Chapter Ii. That the Son is not in the number of things originate, but above all, as God of God.

31 He That cometh from above is above all.

No great thing is it, saith he, nor exceeding wonderful, if Christ surpass the glory of human nature: for not thus far doth He set the bounds of His own glory, but is over all creation, as God, is above all things made, not as numbered among all, but as excepted from all, and Divinely set over all. He adds the reason, shaming the gainsayer, and silencing the opposer. He That cometh from above, saith he, that is, He That is born of the root from above, preserving in Himself by Nature the Father's Natural goodness, will confessedly possess the being above all. For it would be impossible that the Son should not altogether appear to be such as He That begat is conceived of, and rightly. For the Son Who excelleth in sameness of Nature, the Brightness and express Image of the Father, how will He be inferior to Him in glory? Or will not the Property of the Father be dishonoured in the Son, and we insult the Image of the Begotten, if we count Him inferior? But this I suppose will be manifest to all. Therefore is it written also, That all men, should honour the Son even as they honour the Father: he that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father. He That glorieth in equal honour with God the Father, by reason of being of Him by Nature, how will He not be conceived of as surpassing the essence of things originate? for this is the meaning of is above all.  

But I perceive that the mind of the fighters against Christ will never rest, but they will come, as is probable, vainly babbling and say, "When the blessed Baptist says that the Lord sprang from above, what reason will compel us to suppose that He came of the Essence of the Father, by reason of the word from above, and not rather from heaven, or even from His inherent superiority above all, so that for this reason He should be conceived of and said to be also above all?" When therefore they aim at us with such words, they shall hear in return, Not your most corrupt reasonings o most excellent, will we follow, but rather the Divine Scriptures and the Sacred Writings only. We must then search in them, how they define to us the force of from above. Let them hear then a certain one of the Spirit-clad crying, Every good gift and every perfect gift is from, above, and cometh down from the Father of lights. Lo, plainly he says that from above is from the Father: for knowing that nought else surpasseth things originate save the Ineffable Nature of God, he rightly attached to it the term from above. For all things else fall under the yoke of bondage; God alone riseth above being ruled, and reigneth: whence He is truly above all. But the Son, being by Nature God and of God, will not be excluded from the glory in respect of this. But if ye deem that from above ought to be taken as Of heaven, let the word be used of every angel and rational power. For they come to us from heaven who inhabit the city that is above, and ascend and descend, as the Saviour somewhere says, upon the Son of man. What then persuaded the blessed Baptist to attribute that which was in the power of many to the Son Alone specially, and as to One coming down from above to call Him, He That cometh from above? For surely he ought to make the dignity common to the rest, and say, They that come from above are above all. But he knew that the expression was due to the One Son, as sprung of the Supreme Root.

Therefore from above does not mean from heaven: but will be piously and truly understood, in the sense we spoke of before. For how is He at all above all, if from above signify not From the Father, but rather From Heaven? For if this be so, every one of the angels too will be above all, as coming from thence. But if each one escapes being reckoned among all, of whom at last will all be composed? or how will the word all remain intact, preserving accurately its meaning, while such a multitude of angels overpass and break down the boundary of all? For all it is no longer, if they remain outside, who were in all. But the Word That shone forth ineffably from God the Father, having His Proper Birth from above, and being of the Essence of the Father as of a fountain, will not by His coming wrong the word all, seeing He escapes being reckoned among all as if a part: but rather will be above all, as Other than they, both by Nature and God-befitting Power and all other Properties of Him Who begat Him.

