On Faith against the Arians · §4 · Eustathius of Antioch

The names way, truth, and life signify two natures

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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.

By 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

Τῷ μὲν οὖν ὀνόματι τῆς ὁδοῦ τὴν κατὰ ἄνθρωπον δηλοῖ περιβολὴν, ὅπερ ἔστι τῶν σωματικῶν καὶ τῶν ὁρατῶν· γῆς γάρ τι μόριον ἡ ὁδὸς καὶ

αἰσθητὸν ἔδαφος καθέστηκε· τὸ δὲ ὄνομα τῆς ἀληθείας <καὶ> τῆς ζωῆς τὴν τοῦ Πατρὸς φύσιν· ἡ γὰρ ἀλήθεια πρᾶγμά τι νοητὸν οὔτε ὄμμασιν οὔτε ἁφῇ ὑποπίπτον.

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About this text

On Faith against the Arians attributed to Eustathius of Antioch.

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

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.'

Printed text used

Translated from PG 18 (Greek)

This work has passed our source check. We made this study translation with AI help. No scholar has yet certified it as faithful and complete. Open Greek on any section to see the source text. It is not a critical edition.

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