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Athanasian Creed · 4 of 9

Concerning the Creed of Athanasius (continued)

30.CONCERNING THE CREED OF ATHANASIUS This is altogether in harmony, if only one God is acknowledged, so that one does not think of three Persons; and then if the Creed of Athanasius is read in accordance therewith, and no other idea is suffered to enter, full harmony is effected. (1) No one denies that the Divine which took upon Itself the Human was His Divine; thus that the Lord Himself suffered Himself to be born. Hence it follows that this is the Divine of which He was conceived, concerning which we read in Matthew and in Luke; and that this is the very Divine, and no other besides it, which He called His Father; nor was there any other; according to what is said in Matthew, that Joseph “touched her not”; and in Luke, when Mary said that she “knew not a man”; and when Joseph “found that she was with child,” and on that account wished to put her away. (2) The Divine of the Lord took upon Itself the Human; and if the Divine is one, it follows that the Divine Itself, which is one, took it upon Itself. Nor does the idea that the Divine which created the universe put on the Human, make anything against this; for it is said in the Creed that the Divine of the one Person and the Divine of the other Person are altogether equal, in these words: As the Father is infinite, eternal, uncreate, omnipotent, God, Lord, so likewise is the Son; for no one is first or last, greatest or least; but they are altogether equal. What then does it matter whether I think that the Divine of the Lord or the Divine of the Father took it upon Itself, since in either case there exists a similar idea? For when it is said that the Divine of the Father put on the Human, the idea which at the present day exists in the Christian world stands in opposition; when nevertheless this statement is altogether like the other, since the one Divine is altogether the equal of the other. (3) It is said that the Lord was perfect God and perfect Man; or it is said concerning the Human that He was perfect Man, consisting of a rational soul and a perfect body; and afterwards, that He was Man from the nature of the mother. No one who thinks on this subject from the Divine order that is known to everyone, can still bring it into his faith; for this would be saying that the Lord can exist a rational Man, or a perfect Man, from the mother alone. Was He not from the Father? And are not life and the first of life from the father, and its additions from the mother? To believe that the Lord was perfect Man from the mother alone, is wholly contrary to all order, and contrary to what is stated. Is not the image of the father in his children as much as that of the mother? The very love or the ruling affection of a father stands out clearly in grandchildren and in families. In a word, there must be father and mother, that a man may be a perfect man. How then is it to be believed that He was perfect Man from the mother? And does it not thence follow that the Divine was in the Lord from conception, as is the soul with every man? (5) This was clearly seen by Athanasius, when he said that God and Man are one Christ, and not two but a united Person, like soul and body. From these things it is evident that according to the faith of our Creed the Divine and the Human in the Lord are together in one Person, and not that the Divine is outside of the Human, as many insanely hold in the idea of their thought. (6) And still further, it is said that the two natures were not commixed, but that the Divine took to Itself the Human. Neither are soul and body commixed, with any man; but with everyone the soul clothes Itself with the body, and thus takes to Itself that which is called the human. In this likewise there is agreement. (7) And when the Divine takes to Itself the Human, and unites Itself with it as soul and body, so that there is one united person, then also the human becomes a partaker of the Divine; that is to say, by unition. From this, likewise, it may be manifest that the human also is Divine. (8) This, likewise, is confirmed in the Word; as in the Old Testament, where it said that a “Son” was born, whose name shall be called “God,” “Father of eternity”; whose name is “God-with-us”; whose name is “Jehovah our justice”; these things are said concerning the Human of the Lord, for it is said that the “Son” shall so be called (Isa. 9:6). And this is also confirmed elsewhere, particularly in Revelation, where such things are said concerning “the Son of man”; by which name, also, the Divine Human of the Lord is meant.

31.(Let these things first be set forth briefly, or in the form of summaries, in a few words; and let them afterwards be clearly explained.)

32.Think, my reader, what kind of an idea you are able to have of a Son born from eternity. Is it not such an idea that it at once puts itself to flight, and consequently becomes null? So that when there is no idea there is sound only, with which no thought has anything in common? And is God to be thought of so? But if there be thought from the idea which has now been presented, then the idea becomes comprehensible; and in such alone can there be faith.

