Amphilochius of Iconium, On the Phrase "It Cannot Be"

the production of beings, for this reason also the creation of all things knows the Father and the Son as creator, the Spirit not being excluded. For whatever he does, the Father, these things the Son also does likewise; these things and not similar things, for I do not do different things by imitation, but I work the same things which the Father also works. Whence also, attributing my words to him, I said: The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who abides in me does the works. But I attributed the works and the words to him, not to show that I fulfill a service, but to show that I am so united to the Father by nature, as to have neither word nor work without him. Whence he added, saying: Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if not, believe even for the sake of the works. Just as, therefore, working there I said that The Father who abides in me does the works, so also here I say that The works which he does, these the Son also does likewise; these and not similar things. Does, therefore, 'The Son can do nothing of himself <nothing>' not abolish my freedom? Understand: for whatever I wish to do, I can also do of myself, but I do not wish; for if the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself does, how could I be unaware of him who does all things through me? But he does them through me not as through a servant; for I am not a servant but a co-worker, not fulfilling a service but working with authority. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, having power concurrent with his will, so I do not raise the dead by fulfilling a service, but by power, authority, dominion, will, because those whom I raise I also judge. For the Father judges no one; but he does not judge not because of weakness, but because he has given all judgment to the Son; for through whom he worked, through him he also judges. And for this reason he does all things, so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. For then especially does he perceive honor, when he sees the Son from him being honored in a manner worthy of God; he who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him, for he does not accept honor at the cost of the Son's dishonor. For he sent me on account of the flesh, not to be insulted, but to be glorified. Whence, since you were ungratefully disposed toward me, for this reason also through that same flesh which was sent I said to him: Father, glorify your Son. You glorify him whom these men insult, you glorify also the flesh which is rejected by them, so that they may learn that you, as Father, will also without distinction glorify the man from Mary on account of the fellowship with your only-begotten Son, giving to the temple assumed by me now the glory, which I myself by nature had with you before the ages ...

