St. John Chrysostum - from "Homilies on the Gospel of John" - Chapter 4
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2. Tell me, then, does the radiance of the sun proceed from thesubstance itself of the sun, or from some other source? Any one not deprived of his very senses needs must confess, that it proceeds from the substance itself. Yet, although the radiance proceeds from the sun itself, we cannot say that it is later in point of time than thesubstance of that body, since the sun has never appeared without its rays. Now if in the case of these visible and sensible bodies there has been shown to be something which proceeds from something else, and yet is not after that from whence it proceeds; why are you incredulous in the case of the invisible and ineffable Nature? This same thing there takes place, but in a manner suitable to ThatSubstance. For it is for this reason that
Paul too calls HimBrightness
Hebrews 1:3; setting forth thereby His being from Him and His Co-
eternity. Again, tell me, were not all the ages, and every interval created by Him? Any man not deprived of his senses mustnecessarily confess this. There is no interval therefore between the Son and the Father; and if there be none, then He is not after, butCo-
eternal with Him. For before and after are notions implyingtime, since, without age or time, no man could possibly
imaginethese words; but
God is above times and ages.
But if in any case you say that you have found a beginning to the
Son, see whether by the same reason and argument you are not compelled to reduce the Father also to a beginning, earlier indeed, but still a beginning. For when you have assigned to the Son a limit and beginning of
existence, do you not proceed upwards from that point, and say, that the Father was before it? Clearly you do. Tell me then, what is the extent of the Father's prior subsistence? For whether you say that the interval is little, or whether you say it is great, you equally have brought the Father to a beginning. For it is clear, that it is by measuring the space that you say whether it is little or great; yet it would not be possible to measure it, unless there were a beginning on either side; so that as far as you are concerned you have given the Father a beginning, and henceforth, according to your argument, not even the Father will be without beginning. See you that the word spoken by the Saviour is
true, and the saying everywhere discovers its force? And what is that word? It is He that
honors not the
Son,
honors not the Father.
John 5:23
And I
know indeed that what now has been said cannot by many be comprehended, and therefore it is that in many places we avoidagitating questions of
human reasonings, because the rest of the people cannot follow such arguments, and if they could, still they have nothing firm or sure in them. For the thoughts of mortal menare miserable, and our devices are but uncertain.
Wisdom 9:14 Still I should like to ask our objectors, what means that which is said by the Prophet, Before Me there was no God formed, nor is there any after Me?
Isaiah 43:10 For if the Son is younger than the
Father, how, says He, Nor is there any after me? Will you take away the being of the Only-Begotten Himself? You either must dare this, or admit one Godhead with distinct Persons of the Father and Son.
Finally, how could the expression, All things were made by Him,be
true? For if there is an age older than He, how can that which was before Him have been made by Him? Do you see to what daring the argument has carried them, when once the
truth has been unsettled? Why did not the Evangelist say, that He was made from things that were not, as
Paul declares of all things, when he says, Who calls those things which be not as though they were; but says, Was in the beginning?
Romans 4:17 This is contrary to that; and with good reason. For God neither is made, nor has anything older; these are words of the Greeks. Tell me this too: Would you not say, that the Creator beyond all comparison excels His works? Yet since that which is from things that were not is similar to them, where is the superiority not admitting of comparison? And what mean the expressions, I am the first and I am the last
Isaiah 44:6; and, before Me was no other God formed?
Isaiah 43:10 For if the Son be not of the same Essence, there is another
God; and if He be not Co-
eternal, He is after Him; and if He did not proceed from His Essence, clear it is that He was made. But if they assert, that these things were said to distinguish Him from
idols, why do they not allow that it is to distinguish Him from
idolsthat he says, the Only True God?
John 17:3 Besides, if this was said to distinguish Him from
idols, how would you interpret the whole sentence? After Me, He says, is no other God. In saying this, He does not exclude the
Son, but that After Me there is no idol
God,not that there is no Son. Allowed, says he; what then? And the expression, Before Me was no other God formed, will you so understand, as that no idol God indeed was formed before Him, but yet a Son was formed before Him? What
evil spirit would assert this? I do not suppose that even
Satan himself would do so.
Moreover, if He be not Co-
eternal with the
Father, how can you say that His Life is
infinite? For if it have a beginning from before,although it be endless, yet it is not
infinite; for the
infinite must be
infinite in both directions. As
Paul also declared, when he said,Having neither beginning of days, nor end of life
Hebrews 7:3; by this expression showing that He is both without beginning and without end. For as the one has no limit, so neither has the other. In one direction there is no end, in the other no beginning.
3. And how again, since He is Life, was there ever when He was not? For all must allow, that Life both is always, and is without beginning and without end, if It be indeed Life, as indeed It is. For if there be when It is not, how can It be the life of others, when It even Itself is not?
How then, says one, does John lay down a beginning by saying, 'In the beginning was'? Tell me, have you attended to the In the beginning, and to the was, and do you not understand the expression, the Word was? What! When the Prophet says, From everlasting and to everlasting You are
Psalm 90:2, does he say this to assign Him limits? No, but to declare His Eternity. Consider now that the case is the same in this place. He did not use the expression as assigning limits, since he did not say, had a beginning, but was in the beginning; by the word was carrying you forward to the idea that the Son is without beginning. Yet observe, says he, the Father is named with the addition of the article, but the Son without it. What then, when the Apostle says,The Great
God, and our Saviour
Jesus Christ Titus 2:13; and again,Who is above all, God?
Romans 9:5 It is
true that here he has mentioned the
Son, without the article; but he does the same with the Father also, at least in his Epistle to the Philippians
Philippians 2:6, he says, Who being in the form of
God, thought it not
robberyto be equal with God; and again to the Romans, Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father, and the
Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 1:7 Besides, it was superfluous for it to be attached in that place, when close above it was continually attached to the Word. For as in speaking concerning the
Father, he says,
God is a Spirit
John 4:24, and we do not, because the article is not joined to Spirit, yet deny the Spiritual Nature of
God; so here, although the article is not annexed to the
Son, the Son is not on that account a less God. Why so? Because in saying
God, and again
God, he does notreveal to us any difference in this Godhead, but the contrary; for having before said, and the Word was God; that no one might suppose the Godhead of the Son to be inferior, he immediately adds the characteristics of genuine Godhead, including Eternity, (for He was, says he, in the beginning with
God,) and attributing to Him the office of Creator. For by Him were all things made, and without Him was not anything made that was made; which His Father also everywhere by the Prophets declares to be especially characteristic of His own Essence. And the Prophets are continually busy on this kind of demonstration, not only of itself, but when they contend against the
honor shown to
idols; Let the gods perish, says onewho have not made heaven and earth
Jeremiah 10:11: and again, I have stretched out the heaven with My hand
Isaiah 44:24; and it is as declaring it to be indicative of Divinity, that He everywhere puts it. And the Evangelist himself was not satisfied with these words, but calls Him Life too and Light. If now He was ever with the
Father, if He Himself created all things, if He brought all things into
existence, and keeps together all things, (for, this he meant byLife,) if He enlightens all things, who so senseless as to say, that the Evangelist desired to teach an inferiority of Divinity by those very expressions, by which, rather than by any others, it is possible to express its equality and not differing? Let us not then confound the creation with the Creator, lest we too hear it said of us, thatthey served the creature rather than the Creator
Romans 1:25; for although it be asserted that this is said of the heavens, still in speaking of the heavens he positively says, that we must not servethe creature, for it is a heathenish thing.
