Chapter XIII.

With the desire to learn what subjection to Christ means after putting forward and rejecting various ideas of subjection, he runs through the Apostle’s words; and so puts an end to the blasphemous opinions of the heretics on this matter. The subjection, which is shown to be future, cannot concern the Godhead, since there has always been the greatest harmony of wills between the Father and the Son. Also to that same Son in His Godhead all things have indeed been made subject; but they are said to be not yet subject to Him in this sense, because all men do not obey His commands. But after that they have been made subject, then shall Christ also be made subject in them, and the Father’s work be perfected.

153. But if the one name and right of God belong to both the Father and the Son, since the Son of God is also true God, and a King eternal, the Son of God is not made subject in His Godhead. Let us then, Emperor Augustus, think how we ought to regard His subjection.

154. How is the Son of God made subject? As the creature to vanity? But it is blasphemous to have any such idea of the Substance of the Godhead.

155. Or as every creature is to the Son of God, for it is rightly written: “Thou hast put all things in subjection under His feet”?1062    Ps. viii. 6. But Christ is not made subject to Himself.

156. Or as a woman to a man, as we read: “Let the wives be subject to their husbands;”1063    Eph. v. 22. and again: “Let the woman learn in silence in all subjection”?1064    1 Tim. ii. 11. But it is impious to compare a man to the Father, or a woman to the Son of God.

157. Or as Peter said: “Submit yourselves to every human creature”?1065    1 Pet. ii. 13. But Christ was certainly not so subject.

158. Or as Paul wrote: “Submitting yourselves mutually to God and the Father in the fear of Christ”?1066    Eph. v. 21. But Christ was not subject either in His own fear, nor in the fear of another Christ. For Christ is but one. But note the force of these words, that we are subject to the Father, whilst we also fear Christ.

159. How, then, do we understand His subjection? Shall we review the whole chapter which the Apostle wrote, so as to give no appearance of having falsely withheld anything, or of having weakened its force with intention to deceive? “If in this life only,” he says, “we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But if Christ is risen from the dead, He is the first-fruits of them that sleep.”1067    1 Cor. xv. 19, 20. Ye see how he discusses the question of Christ’s Resurrection.

160. “For since by one man,” he says, “came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s, who have believed in His coming. Then cometh the end, when He shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father, when He shall have put down all rule and authority and power. For He must reign until He hath put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death; for He hath put all things under His feet. But when He saith, all things are put under Him, it is manifest that He is excepted Which did put all things under Him. But when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him, that put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.”1068    1 Cor. xv. 21–28. Thus also the same Apostle said to the Hebrews: “But now we see not yet all things put under Him.”1069    Heb. ii. 8. We have heard the whole of the Apostle’s discourse.

161. How, then, do we speak of His subjection? The Sabellians and Marcionites say that this subjection of Christ to God the Father will be in such wise that the Son will be re-absorbed into the Father. If, then, the subjection of the Word means that God the Word is to be absorbed into the Father; then whatsoever is made subject to the Father and the Son will be absorbed into the Father and the Son, that God may be all and in all His creatures. But it is foolish to say so. There is therefore no subjection through re-absorption. For there are other things which are made subject, those, that is to say, which are created, and there is Another, to Whom that subjection is made. Let the expounders of a cruel re-absorption keep silence.

162. Would that they too were silent, who, as they cannot prove that the Word of God and Wisdom of God can be re-absorbed, attribute the weakness of subjection to His Godhead, saying that it is written: “But when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him.”1070    1 Cor. xv. 28.

163. We see, then, that the Scripture states that He is not yet made subject, but that this is to come: Therefore now the Son is not made subject to God the Father. In what, then, do ye say that the Son will be made subject? If in His Godhead, He is not disobedient, for He is not at variance with the Father; nor is He made subject, for He is not a servant, but the only Son of His own proper Father. Lastly, when He created heaven, and formed the earth, He exercised both power and love. There is therefore no subjection as that of a servant in the Godhead of Christ. But if there is no subjection then the will is free.

164. But if they think of this as the subjection of the Son, namely, that the Father makes all things in union with His will, let them learn that this is really a proof of inseparable power. For the unity of Their will is one that began not in time, but ever existed. But where there is a constant unity of will, there can be no weakness of temporal subjection. For if He were made subject through His nature, He would always remain in subjection; but since He is said to be made subject in time, that subjection must be part of an assumed office and not of an everlasting weakness: especially as the eternal Power of God cannot change His state for a time, neither can the right of ruling fall to the Father in time. For if the Son ever will be changed in such wise as to be made subject in His Godhead, then also must God the Father, if ever He shall gain more power, and have the Son in subjection to Himself in His Godhead, be considered now in the meantime inferior according to your explanation.

