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having established the universe for Him, the one who sends Him, the one who commands Him, the one who instructs, the one who teaches, the one who delivers all things to Him, the one who glorifies Him, the one who highly exalts, the one who has shown Him to be king of all, the one who delivers all judgment to Him, the one who wishes us also to obey Him, the one who commands Him to occupy the throne at the right hand of His majesty1.11.4 by addressing Him and saying, "Sit at my right hand," the one who because of all these things is also the God of the Son Himself, whom His only-begotten Son obeyed and "emptied Himself, humbled Himself, took upon Himself the form of a servant, became obedient unto death," to whom He also prays, whom He also obeys when He commands, to whom He also gives thanks, whom He also teaches us to regard as the "only true God," and whom He confesses to be greater than Himself, whom, in addition to all these things, He also wishes all of us to know is His own God. 1.11.5 And as He thus glorified His own Father, the Father in turn glorified Him and revealed Him as Lord and Savior and God of all and co-enthroned in His kingdom. Having been taught these things, the Church of God knows Him as her own God and Lord and Savior, but also as the only-begotten Son of the God over all, and deems it right to proclaim no other of the created beings as God, but knows this one alone as God, 1.11.6 whom alone the Father begot from Himself, just as He Himself established through Solomon, saying, "Before the mountains were settled, and before all the hills, He begets me," in some way alluding to the divine and super-cosmic powers as mountains and hills. 1.12.1 But if someone were to pry into how God could beget, and how the one beyond all things could be a Father, the one who said, "Seek not things too deep for you, and investigate not things too high for you. Contemplate the things commanded you; for you have no need of the secret things," will silence the audacity of the question. And let Paul, who said, "O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out," persuade the one who dares to proceed further not to attempt the unattainable. Or let him first say himself how and in what manner the things which he says have come to be out of non-existence came to be, having in no way1.12.2 existed before. For He did not, like our craftsmen, take pre-existing matter and with His hands fashion the universe. But just as what is by nature impossible for men—I mean bringing what in no way exists out of non-existence into being—became possible for Him, and He became the maker of all things, not in a human manner, but by reasons ineffable and unutterable to us, so too, and much more, would the generation of His only-begotten be unsearchable and untraceable, not only to us, as one might say, but also to all