Chapter 6 — Concerning the opinion of Arius about the Son of God

While it is inadmissible according to sacred doctrine that the Son of God should have had his origin in Mary, as Photinus said, or that he who was God and Father from eternity should begin to be the Son by taking flesh, as Sabellius contended, there were others who accepted the teaching of Scripture that the Son of God existed before the mystery of the Incarnation, and even before the creation of the world, but since this Son is distinct from God the Father, they deemed him not to be of the same nature as God the Father. For they were unable to understand, and unwilling to believe, that any two, distinct in personality, should have one essence and nature. And seeing that, according to the teaching of faith, the nature of God the Father is alone believed to be eternal, they thought that the nature of the Son did not exist from eternity, though he was the Son before other creatures. And since whatever is not eternal is made out of nothing and created by God, they taught that the Son of God was made out of nothing, and a creature.

Since, however, they were forced by the authority of Scripture to acknowledge the Son as God, as we have observed above, they said that he was one with God the Father: not indeed by nature, but by a certain unity of mind, and by a participation of the divine likeness surpassing that of other creatures. Hence, seeing that in the Scriptures the highest creatures, which we call angels, are styled gods and sons of God—for instance: Where were you . . . when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? (Job 38:4, 7); and: God has stood in the council of the gods (Ps 82[81]:1)—it follows that he must be styled God and Son of God, above the others, as being of higher rank than other creatures; so much so that God the Father created all other creatures through him.

They strove to confirm this opinion by the teaching of Sacred Scripture.

For, addressing the Father, the Son says: This is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God (John 17:3). Therefore, the Father is the only true God: so that, as the Son is not the Father, he cannot be true God.

Again. The Apostle says: Keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ; and this will be shown at the proper time by the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light (1 Tim 6:14–16). In these words, we find indicated the distinction between God the Father (represented as showing) and Christ (represented as shown). Therefore, God the Father alone (represented as showing) is mighty, the King of kings and Lord of lords, and alone has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light. Therefore, only the Father is true God. Consequently, the Son is not.

Further. The Lord said: the Father is greater than I (John 14:28); and the Apostle said that the Son is subject to the Father: When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him, namely the Father, who put all things under him (1 Cor 15:28). If, however, the nature of the Father and the Son were one, there would also be one greatness and one majesty; for the Son would not be less than, nor subject to, the Father. In their opinion, then, it follows from the Scriptures that the Son is not of the same nature with the Father.

Again. The nature of the Father cannot be subject to want. But want is found in the Son, for Scripture declares that he receives from the Father: and to receive is a sign of want. Thus, it is written: All things have been delivered to me by my Father (Matt 11:27), and: The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand (John 3:35). Therefore, seemingly the Son is not of the same nature as the Father.

Moreover. To be taught and to be helped are signs of need. Now, the Son is taught and helped by the Father. For it is said: The Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing; and below: The Father loves the Son, and shows him all that he himself is doing (John 5:19–20). Again, the Son said to the disciples: All that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you (John 15:15). It would seem, therefore, that the Son is not of the same nature as the Father.

Further. To receive a commandment, to obey, to pray, and to be sent are, apparently, signs of subjection. Now, these things are related of the Son. For the Son says: I do as the Father has commanded me (John 14:31); and it is said: being made obedient to the Father unto death (Phil 2:8); (Vulgate: factus obediens usque ad mortem.) and: I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counselor (John 14:16). Again, the Apostle says: When the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son (Gal 4:4). Therefore, the Son is less than the Father and subject to him.

Again. The Son is glorified by the Father, as he himself declares: Father, glorify your name; and the text goes on: A voice came from heaven: ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again’ (John 12:28). Also, the Apostle says that God raised Jesus Christ from the dead (Rom 8:11), and Peter declared that he was exalted at the right hand of God (Acts 2:33). From these texts, it would seem to follow that he is less than the Father.

Moreover. There can be no defect in the nature of the Father. But in the Son we find a lack of power; for he says: To sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father (Matt 20:23). Also, a lack of knowledge, for he says: Of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father (Mark 13:32). We also find in him a lack of mental composure, since Scripture asserts that he was affected by sorrow, anger, and like passions. Therefore, it seems that the Son is not of the same nature as the Father.

Again. It is expressly stated in Scripture that the Son of God is a creature, for it is said: The Creator of all things spoke to me; and he that made me rested in my tabernacle (Sir 24:8); and again: From eternity, in the beginning, he created me (Sir 24:9). Therefore, the Son is a creature.

Further. The Son is numbered among creatures, for it is said in the person of Wisdom: I came forth from the mouth of the Most High, the first-born of all creatures (Sir 24:5). Also, the Apostle says that the Son is the first-born of all creation (Col 1:15). It would seem, then, that the Son is of the same order as creatures, being placed in the first rank among them.

Moreover. The Son said, when he prayed to the Father for his disciples: The glory which you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one (John 17:22). Hence he wished his disciples to be one, even as the Father and Son are one. Now, he did not wish his disciples to be one in essence. Therefore, the Father and the Son are not one in essence: and thus the Son is a creature and subject to the Father.

This is the opinion of Arius and Eunomius. And it seems to have arisen from the statements of the Platonists, who said that the supreme God is the Father and Creator of all, and that from him first of all there emanated a Mind containing the forms of all things, and transcending all: and this mind they called the paternal intelligence. Below this they placed the World-Soul, and beneath this other creatures. Accordingly, they referred to this mind whatever is said in the Scriptures concerning God the Son; especially because Sacred Scripture calls the Son of God by the names of Wisdom and Word of God. The opinion of Avicenna is in agreement with this view; for above the soul of the first heaven he placed the first intelligence that moves the first heaven, and higher still above all he placed God.

Hence the Arians supposed the Son of God to be a creature transcending all other creatures, and that by his means God created all things. This was especially in keeping with the opinion of certain philosophers who held that things proceeded from the first principle in a certain order, so that by the first creature all other things were created.