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4. Why, then, is scarcely anything ever said in the Scriptures of
wisdom, unless to show that it is begotten or created of God?
begotten in the case of that Wisdom by which all things are made; but
created or made, as in men, when they are converted to that Wisdom
which is not created anti made but begotten, and are so enlightened;
for in these men themselves there comes to be something which may be
called their wisdom: even as the Scriptures foretell or narrate, that
"the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us;" for in this way
Christ was made wisdom, because He was made man. Is it on this
account that Wisdom Goes not speak m these books, nor is anything
spoken of it, except to declare that it is born of God, or made by
Him (although the Father is Himself wisdom), namely, because
wisdom ought to be commended and imitated by us, by the imitation of
which we are fashioned [rightly]? For the Father speaks it, that
it may be His Word: yet not as a word producing a sound proceeds from
the mouth, or is thought before it is pronounced. For this word is
completed in certain spaces of time, but that is eternal, and speaks
to us by enlightening us, what ought to be spoken to men, both of
itself and of the Father. And therefore He says, "No man knoweth
the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father. save
the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him:" since the
Father reveals by the Son, that is, by His Word. For if that
word which we utter, and which is temporal and transitory, declares
both itself, and that of which we speak, how much more the Word of
God, by which all things are made? For this Word so declares the
Father as He is the Father; because both itself so is, and is that
which is the Father, in so far as it is wisdom and essence. For in
so far as it is the Word. it is not what the Father is: because the
Word is not the Father, and Word is spoken relatively, as is also
Son, which assuredly is not the Father. And therefore Christ is
the power and wisdom of God, because He Himself, being also power
and wisdom, is from the Father, who is power and wisdom; as He is
light of the Father, who is light, and the fountain of life with God
the Father, who is Himself assuredly the fountain of life. For
"with Thee," He says, "is the fountain of life, and in Thy
light shall we see light."' Because, "as the Father hath life in
Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself:"
and, "He was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh
into the world:" and this light, "the Word," was "with God;"
but "the Word also was God;" and "God is light, and in Him is
no darkness at all:" but a light that is not corporeal, but
spiritual; yet not in such way spiritual, that it was wrought by
illumination, as it was said to the apostles, "Ye are the light of
the world," but "the light which lighteth every man," that very
supreme wisdom itself who is God, of whom we now treat. The Son
therefore is Wisdom of wisdom, namely the Father, as He is Light
of light, and God of God; so that both the Father singly is light,
and the Son singly is light; and the Father singly is God, and the
Son singly is God: therefore the Father also singly is wisdom, and
the Son singly is wisdom. And as both together are one light and one
God, so both are one wisdom. But the Son is "by God made unto us
wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification;" because we turn
ourselves to Him in time, that is, from some particular time, that
we may remain with Him for ever. And He Himself from a certain time
was "the Word made flesh, and dwelt among us."
5. On this account, then,when anything concerning wisdom is
declared or narrated in the Scriptures, whether as itself speaking,
or where anything is spoken of it, the Son chiefly is intimated to
us. And by the example of Him who is the image, let us also not
depart from Gods since we also are the Image of God: not indeed that
which is equal to Him, since we are made so by the Father through the
Son, and not born of the Father, as that is. And we are so,
because we are enlightened with light; but that is so, because it is
the light that enlightens; and which, therefore, being without
pattern, is to us a pattern. For He does not imitate any one going
before Him, in respect to the Father, from whom He is never
separable at all, since He is the very same substance with Him from
whom He is. But we by striving imitate Him who abides, and follow
Him who stands still, and walking in Him, reach out towards Him;
because He is made for us a way in time by His humiliation, which is
to us an eternal abiding-place by His divinity. For since to pure
intellectual spirits, who have not fallen through pride, He gives an
example in the form of God and as equal with God and as God; so, in
order that He might also give Himself as an example of returning to
fallen man who on account of the uncleanness of sins and the punishment
of mortality cannot see God, "He emptied Himself;" not by
changing His own divinity, but by assuming our changeableness: and
"taking upon Him the form of a servant" He came to us into this
world," who "was in this world," because "the world was made by
Him;" that He might be an example upwards to those who see God, an
example downwards to those who admire man, an example to the sound to
persevere, an example to the sick to be made whole, an example to
those who are to die that they may not fear, an example to the dead
that they may rise again, "that in all things He might have the
pre-eminence." So that, because man ought not to follow any except
God to blessedness, and yet cannot perceive God; by following God
made man, he might follow at once Him whom he could perceive, and
whom he ought to follow. Let us then love Him and cleave to Him, by
charity spread abroad in our hearts, through the Holy Spirit which is
given unto us. It is not therefore to be wondered at, if, on account
of the example which the Image, which is equal to the Father, gives
to us, in order that we may be refashioned after the image of God,
Scripture, when it speaks of wisdom, speaks of the Son, whom we
follow by living wisely; although the Father also is wisdom, as He
is both light and God.
6. The Holy Spirit also, whether we are to call Him that absolute
love which joins together Father and Son, and joins us also from
beneath, that so that is not unfitly said which is written, "God is
love;" how is He not also Himself wisdom, since He is light,
because "God is light"? or whether after any other way the essence
of the Holy Spirit is to be singly and properly named; then, too,
since He is God, He is certainly light; and since He is light,
He is certainly wisdom. But that the Holy Spirit is God,
Scripture proclaims by the apostle, who says, "Know ye not that ye
are the temple of God?" and immediately subjoins, "And the Spirit
of God dwelleth in you;"13 for God dwelleth in His own temple.
For the Spirit of God does not dwell in the temple of God as a
servant, since he says more plainly in another place, "Know ye not
that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, and
which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
For ye are bought with a great price: therefore glorify God in your
body." But what is wisdom, except spiritual and unchangeable light?
For yonder sun also is light, but it is corporeal; and the spiritual
creature also is light, but it is not unchangeable. Therefore the
Father is light, the Son is light, and the Holy Spirit is light;
but together not three lights, but one light. And so the Father is
wisdom, the Son is wisdom, and the Holy Spirit is wisdom, and
together not three wisdoms, but one wisdom: and because in the
Trinity to be is the same as to be wise, the Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit, are one essence. Neither in the Trinity is it one
thing to be and another to be God; therefore the Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit, are one God.
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