ConcerningtheFaith

by
GregoryofNyssa

Introduction

ThisbrieftreatiseaddressedtotheTribuneSimplikioscontainsnothingespeciallyrevealingwithregardtothethoughtof
GregoryofNyssa(+c.395).ItdealswithoneofthemostfundamentaltenetsofChristianfaith,namely,thedivinityofJesus
ChristandtheHolySpirit,twoPersonsoftheBlessedTrinitywhoareequalintheirdivinenaturewiththeFather.As
Gregorysaystowardstheendofthistreatise,"It[theHolySpirit]hasoneuncreatednature[aktistonphusin]sharedbyboth
FatherandSon"(J.67.5).GregoryrecognizestheimportancethisSpiritplaysinoursanctificationinhisconcluding
paragraphwhichdrawsaparallelbetweentwousesofpneuma,"spirit"and"wind"whenquotingfromAmos4.13:
Hewhoformsthethunderandcreatesthewind[pneuma]...Theprophet[Amos]speaksofanotherspirit[pneuma]whichis
createdinthe'strengthofthunder'anddoesnotrefertotheHolySpirit[Pneuma].(J.67.913)

ThisverseisusedtointroduceafavoritethemenotonlyofGregorybutofvirtuallyeveryChurchFather,namely,our
divinizationorassumptionofthoseheavenlyqualitiesinourhumannature.DuetothebrevityofConcerningtheFaith,it
maybehelpfultoillumineitsintention(namely,oursanctificationbyallthreePersonsoftheTrinity)withanexcerpt
followedbyonefromGregory'sCommentaryontheSongofSongs:
ThereforefaithintheGospelisfirmandunmovedasthosepersonswhopassbyfaithfromfleshtospirit.AstheLordsays,
"whoeverisbornfromfleshisflesh,andwhoeverisbornfromSpiritisspirit"[Jn3.6](J.67.1418)
...forthenatureoftheparentisrecognizedinthechild.SincewhatisbornoftheSpiritisspirit,theoffspringisadove.
Indeed,themotheristheDovewhichdescendedfromheavenattheJordanRiver,asJohntestifies[Jn1.32]...Andthefact
thatthey[thedaughtersofJerusalem]praisethedoveshowstheirzealtoattainwhattheypraiseuntilallbecomeone.
(J.4689)

BecausetheHolySpiritisthebondbetweenFatherandSon,ittherebysharesthequalitiesoftheothertwoPersons.This
uniquecharactertakesthebestofboth,asitwere,andoffersittous"thathemightrenewthepathtohumansalvationwhich
hadbeencorrupted"(J.63.814).SincetheSpiritembodiesthefullnessofthatonenesspropertotheBlessedTrinity,itis
onlynaturalthatthissamePersonimpartthesameonenesstouswhoareendowedwithamortalhumannaturethereby
restoringustoGod'simageandlikeness.
ThebishopofNyssapresentstheclassicdistinctionbetweenthecreated[gennetos]anduncreated[agennetos]natures,that
is,thedistinctionbetweendivinityandcreatedness.HeusesthefamiliarexampleofAdamandAbelwhosebirthsdifferedin
thattheformerwascreateddirectlybyGodwhilethelattercameintoexistencethroughconventualhumanbirth.Gregory
thenproceedstoapplythisexampletothedivinegenerationoftheSon,JesusChrist,fromhisFather:
Becausethedivineteachingspositnodifferencebetweennotbeingbegottenandbeingbegotten,andjustasAdamandAbel
areonehumannature,sotheFatherandtheSonhaveonedivinenature.(J.65.204)

