On Faith against the Arians

Name: On Faith against the Arians
Author: Eustathius of Antioch

De fide contra Arianos

Eustathius of Antioch (fl. c. 320–337 AD) · PG 18

Eustathius of Antioch (fl. c. 320–337) wrote this treatise in defense of the full divinity of Christ.

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Contents4 passages

1The manhood of Christ as the way to the Father's truth and life
2The manhood of Christ as beginning of the fairest ways of righteousness
3Christ's manhood joins, guides, and restores; then Christ's own saying
4The names way, truth, and life signify two natures

Author

Eustathius of Antioch (fl. c. 320–337 AD) — Bishop of Antioch at the Council of Nicaea in 325 and a firm opponent of Arius. He was deposed a few years later and died in exile.

All works by Eustathius of Antioch

About this text

On Faith against the Arians attributed to Eustathius of Antioch.

The controversy concerned the Arian claim that the Son of God was mutable and convertible, not from the Father's own substance, with a temporal beginning and birth from nothing. Eustathius wrote out of love for the catholic faith and initially gave the work to a friend to read, who then had it transcribed. He asked that it be circulated anonymously at first to learned and prudent men so that it could be emended by the counsel of many if anything seemed excessive or deficient.

The surviving fragment interprets Christ's saying 'I am the way and the truth and the life' from John 14:6. Eustathius argues that the name 'way' signifies the manhood of Christ, his human, bodily, visible covering, since a way is a portion of earth and a perceptible ground. The names 'truth' and 'life' signify the nature of the Father, because truth is an intelligible reality that falls under neither sight nor touch. The key terms to follow are 'way,' 'truth,' 'life,' 'the manhood of Christ,' 'covering,' 'paradise,' and 'pasture.'

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Translated from PG 18 (Greek)

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The manhood of Christ as the way to the Father's truth and life§1

Eustathius opens his treatise by presenting the manhood of Christ as the starting point of the fairest paths of righteousness, then interprets Christ's saying 'I am the way and the truth and the life.'

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1For the manhood of Christ has become for us the starting point of the fairest ways of righteousness, leading us to better pursuits. It fittingly joins us to the Spirit, guides us into paradise, and restores us to our proper pasture. Therefore Christ said, “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6). By the name “way” he indicates the covering according to the manhood, which belongs to bodily and visible things; for a way is a portion of earth and a perceptible ground. But the name “truth” and “life” indicates the nature of the Father; for truth is an intelligible thing that falls under neither sight nor touch.

Greek · §1

The Greek is on each section page: §1

The manhood of Christ as beginning of the fairest ways of righteousness§2

Eustathius is opening his argument that Christ's manhood is the starting point of the fairest paths of righteousness, leading believers to better pursuits.

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2For the manhood of Christ has become for us the beginning of the fairest ways of righteousness, leading us to better pursuits.

Greek · §2

The Greek is on each section page: §2

Christ's manhood joins, guides, and restores; then Christ's own saying§3

Eustathius is describing what the manhood of Christ does for believers, then introduces Christ's saying from John 14:6.

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3Christ's manhood joins us fittingly to the Spirit, guides us into paradise, and restores us to our proper pasture. Therefore Christ also said, “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6).

Greek · §3

The Greek is on each section page: §3

The names way, truth, and life signify two natures§4

Eustathius is explaining the meaning of Christ's saying 'I am the way and the truth and the life' from John 14:6, distinguishing what each name signifies.

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4By the name “way,” then, he indicates the covering that belongs to his manhood—the covering that is one of the bodily and visible things. For a way is a portion of earth and stands as a perceptible ground. But the name “truth” and “life” indicates the nature of the Father, since truth is an intelligible thing that falls under neither eyes nor touch.

Greek · §4

The Greek is on each section page: §4

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