the powers that are superior to1.12.3 us. For how could things far inferior by nature, situated below and at the greatest distance from the ineffable and divine substance, attain the comprehension of what is beyond and highest? And how could things that did not exist before, but were brought forth by Him from non-existence into being, with Him who brought them forth being the cause of their existence, have knowledge of His first generation? Or shall we, who are of yesterday, clothed in "skin and flesh," bound together "with bones and sinews," and not even knowing the things concerning ourselves, make a safe inquiry about the ineffable things, prying into how the Father begot the Son? And that countless things right before our feet escape our knowledge, 1.12.4 would be clear from this. For who could say how the soul is confined in the body, how it goes out, how it was first introduced, what is its appearance, what is its shape, what its form, what its substance? Not yet do I pry into demons, nor the substance of angels, nor concerning principalities and thrones and dominions, nor concerning authorities1.12.5 and world-rulers. But if we are at a loss in all these matters, what need is there to investigate the knowledge concerning the unoriginate and unbegotten Godhead? Why ask the unattainable, how God became Father of an only-begotten Son, as if the Father's voice were not sufficient for us for testimony of the beloved, whom He proclaimed, saying, "This is my beloved Son, 1.12.6 in whom I am well pleased; hear Him"? If indeed

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αὐτοῦ τὰ σύμπαντα ὑποστησάμενος, ὁ ἀποστέλλων αὐτόν, ὁ προστάττων αὐτῷ, ὁ ἐντελλόμενος, ὁ διδάσκων, ὁ πάντα αὐτῷ παραδιδούς, ὁ δοξάζων αὐτόν, ὁ ὑπερυψῶν, ὁ ἀναδείξας βασιλέα τῶν ὅλων, ὁ πᾶσαν αὐτῷ τὴν κρίσιν παραδιδούς, ὁ καὶ ἡμᾶς αὐτῷ πείθεσθαι βουλόμενος, ὁ τὸν ἐν δεξιᾷ τῆς μεγαλοπρεπείας αὐτοῦ κατέχειν θρόνον ἐγκελευό1.11.4 μενος ἐν τῷ προσφωνεῖν αὐτῷ καὶ λέγειν «κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου», ὁ διὰ ταῦτα πάντα καὶ αὐτοῦ ὑπάρχων τοῦ υἱοῦ θεός, ᾧ πειθόμενος ὁ μονογενὴς αὐτοῦ παῖς «ἐκένωσεν ἑαυτόν, ἐταπείνωσεν ἑαυτόν, μορφὴν δούλου ἀνείληφεν, ὑπήκοος μέχρι θανάτου γέγονεν», ᾧ καὶ προσεύχεται, ᾧ καὶ κελεύοντι πείθεται, ᾧ καὶ εὐχαριστεῖ, ὃν καὶ «μόνον ἀληθινὸν θεὸν» ἡγεῖσθαι ἡμᾶς διδάσκει, μείζονά τε εἶναι ἑαυτοῦ ὁμολογεῖ, ὃν ἐπὶ πᾶσι τούτοις καὶ θεὸν ἑαυτοῦ εἶναι πάντας 1.11.5 ἡμᾶς εἰδέναι βούλεται. ὃν οὕτω δοξάζοντα τὸν ἑαυτοῦ πατέρα ἀμοιβαίως ἀντιδοξάζων ὁ πατὴρ καὶ κύριον καὶ σωτῆρα καὶ θεὸν τῶν ὅλων καὶ σύνθρονον τῆς αὐτοῦ βασιλείας ἀνέδειξεν. ἃ δὴ πεπαιδευμένη ἡ ἐκκλησία τοῦ θεοῦ ἑαυτῆς μὲν καὶ θεὸν καὶ κύριον καὶ σωτῆρα τοῦ δ' ἐπὶ πάντων θεοῦ υἱὸν μονογενῆ αὐτὸν γινώσκειν καὶ οὐδένα μὲν ἄλλον τῶν γενητῶν ἀναγορεύειν θεὸν ἀξιοῖ, μόνον δὲ 1.11.6 τοῦτον οἶδεν θεόν, ὃν μόνον ὁ πατὴρ ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ ἐγέννα, ὥσπερ οὖν αὐτὸς διὰ Σολομῶνος παρίστη λέγων «πρὸ τοῦ ὄρη ἑδρασθῆναι, πρὸ δὲ πάντων βουνῶν γεννᾷ με», ὧδέ πη ὄρη καὶ βουνοὺς τὰς θείας καὶ ὑπερκοσμίους δυνάμεις αἰνιττόμενος. 