Augustine of Hippo, On the Trinity

22. Wherefore, having mastered this rule for interpreting the Scriptures concerning the Son of God, that we are to distinguish in them what relates to the form of God, in which He is equal to the Father, and what to the form of a servant which He took, in which He is less than the Father; we shall not be disquieted by apparently contrary and mutually repugnant sayings of the sacred books. For both the Son and the Holy Spirit, according to the form of God, are equal to the Father, because neither of them is a creature, as we have already shown: but according to the form of a servant He is less than the Father, because He Himself has said, “My Father is greater than I;”113 John xiv. 28 and He is less than Himself, because it is said of Him, He emptied Himself;”114 Phil. ii. 7 and He is less than the Holy Spirit, because He Himself says, “Whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven Him.”115 Matt. xii. 32 And in the Spirit too He wrought miracles, saying: “But if I with the Spirit of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.”116 Matt. xii. 28 And in Isaiah He says,—in the lesson which He Himself read in the synagogue, and showed without a scruple of doubt to be fulfilled concerning Himself,—“The Spirit of the Lord God,” He says, “is upon me: because He hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek He hath sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives,”117 Isa. lxi. 1; Luke iv. 18, 19 etc.: for the doing of which things He therefore declares Himself to be “sent,” because the Spirit of God is upon Him. According to the form of God, all things were made by Him;118 John i. 3 according to the form of a servant, He was Himself made of a woman, made under the law.119 Gal. iv. 4 According to the form of God, He and the Father are one;120 John x. 30 according to the form of a servant, He came not to do His own will, but the will of Him that sent Him.121 John vi. 38 According to the form of God, “As the Father hath life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself;”122 John v. 26. [In communicating the Divine Essence to the Son, in eternal generation, the essence is communicated with all its attributes. Self existence is one of these attributes. In this way, the Father “gives to the Son to have life in himself,” when he makes common (κοινωνεῖν), between Himself and the Son, the one Divine Essence.—W.G.T.S.] according to the form of a servant, His “soul is sorrowful even unto death;” and, “O my Father,” He says, “if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.”123 Matt. xxvi. 38, 39 According to the form of God, “He is the True God, and eternal life;”124 1 John v. 20 according to the form of a servant, “He became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”125 Phil. ii. 8—23. According to the form of God, all things that the Father hath are His,126 John xvii. 15 and “All mine,” He says, “are Thine, and Thine are mine;”127 John xvii. 10 according to the form of a servant, the doctrine is not His own, but His that sent Him.128 John vii. 16

CAPUT XI.

22. Regula qua intelligitur Filius in Scripturis nunc aequalis, nunc minor. Quapropter, cognita ista regula intelligendarum Scripturarum de Filio Dei, ut distinguamus quid in eis sonet secundum formam Dei, in qua aequalis est Patri, et quid secundum formam servi quam accepit, in qua minor est Patre, non conturbabimur tanquam contrariis ac repugnantibus inter se sanctorum Librorum sententiis. Nam secundum formam Dei aequalis est Patri et Filius et Spiritus sanctus, quia neuter eorum creatura est, sicut jam ostendimus: secundum autem formam servi, minor est Patre, quia ipse dixit: Pater major me est (Joan. XIV, 28): minor est se ipso, quia de illo dictum est, Semetipsam exinanivit (Philipp. II, 7): minor est Spiritu sancto, quia ipse ait, Qui dixerit blasphemiam in Filium hominis, remittetur ei; qui autem dixerit in Spiritum sanctum, non remittetur ei (Matth. XII, 32). Et in ipso virtutes operatus est, dicens: Si ego in Spiritu Dei ejicio daemonia, certe supervenit super vos regnum Dei (Luc. XI, 20). Et apud Isaiam dicit, quam lectionem ipse in synagoga recitavit, et de se completam sine scrupulo dubitationis ostendit. Spiritus, inquit, Domini super me; propter quod unxit me, evangelizare pauperibus misit me, praedicare captivis remissionem (Isai. LXI, 1; Luc. IV, 18, 19), et caetera: ad quae facienda ideo dicit se missum, quia Spiritus Domini est super eum. Secundum formam Dei, omnia per ipsum facta sunt (Joan. I, 3): secundum formam servi, ipse factus est ex muliere, factus sub Lege (Galat. IV, 4). Secundum formam Dei, ipse et Pater unum sunt (Joan. X, 30): secundum formam servi, non venit facere voluntatem suam, sed voluntatem ejus qui eum misit (Id. VI, 38). Secundum formam Dei, sicut habet Pater vitam in semetipso, sic dedit et Filio vitam habere in semetipso (Id. V, 26): secundum formam servi, tristis est anima ejus usque ad mortem; et, Pater, inquit, si fieri potest, transeat a me iste calix (Matth. XXVI, 38, 39). Secundum formam Dei, ipse est verus Deus et vita aeterna (I Joan. V, 20): secundum formam servi, factus est obediens usque ad mortem, mortem autem crucis (Philipp. II, 8).

23. Secundum formam Dei, omnia quae habet Pater, ipsius sunt (Joan. XVI, 15): et, Omnia mea tua sunt, inquit, et tua mea (Id. XVII, 10). Secundum formam servi, non est doctrina ipsius, sed illius qui eum misit (Id. VII, 16).