Homily on Soul and Body

by Athanasius

Anthony Alcock
The Coptic text forms part of BM Ms. Or. 5!" published by #. A. $allis Bud%e in
Coptic Homilies in the Dialect of Upper Egypt &'ondon !(!)* a Syriac text of more
or less the same +ork" also published there" is contained in BM Ms. Add. !,"!(-. The
title of the Coptic text makes it clear that the +ork has been attributed to
Athanasius" the Syriac to his predecessor Alexander &.!./.-0). Bud%e 1ery sensibly
and helpfully included both texts in his 1olume. My aim here is to present a
translation of the Coptic text" +hich differs in minor points from Bud%e2s
translation. 3t is fairly clear that" if both texts are translated from a 4reek ori%inal"
there must ha1e been t+o 1ersions of it5 the Coptic text is approximately t+ice as
lon% as the Syriac. Bud%e thinks that the Syriac is only a partial translation of the
text. The title of the Syriac text" in addition to 2soul2 and 2body2" includes the +ords
2on the 3ncarnation of Our 'ord2. Bud%e2s pa%e numbers are at the top of each
section and the folio numbers in brackets. The Coptic 6ictionary is cited simply by
the name of the author" Crum.
Many early Christian texts display a certain anti/Semitism" and this is one of them.
An interestin% feature of the phenomenon here is that it ran%es from the in%ratitude
of 7e+s in the pre/Messiah period to their hostility to Christ and his follo+ers in the
Messiah period.
A discourse delivered by the Patriarch Saint Athanasius,
the Archbishop of Alexandria,
about the Soul and the Body
The +ord sent from the hea1ens +ith no en1y in it" this +hich is ready to slake the
thirst of your
!
souls. 8ou yoursel1es" be ready for the po+er of the +ord. But it
-
also
needs one +ho listens. 'ike the rain +hich does not brin% fruit +ithout
.
the earth
and the earth +hich does not bear fruit +ithout the rain" so also the listener does not
benefit +ithout the one +ho teaches him or the teacher +ithout the listener" for the
'o%os +ill %i1e the +ord and obedience" let the listeners perform it.
9
The 'o%os +ill %i1e its stren%th and you yoursel1es :...;
5
+ithout en1y" ha1in%
first purified yourself of all en1y
<
" %rud%in% and lack of belief" for they are the
enemies of ri%hteousness. #n1y is opposed to lo1e" as bitterness to s+eetness"
darkness to li%ht"
(116)
1
Syr. 'our'
2
The pronoun has the pl. form 'they'. I take it to be sing. referring to 'power.'
3
The language of the text is largely Sahidic but there seems to be some confusion here between the use of the
!owels e and a. "ere for example ejm would normally mean 'upon' but the sense re#uires ajm 'without'.
The Syriac reads 'without'. In this passage there is also a certain confusion between two !erbal prefixes$ mere
and mare the former of which is negati!e and the latter optati!e. These errors may be due to the speed at
which %udge worked when he produced his text.
&
Syr. 'the word gi!es what we say listening what we hear'
'
Syr. 'gi!e listening'
(
xwk is probably for kwx 'en!y'.
e1il to %ood" death to life and lies to truth. The thin%s +hich are done throu%h the
po+er of the #nemy ha1e en1y" %rud%in% and faithlessness" +hich hate lo1e" faith"
+hich hate them" for they are the enemies of 4od.
,
$e kno+" my belo1ed" that e1ery one +ho is filled +ith en1y and %rud%in%
and faithlessness is an enemy of ri%hteousness. Therefore" %uard yoursel1es a%ainst
+hat is the enemy of ri%hteousness and recei1e to yoursel1es faith and lo1e" for
throu%h these all the saints ha1e been sa1ed" from the be%innin% until no+.
Sho+ therefore the stren%th of lo1e not in +ord alone but also in deed. =or the
'ord %a1e it to us all for sal1ation. As the entire +orld came into bein% throu%h the
+ord of his mouth" +e did not come into bein% by oursel1es" but he created us in
+ord and deed.
