On Creation III

On the Structure of Creation, and also Indicating Concerning the Third Homily of the Twenty-Second Discourse On the Structure of Creation, and also Indicating Concerning the Persons of the Trinity The great treasury opened for us, The son of ‘Amram in his petition. The great power of the Creator, When he began the work. This was hidden from all, How he began with creatures. And by the powers by which were established The heavens and the earth and all that is in them. And the Creator desired to make known The work of his power to the rational ones. He chose Moses as a disciple And taught him the spiritual book. On the mountain of Sinai he revealed to him A vision full of wonder. And a voice spoke to him, As he wrote the Pentateuch. He desired to show humanly Himself, the Creator, to Moses. And for this reason Moses was eager To see his glory. “If indeed you have chosen me As a disciple and you love me, Show me the splendor of your glory, And I will be clothed in your hidden radiance.” “You have erred greatly, O Moses,” The Lord said to him. “A mortal cannot see me, For my nature is high above beholders. I called you to instruction, That you might learn that I am the Creator. It was not that you might learn about my hiddenness, Which is indescribable to creatures.” “The Lord and God is my name, Who is and who is. And by the power of my might I established The heavens and the earth and all that is in them.

and the dead are not worthy of the lordship that rules over all. To you, I, the messenger, make known, and the mediator who turns the wheel. In your hands, I desire to reveal concerning my being and my orders. Through you, I desire to make wise the whole nature of the perfect ones. See, Moses, that I reveal to you the hidden mysteries of my orders. Descend and proclaim among the dead that I, the maker of all that exists, am the one who works. In forty days, the great one completed the new disciple. And his understanding of the dead sufficed to grasp the measure of all that exists. The power of the spirit settled in him and sang in him wondrous melodies. And through the eloquence of the words, the upper and lower ones were astonished. His voice became like thunder, and both the deaf and the eloquent heard him. And his words, like trumpets, proclaimed the power of the maker. In the beginning, he did not begin, and the creator created all that exists. And he determined the times by his knowledge of the beginning and the end. And when in his being he did not begin, his knowledge without beginning is he. For creation, in its time, as he who knows it was. For it is not a new thought that revealed to him the creation of creatures. For this was placed from eternity in his knowledge along with his being. And again, it is not that his command established the heavens, the earth, and all that is in them. But through love and mercy, he revealed his will to his servants.

He is good by nature, and his nature is full of goodness. And in his goodness he willed and brought forth everything from nothing. For it is fitting for the Creator that through his creations he proclaim his power. And the order of his creatures are made as a sign of knowledge. His being is without beginning, and his lordship is without end. But to his creations there is a beginning, a time, and an order for his creatures. His being is not to be grasped by the thought of the created. Nor is it perceived by sight, for his nature is too high for this. His being is not to be measured, for it existed before the beginning. And there is no time when he was not, for before all things he was. He was without beginning, a nature existing and perfect. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three persons, one power. A perfect Father without beginning, who begot the Son without passion. And the Son, who is like him from him, with no time between him and his Father. And the Spirit, who is from him, the purifier, an existing and true person. For this equality of nature is a witness that he is existing with the Father. The begetting of the Father is like him, for he is with his Father from eternity. And because he is with his Father, times do not confine his begetting. The begetting of the Father is like him, and he is with him like a shoot. For as a shoot is with the tree, so the begetter is with his Father.

The shoot of the root is with it, and there is no root without a shoot. For it is seen with its shoot, and the shoot is examined with it. In the Father is also his Son, and the Son with him without beginning. And there is no Father apart from his Son, nor a Son apart from his Begetter. Not like a shoot that is established without a standing, a Son from the Father. But he is a true standing and an image that resembles his Begetter. Neither does the Father conceal the Son, nor does the Son obscure the Father. For the distinction of their names proclaims the truth of the hypostases. The Spirit is a hypostasis from the Father, who is equal to him in everything. Just as the Son is equal to the Father, so the Spirit is equal in the Father and the Son. The change of their names does not harm the equality. The names are for the ordering of the economy, and the hypostases are equal in substance. In brief, the demonstration of the three hypostases of substance is formed for us: the Son and the Spirit from the Father, like the Word, the Life, and the Soul. With the Soul that is born are the Word, the Power, and the Life. And with the Father they exist, the Son and the Spirit without beginning. Two powers are joined to the Soul, the Word and the Life with it. And two powers with the Father, the Son and the Spirit without beginning. The Son is a birth without beginning, and the Spirit that proceeds from the Father. One birth and one proceeding, one equality of the three.

