Athanasius was an early defender of the idea that Jesus was God. Jesus was not from God or of God… but was God: united, distinct, and coequal with the Father. To put it succinctly, when Athanasius looked at Jesus, he saw God. Athansius lived during the exciting times of the 4th century, when Christianity was first beginning to gain acceptance across the Roman Empire. He helped to unify some ideas of what it means to be Christian. Put your thinking hats on… this guy is deep…

• “Devils take great delight in fullness, and drunkenness and bodily comfort. Fasting possesses great power and it works glorious things. To fast is to banquet with angels.”
• “Even on the Cross He did not hide Himself from sight; rather, He made all creation witness to the presence of its Maker.”
• “The Lord did not come to make a display. He came to heal and to teach suffering men.”
• “While the devil thought to kill One [Christ], he is deprived of all those cast out of hades, and he [the devil] sitting by the gates, sees all fettered beings led forth by the courage of the Saviour.”
• “Similarly, anyone who wishes to understand the mind of the sacred writers must first cleanse his own life, and approach the saints by copying their deeds.”
• “Jesus whom I know as my Redeemer cannot be less than God.“

Hate to say it, but Athanasius’ body of work has been limited over time. But even in 6 quotes, the man gives us much to chew.