The Divine Dilemma and Its Solution in the Incarnation II
For this purpose, then, the incorporeal and incorruptible and immaterial Word of God entered our world. In one sense, indeed, He was not far from it before, for no part of creation had ever been without Him Who, while ever abiding in union with the Father, yet fills all things that are. But now He entered the world in a new way, stooping to our level in His love and Self-revealing to us. He saw the reasonable race, the race of men that, like Himself, expressed the Father’s Mind, wasting out of existence, and death reigning over all in corruption. He saw that corruption held us all the closer, because it was the penalty for the Transgression; He saw, too, how unthinkable it would be for the law to be repealed before it was fulfilled. He saw how unseemly it was that the very things of which He Himself was the Artificer should be disappearing. He saw how the surpassing wickedness of men was mounting up against them; He saw also their universal liability to death. All this He saw and, pitying our race, moved with compassion for our limitation, unable to endure that death should have the mastery, rather than that His creatures should perish and the work of His Father for us men come to nought, He took to Himself a body, a human body even as our own. Nor did He will merely to become embodied or merely to appear; had that been so, He could have revealed His divine majesty in some other and better way. No, He took our body, and not only so, but He took it directly from a spotless, stainless virgin, without the agency of human father — a pure body, untainted by intercourse with man. He, the Mighty One, the Artificer of all, Himself prepared this body in the virgin as a temple for Himself, and took it for His very own, as the instrument through which He was known and in which He dwelt. Thus, taking a body like our own, because all our bodies were liable to the corruption of death, He surrendered His body to death instead of all, and offered it to the Father. This He did out of sheer love for us, so that in His death all might die, and the law of death thereby be abolished because, having fulfilled in His body that for which it was appointed, it was thereafter voided of its power for men. This He did that He might turn again to incorruption men who had turned back to corruption, and make them alive through death by the appropriation of His body and by the grace of His resurrection. Thus He would make death to disappear from them as utterly as straw from fire.
9) The Word perceived that corruption could not be got rid of otherwise than through death; yet He Himself, as the Word, being immortal and the Father’s Son, was such as could not die. For this reason, therefore, He assumed a body capable of death, in order that it, through belonging to the Word Who is above all, might become in dying a sufficient exchange for all, and, itself remaining incorruptible through His indwelling, might thereafter put an end to corruption for all others as well, by the grace of
the resurrection. It was by surrendering to death the body which He had taken, as an offering and sacrifice free from every stain, that He forthwith abolished death for His human brethren by the offering of the equivalent. For naturally, since the Word of God was above all, when He offered His own temple and bodily instrument as a substitute for the life of all, He fulfilled in death all that was required. Naturally also, through this union of the immortal Son of God with our human nature, all men were clothed with incorruption in the promise of the resurrection. For the solidarity of mankind is such that, by virtue of the Word’s indwelling in a single human body, the corruption which goes with death has lost its power over all. You know how it is when some great king enters a large city and dwells in one of its houses; because of his dwelling in that single house, the whole city is honored, and enemies and robbers cease to molest it. Even so is it with the King of all; He has come into our country and dwelt in one body amidst the many, and in consequence the designs of the enemy against mankind have been foiled and the corruption of death, which formerly held them in its power, has simply ceased to be. For the human race would have perished utterly had not the Lord and Savior of all, the Son of God, come among us to put an end to death.