But perchance they will say abashed at the absurd result of the investigation, " From above means not from heaven, but from His inherent superiority above all." Come then, testing more accurately the force of what is said, let us see at what an end their attempt will terminate. First then, it is wholly foolish and without understanding, to say that the Son Himself hath come from His Own Dignity, and that as from a certain place or out of one, He One and the Same advances from His Own Excellency to be above all. In addition to this, I would also most gladly enquire of them, in respect of the excellence above all, whether they will grant it to the Son Essentially and irrevocably, or added from without in the nature of accident. If then they say that He hath the Excellence by acquisition, and is honoured with dignities from without, one must needs acknowledge that the Only-Begotten could exist deprived of glory, and be stripped of the acquired (as they call it) grace, and be deprived of being above all, and appear bare of the excellence which they now admire, since an accident may be lost, seeing that it belongeth not to the essence of its subject. There will therefore be change and varying in the Son: and the Psalmist will lie hymning Him with vain words, The heavensshall perish, but Thou shalt endure: yea all of them shall wax old like a garment, as a vesture shalt Thou change them and they shall be changed: but Thou art the Same, and Thy years shall have no end. For how is He the Same, if with us He changeth, and that with changes for the worse? Vainly too (it seems) doth He glory of Himself, saying, Behold, behold, I am, I change not, and there is no God beside Me. And how will not the passions of the offspring reach up to the Father Himself too, since He is His Impress and Exact Likeness? God the Father then will be changeable, and has the Supremacy over all accruing to Him: I omit the rest. For what belongs to the Image will of necessity appertain unto the Archetype. But they will not say that He hath the supremacy from without (shuddering at such difficulties alike and absurdities of their arguments), but Essential rather and irrevocable. Then again (o most excellent) how will ye not agree with us even against your will, that the Son being by Nature God, is above all, and therefore cometh of the Alone Essence of God the Father? For if there be nought of things originate which is not parted off by the force of the All, but the Son is above all, to wit, as Other than all, and having the Essential Supremacy over all, and not the same in nature with all, how will He not be at length conceived of as Very God? For He Who is Essentially separate from the multitude of created beings, and by Nature escapes the being classed among things originate, what else can He be, save God? For we see no mean, as far as regards existing essence. For the creation is ruled over, and God is conceived of as over it. If then the Son be by Nature God, and have been ineffably begotten of God the Father, from above signifies the Nature of the Father. Therefore the Only Begotten is above all, inasmuch as He too is seen to be of that Nature.

He that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth. The earthborn (says he) will not effect equally in power of persuasion with Him Who is God over all. For he thatis of the earth will speak as man, and will rank merely as an adviser, committing to his disciples the whole reins of desire to believe: but He That cometh from above, as God, having used discourse with a certain Divine and ineffable grace, sends it into the ears of those who come to Him. But in proportion as He is by Nature Superior, so much the more effectually will He surely in-work. And with much profit does the blessed Baptist say such things to his disciples. For since they were beholding him surpassed by the glory of the Saviour, and were now not a little offended thereat, wherefore they came to him and said, Rabbi, He That was with thee beyond Jordan, to Whom thou barest witness, behold the Same baptizeth, and all men come to Him; needs did the Spirit-clad, cutting off the sickness of offence, and implanting in his disciples a healthful perception on most necessary points, explain the Saviour's supremacy over all, and teach no less the cause why all men were already going to Him, and leaving the baptism by water alone, went to the more Divine and perfect one, to wit, that by the Holy Ghost.

He that cometh from heaven is above all. This testifieth (saith he) that very great and incomparable the distinction between those of the earth and the Word of God That cometh down from above and from Heaven. If I am not fit to teach, and my word alone suffice you not, the Son Himself will confirm it, testifying that in an incomprehensible degree differs the earth-born from the Beginning Which is above all. For disputing somewhere with the unholy Jews, the Saviour said, Ye are from beneath; I am from above. For He says that the nature of things originate is from beneath, as subject and of necessity in bondservice to God Who calleth them into being: from above again He calleth the Divine and Ineffable and Lordly Nature, as having all things originate under Its feet, and subjecting them to the yoke of His Authority. For not idly did the blessed Baptist add these things to, those above. For that; he may not be supposed by his disciples to be inventing empty arguments, and from fear of seeming with reason inferior to Christ, to call Him greater and from above, himself from beneath and of the earth; needs does he from what the Saviour Himself said, seal the force of the things said, and shew the explanation to be not as they thought, an empty excuse, but rather a demonstration of the truth.

But since the other part of the verse runs thus, And what He hath seen and heard, that He testifieth, come we will discuss a few things on this too. We are so constituted and habituated, as to receive the full proof of everything, by means of two especial senses particularly, I mean sight and hearing. For having been both ear-witnesses and eye-witnesses of anything, we come to speak positively thereof. Persuading them therefore to hasten to belief in Christ (for He speaks, says he, that He knows accurately), he takes again, as it were, from the likeness to us, that we may understand it more Divinely, and says, What He hath seen and heard, that He testifieth.

And no man receiveth His testimony.

