The word ἐπίνοια was used in a technical sense later than the writings of Athanasius. Basil used the word in his writings of The Eunomian Controversy. This paper will demonstrate that Athanasius use the word in his work, Contra Arianos to demonstrate that the Arians invented a new concept of Christ that is not found in the “scope of Scriptures” but in the inventing work of the Arians.
The paper will review of how many times and places (context) that Athanasius uses the word in Contra Arianos. The paper will also demonstrate the meaning of ἐπίνοια from extant Greek literature comparing Flavius Josephus and Aristophanes regarding their definitions as possible support for defining ἐπίνοια as invention. The paper will then conclude that Athanasius presents the case that the Arian Christ was an invention that has no lineage in Christianity and not a part of the Scope of Scripture.