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By Archibald Robertson.
St Athanasius the Great Resources Online and in Print
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76 Pages (Part II)
Page 26
(c) This leads us to the important observation that momentous as are to Athanasius the consequences of the introduction of sin into the world, he yet makes no such vast difference between the condition of fallen and unfallen men as has commonly been assumed to exist. The latter state was inferior to that of the members of Christ (Orat. ii. 67, 68), while the immense (c. Gent. 8, de Incar. 5) consequences of its forfeiture came about only by a gradual course of deterioration (de Incar. 6. 1, ephanizeto; observe the tense), and in different degrees in different cases. The only difference of kind between the two conditions is in the universal reign of Death since the (partial) forfeiture of the tou kat' eikona charis: and even this difference is a subtle one; for man's existence in Paradise was not one of aphtharsia except prospectively (de Incar. 3. 4). He enjoyed present happiness, alupos anodunos amerimnos zoe, with promise of aphtharsia in heaven. That is, death would have taken place, but not death as unredeemed mankind know it (cf. de Incar. 21. 1). In other words, man was created not so much in a state of perfection (teleios ktistheis, p. 384) as with a capacity for perfection (and for even more than perfection, p. 385 sq.) and with a destiny to correspond with such capacity. This destination remains in force even after man has failed to correspond to it, and is in fact assigned by Athanasius as the reason why the Incarnation was a necessity on God's part (de Incar. 6. 4-7, 10. 3, 13. 2-4, Orat. ii. 66, &c., &c.). Accordingly, while man was created (Orat. ii. 59) through the Word, the Word became Flesh that man might receive the yet higher dignity of Sonship [91] ; and while even before the Incarnation some men were de facto pure from sin (Orat. iii. 33) by virtue of the charis tes kleseos involved in ;;to kat' eikona' (see ib. 10, fin.; Orat. i. 39 is even stronger, cf. iv. 22), they were yet thnetoi and phthartoi; whereas those in Christ die, no longer kata ten proteran genesin en to 'Adam, but to live again logotheises tes sarkos (Orat. iii. 33, fin., cf. de Incar. 21. 1).
[91] The above is strikingly illustrated by the discussion (pp. 381-383) of prototokos pases ktiseos (Col. i. 15). At first sight Ath. appears to contradict himself, explaining prototokos as he does first solely of the Saviour as Incarnate, and then of the cosmic and creative function of the Word. But closer examination brings out his view of creation itself (p. 383) as an act of Grace, demanding not (as the current Eastern theology held, in common with Arius) the mediation of a subordinate Creator, but an act of absolutely Divine condescension analogous to, and anticipatory of, the Incarnation. The apparently disturbing persistence in the argument of the cosmological explanation of prototokos is really therefore due to a subtle change in it, by virtue of which it comes into relation with the Soteriological idea,--which is the pivot of the entire anti-Arian position of Athanasius on this question,--and with the ultimate scheme in which (cf. Rom. viii.) the effects of the Incarnation are to embrace the whole creation. Because creation as such involves the promise of adoption, and tends to deification as its goal, the Son is prototokos in the region of Grace and of Creation alike.
Reference address : https://www.elpenor.org/athanasius/athanasius-life-arianism-2.asp?pg=26
