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name; For how is it possible for the God Word to be both only-begotten and firstborn? For the names are contrary; and 'only-begotten' signifies the one who was alone begotten, but 'firstborn' signifies the one born before others, and taking precedence over others in birth; but the God Word has no brother, for He is only-begotten; how then is He firstborn, who alone was begotten of the Father? Therefore it is clear that the name "firstborn" belongs to the economy. But if anyone doubts, let him learn from Paul who proclaims: "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren." For of whom are the believers brothers according to nature? Not of the God Word, but of the consubstantial humanity; for of this they are also conformed. And elsewhere he said: "Who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body." Therefore He is also the firstborn who has many brothers; concerning whom He Himself says in the Psalms: "I will declare Your name to my brethren." We do not say that the only-begotten is one person, and the firstborn another, but that He is the same, though not in the same respect. For He was named only-begotten according to the generation from above, but He has been called firstborn as the first to loose the pangs of the birth that leads to life. For this reason He is also named the firstborn from the dead, as the first to rise and to open the gates of death; and firstborn of all creation, as the first to be born in the new creation, which He renewed by being born; concerning which the blessed Paul says: "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." But if those who prefer strife to persuasion should contend that "firstborn of all creation" was said of the God Word, we will laugh at their ignorance; but we will concede nevertheless, so that even in this way we may show the truth to be with us in great abundance. for He is called firstborn, but not first-created of all creation; so that it is clear that He Himself was begotten before all creation, and nothing is older than the Son, but He was always with the Father, and was before all creation; and the whole nature of created things was later brought into being by Him. So from this nothing will be left for the blasphemers.

11. That no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father, except

the Son. But that we may show the equality of the Father and the Son, let us come to the very teaching of the Lord: "No one," He says, "knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and he to whom the Son wills to reveal Him." What is clearer than these words? Our knowledge, He says, is equal; for I know the Father, being known by Him; and the Father knows me, being known by me. But all creation is cast out from our knowledge. For how is it possible for that which does not share our nature, to share in our knowledge? But some nevertheless partake of a brief vision; for I reveal, as is possible, to whom I will the knowledge concerning the Father, as in a mirror and a riddle. These things we have learned from the Lord's teachings; what place does greater and lesser have here? What creature knows the creator as it is known by the creator? What work accepts equality with its maker? Or do we not know how the divine Scripture speaks concerning the creation? Let us then recall the words of the Prophet: "In the beginning, You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of Your hands. They will perish, but You remain; and all will grow old like a garment, and like a robe You will roll them up, and they will be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will not fail." And again: "Who makes His angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire." This is the difference between creation and creator. Where, therefore, there is equality, there is no longer creature and creator, but Father and Son; for this reason He also has set these things

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ὄνομα· πῶς γὰρ οἷόν τε τὸν Θεὸν Λό γον, καὶ μονογενῆ καὶ πρωτότοκον εἶναι; Ἐναντία γὰρ τὰ ὀνόματα· καὶ ὁ μὲν μονογενὴς τὸν μόνον γεννηθέντα σημαίνει, ὁ δὲ πρωτότοκος τὸν πρὸ ἑτέ ρων τεχθέντα, καὶ ἑτέρων τῷ τόκῳ πρωτεύοντα· ὁ Θεὸς δὲ Λόγος ἀδελφὸν οὐκ ἔχει, μονογενὴς γάρ· πῶς οὖν πρωτότοκος ὁ μόνος ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς γεννη θείς; Οὐκοῦν εὔδηλον, ὡς τῆς οἰκονομίας «τὸ πρωτό τοκος» ὄνομα. Εἰ δέ τις ἀμφιβάλλει, παρὰ Παύλου μανθανέτω βοῶντος· «Ὅτι οὓς προέγνω, καὶ προώρισεν συμ μόρφους τῆς εἰκόνος τοῦ Υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ εἶναι αὐτὸν πρωτότοκον ἐν πολλοῖς ἀδελφοῖς.» Τίνος γὰρ κατὰ φύσιν ἀδελφοὶ οἱ πιστεύοντες; Οὐ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου, ἀλλὰ τῆς ὁμοφυοῦς ἀνθρωπότητος· ταύτης γάρ εἰσι καὶ σύμμορφοι. Καὶ ἑτέρωθεν ἔλεγεν· «Ὃς μετασχηματίσει τὸ σῶμα τῆς ταπεινώσεως ἡμῶν εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι αὐτὸ σύμμορφον τῷ σώματι τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ.» Οὐκοῦν αὐτός ἐστι καὶ πρωτότοκος ὁ τοὺς πολλοὺς ἔχων ἀδελφούς· περὶ ὧν αὐτὸς ἐν Ψαλ μοῖς φησιν· «Ἀπαγγελῶ τὸ ὄνομά σου τοῖς ἀδελ φοῖς μου.» Οὐκ ἄλλον δὲ τὸν μονογενῆ, καὶ ἄλλον τὸν πρωτότοκον εἶναί φαμεν, ἀλλὰ τὸν αὐτὸν, οὐ κατὰ τὸ αὐτὸ δέ. Μονογενὴς μὲν γὰρ ὠνόμασται κατὰ τὴν ἄνωθεν γέννησιν, πρωτότοκος δὲ κέκληται ὡς πρῶτος τῆς ἐπὶ τὴν ζωὴν φερούσης γεννήσεως τὰς ὠδῖνας λύσας. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ πρωτότοκος ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν ὀνομάζεται, ὡς πρῶτος ἀναστὰς, καὶ τοῦ θανάτου τὰς πύλας ἀνοίξας· καὶ πρωτότοκος πάσης τῆς κτίσεως, ὡς πρῶτος ἐν τῇ καινῇ κτίσει τεχθεὶς, ἢν ἀνεκαίνισε γεννηθείς· περὶ ἧς ὁ μακάριος λέγει Παῦλος· «Εἴ τις ἐν Χριστῷ καινὴ κτίσις, τὰ ἀρ χαῖα παρῆλθον, ἰδοὺ γέγονε τὰ πάντα καινά.» Εἰ δὲ φιλονεικεῖεν, οἱ τὴν ἔριν τῆς πειθοῦς προτιμῶν τες, περὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου τὸ πρωτότοκος εἰρῆσθαι πάσης κτίσεως, τὴν μὲν ἀμαθίαν αὐτῶν γελασόμεθα· συγχωρήσομεν δὲ ὅμως, ἵνα καὶ οὕτως ἐκ πολλοῦ τοῦ περιόντος παρ' ἡμῖν οὖσαν τὴν ἀλήθειαν δείξω μεν· πρωτότοκος γὰρ, ἀλλ' οὐ πρωτόκτιστος πάσης κτίσεως λέγεται· ὡς εἶναι δῆλον ὅτι αὐτὸς μὲν πρὸ πάσης ἐγεννήθη τῆς κτίσεως, καὶ οὐδὲν τοῦ Υἱοῦ πρεσβύτερον, ἀλλὰ Πατρὶ μὲν ἀεὶ συνῆν, τῆς δὲ κτί σεως ἁπάσης προῆν· πᾶσα δὲ τῶν δημιουργημάτων ἡ φύσις ὕστερόν ποτε, εἰ ὑπ' αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὸ εἶναι παρήχθη. Ὥστε οὐδὲν ἐντεῦθεν τοῖς βλασφημοῦσι περιέσται.

