Wisdom Made Foolish

Καὶ ὅλως πότε τῶν Ἔλλήνων ἡ σοφία μεμώρανται, εἰ μὴ ὅτε ἠ ἀληθὴς τοῦ Θεοῦ σοφία ἐπὶ γῆς ἑαυτὴν ἐφανέρωσι; Πάλαι μὲν γὰρ πᾶσα ἡ οἰκουμένη καὶ πᾶς τόπος τῇ θρησκείᾳ τῶν εἰδώλων ἐπλανᾶτο, καὶ οὐδὲν ἄλλο ἢ τὰ εἴδωλα θεοὺς ἐνόμιζον οἱ ἄνθρωποι. Νῦν δὲ κατὰ πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην, τὴν μὲν τῶν εἰδώλων δεισιδαιμονίαν καταλιμπάνουσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, ἐπὶ δὲ τὸν Χριστὸν καταφεύγουσι, καὶ Θεὸν αὐτὸν προσκυνοῦντες, δι᾿ αὐτοῦ καὶ ὃν οὐκ ᾔδεισαν Πατέρα γινώσκουσι. Καὶ τό γε θαυμαστόν, διαφόρων ὄντων καὶ μυρίων σεβασμάτων, καὶ ἑκάστου τόπου τὸ ἴδιον ἔχοντος εἴδωλον, καὶ μὴ ἰσχύοντος τοῦ παρ᾿ αὐτοῖς λεγομένου θεοῦ τὸν πλησίον ὑπερβῆναι τόπον, ὥστε καὶ τοὺς ἐκ γειτόνων πεῖσαι σέβειν αὐτόν, ἀλλὰ μόλις καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἰδίοις θρησκευομένου οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἄλλος τὸν τοῦ γείτονος ἐσέβετο θεόν, ἀλλ᾿ ἕκαστος τὸ ἴδιον ἐφύλαττεν εἴδωλον, νομίζων τῶν πάντων αὐτὸ κύριον εἶναι, μόνος ὁ Χριστὸς παρὰ πᾶσιν εἷς καὶ πανταχοῦ ὁ αὐτὸς προσκυνεῖται· καὶ ὃ μὴ δεδύνηται τῶν εἰδώλων ἡ ἀσθένεια ποιῆσαι, ὥστε κἂν τοὺς πλησίον οἰκοῦντας πεῖσαι, τοῦτο ὁ Χριστὸς πεποίηκεν, οὐ μόνον τοὺς πλησίον ἀλλὰ καὶ πᾶσαν ἁπλῶς τὴν οἰκουμένην πείσας ἕνα καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν Κύριον σέβειν, καὶ δι᾿ αὐτοῦ Θεὸν τὸν αὐτοῦ Πατέρα. Καὶ πάλαι μὲν τὰ πανταχοῦ τῆς ἀπάτης τῶν μαντείων ἐπεπλήρωτο, καὶ τὰ ἐν Δελφοῖς καὶ Δωδώνῃ καὶ Βοιωτίᾳ καὶ Λυκίᾳ καὶ Λιβύῃ καὶ Αἰγύπτῳ καὶ Καβίροις μαντεύματα καὶ ἡ Πυθία ἐθαυμάζοντο τῇ φαντασίᾳ παρὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων· νῦν δὲ ἀφ᾿ οὗ Χριστὸς καταγγέλλεται πανταχοῦ, πέπαυται καὶ τούτων ἡ μανία, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἔτι λοιπὸν ἐν αὐτοῖς ὁ μαντευόμενος. Καὶ πάλαι μὲν δαίμονες ἐφαντασιοκόπουν τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, προκαταλαμβάνοντες πηγὰς ἢ ποταμοὺς ἢ ξύλα ἢ λίθους, καὶ οὕτως ταῖς μαγγανείαις ἐξέπληττον τοὺς ἄφρονας. Νῦν δὲ τῆς θείας ἐπιφανείας τοῦ Λόγου γεγενημένης πέπαυται τούτων ἡ φαντασία. Τῷ γὰρ σημείῳ τοῦ σταυροῦ καὶ μόνον ὁ ἄνθρωπος χρώμενος, ἀπελαύνει τούτων τὰς ἀπάτας. Καὶ πάλαι μὲν τοὺς παρὰ ποιηταῖς λεγομένους θεούς, Δία καὶ Κρόνον καὶ Ἀπόλλωνα καὶ ἥρωας, ἐνόμιζον οἱ ἄνθρωποι θεούς, καὶ τούτους ἐπλανῶντο σέβοντες· ἄρτι δὲ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἐν ἀνθρώποις φανέντος, ἐκεῖνοι μὲν ἐγνώσθησαν ὄντες ἄνθρωποι θνητοί, μόνος δὲ ὁ Χριστὸς ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἐγνωρίσθη Θεὸς ἀληθινοῦ Θεοῦ Θεὸς Λόγος. Τί δὲ περὶ τῆς θαυμαζομένης παρ᾿ αὐτοῖς μαγείας ἄν τις εἴποι; Ὅτι πρὶν μὲν ἐπιδημῆσαι τὸν Λόγον, ἴσχυε καὶ ἐνήργει παρ᾿ Αἰγυπτίοις καὶ Χαλδαίοις καὶ Ἰνδοῖς αὕτη καὶ ἐξέπληττε τοὺς ὁρῶντας· τῇ δὲ παρουσίᾳ τῆς ἀληθείας καὶ τῇ ἐπιφανείᾳ τοῦ Λόγου διηλέγχθη καὶ αὕτη, καὶ κατηργήθη παντελῶς. Περὶ δὲ τῆς Ἑλληνικῆς σοφίας καὶ τῆς τῶν φιλοσόφων μεγαλοφωνίας, νομίζω μηδένα τοῦ παρ᾿ ἡμῶν δεῖσθαι λόγου, ἐπ᾿ ὄψει πάντων ὄντος τοῦ θαύματος, ὅτι τοσαῦτα γραψάντων τῶν παρ᾿ Ἕλλησι σοφῶν καὶ μὴ δυνηθέντων πεῖσαι κἂν ὀλίγους ἐκ τῶν πλησίον τόπων περὶ ἀθανασίας καὶ τοῦ κατ᾿ ἀρετὴν βίου, μόνος ὁ Χριστὸς δι᾿ εὐτελῶν ῥημάτων, καὶ δι᾿ ἀνθρώπων οὐ κατὰ τὴν γλῶτταν σοφῶν, κατὰ πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην παμπληθεῖς ἐκκλησίας ἔπεισεν ἀνθρώπων καταφρονεῖν μὲν θανάτου, φρονεῖν δὲ ἀθάνατα, καὶ τὰ μὲν πρόσκαιρα παρορᾶν, εἰς δὲ τὰ αἰώνια ἀποβλέπειν, καὶ μηδὲν μὲν ἡγεῖσθαι τὴν ἐπὶ γῆς δόξαν, μόνης δὲ τῆς ἀθανασίας ἀντιποιεῖσθαι Ἅγιος Αθανάσιος ο Μέγας, Λόγος περί της Ενανθρωπίσεως του Λόγου Source: Migne PG 25.177d-181a

And when was the wisdom of the Greeks made foolish, but when the true wisdom of God manifested itself on earth? For formerly the whole world and every place was deceived by idols worship, and men thought nothing else but that the idols were gods, but now over the whole world men are abandoning the superstition of idols and fleeing to Christ and worshipping Him as God, and through Him coming to know the Father who they did not know. And, as another wonder, whereas the objects of worship were once various and many, and each place had its own idol, and he who was reckoned a god among them was not able to pass over to a neighbouring place to persuade neighbouring peoples to worship him, but he was even barely revered among his own people, for no one else worshipped another's god, but rather each kept to his own idol, thinking it was the lord of all, now Christ alone is worshipped as one and the same among all the peoples, and what the weakness of the idols was unable to do, that is, to persuade even those dwelling nearby, Christ has accomplished, not only persuading those close at hand, but even the whole world, to revere one and the same Lord, and through Him God His Father. Again once every place was filled with the deceits of oracles, and those in Delphi and Boeotia and Lycia and Egypt and those of the Cabiri and the Pythoness, were held in awe in men's imagination, but now that Christ is preached everywhere, their madness has ceased and there is none among them to give prophecy. And once demons used to delude men, occupying wells or rivers, or trees or stones, and thus they imposed upon the simple minded with tricks, but now, after the Divine revelation, their deception has ceased, for by the sign of the Cross, if a man but use it, their deceits are driven off. And when once through the words of poets men thought Zeus and Cronos and Apollo were gods, and were deceived into revering them, now that the Saviour has appeared among men, those others have been understood to be but mortal men, and Christ alone has been understood among men to be the true God, the Word of God. And what is one to say of the magic thought wonderful among them? That before the Word dwelt among us it was strong and active among the Egyptians, and the Chaldeans, and Indians, and those who saw it were astonished, but then with the presence of the Truth and the appearance of the Word, it also has been refuted and utterly reduced. And as for the Gentile wisdom and the loud proclamations of philosophers, I think no word of ours is needed, since the wonder is before everyone's eyes, that despite so much being written by those who were wise among the Greeks, they were unable to persuade even a few from among their own neighbours about immortality and the virtuous life, but Christ alone, with common language, and through men who were not clever in their tongues, persuaded churches full of men throughout the whole world to despise death and to give thought to eternal things, even to look beyond what is temporal and to look to what is eternal, and to account earthly glory nothing and to strive for heavenly glory alone. Saint Athanasius the Great, On The Incarnation of The Word

