Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names · 9 of 15 · tr. C.E. Rolt
Chapter 1, Section 1i
1 .
as “God of Gods” and “Lord of Lords”, 108 108 Ps.
cxxxvi.
2, 3 .
and “Holy of Holies,” 109 109 Isa.
vi.
3 .
as “Eternal,” 110 110 Deut.
xxxiii.
27 .
as “Existent” 111 111 Ex.
iii.
14 .
and as “Creator of Ages,” 112 112 Gen.
i.
1–8 .
as “Giver of Life,” 113 113 Gen.
i.
20 ; ii.
7 ; Job x.
12 ; John x.
10 .
as “Wisdom,” 114 114 Prov.
viii .
as “Mind,” 115 115 I Cor.
ii.
16 .
as “Word,” 116 116 John i.
1 .
as “Knower,” 117 117 Ps.
xliv.
21 .
as “possessing beforehand all the treasures of knowledge,” 118 118 Col.
ii.
3 .
as “Power,” 119 119 Rev.
xix.
1 .
as “Ruler,” 120 120 Rev.
i.
5 .
as “King of kings,” 121 121 Rev.
xvii.
4 .
as “Ancient of Days;” 122 122 Dan.
vii.
and as “Him that is the same and whose years shall not fail,” 123 123 Ps.
cii.
25 .
as “Salvation,” 124 124 Ex.
xv.
2 .
as “Righteousness,” 125 125 Jer.
xxiii.
6 .
as “Sanctification,” 126 126 I Cor.
i.
30 .
as “Redemption,” 127 127 I Cor.
i.
30 .
as “Surpassing all things in greatness,” 128 128 Isa.
xl.
15 .
and yet as being in “the still small breeze.” 129 129 I Kings xix.
12 .
Moreover, they say that He dwells within our minds, and in our souls 130 130 John xiv.
17 .
and bodies, 131 131 I Cor.
vi.
19 .
and in heaven and in earth, 132 132 Isa.
lxvi.
1 .
and that, while remaining Himself, He is at one and the same time within the world around it and above it (yea, above the sky and above existence); and they call Him a Sun, 133 133 Ps.
lxxxiv.
11 .
a Star, 134 134 Rev.
xxii.
16 .
and a Fire, 135 135 Deut.
iv.
24 .
and Water, 136 136 Ps.
lxxxiv.
6 .
a Wind or Spirit, 137 137 John iv.
24 ; Acts ii.
2 .
a Dew, 138 138 Hosea xiv.
5 .
a Cloud, 139 139 Ex.
xiii.
21 .
an Archetypal Stone, 140 140 Ps.
cxviii.
22 .
and a Rock, 141 141 Ps.
xxxi.
2,3 .
and All Creation, 142 142 I Cor.
xv.
28 .
Who yet (they declare) is no created thing.
Thus, then, the Universal and Transcendent Cause must both be nameless and also possess the names of all things in order that It may truly be an universal Dominion, the Centre of creation on which all things depend, as on their Cause and 63 Origin and Goal; and that, according to the Scriptures, It may be all in all, and may be truly called the Creator of the world, originating and perfecting and maintaining all things; their Defence and Dwelling, and the Attractive Force that draws them: and all this in one single, ceaseless, and transcendent act.
A chain of divine beings or principles flowing downward from a single transcendent source (the One or the Father), each level less perfect than the one above.
The mention of 'Center of creation' and 'Cause' implies a hierarchical structure of existence.