Renewal in Christ: Athanasius on the Christian Life

Chapter 4 The Death of Christ

According to Athanasius, Jesus came to die. As the eternal Word who was incapable of death, Jesus took on a body so that he could offer it up as a sacrifice on behalf of sinful people. And as the divine author of life, when Jesus entered into death, he annulled its power, thereby conquering the grave and re-creating incorruptible life. Athanasius entertains why Jesus could not have died by other means, or even faked his death or avoided death altogether. Rather, Jesus had to die by crucifixion. Only through crucifixion would Jesus die extending his hands to Jews and gentiles. Only through crucifixion was Jesus exalted to clear the air of the evil powers (Eph 2:2; John 12:32). The cross is the divine means of salvation. *** §20 – He Came to Die We have dealt as far as circumstances and our own understanding permit with the reason for his bodily

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