1.12.1 εἰ δὲ δὴ περιεργάζοιτό τις καὶ πῶς ἂν γεννήσειεν ὁ θεός, πῶς δ' ἔσται πατὴρ ὁ ἐπέκεινα τῶν ὅλων, τὸ τολμηρὸν τοῦ πύσματος κατασιγάσει ὁ φήσας «βαθύτερά σου μὴ ζήτει, καὶ ὑψηλότερά σου μὴ ἐξέταζε. ἃ προσετάγη σοι, ταῦτα διανοοῦ· οὐ γάρ ἐστίν σοι χρεία τῶν κρυπτῶν». καὶ ὁ Παῦλος δὲ εἰπὼν «ὦ βάθος πλούτου καὶ σοφίας καὶ γνώσεως θεοῦ· ὡς ἀνεξερεύνητα τὰ κρίματα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνεξιχνίαστοι αἱ ὁδοὶ αὐτοῦ» τὸν περαιτέρω χωρεῖν τολμῶντα μὴ ἀνεφίκτοις ἐπιχειρεῖν πειθέτω. ἢ λεγέτω πρότερον αὐτός, ἃ δή φησιν ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων γεγονέναι, πῶς καὶ τίνα τρόπον ὑπέστη, μηδαμῆ 1.12.2 μηδαμῶς ὄντα πρότερον. οὐ γὰρ δὴ κατὰ τοὺς παρ' ἡμῖν τεχνίτας ὕλην προϋποκειμένην λαβὼν ταῖς χερσὶν τὸ πᾶν ἐτεκτήνατο. ὥσπερ δὲ τὸ τῇ φύσει ἀμήχανον ὅσον ἐπ' ἀνθρώποις λέγω δὲ τὸ μηδαμῶς ὑπάρχον ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος εἰς τὸ εἶναι προαγαγεῖν αὐτῷ δυνατὸν κατέστη, καὶ γέγονεν τῶν ὅλων ποιητὴς οὐ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον, ἀρρήτοις δὲ καὶ ἀφράστοις ἡμῖν λόγοις, οὕτω καὶ πολὺ πλέον ἡ τοῦ μονογενοῦς αὐτοῦ γέννησις ἀνεξερεύνητος καὶ ἀνεξιχνίαστος ἂν εἴη, οὐχ ἡμῖν ὡς ἂν φαίη τις μόνοις, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάσαις ταῖς κρείττοσιν ἢ 1.12.3 καθ' ἡμᾶς δυνάμεσιν. τὰ γὰρ μακρῷ τὴν φύσιν ὑποβεβηκότα, κάτω τε καὶ πορρωτάτω τῆς ἀρρήτου καὶ θεϊκῆς καθεστῶτα οὐσίας, πῶς ἂν ἐφίκοιτο τῆς ἐπέκεινα καὶ ἀνωτάτω καταλήψεως; πῶς δ' ἂν τὰ μὴ ὄντα πρότερον, δι' αὐτοῦ δ' ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος εἰς τὸ εἶναι προαχθέντα, τοῦ προαγαγόντος αἰτίου τε αὐτοῖς τῆς ὑπάρξεως γενομένου σχοίη ἂν τῆς πρώτης γενέσεως τὴν γνῶσιν; ἤ πού γε ἡμεῖς οἱ χθιζοί, «δέρμα καὶ κρέας» ἐνδεδυμένοι, «ὀστέοις καὶ νεύροις» ἐνειρμένοι, καὶ μηδὲ τὰ καθ' ἡμᾶς εἰδότες, τὴν περὶ τῶν ἀρρήτων ἀκίνδυνον ποιησόμεθα ζήτησιν, πῶς ἐγέννα τὸν υἱὸν ὁ πατὴρ πολυπραγμονοῦντες; ὅτι δὲ καὶ τῶν παρὰ πόδας μυρία τὴν ἡμετέραν διαδιδράσκει γνῶσιν, 1.12.4 δῆλον ἂν εἴη ἐνθένδε. τίς γὰρ ἂν εἰπεῖν ἔχοι, πῶς καθεῖρκται τῷ σώματι ἡ ψυχή, πῶς ἔξεισιν, πῶς δὲ τὴν ἀρχὴν εἰσεκρίθη, ὁποῖον δὲ αὐτῆς τὸ εἶδος, τί τὸ σχῆμα, τίς ἡ μορφή, τίς ἡ οὐσία; οὔπω μοι τὸν περὶ δαιμόνων πολυπραγμονεῖν, οὐ τὸν περὶ οὐσίας ἀγγέλων, οὐ τὸν περὶ ἀρχῶν καὶ θρόνων καὶ κυριοτήτων, οὐ τὸν περὶ ἐξου1.12.5 σιῶν καὶ κοσμοκρατόρων. εἰ δ' ἐν τούτοις ἅπασιν ἀμηχανοῦμεν, τί δεῖ τὴν περὶ τῆς ἀνάρχου καὶ ἀγενήτου θεότητος γνῶσιν διερευνᾶσθαι; τί τὰ ἀνέφικτα ἐρωτᾶν, πῶς υἱοῦ μονογενοῦς ὁ θεὸς ὑπέστη πατήρ, ὡς μὴ ἀπαρκούσης ἡμῖν τῆς πατρικῆς φωνῆς πρὸς μαρτυρίαν τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ, ὃν ἀνεκήρυξεν εἰπὼν «οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ 1.12.6 ἀγαπητός, ἐν ᾧ ηὐδόκησα, αὐτοῦ ἀκούετε»; εἰ δὴ