Anthony's Vision

Εἶχε δὲ καὶ τοῦτο πάλιν χάρισμα. Ἐν γὰρ τῷ ὄρει κατὰ μόνας καθήμενος, εἴ ποτέ τι πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ζητῶν ἠπόρει, τοῦτο αὐτῷ παρὰ τῆς Προνοίας εὐχομένῳ ἀπεκαλύπτετο. Καὶ ἦν, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον, θεοδίδακτος γενόμενος ὁ μακάριος. Μετὰ ταῦτα γοῦν διαλέξεως αὐτῷ ποτε γενομένης πρός τινας εἰσελθόν τας πρὸς αὐτὸν, περὶ τῆς διαγωγῆς τῆς ψυχῆς, καὶ ποῖος μετὰ ταῦτα αὐτῇ τόπος ἔσται, τῇ ἑξῆς νυκτὶ καλεῖ τις αὐτὸν ἄνωθεν, λέγων· Ἀντώνιε, ἀναστὰς ἔξελθε, καὶ βλέπε. Ἐξελθὼν τοίνυν, (ᾔδει γὰρ τίσιν ὑπακούειν ὀφείλει·) καὶ ἐθεώρησέ τινα μακρὸν ἀναβλέψας, ἀειδῆ καὶ φοβερὸν, ἑστῶτα καὶ φθάνοντα μέχρι τῶν νεφελῶν, καὶ ἀναβαίνοντάς τινας ὥσπερ ἐπτερωμένους· κἀκεῖνον ἐκτείνοντα τὰς χεῖρας· καὶ τοὺς μὲν κωλυομένους παρ' αὐτοῦ, τοὺς δὲ ὑπεριπταμένους, καὶ διελθόντας λοιπὸν, ἀμερίμνως ἀνάγεσθαι. Ἐπὶ μὲν οὖν τοῖς τοιούτοις ἔτριζε τοὺς ὀδόντας ὁ μακρὸς ἐκεῖνος· ἐπὶ δὲ τοῖς ἀποπίπτουσιν, ἔχαιρε. Καὶ εὐθὺς πρὸς Ἀντώνιον ἐγένετο φωνή· Νόει τὸ βλεπόμενον· καὶ διανοιχθείσης αὐτοῦ τῆς διανοίας, ἐνενόει τῶν ψυχῶν εἶναι τὴν πάροδον, καὶ τὸν ἑστῶ τα μακρὸν εἶναι τὸν ἐχθρὸν τὸν φθονοῦντα τοῖς πιστοῖς· καὶ τοὺς μὲν ὑπευθύνους αὐτῷ κρατοῦντα καὶ κωλύοντα διελθεῖν, τοὺς δὲ μὴ πεισθέντας αὐτῷ μὴ δυνάμενον κρατεῖν ὡς ὑπερβαίνοντας. Τοῦτο πάλιν ἑωρακὼς, καὶ ὥσπερ ὑπομιμνησκόμενος, μᾶλλον ἠγω νίζετο προκόπτειν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν καθ' ἡμέραν. Ταῦ τα δὲ οὐχ ἑκὼν ἀπήγγελλεν αὐτός· ἐν δὲ τῷ χρονίζειν ἐν ταῖς εὐχαῖς καὶ καθ' ἑαυτὸν θαυμάζειν, πυνθανο μένων τῶν συνόντων καὶ θλιβόντων αὐτὸν, ἠναγκάζε το λέγειν, ὡς πατὴρ οὐ δυνάμενος κρύπτειν τοῖς τέκνοις· ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡγούμενος, ὅτι τὸ μὲν αὐτοῦ σύνειδός ἐστι καθαρὸν, ἐκείνοις δὲ τὸ διήγημα γίνεται πρὸς ὠφέλειαν, μανθάνουσι τῆς ἀσκήσεως εἶναι καρπὸν ἀγαθὸν, τῶν τε πόνων πολλάκις παραμύθιον γίνεσθαι τὰς ὀπτασίας. Ἅγιος Ἀθανάσιος, Βίος καί Πολιτεία Τοῦ Ὅσῐος Παρτός Ἡμών Ἀντωνιοῦ Source: Migne PG 26.936c-937b

And again Anthony had this grace. For when he was sitting alone on the mountain, if he was ever in perplexity in his contemplations, it was revealed to him by Providence in prayer. He was that blessed man taught by God, as it is written. 1 After this, having discussed with certain men who had come to him the passing of the soul and what sort of things will happen to it after, the next night a voice from above called to him, saying, 'Antony, rise up, go out and look.' Having gone out, for he knew whom he should obey, and looking up, he saw a man standing there, one hideous and fearful and so tall that his height reached up to the clouds, and other men rose up as if they had wings. The figure stretched forth his hands and stopped some of those who were ascending, but others flew on above, and having passed on were free from care. Because of which the giant gnashed his teeth, but he rejoiced over those who fell back. And immediately a voice came to Antony, 'Understand what you see.' And his understanding was opened, and he understood that it was about the passing of souls, and that the great one who stood there was the enemy who envies the faithful. And those he seized and stopped from passing through were subject to him, but those he could not stop as they rose were not subservient to him. Having seen this, and as it were being reminded, he daily struggled to advance all the more towards those things which were ahead. He was not willing to speak about these visions, but as he spent much time in prayer and was amazed when those who were with him questioned him and pressed it upon him, he was obliged to speak of it, like a father who cannot hide things from his children. For he judged that as his conscience was clear, the account would be of benefit to them, that they might learn that discipline gave good fruit, and that visions were often the comfort of labours. Saint Athanasius, The Life of Saint Anthony 1 Isaiah 54.13, Jn 6.45

Word And Teacher

Ὡς γὰρ ἀγαθὸς διδάσκαλος κηδόμενος τῶν ἑαυτοῦ μαθητῶν, τοὺς μὴ δυναμένους ἐκ τῶν μειζόνων ὠφεληθῆναι, πάντως διὰ τῶν εὐτελεστέρων συγκαταβαίνων αὐτοὺς παιδεύει· οὕτως καὶ ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος, καθὼς καὶ ὁ Παῦλός φησιν· Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐν τῇ σοφίᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐκ ἔγνω ὁ κόσμος διὰ τῆς σοφίας τὸν Θεόν, εὐδόκησεν ὁ Θεὸς διὰ τῆς μωρίας τοῦ κηρύγματος σῶσαι τοὺς πιστεύοντας. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἀποστραφέντες τὴν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν θεωρίαν καὶ ὡς ἐν βυθῷ βυθισθέντες κάτω τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἔχοντες, ἐν γενέσει καὶ τοῖς αἰσθητοῖς τὸν Θεὸν ἀνεζήτουν, ἀνθρώπους θνητοὺς καὶ δαίμονας ἑαυτοῖς θεοὺς ἀνατυπούμενοι· τούτου ἕνεκα ὁ φιλάνθρωπος καὶ κοινὸς πάντων Σωτήρ, ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος, λαμβάνει ἑαυτῷ σῶμα, καὶ ὡς ἄνθρωπος ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἀναστρέφεται, καὶ τὰς αἰσθήσεις πάντων ἀνθρώπων προσλαμβάνει, ἵνα οἱ ἐν σωματικοῖς νοοῦντες εἶναι τὸν Θεόν, ἀφ' ὧν ὁ Κύριος ἐργάζεται διὰ τῶν τοῦ σώματος ἔργων, ἀπ' αὐτῶν νοήσωσι τὴν ἀλήθειαν, καὶ δι' αὐτοῦ τὸν Πατέρα λογίσωνται. Ἄνθρωποι δὲ ὄντες καὶ ἀνθρώπινα πάντα νοοῦντες, οἷς ἐὰν ἐπέβαλον τὰς ἑαυτῶν αἰσθήσεις, ἐν τούτοις προσλαμβανομένους ἑαυτοὺς ἑώρων, καὶ πανταχόθεν διδασκομένους τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Εἴτε γὰρ εἰς τὴν κτίσιν ἐπτόηντο, ἀλλ' ἑώρων αὐτὴν ὁμολογοῦσαν τὸν Χριστὸν Κύριον· εἴτε εἰς ἀνθρώπους ἦν αὐτῶν ἡ διάνοια προληφθεῖσα, ὥστε τούτους θεοὺς νομίζειν, ἀλλ' ἐκ τῶν ἔργων τοῦ Σωτῆρος, συγκρινόντων τε ἐκείνων, ἐφαίνετο ἐν ἀνθρώποις μόνος ὁ Σωτὴρ Θεοῦ Υἱός, οὐκ ὄντων παρ' ἐκείνοις τοιούτων ὁποῖα παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου γέγονεν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ εἰς δαίμονας ἦσαν προληφθέντες, ἀλλ' ὁρῶντες αὐτοὺς διωκομένους ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου, ἐγίνωσκον μόνον εἶναι τοῦτον τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγον, καὶ οὐκ εἶναι θεοὺς τοὺς δαίμονας. Εἰ δὲ καὶ εἰς νεκροὺς ἤδη τούτων ἦν ὁ νοῦς κατασχεθείς, ὥστε θρησκεύειν ἥρωας, καὶ τοὺς παρὰ ποιηταῖς λεγομένους θεούς· ἀλλ' ὁρῶντες τὴν τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἀνάστασιν, ὡμολόγουν ἐκείνους εἶναι ψευδεῖς, καὶ μόνον τὸν Κύριον ἀληθινόν, τὸν τοῦ Πατρὸς Λόγον, τὸν καὶ τοῦ θανάτου κυριεύοντα. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ γεγέννηται, καὶ ἄνθρωπος ἐφάνη, καὶ ἀπέθανε, καὶ ἀνέστη, ἀμβλύνας καὶ ἐπισκιάσας τὰ τῶν πώποτε γενομένων ἀνθρώπων διὰ τῶν ἰδίων ἔργων, ἵνα ὅπου δ' ἂν ὦσι προληφθέντες οἱ ἄνθρωποι, ἐκεῖθεν αὐτοὺς ἀναγάγῃ, καὶ διδάξῃ τὸν ἀληθινὸν ἑαυτοῦ Πατέρα, καθάπερ καὶ αὐτός φησιν·Ἦλθον σῶσαι καὶ εὑρεῖν τὸ ἀπολωλός. Ἅγιος Αθανάσιος ο Μέγας, Λόγος περί της Ενανθρωπίσεως του Λόγου Source: Migne PG 25.121c-124b

For as a kind teacher who cares for His pupils, if some cannot profit by higher subjects, lowers himself to them and teaches them in a much simpler fashion, so also did the Word of God. As Paul also says: 'For since in the wisdom of God the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God to save those who believe through the foolishness of the word preached.' 1 For since men had turned away from the contemplation of God and with their eyes downward, as though sunk into the deep, they were seeking out God in nature and with the senses, feigning gods for themselves of mortal men and demons, because of this the loving and common Saviour of all, the Word of God, takes a body to Himself, and goes about among men as a man, and takes hold of the senses of all men, so that those who think that God is corporeal may perceive the truth by what the Lord does through the works of His body, and through Him infer the Father. Thus men being men, in all their thoughts, on whatever they fixed their senses, there they saw themselves laid hold of and taught the truth from every side. For if they wondered at creation, yet they saw how it confessed Christ as Lord, or if their minds turned to men, so that it thought them to be gods, yet from the works of the Saviour, when they compared them, the Saviour alone appeared the Son of God among men, for there were no such things done among them as were done by the Word of God. Or if they were inclined to spirits, yet seeing them cast out by the Lord, they knew that He alone was the Word of God and that the spirits were not gods. Or if their minds had sunk down even to the dead, so that they revered the heroes and the gods spoken by the poets, yet seeing the resurrection of the Saviour, they confessed them as lies and the Lord alone as true, the Word of the Father, having power even over death. For this He was both born and appeared as Man, and died, and rose again, by His own works dulling and casting into shadow the deeds of all the men who had been, that in whatever direction the inclination of men might turn, from there He might call them and teach them about His true Father, as He Himself says: 'I have come to save and find that which was lost.' 2 Saint Athanasius the Great, On The Incarnation of The Word 1 1 Cor 1.21 2 Lk 19.10

An Erring Shepherd

Πᾶς ἄνθρωπος τὸ διακρίνειν παρὰ Θεοῦ εἰληφὼς, κολασθήσεται, ἐξακολουθήσας ἀπείρῳ ποιμένι, καὶ ψευδῆ δόξαν ὡς ἁληθῆ δεξάμενος· Τίς γὰρ κοινωνία φωτὶ πρὸς σκότος; Ἅγιος Ἀθανάσιος, Περὶ ἄπτων Source: Migne PG 26.1321c

Every man who has received discernment from God will suffer from following an inexperienced shepherd, one who receives a false opinion as true, 'For what is there in common between light and darkness?' 1 Saint Athanasius, On Amulets, Fragment 1 2 Cor 6.14

