Vigils Reading – St Athanasius

From the writing of

ST ATHANASIUS

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It is not a dark saying but a divine mystery. “In the beginning was the

Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”; but for our sakes

afterwards the “Word was made flesh.” And the term in question, “highly

exalted”, does not signify that the substance of the Word was exalted, for He was

ever and is “equal to God”, but the exaltation is of His humanity. Accordingly,

this is not said before the Word became flesh; that it might be plain that

“humbled” and “exalted” are spoken of His human nature, for where there is

humble estate, there too may be exaltation; and if because of His taking flesh

“humbled” is written, it is clear that “highly exalted” is also said because of it…

Since then the Word, being the Image of the Father and immortal, took

the form of a servant, and as man underwent for us death in His flesh, that

thereby He might offer Himself for us through death to the Father; therefore

also, as man, He is said because of us and for us to be highly exalted, that as by

His death we all died in Christ, so again in the Christ Himself we might be highly

exalted, being raised from the dead, and ascending into heaven…

But if now for us the Christ is entered into heaven itself, though He was

even before and always Lord and Framer of the heavens, for us therefore is that

present exaltation also written. And as He Himself, who sanctifies all, says also

that He sanctifies Himself to the Father for our sake, not that the Word may

become holy, but that He Himself may in Himself sanctify all of us, in like

manner we must take the present phrase, “He highly exalted Him”, not that He

Himself should be exalted, for He is the highest, but that He may become

righteousness for us; and we may be exalted in Him, and that we may enter the

gates of heaven, which He has also opened for us, the forerunners saying, “Lift

up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of

Glory shall come in.” For here also not on Him were shut the gates, who is Lord

and Maker of all, but because of us is this too written, to whom the door of

paradise was shut.

And therefore in a human relation, because of the flesh which He bore, it

is said of Him, “Lift up, O ye gates”, and “shall come in”, as if humanity were

entering; but in a divine relation on the other hand it is said of Him, since the

“Word was God”, that He is the “Lord” and the “King of Glory”. For as Christ

died and was exalted as man, so, as man, is He said to take what, as God He ever

had, that even this so high a grant of grace might reach to us.