Contra Gentes and De Incarnatione

1. Man's Free Will: The True Origin of Evil and Idolatry

Evil has not existed from the beginning, nor even now is it found among the saints; nor does it exist at all with them.

Evil's true source. Athanasius asserts that evil is not an inherent substance or a creation of God, but rather a consequence of human choice. God, being inherently good, could not create evil. Instead, evil arises when humanity, endowed with free will, turns away from the contemplation of divine goodness and succumbs to self-centered desires and bodily sensations.

The fall from grace. Originally, humanity was created in God's image, with a rational soul capable of knowing and conversing with the divine. This likeness granted a conception of eternity and a blessed, immortal life. However, by preferring immediate bodily pleasures and earthly concerns over spiritual contemplation, humanity became "damaged in its mind," losing its original purity and clarity of vision.

The invention of unreality. This turning away from God led to a profound spiritual blindness, causing men to "imagine darkness which does not exist." They began to invent and deify non-existent things, projecting their own corrupt desires onto the visible world. This self-dedeification, rooted in a rejection of the true God, is the very essence of idolatry and the origin of all subsequent wickedness.

2. The Absurdity of Pagan Gods: Human Vices and Lifeless Idols

For if what is found in the poets is invention and false, then equally false would be the names given to Zeus and Cronos and Hera and Ares and the others.

Gods of human vice. Athanasius systematically dismantles the pagan pantheon, exposing the Greek gods as mere projections of human failings. He highlights how their myths depict deities engaging in adultery, violence, fear, and other base passions, making them unworthy of worship. These narratives, whether literal or poetic invention, reveal a profound lack of divine character.

Idols: Products of human hands. The argument extends to physical idols, emphasizing their inherent lifelessness and dependence on human craftsmanship. Athanasius points out the absurdity of worshipping statues that are:

• Made of inert materials like stone, wood, or metal.
• Fashioned by human artists, who are themselves mortal.
• Incapable of seeing, hearing, speaking, or moving.
• Requiring human care and maintenance to avoid decay.

A universal delusion. The diversity and mutual antagonism of pagan deities across different cultures further underscore their falsity. Each city or nation invents its own gods, often in conflict with those of its neighbors, demonstrating a fragmented and irrational understanding of the divine. This chaotic polytheism stands in stark contrast to the unity of the one true God.

3. Creation's Grand Harmony: A Testament to One Divine Architect

For as light is beautiful, yet the author of light, the sun, is more beautiful, likewise, as it is something divine that the whole world is filled with knowledge of him, the author and instigator of such an achievement must be God and the Word of God.

Order out of chaos. Athanasius argues that the intricate order and harmonious interdependence observed in the natural world—the celestial movements, the cycle of seasons, the balance of elements—cannot be attributed to chance or multiple conflicting deities. Such a complex and unified system demands a single, intelligent, and powerful orchestrator.

Interdependence of elements. He illustrates this with examples from creation:

• The sun, moon, and stars, though distinct, move in a coordinated celestial dance.
• Earth, water, fire, and air, though opposite in nature, combine to sustain life without mutual destruction.
• Seasons (winter, spring, summer, autumn) follow a predictable, beneficial sequence.
• The earth rests on water, and clouds carry heavy rains, defying their natural tendencies due to an overarching design.

The Word as cosmic governor. This universal order points to a singular, transcendent Creator, whom Athanasius identifies as the Father's Word. The Word, as God's wisdom and power, is the "supreme steersman" who guides and sustains the entire cosmos. He is not merely an immanent force but a distinct, living, and active divine agent, ensuring that all things function according to a unified, benevolent plan.

4. Humanity's Dire Predicament: God's Truthfulness Meets His Goodness

For it would not have been worthy of the goodness of God that what had been brought into existence by him should be corrupted on account of the deceit which the devil had played on men.

The consequence of transgression. God, in his truthfulness, had decreed that transgression of his commandment would lead to death and corruption. When humanity fell, this divine law took effect, subjecting all to the natural process of decay and a return to non-existence. This presented a profound dilemma for God.

A divine paradox. On one hand, God's word could not be made void; his truthfulness demanded that the penalty for sin be exacted. On the other hand, his infinite goodness and mercy could not allow his rational creation, made in his own image, to utterly perish and return to nothingness. This would render his initial act of creation "profitless" and unworthy of his benevolent nature.

Repentance is insufficient. Athanasius explains that mere human repentance, while ceasing sin, could not reverse the inherent corruption that had taken hold of human nature. The problem was not just a moral failing but a fundamental alteration of human existence, a descent into a state of flux and dissolution that only a divine intervention could rectify.