165. But what fault has the Son been guilty of, that we should believe that He could hereafter be made subject in His Godhead? Has he as man seized for Himself the right to sit at His Father’s side, or has He claimed for Himself the prerogative of His Father’s throne, against His Father’s will? But He Himself says: “For I do always those things that please Him.”1071    S. John viii. 29. Therefore if the Son pleases the Father in all things, why should He be made subject, Who was not made subject before?

166. Let us see then that there be not a subjection of the Godhead, but rather of us in the fear of Christ, a truth so full of grace, and so full of mystery. Wherefore, again, let us weigh the Apostle’s words: “But when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him that put all things under Him: that God may be all in all.” What then dost thou say? Are not all things now subject unto Him? Are not the choirs of the saints made subject? Are not the angels, who ministered to Him when on the earth?1072    S. Matt. iv. 11. Are not the archangels who were sent to Mary to foretell the coming of the Lord? Are not all the heavenly hosts? Are not the cherubim and seraphim, are not thrones and dominions and powers which worship and praise Him?

167. How, then, will they be brought into subjection? In the way that the Lord Himself has said. “Take My yoke upon you.”1073    S. Matt. xi. 29. It is not the fierce that bear the yoke, but the humble and the gentle. This clearly is no base subjection for men, but a glorious one: “that in the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things beneath; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus is Lord in the glory of God the Father.”1074    Phil. ii. 10. But for this reason all things were not made subject before, for they had not yet received the wisdom of God, not yet did they wear the easy yoke of the Word on the neck as it were of their mind. “But as many as received Him,” as it is written, “to them gave He power to become the sons of God.”1075    S. John i. 12.

168. Will any one say that Christ is now made subject, because many have believed? Certainly not. For Christ’s subjection lies not in a few but in all. For just as I do not seem to be brought into subjection, if the flesh in me as yet lusts against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh,1076    Gal. v. 17. although I am in part subdued; so because the whole Church is the one body of Christ, we divide Christ as long as the human race disagrees. Therefore Christ is not yet made subject, for His members are not yet brought into subjection. But when we have become, not many members, but one spirit, then He also will become subject, in order that through His subjection “God may be all and in all.”

169. But as Christ is not yet made subject, so is the work of God not yet perfected; for the Son of God said: “My meat is to do the will of My Father that sent Me, and to finish His work.”1077    S. John iv. 34. What manner of doubt is there that the subjection of the Son in me is still in the future, in whom the work of the Father is unfinished, because I myself am not yet perfect? I, who make the work of God to be unfinished, do I make the Son of God to be in subjection? But that is not a matter of wrong, it is a matter of grace. For in so far as we are made subject, it is to our profit, not to that of the Godhead, that we are made subject to the law, that we are made subject to grace. For formerly, as the Apostle himself has said, the wisdom of the flesh was at enmity with God, for “it was not made subject to the law,”1078    Rom. viii. 7. but now it is made subject through the Passion of Christ.

CAPUT XIII.

Quae Christi subjectio sit, quaesiturus, ubi subjectiones varias proposuit ac rejecit, Apostolicum textum percurrit; unde impiam explodit haereticorum hac de re opinionem. Subjectionem quae futura significatur, divinitatis esse non posse; cum inter Patrem et Filium voluntatis summa semper fuerit concordia. Etiam eidem Filio secundum divinitatem vere omnia subjecta esse, at nondum subjecta hoc sensu dici, quod ejus mandatis non pareant omnes homines: qui postquam illis fuerint subditi, tum Christus in his subjicietur, et Patris opus perfectum erit.

0679B

154. [Alias cap. VI.] Quod si Patri et Filio unum Dei nomen et jus est, cum Deus verus, et rex sempiternus sit etiam Dei Filius; non utique secundum divinitatem subjectus est Dei Filius. Subjectum itaque, Imperator auguste, quemadmodum debeamus 0679C accipere, consideremus.

155. Quomodo enim subjectus Dei Filius? Ut creatura vanitati? Sed impium est de divinitatis substantia tale aliquid aestimare.