The Spirit is from the Father, and is not concealed under the name of begetter. For it is not a temporal thing in the begetter, and it is not in the hiding-place of names. Eve was shown from Adam, and she is not his daughter or his sister. And when from him she is in the begetter, only his wife is called. In the begetter, as in a mystery, he fashioned for us a type of his being. And when he divided over the begetter, he showed us in our own his demonstration. In the begetter he taught us to contemplate his greatness. For if our own is not revealed to us, how much is hidden in the depth of his own. His creations are not comprehensible, and his works are difficult for us. And how we strive and investigate his being without beginning. The created cannot investigate the being of the Creator. As much as he wishes, how can he find the beginning of the one without beginning? And as much as thought wishes to investigate his being, in one alone it can find that it is not bounded by his begettings. Let this suffice for our inquiry, that it seeks only his works. And the inquiry concerning his being shall be honored by silence from us. Hear then concerning his ordinances, and praise the work of his hands. For the creature is obligated to confess the Creator over every matter. That which began in the beginning of creation, this we have heard from Moses. And that which was before the beginning, how and how much is not sought.

The Spirit is from the Father, and is not concealed under the name of begetter. For it is not a temporal thing in the begetter, and it is not in the hiding-place of names. Eve was shown from Adam, and she is not his daughter. For the Spirit is from the Father, like knowledge from the knower. In the beginning, the Creator began and created heaven and earth first. And the five other works that are not called by names. In this word, then, is hidden the meaning of the beginning. Fire, water, darkness, and rational and silent angels. In this word of the beginning, the meaning of the angels is contained. And the Creator of everything created from nothing. In this meaning of the beginning, no voice was heard. For there were no creatures that would hear, that would receive instruction. When, then, he began with the works, they were to be one after another. After the voice, he wished to establish the angels upon their meaning. The reason for the voice was this: to teach the spirits that the Lord of all would establish their existence. That is, a voice that was spoken from the beginning without any deficiency. And it drew the known works to him with love. Darkness, however, covered height and depth equally. And the earth was hidden in the waters until it would receive its meaning. Without sight and without meaning, the earth was in the beginning. And it is not called established, for it was not perfected in its elements.

The Spirit is not borne above the waters of the depths. When it calls the spirit of air to the likeness of the Spirit, the holy one. Then the word of the Creator became a substitute for the sign of teaching. And it made a sound heard to the angels, that light might be, a light that illuminates all. That is, a sound that from nothing brought light into being. That is, a light with which hearing established a nature that has no existence. The light pursued the darkness that was spread over the creatures. And the spirits were illuminated together by the power that gave it authority. And upon the word of the Son, light again made another sound heard. That praises its sign, which was established beautifully from it. That is, a wise utterance: how carefully it is in its signs. It set a boundary for the light, how it ought to rule. It divided between light and darkness, so that one should not encroach upon the other. And it set a law for their courses in the hours of night and day. Then it called the light day, and the darkness it called night. And by these names it went according to the activities of their hours. Then there was also evening and morning, a day as it is written. And it called it the first day, which had no other like it. Then it also set a beginning for the night for the first day. That it might keep the order of its creation, that darkness was first. Then the first day ended at night, one day.

