God”? Or how, if there is no wisdom, is “a multitude of wise men” found in Scripture? And, “A wise man fears and turns away from evil,” and “By wisdom a house is built.” And Ecclesiastes says, “A man's wisdom will light up his face,” and rebukes the rash, saying, “Do not say, What has happened, that the former days were better than these? For you have not inquired wisely about this.” But if there is, as the son of Sirach too says—“He poured her out upon all his works, with all flesh according to his gift, and supplied her to those who love him”—and such a pouring out is a mark not of the substance of the very, only-begotten Wisdom, but of the wisdom imaged in the world, what is incredible if the creating and true Wisdom itself, of which the wisdom and knowledge poured out in the world is an impress, speaks, as I said before, as though about itself, saying, “The Lord created me for his works”? For the wisdom in the world is not the one that creates, but the one that is created in the works, according to which “the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims the work of his hands.” And human beings, if they bear this wisdom in themselves, will recognize the true Wisdom of God, and will know that they have truly been made in the image of God. It is as if a king's son, when his father wished to build a city, had his own name inscribed on each of the works as they were made, both for the security of the works, so that they might endure because of the representation of his name on each, and so that from the name people might be able to remember him and his father; and having finished, if he were asked about the city, how it had been made, he would say, “It has been made secure; for according to my father's will I was imaged in each work; for my name was created in the works.” And in saying this he signifies not that his own substance was created, but his impress, through his name. In the same way, by the likeness of the example, the true Wisdom answers those who marvel at the wisdom in the creatures: “The Lord created me for works; for the impress in them is mine; and so I came down to the work of creation.”

### Scripture references

- 1 Cor 1:21: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 14:16: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 24:3: quotation, high confidence
- Eccl 8:1: quotation, high confidence
- Eccl 7:10: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 8:22: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 19:1 (18:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Gen 1:27: allusion, high confidence

### Extrabiblical texts

- Wis 6:24 (Wisdom of Solomon): quotation, high confidence
- Sir 1:9 (Sirach): quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “A multitude of wise men” is Wis 6:24; “He poured her out upon all his works” is Sir 1:9–10.
- The text reads οἷκος; corrected to οἶκος.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 79 (Bright, 149–150; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/72/#p-79).

## Oration II Against the Arians 80

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/72/#p-80
- Source: Bright, 150–151
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: As Christ said “Why are you persecuting me?” of his church, so Wisdom speaks of her created impress as herself; the words “before all the hills he begets me” guard her uncreated nature.

### Greek text

80. Οὐ δεῖ δὲ πάλιν ξενίζεσθαι, εἰ τὸν ἐν ἡμῖν τύπον ὄντα ὡς περὶ ἑαυτοῦ ἐστι λέγων ὁ Υἱὸς, ὅπου γε (τὸ αὐτὸ γὰρ λέγειν οὐκ ὀκνητέον) καὶ Σαύλου τότε διώκοντος τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, ἐν ᾗ τύπος ἦν αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰκὼν, ὡς αὐτὸς διωκόμενος ἔλεγε· ‘Σαῦλε, τί με διώκεις;’ Οὐκοῦν, ὥσπερ εἴρηται, εἰ ἔλεγεν αὐτὸς ὁ τύπος τῆς Σοφίας ὁ ὢν ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις τὸ ‘Κύριος ἔκτισέ με εἰς ἔργα, ’ οὐκ ἄν τις ἐξενίσθη· οὕτως ἐὰν καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ ἀληθινὴ καὶ δημιουργὸς Σοφία, ὁ μονογενὴς τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος, λέγῃ τὰ τῆς εἰκόνος ἑαυτοῦ ὡς περὶ ἑαυτοῦ, τὸ ‘Κύριος ἔκτισέ με εἰς ἔργα, ᾿ μηδεὶς, ἀφεὶς τὴν ἐν κόσμῳ καὶ τοῖς ἔργοις ἐγκτισθεῖσαν, νομιζέτω περὶ τῆς οὐσίας τῆς αὐτοσοφίας εἰρῆσθαι τὸ ‘ἔκτισεν·᾿ ἵνα μὴ, ‘τὸν οἶνον ὕδατι μίσγων, κλέπτειν δοκῇ τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Αὕτη μὲν γὰρ κτίζουσα καὶ δημιουργός ἐστιν· ὁ δὲ ταύτης τύπος ἐγκτίζεται τοῖς ἔργοις, ὥσπερ καὶ τῆς εἰκόνος τὸ κατʼ εἰκόνα. ‘Ἀρχὴν δὲ ὁδῶνʼ λέγει, ἐπειδὴ ἡ τοιαύτη σοφία ἀρχή τις καὶ ὥσπερ στοιχείωσις τῆς ἐπὶ Θεὸν γνώσεως γίνεται· ταύτῃ γὰρ πρώτῃ ὥσπερ ἐπιβάς τις τῇ ὁδῷ, καὶ ταύτην φυλάττων τῷ φόβῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ (ὡς εἶπεν ὁ Σολομὼν, ‘ἀρχὴ σοφίας φόβος Κυρίουʼ) εἶτα ἐπαναβαίνων τῇ διανοίᾳ, καὶ νοήσας τὴν ἐν τῇ κτίσει δημιουργὸν Σοφίαν, νοήσει ἐν αὐτῇ καὶ τὸν αὐτῆς Πατέρα, ὡς αὐτὸς ὁ Κύριος εἴρηκεν, ‘Ὁ ἐμὲ ἑωρακὼς, ἑώρακε τὸν Πατέρα·’ καὶ ὡς ὁ Ἰωάννης γράφει, ‘ὁ ὁμολογῶν τὸν Υἱὸν, καὶ τὸν Πατέρα ἔχει ‘Πρὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος δὲ, φησὶν, ‘ἐθεμελίωσέ με, ’ ἐπειδὴ ἐν τῷ αὐτῆς τύπῳ ἑδραῖα καὶ ἀεὶ μένει τά ἔργα. Εἶτα ἵνα μή τις, ἀκούων περὶ τῆς οὕτως ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις κτισθείσης σοφίας, νομίσῃ τὴν ἀληθινὴν Σοφίαν τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Υἱὸν εἶναι τῇ φύσει κτίσμα, ἀναγκαίως ἐπήγαγε, ‘πρὸ τοῦ ὄρη, ’ καὶ, ‘πρὸ τοῦ τὴν γῆν, ’ καὶ, πρὸ τῶν ὑδάτων, ’ καὶ, ‘πρὸ πάντων βουνῶν γεννᾷ με·’ ἵνα ἐν μὲν τῷ λέγειν ‘πρὸ πάσης κτίσεως (τὴν γὰρ πᾶσαν κτίσιν ἐν τούτοις ἐδήλωσε) δείξῃ ὅτι μὴ κατʼ οὐσίαν συνεκτίσθη τοῖς ἔργοις. Εἰ γὰρ ‘εἰς τὰ ἔργαʼ ἐκτίσθη, πρὸ δὲ τῶν ἔργων ἐστὶ, δῆλον ὅτι καὶ πρὸ τοῦ ἐκτίσθαι ἐστίν. Οὐκ ἄρα τῇ φύσει καὶ οὐσίᾳ κτίσμα ἐστὶν, ἀλλʼ, ὡς αὐτὸς ἐπήγαγε, γέννημά ἐστι. Τί δὲ διαφέρει ἢ πῶς διέστηκε τὴν φύσιν κτίσμα γεννήματος, δέδεικται ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν.

