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The Incarnation

The eternal Son takes flesh — God becomes one of us

The Incarnation is the belief that the eternal Son of God took on full human nature and was born as Jesus of Nazareth. The Gospel of John proclaims that the Word became flesh (John 1:14), and Athanasius defended the teaching in his On the Incarnation. Held across Christian traditions, it affirms that in Jesus God truly entered human life without ceasing to be divine.

How it traveled

  1. Hebrews
    Rome · 67
    explains
  2. Romans
    Corinth · 67
    explains
  3. Galatians
    Ephesus · 67
    explains
  4. 1 Timothy
    Ephesus · 67
    explains
  5. Philippians
    Rome · 67
    explains
  6. Mark
    Rome · 68
    explains
  7. Matthew
    Antioch · 80
    explains
  8. Luke
    Rome · 84
    explains
  9. John
    Ephesus · 100
    explains
  10. 1 John
    Ephesus · 100
    explains
  11. Epistle to the Magnesians: Shorter and Longer Versions
    Antioch · 108
    explains
  12. Epistle to the Smyrnæans: Shorter and Longer Versions
    Antioch · 108
    explains
  13. Epistle to the Trallians: Shorter and Longer Versions
    Antioch · 108
    explains
  14. Epistle to the Philadelphians: Shorter and Longer Versions
    Antioch · 108
    explains
  15. Epistle to the Ephesians: Shorter and Longer Versions
    Antioch · 108
    explains
  16. Dialogue with Trypho
    Rome · 165
    explains
  17. The First Apology
    Rome · 165
    explains
  18. The Second Apology
    Rome · 165
    explains
  19. On the Resurrection, Fragments
    Rome · 165
    explains
  20. Against Heresies: Book III
    Lyons · 202
    explains
  21. Against Heresies: Book V
    Lyons · 202
    explains
  22. Against Heresies: Book IV
    Lyons · 202
    explains
  23. Against Heresies: Book I
    Lyons · 202
    explains
  24. Against Heresies: Book II
    Lyons · 202
    explains
  25. Exhortation to the Heathen
    Alexandria · 215
    explains
  26. On the Flesh of Christ.
    — · 220
    explains
  27. The Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew.
    — · 220
    explains
  28. On the Resurrection of the Flesh.
    — · 220
    explains
  29. Against Praxeas.
    — · 220
    explains
  30. Melito, the Philosopher.
    — · 220
    explains

Key passages(20)

A History of the Work of Redemption — PERIOD II. From Christ's Incarnation to his Resurrection. — PART I. Of Christ's Incarnation. — part 1↗explains

A History of the Work of Redemption · Jonathan Edwards

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John 1:14↗explains

John · John the Apostle

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The Fifth Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of Constantinople — The Capitula of the Council. — part 1↗explains

The Fifth Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of Constantinople · The Ecumenical Councils

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The Incarnation of the Word — On the Incarnation of the Word. — As God made man by a word, why not restore him by a word? But (1) creation out of nothing is different from reparation of what already exists. (2) Man was there with a definite need, calling for a definite remedy. Death was ingrained in man's nature: He then must wind life closely to human nature. Therefore the Word became Incarnate that He might meet and conquer death in His usurped territory. (Simile of straw and asbestos.)↗explains

The Incarnation of the Word · Athanasius of Alexandria

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The Incarnation of the Word — On the Incarnation of the Word. — How the Incarnation did not limit the ubiquity of the Word, nor diminish His Purity. (Simile of the Sun.)↗explains

The Incarnation of the Word · Athanasius of Alexandria

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The Incarnation of the Word — On the Incarnation of the Word. — The Word, since death alone could stay the plague, took a mortal body which, united with Him, should avail for all, and by partaking of His immortality stay the corruption of the Race. By being above all, He made His Flesh an offering for our souls; by being one with us all, he clothed us with immortality. Simile to illustrate this.↗explains

The Incarnation of the Word · Athanasius of Alexandria

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The Letters and Sermons of Leo the Great — Sermons. — On the Feast of the Nativity, II. — part 1↗explains

The Letters and Sermons of Leo the Great · Leo the Great

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Treatise on the Incarnation (qq[1]-59) — Question. 1 - OF THE FITNESS OF THE INCARNATION (SIX ARTICLES) — part 4↗explains

Treatise on the Incarnation (qq[1]-59) · Thomas Aquinas

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Treatise on the Incarnation (qq[1]-59) — Question. 31 - OF THE MATTER FROM WHICH THE SAVIOUR'S BODY WAS CONCEIVED (EIGHT ARTICLES) — part 5↗explains

Treatise on the Incarnation (qq[1]-59) · Thomas Aquinas

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Treatise on the Incarnation (qq[1]-59) — Question. 32 - OF THE ACTIVE PRINCIPLE IN CHRIST'S CONCEPTION (FOUR ARTICLES) — part 1↗explains

Treatise on the Incarnation (qq[1]-59) · Thomas Aquinas

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Ephraim Syrus: Nineteen Hymns on the Nativity of Christ in the Flesh — Hymn XIX.↗explains

Ephraim Syrus: Nineteen Hymns on the Nativity of Christ in the Flesh · Ephrem the Syrian

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Ephraim Syrus: Nineteen Hymns on the Nativity of Christ in the Flesh — Hymn XVI.↗explains

Ephraim Syrus: Nineteen Hymns on the Nativity of Christ in the Flesh · Ephrem the Syrian

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Exposition of the Christian Faith — Book III. — part 5↗explains

Exposition of the Christian Faith · Ambrose of Milan

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Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament — On the same words, John i. ‘In the beginning was the word,’ etc.↗explains

Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament · Augustine of Hippo

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The Fourth Ecumenical Council. The Council of Chalcedon — The Tome of St. Leo. — part 1↗explains

The Fourth Ecumenical Council. The Council of Chalcedon · The Ecumenical Councils

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The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John — John 1.14↗explains

The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John · John Chrysostom

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The Incarnation of the Word — On the Incarnation of the Word. — He came in human rather than in any nobler form, because (I) He came to save, not to impress ; (2) man alone of creatures had sinned. As men would not recognise His works in the Universe, He came and worked among them as Man; in the sphere to which they had limited themselves.↗explains

The Incarnation of the Word · Athanasius of Alexandria

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The Incarnation of the Word — On the Incarnation of the Word. — Here again, was God to keep silence? to allow to false gods the worship He made us to render to Himself? A king whose subjects had revolted would, after sending letters and messages, go to them in person. How much more shall God restore in us the grace of His image. This men, themselves but copies, could not do. Hence the Word Himself must come (1) to recreate, (2) to destroy death in the Body.↗explains

The Incarnation of the Word · Athanasius of Alexandria

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The Incarnation of the Word — On the Incarnation of the Word. — The Word, then, visited that earth in which He was yet always present ; and saw all these evils. He takes a body of our Nature, and that of a spotless Virgin, in whose womb He makes it His own, wherein to reveal Himself, conquer death, and restore life.↗explains

The Incarnation of the Word · Athanasius of Alexandria

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The Incarnation of the Word — On the Incarnation of the Word. — Thus once again every part of creation manifests the glory of God. Nature, the witness to her Creator, yields (by miracles) a second testimony to God Incarnate. The witness of Nature, perverted by man's sin, was thus forced back to truth. If these reasons suffice not, let the Greeks look at facts.↗explains

The Incarnation of the Word · Athanasius of Alexandria

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