{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/106/1060287.htm","path":"chr/ecf/106/1060287.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/106/1060287.htm","text":"On the same words of the Gospel, John i., \u201cIn the beginning was the word,\u201d etc.\n1. All ye who are looking for a man\u2019s many words, understand the One Word of God, \u201cIn the beginning was the Word.\u201d 3598 Now, \u201cIn the beginning God made the heaven and the earth.\u201d 3599 But, \u201cThe Word was,\u201d since we have heard, \u201cIn the beginning God made.\u201d Acknowledge we in Him the Creator; for Creator is He who made; and the creature what He made. For no creature which was made \u201cwas,\u201d as God the Word \u201cwas,\u201d by whom it was made, always. Now when we heard \u201cThe Word was,\u201d with whom was It? We understand the Father who did not make nor create the Same Word, but begat Him. For, \u201cIn the beginning God made the heaven and the earth.\u201d Whereby made He them? \u201cThe Word was, and the Word was with God;\u201d 3600 but what kind of Word? Did it sound and so pass away? Was it a mere thought, and motion 3601 of the mind? No. Was it suggested by memory, and uttered? No. What kind of Word then? Why dost thou look for many words from me? \u201cThe Word was God.\u201d When we hear, \u201cThe Word was God,\u201d we do not make a second God; but we understand the Son. For the Word is the Son of God. Lo, the Son, and What but God? For \u201cThe Word was God.\u201d What the Father? God of course. If the Father is God and the Son God, do we make two Gods? God forbid. The Father is God, the Son God; but the Father and the Son One God. For the Only Son of God was not made, but born. \u201cIn the beginning God made the heaven and the earth;\u201d but the Word was of the Father. Was the Word therefore made by the Father? No. \u201cAll things were made by Him.\u201d 3602 If by Him all things were made, was He too made by Himself? Do not imagine that He by whom thou hearest all things were made was Himself made among all things. For if He were made Himself, all things were not made by Him, but Himself was made among the rest. You say, \u201cHe was made;\u201d what, by Himself? Who can make himself? If then He was made, how by Him were all things made? See, Himself too was made, as you say, not I, for that He was begotten, I do not deny. If then you say that He was made, I ask by what, by whom? By Himself? Then He \u201cwas,\u201d before He was made, that He might make Himself. But if all things were made by Him, understand that He was not Himself made. If thou art not able to understand, believe, that thou mayest understand. Faith goes before; understanding follows after; since the Prophet says, \u201cUnless ye believe, ye shall not understand. 3603 The Word was.\u201d Look not for time in Him, by whom times were made. \u201cThe Word was.\u201d But you say, \u201cThere was a time that the Word was not.\u201d You say falsely; nowhere do you read this. But I do read for you, \u201cIn the beginning was the Word.\u201d What look you for before the beginning? But if you should be able to find anything before the beginning, this will be the beginning. He is mad who looks for anything before the beginning. What then doth he say was before the beginning? \u201cIn the beginning was the Word.\u201d\n2. But you will say, \u201cThe Father both \u2018was,\u2019 and was before the Word.\u201d What are you looking for? \u201cIn the beginning was the Word.\u201d What you find, understand; seek not for what you are not able to find. Nothing is before the beginning. \u201cIn the beginning was the Word.\u201d The Son is the Brightness of the Father. Of the Wisdom of the Father, which is the Son, it is said, \u201cFor He is the brightness of the Everlasting Light.\u201d 3604 Are you seeking for a Son without a Father? Give me a light without brightness. If there was a time when the Son was not, the Father was a light obscure. For how was He not an obscure Light, if It had no brightness? So then the Father always, the Son always. If the Father always, the Son always. Do you ask of me, whether the Son were born? I answer, \u201cborn.\u201d For He would not be a Son if not born. So when I say, the Son always was, I say in fact was always born. And who understands, \u201cWas always born\u201d? Give me an eternal fire, and I will give thee an eternal brightness. We bless God who hath given to us the holy Scriptures. Be ye not blind in the brightness of the light. Brightness is engendered of the Light, and yet the Brightness is Coeternal with the Light that engenders It. The Light always, its Brightness always. It begat Its Own Brightness; but was it ever without Its Brightness? Let God be allowed to beget an eternal Son. I pray you hear of whom we are speaking; hear, mark, believe, understand. Of God are we speaking. We confess p. 466 and believe the Son coeternal with the Father. But you will say, \u201cWhen a man begets a Son, he that begets is the elder, and he that is begotten the younger.\u201d It is true; in the case of men, he that begets is the elder, and he that is begotten, the younger, and he arrives in time to his father\u2019s strength. But why, save that whilst the one grows, the other grows old? Let the father stand still a while, and in his growing the son will follow on him, and you will see him equal. But see, I give you whereby to understand this. Fire engenders a coeval brightness. Among men you only find sons younger, fathers older; you do not find them coeval: but as I have said, I show you brightness coeval with its parent fire. For fire begets brightness, yet is it never without brightness. Since then you see that the brightness is coeval with its fire, suffer God to beget a Coeternal Son. Whoso understandeth, let him rejoice: but whoso understandeth not, let him believe. For the word of the Prophet cannot be disannulled; \u201cUnless ye believe, ye shall not understand.\u201d 3605\nIsa. vii. 9, Sept.\n465:3604 466:3605","title":"Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. VI: Sermons on Selec...","type":"page"}