The Ecclesiastical History of Evagrius Scholasticus - Coptic ...

260
EVAGRIUS
one, both God alike and man, the Emmanuel. And while confessing
that the same is perfect in divinity and perfect in humanity,
the things from which He was indeed compounded, [200] we do
not in£ict division into parts or severance on His one composite
hypostasis, but we signify the di¡erence of natures, which is not
destroyed on account of the union. For neither was the divine
nature converted into the human, nor was the human nature
turned into the divine. But rather, with each being apprehended
and existing in the limit and de¢nition of its own nature, we say
that the union has been made according to hypostasis. The union
according to hypostasis indicates that God the Word, that is one
hypostasis of the three hypostases of the Divinity, was not united
with a pre-existing man, but in the womb of our Lady, the holy
and glorious Mother of God and ever-Virgin Mary, He fashioned
for Himself from Her in His own hypostasis £esh consubstantial
with us, alike in passions in every respect apart from sin, animated
with a rational and intelligent soul. For in Him 14 it retained the
hypostasis and became man, and is one and the same our Lord
Jesus Christ, co-honoured with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
Considering His ine¡able union, we correctly confess that one
nature of God the Word was made incarnate in £esh which was
animated with a rational and intelligent soul. And again, taking
into consideration the di¡erence of the natures, we say that they
are two, while introducing no division at all. For each nature is
in Him. Hence we confess one and the same Christ, one Son, one
person, one hypostasis, alike God and man.
All those who have held or hold opinions contrary to these we
anathematize, judging them to be estranged from the holy universal
and apostolic Church of God. Accordingly, while the correct
doctrines that have been transmitted to us by the holy Fathers are
being proclaimed, we enjoin all of you to come together in one
and the same universal and apostolic Church, or rather indeed we
14 As Festugie're observes (418 n. 11) the word au'to“ refers to the composite ¢gure of
Christ which Justin has just been describing. The remainder of this paragraph represents
Justin’s second signi¢cant change to Justinian’s edict: the intention was to emphasize that
the hypostasis of God the Word has become incarnate, and it represents a slight shift in
Justinian’s Christological position towards a one-nature formulation, since the unity of
Christ is constantly stressed even while the theoretical distinction of the two natures is
noted.