5. The Word's Unique Mission: Only the Creator Can Restore Creation

For it was his task both to bring what was corruptible back again to incorruption, and to save what was above all fitting for the Father.

The need for a divine agent. Given humanity's predicament, only a divine agent possessed the necessary power and authority to resolve the paradox of God's truthfulness and goodness. No human or angel could accomplish this, as they too were created beings, subject to limitations or not possessing the divine image in its fullness.

The Word as life itself. Athanasius emphasizes that the Word, being the very life and power of the Father, was uniquely qualified. He was the original Creator who brought all things from non-existence into being. Therefore, it was fitting that he alone could:

• Bring what was corruptible back to incorruption.
• Recreate humanity in the divine image.
• Raise what was mortal to immortality.
• Teach about the Father and overthrow idolatry.

A fitting sacrifice. The Word's immortality meant he could not die in his divine nature. Thus, to fulfill the law of death on behalf of all, he had to take a mortal body. This body, united with the divine Word, would become a sufficient sacrifice, allowing death to be conquered from within humanity itself, thereby abolishing its power and initiating the promise of resurrection.

6. The Incarnation: God Takes a Body to Conquer Death and Renew Life

For he became man that we might become divine; and he revealed himself through a body that we might receive an idea of the invisible Father.

The divine condescension. The incorporeal Word of God, out of boundless love and mercy, "came to our realm." He did not merely appear or use a pre-existing body, but "fashioned for himself in the virgin a body as a temple," making it his own instrument. This ensured that the body was truly human, yet pure and unalloyed by human sin.

Twofold purpose. The Incarnation served a dual purpose:

• Conquering death: By taking a mortal body, the Word allowed death to be fulfilled in himself on behalf of all humanity. His divine life, united with the body, rendered it incorruptible, thereby destroying the power of death and corruption for all who believe.
• Restoring knowledge of God: Through his human actions and divine works in the body, the invisible Father was made known. Men, who had sought God in sensible things, could now perceive the divine through a tangible, relatable form.

The king's presence. Athanasius uses the analogy of a king entering a city: his presence in one house brings honor and protection to the entire city. Similarly, the Word's dwelling in a human body sanctified and protected all humanity, ending the enemy's machinations and the reign of death. This act of divine solidarity ensured that humanity's original purpose would not be in vain.

7. The Cross: A Victorious Trophy, Not a Shameful End

For only on the cross does one die with hands stretched out. Therefore the Lord had to endure this and stretch out his hands, that with the one He might draw the ancient people and with the other those of the Gentiles, and that he might join both in himself.

Bearing the curse. Athanasius addresses the scandal of the cross, arguing that its ignominy was precisely what made it fitting for the Saviour. By accepting a death considered "accursed" (Deut 21:23), Christ bore the curse that had fallen upon humanity due to sin. This act transformed the symbol of shame into a trophy of victory over death itself.

Universal embrace. The unique posture of crucifixion, with outstretched hands, symbolizes Christ's universal embrace. One hand reaches out to the "ancient people" (the Jews), and the other to the "Gentiles," drawing both into unity with himself. This act breaks down the "wall of partition" (Eph 2:14) and fulfills the prophecy of drawing all men to himself (John 12:32).

Public demonstration. The public nature of Christ's death on the cross was crucial. It was not a private, honorable passing, but a visible, witnessed event. This ensured that death was clearly demonstrated as conquered, leaving no room for doubt about the reality of his subsequent resurrection and the complete annihilation of death's power.

8. The Resurrection: Unmistakable Proof of Christ's Living Power

For if it is true that a dead man can work nothing, but the Saviour effects so many things every day, leading men to the fear of God, persuading them to virtue, teaching them about immortality, bringing them to the desire for heavenly things, revealing to them knowledge of the Father, instilling in them power against death, revealing himself to each one, and destroying the godless idols...

The living Christ. Athanasius argues that Christ's continued, active influence in the world is irrefutable proof of his resurrection. If Christ were merely a dead man, he could do nothing. Yet, daily, the Saviour performs mighty works:

• Moral transformation: Adulterers become chaste, murderers cease violence, the impious become pious.
• Spiritual enlightenment: Men are led to piety, virtue, and the desire for heavenly things, gaining knowledge of the Father.
• Defeat of evil: Demons are expelled, oracles silenced, magic rendered void, and idols abandoned by the mere mention of Christ's name or the sign of the cross.

Demons bear witness. Even the demons, whom unbelievers worship, confess Christ's divinity and flee from his presence, acknowledging him as the "Holy One of God" and the "Son of God." This involuntary testimony from the very forces of evil serves as a powerful, undeniable proof of Christ's living power and divine authority.