### English translation (Claude)

Again, one must not be startled that the Son speaks of the impress that is in us as though of himself, since (for one must not shrink from saying the same thing) when Saul was persecuting the church, in which was his impress and image, he spoke as if he himself were persecuted: “Saul, why are you persecuting me?” So, as has been said, if the impress of Wisdom that is in the works had itself said, “The Lord created me for works,” no one would have been startled; so too, if the true and creating Wisdom itself, the only-begotten Word of God, speaks what belongs to his image as though of himself, “The Lord created me for works,” let no one pass over the wisdom created in the world and in the works and think that “he created” is said of the substance of very Wisdom, lest, “mixing the wine with water,” he be seen to steal the truth. For she is the one who creates and crafts; but her impress is created in the works, as the “according to the image” is created from the image. And he says “beginning of ways” because such wisdom becomes a sort of beginning and, as it were, a first lesson in the knowledge of God. For one who has first set foot, as it were, on this way, and keeps it in the fear of God (as Solomon said, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”), then ascending in thought and perceiving the creating Wisdom in creation, will perceive in her also her Father, as the Lord himself said, “He who has seen me has seen the Father,” and as John writes, “He who confesses the Son has the Father also.” And he says, “Before the age he founded me,” because in her impress the works remain firm and endure for ever. Then, lest anyone, hearing of the wisdom thus created in the works, should think the true Wisdom, the Son of God, to be by nature a creature, he necessarily added, “before the mountains,” and “before the earth,” and “before the waters,” and “before all the hills he begets me,” so that by saying “before all creation” (for in these he indicated the whole of creation) he might show that he was not created in substance together with the works. For if he was created “for the works,” but is before the works, it is clear that he exists even before he was created. So he is not a creature in nature and substance, but, as he himself added, he is offspring. And how a creature differs from an offspring, and how they are distinct in nature, has been shown earlier.

### Scripture references

- Acts 9:4: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 8:22: quotation, high confidence
- Isa 1:22: allusion, medium confidence
- Gen 1:27: allusion, medium confidence
- Prov 9:10: quotation, high confidence
- John 14:9: quotation, high confidence
- 1 John 2:23: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 8:23: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 8:24: allusion, high confidence
- Prov 8:25: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “Mixing the wine with water” echoes Isa 1:22 (Septuagint), of dishonest dealers.
- The text reads μὲ; corrected to μὲν.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 80 (Bright, 150–151; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/72/#p-80).

## Oration II Against the Arians 81

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/72/#p-81
- Source: Bright, 151–152
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Wisdom harmonized her impress with creation so that the world might know God; when the world failed, the same Wisdom became flesh and died on the cross to reveal the Father more fully.