3t +as not enou%h for 4od to say5 2'et us make a man in our ima%e an
likeness2" but he caused the deed to follo+ the +ord. =or 4od took earth from earth
and made it into a man" accordin% to his likeness and ima%e. He breathed into his
face the breath of life.
Adam became sub>ect to death because of his trans%ression. The physical stuff
&plasma) of Adam needed to be re/formed once a%ain by 4od the demiur%e so that it
mi%ht be sa1ed. =or the man +ho decayed
0
+as buried in the earth" his spirit ha1in%
separated from him" the spirit he &4od) breathed into him &man)" +hich had become
a breath of life" +as no+ o1erpo+ered in a dark place +hen he died" in the place
called Amente.
(117)
=or the soul and the body +ere parted" and death separated them from each
other. The soul +as bound in Amente" +hile the flesh disinte%rated in the earth.
There +as a %reat distance bet+een them" the flesh and the soul. The flesh perished
and +as scattered in the earth in +hich it had been buried. But the soul became
+eak in the bonds of Amente. The stron% soul +as bound in the darkness.
The +eak part" the body" disinte%rated in the earth. =or the body +ill not be
)
The formulation of the Syr. text is slightly different e.g. 'those who are filled with these opposites are dead'.
*
%udge reads$ aprwme gar srofref tomS epkax. If this is the reading it needs to be emended to some
thing like aprwme etsrofref automSf epkax.
able to mo1e +hen disinte%rated in the mountain.
(
?or +ill the soul be able to do
anythin% bound in Amente. =or +hen death took man" the stron% part he &death)
bound in Amente" 1i@. the soul" +hereas the +eak part he caused to disinte%rate in
the earth" 1i@. the flesh.
As a tyrant +ho +ho +ill take a royal state
!
first o1erpo+ers the kin% and
detaches him from his state" so death first %oes to the soul" the body ha1in% become
like a ship +ith no helmsman" so also the body decays" its limbs disinte%rate one by
one because the soul has ceased to %uide it and the limbs ha1e been scattered on the
mountain
!!
and become +aste like a city destroyed" like a ship +ith no helmsman in
it" he ha1in% dro+ned in the +ater. =or it is the soul alone that %uides its body" like a
kin% that %o1erns his state.
=or +hen man is dead" his soul is no lon%er able to %uide his flesh" because it
is bound in Amente and has +andered from the paths of ri%hteousness" like a
helmsman +hose ship has %one adrift on the sea" the soul has de1iated from the
upri%ht paths"
(118)

dri1en into the paths of robbers to be snatched up by them" 1i@. adultery"
debauchery" 1anity" idolatry" homicide and hatred.
These are thin%s by +hich the soul destroys man" and because of them he rots
a+ay in the desert. The soul has been %i1en by the #1il One" it ha1in% follo+ed him"
to be o1erpo+ered in Amente" because he has stolen it like a thief.
!-
But he made the soul unable to help her o+n body after it had perished. The
flesh disinte%rated in the earth" in its ...
!.
" its limbs distant from each other" because
the soul is not in them" bindin% them. The soul itself is bound in Amente" not in
fetters but in chains.
+
,efers generally to the desert which in -gypt is largely rock beneath a thin layer of sand .r. . It was
used by the -gyptians as a burial ground.
1/
polis
11
.n echo perhaps of earlier times when bodies were buried in the desert 0ust below the surface and could be
disturbed by animals such as the 0ackal which in the form of inpw (.nubis1 became responsible for guiding
the dead to the underworld. 2f. 3yramid Text 3)3 where Teti 4(th 5ynasty1 is firmly told to collect his bones
and gather his limbs.
12
Syr. does not use this image
13
6ooks like a 7k word$nesxormakh. Syr. has no e#ui!alent
=or this reason it is not able to help its o+n body not to decay in the earth" like
a helmsman about to die and his ship to run to %round.