Translations
Ìṣòro Mímọ́ ti Ọlọ́run àti Ìdáhùn Rẹ̀ Nínú Ìwà Ẹlẹ́ran III
Nítorí ète yìí ni Ọ̀rọ̀ Ọlọ́run, ẹni tí kò ní ara, tí kò sì lè bàjẹ́, tí ó sì jẹ́ Ẹ̀mí pátápátá, wọ ayé wa. Ní ìtumọ̀ kan, kì í ṣe pé Ó jìnnà sí ayé rí tẹ́lẹ̀, nítorí kò sí apá kan nínú gbogbo ẹ̀dá tí Ó ti ṣe tí kò tíì ní ìwàláàyè Rẹ̀ nínú rẹ̀. Bí Ó tilẹ̀ jẹ́ pé Ó wà ní ìṣọ̀kan pípé pẹ̀lú Baba ní gbogbo ìgbà, síbẹ̀ Ó kún ohun gbogbo. Ṣùgbọ́n ní ìgbà yìí, Ó wọ ayé ní ọ̀nà tuntun; nínú ìfẹ́ Rẹ̀, Ó rẹ ara Rẹ̀ sí ìpele wa, Ó sì fi ara Rẹ̀ hàn sí wa. Ó rí i pé ẹ̀yà ènìyàn tí a dá pẹ̀lú ọgbọ́n, tí ó sì ń fi Ọgbọ́n Baba hàn gẹ́gẹ́ bí Òun fúnra Rẹ̀, ń ṣègbé lọ sí ìparun, ikú sì ti di alákòóso lórí gbogbo wọn nípasẹ̀ ìbàjẹ́. Ó rí i pé ìbàjẹ́ ti di wa mú ṣinṣin jùlọ nítorí pé ó jẹ́ ìjìyà fún ìrékọjá àṣẹ. Ó tún rí i pé kò yẹ rárá kí òfin náà di asán kí ó tó mú ète rẹ̀ ṣẹ. Ó sì rí i pé ó jẹ́ ohun tí kò bójú mu pé àwọn ohun tí Òun fúnra Rẹ̀ dá gẹ́gẹ́ bí Olùdá wọn ń ṣègbé lọ sí asán.
Ó tún rí bí ìwà búburú ènìyàn ti ń pọ̀ sí i lòdì sí ara wọn, Ó sì rí pé gbogbo ènìyàn wà lábẹ́ agbára ikú. Nígbà tí Ó rí gbogbo nǹkan wọ̀nyí, Ó ṣàánú ìran ènìyàn; inú Rẹ̀ sì kún fún àánú nítorí àìlera wa. Kò lè fara da pé ikú yóò máa jọba lórí wa, tàbí kí àwọn ẹ̀dá Rẹ̀ ṣègbé, kí iṣẹ́ tí Baba Rẹ̀ ṣe nítorí wa di asán.
Nítorí náà, Ó gba ara fún ara Rẹ̀—ara ènìyàn gẹ́gẹ́ bí tiwa gan-an. Kì í ṣe pé Ó fẹ́ hàn bí ẹni tí ó ní ara nìkan, tàbí pé Ó fẹ́ farahàn lásán. Bí ó bá jẹ́ bẹ́ẹ̀, Ó lè ti fi ògo àtọ̀runwá Rẹ̀ hàn ní ọ̀nà mìíràn tí ó ga jù.
Ṣùgbọ́n dídájú ni pé Ó gba ara wa. Kì í ṣe ìyẹn nìkan, ṣùgbọ́n Ó gba ara náà láti inú wúńdíá mímọ́ kan, aláìlábàwọ́n, láìsí ìbálòpọ̀ tàbí ìkópa baba ènìyàn. Ara mímọ́ ni, tí ìbálòpọ̀ ènìyàn kò fi àbàwọ́n kankan sí. Òun, Alágbára, Olùdá ohun gbogbo, fúnra Rẹ̀ ló pèsè ara yìí nínú wúńdíá náà gẹ́gẹ́ bí tẹ́ńpìlì fún ara Rẹ̀. Ó sì gba a gẹ́gẹ́ bí ohun ìní tirẹ̀, irinṣẹ́ tí yóò fi jẹ́ kí ènìyàn mọ Òun, àti ibi tí yóò máa gbé. Nípa bẹ́ẹ̀, nígbà tí Ó gba ara bí tiwa—nítorí gbogbo ara wa jẹ́ ẹni tí ìbàjẹ́ ikú lè bá—Ó fi ara Rẹ̀ lélẹ̀ fún ikú dípò gbogbo wa, Ó sì fi í rúbọ sí Baba. Ó ṣe èyí nítorí ìfẹ́ pípé tí Ó ní sí wa, kí nípasẹ̀ ikú Rẹ̀ gbogbo ènìyàn lè kú nínú Rẹ̀, kí òfin ikú sì di asán; nítorí pé nígbà tí ó ti mú ohun tí òfin náà béèrè ṣẹ nínú ara Rẹ̀, agbára rẹ̀ lórí ènìyàn parí. Ó tún ṣe èyí kí Ó lè mú àwọn tí wọ́n ti yí padà sí ìbàjẹ́ padà sí àìbàjẹ́, kí Ó sì fi ikú ṣẹ́gun ikú, kí Ó fún wọn ní ìyè nípasẹ̀ ara Rẹ̀ tí wọ́n bá di tiwọn, àti nípasẹ̀ oore-ọ̀fẹ́ àjíǹde Rẹ̀. Ní ọ̀nà yìí ni Ó ṣe mú ikú parun kúrò lọ́dọ̀ wọn pátápátá, gẹ́gẹ́ bí iná ṣe máa ń run koríko gbígbẹ tan.