Virginity And Virtue

Ὅτι ἐπέβλεψεν ἐπὶ τὴν ταπείνωσιν τῆς δούλης αὐτοῦ· ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν μακαριοῦοί με πᾶσαι αἱ γενεαί. Ἀλλ' οἷον τὸ τῆς παρθενίας χρῆμα; Τὰς μὲν γὰρ ἄλλας ἀρετὰς ἀσκῆσαι θέλων ἕκαστος, ὑπὸ τοῦ νόμου ῥυθμίζεται, δὲ παρθενία, τὸν νόμον ὑπερβᾶσα καὶ μείζονι σκοπῷ τὴν ἀγωγὴν τῆς πολιτείας ἔχουσα, γνώρισμα μέν ἐστι τοῦ μέλλοντος αἰῶνος, εἰκὼν δὲ τῆς τῶν ἀγγέλων καθαρότητος. Πολλὰ μὲν οὖν εἰπεῖν τις ἔχοι περὶ αὐτῆς· ἵνα δὲ μὴ ἐν φανεροῖς ἐνδιατρίβω λέγων, ἓν ἀντὶ πάντων τοῦτ’ εἰπών, τῆς ἀρετῆς ταύτης δείξω τὸ μέγεθος. Ὁ γὰρ Δεσπότης τοῦ παντὸς ὁ Θεὸς Λόγος, θέλοντος τοῦ Πατρὸς ἀνεγεῖραι καὶ ἀνακαινίσαι τὰ πάντα, μητέρα τοῦ σώματος οὗ ἔμελλε φορεῖν οὐδένα πλὴν παρθένον ἠθέλησε γενέσθαι καὶ γέγονε· καὶ οὕτως ἡμῖν ἅνθρωπος ἐπεδήμησεν ὁ Κύριος· ἵν’ ὥσπερ τὰ πάντα δι’ αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, οὕτω καὶ παρθενία ἐξ αὐτοῦ γένηται καὶ δι’ αὐτοῦ πάλιν εἰς ἀνθρώπους χάρις αὕτη δοθῇ καὶ αὔξουσα διαμείνῃ. Ὅσον τοίνυν καύχημα παρθένων ἐστὶ τοῦτο καὶ γνώρισμα τῆς ἐν αὐτῷ θεότητος, ἔξεστιν ἐκ τούτου μαθεῖν· Εἰ τῶν ἁγίων μαρτύρων οἱ γονεῖς εἶσι περίβλεπτοι διὰ τὴν τῶν υἱῶν ἀνδρίαν καὶ χαίρει Σάρρα τεκοῦσα τὸν Ἰσαάκ, καὶ μακάριοι ὅσοι ἔχουσιν ἐν Σιὼν σπέρμα καὶ οἰκείους ἐν Ἰερουσαλήμ, ὥς φησιν ὁ προφήτης, πόσον ἄν τις εἴποι τὸ καύχημα τῆς ἁγίας Παρθένου καὶ θεοειδοῦς Μαρίας, ὅτι μήτηρ Λόγου κατὰ τὴν γένεσιν τῆς σαρκὸς γέγονέ τε καὶ χρηματίζει; καὶ γὰρ τὸν θεῖον τόκον τοῦτον στρατιὰ μὲν ἀγγέλων ὕμνησε· γυνὴ δὲ τὴνφωνὴν ἐπάρασα ἔλεγε· Μακαρία κοιλία ἡ βαοτάσασά σε καὶ μαστοὶ οὓς ἐθήλασας. Καὶ αὐτὴ δὲ ἡ κυριοτόκος Μαρία καὶ ἀειπάρθενος, εἰδυῖα τὸ έν αὐτῇ γενόμενον, ἔλεγεν· Ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν μακαριοῦσί με πᾶσαι αἱ γενεαί. Ὃ δε γέγονε τῇ Μαρίᾳ, τοῦτο πάσαις ταῖς παρθένοις εἰς εὔκλειάν ἐστιν. Αὗται γὰρ ὡς ἀπὸ ρίζης ἐκείνης λοιπον κλάδοι κρέμανται παρθενικαί. Ἅγιος Ἀθανάσιος ο Μέγας, Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Λούκαν Εὐάγγελιον, Ἐκλογή Source: Migne PG 27.1393a-c

For He has looked on the humility of His handmaiden, and behold now all generations will call me blessed. 1 But what sort of thing is this virginity? If someone wishes to exert themselves in some other virtue, they are directed by the law, but virginity, which exceeds the law, even works the establishment of a greater goal of life, indicating the future life, it being an image of angelic purity. I might say many things in support of this, but lest I delay too much in speaking of obvious things, one thing among all I shall speak of that I might show that this virtue is superior to all the others. For God the Word, the Lord of all, when the Father wished to renew and raise up all things, chose for the mother of the body He would bear nothing else but virginity, which was done and so the Lord dwelt as a man among us, whence as everything was made through Him, 2 so virginity was lifted up by Him, and through Him was given as a grace to men and guarded for growth. That virginity is so glorious that it is an indication of His Divinity, one may learn by considering that if the parents of the holy martyrs are amazed by the fortitude of their children, if Sarah rejoiced to give birth to Isaac, and blessed is every seed of Sion and the families of Jerusalem, as the Prophet says, 3 how much more might one say and proclaim it of the glory of the Holy Virgin and blessed Mary, who was the mother of the Word according to the birth of the flesh? Indeed that Divine birth was celebrated by a host of angels, 4 and a woman with raised voice said, 'Blessed the womb that bore you and the breasts that gave you suck.' 5 For indeed that bearer of the Lord, the ever virgin Mary, when she knew she carried Him in herself, said: 'From now all generations will call me blessed.' 6 He whom Mary carried, is the glory of all virgins. For from that root they hang as virgin branches. Saint Athanasius The Great, Fragment on Luke 1 Lk 1.48 2 Jn 1.3 3 Isaiah 35.10 4 Lk 2.13-14 5 Lk 11.27 6 Lk 1.48

Patience And Reward

Ὁ ἡμέτερος διδάσκαλος Παῠλος παραγγέλλει, παραστῆσαι τὰ σώματα ὑμῶν θυσίαν ζῶσαν, εὐάρεστον τῷ Θεῷ. Κοινὸν μὲν τὸ παράγγελμα, μᾶλλον δὲ ἐπαγγέλλει τοῖς ἁγιωσύνην ἀσκοῦσιν. Ἡ παρθένος τὴν μὲν φύσιν ἐστὶν ὁμοία ταῖς ἄλλαις γυναιξὶ, τῇ δὲ προθέσει τὴν φὺσιν ὑπερβᾶσα. Καὶ τῷ ἁγίῷ ἀγίως προσελθεῖν θελήσασα, εἰ μὲν κατορθῖ ἐνταῦθα, θαῦμα μέγα ἀπηνέγκατο· εἰ δὲ προθεμένη οὐκ ἐτελείωσιν, ἐξαίσιον τὸ τοιοῦτον πτῶμα γεγένηται· καὶ γὰρ χαλεπώτερον ἐστιν ἀπὸ ὑψηλοτέρων πεσεῖν, ἤ ἀπὸ τῶν χαμαὶ καταπίπτειν. Καὶ ὅσῳ μεγάλα ἐστὶν ἡ ἐπαγγελία, τοσούτῳ χείρων ἡ πτῶσις. Ἡ γὰρ ἐπαγγελία ὑπερβαίνει τὴν φήσιν, καὶ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν αὐτὴν ἀναφέρει, καὶ μετὰ ἀγγέλων χοερεύειν αὐτὴν κατασκευάζει. Ἐντεῦθεν ἥδη τῇ πολιτείᾳ, ὥς φησι καὶ ὁ Σωτὴρ τῷ ἀξιώματι τούτῳ μαρτυρων, ὅτι μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν τῶν νεκρῶν ὁ βίος ἐστὶ, φησὶν, ἡ προσδοκία τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Καὶ πάλιν λέγει, ὅτι Οἱ καταξιωθέντες τῆς ἀναστάσεως τῶν μελλόντων ἀγαθῶν οὔτε γαμοῦσιν οὔτε γαμισκονται. Ὅ τοίνυν ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν ταῖς ἐπαγγελίαις ἀπόκειται, τοῦτο προλαβοῦσα ἥ τινων προαίρεσις, ἔχει καὶ κέκτηται. Οἱ γὰρ ἅγιοι, οἵτινες τὸν λογισμὸν ἔχουσιν ἀνατεταμένον πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ ἐσθίοντες ἐκ τῆς οὐρανίου τροφῆς, ἠγήσαντο ὡς φυλακὴν τὸν κόσμον τοῦτον, καὶ τὰ σώματα αὐτῶν εἰς μαρτυρίαν παραδεδώκασι, καὶ τὴν ἰδίαν ψυχὴν τετηρήκασιν ἁγνὴν, ἵνα ὁ Θεὸς οἰκήσῃ ἐν αὐτοῖς. Ὑπέμενον δὲ, ὥσπερ ὁ Κύριος ἡμων λέγει, ὅτι Ὁ ὑπομείνας εἰς τέλος, οὕτος σωθησεται· καὶ καθάπερ ὁ Ψαλμῳδός φησιν· Ἐκοπίασεν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, καὶ ζήσεται εἰς τέλος· ὅσοι γὰρ δίκαιοι τὴν ἐλπιδα αὐτῶν ἐν τῷ Θεῷ ἔχουσιν, ἀνάπαυσιν σαρκικὴν οὐκ ἐσχήκασι, χωρίζουσαν αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ· ἀλλ' ἔμενον ἐν κόποις, μὴ δειλιῶντες, οὔτε μὴν διστάζοντες περὶ τῶν θείθν ἐπαγγελιῶν· ἀλλ' ὑποδεχόμενοι τὰς θλίψεις ἐλαφρῶς, μηνμονεύουσι τοῦ διὰ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου λέγοντος· Καὶ τὴν ἁρπαγην τῶν ὑπαρχόντων ὑμῶν μετὰ χαρᾶς προσεδέξασθε. καὶ μαρτυρεῖ καὶ περὶ τῶν μὴ προσδεξαμένων τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν, ὅτι οὐκ ἤθελον ἀναστρέψαντες πάλιν εἶναι ἐν τοῖς οὐρανίοις· ἡμᾶς δὲ οὐ δεῖ εἶναι ἐν τοῖς κοσμικοῖς, ἀλλὰ μεταβῆναι εἰς τὸ συνεῖναι τῷ Θεῷ. Ἅγιος Ἀθανάσιος, Περὶ Ὑπομονης Source: Migne PG 26.1297a-c

Our teacher Paul exhorts the preparation of our bodies as a living sacrifice pleasing to God. 1 Certainly it is a general command, but more is promised to those exert themselves in holiness. A virgin has a similar nature to other women but with her vow she transcends that nature. And wishing to come to the holy of holies, if she is well presented, a great wonder has been brought, but if she has not perfected what she has proposed, woeful is the calamity, because as the greater the promise, so much the worse the fall. For the promise exceeds nature and lifts it into the heavens and makes it dwell among the angelic choirs. And from there with that way of life, as the Saviour says, it gives witness of its great dignity, for life after the resurrection of the dead is the hope of men. And again He says that those who are worthy of the resurrection amid future goods, neither marry nor are given in marriage. 2 Then with the promise being reserved in the kingdom of heaven, yet some by their own choice run ahead and here have and possess it. For the holy, having fixed their minds on God, even feasting on the heavenly bread, having treated this world as a prison, have handed over their own bodies to martyrdom, they who had guarded their own souls in chastity, so that God might dwell with them. They had patience, and as the Lord said, 'He who has patience to the end, he shall be saved.' 3 and likewise the Psalmist says, 'He laboured for eternity, and he shall live at the end.' 4 For as much as men place their hope in God, and do not cling to carnal contentment, which separates them from God, but endure in their labours, fearing nothing, and not doubting the Divine promises, but readily accepting hardship, they recall that which was said by the Apostle: 'And you accepted the seizure of your goods with joy.' 5 And this also bears witness to those who do not receive redemption, who are unwilling to have their way of life in the heavens. But we should not be in the world, but passing on, that we may be with God. Saint Athanasius, From a Sermon On Patience 1 Rom 12.1 2 Mt 22.30 3 Mk 13.13 4 Ps 48.9-10 5 Heb 10.34

