The eternal Word, being proper to the Father’s being, cannot advance. Yet, Scripture says that Jesus advances in wisdom and stature. Athanasius appeals to the incarnation: He is advancing humanly. But, as always, what the Word does in the flesh is done for us:
“Neither then was the advance the Word’s, nor was the flesh Wisdom, but the flesh became the body of Wisdom ( tes sophias soma gegonen he sarx ). Therefore, as we have already said, not Wisdom, as Wisdom, advanced in respect of Itself; but the manhood advanced in Wisdom, transcending by degrees human nature, and being deified, and becoming and appearing to all as the organ of Wisdom ( organon ) for the operation and the shining forth of the Godhead.”
The Son took flesh to make flesh “transparent” to God.
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