156. An quemadmodum creatura omnis Dei Filio, quia aeque scriptum est: Omnia subjecisti sub pedibus ejus (Psal. VIII, 8)? Sed non Christus sibi ipse subjectus est.

157. An quemadmodum mulier viro, sicut legimus: Mulieres viris suis subjectae sint (Ephes. V, 22); et alibi: Mulier in silentio discat cum omni subjectione (I Tim. II, 11)? Sed sacrilegum est vel Patri virum, vel Dei Filio mulierem comparare.

158. An quemadmodum Petrus dixit: Subjecti estote omni humanae creaturae (I Petr. II, 13)? Nec 0679D sic utique Christus.

159. Vel quemadmodum Paulus scripsit: Deo et Patri subjecti invicem in timore Christi (Ephes. V, 21)? Sed neque in suo, neque in alterius Christi timore 0680A subjectus est Filius, quia unus est Christus. Quorum verborum vim considerate, quia Patri subjecti sumus, dum etiam Christum veremur.

160. Quomodo ergo subjectum intelligimus? Totum Apostolicum caput recenseamus; ut nihil videatur fraude subtractum, aut obreptione praestrictum: Si in hac inquit, vita tantum in Christo sperantes sumus, miserabiliores sumus omnibus hominibus. Si autem Christus resurrexit a mortuis primitiae dormientium (I Cor. XV, 19, 20)? Videtis quoniam de resurrectione Christi tractata est disputatio.

161. Quoniam sicut per unum hominem, inquit, mors, et per hominem resurrectio mortuorum. Sicut enim in Adam omnes moriuntur, ita et in Christo omnes vivificabuntur. Unusquisque autem in suo ordine, primitiae 0680B Christus: deinde hi qui sunt Christi, qui in adventum ejus crediderunt. Deinde finis, cum tradiderit regnum Deo et Patri, cum evacuaverit omnem principatum, et potestatem et virtutem. 579 Oportet enim illum regnare, donec ponat omnes inimicos sub pedibus ejus. Novissime autem inimica destruetur mors; omnia enim subjecit sub pedibus ejus. Cum autem dicat: Omnia subjecta sunt ei, sine dubio praeter eum qui subjecit ei omnia. Cum autem subjecta illi fuerint omnia, tunc et ipse Filius subjectus erit illi, qui sibi subjecit omnia; ut sit Deus omnia in omnibus (I Cor. XV, 20-28). Quod etiam ad Hebraeos idem Apostolus dixit: Nunc autem nondum videmus omnia illi esse subjecta (Hebr. II, 8). Accepimus Apostolicae seriem lectionis.

162. Quomodo igitur subjectum dicimus? Sabelliani 0680C et Marcionitae dicunt quod haec futura sit Christi ad Deum Patrem subjectio, ut in Patrem Filius refundatur. Si ergo ea erit Verbi subjectio, ut resolvatur in Patrem Deus Verbum: ergo et quaecumque Patri Filioque subjecta sunt, in Patrem et Filium resolventur; ut sit Deus omnia et in omnibus creaturis. Sed absurdum est dicere: non igitur per refusionem subjectio. Alia sunt enim quae subjiciuntur, ea utique quae creata sunt: et alius, cui fit illa subjectio. Conticescant itaque saevae refusionis interpretes.

163. Atque utinam et illi tacerent, qui quoniam resolubile Dei Verbum, Deique sapientiam probare non possunt, infirmitatem divinitati subjectionis ascribunt, dicentes quia scriptum est: Cum autem 0680D subjecta illi fuerint omnia, tunc et ipse Filius subjectus erit illi (I Cor. XV, 28).

164. Videmus igitur quia nondum subjectum, sed subjiciendum esse Scriptura commemorat: ergo 0681A nunc non est subjectus Deo Patri Filius. In quo igitur Filium subjectum fore dicitis? Si in divinitate; nec inobediens est, quia non est a Patre discors: nec subjectus, quia non est servus, sed unicus proprio Patri Filius. Denique cum coelum crearet, terram conderet, et potestatem exercebat et charitatem. Nulla igitur servilis in Christi divinitate subjectio. Si autem nulla subjectio, voluntas libera est.

