As, then, if a man should wish to see God, Who is invisible by nature and not seen at all, he may know and apprehend Him from His works: so let him who fails to see Christ with his understanding, at least apprehend Him by the works of His body, and test whether they be human works or God's works. Or did not David war against them of Moab, and smite the Syrians, Josias guard against his neighbours, and Ezechias quail at the boasting of Senacherim, and Amalek make war against Moses, and the Amorites oppose him, and the inhabitants of Jericho array themselves against Jesus son of Naue? But our argument shall not delay to grapple with both especially as the proofs at our command against them are clear as day. But just as this consequence must needs hold, so, too, on the other side the just claims of God lie against it: that God should appear true to the law He had laid down concerning death. For his life is taken away from the earth. So the Jews are trifling, and the time in question, which they refer to the future, is actually come. 8. 2. 4. Or whose birth did a star in the skies forerun, to announce to the world him that was born? 6. 3. BLOG  |  HELP  |  SEARCH  |  BOOKSTORE  |  FREEWARE, St Athanasius the Great Home Page   After the fifth exile, St. Athanasius was restored to office on 1 February 366. For He would still be none the more true, if men did not remain in the grasp of death; nor, secondly, does repentance call men back from what is their nature — it merely stays them from acts of sin. Athanasius resolves the paradox of the Incarnate by relying heavily on both Scripture and the teachings of the early Church. For as He offered it to death on behalf of all, so by it He once more made ready the way up into the heavens. 8. Or who, seeing the substance of water changed and transformed into wine, fails to perceive that He Who did this is Lord and Creator of the substance of all waters? 6. To expose the godlessness of idolatry? So weak has he become, that even women who were formerly deceived by him, now mock at him as dead and paralyzed. For even from of old it was prophesied of the peace He was to usher in, where the Scripture says: They Isaiah 2:4 shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their pikes into sickles, and nation shall not take the sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. For if He simply drove out particular demons, it might properly be held that by the chief of demons He prevailed against the lesser, just as the Jews said to Him when they wished to insult Him. But lest, by raising it up when it had remained a long time and been completely corrupted, He should be disbelieved, as though He had exchanged it for some other body — for a man might also from lapse of time distrust what he saw, and forget what had taken place — for this cause He waited not more than three days; nor did He keep long in suspense those whom He had told about the Resurrection: 6. but while the word was still echoing in their ears and their eyes were still expectant and their mind in suspense, and while those who had slain Him were still living on earth, and were on the spot and could witness to the death of the Lord's body, the Son of God Himself, after an interval of three days, showed His body, once dead, immortal and incorruptible; and it was made manifest to all that it was not from any natural weakness of the Word that dwelt in it that the body had died, but in order that in it death might be done away by the power of the Saviour.