AfterintroducinghisreadersrightfromthebeginningtothecommandfoundinPs80.10andEx20.3whichprohibitsthe
worshipofaliengods,GregorythensuccinctlytakesupthedifficultproblemposedbyProv8.22("TheLordhascreated
me")whichinhisownwords,"offersastrongargumenttoprovethattheCreatorandMakerofallthingsiscreated"
(J.63.234).This"strongargument"forthecreatednatureoftheSon,JesusChrist,referstothose"hereticswhosay[that]...if
theOnlybegottendoesnotsharethistruenature,GodisalienandnotourGod"(J.62.13).ThehereticstowhomGregory
refersaretheArianswhodeniedthedivinityofChrist,sayingthatalthoughdivineinsomeway,hewasessentiallyacreated
being.ThusProv8.22becameafavoriteweaponintheirarsenaltorefutetheOrthodoxChristianteachingonChrist's
divinity.ItispreciselytorefutethisfalseyetwidelyheldbeliefthatGregoryreferstothetraditiondistinctionbetween
createdanduncreatednaturesalreadyreferredtoabove,namely,gennetosandagennetos.Onecouldsaythattheshort
treatiseConcerningtheFaithrevolvesaroundthiscentralissueandisasummarypresentedtoamilitarytribunebythe
nameofSimplikios.
OneparticularoffshootofArianismwhichthebishopofNyssahadtoconfrontwasrepresentedbyacontemporary,
Eunomius,whosebasicpositionwasthatGodisknowablebecauseheissimpleunity.Althoughbothmensharebeliefin
God'sbasicsimplicity,thelatterusesthetermagennesia,"unbegottenness,"theessentialdivinequalitywhichaffirmsGod's
uniqueness,whereasGregoryusesthesametermagainstanyhierarchyofbeingwithintheGodhead.Inthewordsof
FrancesYoungwhichecho
thoseofJ.64.1618,("thosewhoapplythenotionsoflessandgreatertotheSonandFathershouldpayheedtoPaulwhenhe
saysthattheimmeasurablecannotbemeasured,"2Cor10.13),"Tospeakof'large'and'small,'or'before'and'after'
introducescompositenessintothesingleunityoftheundivideddivinesubstance...therecannotbedegreesofBeingor
prioritiesofBeing"(1).
WithrespecttoProv8.22whichtohereticaleyesintimatesthattheSon,JesusChrist,wascreatedandnotfullyGod,referto
apassagefromAgainstEunomiuswhereGregoryofNyssaexplainsthisverseinthelargercontextwithregardtothe
definitionofaproverbwhichtohimhasanindirectsignificance.Withthisinmind,theverseunderquestioncannotbe
interpretedliterally:
Accordinglythewords"createdme"donotproceedfromtheDivineandimmortalnature,butfromthatwhichwas
commingledwithitintheIncarnationfromourcreatednature.(2)

AnotheraspectwhichtiesintothisroleplayedbyProv8.22maybeseenintheconceptofdiastema,"intervaloftime,"as
firstusedbytheStoicsinaphilosophicalsense.GregoryincorporateditintotheChristianstruggleagainstArianismwhich
claimedthatatimeexistedwhenJesusChristasSonoftheFatherdidnotexist.Suchaviewadmittedaninterval...a
diastema...betweenthetwodivinePersonswiththeresultthatEunomiusclaimedthattheFatherwasolderthantheSon.It
wasinhisstrugglewithEunomiustosafeguardChrist'sdivinitythatGregoryofNyssabecametheonlytheologiantomake
thoroughuseofitsoppositemeaning,adiastatos,literally,"unextended"or"havingnointerval."Numerousinstancesofthis
termarefoundinhislengthytreatise,AgainstEunomius.Ononehand,adiastatosmeansthatnotemporalgapexists
betweenthethreedivinePersonswhileontheotherhand,diastemaisdistinctiveoftheontologicaldifferencebetweenGod
andcreation.Tocitethedifferencebetweentheuncreatedandcreatedrealmsasthesetwotermssignify,considerthe
followingpassagefromGregory'sConcerningThoseWhoHaveDied:
Whatisthedivinitywhichthesoulresembles?Itisnotthebody,lacksform,likeness,quality,figure,depth,place,timeand
anythingelsewhichresemblesmaterialcreationrather,oncealltheseattributesarestrippedaway,thesoulrevealsitsnature
whichisspiritual,immaterial,invisible,incorporealandunchangeable.Ifwecontemplatethestampofthearchetype,the
soulnecessarilyconformsitselfaccordingtothatimage.Thesoulisrecognizedbyitscharacteristics,thatis,asbeing
immaterial,withoutform,spiritualandincorporeal.(J.41.25)