Ọ̀rọ̀ náà mọ̀ dájú pé kò sí ọ̀nà mìíràn tí a fi lè pa ìbàjẹ́ run bí kò ṣe nípasẹ̀ ikú. Ṣùgbọ́n Òun fúnra Rẹ̀, gẹ́gẹ́ bí Ọ̀rọ̀ Ọlọ́run àti Ọmọ Baba, jẹ́ aláìkú; ikú kò sì lè ní agbára lórí Rẹ̀. Nítorí ìdí yìí ni Ó fi gba ara tí ó lè kú, kí ara náà, nítorí pé ó ti di ti Ọ̀rọ̀ náà tí ó ga ju ohun gbogbo lọ, lè di ìràpadà tó pé fún gbogbo ènìyàn nígbà tí ó kú. Ní àkókò kan náà, nítorí ìgbé Ọ̀rọ̀ nínú rẹ̀, ara náà kò lè bàjẹ́, kí ó sì lè, nípasẹ̀ oore-ọ̀fẹ́ àjíǹde, pa agbára ìbàjẹ́ run fún gbogbo àwọn yòókù. Nípa fífi ara tí Ó ti gba lé ikú lọ́wọ́ gẹ́gẹ́ bí ẹbọ àti ìrúbọ tí kò ní àbàwọ́n kankan, Ó pa ikú run lẹ́sẹ̀kẹsẹ̀ fún àwọn arákùnrin àti arábìnrin Rẹ̀ nínú ẹ̀dá ènìyàn, nípa fífi ohun tí ó tó iye gbogbo wọn rúbọ. Nítorí pé Ọ̀rọ̀ Ọlọ́run ga ju gbogbo ẹ̀dá lọ, nígbà tí Ó fi tẹ́ńpìlì tirẹ̀—ìyẹn ara tí Ó fi hàn láàrín wa—rúbọ gẹ́gẹ́ bí àfidípò fún ìyè gbogbo ènìyàn, Ó mú gbogbo ohun tí òdodo Ọlọ́run béèrè ṣẹ nípasẹ̀ ikú Rẹ̀.
