St. Athanasius – Faith Unto Ages

The Superiority of Biblical Cosmology over Pagan Creation Myths

Throughout history, man has made attempts to explain the origin of all things. This is evident when examining the various cosmological stories of antiquity, such as in the case of the ancient Egyptians and Babylonians who attributed the birth of existence to various deities. These deities had fallen human characteristics, ambitions, and interests.

To cite Holmon’s Quicksource:

“Egyptian and Babylonian (as well as the earlier Sumerian) creation myths were inherently polytheistic, with teeming masses of powerful but flawed gods competing for the spotlight… cohabitations, base motives, and warring between the chief gods led to the incidental creation of other gods as well as the earth, sky, sea, and all living things”

– Whorton, Mark S, and Hill Roberts. Holman Quicksource Guide to Understanding Creation. Nashville, Tennessee, Holman Reference, 2008, 41-42.

These deities of the said groups were not only limited, as they wrestled “with eternal matter to fashion heaven and earth” (Whorton, 37) but were unjust and grudging against the human race. For instance, the Babylonian Enuma Elish tells that the human race was created from the blood of the defeated Kingu, who was seen as being the commander of demons, from the underworld, and an enemy to “superior” deities. Consequently, a personal and loving relationship between humanity and the gods was lacking; as they were created not only as a result of conflict, but to perform difficult labors of the gods such as building, digging, etc.

On the contrary, the Holy Scriptures speak of there being One God that is completely good, just, eternal, omnipotent, sovereign, unlimited, and sacred. As such, He was not in need of any other assistance, nor in need of pre-existent matter to create; as He made all things out of nothing by His Word. The idea of a deity needing pre-existent matter was one shared with, and perhaps adopted, by Plato.

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).