Not as though no one receiveth the testimony, that Christ is God by Nature and, sprung from above and the Father, is above all, does the blessed Baptist say this (for many received, and have believed it, and before all Peter, saying, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God): but as having himself conceived of the great dignity of the Speaker more rightly than they all, does he all but shaking his head, and smiting with right hand on his thigh, marvel at the folly of them that disbelieve Him.  

ΚΕΦΑΛΗ Β. Ὅτι οὐκ ἐν τοῖς γενητοῖς ἐστιν ὁ Υἱὸς, ἀλλ' ἐπάνω πάντων, ὡς Θεὸς ἐκ Θεοῦ.
« Ὁ ἄνωθεν ἐρχόμενος ἐπάνω πάντων ἐστίν. » ΟΥ μέγα, φησὶν, οὐδὲ λίαν ἐστὶν ἀξιάγαστον, εἰ τὴν τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος δόξαν ὑπερτρέχει Χριστός: οὐ γὰρ μέχρι τούτων τοὺς τῆς ἰδίας εὐκλείας ἵστησιν ὅρους, ἐπὶ πᾶσαν δέ ἐστι τὴν κτίσιν, ὡς Θεὸς, ἐπάνω πάντων ἐστὶ τῶν πεποιημένων, οὐχ ὡς ἐν πᾶσι καταριθμούμενος, ἀλλ' ὡς καὶ πάντων ἐξῃρημένος, καὶ τοῖς πᾶσι θεοπρεπῶς ἐποχούμενος. ἐπιλέγει δὲ τὴν αἰτίαν, τὸν ἀντιτείνοντα δυσωπῶν, καὶ κατασιγάζων τὸν ἀνθιστάμενον. ὁ ἄνωθεν ἐρχόμενος, φησὶ, τουτέστιν, ὁ τῆς ἄνωθεν ῥίζης ἐκπεφυκὼς, τὴν πατρῴαν ἐφ' ἑαυτῷ φυσικῶς ἀποσώζων εὐφυΐαν, τό Ἐπάνω πάντων ὑπάρχειν ὁμολογουμένως κεκτήσεται: ἦν γὰρ δὴ καὶ ἀμήχανον, μὴ οὐχὶ πάντως τοιοῦτον ὁρᾶσθαι τὸν Υἱὸν, ὁποῖόσπερ ἂν νοοῖτο καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἀξίαν ὁ γεννήσας αὐτόν. ὁ γὰρ τῇ ταυτότητι τῆς φύσεως διαπρέπων Υἱὸς, τὸ ἀπαύγασμα καὶ ὁ χαρακτὴρ τοῦ Πατρὸς, πῶς ἂν γένοιτο κατὰ τὴν δόξαν ἐλάττων αὐτοῦ; ἢ γὰρ οὐκ ἐν Υἱῷ τὸ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἴδιον ἀτιμασθήσεται, καὶ τοὺς τοῦ τεκόντος ὑβριοῦμεν χαρακτῆρας, ἐν ἐλάττοσι τιθέντες αὐτόν; ἀλλ', οἶμαι, πᾶσιν ἔσται τοῦτο καταφανές: διά τοι τοῦτο καὶ γέγραπται “Ἵνα πάντες τιμῶσι τὸν Υἱὸν ” καθὼς τιμῶσι τὸν Πατέρα: ὁ μὴ τιμῶν τὸν Υἱὸν οὐδὲ τὸν “Πατέρα τιμᾷ.” ὁ δὲ ἰσομέτροις ὡς πρὸς Θεὸν καὶ Πατέρα τιμαῖς ἐπαγλαϊζόμενος, διὰ τὸ ἐξ αὐτοῦ κατὰ φύσιν ὑπάρχειν, πῶς οὐκ ἂν νοοῖτο λοιπὸν τὴν τῶν γενητῶν ἀναβαίνειν οὐσίαν; τοῦτο γὰρ τό Ἐπάνω πάντων ἐστίν. Ἀλλ' αἰσθάνομαι πάλιν, ὡς ἠρεμήσει μὲν