Ní ti ẹ̀dá, nípasẹ̀ ìṣọ̀kan yìí láàárín Ọmọ Ọlọ́run aláìkú àti ẹ̀dá ènìyàn wa, gbogbo ènìyàn ni a wọ̀ ní àìbàjẹ́, gẹ́gẹ́ bí ìlérí àjíǹde. Nítorí pé gbogbo ẹ̀dá ènìyàn jẹ́ ara kan ṣoṣo, nípasẹ̀ ìgbé Ọ̀rọ̀ nínú ara ènìyàn kan ṣoṣo, ìbàjẹ́ tí ikú ń mú wá ti pàdánù agbára rẹ̀ lórí gbogbo ènìyàn. Ẹ mọ bí ó ṣe rí nígbà tí ọba alágbára kan bá wọ ìlú ńlá kan tí ó sì yan ilé kan nínú rẹ̀ láti máa gbé. Nítorí ìgbé rẹ̀ nínú ilé kan náà, gbogbo ìlú náà ni a máa ń bọ̀wọ̀ fún. Àwọn ọ̀tá àti àwọn ọlọ́ṣà kì í tún lè yọ ìlú náà lẹ́nu mọ́, nítorí ìwàláàyè ọba náà ti di ààbò fún gbogbo ìlú. Bẹ́ẹ̀ náà ni ó rí pẹ̀lú Ọba gbogbo ayé. Ó ti wá sí ilẹ̀ wa, Ó sì gbé nínú ara ènìyàn kan láàárín ọ̀pọ̀ ènìyàn. Nítorí èyí, gbogbo ète ọ̀tá sí ẹ̀dá ènìyàn ti di asán, agbára ikú tí ó ti ń ṣàkóso wọn tẹ́lẹ̀ sì ti parun. Ìbàjẹ́ tí ikú mú wá kò tún ní agbára lórí wọn mọ́.
Nítorí pé, bí Olúwa àti Olùgbàlà gbogbo wa—Ọmọ Ọlọ́run—kò bá ti sọ̀kalẹ̀ wá sí àárín wa láti pa ikú run, gbogbo ẹ̀dá ènìyàn ì bá ti ṣègbé pátápátá. Ṣùgbọ́n nípa dídé Rẹ̀ sí ayé, nípa gbígba ara wa wọ̀, nípa ikú Rẹ̀, àti nípa àjíǹde Rẹ̀, Ó ṣẹ́gun ikú, Ó sì fọ agbára ìbàjẹ́ tí ó ti di ènìyàn mọ́ láti ìbẹ̀rẹ̀.
Nítorí náà, àwọn tí wọ́n wà nínú Rẹ̀ kò sí lábẹ́ ìṣàkóso ikú mọ́. Bí iná ṣe máa ń jó koríko gbígbẹ tán láìfi nǹkan sílẹ̀, bẹ́ẹ̀ ni Kristi ti pa agbára ikú àti ìbàjẹ́ run. Ó ṣí ọ̀nà sí ìyè tí kò lè bàjẹ́, kí gbogbo àwọn tí wọ́n bá darapọ̀ mọ́ Ọ nípasẹ̀ ìgbàgbọ́ lè di alábápín nínú ìyè àìnípẹ̀kun àti nínú ògo àjíǹde.
Nsogbu Dị Nsọ nke Chineke na Ngwọta Ya n’Ịghọ Mmadụ III
N’ihi nzube a ka Okwu Chineke, Onye na-enweghị ahụ, Onye na-adịghị emebi emebi, Onye mmụọ na-enweghị ihe anụ ahụ, bịara n’ụwa anyị. N’otu ụzọ, Ọ dịghị anya n’ebe ụwa nọ ọbụna tupu nke a, n’ihi na ọ dịghị akụkụ ọ bụla nke ihe e kere eke nke na-enweghị Ya. Ọ bụ ezie na Ọ na-anọgide mgbe niile n’ịdị n’otu zuru oke na Nna, Ọ na-ejupụta ihe niile dị adị.
Ma ugbu a, Ọ batara n’ụwa n’ụzọ ọhụrụ. N’ihi ịhụnanya Ya, Ọ wedara Onwe Ya ala ruo n’ogo anyị, wee mee ka anyị mara Onye Ọ bụ. Ọ hụrụ na agbụrụ mmadụ, bụ́ ndị e kere ka ha nwee ọgụgụ isi ma gosipụta Uche Nna dịka Ya Onwe Ya si eme, nọ na-apụ n’iyi, ebe ọnwụ na-achịkwa mmadụ niile site n’ike nke mbibi.
Ọ hụrụ na mbibi jidere mmadụ ike karịa n’ihi na ọ bụ ntaramahụhụ nke mmehie na nnupụisi. Ọ hụkwara na ọ gaghị adị mma ma ọ bụ kwe omume ka iwu ahụ kagbuo tupu e mezuo ihe e nyere ya ime. Ọ hụkwara na ọ bụ ihe na-ekwesịghị ekwesị ka ihe ndị Ya Onwe Ya kere dị ka Onye Okike malite ịla n’iyi.