Suchresemblancetodivinetranscendence,"thestampofthearchetype,"isatthecoreofGregory'steachingonourbeing
madeintheimageandlikenessofGod.Termswhichrelatetothissuchas"spiritual,immaterial,invisible,incorporealand
unchangeable"quotedjustabovearethesamecharacteristicsoftheHolySpiritbywhosepowerandbirth"believershave
becomespirit."(J.67.1920).
*****

ThecriticaltextofConcerningtheFaithmaybefoundinGregoriiNysseniOpera,vol.iii,partieditedbyFridericus
Mueller,E.J.Brill,Leiden,1958.Theletter"J"includedwithinthetranslationreferstothistext.Thisprocessof
identificationisfollowedwhenreferringtoothertextsbyGregoryofNyssa.Theletter"M"referstotheeditionin
PatrologiaGraecaeditedbyJ.P.Migne,Paris,vol.45,1858,cols.136145.

TheText

TotheTribuneSimplikios:
ConcerningtheFather,SonandHolySpirit

[M.136&J.61]GodhassummonedusthroughtheprophetneithertoconsideranynewGodnortoworshipastrangeGod
[Ps80.10].Furthermore,itisclearthatanythingconsiderednewisnoteternal,whileontheotherhanditisclaimedthat
anythingeternalisnotnew.ThuswhoeverdoesnotbelievethattheOnlyBegotten[Son]GodiseternallyfromtheFather
doesnotdenyhimtobesomethingnew.Godisnotsomethingnew,forScripturesays,"YouwillnothaveanewGod"[Ps
80.10].ThepersonwhoclaimsthatatimeexistedwhentherewasnoSondenieshisdivinity.Again[Scripture]chargesus
withregardtotheworshipofanstrangegod,"Youshallnotworshipanaliengod"[Ex20.3].Webelievethatanaliengod
hasnothingtowithourGod.[M.137]What,then,isourownGod?ItisclearthatGodistrue.Whatisalien?Namely,that
whichisantagonistictothe[J.62]trueGod'snature.If,asthehereticssay,ourGodisthetrueGodandiftheOnlyBegotten
[Son]doesnotsharethistruenature,GodisalienandnotourGod.ButtheGospelsaysthatsheepfailtoobeyastranger[Jn
10.4].Thepersonwhodeclaresthathe[Christ,theOnlyBegotten]iscreatedconceivesthathisnaturealienfromthetrue
God.Thenwhatdotheyproposewhensayingthatheiscreated?Dotheyworshipacreatedgodornot?Iftheydonot
worship[suchagod],theyfollowtheJewswhodenyadorationofChristiftheyoweobeisance,theyareidolaters,forthey
worshipsomethingadversetothetrueGod.ButitisequallyimpiousnottoworshiptheSonandtoadoreastrangegod.We
mustsaythatthetrueSonisofthetrueFatherinorderthatwemayveneratehimandnotbecondemnedasworshipingan