33.The learned, according to their idea, place the Divine of the Lord outside of Himself, for the reason that they think of the Divine of the Father, and think only of the Human of the Lord separate from the Divine, and do not think of the Divine of the Lord Himself in the Human. Nor do they attend to the last words in the Creed of Athanasius, which they do not at all weigh; but they abide solely in the idea of the two natures, and these they separate, contrary to the words of the Creed.

34.And because they separate the Divine from the Human, and place the Divine outside of His Human in the idea of their thought, it follows that they think that the Human with the rational soul and the perfect body existed from the mother alone. That to think thus is contrary to all that is rational in man, anyone may see.

35.If, therefore, there be a Trinity or a trine of the Lord, namely, the Divine from conception which is the Father, the Divine Human which is the Son, and the proceeding Divine which is the Holy Spirit, then all things and every particular fall distinctly into thought, and there can also be a comprehension of God.

36.This likewise can be deduced from the Creed of Athanasius. And let it be explained: (1) That as the one, so the other, is infinite, eternal, uncreate, omnipotent, God and Lord, yet still there are not three infinites but one; this can then be comprehended. (2) That there is one God; and there is no need of saying with Athanasius that, although each Person is God, nevertheless according to the Christian faith He is to be called one God - from which there is the appearance of his having said, that, although there are three Gods, nevertheless he was only able to say one God. (3) Then that no one is greatest or least, first or last, but that they are altogether equal; this, too, can be comprehended. (4) And likewise that they are not two, but one Christ; and that the Divine and the Human of the Lord are one Person. (5) That they were not commixed, but that the Divine took to Itself the Human. (6) That they are one as soul and body. (7) Also that it is then known that the Lord was gifted with a rational soul and a perfect body, not from the mother alone, but from the Father and the mother; this, also, may then be comprehended. (8) Then likewise may be comprehended all things that are said in the Word concerning the Lord - as that the Father and He are one; that the Father is in Him and He in the Father; also many other passages. (9) Only let it be understood that the Divine took to Itself the Human successively while He was in the world (of which in its own place).

37.In a word, all things of the Creed of Athanasius may thus be comprehended, as consistent. But if this be not known and received, nothing whatever in the whole Creed can be comprehended, when yet this Creed is the most essential thing of the church.

38.That the Human of the Lord is the Son of God, and that it is the Holy, is plainly said in Luke: Wherefore the Holy One that is born of thee, shall be called the Son of God (Luke 1:35).

39.The way to heaven is to the Lord; for He says: I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one cometh to the Father but by Me (John 14:6). The same is likewise meant where it is said: Ye shall ask the Father in My name (John 14:13; 15:16). (And He says, Hereafter ye shall not pray the Father, but Me; also, “I will give to you.” Find where this is said, and let it be explained. See Matt. 11:28; John 14:14; 16:26; Rev. 2:10, 17, 23, 28; 21:6.)

40.That is called saving faith, which is from confidence that the Father loves for the sake of the Son; but by this no one is saved. The Father never hears you, but the Lord; and by this faith no one is saved. They pass the Lord by, and pray to the Father; which is altogether contrary to the Lord’s commandment; and besides, no one hath seen the Father, nor heard His voice.

41.Authority over heaven and earth belongs to the Lord (Dan. 7:14; Rev. 11:15).

42.That the Human of the Lord is equal to His Divine, may be seen in John: The Jews sought to kill Jesus, because He said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. Jesus saith, Verily, verily, I say unto you what things soever the Father hath done, these also doeth the Son likewise. As the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them, even so the Son quickeneth whom He will (John 5:18 to the end). (Add the passages which follow, and deduce from them that the Human of the Lord is Divine: Zech. 3:8; Micah, 5:2. There are many passages in Revelation, which may be read before, also the Prophets of the Old Testament, and the Gospels gathered therefrom.)