And again it cried out another voice, that the firmament might be from the waters. That voice was a power of command, with the action of the Word. That power from the soft things hardened and made hard things. From the waters it created the firmament, so that the waters might be held above it. And it called it by the name of heaven, that first one of the beginning. Like a near curtain it made the firmament in the midst, so that it might be near to the sight and divide between the waters and the waters. That was a balance that does not waver, dividing the waters equally: half to the earth for its need, and half to the maker of the firmament. That was a craftsman who sets everything in order, whose knowledge is not to be grasped. For before it began the work, it knew what was needful for it. It was destined that the lights of the nature of fire should be suspended in the firmament, and that the waters should be raised above it so that they might not be quenched by the fire. The Creator also knew, before he created all that was, that another dwelling would be needed for the rational ones at the end of the ages. And for this reason he created the firmament like a curtain in the midst, so that at the end it might become a place for the earth for the expanse. Now it was morning like evening, and the second day was completed. And it ceased and praised its order, which was beautifully established. Now it was the evening of the third day, which did not differ from the first. For it was the same power that commanded that something should be, and it came to be.

The waters were gathered together, and the seas became one place. And the faces of the earth were revealed, that it might be fit for habitation. There was a command that does not weary, a word that is not changed. With it he commanded his will, the waters were gathered into the seas. The earth trembled and expanded, and a command went forth upon it. The earth brought forth and produced herbs, seeds, and trees. The command was in action, and the earth was adorned with fruits. And seeds and trees were, and they praised the Good One for his power. Then it was evening and also morning, the whole third day. And another command went forth and commanded that lights be. So then lights were in the firmament above the earth, that the seasons, months, and hours might be known by their courses. The word went forth to action, and the lights were from nothing. And he set a law that does not pass away for the course of night and day. There is a power that governs all, whose will is sovereign over all. From something and from nothing it was easy for him to make everything. From light he created lights, from that first light, when he divided the rays for the moon, stars, and sun. He did not fix their number in the firmament, that their courses might not be hindered. Like a curtain he suspended their number and ordered the course of their hours.

The third day was completed at the boundary of evening and morning. And another command went forth that reptiles should come from the waters. And the waters brought forth living creatures, species without number: reptiles, birds, and beasts, and predatory animals. O the power that is simple, it overcomes difficulties according to its will. For from the waters it composed and made species without number. From the waters it created birds, a nature that swims upon the air. And although it is from the waters, like reptiles it traverses the air and walks. O good one, how great is the love of the one who keeps his sign for his creatures. For at the end of their limits he adds increase through blessings. They brought forth and multiplied on the earth, in the sea and on dry land equally. When your species are constrained, they rejoice in a flood one after another. On the fifth day the creation of reptiles and birds was completed. And on the sixth day he began to create wild beasts and cattle. The earth brought forth and produced a living soul for every species. Wild beasts, cattle, and reptiles are born from the earth. O the silent nature that brings forth living creatures from within its depth. For again it is the same one that, when it swims in the sight, brings forth the beauty of all species. It is not that it brings forth by its own power, but the power of its maker, that one who spread out the earth in the beginning, commanded it, and it gave birth to living creatures.

On the sixth day were created the wild beasts and the animals together with Adam. For these are to serve him and with him receive the command. On the sixth day was completed the command of the entire world that was. And the Creator showed his power through his works, that he spoke and they were. On the seventh day he rested the worker from his commands. And he blessed the seventh day and called it the holy day. For that power was not weary nor was his will constrained. Something came from nothing for six days from nothing. It was not difficult for his will. He did not create everything at once. For in one day and in multitudes he deemed it fitting to do everything. He made an order for his creation as he knew. And for the instruction of rational beings six days complete everything. For they saw his commands, the angels, and rejoiced in them. And when he spoke the word and it was, the spiritual ones cried out praise to him. With knowledge he did everything, that knower who knows all. And from something and from nothing he brought works into being. He created light from nothing, to show his greatness. And also darkness from nothing, to show that he is sovereign over all. He created the lights from light, the sun and the moon and the lamps. And the ranks of angels sang praise to the power that establishes all. In these divisions the Creator looked as he establishes all.