### Greek text

81. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἐπάγει λέγουσα, ‘ἡνίκα ἡτοίμαζε τὸν οὐρανὸν, συμπαρήμην αὐτῷ, ʼ εἰδέναι χρὴ ὅτι οὐχ ὡς μὴ διʼ αὐτῆς ἑτοιμάζοντος τὸν οὐρανὸν τοῦ Πατρὸς, ἢ τὰ ἄνω νέφη, ταῦτά φησιν· (οὐ γὰρ ἀμφίβολον ὅτι πάντα ἐν Σοφίᾳ ἐκτίσθη, καὶ ‘χωρὶς αὐτῆς ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἕν·’ ἀλλὰ τοῦτό ἐστιν ὃ λέγει·) ‘Πάντα μὲν ἐν ἐμοὶ καὶ διʼ ἐμοῦ γέγονε· χρείας δὲ οὔσης ἐγκτίζεσθαι σοφίαν τοῖς ἔργοις, τὴν μὲν οὐσίαν ἤμην σὺν τῷ Πατρὶ, τῇ δὲ πρὸς τὰ γενητὰ συγκαταβάσει ἤμην ἁρμόζουσα τὸν παρʼ ἐμοὶ τύπον τοῖς ἔργοις, ὥστε καὶ ὡς ἑνὶ σώματι πάντα τὸν κόσμον μὴ στασιάζειν, ἀλλʼ ὁμονοεῖν πρὸς ἑαυτόν.’ Ὅσοι μὲν οὖν ὀρθῇ τῇ διανοίᾳ κατὰ τὴν ἑαυτοῖς δοθεῖσαν σοφίαν θεωροὶ τῶν κτισμάτων γίνονται, δύνανται λέγειν καὶ αὐτοὶ, ‘τῇ διατάξει σου διαμένει τὰ πάντα·’ οἱ δὲ τούτου κατολιγωρήσαντες ἀκούσονται, ‘φάσκοντες εἶναι σοφοὶ, ἐμωράνθησαν· τὸ γὰρ γνωστὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ φανερόν ἐστιν ἐν αὐτοῖς· ὁ Θεὸς γὰρ αὐτοῖς ἐφανέρωσε· τὰ γὰρ ἀόρατα αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ κτίσεως κόσμου, τοῖς ποιήμασι νοούμενα καθορᾶται, ἥ τε ἀΐδιος αὐτοῦ δύναμις καὶ θεότης, εἰς τὸ εἶναι αὐτοὺς ἀναπολογήτους, διότι, γνόντες τὸν Θεὸν, οὐχ ὡς Θεὸν ἐδόξασαν, ἀλλʼ ἐλάτρευσαν τῇ κτίσει παρὰ τὸν κτίσαντα τὰ πάντα, ὅς ἐστιν εὐλογητὸς εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας, ἀμήν.’ Καὶ ἐντραπήσονταί γε ἀκούοντες, ‘ἐπειδὴ γάρ ἐν τῇ σοφίᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ʼ κατὰ τὸν προειρημένον τρόπον, ‘οὐκ ἔγνω ὁ κόσμος διὰ τῆς σοφίας τὸν Θεὸν, ηὐδόκησεν ὁ Θεὸς διὰ τῆς μωρίας τοῦ κηρύγματος σῶσαι τοὺς πιστεύοντας.’ Οὐκέτι γὰρ, ὡς ἐν τοῖς προτέροις χρόνοις, διʼ εἰκόνος καὶ σκιᾶς τῆς Σοφίας, τῆς ἐν τοῖς κτίσμασιν οὔσης, ἠθέλησε γινώσκεσθαι ὁ Θεός· ἀλλʼ αὐτὴν τὴν ἀληθινὴν Σοφίαν ἐποίησε σάρκα λαβεῖν, καὶ γενέσθαι ἄνθρωπον, θάνατόν τε ὑπομεῖναι σταυροῦ, ἵνα διὰ τῆς ἐν τούτῳ πίστεως πάντες λοιπὸν οἱ πιστεύοντες σώζεσθαι δύνωνται. Ἡ αὐτὴ μέντοι Σοφία τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν, ἥτις πρότερον μὲν διὰ τῆς ἐν τοῖς κτίσμασιν εἰκόνος ἑαυτῆς, διʼ ἣν καὶ λέγεται ‘κτίζεσθαι, ’ ἐφανέρου ἑαυτὴν, καὶ διʼ ἑαυτῆς τὸν ἑαυτῆς Πατέρα· ὕστερον δὲ αὐτὴ, οὖσα Λόγος, ‘γέγονε σὰρξ, ʼ ὡς εἶπεν ὁ Ἰωάννης, καὶ μετὰ τὸ ‘καταργῆσαι τὸν θάνατονʼ καὶ σῶσαι τὸ γένος ἡμῶν, ἔτι καὶ πλέον ἀπεκάλυψεν ἑαυτόν τε καὶ διʼ ἑαυτοῦ τὸν ἑαυτοῦ Πατέρα, λέγων· ‘Δὸς αὐτοῖς, ἵνα γινώσκωσί σε τὸν μόνον ἀληθινὸν Θεὸν, καὶ ὃν ἀπέστειλας Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν.’

### English translation (Claude)

And since she goes on to say, “When he prepared the heaven, I was present with him,” one must know that she says this not as though the Father prepared the heaven or the clouds above without her (for there is no doubt that all things were created in Wisdom, and “without her not one thing came into being”); but this is what she says: “All things came into being in me and through me; but since there was need for wisdom to be created in the works, in substance I was with the Father, but by my condescension to originated things I was harmonizing my impress to the works, so that the whole world, as one body, might not be at strife but in concord with itself.” All who, with right understanding, according to the wisdom given them, become contemplators of the creatures can themselves say, “By your ordinance all things continue”; but those who have neglected this will hear, “Claiming to be wise, they became fools; for what can be known of God is plain to them, for God has shown it to them; for his invisible things from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, both his eternal power and divinity, so that they are without excuse; because, knowing God, they did not glorify him as God, but served the creature rather than him who created all things, who is blessed for ever. Amen.” And they will be put to shame on hearing, “For since, in the wisdom of God,” in the manner described above, “the world through its wisdom did not know God, God was pleased through the foolishness of the preaching to save those who believe.” For no longer, as in earlier times, did God will to be known through an image and shadow of Wisdom, the one that is in the creatures; but he made the true Wisdom itself take flesh and become man and endure the death of the cross, so that through faith in him all who believe might thereafter be saved. It is, however, the same Wisdom of God who earlier, through her image in the creatures (because of which she is also said to be “created”), made herself manifest, and through herself her Father; and afterwards, being Word, she herself “became flesh,” as John said, and after “destroying death” and saving our race, revealed still more both himself and, through himself, his own Father, saying, “Grant them to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”

