Chapter 26 — That by the definitions of these names one cannot define that which is in God

A second point is this: since our intellect does not perfectly grasp the divine essence in any of the conceptions which the names applied to God signify, the definitions of these names cannot define what is in God, such that the definition of ‘power’ would be a definition of the divine power, and so on regarding other attributes.

The same is clear for another reason. Every definition is made up of genus and specific difference, and what is properly defined is a species. But we have shown that the divine essence is not included under any genus or species. Consequently, there can be no definition of it.