and he was astonished at his works, that he might teach his power to the rational beings. With holy blessings he added to the seventh day, so that there should be no remembrance of his not willing that anything be created in it. That day also was one of the first days, and it had no completion; the holy one called it so that he might not cause it to cease. The knowledge of his holiness is this, that it was extended from labor. When the name of the world was heard, the Creator taught the sign. This day was destined to be instruction for the seed of Abraham, so that when he kept it from labor, they would learn the reason for its existence. Concerning everything that came from him, a voice resounded when it was, and he praised his completion, which was beautifully established. Up to this point, there was equality of one voice over everything that was, and at the end of his completions, a new voice was spoken. He made for us a speaking man in our own image and likeness, and he set him over everything that was, for whose sake it was established. O what a wise mother, O what a good one, how abundant is her love! She created and arranged everything, and then she fashioned the heir. He sought a house for the earth, and he filled and completed it with good things, and both the deaf and the rational together, for her service, he subjugated the beasts.

In all his glory he made the mortal one, by his power and his authority, by that which he called his image, and he subjected to him everything that exists. In all that was and was established, only a voice was heard. And here, by the power of Adam, a new thought and reflection. He made a man in the likeness, and he became ruler like him. By the image of his revelation, he proclaimed his power to the creatures. He revealed himself over his hiddenness, to the known rational beings. And by it he examined his lordship, over the deaf and the mute alike. Like an image he placed him, for the creatures to be examined by him. By the love for him, every man would know me through him. A wonder is the power of Adam, and it differs from that of the creatures. For everything that was, he made by his word, and to him it was said by thought, "Let it be made." Glorious is the creation of the earth, and hidden mysteries are buried in it. It was not said that he would become like him, except in image and likeness. Where is the mortal one who conceals in her, in her creation, hidden mysteries? Where is the earth that examines us, by his power in the three days? By the power of the image of Adam, as by a mystery he taught us. That which in image and likeness, in three days reveals to us. The hypostases without beginning, of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In the image of Adam he was honored, as by a mystery everything that was.

And he would not call him to equality with his greatness. For he did not say to the angels that he was made in the image. By this image he taught us about the distinction of the hypostases. And by that likeness of ours, about the equality of the rational being. Then he made the human being and bound in him everything that was. So that by their life with him, in love, he might fill his courts. And God made in his image Adam, dust from the earth. And he breathed into him a soul for life, a living and rational nature. O the love for the body! O the honor of the members! For the life that he placed within them from his love, he willed and breathed into them. O nature without composition, whose essence is not touched! For when he touches the rational being with hands and mouth, he does not make him like the animals, male and female. For Adam first in his creation, and then Eve from his side. He touched Adam first, and then the woman from Adam. So that he might learn the power of his maker, that the authority of his members might be subject. For the Lord God created Adam, dust from the earth. And he placed him in the Garden of Eden, that he might be an heir within it. In a fair and pleasant dwelling he placed Adam as his image. For the works of the near one, in love, call the maker. His image resembles the creator, in name, not in nature.

He set him over all that he created, like a creator over his own. He is a father when he begets, and the begetter begets a son like himself. Like a father who begets a son in his eternity without beginning. He is a father in time, and in time the begetter begets a son. A being without time begets, and there is no time between him and his son. He makes something from something, and when it is not, he sets it in order. Like a maker who brings all into existence from nothing. He makes something from something and resembles the creator. All that is on earth looks, and his own looks to the heavens. With a single glance of his look he seeks his high place. In these he resembles the dust, as in mysteries he resembles the creator. For when again by word and life he commands also the orders. In the name of the will, in a manner of petition, he calls the first Adam. And the image became in the deed, in the Messiah, the second Adam. Here the perfection took, that which in our image was made. For the creator took his image and made it a dwelling for his honor. In the Messiah they were in the deed, the kingdoms alongside Adam. He called him his image and he was changed, and he was transformed and renewed in the Messiah. Through the cause of the image of Adam, the greatness of paradise was revealed. For Adam knew his honor, which he placed in a glorious place. The Lord God made for us paradise in the east before the beginning.

