Orthodoxy – Page 2 – Faith Unto Ages

St. Athanasius’ defense of the Christ’s Divinity and Virgin Birth against the Jews

In St. Athanasius’ treatise ‘On the Incarnation’, he writes to a certain Macarius who was a proselyte to Christianity. Being inexperienced in apologetics, St. Athanasius had instructed him through this work to guide him on the Church’s teaching regarding the Omnipotence of the Word and His Incarnation. This was a doctrine which was challenged by both Jews and Gentiles alike; as it was a radical change from what was taught by history’s greatest philosophers, and exceeded human rationality.

For this particular post, we will be examining St. Athanasius’ rebuttal of the Jews, and how he proved the Incarnation from Holy Writ.

To initiate his rebuttal, he first addressed the Jew’s skepticism of Christ’s Life, Death, and Resurrection. He opens by appealing to the Old Testament scriptures; as they are shared by both Christians and the Jews alike since both religions revere them as being God inspired and therefore: authoritative, infallible, and inerrant.

To cite him directly:

“First, then, we will consider the Jews. Their unbelief has its refutation in the Scriptures which even themselves read; for from cover to cover the inspired Book clearly teaches these things both in its entirety and in its actual words”

~ (On the Incarnation, Chapter VI).

Following this, he claims that the Prophets foretold Christ’s Virgin Birth; and cites prophets such like Isaiah and Moses.

Citing the Prophet Isaiah, he said:

“Prophets foretold the marvel of the Virgin and of the Birth from her, saying, “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name ‘Emmanuel,’ which means ‘God is with us’ (Isaiah 7:14)”

~ ibid.

The Incarnation: The Recapitulation of Adam in the Eternal Word

Prior to going back to Egypt to liberate the children of Israel from captivity, the Prophet Moses had an encounter with God on Mount Horeb. Seeing the glory of God being manifested through a burning bush, he fell to his face in fear of looking at God, as God had revealed to him: “I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isacc, and the God of Jacob” (Exodus 3:6). God revealed to him that He was, out of His love and compassion, displeased of Israel’s bondage to captivity, and that He would deliver them and bring them to a land which is good, large, and flowing with milk and honey (Ex 3:7-9). After God had told Moses that He would send him before Pharaoh to deliver the nation of Israel, he had doubts pertaining to his capability; and also questioned how he should identify God when the Israelites were to ask of His Name. In response, the Lord told the Prophet: “I AM THAT I AM … thus you should tell the children of Israel; ‘I AM has sent me unto you’” (Ex 3:14).

This Holy Name given by God, which was revealed to Moses by His Word, emphasizes that “God is the supreme existence, and is therefore unchangeable, the thing that He made He empowered to be, but not to be supremely like Himself” (Augustine of Hippo, The City of God, Book 12, chap. 2). Because of this sacred truth, St. Moses tells us that it was “In the beginning, God created the Heavens, and the Earth” (Genesis 1:1), as He is ever eternal, infinite, without beginning, without end, and the Creator of all things and the source of their very existence out of nothing – all by the Self-Same Word (Genesis 1:3-31). St. Augustine tells us that when God created all things, “He communicated a more ample, to others a more limited existence, and thus arranged the natures by ranks” (The City of God, Book 12, chap. 2). In other words, when God created all things, He established a hierarchy; with man being the highest of all the carnal creatures, “For man is more honorable than any created thing…” (John Chrysostom. Homily 56 on the Gospel of John).

Is the Eucharist only a Symbol? The Testimony of Abba Daniel the Pharanite

This is what Abba Daniel, the Pharanite, said, ‘Our Father Abba Arsenius told us of an inhabitant of Scetis, of notable life and of simple faith; through his naivete he was deceived and said, “The bread which we receive is not really the body of Christ, but a symbol.”

Two old men having learnt that he had uttered this saying, knowing that he was outstanding in his way of life, knew that he had not spoken through malice, but through simplicity. So they came to find him and said, “Father, we have heard a proposition contrary to the faith on the part of someone who says that the bread which we receive is not really the body of Christ, but a symbol.”

The old man said, “It is I who have said that.” Then the old men exhorted him saying, “Do not hold this position, Father, but hold one in conformity with that which the catholic Church has given us. We believe, for our part, that the bread itself is the body of Christ and that the cup itself is his blood and this in all truth and not a symbol. But as in the beginning, God formed man in his image, taking the dust of the earth, without anyone being able to say that it is not the image of God, even though it is not seen to be so; thus it is with the bread of which he said that it is his body; and so we believe that it is really the body of Christ.”