This is also ho+ the soul" if it +ere not bound in Amente" +ould %uide its body
not to die. But the soul is bound not only in chains and also in its o+n sins." like
fetters. =or this reason it is +eak and abandons its body after it has decayed in the
%round. The soul is oppressed in Amente" ha1in% become the footstool of death
!9
.
3t is in Amente" +eepin% and si%hin% +ithout
!5
its %ood body" sayin%5 2$here is
my body in +hich 3 sin% son%s A $here is my body in +hich 3 pray to 4od A $here
is my %ood body in +hich 3 +as human
(11)
+ith my companions and relati1es" +alkin% +ith them" dancin% in my body A =or in
my body 3 +as called 2man2. ?o+ 3 am not a man but a soul.
=or +hen the body is separated from the soul by death" it is called 2corpse2"
+ith an e1il smell. 3 +as searchin% for my body" 3 +as not searchin% for my name
!<
"
+hich made me human and enabled me to speak.
=or +hen the soul ceases to be in its body" the body ne1er a%ain speaks +ith a
beautiful 1ouce" but +ith a +eak 1oice that is almost inaudible
!,
" like a sin%er +ho
has no 1oice and is speechless.
This is like the soul that has no body to cry aloud in" for the body has decayed
in the earth like a 1essel that has broken and becomes speechless
!0
+ithout a 1oice
or sound" immobile like a corpse" =or the soul +hich normally adorns it has %one" its
speech or%an taken from it. ?or is it possible to kno+ the ima%e of any man +ho has
died" because he has +ithered in the sand. ?or +ould you kno+
!(
his face or the
appearance of his body or his %reatness" and you +ould hear the 1oice of any one.
The son +ill not kno+ his father or mother or brother or companion. =or it is
1&
Same image in Syr.
1'
ejM must be understood as ajM
1(
The name was as important to the -gyptians as it is to us albeit perhaps in a different way . 8or a concise
o!er!iew of the -gyptian 'person' the reader is ad!ised to consult 9. .llen Middle Egyptian: an introduction to
the language and culture of the hieroglyphs 42.:.3. 2/1/1 -ssay ) on "uman ;ature p.*1
1)
esokm emate lit. '!ery enclosed'
1*
3robably a typographical error$ ataue for ataje
1+
3robably a typographical error$ neksoun for meksoun 4as in the next line mekswtm1. This passage makes
use of a con0ugation prefix that expresses repeated action or habit and this is the negati!e form of it.
not possible to kno+ his face in the %ra1e
-
. His lips are +ithered" his nose rotten"
his eyes closed. The colour of his face has chan%ed. 3t is not possible to kno+ anyone
in them &the features)" for the bodies in %ra1es all become dust. They decay" and
nothin% of them remains for us to see.
3t is not possible to kno+ a bone that +e could attach it to its o+n body"
because
(1!")
the bone is 1isible +ith no flesh co1erin% it. And e1en before the flesh around the
bone +ithers" it is not possible for you to kno+
-!
+ho it is.
$ho has e1er identified a bone from the limbs A Or +ho +ill be able to tell us
about the colour of one +ho has died A =or it is not possible for you to kno+ the
bones of Adam. $hat about those of the prophets" the bodies of the patriarchs"
those of the apostles A They are all laid out in the earth. Their heads and their bodies
are laid out.
3f the son looks for his father" he +ill not kno+ him in the %ra1e" nor a
companion his companion nor a brother his brother. He +ill not any name to kno+
+ho he is in truth. He +ill not kno+ his features because they ha1e become dust in
the %ra1e" +ith no human likeness in them. =or many is scattered on the face of the
entire earth and he +ill be laid out in e1ery place. The earth is narro+ in the %ra1e
and tomb" and e1ery place is full of the physical remains of the dead.
The earth has also become a sin%le %ra1e for the dead.A sin%le man +as taken
from the earth" but thousands and thousands" tens of thousands and tens of
thousands ha1e been buried in it.