Appearances And Deeds

Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος· Προσέχετε ἀπὸ τῶν ψευδοπροφητῶν, οἵτινες ἔρχοντι πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐν ἐνδύματι προβάτου, ἔνδοθεν δέ εἰσι λύκοι ἄρπαγες· ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν αὐτῶν ἐπιγνώσεσθε αὐτούς. Ἐὰν οὖν, τινα ἴδῇς, ἀδελφὲ, ὅτι ἔχει σχῆμα σεμνοπρεπὲς, μὴ πρόσχῃς, ὅτι ἑνδέδυται κώδιον προβάτου, ὅτι ὄνομα ἔχει πρεσβυτέρου, ἤ ἐπισκόπου, ἤ διακόνου, ἢ ἀσκητοῦ, ἀλλὰ τὰς πράξεις αὐτοῦ περιέργασαι· εἰ ἔστι σώφρων, εἰ ἔστι φιλόξενος, ἤ ἐλεήμων, ἤ ἀγαπητικὸς, ἤ ἐν προσευχαῖς καρτερικὸς, ἢ ὑπομονητικός. Εἰ ἔχει κοιλίαν Θεὸν, καὶ τὸν φάρυγγα ᾅδην, νοσῶν χρήματα, καὶ καπηλεύων τὴν θεοσέβειαν, ἄφες αὐτόν· οὐ γάρ ἐστι ποιμὴν ἐπιστημονικὸς, ἀλλὰ λύκος ἀρπακτικός. Εἰ δὲ οἶδας τὰ δένδρα δοκιμάζειν ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν, ποῖὰ ἐστι τῄ φύσει, τῄ γεύσει, τῄ πιότητι· πολλῷ μᾶλοον ἀπὸ τῶν ἐργῶν ὀφείλεις δοκιμάζειν τοὺς Χριστεμπόρος, ὅτι φοροῦντες φημάριον εὐλαβείας, ψυχὴν κέκτηνται διαβολικήν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἀπὸ ἀκανθῶν οὐ συλλέγεις σταφυλὰς, ἤ ἀπὸ τριβόλων σὺκα, τί ὑπολαμβάνεις, ὅτι ἀπὸ παραβατῶν ἔχεις τι ἀγαθὸν ἀκοῦσαι, ἢ ἀπὸ προδοτῶν μαθεῖν τι χρήσιμον; Ἐκείνους τοίνυν ἀποστρέφου ὡς λύκους Ἀραβικοὺς, καὶ ἀκάνθος παρακοῆς, καὶ τριβόλους ἀδικημάτων, καὶ δένδρα πονηρά. Ἐὰν ἴδῇς συνετὸν, κατὰ τὴν συμβουλεύουσαν σοφίαν, ὄρθριζε πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ σταθμοὺς θυρῶν αὐτοῦ ἐκτριβέτω ὁ ποῦς σου, ἴνα παρ' αὐτοῦ διδαχθῇς νόμου σκιαγραφήματα, καὶ χαρίτων δωρήματα. Οὔτε δὲ λόγος σοφιστικὸς, ἤ σχῆμα ἐπιθετικὸν εἰσάγουσιν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν, ἀλλὰ πίστις τελεία καὶ ἀπερίεονος μετὰ τῆς ἐναρέτου καὶ διαλαμπούσης προνοίας. Ἅγιος Ἀθανάσιος, Περὶ Ψευδοπροφητῶν Source: Migne PG 26.1253b-d

The Lord says: 'Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing and within they are ravening wolves. From their fruits you will know them.' 1 If, therefore, brother, you see someone who is clothed in garb befitting a pious man, beware, even if he is covered with the vestment of a sheep, and has the name of priest, or bishop, or deacon, or ascetic, but carefully enquire about his deeds, if he is temperate, if he is hospitable, or merciful, or charitable, if he is one who endures in prayer and suffering. If he has god for his belly, 2 hell lodged in his throat, and labours in the sickness of the acquirement of riches, and makes a trade of holiness, be rid of him, for he is not an experienced shepherd, but a ravening wolf. If our trees are proved by the fruit, by their nature, their taste, their size, so much more from works should you know them who employ Christ for worldly profit, they who, choosing a famine of sanctity, fashion a demonic soul. If grapes are not collected from thorns, nor figs from thistles, why do you think you will be able to hear anything good from the words of sinners, or learn something useful from traitors? Be averse to them as to Arabian wolves, and likewise to the thorns of disobedience, and the thistles of unrighteousness, and bad trees. But if you see someone wise, according to the counsel of Wisdom, rise early for him, and plant your foot at the door of his house, that from him you might learn about the shadows of the Law and the gifts of grace. It is not clever speech and solemn dress that allows one to enter into the kingdom of heaven, but perfect faith, and a lack of distraction, with virtuous and pure prudence. Saint Athanasius, A Fragment On False Prophets 1 Mt 7.15 2 Philip 3.19

Leaven And The Dead

Τίνι ὁμοιώσω τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ; ὁμοία ἐστὶν ζύμῃ, ἣν λαβοῦσα γυνὴ ἐνέκρυψεν εἰς ἀλεύρου σάτα τρία, ἕως οὗ ἐζυμώθη ὅλον. Τοῦτο οὖν σκόπει, πᾶς τις ὁ τοῖς ῥηθεῖσιν ἀμφισβητῶν, ὅτιπερ ἔκαστος, τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὁ μικρὰν ζύμην ἀρετῆς κτησάμενος, μὴ πεφθακὼς δὲ ταύτην ἀρτοποιῆσαι· ἀλλὰ βουληθεὶς μὲν, μὴ δυνηθεὶς δὲ τοῦτο, ἢ ῥᾳθυμίας ἢ ἀμελείας ἢ ἀναδρίας ἔνεκα καὶ τῆς ἐξ ἡμέρας εἰς ἡμεραν ἀναβολῆς· ἐπιφθασθεὶς δὲ καὶ θερισθεὶς παρ' ἐλπίδα, οὗτος οὐκ ἐπιλησθήσεται παρὰ τοῦ δικαίου κριτοῦ· ἀλλ' ἐγερεῖ αὐτῷ μετὰ θάνατον τοὺς οἰκείους, καὶ τούτων τὰς γνώμας ἱθυνεῖ, καὶ τὰς καρδίας ἐλκύσει, καὶ τὰς ψυχὰς ἐπικάμψει, καὶ πρὸς ἀρωγὴν καὶ βοήθειαν τούτου σπεύσουσι κινηθέντες. Ὅθεν καὶ ἁψαμένου τοῦ Δεσπότου τῶν καρδιῶν αὐτῶν, ἀναπληρώσουσι τοῦ οἰχομένου τὰ ὑστερήματα. Ὁ δέ γε βίον πονηερὸν κεκτημένος, συμπεφυρμένος ὅλον ἀκάνθαις, πλήρη τε ὑλῶν ὄντα τῶν ἀκαθάρτων, ὅς οὐδέποτε ἐν συνειδήσει ἦλθεν, ἀλλ' ἁδεῶς καὶ ἀδιαφόρως ταῖς τῶν ἡδονῶν ἐνέκειτο δυσωδίαις, πράττων ἀπάσας τὰς τῆς σαρκὸς ὀρέξεις, καὶ μηδὲν ὅλως περὶ ψυχῆς φροντίζων, ἔχων τε τὸ φρόνημα σαρκικὸν ἂπαν· εἶθ' οὔτω φθασεὶς, ἐκδημήσει τοῦ βίου, τούτῳ παντελῶς οὐδεὶς ὀρέξει χεῖρα· ἀλλ' οὔτω πάντα τὰ κατ' αὐτὸν διαπρεχθήσεται, ὡς μήτε ὑπὸ συνεύνου, ἢ τέκνων, ἢ ἀδελφῶν, ἢ συγγενῶν, ἢ φίλων ἐπικουρηθῆναι τὸ σύνολον· ὅτι μηδὲ ἔχει Θεὸς ἐν μέτρῳ τοῦτον. Ἅγιος Ἀθανάσιος, Τὸ Κατὰ Λουκαν Ἐπαγγελιον Source: Migne PG 26.1041d-1404a

To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? It is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal until it leavened the whole batch. 1 See this, then, as everyone who on account of controversial speech is as a one who possesses a little leaven of virtue, which is not yet useful for the making of bread, which he has wished to do, but was not able to do, whether because of sluggishness, or because of carelessness, or because of laziness, or on account of procastination, and then he is taken and sent off at a time he did not expect to that righteous judgement where nothing is neglected. But after his death God stirs up his household and rouses relatives, and directs their minds, draws out their hearts, and inclines their souls, that they turn to his aid and help. So these with their hearts moved by the Lord, would supply what is lacking to the dead man. But he who has spent his life in wickedness, embroiled in thorns, his mind full of filthy matters, who never took thought of what is to come, but without fear and quite indifferently wallowed in vile pleasures, acting in all things according to the flesh, having no thought for his soul, but only for all bodily things, when, then, he is taken and leaves this life, nothing at all will he have to offer in the hand, and thus with him it will be that he shall have the help of neither wife, nor children, nor kin, nor any relation or friend, for God shall have no care for him. Saint Athanasius, On the Gospel of St Luke, Fragment 1 Lk 13.20-21

The Judge And The Widow

Ἐρώτ. λ' Τίς ἐστιν ὁ κριτὴς τῆς ἀδικίας, ὁ μήτε τὸν Θεὸν φοβούμενος, μήτε ἄνθρωπον ἐντρεπόμενος; Ἀποκ. Ὁ Θεός· οὔτε γὰρ Θεὸν ἔχει ὄν φοβηθήσεται, οὔτε ἄνθρωπον ἐντραπήσεται, Χήρα δέ τις ἧν ἐν τῇ πόλει. Τίς δὲ ἡ χήρα ἐκείνη; ἡ παντὸς ἀνθρώπου ψυχὴ, ἤ ποτε τὸν διάβολον ἄνδρα ἔχουσα, καὶ ἀποῥῥέψασα αὐτὸν, τὸν δὲ Χριστὸν ἐνστερνισαμένη, χήρα τυγχάνει, καὶ δέεται καθ' ἐκαστην ἡμέραν καὶ νύκτα, τὸν κριτὴν παρακαλοῦσα, καὶ ὀδυρομένη καὶ λέγουσα· Ἐκδίκησόν με ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀντιδίκου μου. Ἐρώτ. λα' Τίς δέ ἐστιν ὁ ἀντίδικος; Ἀπόκ. Ὁ διάβολος, ὁ ὡς λέων ὠρυόμενος περιπατῶν, ζητῶν τίνα καταπίῃ. Ἐρώτ. λβ' Τί δὲ εἶπεν ὁ κριτής· Εἰ καὶ τὸν Θεὸν οὐ φοβοῦμαι, καὶ ἄνθρωπον οὐκ ἐντρέπομαι, ἀλλ' οὖν ἐκδικήσω αὐτὴν, ἵνα μὴ ἐρχομένη ὑπωπιάζῃ με. Καὶ ἐπιφέρει ὁ Κύριος λέγων· Ἀκούσατε, τί λέγει ὁ κριτὴς τῆς ἀδικίας, ὁ Θεός· ἐπειδὴ κρίνει καὶ κατακρίνει τοὺς ἀδίκους. Δικαίῳ γὰρ νόμος οὐ κεῖται. Ψευδό Ἀθανάσιος, Φήσεις Καὶ Ἑρμηνείαι Παραβλῶν Του Ἅγιοῦ Ἐυαγγελιοῦ Source: Migne PG 28.720c-721a