Ọ hụkwara otú ajọ omume mmadụ si na-arịwanye elu megide ha onwe ha, ma hụkwa na mmadụ niile nọ n’okpuru ọchịchị ọnwụ. Mgbe Ọ hụrụ ihe ndị a niile, O nwere nnukwu ebere n’ebe agbụrụ mmadụ nọ. Obi ebere jupụtara Ya n’ihi adịghị ike anyị. Ọ pụghị ịnagide ka ọnwụ nọgide na-achị, ma ọ bụ ka ihe ndị O kere laa n’iyi, ka ọrụ Nna Ya rụrụ n’ihi anyị bụrụ ihe efu.
Ya mere, Ọ nara Onwe Ya ahụ mmadụ, ahụ nke yiri nke anyị. Ọ bụghị naanị ka Ọ pụta ìhè dịka onye nwere ahụ, ma ọ bụ naanị ka Ọ gosi Onwe Ya n’anya mmadụ. Ọ bụrụ na nke ahụ bụ naanị ihe Ọ chọrọ ime, Ọ gaara egosipụta ebube Chineke Ya n’ụzọ ọzọ ka mma.
Ma mba. Ọ nara ahụ anyị n’ezie. Ọ bụghị naanị nke ahụ, kama Ọ nwetara ahụ ahụ site n’aka nwa agbọghọ na-amaghị nwoke, onye dị ọcha ma na-enweghị ntụpọ, na-enweghị enyemaka nke nna mmadụ. Ọ bụ ahụ dị ọcha, nke mmetọ sitere n’imekọ nwoke na nwanyị emetụbeghị.
Ya, Onye Pụrụ Ime Ihe Niile, Onye Okike nke ihe niile, kwadebere ahụ a n’ime nwa agbọghọ ahụ dịka ụlọ nsọ nke Ya, wee were ya dịka nke Ya, dịka ngwa nke a ga-esi mara Ya, na dịka ebe Ọ ga-ebikwa.
N’ihi ya, ebe Ọ nara ahụ dịka nke anyị—ebe ahụ mmadụ niile dị n’okpuru mbibi nke ọnwụ—Ọ nyefere ahụ Ya nye ọnwụ n’ọnọdụ mmadụ niile, ma chụọ ya dịka àjà nye Nna.
Ọ mere nke a naanị n’ihi ịhụnanya Ya n’ebe anyị nọ, ka site n’ọnwụ Ya, mmadụ niile wee nwụọ n’ime Ya, ka iwu nke ọnwụ wee bụrụ ihe efu. N’ihi na mgbe ahụ Ya mezuru ihe iwu ahụ chọrọ, ike iwu ahụ n’ebe mmadụ nọ kwụsịrị.
Ọ mekwara nke a ka O wee kpọghachite ndị laghachiri na mbibi n’ọnọdụ adịghị emebi emebi, ma nye ha ndụ site n’ọnwụ Ya, site n’ime ka ha bụrụ ndị sonyere n’ahụ Ya, na site n’amara nke mbilite n’ọnwụ Ya. N’ụzọ dị otu a, Ọ ga-eme ka ọnwụ pụọ n’ebe ha nọ kpamkpam, dịka ọkụ si ere ahịhịa akọrọ ma mee ka ọ ghọọ ihe efu.
Okwu Chineke ghọtara nke ọma na a pụghị ikpochapụ mbibi n'ụzọ ọ bụla ọzọ ma e wezụga site n'ọnwụ. Ma Ya Onwe Ya, ebe Ọ bụ Okwu Chineke na Ọkpara Nna, bụ Onye na-adịghị anwụ anwụ; ọnwụ enweghị ike ọ bụla n'ahụ Ya.
