Fourth Century Christianity

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So if the Word is shown to have gone out from the Father himself and come to us (Jn 16:27; 8:42), and if the Holy Spirit, as even Asterius confessed, “proceeds from the Father” (Jn 15:26), and if also the Savior says about the Spirit, “He will not speak from himself but he will speak whatever he hears and will announce to you the things to come. He will glorify me because he will receive from me and will announce to you” (Jn 16:13,14), then is not the monad shown here plainly and clearly, albeit with an unfathomable expression, to be expanded into a triad and yet in no way divisible? For if the Word proceeds from the Father (Jn 15:26), and if likewise the Spirit also is confessed to proceed from the Father, and if also the Savior says about the Spirit, “He will receive from me and he will announce to you” (Jn 16:14), then is it not quite clear that some hidden mystery is being revealed? (Eph 3:9; Col 1:26) For unless the monad, although indivisible, was expanded into a triad, how could one time he say of the Spirit that he proceeds from the Father (Jn 15:26), and at another time say, “He will receive from me and will announce to you” (Jn 16:14) and at still another time breath on his disciples and say, “Receive the Holy Spirit”? (Jn 20:22) For if he proceeds from the Father how is it reported that he receives this service from the Son? If there were two divided persons, as Asterius said, either the Spirit who proceeds from the Father (Jn 15:26) must not need the service from the Son (for it is necessary that everything which proceeds from the Father be complete and in no way require any further help from someone else) or, if he does receive it from the Son and out of his power he serves out grace, he must no longer be proceeding from the Father.

Translated by PSAM, revised AMJ

Last updated: 8-29-2012

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