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Translated by Cardinal Newman.
St Athanasius the Great Resources Online and in Print
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This Part: 130 Pages
Page 129
35. But if Scripture often calls even the body by the name of Christ, as in the blessed Peter's words to Cornelius, when he teaches him of 'Jesus of Nazareth, whom God anointed with the Holy Ghost,' and again to the Jews, 'Jesus of Nazareth, a Man approved of God for you [3430] ,' and again the blessed Paul to the Athenians, 'By that Man, whom He ordained, giving assurance to all men, in that He raised Him from the dead [3431] ' (for we find the appointment and the mission often synonymous with the anointing; from which any one who will may learn, that there is no discordance in the words of the sacred writers, but that they but give various names to the union of God the Word with the Man from Mary, sometimes as anointing, sometimes as mission, sometimes as appointment), it follows that what the blessed Peter says is right [3432] , and he proclaims in purity the Godhead of the Only begotten, without separating the subsistence of God the Word from the Man from Mary (perish the thought! for how should he, who had heard in so many ways, 'I and the Father are one,' and 'He that hath seen Me, hath seen the Father [3433] ?)' In which Man, after the resurrection also, when the doors were shut, we know of His coming to the whole band [3434] of the Apostles, and dispersing all that was hard to believe in it by His words, 'Handle Me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have [3435] .' And He did not say, 'This,' or 'this Man which I have taken to Me,' but 'Me.' Wherefore the Samosatene will gain no allowance, being refuted by so many arguments for the union of God the Word, nay by God the Word Himself, who now brings the news to all, and assures them by eating, and permitting to them that handling of Him which then took place. For certainly he who gives food to others, and they who give him, touch hands. For 'they gave Him,' Scripture says, 'a piece of a broiled fish and of an honey-comb, and' when He had 'eaten before them, He took the remains and gave to them [3436] .' See now, though not as Thomas was allowed, yet by another way, He afforded to them full assurance, in being touched by them; but if you would now see the scars, learn from Thomas. 'Reach hither thy hand and thrust it into My side, and reach hither thy finger and behold My hands [3437] ;' so says God the Word, speaking of His own [3438] side and hands, and of Himself as whole man and God together, first affording to the Saints even perception of the Word through the body [3439] , as we may consider, by entering when the doors were shut; and next standing near them in the body and affording full assurance. So much may be conveniently said for confirmation of the faithful, and correction of the unbelieving.
[3430] Acts x. 38; ii. 22.
[3431] Acts xvii. 31.
[3432] ii. 44, n. 1.
[3433] John x. 30; xiv. 9.
[3434] xunoris.
[3435] Luke xxiv. 39.
[3436] Ib. xxiv. 42, 43, vid. Wetstein in loc.
[3437] John xx. 27.
[3438] Cf. iii. 33, n. 5.
[3439] Vid. 1 John i. 1
Reference address : https://www.elpenor.org/athanasius/discourses-against-arians-2.asp?pg=129