ΙΑʹ. Ὅτι οὐδεὶς οἶδε τὸν Υἱὸν εἰ μὴ ὁ Πατὴρ, καὶ οὐδεὶς οἶδε τὸν Πατέρα, εἰ μὴ

ὁ Υἱός. Ἵνα δὲ δείξωμεν Πατρὸς καὶ Υἱοῦ τὴν ἰσότητα, ἐπ' αὐτὴν ἔλθωμεν τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου διδασκαλίαν· «Οὐ δεὶς, φησὶν, οἶδε τὸν Υἱὸν, εἰ μὴ ὁ Πατήρ· οὐδὲ τὸν Πατέρα τις ἐπιγινώσκει, εἰ μὴ ὁ Υἱὸς, καὶ ᾧ ἂν βούληται ὁ Υἱὸς ἀποκαλύψαι.» Τί τούτων τῶν ῥη μάτων σαφέστερον; Ἴση, φησὶν, ἡμῖν ἡ γνῶσίς ἐστι· γινώσκω γὰρ τὸν Πατέρα, γινωσκόμενος ὑπ' αὐτοῦ· καὶ γινώσκει με ὁ Πατὴρ, καὶ γινωσκόμενος ὑπ' ἐμοῦ. Πᾶσα δὲ ἡ κτίσις τῆς ἡμετέρας ἐκβέβληται γνώσεως. Πῶς γὰρ οἷόν τε τῆς φύσεως ἡμῶν οὐ κοι νωνοῦσαν, κοινωνῆσαι τῆς γνώσεως; μεταλαγχά νουσι δέ τινες ὅμως βραχείας τινὸς θεωρίας· ἀπο καλύπτω γὰρ ὡς οἷόν τε οἷς ἂν ἐθέλω τὴν περὶ τοῦ Πατρὸς γνῶσιν, ὡς ἐν ἐσόπτρῳ καὶ αἰνίγματι. Ταῦτα ἐκ τῶν ∆εσποτικῶν ἐμάθομεν διδαγμάτων· ποίαν ἐνταῦθα χώραν ἔχει τὸ μεῖζον καὶ ἔλαττον; Ποῖον κτίσμα τὸν κτίστην γινώσκει, ὡς ὑπὸ τοῦ κτί στου γινώσκεται; Ποῖον δὲ ποίημα τὴν πρὸς τὸν ποιητὴν ἰσότητα δέχεται; Ἢ οὐκ ἴσμεν ὅπως περὶ τῆς κτίσεως ἡ θεία Γραφὴ διαλέγεται; Ἀναμνησθῶ μεν τοίνυν τῶν τοῦ Προφήτου ῥημάτων· «Κατ' ἀρχὰς σὺ, Κύριε, τὴν γῆν ἐθεμελίωσας, καὶ ἔργα τῶν χειρῶν σού εἰσιν οὐρανοί. Αὐτοὶ ἀπολοῦνται, σὺ δὲ διαμένεις· καὶ πάντες ὡς ἱμάτιον παλαιωθήσονται, καὶ ὡσεὶ περιβόλαιον ἑλίξεις αὐτοὺς, καὶ ἀλλαγή σονται· σὺ δὲ αὐτὸς εἶ, καὶ τὰ ἔτη σου οὐκ ἐκλεί ψουσι.» Καὶ πάλιν· «Ὁ ποιῶν τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὐ τοῦ πνεύματα, καὶ τοὺς λειτουργοὺς αὐτοῦ πυρὸς φλόγα.» Αὕτη κτίσεως καὶ κτίστου διαφορά. Ἔνθα τοίνυν ἰσότης, οὐκέτι κτίσμα καὶ κτίστης, ἀλλὰ Πα τὴρ καὶ Υἱός· διὸ καὶ ταῦτα τέθεικε τὰ