Did Athanasius Deny Christ's Fear?

Alvyn Pettersen

doi:10.1017/S0036930600030878

Did Athanasius Deny Christ's Fear?

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 February 2009

Alvyn Pettersen

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Alvyn Pettersen: Affiliation:
Exeter College, Oxford 0X1 3DP

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In Contra Arianos 3 Athanasius considers two frightened cries of a man about to be crucified:

My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me;

nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.

My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me?

These he analyses in accordance with the general pattern of his explanation of the passions suffered by the Logos incarnate.

Type: Research Article
Information: Scottish Journal of Theology , Volume 39 , Issue 3 , August 1986 , pp. 327 - 340

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0036930600030878 [Opens in a new window]
Copyright: Copyright © Scottish Journal of Theology Ltd 1986

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^{page 327 note 1} Matt. 26.39.

^{page 327 note 2} Mark 15.34.

^{page 327 note 3} Cf. Pollard, T. E., Johannine Christology and the Early Church. Cambridge, 1970, p. 184f.CrossRef Google Scholar

^{page 327 note 4} Contra Arianos. 3.55.2–21 (References in both the text of the paper and in these footnotes refer to the Bibliotheke Hellenon Pateron kai Ekklesiastikon Syngrapheon. Athens, 1964.Google Scholar)

^{page 327 note 5} Richard, M.. ‘S.Athanase et la psychologie du Christ selon les Ariens’. MSR 4 (1947), p. 5–54.Google Scholar

^{page 327 note 6} Young, F. M., ‘A Reconsideration of Alexandrian Christology’. JEH 22 (1971), p. 103ff.Google Scholar

^{page 327 note 7} Contra Arianos 3.57.4–5.

^{page 328 note 8} Ibid., 57.15.

^{page 328 note 9} Ibid., 57.25–28.

^{page 328 note 10} Sellers, R. V., Two Ancient Christologies. London, 1940, p. 43.Google Scholar

^{page 328 note 11} Contra Arianos 3. 56.27–28; Ibid., 57.12.

^{page 328 note 12} Stead, G. C., Divine Substance. Oxford, 1977, p. 21–22.CrossRef Google Scholar

^{page 328 note 13} Contra Arianos 3.55.31ff.; Ibid., 57.30ff.

^{page 328 note 14} Turner, H. E. W., Jesus the Christ. London, 1975, p. 35.Google Scholar

^{page 328 note 15} Roldanus, J.. Le Christ et I'homme dans la théologie d'Athanase d'Alexandrie. Leiden, 1968, p. 270.Google Scholar

^{page 329 note 16} Contra Arianos 3.54.33–39.

^{page 329 note 17} Ibid., 55.32ff.; cf. Ibid., 32.10–11; Ibid., 31.31–33; Ibid., 56.14, 21–23; cf. F. M. Young. op. cit., 107: For Athanasius Christ's ‘tears, his fear of death … were … a means of displaying the reality of the Incarnation, a proof of the fact that he has assumed the weaknesses of human flesh for our salvation’.

^{page 329 note 18} Ibid., 3.55.27ff.; 55.4ff.

^{page 330 note 19} Young, op. cit., 107; cf. Richard, op. cit., 32f.

^{page 330 note 20} Contra Arianos 3.56.2–6.

^{page 331 note 21} Ibid., 57.15–16.

^{page 331 note 22} Ibid., 57.25–28.

^{page 331 note 23} Richard, op. cit., 35.

^{page 331 note 24} Similar clauses in Contra Arianos 3.57.8 and 11 pave the way for the phrase in 57.15–16.

^{page 331 note 25} Ibid., 57.25–27.

^{page 332 note 26} Ibid., 57.25ff.

^{page 332 note 27} Ibid., 57.14.

^{page 332 note 28} Cf. the use of νομιζουσι in Ibid., 55.28–29.

^{page 333 note 29} Richard, op. cil., 35.

^{page 333 note 30} Contra Arianos 3.56.27–29; Ibid., 57.10–13.

^{page 333 note 31} Cf. R. V. Sellers, op. cit., 43.

^{page 334 note 32} Cf. Athanasius' treatment of man's redemption from ignorance through the gradual unveiling of the godhead in its incarnate state; vid. R. V. Sellers, op. cit., 31 and Prestige, G. L., Fathers and Heretics. London, 1968, p. 158.Google Scholar

^{page 334 note 33} Contra Arianos 3.55.32; 57.3Off.

^{page 335 note 34} Ibid., 34.22–23.

^{page 335 note 35} Ibid., 34.22.

^{page 335 note 36} Richard, op. cit., 34.

^{page 336 note 37} Contra Arianos 3.34.37.

^{page 337 note 38} Ibid., 34.25–26.

^{page 337 note 39} Ibid., 33.19–21.

^{page 337 note 40} Cf. Richard, op. cit., 34: ‘il semble bien admettre la possibilité d'un mouvement psychologique de peur dans la chair du Sauveur. II ne va pas plus loin’.

^{page 338 note 41} Ibid., 34.

^{page 338 note 42} Roldanus, op. cit., 270.

^{page 339 note 43} Vid. Contra Arianos 3.54–55 passim; cf. Gregg, R. and Groh, D., Early Arianism: a View of Salvation. London, 1981, p. 16.Google Scholar

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