οὐδαμῶς τῶν χριστομάχων ὁ νοῦς, ἥξουσι δ', ὡς εἰκὸς, ἀθυροστομοῦντες καὶ λέγοντες Ὅταν ὁ μακάριος βαπτιστὴς ἄνωθεν ὁρμᾶσθαι λέγῃ τὸν Κύριον, ποῖος ἡμᾶς ἀναγκάσει λόγος ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Πατρὸς οὐσίας ἥκειν αὐτὸν ὑποτοπῆσαι διὰ τό Ἄνωθεν, καὶ οὐχὶ μᾶλλον ἐξ οὐρανῶν, ἢ καὶ ἐκ τῆς ἐνούσης αὐτῷ κατὰ πάντων ὑπεροχῆς, ὡς διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ πάντα νοεῖσθαι καὶ λέγεσθαι; ὅταν τοίνυν ἡμᾶς τοῖς τοιούτοις κατασφενδονῶσι λόγοις, ἀντακούσονται πάλιν Οὐ τοῖς παρ' ὑμῖν σαθροτάτοις, ὦ βέλτιστοι, λογισμοῖς, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον τῇ θείᾳ γραφῇ καὶ μόνοις τοῖς ἱεροῖς ἀκολουθήσομεν γράμμασιν. ἐρευνητέον δ' οὖν ἐν ἐκείνοις, ὅπως ἡμῖν τὴν τοῦ Ἄνωθεν ὁρίζονται δύναμιν. ἀκουέτωσαν τοίνυν ἀνακεκραγότος τινὸς τῶν πνευματοφόρων “Πᾶσα δόσις ἀγαθὴ καὶ πᾶν δώρημα τέλειον ἄνωθέν ἐστι ” καταβαῖνον ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς τῶν φώτων:“ ἰδοὺ διαῤῥήδην τὸ ἄνωθεν ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς εἶναί φησιν: ἕτερον γὰρ οὐδὲν ὑπερκεῖσθαι γινώσκων τὰ γενητὰ παρὰ τὴν ἄῤῥητον τοῦ Θεοῦ φύσιν, αὐτῇ κυρίως προσῆψε τό Ἄνωθεν. τὰ μὲν γὰρ ἄλλα σύμπαντα τῷ τῆς δουλείας ὑποπίπτει ζυγῷ, μόνος δὲ ἄνω τοῦ κρατεῖσθαι πηδᾷ καὶ βασιλεύει Θεός: ὅθεν ἀληθῶς αὐτὸς καὶ ἐπάνω πάντων ἐστί. Θεὸς δὲ καὶ ἐκ Θεοῦ κατὰ φύσιν ὑπάρχων ὁ Υἱὸς, τῆς ἐπὶ τούτῳ λαμπρότητος οὐκ ἐκκείσεται. εἰ δὲ τό Ἄνωθεν οἴεσθε δεῖν Ἐξ οὐρανοῦ λαμβάνεσθαι, λεγέσθω καὶ ἐπὶ παντὸς ἀγγέλου καὶ δυνάμεως λογικῆς ἡ λέξις: ἔρχονται γὰρ ὡς ἡμᾶς ἐξ οὐρανῶν οἱ τὴν ἄνω διατρίβοντες πόλιν, καὶ ἀναβαίνουσι καὶ καταβαίνουσιν, ὡς ὁ Σωτήρ που φησὶν, ἐπὶ τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου. τί οὖν ἄρα ἐστὶ τὸ τὸν μακάριον βαπτιστὴν πεπεικὸς, τὸ πολλοῖς ἕτοιμον εἰς ἐξουσίαν ἀναθεῖναι μόνῳ κατ' ἐξαίρετον τῷ Υἱῷ, καὶ ὡς ἐφ' ἑνὸς τοῦ ἄνωθεν καταβαίνοντος εἰπεῖν Ὁ ἄνωθεν ἐρχόμενος; χρῆν γὰρ δήπου κοινοποιεῖσθαι τοῖς ἄλλοις τὸ ἀξίωμα, λέγοντα Οἱ ἄνωθεν ἐρχόμενοι ἐπάνω πάντων εἰσίν. ἀλλ' οἶδεν ἑνὶ τῷ Υἱῷ τὸ ῥῆμα χρεωστούμενον, ὡς τῆς ἀνωτάτω ῥίζης ἐκπεφυκότι. Οὔκουν ἄρα τό Ἄνωθεν σημαίνει τό Ἐξ οὐρανοῦ: νοηθήσεται δὲ μᾶλλον, καθάπερ ἤδη προείπομεν, εὐσεβῶς τε καὶ ἀληθῶς. πῶς γὰρ ὅλως ἔσται καὶ ἐπάνω πάντων, εἰ μὴ τὸ ἐκ Πατρὸς σημαίνει τό Ἄνωθεν, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον τό Ἐξ οὐρανοῦ; ἔσται γὰρ, ἂν οὕτως ἔχῃ, καὶ ἕκαστος τῶν ἁγίων ἀγγέλων ἐπάνω πάντων, ὡς ἐκεῖθεν ἐρχόμενος: ἑκάστου δὲ διαφεύγοντος τὸ ἐναριθμεῖσθαι τοῖς πᾶσιν, ἀπὸ τίνων ἔτι τό Πάντα συναχθήσεται; ἢ πῶς ἂν ἡμῖν ὁ τοῦ Πάντα λόγος ἀκέραιος διαμείναι, διασώζων ἀκριβῶς, ὃ σημαίνειν βούλεται, τοσαύτης ἀγγέλων ἀποφοιτώσης πληθύος, καὶ παραλυούσης τοῦ Πάντα τὸν ὅρον; οὐκέτι γὰρ πάντα, μενόντων ἐκτὸς, οἵπερ ἦσαν ἐν πᾶσιν. ὁ δέ γε ἀῤῥήτως ἐκ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς ἀναλάμψας Λόγος, ἰδιάζουσαν ἔχων τὴν ἄνωθεν γέννησιν, καὶ καθάπερ ἀπὸ πηγῆς τῆς τοῦ Πατρὸς οὐσίας ὑπάρχων ἐρχόμενος οὐκ ἀδικήσει τό Πάντα, τὸ ἐν πᾶσιν ὡς μέρος τετάχθαι διαφυγών: ἔσται δὲ μᾶλλον ἐπάνω πάντων, ὡς ἕτερος παρ' αὐτὰ, καὶ φύσει καὶ δυνάμει θεοπρεπεῖ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις τοῦ γεννήσαντος ἰδιώμασιν. Ἀλλ' ἐροῦσι τυχὸν τὰς ἐκ τῆς ἐρεύνης ἀτοπίας δυσωπούμενοι, σημαίνειν τό Ἄνωθεν οὐκ ἐξ οὐρανῶν, ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς ἐνούσης αὐτῷ κατὰ πάντων ὑπεροχῆς. φέρε δὴ οὖν ἀκριβέστερον βασανίζοντες τοῦ λεγομένου τὴν δύναμιν, ἴδωμεν πάλιν εἰς ποῖον αὐτοῖς καταστρέψει τέλος τὸ ἐγχείρημα. πρῶτον μὲν οὖν ἀμαθές τε καὶ ἀδιανόητον κομιδῇ, τὸ αὐτὸν ἐκ τοῦ οἰκείου λέγειν ἀξιώματος ἔρχεσθαι τὸν Υἱὸν, καὶ ὥσπερ ἀπό τινος τόπου, ἢ καὶ ὡς ἐξ ἑνὸς, ἕνα τὸν αὐτὸν ἐκ τῆς ἰδίας ὑπεροχῆς εἰς τὸ ἐπάνω πάντων εἶναι βαδίζειν. πρὸς δέ γε τούτῳ κἀγὼ πυθοίμην ἂν ἥδιστα λίαν αὐτῶν, τὴν κατὰ πάντων ὑπεροχὴν, πότερόν ποτε δώσουσιν οὐσιώδη καὶ ἀναφαίρετον τῷ Υἱῷ, ἢ προσπεπορισμένην ἔξωθεν κατὰ λόγον τοῦ συμβεβηκότος. εἰ μὲν οὖν ἐπίκτητον ἔχειν ἐροῦσιν αὐτὸν τὴν ὑπεροχὴν, καὶ ἐπακτοῖς ἐπισεμνύνεσθαι τοῖς ἀξιώμασιν, ἀνάγκη προσομολογεῖν ἔρημόν ποτε δόξης εἶναι δύνασθαι τὸν Μονογενῆ, καὶ τὴν ἐπίκτητον, ὡς ἐκεῖνοί φασιν, ἀποδύσασθαι χάριν, καὶ τό Ἐπάνω πάντων εἶναι ζημιωθέντα, φαίνεσθαι γυμνὸν ἧς ἄρτι θαυμάζουσιν ὑπεροχῆς, εἴπερ ἐστὶ τὸ συμβεβηκὸς ἀπόβλητον, ὅτε μὴ τῆς οὐσίας ἅπτεται τοῦ ὑποκειμένου: ἔσται τοιγαροῦν μεταβολή τις καὶ ἀλλοίωσις περὶ τὸν Υἱὸν, καὶ διαψεύσεται μὲν εἰκαίοις αὐτὸν ἀναμέλπων ῥήμασιν ὁ μελῳδός ” Οἱ οὐρανοὶ ἀπολοῦνται, σὺ “δὲ διαμένεις: καὶ πάντες ὡς ἱμάτιον παλαιωθήσονται, καὶ ” ὡσεὶ περιβόλαιον ἑλίξεις αὐτοὺς καὶ ἀλλαγήσονται: σὺ δὲ “ὁ αὐτὸς εἶ, καὶ τὰ ἔτη σου οὐκ ἐκλείψουσι.” ποῦ γὰρ ὁ αὐτὸς, εἰ μεταπίπτει σὺν ἡμῖν, καὶ τοῦτο ταῖς εἰς τὰ χείρω μεταβολαῖς; μάτην δὲ ὡς εἰκὸς καὶ αὐτὸς ἐφ' ἑαυτῷ κατασεμνύνεται λέγων “Ἴδετε, ἴδετε, ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι καὶ οὐκ ” ἠλλοίωμαι, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι Θεὸς πλὴν ἐμοῦ:“ πῶς δὲ οὐχὶ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν ἀναβήσεται τὸν Πατέρα τὰ τοῦ γεννήματος πάθη, χαρακτὴρ εἴπερ ἐστὶ καὶ εἰκὼν ἀπαράλλακτος αὐτοῦ; ἔσται δὴ οὖν ἀλλοιωτὸς μὲν ἡμῖν ὁ Θεὸς καὶ Πατὴρ, ἔχει δὲ προσγεγονότως τὴν κατὰ πάντων ὑπεροχήν: καὶ σιωπῶ τὸ λειπόμενον. οἰκειώσεται γὰρ ὡς ἐξ ἀνάγκης τὰ ἐν τῇ εἰκόνι τὸ ἀρχέτυπον. ἀλλ' ἐπίκτητον μὲν οὐκ ἐροῦσιν ἔχειν αὐτὸν τὴν ὑπεροχὴν πρὸς τὰς τοιαύτας τῶν λογισμῶν δυσχερείας τε ὁμοῦ καὶ ἀτοπίας ἀποφρίττοντες, οὐσιώδη δὲ μᾶλλον καὶ ἀναφαίρετον. εἶτα πάλιν, ὦ βέλτιστοι, πῶς ἡμῖν οὐ συνερεῖτε καὶ ἄκοντες, ὅτι Θεὸς κατὰ φύσιν ὑπάρχων ὁ Υἱὸς ἐπάνω πάντων ἐστὶ, διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἐκ μόνης ἔρχεται τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρός; εἰ γὰρ οὐδέν ἐστι τῶν γενητῶν, ὃ μὴ τῇ τοῦ Πάντα δυνάμει περισχοινίζεται, ἐπάνω δὲ πάντων ἐστὶν ὁ Υἱὸς, ὡς ἕτερος δηλονότι παρὰ πάντα, καὶ οὐσιώδη κατὰ πάντων ἔχων τὴν ὑπεροχὴν, καὶ οὐχ ὁ αὐτὸς κατὰ φύσιν ὑπάρχων τοῖς πᾶσι, πῶς οὐκ ἂν νοοῖτο λοιπὸν Θεὸς ἀληθινός; ὁ γὰρ τῆς τῶν ποιημάτων πληθύος οὐσιωδῶς ἐκκείμενος, καὶ τὸ ἐν γενητοῖς τετάχθαι κατὰ φύσιν ἐκδραμὼν, τί ἂν ἕτερον εἴη λοιπὸν ἢ Θεός; μεσολαβοῦν γὰρ ὁρῶμεν οὐδὲν, ὅσον ἧκεν εἰς οὐσίας ὑφεστώσης λόγον. κτίσις γὰρ ἡ βασιλευομένη καὶ ἐπ' αὐτῇ νοεῖται Θεός. οὐκοῦν εἰ Θεὸς κατὰ φύσιν ἐστὶν ὁ Υἱὸς, ἐγεννήθη δὲ ἀῤῥήτως ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς, τὴν τοῦ γεννήσαντος φύσιν τό Ἄνωθεν σημαίνει. διά τε τοῦτο ἐπάνω πάντων ἐστὶν ὁ Μονογενὴς, ἅτε δὴ καὶ ἐξ αὐτῆς ὁρώμενος.
