And without doubt great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
But when the fullness of time came, Wisdom was sent in the flesh, not to fill angels nor to be an angel, except insofar as she announced the Father’s plan which was also her own. She was sent not to be with men and in men, for this too had been done before, both in the Fathers and in the prophets, but that the Word itself might become flesh, that is, that it might become a man. This future mystery, when revealed, would likewise be the salvation of those wise and saintly men, who had been born of women before he himself was born of a virgin, and ever since it has been accomplished and preached, it is the salvation of all who believe, hope and love. .
Mystery of piety, meaning the mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God: and so in most Greek copies, and in St. Chrysostom we read, God appeared in the flesh.
Taken up into glory, by Christ's glorious ascension into heaven. (Witham)
After having spoken of the grandeur and infallibility of the Church, the apostle takes occasion from it to extol the great mystery of love, the incarnation and redemption of man. By this mystery the Second Person of the blessed Trinity became manifested in the flesh, justifying or proving his divinity by the virtue of the Holy Spirit appearing in his miracles, made known to the Angels, who were his messengers to bear the tidings to man, or assisting spirits to wait upon him, as at the nativity, in the desert, the agony preached to the world, and at length consummated to the world by his ascension into glory. (Calmet and others)
We hold it necessary to honor, even as the Father is honored, the God who was manifested by the cross. They [the Eunomians] find the passion a hindrance to glorifying the OnlyBegotten God equally with the Father that begat him…. Eunomius makes the suffering of the cross to be a sign of divergence in essence, in the sense of inferiority, considering, I know not how, the surpassing act of power, by which he was able to perform this, to be an evidence of weakness. He fails to perceive the fact that, while nothing which moves according to its own nature is looked upon as surprisingly wonderful, all things that overpass the limitations of their own nature become especially the objects of admiration. Indeed, to them every ear is turned, every mind is attentive, in wonder at the marvel. And hence it is that all who preach the word point out the wonderful character of the mystery in this respect—that “God was manifested in the flesh,” that “the light shined in the darkness,” “the Life tasted d...
Here he speaks of the economy of salvation given to us. Tell me not of the bells, nor of the holy of holies, nor of the high priest. The church is the pillar of the world. Consider this mystery, and you may be struck with awe. For it is indeed a “great mystery,” and a “mystery of godliness,” and that is “without controversy” or question, for it is beyond all doubt.
Here he speaks of the Dispensation in our behalf. Tell me not of the bells, nor of the holy of holies, nor of the high priest. The Church is the pillar of the world. Consider this mystery, and you may be struck with awe: for it is indeed a great mystery, and a mystery of godliness, and that without controversy or question, for it is beyond all doubt. Since in his directions to the Priests he had required nothing like what is found in Leviticus he refers the whole matter to Another, saying, God was manifest in the flesh. The Creator was seen incarnate. He was justified in the Spirit. As it is said, Wisdom is justified of her children, or because He practiced no guile, as the Prophet says, Because he had done no violence, neither was guile found in his mouth. Isaiah 53:9; 1 Peter 2:22 Seen of Angels. So that Angels together with us saw the Son of God, not having before seen Him. Great, truly great, was this mystery! Preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world. He was heard of an...
“If you knew my essence and dignity, you would also know that of the Father. And henceforth you will know him, and you have seen him” (the former in future, the latter at present), that is, “through me.” Moreover by “sight” he meant knowledge by means of the understanding. For we can both see and fail to know persons whom we actually see, but we cannot both know and fail to know at the same time persons whom we know. That is why he declared, “And you have seen him,” just as Scripture says, “as he has been seen by angels also.” Even though his very essence was not, of course, seen, it said that he “has been seen,” clearly meaning “seen” in such a way as it was possible for the angels to see.
No, indeed, it is not that God has just recently come up with a plan for attending to human affairs, nor that it has taken him this long to show compassion. Rather, he laid down from the very “foundation of the world” one and the same “cause of salvation” for all. For, the grace of God—by which the entire assembly of saints has always been justified—was not initiated at the time that Christ was born but augmented. This “mystery of great compassion,” with which the whole world has now been filled, was so powerful even in its prefigurations that those who believed it when promised attained to it no less than those who received it when actually given.