N'ihi nke a, Ọ were ahụ nke nwere ike ịnwụ, ka ahụ ahụ, ebe ọ bụ nke Okwu ahụ nke dị elu karịa ihe niile, bụrụ ihe ga-ezuru iji dochie mmadụ niile n'oge ọnwụ ya. N'otu oge ahụ, n'ihi na Okwu ahụ biri n'ime ya, ahụ ahụ ga-anọgide na-adịghị emebi emebi, ma site n'amara nke mbilite n'ọnwụ, kwụsịkwa ike nke mbibi n'ahụ mmadụ niile.
Site n'inyefe ahụ Ọ nara nye ọnwụ dịka onyinye na àjà nke na-enweghị ntụpọ ọbụla, Ọ kpochapụrụ ike ọnwụ ozugbo n'ebe ụmụnne Ya mmadụ nọ, site n'ịnye ihe hà nhata nke ga-anọchi ndụ mmadụ niile.
N'ihi na, dịka o kwesịrị ịdị, ebe Okwu Chineke dị elu karịa ihe niile, mgbe Ọ chụrụ ụlọ nsọ nke Ya—ya bụ, ahụ Ya—na ngwa ahụ Ọ ji biri n'etiti mmadụ dịka onye nnọchi anya ndụ mmadụ niile, Ọ mezuru site n'ọnwụ Ya ihe niile ezi ikpe Chineke chọrọ ka e mezuo.
N'otu aka ahụ, site n'ịdị n'otu a nke Ọkpara Chineke na-adịghị anwụ anwụ na ọdịdị mmadụ anyị, e yi mmadụ niile uwe nke adịghị emebi emebi n'ime nkwa nke mbilite n'ọnwụ. N'ihi na mmadụ niile bụ otu agbụrụ, site n'ibi Okwu Chineke n'ime otu ahụ mmadụ, mbibi nke ọnwụ na-eweta efunahụla ike ya n'ahụ mmadụ niile.
Unu maara ihe na-eme mgbe nnukwu eze batara n'obodo ukwu ma họrọ otu ụlọ n'ime ya ka ọ bụrụ ebe obibi ya. N'ihi na eze ahụ bi n'otu ụlọ ahụ, a na-enye obodo ahụ dum nsọpụrụ. Ndị iro na ndị ohi anaghịzi anwa imegide ya, n'ihi na ọnụnọ eze ahụ aghọwo nchebe nye obodo ahụ niile.
N'otu ụzọ ahụkwa ka ọ dị banyere Eze nke ihe niile. Ọ bịarutere n'ala anyị, biri n'ime otu ahụ mmadụ n'etiti ọtụtụ mmadụ. N'ihi ya, atụmatụ niile nke onye iro megide agbụrụ mmadụ aghọwo ihe efu, ike nke ọnwụ nke jidere ha na mbụ adịkwaghị. Mbibi nke ọnwụ na-eweta efunahụla ọchịchị ya n'ahụ mmadụ niile.
N’ezie, agbụrụ mmadụ gaara ala n’iyi kpamkpam ma a sị na Onyenwe anyị na Onye Nzọpụta nke mmadụ niile, Ọkpara Chineke, abịaghị n’etiti anyị iji kwụsị ọchịchị ọnwụ.
Ma site n’ịbịa Ya n’ụwa, site n’ịnara ọdịdị mmadụ anyị, site n’ọnwụ Ya, na site na mbilite n’ọnwụ Ya, O meriri ọnwụ ma bibie ike mbibi nke jidere mmadụ kemgbe ọdịda mbụ.
Ya mere, ndị nọ n’ime Ya anọkwaghị n’okpuru ọchịchị ọnwụ. Dịka ọkụ si ere ahịhịa kpọrọ nkụ ma kpochapụ ya kpamkpam, otu a ka Kraịst siri bibie ike ọnwụ na mbibi. O meghere ụzọ nke ndụ na-adịghị emebi emebi, ka ndị niile jikọtara Ya site n’okwukwe bụrụ ndị ga-eketa ndụ ebighị ebi ma soro Ya nwee òkè n’ebube nke mbilite n’ọnwụ.
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