He is the Father’s Word and Wisdom. He condescends to created things to impart the knowledge and apprehension of Him that begot Him.
He becomes His very Brightness and very Life, and the Door, and the Shepherd, and the Way, and King and Governor, and Saviour over all, and Light, and Giver of Life, and Providence over all.
Having then such a Son begotten of Himself, good, and Creator, the Father did not hide Him out of the sight of His creatures.
Day by day He reveals Him to all by means of the organisation and life of all things, which is His work.
But in and through Him He reveals Himself also, as the Saviour says: “I in the Father and the Father in Me”.
It follows that the Word is in Him that begat Him, and that He that is begotten lives eternally with the Father.
Nothing being outside Him, but both heaven and earth and all that in them is are dependent on Him.
Yet men in their folly have set aside the knowledge and service of Him.
They have honoured things that are not instead of things that are. And, instead of the real and true God, they have deified things that were not, “serving the creature rather than the Creator”, thus involving themselves in foolishness and impiety.
For it is just as if one were to admire the works more than the workman, and being awestruck at the public works in the city, were to make light of their builder, or as if one were to praise a musical instrument but to despise the man who made and tuned it.
Foolish and sadly disabled in eyesight! For how else had they known the building, or ship, or lyre, had not the ship-builder made it, the architect built it, or the musician fashioned it?
As then he that reasons in such a way is mad, and beyond all madness, even so affected in mind, I think, are those who do not recognise God or worship His Word, our Lord Jesus Christ the Saviour of all.
Through Him the Father orders, and holds together all things, and exercises providence over the Universe.
Having faith and piety towards Him, my Christ-loving friend, we should be of good cheer and of good hope.
For immortality and the kingdom of heaven is the fruit of faith and devotion towards Him, if only the soul be adorned according to His laws.
For those who walk after His example, the prize is life everlasting.
Athanasius of Alexandria (c.293-373): Contra Gentes, 3, 47.