Question 30. Who is that judge of iniquity who neither fears God, nor reveres man? 1 Answer: God, for He has neither a God whom He fears, nor does he revere man. 'There was in that city a certain widow.' Who is the widow? The soul of a man, which for a time had the devil for a husband, and repudiating him embraced Christ. This is the widow praying and night and day to be given judgement, and who weeping says: 'Give me justice against my enemy.' Question 31. Who is the enemy? Answer: The devil, he who 'goes about as a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.' 2 Question 32. Why does the judge say: 'Even if I neither fear God nor revere man, I shall give her justice, lest coming to me she strike me.' And the Lord adds: 'Hear, what the judge of iniquity says.' That is, God, who judges and condemns the iniquitous. 'For the law is not given to the righteous man.' 3 Pseudo Athanasius, Saying And Interpretations of the Parables of the Holy Gospel 1 Lk 18.1-8 2 1 Pet 5.8 3 1 Tim 1.9

The Word Of God

Οὐ δεῖ δὲ ζητεῖν, διὰ τί μὴ τοιοῦτος ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος οἷος καὶ ὁ ἡμέτερος· ἐπεὶ μὴ τοιοῦτος ὁ Θεὸς οἷοι καὶ ἡμεῖς, ὡς προείρηται· ἀλλ' 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 ἄῤῥητον 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. Ἀλλ' 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· ἀλλ' 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 καθ' ἡμέραν παρέρχονται, διὰ τὸ τοὺς πρώτους μὴ μένειν, ἀλλ' 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, ἀλλ' 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. Ἅγιος Ἀθανάσιος ο Μέγας, Λόγος Δεύτερος Κατὰ Ἀρειανών Source: Migne PG 26.224a-225a

Nor must one ask why the Word of God is not like our word, since God is not such as we are, as said before, nor again is it right to seek how the Word is from God, or how He is God's radiance, or how God begets, and what is the way of His begetting. For a man must be mad to venture such things, since that which is ineffable and proper to God's nature, and known to Him alone and to the Son, he would have explained in words, just as if he sought where God is, and how God is, and what is the nature of the Father. But as to ask such things is impious, and comes from an ignorance of God, so it is not right to propose such questions concerning the generation of the Son of God, nor to measure God and His Wisdom by our nature and infirmity, nor because of this may one think apart from the truth, nor, if anyone is troubled by such questions, should he doubt what is written. For it is better in doubt to be silent and believe, than to disbelieve because of doubt, for it is possible that he who is doubtful may obtain pardon, who even though he wonders yet is silent, but when a man by doubt contrives for himself things which do not befit God and proclaims what is unworthy of Him, such daring incurs a sentence without mercy. For in such doubts Divine Scripture is able to offer a man some support, so as to take rightly what has been written, even to think on our word as an illustration, that as it is proper to us, being from us, and not a work external to us, so also God's Word is proper to Him and from Him, and is not a work, and yet it is not just like the word of man, or else we must think God a man. For behold, the words of men are many and various, passing away day by day, because those that come before do not persist but vanish. And this happens because their fathers are men, and have their time which passes away, and ideas which are successive, and what they think and think on again, such things they utter, so that they have many words, but after so many nothing at all, for he who speaks ceases, and his word is immediately used up. But the Word of God is one and the same, and, as it is written, 'The Word of God endures for ever,' 1 not changing, not being before or after another, but existing the same always. For it was fitting, since God is One, that His Image should be One also, and One is His Word, and One His Wisdom. Saint Athanasius, from the Second Discourse Against The Arians 1 Ps 118.89

Asking For Faith

ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἀκούσας ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ: μὴ φοβοῦ: μόνον πίστευσον, καὶ σωθήσεται. Πίστον γε ἀπαιτεῖ πρῶτον τοὺς ἐπικαλουμένους αὐτὸν ὁ Κύριος· ὡς ἐπὶ τοῦ τυφλοῦ λέγων· Πιστεύεις, ὅτι δύναμαι σοι τοῦτο ποιῆσαι; καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ σεληνιαζομένου δέ φησιν, ὅτι Ἐαν πιστεύῃς, γίνεται. Ἀπαιτεῖ δὲ τοῦτο ὁ Σωτὴρ, οὐκ ἐπειδήπερ ἔχρῃζε τῆς παρ' ἑτέρων συνεργίας· ἀυτὸς γὰρ καὶ τῆς πίστεως κύριος καὶ χορηγός ἐστιν· ἀλλ' ὅτι τοῖς πιστεύουσιν ἐπινεύει, καὶ ἵνα μὴ χωρὶς πίστεως δέξωνται τὰς εὐεργεσίας, καὶ τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ ταύτας ἀπολέσωσι. Θέλει γὰρ χαριζόμενος παραμένειν τὴν χάριν, καὶ θερπεύων ἀδιάπτωτον εἶναι τὴν θεραπείαν. Ἠσφαλίζετο γοῦν τὸν παραλυτικὸν λέγων· Ὑγιὴς γέγονας, μηκέτι ἀμάρτανε. Καὶ ὥσπερ ἄν τις ἰατρὸς εἰσιὼν πρὸς τοὺς κάμνοντας πυνθάνοιτο πρῶτον, εἰ βούλοιντο θεραπεύεσθαι, ἵνα μὴ, αὐτοῦ φροντίζοντος, κάκείνων μὴ βουλομένων, ἀνωφελὴς ἡ θεραπεία γένηται, ἐναντιουμένων τῶν καμνόντων πρὸς τὴν τοῦ ἰατροῦ τέχνυν· οὕτω καὶ ὁ Κύριος τῶν θεραπευομένων ἐπυνθάνετο, καὶ τοῖς πιστεύουσιν ἐχαρίζετο, ἵνα τῇ πίστει καὶ τὴν χάριν κατασγεῖν δυνηθῶσι, γνώρισμα γὰρ τῆς προαιρέσεως τῆς ψυχῆς ἡ πίστις ἐστί. Καὶ νῦν οὖν φησι· Μόνον πίστευε, καὶ σωθήσεται. Ἅγιος Ἀθανάσιος ο Μέγας, Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Λούκαν Εὐάγγελιον, Ἐκλογή Source: Migne PG 27.1400b-c

Hearing these things, Jesus answered, saying: 'Do not fear, only believe, and she shall be saved.' 1 The Lord asks for faith from those who call on Him, as from the blind man with these words: 'Do you believe that I am able to do this?' 2 And concerning the lunatic: 'If you believe, it shall be.' 3 The Lord asks not because He has need of another for the deed, for He is the lord and giver of faith, but that He approve of the faithful, and lest those without faith receive good works, which things are lost by unfaithfulness. For when He confers grace, He wishes that grace remain, and when He cures, that the cure not perish. This He confirms with paralytic saying: 'You have been made well, do not sin any more.' And as a physician who comes to a sick man, first asks whether he wishes to be cured, lest with the sick man's worry the cure be useless, so in the same way the Lord asks those who are to be cured, and to the same believers He gives grace, since with faith they are able to retain grace, for faith is the mark of the willing soul. So He says here: 'Only believe, and she shall be saved.' Saint Athanasius, Fragment on Luke 1 Lk 8.50 2 Mt 9.28 3 Mk 9.23

Mercy And Debt

Ὡμοιώθη ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀνθρώπῳ βασιλεῖ, ὃς ἠθέλησεν συνᾶραι λόγον μετὰ τῶν δούλων αὐτοῦ. Τίς ὁ Βασιλεύς; Ὁ Θεός. Τίς ὁ ὀφειλέτης τῶν μυρίων ταλάντων; Ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ ἐν πολλαῖς ἁμαρτίας τῆς τοῦ Θεου μακροθυμίας ἀπολαβών. Τίς ὁ τὰ ἑκατὸν δηνάρια; Ὁ ὑποχείριος τοῦ χρεωστοῦντος τὰ μυρία τάλαντα· καὶ αὐτος μὲν ἔτυχε μακροθυμίας, οὕτος δὲ ἐφάνη ὡμὸς καὶ σκληρὸς πρὸς τὸν ὁμόδουλον αὐτοῦ. Ψευδό Ἀθανάσιος, Φήσεις Καὶ Ἑρμηνείαι Παραβλῶν Του Ἅγιοῦ Ἐυαγγελιοῦ Source: Migne PG 28.712a

The kingdom of heaven is like a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. 1 Who is the king? God. Who is the one who is ten thousand talents in debt? A man who despite his many sins yet partakes of the mercy of God. Who is he who is one hundred talents in debt? He is under the power of the one who is ten thousand talents in debt, which one, though he received the mercy of God, yet is revealed as cruel and hard hearted to his fellow servant. Pseudo Athanasius, Saying And Interpretations of the Parables of the Holy Gospel 1 Mt 18.23

Giving And Receiving Goods

Μεγαλύνει ψυχή μου τὸν Κύριον Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὸ δοξάζειν τὸν Θεὸν οὐκ ἔξωθεν εὔκλειαν αὐτῷ φέρειν παρίστησιν, οὐδὲ τὸ ἁγιάζειν τὸν Κύριον προστιθέναι αὐτῷ ἁγιότητα σημαίνει, οὕτω καὶ τὸ μεγαλύνειν τὸν Θεὸν οὐκ ἐπίδοσιν μεγέθους προσάγειν αὐτῷ δηλοῖ· ἀλλ’ ὁ μεγαλύνων αὐτὸν τσῦ μεγέθους αὐτοῦ μετοχὴν εἰς ἑαυτὸν δέχεται. Ὅθεν εἴρηται· Μεγαλύνει ἡ ψυχή μου τὸν Κύριον. Ταῦτα δὲ οὐ δοκεῖ παράδοξα τῷ ἀκριβῶς ἐπισταμένῳ, ὡς ὁ Θεὸς οὐ δέχεται, ἀλλὰ χορηγεῖ τὰ ἀγαθά. Ἅγιος Ἀθανάσιος ο Μέγας, Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Λούκαν Εὐάγγελιον, Ἐκλογή Source: Migne PG 27.1392c-1393a

My soul magnifies the Lord. 1 For as to glorify God is not to give some exterior renown to Him, nor does blessing the Lord mean that there is an addition to His holiness, so to magnify God does not indicate a bringing to Him of some increase of greatness, but the one who magnifies Him, magnifies the reception of the participation in His magnificence. Whence she said: 'May soul magnifies the Lord.' Which things do not seem strange to him who thinks carefully about them, as God does not receive goods but gives them. Saint Athanasius, Fragment on Luke 1 Lk 1.46

