The first point to be noticed in the comparison is the
use of the title “Son of God.” For this Eusebius in his Creed had substituted
“Word of God.” Athanasius explains the significance
of the change: “Uniting the two titles, Scripture speaks of
‘Son’ in order to herald the natural and true offspring of
His essence (οὐσίας); and on the other
hand that none may think of the offspring as human, in again indicating
His essence it calls Him Word, and Wisdom, and Radiance, for from this
we infer that the generation was impassible (ἀπαθές), and eternal, and
becoming to God Contra Arianos,
Or. i. 28..”