« Ὁ ὢν ἐκ τῆς γῆς ἐκ τῆς γῆς ἐστι καὶ ἐκ. τῆς γῆς λαλεῖ. » Οὐκ ἰσομέτρως ἐνεργήσει, φησὶν, εἰς τὸ δύνασθαι πείθειν ὁ γηγενὴς τῷ ἐπὶ πάντας ὄντι Θεῷ. λαλήσει μὲν γὰρ ὡς ἄνθρωπος ὁ ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἐν μόνῃ συμβούλου κείσεται τάξει, ὅλας ἐπιτρέψας τοῖς παιδευομένοις τὰς τοῦ βούλεσθαι πιστεύειν ἡνίας: ὁ δὲ ἄνωθεν ἐρχόμενος, ὡς Θεὸς, θείᾳ τινὶ καὶ ἀῤῥήτῳ χάριτι καταχρήσας τὸν λόγον ταῖς τῶν προσιόντων ἐνίησιν ἀκοαῖς. ὅσῳ δὲ ἀμείνων ἐστὶ κατὰ φύσιν, τοσούτῳ δὴ πάντως ἐνεργήσει γοργότερον. χρησίμως δὲ λίαν ὁ μακάριος βαπτιστὴς πρὸς τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ μαθητὰς τὰ τοιαῦτά φησιν. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ αὐτὸν τῆς τοῦ Σωτῆρος δόξης ἐθεώρουν ἡττώμενον, ἐπί τε τούτῳ λοιπὸν οὐ μετρίως ἐσκανδαλίζοντο, διὸ δὴ καὶ προσῄεσαν λέγοντες ” Ῥαββὶ, ὃς ἦν “μετὰ σοῦ πέραν τοῦ Ἰορδάνου, ᾧ σὺ μεμαρτύρηκας, ἴδε ” οὗτος βαπτίζει, καὶ πάντες ἔρχονται πρὸς αὐτόν:“ ἀναγκαίως ὁ πνευματοφόρος τὸ τοῦ σκανδάλου πάθος ὑποτεμνόμενος, ὑγιᾶ τε τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ μαθηταῖς τὴν ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀναγκαιοτάτοις διάληψιν ἐντιθεὶς, ἐξηγεῖται μὲν τοῦ Σωτῆρος τὴν κατὰ πάντων ὑπεροχὴν, διδάσκει δὲ οὐδὲν ἧττον τὴν αἰτίαν, δι' ἣν ἤδη πάντες ἐπ' ἐκεῖνον ἐβάδιζον, καὶ τὸ δι' ὕδατος μόνου παρατρέχοντες βάπτισμα, τῷ θειοτέρῳ καὶ τελειοτέρῳ προσῄεσαν, τῷ διὰ Πνεύματος Ἁγίου δηλαδή.
