Victory Over Death
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“For it was not the Word himself who needed the gates to be opened, since he is the Lord of all, nor was any made thing closed to its Maker; but we were those who needed it, whom he himself carried up through his own body. For as he offered to death on behalf of all, so through it he opened up again the way to heaven.”
– Athanasius of Alexandria
Athanasius’ On the Incarnation is a foundational Christian text in which he explores why God became human in the person of Jesus Christ. Athanasius was present at the pivotal Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, but most of his life was spent serving the church of Alexandria, Egypt, through the mid-300s. As believers today, we are in debt to pastors and theologians like Athanasius, who not only guarded against early heretical teachings but gave us rich and sound theological writings that endure in our present age. Over the next three weeks, we will continue looking at his work and how it helps us to understand the mystery and joy of Easter.
One of the most powerful and hopeful themes in Athanasius’ On the Incarnation is the idea that the incarnation of Christ culminates in a decisive victory over death. As believers we understand that death is not just a biological end but a state of corruption and separation from God brought about by sin. Christ’s resurrection, therefore, is the triumph over death, signaling the beginning of new life for all who are united to Him.
Athanasius explains that death was the natural consequence of humanity’s fall. Because all, like Adam before, have turned away from the Source of Life—God—we became subject to dominion of sin. This wasn’t just an external punishment; it was the internal unraveling of what it meant to be human. Athanasius explained that death represented the disintegration of the image of God in humanity. Without divine intervention, humanity had destined itself to eternal death.
It is against this backdrop that the resurrection takes on its profound significance. The Word (Jesus) became flesh not only to dwell among us but to enter fully (without sin) into the human condition, including death. However, since the Word is also divine, death could not hold Him. In dying, Christ entered the realm of death as a conqueror. In rising, He broke its power from the inside out. Athanasius often uses the imagery of a king entering a city to defeat a tyrant—Christ descends into death to destroy it.
What makes this victory even more astonishing, according to Athanasius, is that it was achieved through apparent weakness. The crucifixion looked like defeat, yet it was the very means by which death was overthrown. The resurrection proved that Christ was more powerful than death, and by uniting Himself to humanity, He offers that same victory to all who believe.
Sin and death no longer have dominion over humanity. The resurrection ensures that those who are in Christ will also rise, fully restored and incorruptible. This isn’t just a future hope but a present reality that reshapes how Christians live.
“But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.”
– The Apostle Paul: 1 Corinthians 15:20-26