#1ery place is filled +ith the dead5 the sea and the ri1ers" the earth and the
mountains. The +ild beasts and the birds eat and are sated from the remains of the
dead..Amente is full of chained souls. O" creation of earth full of %rief. O" creation of
man +ho %ro+s old to die" +ho increases in %rief and si%hs. The >oy of those on
earth is the len%th of an hour. They thou%ht of it as a lon% time. But it left them
Buickly.
2/
8ace masks were not uncommon in .ncient -gyptian burials. These essentially 3<dimensional ob0ects were
flattened out to 2<dimensional portraits the so<called 'mummy portraits' that were not uncommon in 7reco<
,oman -gypt. They ha!e been gi!en this name because of the style in which they are painted which has more
to do with =estern art than -gyptian art.
21
2rum 3)/a cites this writing
(1!1)
=or a man re>oices +hen about to take a +ife and +eeps after she has died. He
also re>oices o1er his sons and +eeps o1er their %ra1e.
A son re>oices o1er his father" and later mourns +hen he is buried. $hat use
is this to man A Man is %rief" +ithout comfort. 3t is not possible to comfort the one
+ho is to perish" nor is there is anyone to comfort him. A man of his sort dies.
--
A
companion +ill call upon his companion" +hen succumbin% to death. A prophet of
4od +ill comfort them" but they +ill not listen to him. ?or indeed ha1e they
belie1ed in the hea1enly 4od or ha1e done his +ill
-.
before they die
-9
.
$hile he still an%ry at man for his trans%ression" the punishments
-5
of man
are unspeakable and unutterable.
=or all sorts of thin%s are perpetrated on man because of his trans%ression5
sickness" loss" pain" %rief" distress that surrounds him" cold" heat" fire" +ild beasts"
birds" reptiles" the times of old a%e"
-<
" airs and earthBuakes" rain and de+ harm man.
He is submer%ed by ri1ers" eaten by +ild beasts" burned by fire and destroyed by
death.
Man +as uni1ersally despised +hen he +as disobedient to 4od" $hen he +as
expelled from Caradise" he came to this estate full of tribulation" in +hich there is
en1y" adultery" debauchery and idolatry. =or these are the thin%s for +hich man has
died.
All these thin%s ha1e combined to create death for man and he has been
crushed by la+lessness
(1!!)
so that he +ill be obliterated. =or man" at all times" has no en>oyment of any season.
22
.fter 'like him' there are two words that cannot easily be fitted in to an -nglish sentence$ ntof xwwf 'he
himself' and they seem to ha!e an emphatic sense. The same combination is repeated in the next line after 'his
companion'. The !erbal prefix of the 2optic indicates habit or general truth 4like the -nglish Simple 3resent1
what used to be known as 3raesens 2onsuetudinis.
23
3robably >ou>w.
2&
6it. 'until they fall into death'.
2'
6it. 'destructions'
2(
The text reads$ 'the times and old ages'? I suggest reading neouoei {mN} MmnTxllo
$hich time has man e1er en>oyed A
-,
6id he en>oy bein% in the +omb of his mother A Ho+ +ill be happy enclosed
in the darkness +ith the foul smell" in distress and straits on all sides in the blood of
the belly" but +as happy +hen he came out from it.
-0
He almost died +hen he +as in
the +omb of his mother and sucklin% A Ho+ is he cryin% out and +eepin% A
=or the one +ho is at ease does not cry out aloud or +eep" but is a child and
skips alon% the %round. He is happy.
Ho+ +ill he be happy +hen he is sub>ect to a +ild beast comin% upon him
and beatin% him to death and his mouth is split open"
-(
+ith spittle on the %round
from skippin% up and do+n.
But +hen he becomes youn%" he +ill be happy. Ho+ A He +ill not be happy.
