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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 82
Chapter XXIX.--Texts Explained; Twelfthly, Matthew xxvi. 39; John xii. 27, &c. Arian inferences are against the Regula Fidei, as before. He wept and the like, as man. Other texts prove Him God. God could not fear. He feared because His flesh feared.
54. Therefore as, when the flesh advanced, He is said to have advanced, because the body was His own, so also what is said at the season of His death, that He was troubled, that He wept, must be taken in the same sense [3168] . For they, going up and down [3169] , as if thereby recommending their heresy anew, allege; "Behold, 'He wept,' and said, 'Now is My soul troubled,' and He besought that the cup might pass away; how then, if He so spoke, is He God, and Word of the Father?" Yea, it is written that He wept, O God's enemies, and that He said, 'I am troubled,' and on the Cross He said, 'Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani,' that is, 'My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?' and He besought that the cup might pass away [3170] . Thus certainly it is written; but again I would ask you (for the same rejoinder must of necessity be made to each of your objections [3171] ), If the speaker is mere man, let him weep and fear death, as being man; but if He is the Word in flesh [3172] (for one must not be reluctant to repeat), whom had He to fear being God? or wherefore should He fear death, who was Himself Life, and was rescuing others from death? or how, whereas He said, 'Fear not him that kills the body [3173] ,' should He Himself fear? And how should He who said to Abraham, 'Fear not, for I am with thee,' and encouraged Moses against Pharaoh, and said to the son of Nun, 'Be strong, and of a good courage [3174] ,' Himself feel terror before Herod and Pilate? Further, He who succours others against fear (for 'the Lord,' says Scripture, 'is on my side, I will not fear what man shall do unto me [3175] '), did He fear governors, mortal men? did He who Himself was come against death, feel terror of death? Is it not both unseemly and irreligious to say that He was terrified at death or hades, whom the keepers of the gates of hades [3176] saw and shuddered? But if, as you would hold, the Word was in terror wherefore, when He spoke long before of the conspiracy of the Jews, did He not flee, nay said when actually sought, 'I am He?' for He could have avoided death, as He said, 'I have power to lay down My life, and I have power to take it again;' and 'No one taketh it from Me [3177] .'
[3168] dianoi& 139;, S:26 et passim.
[3169] ano kai kato, vid. de Decr. 14, n. 1; Or. ii. 34, n. 5.
[3170] John xi. 35; xii. 27; Matt. xxvi. 39; Mark xv. 34.
[3171] Cf. ii. 80.
[3172] S:53, n. 2.
[3173] Luke xii. 4.
[3174] Gen. xv. 1; xxvi. 24; Exod. iv. 12, &c.; Josh. i. 6.
[3175] Ps. cxviii. 6.
[3176] Job xxxviii. 17. LXX.; De Syn. 8, below, S:56.
[3177] John xviii. 5; x. 18.
Reference address : https://www.elpenor.org/athanasius/discourses-against-arians-2.asp?pg=82
