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Translated by Cardinal Newman.
St Athanasius the Great Resources Online and in Print
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11 Pages
Page 6
5. How the test 'Coessential' came to be adopted at Nicaea.
But not even thus are they ashamed, although they say such things as cause them to be hated by all; citing the Synod of Ariminum, only to shew that there also they were deposed. And as to the actual definition of Nicaea, that the Son is coessential with the Father, on account of which they ostensibly oppose the synod, and buzz around everywhere like gnats about the phrase, either they stumble at it from ignorance, like those who stumble at the stone of stumbling that was laid in Sion [3733] ; or else they know, but for that very reason are constantly opposing and murmuring, because it is an accurate declaration and full in the face of their heresy. For it is not the phrases that vex them, but the condemnation of themselves which the definition contains. And of this, once again, they are themselves the cause, even if they wish to conceal the fact of which they are perfectly aware,--But we must now mention it, in order that hence also the accuracy of the great synod may be shewn. For [3734] the assembled bishops wished to put away the impious phrases devised by the Arians, namely 'made of nothing,' and that the Son was 'a thing made,' and a 'creature,' and that 'there was a time when He was not,' and that 'He is of mutable nature.' And they wished to set down in writing the acknowledged language of Scripture, namely that the Word is of God by nature Only-begotten, Power, Wisdom of the Father, Very God, as John says, and as Paul wrote, brightness of the Father's glory and express image of His person [3735] . But Eusebius and his fellows, drawn on by their own error, kept conferring together as follows: 'Let us assent. For we also are of God: for "there is one God of whom are all things [3736] ," and "old things are passed away, behold all things are made new, but all things are of God [3737] ."' And they considered what is written in the Shepherd [3738] , 'Before all things believe that God is one, who created and set all things in order, and made them to exist out of nothing.' But the Bishops, beholding their craftiness, and the cunning of their impiety, expressed more plainly the sense of the words 'of God,' by writing that the Son is of the Essence of God, so that whereas the Creatures, since they do not exist of themselves without a cause, but have a beginning of their existence, are said to be 'of God,' the Son alone might be deemed proper to the Essence of the Father. For this is peculiar to one who is Only-begotten and true Word in relation to a Father, and this was the reason why the words 'of the essence' were adopted. Again [3739] , upon the bishops asking the dissembling minority if they agreed that the Son was not a Creature, but the Power and only Wisdom of the Father, and the Eternal Image, in all respects exact, of the Father, and true God, Eusebius and his fellows were observed exchanging nods with one another, as much as to say 'this applies to us men also, for we too are called "the image and glory of God [3740] ," and of us it is said, "For we which live are alway [3741] ," and there are many Powers, and "all the power [3742] of the Lord went out of the land of Egypt," while the caterpillar and the locust are called His "great power [3743] ." And "the Lord of powers [3744] is with us, the God of Jacob is our help." For we hold that we are proper [3745] to God, and not merely so, but insomuch that He has even called us brethren. Nor does it vex us, even if they call the Son Very God. For when made He exists in verity.'
[3733] Rom. ix. 33.
[3734] This passage repeats in substance the account in de Decr. 19.
[3735] hupostasis
[3736] 1 Cor. viii. 6.
[3737] 2 Cor. v. 17, 18.
[3738] Herm. Mand. 1.
[3739] Cf. de Decr. S:20, ubi supr.
[3740] 1 Cor. xi. 7.
[3741] Ps. cxv. 18 (v. 26, LXX.); cf. 2 Cor. iv. 11.
[3742] dunamis, Ex. xii. 41
[3743] Joel ii. 25.
[3744] dunameon, Ps. xlvi. 7.
[3745] idious.
Reference address : https://elpenor.org/athanasius/ad-afros-epistola-synodica.asp?pg=6
