Day 1071 · Year 3 · The Great Tradition
Athanasius on why God became human
Against those who thought Jesus was less than fully God.
Today's passage
Hebrews 2:14-17
14Now since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity, so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death, that is, the devil,
15and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
16For surely it is not the angels He helps, but the descendants of Abraham.
17For this reason He had to be made like His brothers in every way, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, in order to make atonement for the sins of the people.
Berean Standard Bible · public domain
Reflection
In the fourth century, a popular teacher named Arius taught that Jesus was a created being — God's first and finest work, but not God himself. Athanasius of Alexandria stood almost alone and said no: if Jesus is not fully God, he cannot save us; and if he is not fully human, he cannot represent us. Hebrews 2 says exactly this. Jesus shared in flesh and blood so that, through death, he could destroy death. Watered-down theology produces watered-down hope. The full deity and full humanity of Christ is not a technicality; it is your rescue.
From the great tradition · paraphrased
Athanasius of Alexandria · Cappadocians & Alexandrians · 4th c. · Egypt
Athanasius held the line that the Word became flesh fully — not partially — so that human nature itself could be rescued from inside, and so that what we know of God in Christ is God himself.
Paraphrase only. Scripture, not any teacher, is the authority.
Think it through
- Why did Jesus share in flesh and blood, according to verses 14–15?
- Why does it matter that he is fully God and fully human?
- Where has your view of Jesus shrunk smaller than the New Testament's?
A prayer to pray
Worship Christ as both fully God and fully man. Thank him that your rescue depends on who he actually is.