« Ὁ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἐρχόμενος ἐπάνω πάντων ἐστίν. » Τοῦτο μαρτυρεῖ ὅτι πλείστη, φησὶν, καὶ ἀσύγκριτος ἡ διαφορὰ τοῖς ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς πρὸς τὸν ἄνωθεν καὶ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ καταβαίνοντα Θεὸν Λόγον. εἰ μὴ διδάσκειν ἀξιόχρεως ἐγὼ, καὶ εἰ μόνος ὑμῖν ὁ ἐμὸς οὐκ ἐξαρκέσει λόγος, αὐτὸς ἐπιβεβαιώσει ἐπιμαρτυρῶν ὁ Υἱὸς, ἀκαταλήπτῳ μέτρῳ διεστάναι τὸ γηγενὲς τῆς ἐπάνω πάντων ἀρχῆς: διαλεγόμενος δέ που πρὸς τοὺς ἀνοσίους Ἰουδαίους, ἔφασκεν ὁ Σωτήρ ” Ὑμεῖς ἐκ “τῶν κάτω ἐστέ: ἐγὼ ἐκ τῶν ἄνω εἰμί.” κάτω μὲν γὰρ τὴν τῶν γενητῶν φύσιν εἶναί φησιν, ὡς ὑποκειμένην καὶ ὡς ἐξ ἀνάγκης δουλεύουσαν τῷ πρὸς τὸ εἶναι καλοῦντι Θεῷ: ἄνω δὲ πάλιν τὴν θείαν καὶ ἄῤῥητον καὶ δεσπόζουσαν φύσιν, ὡς πάντα ὑπὸ πόδας ἔχουσαν τὰ γενητὰ, καὶ τῷ τῆς ἐξουσίας ὑποθεῖσαν ζυγῷ. οὐ μάτην δὲ ταῦτα τοῖς ἀνωτέρω προστέθεικεν ὁ μακάριος βαπτιστής: ἵνα γὰρ μὴ νομίζηται παρὰ τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ μαθηταῖς εἰκαίους ἀναπλάττεσθαι λογισμοὺς, αἰδοῖ δὲ τοῦ μὴ δοκεῖν εὐλόγως ἡττῆσθαι Χριστῷ, μείζονα μὲν λέγειν καὶ ἄνωθεν αὐτὸν, ἑαυτὸν δὲ κάτωθεν καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, ἀναγκαίως ἀφ' ὧν αὐτὸς ἔφασκεν ὁ Σωτὴρ, τὴν τῶν εἰρημένων ἐπισφραγίζει δύναμιν, καὶ πρόφασιν μὲν, οὐ καθάπερ ᾤοντο κενὴν, ἀληθείας δὲ μᾶλλον ἀπόδειξιν, ἐπιδεικνύει τὴν ἐξήγησιν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ ἑτέρα φέρεται τοῦ στίχου γραφή Ὃ γὰρ ἑώρακέ φησι καὶ ἤκουσε, τοῦτο μαρτυρεῖ, φέρε καὶ εἰς αὐτὴν ὀλίγα διαλεξόμεθα. τὰς ἐφ' ἑκάστῳ τῶν πραγμάτων πληροφορίας, διὰ δύο μάλιστα τῶν κυριωτέρων αἰσθήσεων λαμβάνειν πεφύκαμέν τε καὶ κατειθίσμεθα, ὄψεως δὴ λέγω καὶ ἀκοῆς: αὐτήκοοί τε γὰρ καὶ αὐτεπίσκοποι γεγενημένοι τινῶν, ἐπὶ τὸ λέγειν ἀνενδοιάστως περὶ αὐτῶν ἐρχόμεθα. ἀναπείθων τοιγαροῦν δρομαίους αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τῷ πιστεύειν ἰέναι τῷ Χριστῷ: λαλεῖ γὰρ, φησὶν, ὅπερ οἶδεν ἀκριβῶς: λαμβάνει δὲ πάλιν, ὥσπερ ἐξ ὁμοιότητος τῆς καθ' ἡμᾶς, ἵνα νοῶμεν θεοπρεπέστερον, καί φησιν Ὃ ἑώρακε καὶ ἤκουσε, τοῦτο μαρτυρεῖ.
« Καὶ τὴν μαρτυρίαν αὐτοῦ οὐδεὶς λαμβάνει. » Οὐχ ὡς μηδενὸς δεχομένου τὴν μαρτυρίαν, ὅτι δὴ καὶ Θεὸς κατὰ φύσιν ὑπάρχει Χριστὸς, ἄνωθέν τε καὶ ἐκ Πατρὸς ὁρμώμενος, ἐπάνω πάντων ἐστὶ, τὰ τοιαῦτά φησιν ὁ μακάριος βαπτιστής: πολλοὶ γὰρ ἐδέξαντο καὶ πεπιστεύκασι, καὶ πρό γε πάντων ὁ Πέτρος εἰπών “Σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ” Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος:“ ἀλλ' ὡς τῶν ἄλλων πάντων αὐτὸς ἀκριβέστερον τὸ μέγα τοῦ λαλοῦντος ἐννοήσας ἀξίωμα, μονονουχὶ κατασείσας τὴν κεφαλὴν, καὶ μηρῷ τὴν δεξιὰν ἐπικροτήσας ἀποθαυμάζει τῶν ἀπειθούντων αὐτῷ τὴν ἀπόνοιαν.