=or he is en1eloped in youth on all sides in desires full of dan%er" and it is not %i1en
to him to do them because he +ould die badly. So he %ets married" has children and
is happy. Ho+ +ill he happy +hen he is +orried +hether the children mi%ht be
foolish A But +hen he becomes old" ho+ does he rest" +ill he rest +hen the dan%ers
of a%e are there A
And after all this" there is the expectation of death consumin% his soul like a
fire. 6eath +hich takes on all forms" child and old man" youn% and %reat man.
A%e is not a measure that can be applied to death" +hich takes on all forms.
$hat sort of
(1!#)
creatures is man A 3t is a %reat pain to consider the death of man and his decay" the
face that chan%es in the %uise of death" the body that has become feeble" the mouth
closed" the hair sticky" the eyes t+isted and closed" and the limbs that do not mo1e.
The rest of the body is in the earth" the flesh that has +ithered" the sine+s
rotten +ith the rest that has disinte%rated" the >oints
.
+hich ha1e become loose"
to%ether +ith the corners that ha1e become dry and the lar%e amount of dust. =or
man is nothin%" like a flo+er or %rass that has dried up and +ithered" like +ood that
2)
I ha!e tried to write the following section in comprehensible -nglish.
2*
3robably xNtoots.
2+
;ot #uite sure how to understand this. There is no Syriac text of this gloomy scenario.
3/
2rum '+(b
is burned by a fire and disappears.
After the destruction of man and his %reat +retchedness" 4od 1isited his o+n
creature" +hom he made accordin% to his o+n likeness and ima%e so that death
mi%ht not be 1ictorious and boast o1er him5 23 ha1e conBuered man.2
=or the de1il is permanently at +ar +ith man and took him prisoner by means
of the e1il of death and the %ates of Amente"
.!
hurlin% his acts of la+lessness at man
the +hole time until he had firmly secured under the control of death. He locked
him in the prison of Amente. =or this reason the soul" bound in the darkness" +as
unable to escape from the prison cells of the dead.
=or this reason the =ather sent his son to earth. $ithout flesh" because he +as
a spirit" 4od caused him to become flesh in the +omb of the Dir%in" 4od ha1in%
become man to sa1e the one +ho had strayed and to %ather to%ether those +ho had
been scattered by the en1y of the 6e1il and brin% them to%ether into his flock.
(1!$)
The thin%s +hich death" ha1in% di1ided man" has scattered" these thin%s ha1e been
%athered to%ether by Christ +ho became man +ith
.-
a soul and body. =or death
bound the soul in Amente" ha1in% loosened the flesh in the earth. He di1ided man
into t+o.
The Sa1iour himself" 7esus" released the soul from its chains" ha1in% bound
the flesh to the >oints and brou%ht them both to%ether and made them one" the sould
and the body and soul. He >oined them to%ether. He %a1e the body to the soul and
the soul to the body. He %a1e the or%an of speech. He %a1e him appointed limbs.
?o+ therefore" soul" sin% in the body of those +ho ha1e their o+n
indissoluble 4od. This is +hy Christ died for us" so that +e mi%ht li1e +ith him
fore1er. 6id he ha1e to die or become man A He is 4od"+ith the entire %lory of the
di1inity. =or this reason he tolerated birth as a mortal human bein%" he an immortal
4od.
$hy did he come do+n to earth" +hen he +as a kin% in hea1en A $ho forced
31
-arlier -gyptian funerary literature has a text known as the %ook of 7ates closely related to the so<called
.mduat which represents the passage through the 12 hours and gates of underworld 45uat1 and all the
goddesses that will be meet the deceased with charming soubri#uets such as The @ne =ho Splits @pen the
"eads of the -nemies of the Sun 7od..
32
NouA Nkesop
him to make his +ay
..
to the cross to die >oyfully" +hen he +as creator of e1erythin%"
ha1in% tolerated birth in a +oman2s +omb and bein% +rapped in s+addlin% clothes.
The one en1eloped in all the %lory of his =ather" +ho sits on the chariot of the
Cherubim +as laid do+n in a man%er and suckled at a +oman2s breast" he at +hose
feet the Seraphim stood in tremblin%" %i1in% %lory to his di1inity.