Becoming Man

Σκοπὸς τοίνυν οὗτος καὶ χαρακτὴρ τῆς ἁγίας Γραφῆς, ὡς πολλάκις εἴπομεν, διπλῆν εἶναι τὴν περὶ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἐπαγγελίαν ἐν αὐτῇ· ὅτι τε ἀεὶ Θεὸς ἦν καὶ Υἱός ἐστι, Λόγος ὢν καὶ ἀπαύγασμα καὶ σοφία τοῦ Πατρός· καὶ ὅτι ὕστερον, δι' ἡμᾶς σάρκα λαβὼν ἐκ Παρθένου τῆς Θεοτόκου Μαρίας, ἄνθρωπος γέγονε. Καὶ ἔστι μὲν τοῦτον εὑρεῖν διὰ πάσης τῆς θεοπνεύστου Γραφῆς σημαινόμενον, ὡς αὐτὸς ὁ Κύριος εἴρηκεν· Ἐρευνᾶτε τὰς Γραφὰς, ὅτι αὐταί εἰσιν αἱ μαρτυροῦσαι περὶ ἐμοῦ· ἵνα δὲ μὴ, πάντα τὰ ῥητὰ συνάγων, πολὺς ἐν τῷ γράφειν γένωμαι, ἀρκεσθῶμεν ὡς πάντων μνημονεῦσαι, τοῦ μὲν Ἰωάννου λέγοντος· Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ Λόγος, καὶ ὁ Λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ Θεὸς ἦν ὁ Λόγος· οὗτος ἦν ἐν ἀρχῇ πρὸς τὸν Θεόν. Πάντα δι' αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἕν. Εἶτα· Καὶ ὁ Λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο, καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν, καὶ ἐθεασάμεθα τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, δόξαν ὡς μονογενοῦς παρὰ Πατρός· τοῦ δὲ Παύλου γράφοντος· Ὃς, ἐν μορφῇ Θεοῦ ὑπάρχων, οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἡγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ἴσα Θεῷ· ἀλλ' ἑαυτὸν ἐκένωσε, μορφὴν δούλου λαβὼν, ἐν ὁμοιώματι ἀνθρώπων γενόμενος, καὶ σχήματι εὑρεθεὶς ὡς ἄνθρωπος. Ἐταπείνωσεν ἑαυτὸν, γενόμενος ὑπήκοος μέχρι θανάτου, θανάτου δὲ σταυροῦ. Ἀπὸ τούτων γὰρ, τῇ αὐτῇ δια νοίᾳ διερχόμενός τις πᾶσαν τὴν Γραφὴν, ὄψεται πῶς ἐν ἀρχῇ μὲν εἶπε τούτῳ ὁ Πατήρ· Γενηθήτω φῶς, καὶ, Γενηθήτω στερέωμα, καὶ, Ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον· ἐπὶ δὲ συντελείᾳ τῶν αἰώνων ἀπέστειλεν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν κόσμον, οὐχ ἵνα κρίνῃ τὸν κόσμον, ἀλλ' ἵνα σωθῇ ὁ κόσμος δι' αὐτοῦ· καὶ γέγραπται· Ἰδοὺ ἡ Παρθένος ἐν γαστρὶ ἕξει, καὶ τέξεται Υἱόν· καὶ καλέσουσι τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἐμμανουὴλ, ὅ ἐστι μεθερμηνευόμενον, Μεθ' ἡμῶν ὁ Θεός. Ὁ τοίνυν ἐντυγχάνων τῇ θείᾳ Γραφῇ, ἀπὸ μὲν τῶν Παλαιῶν τὰ ῥητὰ καταμανθανέτω, ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν Εὐαγγελίων θεωρείτω τὸν Κύριον γενόμενον ἄνθρωπον· Ὁ Λόγος γὰρ, φησὶ, σὰρξ ἐγένετο, καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν. Ἄνθρωπος δὲ γέγονε, καὶ οὐκ εἰς ἄνθρωπον ἦλθε· καὶ τοῦτο γὰρ ἀναγκαῖον εἰδέναι· μήποτε καὶ, εἰς τοῦτο πεσόντες οἱ ἀσεβεῖς, ἀπατήσωσί τινας, κἀκεῖνοι νομίσωσιν, ὅτι, ὥσπερ ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν χρόνοις εἰς ἕκαστον τῶν ἁγίων ἐγίνετο, οὕτω καὶ νῦν εἰς ἄνθρωπον ἐπεδήμησεν ὁ Λόγος ἁγιάζων καὶ τοῦτον, καὶ φανερούμενος ὥσπερ καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις. Εἰ γὰρ οὕτως ἦν, καὶ μόνον ἐν ἀνθρώπῳ φανεὶς ἦν, οὐδὲν ἦν παράδοξον, οὔτε οἱ ὁρῶντες ἐξενίζοντο λέγοντες· Ποταπὸς ἄρα ἐστὶν οὗτος; καὶ, Διὰ τί σὺ, ἄνθρωπος ὢν, ποιεῖς σεαυτὸν Θεόν; Εἶχον γὰρ τὴν συνήθειαν ἀκούοντες· Καὶ ἐγένετο Λόγος Κυρίου πρὸς ἕκαστον τῶν προφητῶν. Νῦν δὲ, ἐπειδὴ ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος, δι' οὗ γέγονε τὰ πάντα, ὑπέμεινε καὶ Υἱὸν ἀνθρώπου γενέσθαι, καὶ ἐταπείνωσεν ἑαυτὸν, λαβὼν δούλου μορφήν· διὰ τοῦτο Ἰουδαίοις μὲν σκάνδαλόν ἐστιν ὁ τοῦ Χριστοῦ σταυρὸς, ἡμῖν δὲ Χριστὸς Θεοῦ δύναμις καὶ Θεοῦ σοφία· Ὁ Λόγος γὰρ, ὡς εἶπεν ὁ Ἰωάννης, σὰρξ ἐγένετο· τῆς Γραφῆς ἔθος ἐχούσης λέγειν σάρκα τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ὡς διὰ Ἰωὴλ τοῦ προφήτου φησίν· Ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματός μου ἐπὶ πᾶσαν σάρκα· καὶ ὡς Δανιὴλ εἴρηκε τῷ Ἀστυάγῃ· Οὐ σέβομαι εἴδωλα χειροποίητα, ἀλλὰ τὸν ζῶντα Θεὸν, τὸν κτίσαντα τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν, καὶ ἔχοντα πάσης σαρκὸς κυρείαν· σάρκα γὰρ καὶ οὗτος καὶ Ἰωὴλ τὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένος λέγουσιν. Πάλαι μὲν οὖν πρὸς ἕκαστον τῶν ἁγίων ἐγίνετο, καὶ ἡγίαζε μὲν τοὺς γνησίως δεχομένους αὐτόν· οὔτε δὲ, γεννωμένων ἐκείνων, εἴρηται, ὅτι αὐτὸς γεγένηται ἄνθρωπος, οὔτε, πασχόντων ἐκείνων, εἴρηται· Πέπονθεν αὐτός. Ὅτε δὲ ἐκ Μαρίας ἐπεδήμησεν ἅπαξ ἐπὶ συντελείᾳ τῶν αἰώνων εἰς ἀθέτησιν ἁμαρτίας, οὕτω γὰρ εὐδοκήσας ὁ Πατὴρ ἔπεμψε τὸν ἑαυτοῦ Υἱὸν γενόμενον ἐκ γυναικὸς, γενόμενον ὑπὸ νόμον, τότε εἴρηται, ὅτι σάρκα προσλαβὼν γεγένηται ἄνθρωπος, καὶ ἐν ταύτῃ πέπονθεν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ὡς εἶπεν ὁ Πέτρος· Χριστοῦ οὖν παθόντος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν σαρκί· ἵνα δειχθῇ, καὶ πάντες πιστεύσωμεν, ὅτι, ἀεὶ ὢν Θεὸς, καὶ ἁγιάζων, πρὸς οὓς ἐγένετο, διακοσμῶν τε κατὰ τὸ βούλημα τοῦ Πατρὸς τὰ πάντα, ὕστερον καὶ δι' ἡμᾶς γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος, καὶ σωματικῶς, ὥς φησιν ὁ Ἀπόστολος, κατῴκησεν ἡ θεότης ἐν τῇ σαρκί· ἴσον τῷ φάναι, Θεὸς ὢν, ἴδιον ἔσχε σῶμα, καὶ τούτῳ χρώμενος ὀργάνῳ, γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος δι' ἡμᾶς. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τὰ μὲν ἴδια ταύτης αὐτοῦ λέγεται, ἐπειδὴ ἐν αὐτῇ ἦν, οἷά ἐστι τὸ πεινῇν, τὸ διψῇν, τὸ πάσχειν, τὸ κοπιᾷν, καὶ τὰ ὅμοια, ὧν ἐστιν ἡ σὰρξ δεκτική· τὰ δὲ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Λόγου ἴδια ἔργα, οἷά ἐστι, τὸ ἐγείρειν νεκρeοὺς, καὶ τυφλοὺς ποιεῖν ἀναβλέπειν, καὶ τὴν αἱμοῤῥοοῦσαν ἰᾶσθαι αὐτὸν, διὰ τοῦ ἰδίου σώματος αὐτὸς ἐποίει· καὶ ὁ μὲν Λόγος τὰς τῆς σαρκὸς ἐβάσταζεν ἀσθενείας, ὡς ἰδίας· αὐτοῦ γὰρ ἦν ἡ σάρξ· καὶ ἡ σὰρξ δὲ ὑπούργει τοῖς τῆς θεότη τος ἔργοις, ὅτι ἐν αὐτῇ ἐγένετο· Θεοῦ γὰρ ἦν σῶμα. Εὖ δὲ ὁ προφήτης εἴρηκεν, ἐβάσταξε· καὶ οὐκ εἴρηκε, Τὰς ἀσθενείας ἡμῶν αὐτὸς ἐθεράπευσεν, ἵνα μὴ, ὡς ἐκτὸς ὢν τοῦ σώματος, καὶ μόνον αὐτὸ ἰασάμενος, ὡς ἀεὶ πεποίηκεν, ὑπευθύνους πάλιν τοῦ θανάτου τοὺς ἀνθρώπους καταλείψῃ. Τὰς δὲ ἀσθενείας ἡμῶν βαστάζει, καὶ τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν αὐτὸς φέρει, ἵνα δειχθῇ ὅτι τε ἄνθρωπος δι' ἡμᾶς γέγονε, καὶ σῶμα τὸ ἐν αὐτῷ φέρον αὐτὰς αὐτοῦ ἴδιόν ἐστι· καὶ αὐτὸς μὲν οὐδὲν ἐβλάπτετο ἀναφέρων τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν ἐπὶ τὸ ξύλον τῷ σώματι αὐτοῦ, ὡς εἶπεν ὁ Πέτρος· ἡμεῖς δὲ οἱ ἄνθρωποι, ἀπὸ μὲν τῶν ἰδίων παθῶν ἐλυτρούμεθα, τῆς δὲ τοῦ Λόγου δικαιοσύνης ἐπληρούμεθα. Ἅγιος Ἀθανάσιος ο Μέγας, Κατὰ Ἀρειανῶν Λόγος Τρίτος Source: Migne PG 26.385a-389c

