Crumbs from the Table

 I have been reading the classic work by fourth-century Athanasius of Alexandria, setting forth and defending the incarnation of the Eternal Word in Jesus Christ.  I would like to offer my precis of the first chapters, tracing Athanasius' line of argument, as I have found each "chapter" (extended paragraph) most eye-opening and uplifting.  1. Athanasius begins by marking the transition from the previous half of the work, "Against the Heathens", in which he has written against idols (false gods). Addressing his reader, Macarius, he writes, "come now... let us... set forth also what relates to the Word's becoming Man and to his divine appearing among us."  Athanasius proposes to began by identifying the "cause [i.e. reason why] of the bodily appearance of the Word of the Father".  He will begin his line of reasoning by considering creation, since the renewal of creation "has been the work of the self-same word who made it in the beginn

 I have decided to take time to read through a classic work of the 4th century, "On the Incarnation" by Athanasius of Alexandria (Alexandria was a prominent city in Egypt and one of the centres of Christianity in the early centuries.)   Athanasius lived approx. 296 to 373. He was at first a deacon in Alexandria, and acted as assistant to bishop Alexander at the Church Council convened at Nicea in 325 to deal with the Arian controversy. Arius, a Christian pastor, taught that the Word of God (Son of God) was not divine and eternal, but rather had a beginning. When his bishop died, Athanasius took his place and led the fight against Arianism in all its forms, gaining the nickname Athanasius Contra Mundum (Athanasius against the World). His work, "On the Incarnation" is the second part of a two-part work, the preceding first part being "Against the Heathen." Having refuted idolatry, Athanasius turns to consider the incarnation.   Having read the first 17 "

A few days ago I was listening to some preaching on Premier Christian Radio. In the few moments of listening to the preacher, he drew attention to the meaning attached to just one word. But that word opens up glorious depths of meaning. Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd." (John 10) The word "good" here is the word "kalos".  Strongs expresses the semantic field (range of meaning) of "kalos" in the following terms: ""beautiful, handsome, excellent, eminent, choice, surpassing, precious, useful, suitable, commendable, admirable". Like the wine at Cana, or the precious stones adorning the Jerusalem temple, or the Fair Haven of Acts 27. There is a Christian text called the Philokalia, which is a compendium of commendable things, beloved of those who read them.  When we say Christ is the good shepherd, he is more that just the "not evil" shepherd; he is the excellent, appealing, choice, fitting shepherd. 

At church on Sunday evenings we have begun a series in Hebrews. This exposition of the Christian faith has been somewhat eclipsed by the letter to the Romans. While clearly written from a Jewish perspective, and thus most immediately relevant to Jewish Christians, the letter to the Hebrews nevertheless provides, for all of us, a magnificent exposition of the Christian faith, presenting Christ as Son and Great High Priest.  Right from the start of the letter, Christ is presented in the most exalted terms as the Son whose name is far superior and more excellent than the angels.  In the first chapter the letter to the Hebrews makes the strongest case that God the Father himself refers to the Son as "my Son", calls on angels to worship him, acknowledges the Son's reign ("Your throne, O God"), speaks of him as eternal Creator, and says to him, "Sit at my right hand."  The full deity of the Son, and his equality with the Father is a truth central to and esse