(1!%)
The one +ho sent +ater that it mi%ht flo+ in the ri1ers to%ether +ith rain and
de+" sendin% +aters from hea1en" he +as bapti@ed in the 7ordan by a mortal man.
The one +ho illuminated e1erythin% +as struck do+n by the 7e+s.
The one on +hose +ord the se1en hea1ens" the firmament" the earth and
Amente depend +as han%ed on a +ooden cross.
The one +ho took lifeless earth and made it into a li1in% man had to tolerate
bein% struck do+n so that" by bein% struck do+n" he mi%ht sa1e man +ho had %one
to perdition throu%h his sin. He %a1e his soul to sa1e the souls of men. He %a1e his
holy flesh for the entire creation of Adam. His blood he %a1e for all. He %a1e a man
for a man and his death for our death.
=or the death to +hich man is obli%ed" +hich is feared" has become a blessin%"
for Christ has died for us.
This is the lo1e that Christ re1ealed +hen he died for us sinners to sa1e us.
$hich >ust person e1er died for a sin%le sinner A $hich father e1er died for the son
he fathered" or companion for companion or belo1ed brother for brother. ?o/one
e1er did this" die for another +illin%ly or out of necessity.
Christ himself came out of necessity and lo1e. $e sinners" not only did he
form us like Adam +hen he made us human" but" +hen he died in sin" he came and
suffered for us and made us li1e +ith his lo1e.
(1!6)
At the time +hen he formed us +ith his hand" he +as not sufferin%. But he %enerated
us once a%ain throu%h the tribulation of his death" sufferin% +ith us like a +oman in
33
Typographical error$ Mpef{N}ouoei.
labour. He +as 1ery patient +ith us5 he did not consume the earth +ith fire" but
suffered scour%es at the hands of sinners and let them kill him and bury him" as the
prophet says5 28ou ha1e brou%ht me to the dust of death.2
.9
$ho took him A The impious people +hom he lo1ed" they killed him. He came
to them to sa1e them. They became afraid" like a locust.
See then" man" the repayment +hich the children of 3srael made to our 'ord.
They pierced the side of the one +ho had made them. They inflicted pain on the one
+ho had done many %ood thin%s for them and their fathers. They repaid this
kindness +ith +ickedness and hatred in place of the lo1e +ith +hich he lo1ed them.
They distressed the one +ho had %i1en >oy to them" the one +ho had raised the dead
+hen they sa+ him" the one +ho healed the lame and purified those +ho are
leprous" the one +ho %a1e li%ht to the blind" the one they killed and hun% on a cross.
See then" man" the audacity of the 7e+s" they han%ed the one +ho suspended
.5
the earth" they nailed the one +ho established the +aters for the earth" they
separated the one +ho set in order the hea1ens +ith his +isdom" they bound the one
+ho freed them from the sla1ery of Charaoh and fettered the one released sinners.
The one +ho a source of +ater and cured them of their thirst +as a %i1en
1ine%ar +hen he +as thirsty.
They burned him +ith bitterness in the a%ony of death on the cross" there bein% no
thou%ht that he had satisfied them +ith honey from
(1!7)
a rock.
.<
They bound the hands and feet of the one +ho had released the paralysed"
fettered as they +ere by the de1il because they had done his +ill.
He bound them to him until he +ho +as to redeem their capti1ity came.
ha1in% liberated those +ho +ere capti1e" the one +ho send the sun and the moon to
illuminate them. He +ho opened the eyes of those blind from birth" his eyes +ere
closed like a corpse. The one +ho raised the dead +as buried.
O +hat an ne+ incomprehensible mystery this is / they >ud%ed the >ud%e" they
bound the one +ho for%a1e their sins" they put nails into the hands of the one +ho
3&
3s. 221
3'
There seems to be a deliberate attempt in this passage to use certain rhetorical tropes such as paronomasia
3(
%udge suggest an ellipse$ 4water as sweet as1 honey
formed them" they hun% up the one +ho had suspended
.,
their breath in their
throats. They split the one +ho +as to split the limbs of their bodies. Accordin% to
need" the one +ho made the earth drink life" they forced him to consume bitterness.