### Scripture references

- Prov 8:27: quotation, high confidence
- John 1:3: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 119:91 (118:91 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Rom 1:22: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 1:19: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 1:20: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 1:21: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 1:25: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Cor 1:21: quotation, high confidence
- Phil 2:8: allusion, high confidence
- John 1:14: quotation, high confidence
- 2 Tim 1:10: quotation, high confidence
- John 17:3: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The shift from feminine (“she,” Wisdom) to masculine (“himself,” the Word) follows the Greek.
- The text begins with a comma after the section number (“81,”); corrected to a period.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 81 (Bright, 151–152; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/72/#p-81).

## Oration II Against the Arians 82

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/72/#p-82
- Source: Bright, 152–153
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The Father's eternal delight in his Son, his image, shows the Son to be proper to his substance; Prov 8 thus proves the Son is not a creature but the Father's own offspring.

### Greek text

82. Ἐπληρώθη γοῦν πᾶσα ἡ γῆ τῆς γνώσεως αὐτοῦ· μία γὰρ γνῶσις Πατρὸς διʼ Υἱοῦ ἐστι, καὶ Υἱοῦ παρὰ Πατρὸς, καὶ χαίρει τούτῳ ὁ Πατήρ· καὶ τῇ χαρᾷ ταύτῃ εὐφραίνεται ἐν τῷ Πατρὶ ὁ Υἱὸς λέγων, ‘ἐγὼ ἤμην, ᾗ προσέχαιρε· καθʼ ἡμέραν δὲ ηὐφραινόμην ἐν προσώπῳ αὐτοῦ Ταῦτα δὲ δείκνυσι πάλιν μὴ εἶναι τὸν Υἱὸν ἀλλότριον, ἀλλʼ ἴδιον τῆς τοῦ Πατρὸς οὐσίας. Ἰδοὺ γὰρ οὐ διʼ ἡμᾶς, ὡς οἱ ἀσεβεῖς λέγουσι, γέγονεν, οὐδὲ ὅλως ‘ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων ἐστὶν (οὐδὲ γὰρ ἔξωθεν ἑαυτῷ ὁ Θεὸς περιεποιήσατο χαρᾶς ποιητικὸν), ἀλλʼ ἰδίου καὶ ὁμοίου γνώρισμά ἐστι τὸ λεγόμενον. Πότε οὖν ἦν ὅτε οὐκ ἔχαιρεν ὁ Πατήρ; εἰ δὲ ἀεὶ ἔχαιρεν, ἀεὶ ἦν ἐν ᾧ ἔχαιρεν. Ἐν τίνι δὲ ὁ Πατὴρ χαίρει, ἢ βλέπων ἑαυτὸν ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ εἰκόνι, ἥτις ἐστὶν ὁ Λόγος αὐτοῦ; εἰ δὲ καὶ ‘ἐν υἱοῖς ἀνθρώπων ηὐφραίνετο τὴν οἰκουμένην συντελέσας, ὡς ἐν αὐταῖς ταῖς Παροιμίαις γέγραπται, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦτο τὴν αὐτὴν ἔχει διάνοιαν. Ηὐφραίνετο γὰρ καὶ οὕτως, οὐκ ἐπιγενομένης αὐτῷ χαρᾶς, ἀλλὰ πάλιν βλέπων κατὰ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ εἰκόνα γενόμενα τὰ ἔργα· ὥστε καὶ τὸ οὕτω χαίρειν τὸν Θεὸν τῆς εἰκόνος αὐτοῦ τὴν πρόφασιν εἶναι. Πῶς δὲ καὶ ὁ Υἱὸς εὐφραίνεται, ἢ βλέπων ἑαυτὸν ἐν τῷ Πατρί; ἴσον γάρ ἐστι καὶ τοῦτο τῷ λέγειν, ‘ὁ ἐμὲ ἑωρακὼς, ἑώρακε τὸν Πατέρα, ’ καὶ, ‘ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ Πατρὶ, καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἐν ἐμοί.’ Κενὸν ὑμῶν ἄρα τὸ καύχημα πανταχόθεν δέδεικται, ὦ Χριστομάχοι, καὶ μάτην ἐνεπομπεύσατε καὶ τεθρυλήκατε πανταχοῦ τὸ ‘Κύριος ἔκτισέ με ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ, ’ παρεξηγούμενοι τὴν διάνοιαν αὐτοῦ, καὶ μᾶλλον τὴν ἑαυτῶν ἐπίνοιαν ἢ τὸν νοῦν τοῦ Σολομῶνος ἀπαγγέλλοντες. Ἰδοὺ γὰρ τὸ μὲν ὑμῶν φρόνημα δέδεικται μόνον φαντασία· τὸ δὲ ἐν ταῖς Παροιμίαις ῥητὸν καὶ πάντα τὰ προειρημένα δείκνυσι μὴ εἶναι τῇ φύσει καὶ τῇ οὐσίᾳ κτίσμα τὸν Υἱὸν, ἀλλʼ ἴδιον γέννημα τοῦ Πατρὸς, Σοφίαν καὶ Λόγον ἀληθινὸν, ‘διʼ οὗ τὰ πάντα ἐγένετο, καὶ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἕν.’,

