Letter 453: I have received what you sent, and I recognize in it the spirit of one who genuinely seeks rather than one who...

To Athanasius. On the question, when Jacob wrestled, what name the one who wrestled with him gave. The divine nature is unnameable. Jacob sought the name of the one who wrestled with him and who, through the touching of the sinew of his thigh [Genesis 32:24-32], was teaching him to prevail against the passions. But he hears, "Why do you ask my name?" [Genesis 32:29] - which instructs that this was not for those under the Law, nor for those before the Law, to learn; but late in time, when the fullness of the ages shall come and the transgressions of men shall be multiplied, I, becoming man, shall be called Jesus, which is interpreted "Savior" [Matthew 1:21]. For I shall carry out that dispensation for the salvation of those who have sinned.

Ὅτε ἐπάλαισεν ὁ Ἰακώβ, τί εἶπε τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ὁ παλαιῶν. Ἡ μὲν θεία φύσις ἀκατονόμαστος. Ὄνομα δὲ ἐζήτει Ἰακὼβ τοῦ παλαίοντος, καὶ ἰσχύειν αὐτὸν κατὰ τῶν παθῶν ἐδιδάσκοντος, διὰ τῆς τοῦ νεύρου τοῦ μηροῦ ψηλαφήσεως. Ἀλλ᾽ « Ἵνα τί ἐρωτᾷς τὸ ὄνομά μου; » ἀκούει, οὐ τοῦ νόμου (57) εἶναι, οὐδὲ τῶν πρὸ τοῦ νόμου τοῦτο μαθεῖν ἐκπαιδεύοντος· ὀψέ δὲ καιροῦ, ὅτε ἐλεύσεται τῶν χρόνων τὸ πλήρωμα, καὶ πληθυνθήσεται τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὰ πλημμελήματα, Ἰησοῦς ἐνανθρωπήσας κληθήσομαι, ὅπερ Σωτὴρ ἑρμηνεύεται. Ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ γὰρ τῶν ἁμαρτόντων τὴν οἰκονομίαν ἐκείνην ποιήσομαι.