The scope and character of Holy Scripture, as we have often said, is that it contains a double account of the Saviour, that He was always God and is the Son, being the Word and radiance and wisdom of the Father, and that after for us He took flesh from the Virgin Mary the Bearer of God, and was made man. And this is to be found throughout the divinely inspired Scripture, as the Lord Himself said: 'Search the Scriptures, for they bear witness to me.' 1 But lest, in bringing together all the passages I should write too much, let it be enough to recall for all of them, John saying: 'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. In the beginning He was with God. All things were made through Him and without Him not one thing was made.' 2 And then: 'And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as the Only Begotten of the Father.' 3 And Paul writes: 'He who being in the form of God, thought not to seize on equality with God, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and being found in the fashion of man, He humbled Himself, being obedient to death, even the death of the cross.' 4 From these, anyone searching through the whole Scripture for their meaning, will see how in the beginning the Father said to Him: 'Let there be light,' and 'Let there be a firmament,' and 'Let us make man,' 5 but in fullness of time He sent Him into the world, not that He judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him, 6 and then how it is written 'Behold, the Virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which is interpreted 'God with us.' 7 So the reader of Divine Scripture having studied the words from the ancient books, will then see that from Gospels the Lord became man; for it says: 'the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.' And He became man, and did not come into a man, for one must know this, lest impious men err here, and delude others, that, as in former times, the Word came into each of the holy ones, so now in that way He dwelt in a man, the Word sanctifying even him, and manifesting Himself as in the others. For if it were so that He only appeared in man, it would have not been so strange, that those observing Him would have been bewildered, saying, 'Where is He from?' And 'Why do you, being a man, make yourself God?' For they were accustomed to hear that the Word of the Lord came to each of the Prophets, but now the Word of God, through whom all things were made, suffered to become even the Son of Man, and humbled Himself, taking the form of a servant, by which the cross is a scandal to the Jews, but to us Christ is the wisdom and power of God. 8 For as John says: 'the Word was made Flesh,' and Joel the Prophet says: 'I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,' 9 and Daniel said to Astyages: 'I do not revere idols made by human hands but the living God who created heaven and earth and has dominion over all flesh,' 10 for both he and Joel call the race of men flesh. Of old, then, He came to each of the holy ones and sanctified those who rightly received Him, but it was not said that when they were conceived He became man, nor when they suffered was it said that He suffered. But when He dwelt among us from Mary, once in the fullness of time, for the abolition of sin, for so it pleased the Father that he send His own Son, made of woman, made under the Law, 11 then, it is said, that taking flesh He became man, and in that suffered for us, as Peter says: 'Christ, then, having suffered for us in the flesh,' 12 that it be revealed, and that all believe, that always being God, and sanctifying those to whom He came, ordering all things to the will of the Father, after, for us, He became man, and as the Apostle says: 'bodily the Godhead dwelt in the flesh.' 13 Which is to say that being God He had His own body, and employing this as an instrument, He became man for us. And because of this the things of the flesh are said to be His, since He was in it, such as to hunger and thirst, to suffer, to be weary, and the like, which is proper to the flesh, and also the works of the Word are His, such as to raise the dead, and make the blind see, and cure the flow of blood, which He did through His own body. And the Word bore the infirmities of the flesh, as His own, for His was the flesh, and the flesh served the works of the Godhead, since it was in it, for the body was God's. And well did the Prophet say 'bore' 14 and did not say, 'He remedied our infirmities,' lest, as being outside the body, and only healing it, as He has always done, He should leave men yet subject to death. But He bears our infirmities, and He Himself bears our sins, that it be shown that He became man for us, and that the body which in Him bore them is His own, and He Himself is unharmed by 'bearing our sins in His body on the tree,' as Peter says, 15 yet we men were freed from our own passions, and filled with the righteousness of the Word. Saint Athanasius The Great, from the 3rd Discourse Against The Arians 1 Jn 5.39 2 Jn 1.1-4 3 Jn 1.14 4 Philip 2.6-8 5 Gen 1.3,6,26 6 Jn 12.47 7 Mt 1.23 8 1 Cor 1.24 9 Joel 2.28 10 Dan 14.5 11 Galat 4.4 12 1 Pet 4.1 13 Colos 2.9 14 Isaiah 53.4 15 1 Pet 2.24

Scripture And Life

Ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὴν ἐκ τῶν Γραφῶν ἔρευναν καὶ γνῶσιν ἀληθῆ, χρεία βίου καλοῦ καὶ ψυχῆς καθαρᾶς καὶ τῆς κατὰ Χριστὸν ἀρετῆς, ἵνα δι' αὐτῆς ὁδεύσας ὁ νοῦς τυχεῖν ὧν ὀρέγεται καὶ καταλαβεῖν δυνηθῇ, καθ' ὅσον ἐφικτόν ἐστι τῇ ἀνθρώπων φύσει περὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου μανθάνειν. Ἄνευ γὰρ καθαρᾶς διανοίας καὶ τῆς πρὸς τοὺς ἁγίους τοῦ βίου μιμήσεως, οὐκ ἄν τις καταλαβεῖν δυνηθείη τοὺς τῶν ἁγίων λόγους. Ὥσπερ γὰρ εἴ τις ἐθελήσειεν ἰδεῖν τὸ τοῦ ἡλίου φῶς, πάντως τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν ἀποσμήχει καὶ λαμπρύνει, σχεδὸν ὅμοιον τῷ ποθουμένῳ ἑαυτὸν διακαθαίρων, ἵνα οὕτως φῶς γενόμενος ὁ ὀφθαλμὸς τὸ τοῦ ἡλίου φῶς ἴδῃ, ἢ ὡς εἴ τις θελήσειεν ἰδεῖν πόλιν ἢ χώραν, πάντως ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον ἀφικνεῖται τῆς θέας ἕνεκεν· οὕτως ὁ θέλων τῶν θεολόγων τὴν διάνοιαν καταλαβεῖν, προαπονίψαι καὶ προαποπλῦναι τῷ βίῳ τὴν ψυχὴν ὀφείλει, καὶ πρὸς αὐτοὺς τοὺς ἁγίους ἀφικέσθαι τῇ ὁμοιότητι τῶν πράξεων αὐτῶν, ἵνα σὺν αὐτοῖς τῇ ἀγωγῇ τῆς συζήσεως γενόμενος, τὰ καὶ αὐτοῖς ἀποκαλυφθέντα παρὰ Θεοῦ κατανοήσῃ, καὶ λοιπὸν ὡς ἐκείνοις συναφθεὶς ἐκφύγῃ μὲν τὸν τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν κίνδυνον καὶ τὸ τούτων πῦρ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς κρίσεως, ἀπολάβῃ δὲ τὰ τοῖς ἁγίοις ἀποκείμενα ἐν τῇ τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλείᾳ, ἃ ὀφθαλμὸς οὐκ εἶδεν, οὐδὲ οὖς ἤκουσεν, οὐδὲ ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνθρώπων ἀνέβη, ὅσα ἡτοίμασται τοῖς» κατ' ἀρετὴν βιοῦσι, καὶ ἀγαπῶσι τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ Πατέρα, ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, δι' οὗ καὶ μεθ' οὗ αὐτῷ τῷ Πατρὶ σὺν αὐτῷ τῷ Υἱῷ ἐν ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι, τιμὴ καὶ κράτος καὶ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἅγιος Αθανάσιος ο Μέγας, Λόγος περί της Ενανθρωπίσεως του Λόγου Source: Migne PG 25.196c-197a

But for the study of the Scriptures and true knowledge of them a good life is needed and a pure soul, and virtue according to Christ, so that the mind, travelling by it, may be able to reach out and grasp what it desires, as much as it is accessible to human nature to learn about the Word of God. For without a pure intellect and a modelling of life according to those holy, it is not possible that a man could comprehend their words. For just as if some man wished to see the light of the sun, he would wipe and brighten his eye, cleansing himself to some extent according to what he desires, so that the eye, becoming light, may see the light of the sun, or as if a man wished to see a city or land, he would at least come to the place where he may see it, thus he who wishes to understand the mind of those who speak of God must begin by washing and cleansing his soul by his way of life and approach the holy ones themselves by imitating their deeds, so that associated with them in their conduct, he may grasp what has been revealed to them by God, and after, closely bound to them, he may escape the peril of the sinners and their fire at the day of judgment, and receive what is laid up for the saints in the kingdom of heaven, which 'the eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man,' 1 whatever is prepared for those who live a virtuous life, and love the God and Father, in Christ Jesus our Lord, through whom and with whom be to the Father Himself, with the Son Himself, in the Holy Spirit, honour and might and glory for ever and ever. Amen. Saint Athanasius the Great, On The Incarnation of The Word 1 1 Cor 2:9

Problems Of Following

Καὶ πορευομένων αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ εἶπέν τις πρὸς αὐτόν, ἀκολουθήσω σοι ὅπου ἐὰν ἀπέρχῃ. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς: αἱ ἀλώπεκες φωλεοὺς ἔχουσιν καὶ τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κατασκηνώσεις, ὁ δὲ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἔχει ποῦ τὴν κεφαλὴν κλίνῃ. Δὶο καὶ τὸν γραμματέα τοῦτον ἐπαγγελλόμενον ἀκολουθήσειν αὐτῷ, καὶ τῷ μὲν ῥήματι βοῶντα, τῇ δὲ διανοίᾳ μὴ σχολάζοντα, ἀλλ' ἐν ἑτέροις ἀφελκόμενον ὁρῶν ὁ Κύριος, ἐδυσώπει διὰ τοῦ ἐλέγχου· καὶ οὔτε ὡς ἀπορεπόμενος τοῦτον ἐδίωκεν, οὔτε ὡς ἀγνοῶν ἐπλανᾶτο ὑπὸ τῶν τούτου ῥημάτων· ἀλλὰ καὶ ὡς εἰδὼς ἤλεγχε, καὶ ὡς παιδεύων διωρθοῦτο. Μονονουχὶ γὰρ τοῦτο λέγων ἐδίδασκεν, ὡς ἅρα οὐδεὶς δύναται τῷ Λόγῳ ἀκολουθεῖν ἀναπαυόμενος ἐν ἀλόγοις, οὐδὲ τῶν ἀλόγων ὁ φίλος δύναται τὸν Λόγον δεχεσθαι, οὐδὲ ὁ τὰ ἄλογα φανταζόμενος δύναται τοῦ Λόγου μεταλαμβάνειν ἔννοιαν. Ἀμέλει ἐκ τῆς τόλμης τὸ γνώρισμα τῆς προπετείας καὶ ἀπαιδευσίας ἔξεστιν αὐτοῦ καταμαθεῖν. Εἰ γὰρ ἠπίστατο τοῦ Λόγου τὴν δύναμιν, οὐκ ἂν ὅλως φαντασίαν εἰλήφει πνευματικοῦ Λόγου, οὐκ ἂν ἄνθρωπος ὤν ἐξισοῦν ἑαυτὸν ἐτόλμα τῇ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἀκαταλήπτῳ δυνάμει λέγων·Ἀκολουθεῖν μὲν γὰρ ἁπλούστερον τῷ Σωτῆρι πρὸς τὸ τῆς διδασκαλίας αὐτοῦ ἀκούειν δυνατὸν τῇ ανθρωπίνῃ φύσει, καὶ τοῦτο κατὰ τὴν αὐτου φιλανθρωπίαν· συνεκτείνεσθαι δὲ καὶ συντρέχειν αὐτῷ πανταχοῦ, τοῦτο καὶ ἀδύνατον καὶ τολμηρὸν τῷ ἐπαγγελλομένῳ. Οὔτε γὰρ ἀναπαυομένῳ αὐτῷ παρὰ τῷ Πατρὶ συνεῖναι δυνάμεθα· πῶς γὰρ, ἄλλης φύσεως τυγχάνοντες; οὔτε πανταχοῦ αὐτῷ ὄντι συνδραμεῖν οἷον τε. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἀχώρητος, οἱ δὲ χωρητοί· καὶ ὁ μὲν ἐν τῷ παντὶ μεμετρημένην ἔχομεν τὴν σύστασιν· καὶ ὁ μὲν Κύριος ἀκινήτως καὶ ἀμεταβάτως κινεῖ τὰ πανταχοῦ , καὶ τὰ ὅλα διοικεῖ· ἄνθρωποι δὲ, μεταβαίνοντες ἁφ' οὖ κινούμεθα, λειπόμεθα τῇ ἀπολείψει τοῦ τόπου πρὸς τὴν ἀμετάβατον πανταχοῦ τῆς θεότητος αὐτοῦ παρουσίαν. Ἀλλ' ὁ Κύριος κατ' ἀμφότερα τοῦτον διορθοῦται, καὶ τὸ μὲν ἀνέτοιμον τῆς προθέσεως διελέγχει, τὴν δὲ τῆς θεότητος αὐτοῦ μεγαλειότητα παιδεύει, λέγων· Αἱ ἀλώπεκες φωλεοὺς ἔχουσι, καὶ τὰ ἐξῆς. Ἴσον δὲ τούτῳ εἰπεῖν ἐστι, τὰ μὲν γενητὰ πάντα χωρητὰ τυγχάνει, καὶ τόποις διίστατι, ὁ δὲ Λόγος ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀχώρητον ἔχει τὴν δύναμιν· ὥστε τοῦ μεν λέγειν, ὅτι Ὅπου ἐὰν ἀπέρχῃ ἀκολουθήσε σοι, παῦσαι· εἰ δὲ μαθητεύεσθαι θέλεις, ἀπόστα τῶν ἀλόγων, οἰκειώθητι δὲ τῷ Λόγῳ· ἀδύνατον γὰρ τὸν ἀλογίᾳ συνόντα Λόγου γενέσθαι μαθητήν. Ἅγιος Ἀθανάσιος, Τὸ Κατὰ Λουκαν Ἐπαγγελιον Source: Migne PG 26.1400d-1401c