aliengod.
SomesaythatthefollowingversefromProverbs,"TheLordhascreatedme"[Prov8.22],offersastrongargumenttoprove
thattheCreatorandMakerofallthingsiscreated,astatementwhichbehoovesustosaythattheOnlyBegotten[Sonof]
Godaccomplishedmuchonourbehalf:theWordbecameflesh,Godbecamemanandhewhoisincorporealassumeda
body.Furthermore,hewasmadesin,acurse,astone,anaxe,bread,sheep,way,door,rockandmanysuchthingswithout
assumingtheirnature,[J.63]becamethemforoursake.InthesamewaywhentheWordbecamefleshandGodbecame
man,theCreatorbecamecreatedforus,forfleshiscreated.Thereforetheprophetsays,"ThussaystheLordwhoformedme
fromthewombtobehisservant"[Is49.5].ThroughSolomonhealsosaid,"TheLordcreatedmeatthebeginningofhis
ways"[Prov8.22],forastheApostle[Paul]claims,allcreationserveshim[Rom8.21&22Judith16.14].Thushewho
wasformedinavirgin'swombis,accordingtotheprophet,aslave,notLord.Thisistheonewhoismanaccordingtothe
fleshinwhomGodisrevealedandwhowascreatedinthebeginningofhisways.ItisnotGodbutmaninwhomGodwas
manifestedthathemightrenewthepathtohumansalvationwhichhadbeencorrupted.Sinceweknow[M.140]twothings
concerningChrist,onedivineandtheotherhuman(divineinnaturewhilemanaccordingtohisdispensation),itfollowsthat
weattesttotheeternityofhisdivinityandassigncreatednesstohumannature.Theprophetsaysthathewasformedaslave
inthewomb,andaccordingtoSolomonhewasmanifestedthroughthisslavelikecreationintheflesh.
Whenthey[i.e.,heretics]say,"ifheexisted,hewasnotbegotten,"and"ifhewasbegotten,hedidnotexist,"theyseemto
claimthatitisunnecessarytoattributethepropertiesoffleshlybirthtothedivinenature.Bodieswhichdidnotexistwere
bornhowever,Godbringsintoexistencewhatdidnotexist,andhe[Christ]doesnotcomeintobeingfromwhatdidnot
exist.ForthisreasonPaulcallshimthesealofglory[Heb1.3]thatwemightlearnthatjustasalamp[J.64]emitslight
whichisonewithitssource(forbothalampanditslightgiveoffbrightness),sotheApostleinvitesustounderstandthat
theSoncomesfromtheFatherandtheFatherdoesnotexistwithouttheSon.Glorydoesnotdoesendurewithoutreflection
inthesamewaythatalamphasradiance.Thisexampleclearlyshowsthat[Christ's]testimonytohisglory(forifthereisno
glory,neitherwouldthereberadiance)anyonewhosaysthathissplendorneverexistedrevealsthatneitheristhereglory
whensplendorisabsentbecauseglorywithoutsplendorisimpossible.Itistherebyimpossibletosaythatifsplendorexisted,
it[glory]didnot,andifitdidexist,[glory]didnotexist:suchwordsareabsurdwhenappliedtotheSonwhoisthe
[Father's]splendor.
ThosewhoapplythenotionsoflessandgreatertotheSonandFathershouldpayheedtoPaulwhenhesaysthatthe
immeasurablecannotbemeasured[2Cor10.13],fortheApostlesaysthattheSonisthestampofhissubstance[Heb1.3].It
isclearthattheFather'ssubstanceandhisstampareonebecausethestampcannotbeinferiortothissubstance.Thegreat
Johnteachesasimilardoctrinewhenheproclaimsthat"InthebeginningwastheWordandtheWordwaswithGod"[Jn
1.1].Hesaidthat[Christ]wasinthebeginning,notafterthebeginning,therebyshowingthatthebeginning[J.65]never
lackedtheWord[alogos].Thewordshepresented,namely,theWordwaswithGod,signified[M.141]thattheSonlacked
nothingwithregardtotheFatherbecausetheWordisconsideredasbelongingtotheundividedGod.IftheWordlacked