### English translation (Claude)

The whole earth, at any rate, has been filled with the knowledge of him; for the knowledge of the Father through the Son and of the Son from the Father is one, and the Father rejoices in this; and in this joy the Son delights in the Father, saying, “I was the one in whom he delighted, and daily I rejoiced before his face.” And this again shows that the Son is not foreign but proper to the Father's substance. For see, he did not come into being for our sake, as the impious say, nor is he at all “from things that are not” (for God did not procure for himself from outside something to give him joy); rather, what is said is the mark of one who is proper and like. When, then, was there a time when the Father did not rejoice? And if he always rejoiced, there always was the one in whom he rejoiced. And in whom does the Father rejoice, if not in seeing himself in his own image, which is his Word? And if he also “rejoiced in the sons of men, having completed the world,” as is written in the Proverbs themselves, this too has the same sense. For he rejoiced in this way too not because joy was added to him, but again because he saw the works made after his own image; so that even this rejoicing of God has his image as its reason. And how does the Son delight, except in seeing himself in the Father? For this too is equal to saying, “He who has seen me has seen the Father,” and “I am in the Father and the Father in me.” So your boast has been shown on every side to be empty, you Christ-fighters, and in vain have you paraded and trumpeted everywhere “The Lord created me a beginning of his ways,” misinterpreting its sense and proclaiming your own notion rather than the mind of Solomon. For see, your thinking has been shown to be mere fancy; but the saying in the Proverbs, and all that has been said before, show that the Son is not in nature and substance a creature, but the proper offspring of the Father, true Wisdom and Word, “through whom all things came into being, and without him not one thing came into being.”

### Scripture references

- Isa 11:9: allusion, medium confidence
- Prov 8:30: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 8:31: quotation, high confidence
- John 14:9: quotation, high confidence
- John 14:10: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 8:22: quotation, high confidence
- John 1:3: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “Rejoiced in the sons of men, having completed the world” is Prov 8:31 (Septuagint).
- Slips corrected: ἣ to ἢ, ἀπαγγέλλοωτες to ἀπαγγέλλοντες.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, C. Ar. 82 (Bright, 152–153; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-oratio-2/72/#p-82).