It happened that He was walking with them in the way and someone said to Him, 'I shall follow you wherever you may go.' Jesus said to him: 'Foxes have their holes, and the birds the dwelling places of the sky, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest His head.' 1 As the passage says, this fellow promised to follow Him, but as one crying out to Him with words and with no sense in the mind, for the Lord observing him being dragged away into other things, He shamed him with reproof, and that not as one turning away and driving him off, nor as one bewildered by the ignorance of his words, but He reproved as one with knowledge, and corrected as one with learning. For when He said these things, He taught that no one is able to follow the Word if they are resting in irrational things, nor is it possible that the lover of irrational things receive the Word, nor may the one who mixes with irrational things come to knowledge of the Word. Certainly the man's statement came from recklessness, and temerity and ignorance. For if the power of the Word is doubted, one has not at all grasped the understanding of the spiritual Word, nor when he was a man, would he have dared to say that he by himself was going to equal the incomprehensible power of the Saviour, saying ' I will follow you wherever you may go.' To follow the Saviour simply by attendance to His teaching is certainly possible for human nature, and this on account of His mercy, but when this is extended to a going with Him everywhere, that certainly is not possible, and it exhibits the recklessness of the promise. One is not able to repose with Him in the lap of the Father. For how does one acquire that different nature? Nor are we able to go with Him who is everywhere. He is not circumscribed by anything, and we are. He is in everything and outside everything; we however in everything have a certain set measure. He, the Lord, is immovable and immutable, and moves all things, and rules over all things; but being men we are changed by what moves us, and by this are certainly inferior to Him whose deity is present everywhere and changeless. So the Lord concerning both of these things corrects him, and reproves the low and uninformed promise. Teaching the greatness of His deity, He says, 'Foxes have their holes, etc' And perhaps by these things He means all things that come to be are contained in a place and set apart in a place, but the power of the Word of God is not contained by any place, so that when such a thing is said as 'I will follow you wherever you may go,' it must be restrained. Thus if you wish to learn, restrain yourself from irrational things and apply yourself to the Word. It is not possible that he who dwells with irrational things walks as a pupil of the Word. Saint Athanasius, On the Gospel of St Luke, Fragment 1 Lk 9.57-58

Cutting Off Clergy

βαδίζοντες δὲ τὴν ἀπλανῆ καὶ ζωηφόρον ὁδὸν, ὀφθαλμὸν, μὲν ἐκκόψωμεν σκανδαλίζοντα· μὴ τὸν αἰσθητὸν, ἀλλὰ τὸν νοητόν· οἶον ἐὰν ὁ ἐπίσοκοπος ἤ ὁ πρεσβύτερος, οἱ ὄντες ὀφθαλμοὶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, κακῶς, ἀναστρέφωνται καὶ σκανδαλίζωσαι τὸν λαὸν, χρὴ αὐτοὺς ἐκβάλλεσθαι. Συμφέρον γὰρ ἄνευ αὐτῶν συναθροίζεσθαι εἰς εὐκτήριον οἴκον, ἤ μετ' αὐτῶν ἐμβληθῆναι, ὡς μετὰ Ἂννα καὶ Καϊάφα, εἰς τὴν γέενναν τοῦ πυρός. Ὁμοίως καὶ ἡ χεὶρ ὁ διάκονος, ἐὰν ἀνάξιόν τι πράττῃ, χωριζέσθω τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου Ἅγιος Ἀθανάσιος, Ἐκλογή Source: Migne PG 26.1257c

Walking in the way that does not deceive and gives life, let us tear out the eye if it scandalises, 1 not materially but spiritually; so that if, for example, a bishop or presbyter, who are the eyes of the Church, conduct himself in vile manner and scandalise the people, let him be cast out. For it befits them to be separated from those gathered in the house of prayer, and to be thrown out among those who are, as with Anna and Caiaphas, in the hell of fire. Likewise, if a deacon, who is the hand, 2 should have done something disgraceful, let him be removed from the altar. Saint Athanasius, Fragment 1 Mt 5.29 2 Mt 5.30

Word And Flesh

Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος...καὶ ὁ λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο. Τὸ γὰρ, ἦν, ἐπὶ τῆς θεότητος αὐτοῦ αναφέρεται· τὸ δὲ, σὰρξ ἐγένετο, ἐπὶ τοῦ σώματος. Ὁ Λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο, οὐκ εἰς σάρκα ἀναλυθεὶς, ἀλλὰ σάρκα φορέσας· ὡς δ' ἂν εἴποι τις· Ὁ δεῖνα γέγονε γὲρων, οὐκ ἐξ ἀρχῆς γεννηθείς· ἤ, Ὁ στρατιώτης βετεράνος ἐγένετο, οὐ πρότερον τοιοῦτος ὤμοἶος γέγονεν. Ἰωάννης, Ἐγενόμην, φησὶν, ἐν τῇ νήσῳ τῇ Πάτμῳ, ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ Κυριακῇ· οὐχ ὅτι ἐκεῖ γέγονεν, ἤ γεγένηται· ἀλλ' εἶπεν, Ἐγενόμην ἐν Πάτμῳ, ἀντὶ τοῦ, Παρεγενόμην. Οὕτως ὁ Λόγος εἰς σάρακα παραγέγονεν, ὡς λέλεκται· Ὁ Λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο.. Ἅγιος Ἀθανάσιος, Περὶ Πιστωες Λογος Ὁ Μειζων Source: Migne PG 26.1264d-1265a

In the beginning was the Word...and the word was made flesh 1 For the 'was' here refers to His Divinity, and then the 'was made flesh' to his body. The Word became flesh not by being dissolved into flesh, but bearing flesh, as if we might say of someone: 'Oh, he has become old,' when there was not such a thing before , or 'The soldier has become a veteran,' when there was not such a quality before it was brought to be. John says, 'I was on the isle of Patmos on the day of the Lord,' 2 not that he was fashioned there or born there, but he says, 'I was on Patmos,' as if he said, 'I came to'. Thus the Word came to the flesh, and so it is said, 'the Word was made flesh'. Saint Athanasius, The Greater Sermon on the Reason of Faith 1 Jn 1.1, 1.14 2 Apoc 1.9

The Travails Of Seeking

Εκὰλεσα αὐτὸν, καὶ οὐχ ὑπήκουσέ μου. Ἀναστήσομαι καὶ κυκλώσω ἐν τῇ πόλει. Ἀναγνώσομαι τὸν νόμον, ἀναγνώσομαι τοὺς προφήτας, ἐρευνήσω τὰ Εὐαγγέλια. Ταῦτα δὲ κατανυγεῖσα τῷ Θείῳ πόθῳ φησί· Ἐπὶ κοίτην μου ἐν νυξίν. Κοίτην ὀνομάζει τὴν τελειοτέραν τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ μετουσίαν, καὶ νύκτα· λέγει τὸν τῆς κοίτης καιρόν. Διὰ δὲ τοῦ ὀνόματος τῆς νυκτὸς ἐνδείκνυται τῶν ἀοράτων τὴν θεωρίαν, καθ' ὁμοιότητα Μωῦσέως, τοῦ ἐν τῷ γνόφῳ γεγονότος ἐν ᾦ ἦν ὁ Θεός. Τοῦ αὐτοῦ. Οὐ γὰρ ᾔδειν τίς ἦν ὁ τρώσας με. Θεογνωσίαν μοι κοιμωμένῃ ἐνέσπειρεν ὁ Λόγος. Ταχέως διαναστᾶσα, ζητῶ τὸν τρώσαντα, καὶ παρακαλῷ αὐτῷ ὀφθῆναί μοι, καὶ περιέρχομαι ζητοῦσα τὸν ἀδελφιδοῦν μου. Ἅγιος Ἀθανάσιος, Εἰς Τα Ἀσματα Των Ἀσμάτων, Ἐκλογή Source: Migne PG 27.1348d-1349a

I called him and he did not answer me. I rose up and went about the city. 1 I read the Law, I read the Prophets, I study the Gospel. These things, she says, strike me with Divine love: On my bed in the night. 2 The bed it names the perfect participation in goodness, and the night as the right time for the bed. For by the name of night is indicated the contemplation of invisible things, as in the manner of Moses, who was in the darkness in which was God. 3 On the same. I did not know who it was that wounded me. While I was asleep the Word sowed Divine knowledge in me. Swiftly I rose up seeking the one who wounded me, and I cried out that he be shown to me, and I wandered about seeking my brother's son.  Saint Athanasius, Fragment on The Song of Songs 1 Song 3.2 2 Song 3.1 3 Exodus 20.21

Mary And The Word

Εἰποῦσα δὲ ἡ παναγία Παρθένος· Ἰδοὺ ἡ δούλη Κυρίου, γένοιτό μοι κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμά σου· τοῦτο ἐδήλεωσεν· Πίναξ εἰμὶ, φησὶν, γραφόμενος ὃ βούλεται ὁ γραφεύς. Γραφέτω, ποιείτω ὃ θέλει ὁ τοῦ παντὸς Κύριος. Ἅγιος Ἀθανάσιος, Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Λούκαν Εὐάγγελιον, Ἐκλογή Source: Migne PG 27.1302c

The all holy Virgin saying, 'Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to your word,' 1 by this declared: 'I am a tablet, let be written what the writer wishes. Let it be written, let it be done as the Lord of all wishes.' Saint Athanasius, Fragment on Luke 1 Lk 1.38