The one because of +hom e1erythin% li1es died. They did not insult him 1ery
much on the cross" but before he died he +as insulted %reatly to his face. $hile our
'ord +as han%in% on the cross" the %ra1es opened" Amente +as full. He sa1ed their
souls. He raised the dead. They re1ealed themsel1es to many of the saints in
7erusalem.
And the mystery +as not yet completed on the cross. $hen Christ died" he
brou%ht the enemy to nou%ht. He bound the tyrant2s stren%th. He set up the cross"
1ictorious before them" the bearer of 1ictory.
Our 'ord 7esus Christ raised his body on the cross. $hen death sa+ life" it fell
at his feet. Then the po+ers of hea1en +ondered at his +isdom.
The an%el +as astonished at him. The lines
(1!8)
+ere afraid. All creation trembled +hen they sa+ this ne+ mystery and fearful si%ht"
as they sa+ 4od han%ed by people" supported by a cross" his feet fastened to it by
nails. His hands too streched" fastened by nails to the cross.
The 7e+s +ere scoffin% at him" lau%hin% and emboldened. They did not kno+
the mystery. The earth trembled +hen it sa+ the shamelessness of the 7e+s. The
mountains shook. The hills shook and mo1ed.
The sea raised its +a1es so as to co1er the earth. The abyss +as disturbed and
opened its >a+s to s+allo+ all. Creation +as an%rily disturbed at the audacity of the
+icked 7e+s. The li%ht/%i1ers of the hea1ens became dark. The sun set. The moon
+as disturbed. The stars ceased to %i1e li%ht to the impious.
The moon +as a li%ht" but it did not illuminate +hen the sun set" but
e1erythin% +as in darkness +hen they sa+ their 4od +ho had created them han%in%
on a cross like a thief. An an%ry an%el came from the midst of all the an%els" his
s+ord dra+n in his hand to destroy them all in one blo+.
$hen they +ere impeded by the mercy of Christ. He put his hand on the 1eil
3)
,ead eire 'made' A 3erhaps the writer is trying to continue the word<play.
of the temple and tore it in t+o from hea1en to earth" +hile all the an%els +ere
lookin% do+n from abo1e an%rily" because the patience of 4od the =ather had
pre1ented them all from destroyin% them.
(1!)
The li%ht of day fled and left the earth in darkness" a po+erful darkness.
.0
All these
thin%s happened before Christ closed his eyes.
His li%ht Buickly shone in Amente
.(
and Amente +as disturbed +hen
descended into it" not in the flesh but in the spirit. =or he sei@ed e1erythin% that it
should not perish before his hour. His blood he shed on behalf of the earth. He kept
the earth and those in it.
His body remained han%in% on the cross because of the elements. His spirit
+ent do+n to Amente. He sa1ed those in that place and de1astated Amente. He
sei@ed e1eyrthin%. His body raised the dead and his spirit released the souls in
Amente.
At the time +hen the body of Our 'ord +as han%in% on the cross" at that time
it +as +hen the %ra1es opened. The >ailers of Amente sa+ him" panicked and fled.
He destroyed the bron@e %ates and broke the bolts of iron. He took the souls that
+ere in Amente up to his =ather. $hen the 'ord had dissol1ed Amente and crushed
death" he sub>ected the enemy to duress. The souls he brou%ht up from Amente. The
bodies he raised from the earth.
So" consider the ama@in% stren%th of his
9
man. dead and han%in% on the
cross. =or creation +as unable to support his body and the elements +ere unable to
support him. Amente +as unable to support his spirit. =or e1ery place +as full of
trouble because of the sufferin%s of our Sa1iour.