165. Quod si eam subjectionem putant Filii, quia cum ejus voluntate omnia faciat Pater, discant hoc ipsum esse individuae potestatis argumentum; quia unitas voluntatis est, quae non coepit ex tempore, sed erat semper. Ubi autem unitas perpetua voluntatis, non utique temporalis subjectionis infirmitas. Si enim per naturam subjiceretur, semper subjectus 0681B maneret: cum vero subjiciendus dicatur in tempore, dispensationis ergo susceptae, non perpetuae infirmitatis erit illa subjectio; maxime cum sempiterna Dei virtus non possit statum mutare pro tempore, nec Deo Patri ex tempore jus potestatis accidere. Nam si Filius aliquando mutabitur, ut secundum divinitatem subjiciatur: ergo et Deus Pater, si 580 aliquando plus poterit, ut subjectum secundum divinitatem habeat Filium, nunc interim minus posse secundum interpretationem vestram necesse est aestimetur.

166. Quid autem culpae commeruit Filius, ut postea secundum divinitatem subjici posse credatur? Numquid secundum carnem ad dexteram Patris sedere praeripuit, et, invito Patre, sibi praerogativam 0681C Paterni solii vindicavit? Sed ipse ait: Omnia quae placita sunt ei, facio semper (Joan. VIII, 29). Ergo si in omnibus Patri complacet Filius, cur subjicietur qui ante subjectus non erat?

167. Videamus itaque ne non divinitatis illa, sed nostra fiat in Christi timore subjectio, plena gratiae, et plena mysterii. Itaque rursus Apostolica verba pendamus. Cum autem subjecta, inquit, illi fuerint omnia, tunc et ipse subjectus erit ei, qui sibi subjecit omnia; ut sit Deus omnia et in omnibus. Ergo quid dicis? Nunc subjecta non sunt ei omnia? non subjecti sanctorum chori? non Angeli, qui in terris posito ministrabant (Matth. IV, 11)? non Archangeli, qui etiam ad Mariam adventus Dominici praenuntii mittebantur (Luc. I, 26)? non omnis militia coelestis? 0681D non Cherubim et Seraphim, non Throni et Dominationes et Potestates, quae venerantur et laudant?

168. Quomodo ergo subjecta erunt? Sic utique quemadmodum ipse Dominus dixit: Tollite jugum meum super vos (Matth. XI, 29); non enim indomiti jugum portant, sed humiles atque mansueti. Haec est plane nec ipsis hominibus vilis, sed gloriosa subjectio; ut in nomine Jesu omne genu curvetur coelestium, et terrestrium, et infernorum: et omnis lingua 0682A confiteatur, quia Dominus Jesus in gloria est Dei Patris (Philip. II, 10, 11). Ideo autem ante subjecta non erant omnia, quia nondum receperant sapientiam Dei, nondum habile jugum Verbi mentis quadam cervice portabant. Quotquot autem, sicut scriptum est, receperunt eum, dedit eis potestatem filios Dei fieri (Joan. I, 11).

169. Dicet aliquis: Ergo jam subjectus est Christus; quia plurimi crediderunt? Minime; quia non in paucis est Christi subjectio, sed in omnibus. Sicut enim si in me concupiscat adhuc caro adversus spiritum, spiritus autem adversus carnem, non videor esse subjectus, etsi ex parte sim subditus: ita quia omnis Ecclesia unum corpus est Christi, quamdiu genus dissentit humanum, Christum dividimus. 0682B Nondum ergo subjectus est Christus, cujus non sunt adhuc membra subjecta. Cum autem fuerimus non multa membra, sed unus spiritus: tunc et ipse subjectus erit; ut per ipsius subjectionem sit Deus omnia et in omnibus.

170. Sicut autem nondum subjectus est Christus, ita nondum perfectum est opus Patris; quia dixit Filius Dei: Meus cibus est ut faciam 581 voluntatem Patris mei qui me misit, et perficiam opus ejus. Quid igitur quaestionis est, quia in me erit Filii subjectio, in quo imperfectum est opus Patris; quia non sum ipse perfectus? Ergo qui imperfectum opus facio Patris, ipse Filium facio esse subjectum? Sed non est injuria ista, sed gratia; quia in eo quod subjicimur, noster utique, non divinitatis est profectus; ut 0682C subjiciamur Legi, subjiciamur gratiae. Quoniam ante, sicut ipse dixit Apostolus, sapientia carnis inimica erat in Deum; Legi enim non erat subdita (Rom. VIII, 7): nunc autem jam per Christi est subdita passionem.