Homilies on the Gospel of St. John and the Epistle to the Hebrews

NPNF (V1-14)St. Chrysostom371Son and named Him Creator, “Who being the brightness of His Glory, and the express image ofHis person.”This we must receive with reverence and clear of all incongruities. “The brightness of Hisglory,” saith he. But observe in what reference he understands this, and so do thou receive it:—thatHe is of Him: 2743 without passion: that He is neither greater, nor less; since there are some, whoderive certain strange things from the illustration. For, say they, “the brightness” is not substantial,2744but hath its being in another. Now do not thou, O man, so receive it, neither be thou sick of thedisease of Marcellus 2745 and Photinus. 2746 For he hath a remedy for thee close at hand, that thoufall not into that imagination, nor doth he leave thee to be hurried down into that fatal malady. Andwhat saith he? “And the express image of His person” [or “subsistence” 2747 ]: that is, just as He[the Father] is personally subsisting, being in need of nothing, 2748 so also the Son. For he saith thishere, showing the undeviating similitude 2749 and the peculiar image of the Prototype, that He [theSon] is in subsistence by Himself.For he who said above, that “by Him He made all things” here assigns to Him absolute authority.For what doth he add? “And upholding all things by the word of His power”; that we might henceinfer not merely His being the express image of His Person, but also His governing all things withabsolute authority.See then, how he applies to the Son that which is proper to the Father. For on this account hedid not say simply, “and upholding all things,” nor did he say, “by His power,” but, “by the wordof His power.” For much as just now we saw him gradually ascend and descend; so also now, asby steps, he goes up on high, then again descends, and saith, “by whom also He made the worlds.”Behold how here also he goes on two paths, by the one leading us away from Sabellius, by theother from Arius, yea and on another, that He [Christ] should not be accounted un originated, 2750which he does also throughout, nor yet alien from God. For if, even after so much, there are somewho assert that He is alien, and assign to Him another father, and say that He is at variance withHim;—had [Paul] not declared these things, what would they not have uttered?How then does he this? When he is compelled to heal, then is he compelled also to utter lowlythings: as for instance, “He appointed Him” (saith he) “heir of all things,” and “by Him He madethe worlds.” ( Supra , ver. 2.) But that He might not be in another way dishonored, he brings Him2743ὅ τι ἐξ αὐτοῦ , “ that He [Christ] is of Him [the Father]. ”2744ἐ νυπόστατον2745Marcellus Bishop of Ancyra lapsed towards Sabellianism, holding, as it seems, virtually at least, that our Lord is not aPerson eternally distinct from the Father, but, a Manifestation of the Father, lasting from the Incarnation to the Judgment.His views are anathematized in 1 Conc. Constantinop. Canon 1.2746Photinus Bishop of Sirmium, who had been Deacon under Marcellus, and carried his theory out, maintaining our Lordto have had no distinct existence before His Birth of Mary. Socr. E. H. 2. 29. His doctrine too was condemned at Constantinople,ubi sup2747ὑ ποστάσεως . St. Chrys. understands the word to mean here neither “ substance ” nor “ Person, ” but, if we may usesuch a word, “ substantiality, ” or “ substantive existence, ” which in speaking de Divinis we call “ Personality. ” See below,page 371, note 5.2748Sav. Ben. add πρὸς ὑπόστασιν2749ἀ παράλλακτον2750ἄ ναρχον . On this third heresy respecting the Holy Trinity, see St. Greg. Naz. Orat . ii. 37; xx. 6; in both which places itis, as here, mentioned as the third form of error with Sabellianism and Arianism. See also Bp. Bull, Def. Fid. N. iv. i. 8. Themention of this is not found in the Common text, in which the whole passage is recast.535