The +hole of creation shook o1er his death. They +ere unable to tolerate
seein% their 'ord struck do+n.EEE
3*
If this is the !erb one has to read something like efqMqom 4strong1A In any case the text has to be emended.
3+
This is reminiscent of the 0ourney of the Sun 7od depicted in so many ;ew Bingdom -gyptian gra!es but I
suppose it is ine!itable in many cultures that death is dark and life is light
&/
I suspect this reads$ peirwmne 'this man'
&!.)
The +hole of creation +as astonished5 2$hat is this ne+ mystery A The >ud%e is
>ud%ed" +ithout speakin%.2
The one +hom they do not see" they see him and are not ashamed. The one
+hom they are unable to sei@e" they sei@e him and he does not stru%%le +ith them.
The one +hom they are unable to be compared +ith" they despise him" and he is not
an%ry. The one +ho is not distressed is distressed and does not complain. The
immortal one has died and has suffered.
9!
The one +ho li1es in hea1en has been
buried on earth and remains silent.
2$hat is this mystery A2 says the +hole of creation. They all +onder at his
merciful acts. $hen he arose from the dead early on Sunday mornin%" after he had
crushed death.
He bound the tyrant. He released man. The +hole of creation kne+ that for
the sake of the sal1ation of man the >ud%e had been >ud%ed. And because of him they
sa+ the in1isible and measured the immeasurable. The one +ithout sufferin%
suffered" the immortal one died" the hea1enly one +as buried.
He became man and +as >ud%ed that he mi%ht ha1e mercy on us to release
those imprisoned. He suffered that he mi%ht %i1e us rest. He died that he mi%ht
make us li1e. He +as buried that he mi%ht resurrect us. 3f the 'ord had not suffered
for mankind" ho+ could man ha1e been sa1ed A
6eath therefore fell at the feet of Christ and he dra%%ed death as a prisoner"
upsettin% Amente +ith his po+er. He
9-
reeled back +hen he heard the 1oice of the
'ord callin% out to all the souls5 2Come forth" those +ho are bound" those sittin% in
the darkness and the shado+ of death. The li%ht has shone on you.
&!.!)
23 am preachin% life to you. =or 3 am Christ the son of 4od.2 He then released the
holy souls. He resurrected them +ith him. The earth cried out" sayin%5 2Spare me.
'ord" and release me from the curse that is upon me and remo1e the +ickedness of
&1
Seems to be in the wrong order
&2
5eath
the de1il from me" because you ha1e made me +orthy that your body should be
buried in me in place of the blood that +as poured on me that you mi%ht resurrect
it. 8our re1ered ima%e has been scattered in e1ery place. ?o+" if you had merely
spoken" nobody +ould ha1e been able to resist your command. But your lo1e
compels you to come for your creation. 'ook" you ha1e stood upon the earth"
searchin% for the limbs of your creature. Fedeem him" like a deposit. Take your
ima%e +hich you pled%ed to me. Take Adam" +hole as he +as before.2
Christ then rose from the dead on the third day. He took the saints +ith him
to his =ather. =or the +hole of mankind +ill be sa1ed because of the death of Christ.
The one +ho +as >ud%ed is one. The +hole place has been sa1ed and mercy
has come
9.
to the +hole place. The one +ho died so that all mi%ht rise is one. The
'ord died for e1ery one so that e1ery one mi%ht rise +ith him. =or +hen he died he
put on man and took him alon% to the hea1ens" he bein% a sin%le one +ith him. He
took him as a %ift to his =ather.
?ot %old and not sil1er" but man" +hom he had created" in his likeness and
ima%e. The =ather then raised him and seated him at
(1#!)
his ri%ht on the ele1ated throne. He appointed him >ud%e of the li1in% and the dead
and %o1ernor of all his creation" sittin% o1er the Cherubim" the one +ho created
hea1enly 7erusalem" the true bride%room and the kin% of all aeons. 4lory to him for
e1er and e1er. Amen
Athanasius Archbishop
&3
3robably auna ei> Mpma thr!