Triumph over death's fear. The most striking evidence is the transformation in human attitude towards death. Formerly feared, death is now despised by believers, who willingly embrace martyrdom. This courage, even in children and women, demonstrates that death has been truly conquered and rendered powerless by Christ, who gives his followers victory over its sting.

9. Prophecy Fulfilled: The Old Testament Points to Christ's Coming

For when he who was announced has come, what need is there of those who announce; when the truth is at hand, what need is there of the shadow?

The prophetic roadmap. Athanasius challenges Jewish unbelief by demonstrating how the Old Testament prophecies clearly foretold Christ's coming, his nature, and his works. He cites numerous examples:

• Virgin birth: Isaiah's prophecy of "Emmanuel" (Isa 7:14) and Moses' vision of a "star from Jacob" (Num 24:17).
• Divine identity: The anointed one is "holy of holies" (Dan 9:24), not merely a man.
• Suffering and death: Isaiah's "suffering servant" (Isa 53:3-8) and the psalmist's description of pierced hands and feet (Ps 21:17-19) point to his crucifixion.

Cessation of the old order. The prophecies also indicated the end of the old covenant with Christ's advent. Daniel foretold the cessation of prophecy and the anointing of the "holy of holies" (Dan 9:24-25), and Moses spoke of the end of Judah's rule when the "expectation of the nations" comes (Gen 49:10). This explains why, after Christ, Jerusalem fell, the temple was destroyed, and prophecy ceased in Israel.

The shadow gives way to truth. The fulfillment of these prophecies in Christ renders the Jewish rejection of him illogical. The "shadow" (the Law, prophets, and temple) was a type pointing to the "truth" (Christ). Once the truth arrived, the shadow naturally receded. To cling to the shadow while denying the truth is to willfully ignore the clear testimony of their own Scriptures.

10. The Word's Universal Transformation: From Chaos to Christian Order

For formerly when they worshipped idols, the Greeks and barbarians made war on each other and were cruel to their fellow kin. But when they were converted to the teaching of Christ, then wonderfully, as if in truth pricked in their minds, they put from them the savagery of murder and no longer have thoughts of war, but all their thoughts are henceforth of peace and of the desire for amity.

A new era of peace. Athanasius highlights the profound and observable transformation brought about by Christ's teaching. Before Christ, the world was characterized by:

• Internecine strife: Greeks and barbarians constantly waged war, even against their own kin.
• Savagery and cruelty: Violence, murder, and lawlessness were rampant.
• Moral degradation: People were enslaved by irrational desires and passions, leading to widespread licentiousness.

The power of Christ's teaching. With the coming of Christ, a miraculous change occurred. People, even the most savage barbarians, were "pricked in their minds" and converted to a life of peace and virtue. They abandoned:

• Warfare: Swords were beaten into ploughshares, and hands once armed for battle were now stretched out in prayer.
• Idolatry and magic: Idols were forsaken, magic books burned, and demonic deceptions ceased.
• Immorality: Adulterers became chaste, and those overcome by fear found courage.

A unique phenomenon. This universal transformation, achieved not through force or human wisdom but through simple words and the sign of the cross, is unparalleled in history. No philosopher, king, or magician ever achieved such a widespread and fundamental change in human behavior, proving that Christ's power is truly divine and transcends all human capabilities.

11. Christ's Omnipresence: Not Confined, but Pervasive in All Things

For as he is in all creation, he is in essence outside the universe but in everything by his power, ordering everything and extending his providence over everything.

Beyond physical limitations. Athanasius addresses the Greek philosophical objection that it would be "unfitting" for the divine Word to be confined within a human body. He clarifies that the Word is not enclosed or limited by the body he assumed. Just as the human mind, though operating through the tongue, is not diminished or confined by it, so the Word, while in the body, remained omnipresent.

The Word in the cosmos and in man. The Greeks themselves acknowledged that the cosmos is a "great body" permeated by the divine. If the Word is present and active in the entire universe, illuminating and moving all its parts, then it is not illogical for him to be present and active in a human body, which is but a part of that same universe.

Purposeful manifestation. The Word's presence in a human body was not a limitation but a strategic act of divine condescension. It allowed him to:

• Meet humanity where it was: Since men sought God in sensible things, the Word appeared in a tangible form.
• Heal and teach: He used the human body as an "instrument" to perform divine works, demonstrating his power over disease, demons, and death, and revealing the Father to those who could not grasp his invisible power.
• Sanctify: By uniting himself with a human body, he sanctified it, making it incorruptible and a source of life for all.

This pervasive yet unconfined presence underscores that the Incarnation was a deliberate, loving act, perfectly consistent with God's nature and his universal providence.