He placed within it trees that bear fruit abundant for food. One of the trees he set in the middle of Paradise. And he called it the tree of life, from which Adam would obtain life. He also planted another tree and called it the knowledge of offspring. The knowledge hidden in Adam through the fruit from it is revealed. Then he went out to the spring that was to flow from Paradise and water it. From its greatness are divided four rivers to all the regions. The first river remains to encircle the land of the living. There gold, beryl, gems, and bright pearls are found. The second river flows to water the land of the Indians. And from its stream it gives life to the Egyptians and the Medes. The third river, the Tigris, which made a channel for Assyria. And from its sweetness are refreshed all the peoples around it. The Euphrates, the fourth river, which passes through the middle of the land. And it gives itself to the sailors who navigate upon it the lands. Not to praise Paradise do I recount these things, nor to extol the greatness of the rivers within it. But to the power of the Creator I ascribe that the difficulties were made easy for him. For just as the river of Paradise passes through the midst of the sea, so waters pass through the seas and the waters do not mix with the waters. And this bears witness to his greatness, that his power established everything.

What sign does the nature of the waters show within the waters, as in a mirror? And the waters of the Garden do not mingle with the turbulent waters of the abyss. Silent and tranquil deeds ever proclaim his power, while they teach speech that this is the Creator by his deeds. The teaching of the tree of life has revealed to us the account of Paradise, and the history concerning the tree has brought speech near to us. The Creator desired to make our speech wise through causes, and as to children with a riddle he made known to us the freedom of our will. Through his signs he taught the spirits that he is the one who is and the Creator, and he made us wise through the visible, revealing to us what is hidden in his concealment. In the beginning he established the earth and the heavens when they did not exist, and with the power of the beginning there were known powers. He created lights while making a sound heard to the movements of the spirits, and through the coming into being of light he taught that he is the one who establishes their standing. He made the firmament from the waters and suspended waters above it, and his establishing with bright natures is a needful establishment for speech. He gathered waters from the earth into the bosom of the seas and the abyss, and its establishment with seeds and trees is for the life of man and beast. The waters brought forth living creatures, and the earth bore all species, and through silent signs he greatly made wise the speech.

He made the waters from the earth and breathed into them the spirit of life. And in the love for their kind he bound the mute and the speaking. All these signs were hidden from anyone by his knowledge. And he brought them to light and showed his love to his creatures. Before his will, indeed, was for his signs to be with his essence. And he knew beforehand how many natures he would make. He was fitting that two signs would be united to speech: the dwelling of the earth for the mortal and the heaven for the immortal. He knew their thoughts, that the speaking would be beforehand. And the hidden things were revealed to him that would be accomplished after a time. In everything that was to be created, he came into being beforehand. And the deeds that would be from him were arranged in his knowledge. Not his desire was fulfilled that there is no creation to come into being. His hidden will shows how much he loves his creatures. He is the one who desired to fill with life the one who was living in his nature. And from nothing he established all and gave life to the mute. His wealth is his will and his great treasure is his thought. And when the aged did not ask him, he opened his treasures and enriched all. He spread his love over his creatures and daily accomplishes his creatures. And he keeps his sign for the waters, the speaking and the mute equally.

He established a law for the waters, that if one of them should preserve it, it would live in it. And he set his power, the spirit, for the service of their natures. These were signs from him, that they might be stirred according to his will. And with a knowledge that cannot be grasped, he confined the seasons for his works. All of them proclaimed his hiddenness through the revelations of the works of his hands. While the sun and the moon marvel at his greatness in their courses. To him his creatures owe thanksgiving for his gift. For by mercy he gathered them in love, and they confess his essence. His nature is not filled by the thanksgiving of the created. Thanksgiving is not a surplus for you, and for him it is not needed, for it is his own. Who can praise his nature, when it is from eternity? And who can offer him glory, until the creatures are created? His glory is in his nature, and his exaltation is with his essence. And it neither diminishes nor increases, for his nature is higher than these. It is not he who increases when he is called, and he brings you to his knowledge. For what you know of him, he gives you the kingdom in exchange for thanksgiving. In love of self, he confesses to the creator over his creatures. So that for your sake everything may be established, thanksgiving to him from his measure.