somethinginhisowngreatnesssothathecouldnotbewithGodwhoiscomplete,wearecompelledtoconsidertheWord's
transcendenceasnotfullythewordofGod[alogos].ButthemajestyoftheWordisreveredalongwithallthegreatnessof
God,andthedivineteachingsallownoroomtosuchnotionsasgreaterorless.
Thosewhoassertthatthebegottenandunbegottennaturesaredissimilardonotteachnonsensewhenconsideringthe
exampleofAbelandAdam.Accordingtothenaturalgenerationofmen,AdamwasnotbegottenwhileAbelwasbegotten
fromAdam.Buthewhowasbegotten[gennetos]wasnotunbegotten[agennetos],andhewhowasbegottenwasborn.
NothingprohibitsAdamtobeamanbynotbeingborn.ThebirthofAbelwasaccordingtohumannature,buthewasman
becausehisbirthdiffered[fromAdam's].Becausethedivineteachingspositnodifferencebetweennotbeingbegottenand
beingbegotten,andjustasAdamandAbelareonehumannature,sotheFatherandtheSonhaveonedivinenature.
ThosewhoblasphemetheHolySpiritalsosaythattheLordiscreated,andthechurchequallybelievesthattheSon[J.66]
andHolySpiritareuncreated.Thereforeallcreationisgoodthroughparticipationinthetranscendent[God],whiletheHoly
Spiritlacksnogoodness(forasScripturetestifies,itisgoodbynature).BecausecreationisguidedbytheSpirit,theSpirit
grantsdirectioncreationisled[M.144]whiletheSpiritleadscreationisconsoledwhiletheSpiritconsolescreationis
subservientwhiletheSpiritisfreecreationlearnswisdomwhiletheSpiritbestowsthegraceofwisdomcreationreceives
giftswhiletheSpiritbestowsthemaccordingtoitsownpower[1Cor12.11].AllthesethingstheSpiriteffectsasoneandthe
same,distributingthemtoeachasitwills.OnecanfindmanyillustrationsinScriptureeverytypeofloftyanddivinely
fittingnamewhichapplytotheFatherandSon:incorruptibility,blessedness,goodness,wisdom,power,justiceandsanctity.
EveryhonorablenamethusspeaksoftheHolySpiritaswellastheFatherandSononlythepersonsarefullydistinctfrom
eachother.BythisImeanneithershouldweconsidertheFathertobetheHolySpiritnortheSon:Scriptureappliesother
namestotheFatherandSonwhichalsopertaintotheHolySpirit.ForthisreasonweunderstandthattheHolySpirit
transcendscreation.ThereforetheFatherandSonaresimilarlyregardedalongwiththeHolySpirit.TheFather[J.67]and
SontranscendcreationasScripturetestifieswithregardtotheHolySpirit.Thereforeasoundteachingmustbepresentedto

anypersonwhomaintainsthattheHolySpiritisacreature:ithasoneuncreatednaturesharedbybothFatherandSon.
SincesomepersonsconsidertheHolySpirittobeacreature,weoffertheprophet'svoicewhichsays,"Iamhewho
strengthensthethunderandcreatesthewindandannounceshisanointed[i.e.,Christ]tomen"[Amos4.13].Theprophet
speaksofanotherspiritwhichiscreatedinthe"strengthofthunder"anddoesnotrefertotheHolySpirit.Themysticword
callstheGospel"thunder."ThereforefaithintheGospelisfirmandunmovedasthosepersonswhopassbyfaithfromflesh
tospirit.AstheLordsays,"Whoeverisbornfromfleshisflesh,andwhoeverisbornfromtheSpiritisspirit"[Jn3.6].Thus
itisGodwhoconfirms[M.145]believersinfaiththroughthethunderousGospelasspiritwhobybirthfromtheSpirithave
becomespiritthroughsuchthunder.ThispersonproclaimsChrist,forastheApostlesays,"NoonecancallJesusChrist
'Lord'exceptbytheHolySpirit"1Cor12.3].
theend
1.FromNicaeatoChalcedon