On the Incarnation of the Word 6
6 On the other hand there was the consistency of God's nature, not to be sacrificed for our profit. Were men, then, to be called upon to repent? But repentance cannot avert the execution of a law; still less can it remedy a fallen nature. We have incurred corruption and need to be restored to the Grace of God's Image. None could renew but He Who had created. He alone could (1) recreate all, (2) suffer for all, (3) represent all to the Father
§7. On the other hand there was the consistency of God’s nature, not to be sacrificed for our profit. Were men, then, to be called upon to repent? But repentance cannot avert the execution of a law; still less can it remedy a fallen nature. We have incurred corruption and need to be restored to the Grace of God’s Image. None could renew but He Who had created. He alone could (1) recreate all, (2) suffer for all, (3) represent all to the Father.
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 it were monstrous for God, the Father of truth, to appear a liar for our profit and preservation. 2. So here, once more, what possible course was God to take? To demand repentance of men for their transgression? For this one might pronounce worthy of God; as though, just as from transgression men have become set towards corruption, so from repentance they may once more be set in the way of incorruption. 3. But repentance would, firstly, fail to guard the just claim of God. 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. 4. Now, if there were merely a misdemeanour in question, and not a consequent corruption, repentance were well enough. But if, when transgression had once gained a start, men became involved in that corruption which was their nature, and were deprived of the grace which they had, being in the image of God, what further step was needed? or what was required for such grace and such recall, but the Word of God, which had also at the beginning made everything out of nought? 5. For His it was once more both to bring the corruptible to incorruption, and to maintain intact the just claim of the Father upon all. For being Word of the Father, and above all, He alone of natural fitness was both able to recreate everything, and worthy to suffer on behalf of all and to be ambassador for all with the Father.
Διὰ δὴ ταῦτα πλεῖον τοῦ θανάτου κρατήσαντος καὶ τῆς φθορᾶς παραμενούσης κατὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, τὸ μὲν τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένος ἐφθείρετο· ὁ δὲ λογικὸς καὶ κατ’ εἰκόνα γενόμενος ἄνθρωπος ἠφανίζετο· καὶ τὸ ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ γενόμενον ἔργον παραπώλλυτο.
Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ὁ θάνατος, ὡς προεῖπον, νόμῳ λοιπὸν ἴσχυε καθ’ ἡμῶν· καὶ οὐχ οἷόν τε ἦν τὸν νόμον ἐκφυγεῖν, διὰ τὸ ὑπὸ Θεοῦ τεθεῖσθαι τοῦτον τῆς παραβάσεως χάριν· καὶ ἦν ἄτοπον ὁμοῦ καὶ ἀπρεπὲς τὸ γινόμενον ἀληθῶς.
Ἄτοπον μὲν γὰρ ἦν εἰπόντα τὸν Θεὸν ψεύσασθαι, ὥστε νομοθετήσαντος αὐτοῦ θανάτῳ ἀποθνήσκειν τὸν ἄνθρωπον, εἰ παραβαίῃ τὴν ἐντολὴν, μετὰ τὴν παράβασιν μὴ ἀποθνήσκειν, ἀλλὰ λύεσθαι τὸν τούτου λόγον. οὐκ ἀληθὴς γὰρ ἦν ὁ Θεὸς, εἰ εἰπόντος αὐτοῦ ἀποθνήσκειν ἡμᾶς, μὴ ἀπέθνησκεν ὁ ἄνθρωπος.
Ἀπρεπὲς δὲ ἦν πάλιν τὰ ἅπαξ γενόμενα λογικὰ καὶ τοῦ Λόγου αὐτοῦ μετασχόντα παραπόλλυσθαι, καὶ πάλιν εἰς τὸ μὴ εἶναι διὰ τῆς φθορᾶς ἐπιστρέφειν.
Οὐκ ἄξιον γὰρ ἦν τῆς ἀγαθότητος τοῦ Θεοῦ τὰ ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ γενόμενα διαφθείρεσθαι, διὰ τὴν παρὰ τοῦ διαβόλου γενομένην τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἀπάτην.
Ἄλλως τε καὶ τῶν ἀπρεπεστάτων ἦν τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ τέχνην ἐν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἀφανίζεσθαι ἢ διὰ τὴν αὐτῶν ἀμέλειαν, ἢ διὰ τὴν τῶν δαιμόνων ἀπάτην.
Φθειρομένων τοίνυν τῶν λογικῶν καὶ παραπολλυμένων τῶν τοιούτων ἔργων, τί τὸν Θεὸν ἔδει ποιεῖν ἀγαθὸν ὄντα; ἀφεῖναι τὴν φθορὰν κατ’ αὐτῶν ἰσχεῖν, καὶ τὸν θάνατον αὐτῶν κρατεῖν; καὶ τίς ἡ χρεῖα τοῦ καὶ ἐξ ἀρχῆς αὐτὰ γενέσθαι; ἔδει γὰρ μὴ γενέσθαι, ἢ γενόμενα παραμεληθῆναι καὶ ἀπολέσθαι.
Ἀσθένεια γὰρ μᾶλλον καὶ οὐκ ἀγαθότης ἐκ τῆς ἀμελείας γινώσκεται τοῦ Θεοῦ, εἰ ποιήσας παρορᾷ φθαρῆναι τὸ ἑαυτοῦ ἔργον, ἥπερ εἰ μὴ πεποιήκει κατὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν τὸν ἄνθρωπον.
Μὴ ποιήσαντος μὲν γὰρ οὐκ ἦν ὁ λογιζόμενος τὴν ἀσθένειαν, ποιήσαντος δὲ καὶ εἰς τὸ εἶναι κτίσαντος, ἀτοπώτατον ἦν ἀπόλλυσθαι τὰ ἔργα, καὶ μάλιστα ἐπ’ ὄψει τοῦ πεποιηκότος.
Οὐκοῦν ἔδει τοὺς ἀνθρώπους μὴ ἀφιέναι φέρεσθαι τῇ φθορᾷ, διὰ τὸ ἀπρεπὲς καὶ ἀνάξιον εἶναι τοῦτο τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀγαθότητος.