Lesson 8: Refutation of the Gentiles – Continued; Lesson 9: Conclusion

Idol worship, paying heed to oracles, tales of pagan Greek gods and heroes, the worship of demons, and the practice of magic - all of these former false religious practices fell away with the advance through the Greco-Roman world of the worship of the living, incarnate Word of God. Each of these former "gods" held tenuous sway over its own territory but was scorned by the people of neighboring territories, much like today when each major city has its own sports team(s) that the local people tend to almost worship.

But the worship of the living, incarnate Word of God is universal, found in almost every land and island on Earth: "Christ alone is worshiped, as One and the Same among all peoples everywhere" - the true orthodox faith allows for cultural differences in dress, music, and iconography, but the core Orthodox doctrines and orthopraxis define the outer boundaries of our faith. Theological scholars are allowed to express opinions that are debatable called theologumena as long as they don't contradict established doctrine. St. Athanasius wrote "On the Incarnation of the Word" to define and defend these boundaries against patently false doctrines.

(Please begin answering questions now. In these two Lessons 8 & 9, the LOGIN and the discussion question are at the end.)

In paragraph "(47) Again, in former times every place was full of the fraud of the oracles," Athanasius declaims against these false prophets. An oracle was a priest or priestess of a pagan god who claimed to be the mouthpiece of that god. They would make pompous-sounding but vague and ambiguous pronouncements that would deceive simple people into believing in them. We have similar self-styled prophets today on the Internet and in some so-called churches who claim to receive "a word from the Lord." Be careful: you don't know what spirits lie behind those modern-day oracles.

Athanasius then turns to "Greek wisdom... and the philosophers' noisy talk" that failed to convince many of their own people. Why? Because the high-sounding talk did not lead "to immortality and the virtuous ordering of life."

Question:
1. In contrast to the wisdom of Greek philosophers, how did the early Christians convince people the world over?

 



A convincing argument for Christianity, as Athanasius states in paragraph "(48) These things which we have said", is the Holy Spirit-given ability of Christian virgins remaining pure and Christian young men practicing chastity, as we read in biblia02/nz16/Galata05.htm#22">Galatians 5:22-23 - "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law." Then he mentions the "great and glad a company of martyrs." (In Greek, "martyr" means "witness.") This refers to biblia02/nz26/Evream12.htm#1">Hebrews 12:1, another Scripture text that calls us to patience and "enduring the cross": self-control.

Question:
2. How is it that the sign of the cross has power to rout the demons, cause oracles to cease, and confound witchcraft? (See biblia02/nz14/1Korin01.htm#17">1 Corinthians 1:17-19.)
(Select the best answer.)
a) Wearing a silver cross on a silver chain around your neck.
b) Preaching the gospel of the cross and the resurrection.
c) Painting a cross on your front door.

 



Magicians held power over many people in the early centuries, but in the Gospel of Luke we see that Jesus has power over these demonic powers: biblia02/nz03/Luka11.htm#14">Luke 11:14-20. The book of Acts has two stories - biblia02/nz05/Deania08.htm#9">ch. 8:9-24 and biblia02/nz05/Deania19.htm#13">ch. 19:13-19 that show the power of the Gospel over demons and magic. The Apostle Paul wrote about the power of the Gospel over evil spiritual forces: biblia02/nz13/Rimlia01.htm#16">Romans 1:16-18 ; biblia02/nz15/2Korin10.htm#3">2 Corinthians 10:3-5; and biblia02/nz17/Efesia06.htm#11">Ephesians 6:11-16. This was also the world in which St. Athanasius lived.

Question:
3. How would you defend the statement that Jesus is the Son of God, the Pre-existent Word and Wisdom and Power of the Father?

 



In paragraph "(49) What man that ever was..." we might ask why St. Athanasius wrote that Jesus "formed a body for himself from a virgin only?" Keep in mind that this was written before the section about the Holy Spirit was added to the end of the Nicene Creed at the Council of Constantinople in AD 381. In the middle section of the Creed, it states that Jesus was "born of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary" but in AD 323 when the main text of the Creed was adopted at the Council of Nicea (Athanasius being a leading figure), many thought the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ. Both are true: the Holy Spirit is a separate Person, but is of one essence with the Son and the Father. St. Basil the Great, who rose to prominence later, at the end of the fourth century, wrote his famous essay "On the Holy Spirit" which clarified the personhood of the Holy Spirit.

Question:
4. What are some of the ideas that the Greeks believed about their pagan gods?
(One or more of the following answers may be correct.)
a) Dionysius was worshiped because he taught men drunkenness.
b) Aesculapius was deified by the Greeks because he created healing herbs out of the earth.
c) Zeus drove away from men diseases and demons and even death itself.
d) Hercules was worshiped by the Greeks because he triumphed over other men and wild animals.

These strange, shameful, and puny beliefs of the pagan Greeks pale in comparison to the beautiful, benevolent, and mighty works of Jesus Christ, showing Him as incomparably greater than those false gods.

 



Next, in paragraph "(50) Many before Him," Athanasius demonstrates that the Incarnate Word not only triumphed over the pagan Greek gods, but also over the Chaldean, Egyptian, and Indian wise men and magicians. Christ's teaching conquered over all those principalities and powers by the plain preaching of the Cross of Christ Whose death and resurrection confounded the utterances of those wise men.

Question:
5. What are some of the mighty works that occur with the preaching of the Gospel of Christ?
(One or more of the following answers may be correct.)
a) Barbarians and heathens drop their madness and give heed to peace.
b) Murderers no longer wield the sword.
c) Cowards boldly play the man.
d) Fornicators become chaste.

 



For the third time in this chapter, St. Athanasius mentions (see paragraph "(51) Again, who among men") that Christ enables young men and women to practice sexual continence and purity: a miraculous act in itself, overcoming the passions of youth! This liberation from lust penetrated "even to Scythians [proto-Slavs] and Ethiopians, or Parthians or Armenians... or even the Egyptians and Chaldeans" - savages who were enabled to practice virtue and self-control! It is noteworthy that he connects magic with immorality: it is often noted in the Old Testament that false gods and magic were associated with temple prostitution, sexual orgies, and child sacrifice of unwanted babies. The same is true today of witchcraft and devil worship. Paganism and immorality are inseparably linked.

Question:
6. What amazing change happened with those who practiced murderous cruelty and were war-minded?

 



In paragraph "(52) Who, then, is He..." Athanasius turns to the Scriptures, to the Old Testament prophet Isaiah (biblia02/vz23/Isaia02.htm#4">ch. 2:4) - "They shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into sickles, and nation shall not take sword against nation, neither shall they learn any more to wage war." Here again we see the Early Church's emphasis on pacifism: until Christianity became the state religion in AD 325, most believers were pacifist; but how can a state survive without an army, even if it is Christian? The answer was that Orthodox clergy were exempted from military service, they were and still are forbidden to use any physical violence.

Question:
7. Match these terms with the definitions below:

7.1. When the barbarians hear the teaching of Christ, they...
A. take up arms against the devil and the demons.
B. turn from fighting to farming.
C. rage furiously against each other and cannot bear to be a single hour without weapons.
D. extend their hands in prayer.

7.2. Instead of fighting each other, they...
A. take up arms against the devil and the demons.
B. turn from fighting to farming.
C. rage furiously against each other and cannot bear to be a single hour without weapons.
D. extend their hands in prayer.

7.3. Instead of arming themselves with swords, they...
A. take up arms against the devil and the demons.
B. turn from fighting to farming.
C. rage furiously against each other and cannot bear to be a single hour without weapons.
D. extend their hands in prayer.

7.4. As long as they sacrifice to their idols, they...
A. take up arms against the devil and the demons.
B. turn from fighting to farming.
C. rage furiously against each other and cannot bear to be a single hour without weapons.
D. extend their hands in prayer.

 



Athanasius describes as"utterly amazing" in paragraph "(53) And here is another proof..." that one Person could overturn the system of idolatry, the host of demons, all magic, and the wisdom of Greek philosophers when they were at their peak.

Question:
8. Why are the pagan gods of the Greeks falling into disrepute?
(Only one of the following answers is correct.)
a) Because they used to ridicule Christ as a crucified god.
b) Because the heroes and gods of former time performed such mighty deeds.
c) Because those who receive the teaching of Christ are more chaste in life than they.

 



God is by nature invisible, but as Athanasius writes in paragraph "(54) As, then, he who desires to see God," Christ by His works in the body reveals the Godhead. His death has made immortality known to us: only Christ has the power to raise Himself from the dead - biblia02/nz04/Ioann10.htm#17">John 10:17-18. Athanasius states that "through the Incarnation of the Word, the Mind whence all things proceed has been declared, and its Agent and Ordainer, the Word of God Himself." This is an indirect quotation from biblia02/nz26/Evream01.htm#1">Hebrews 1:1-3 - see how the mind of Athanasius was filled with the Scriptures! "He, indeed, assumed humanity that we might become God." God became man so that man might become God: the most famous saying of St. Athanasius.

Then Athanasius writes: "He Himself was unhurt by this, for He is impassible and incorruptible; but by His own impassability He kept and healed the suffering men on whose account He thus endured."

Question:
9. What does the word "impassible" mean?
(Only one of the following answers is correct.)
a) impossible.
b) unsurpassible.
c) incapable of suffering.

 



Now Athanasius summarizes in paragraph "(55) The substance of what we have said..." - idolatry was fading away, Greek philosophy was disappearing, demonic oracles and sorceries were being routed by the sign of the cross. Is this true today, or are we seeing a return to some sort of neo-paganism? Recall how Athanasius repeatedly emphasizes the connection between paganism and sexual immorality: if the evil one wants to revive paganism, he first would introduce practices like no-fault divorce, "free love," the Pill, "hooking up," living together, legalizing and promoting homosexual behavior, and transgenderism. Then Satan can introduce the worship of himself in place of Christ, because the worship of Christ would inhibit the pursuit of all those sensual pleasures.

By stating - "if a king be reigning somewhere, but stays in his own house and does not let himself be seen, it often happens that some insubordinate fellows, taking advantage of his retirement, will have themselves proclaimed in his stead" - Athanasius implies that the Christian faith, once the dominant worldview in East and West, must not let itself be kept in its "house," in the four walls of church buildings. It must break out of the box, the idea that religious freedom is merely the freedom to gather for worship on Sundays. Rather, freedom of religious expression is the ability to express and live out one's faith in public. But if we allow "some insubordinate fellows" to take center stage, we forfeit our religious freedom.

Question:
10. How can the "insubordinate impostors" be shown up?

 



Now, go to "Chapter 9: Conclusion," a short wrap-up of this essay by St. Athanasius, and answer the final questions.

St. Athanasius tells Macarius to study "the Scriptures. They were written and inspired by God; and we, who have learned from inspired teachers who read the Scriptures and became martyrs for the Godhead of Christ, make further contribution to your eagerness to learn."

Question:
11. What are some of the things St. Athanasius says we will learn in the Scriptures?
(One or more of the following answers may be correct.)
a) About being judged for our deeds done in the body, whether good or ill.
b) About the reward for the good that is laid up: the heavenly kingdom.
c) About Christ bestowing on us the fruit of His cross: the resurrection and incorruptibility.
d) About Christ's second coming, no longer in humiliation, this time in glory.

 

That's it for this course - whew! Now, please write your evaluation of the course and instructor. Thanks!