ὄντων παραγωγήν, διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἡ τῶν ὅλων δημιουργία τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὸν υἱὸν οἶδε δημιουργὸν οὐκ ἐξωθουμένου τοῦ πνεύματος. Ἃ γὰρ ἂν ἐκεῖνος ποιῇ, ὁ πατήρ, ταῦτα καὶ ὁ υἱὸς ὁμοίως ποιεῖ· ταῦτα καὶ οὐχὶ τοιαῦτα, οὐ γὰρ κατὰ μίμησιν ἕτερα ποιῶ, ἀλλὰ τὰ αὐτὰ ἐργάζομαι ἃ καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἐργάζεται. Ὅθεν καὶ τὰ ῥήματά μου ἀνατιθεὶς αὐτῷ ἔλεγον· Τὰ ῥήματα ἃ ἐγὼ λαλῶ ὑμῖν ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ οὐ λαλῶ· ὁ δὲ πατὴρ ὁ ἐν ἐμοὶ μένων ποιεῖ τὰ ἔργα. Αὐτῷ δὲ τὰ ἔργα καὶ τὰ ῥήματα ἀνεθέμην, οὐχ ἵνα δείξω ὅτι διακονίαν πληρῶ, ἀλλ' ἵνα δείξω ὅτι οὕτως συνήνωμαι τῷ πατρὶ φύσει, ὡς μήτε λόγον μήτε ἔργον ἄνευ αὐτοῦ ἔχειν. Ὅθεν ἐπήγαγεν λέγων· Πιστεύετέ μοι ὅτι ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ πατρὶ καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἐν ἐμοί· εἰ δὲ μή, κἂν διὰ τὰ ἔργα πιστεύετε. Ὥσπερ οὖν ἐκεῖ ἐργαζόμενος ἔλεγον ὅτι Ὁ πατὴρ ὁ ἐν ἐμοὶ μένων ποιεῖ τὰ ἔργα, οὕτως καὶ ὧδε λέγω ὅτι Τὰ ἔργα ἃ ἐκεῖνος ποιεῖ, ταῦτα καὶ ὁ υἱὸς ὁμοίως ποιεῖ· ταῦτα καὶ οὐχὶ τοιαῦτα. Τὸ οὖν Οὐ δύναται ὁ υἱὸς ποιεῖν ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ οὐδὲν <οὐδὲν> μὴ ἐπαναιρέσει μου τῆς ἐλευθερίας; Νόει· ὅσα γὰρ θέλω ποιεῖν καὶ ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ δύναμαι, ἀλλ' οὐ θέλω· εἰ γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ φιλεῖ τὸν υἱὸν καὶ πάντα δείκνυσιν αὐτῷ ἃ αὐτὸς ποιεῖ, πῶς ἐγὼ λάθω τὸν πάντα δι' ἐμοῦ ποιοῦντα; Ποιεῖ δὲ δι' ἐμοῦ οὐχ ὡς δι' ὑπουργοῦ· οὐ γὰρ ὑπουργῶ ἀλλὰ συνεργῶ, οὐ διακονίαν πληρῶν ἀλλὰ αὐθεντίαν ἔχων ἐργάζομαι. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ ἐγείρει τοὺς νεκροὺς καὶ ζωοποιεῖ σύνδρομον ἔχων τῇ θελήσει τὴν δύναμιν, οὕτως οὐ διακονίαν πληρῶν νεκροὺς ἐγείρω, ἀλλὰ δυνάμει, αὐθεντίᾳ, ἐξουσίᾳ, θελήσει, ὅτι οὓς ἐγείρω καὶ κρίνω. Ὁ πατὴρ γὰρ οὐ κρίνει οὐδένα· ἀλλ' οὐ διὰ ἀδυναμίαν οὐ κρίνει, ἀλλ' ὅτι τὴν κρίσιν πᾶσαν δέδωκεν τῷ υἱῷ· δι' οὗ γὰρ εἰργάσατο, δι' αὐτοῦ καὶ κρίνει. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο δὲ πάντα ποιεῖ, ἵνα πάντες τιμῶσιν τὸν υἱὸν καθὼς τιμῶσι τὸν πατέρα. Τότε γὰρ μάλιστα αἰσθάνεται τίμης, ὅταν ἴδῃ τὸν ἐξ αὐτοῦ θεοπρεπῶς τιμώμενον υἱόν· ὁ μὴ τιμῶν τὸν υἱὸν οὐ τιμᾷ τὸν πατέρα τὸν πέμψαντα αὐτόν, οὐ γὰρ δέχεται τιμὴν ἐπ' ἀτιμίᾳ υἱοῦ. Ἔπεμψέ με γὰρ διὰ τὴν σάρκα, οὐχ ἵνα ὑβρισθῶ, ἀλλ' ἵνα δοξασθῶ. Ὅθεν ἐπειδὴ ἀγνωμόνως διετέθητε εἰς ἐμέ, διὰ τοῦτο καὶ δι' αὐτῆς τῆς ἀποσταλείσης σαρκὸς πρὸς αὐτὸν ἔλεγον· Πάτερ, δόξασόν σου τὸν υἱόν. Σὺ δόξασον ὃν οὗτοι ὑβρίζουσι, σὺ καὶ τὴν ὑπ' αὐτῶν ἀθετουμένην δόξασον σάρκα, ἵνα μάθωσιν ὅτι καὶ τὸν ἐκ Μαρίας ἄνθρωπον διὰ τὴν πρὸς τὸν μονογενῆ σου υἱὸν κοινωνίαν ἀδιακρίτως ὡς πατὴρ δοξάσεις ἐκείνην διδοὺς τῷ ἀναληφθέντι παρ' ἐμοῦ ναῷ νῦν δόξαν, ἣν ἐγὼ αὐτὸς πρὸ αἰώνων παρά σοι ἐκ φύσεως εἶχον ...