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Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names · 15 of 15 · tr. C.E. Rolt

Chapter 1, Section 1o

99 Ex. iii. 14 . 100 John xiv. 6 . 101 John viii. 12 . 102 Gen. xxviii. 13 . 103 John xiv. 6 . 104 Matt. xix. 17 . 105 Ps. xxvii. 4 . 106 Rom. xvi. 27 . 107 Isa. v. 1 . 108 Ps. cxxxvi. 2, 3 . 109 Isa. vi. 3 . 110 Deut. xxxiii. 27 . 111 Ex. iii. 14 . 112 Gen. i. 1–8 . 113 Gen. i. 20 ; ii. 7 ; Job x. 12 ; John x. 10 . 114 Prov. viii . 115 I Cor. ii. 16 . 116 John i. 1 . 117 Ps. xliv. 21 . 118 Col. ii. 3 . 119 Rev. xix. 1 . 120 Rev. i. 5 . 121 Rev. xvii. 4 . 122 Dan. vii. 123 Ps. cii. 25 . 124 Ex. xv. 2 . 125 Jer. xxiii. 6 . 126 I Cor. i. 30 . 127 I Cor. i. 30 . 128 Isa. xl. 15 . 129 I Kings xix. 12 . 130 John xiv. 17 . 131 I Cor. vi. 19 . 132 Isa. lxvi. 1 . 133 Ps. lxxxiv. 11 . 134 Rev. xxii. 16 . 135 Deut. iv. 24 . 136 Ps. lxxxiv. 6 . 137 John iv. 24 ; Acts ii. 2 . 138 Hosea xiv. 5 . 139 Ex. xiii. 21 . 140 Ps. cxviii. 22 . 141 Ps. xxxi. 2,3 . 142 I Cor. xv. 28 . 143 God is above Time. 144 e. g. “I am that I am,” “Good,” “Fair.” 145 e. g. Sun,” c c Star,” “Rock,” etc. 146 ἀπὸ τῶν . . . προνοιῶν ἢ προνοουμένων. The first are the faculties of acting or being revealed in a certain way; the second are the results or manifestations of these faculties when in action. 147 Thus the complete classification is: (1) Analogies drawn from the material world, (a) universal, (b) particular; (2) psychic visions. 148 Ezek. i. 26, 27 . 149 Ps. x. 5 . 150 James v. 4 . 151 Dan. vii. 9 . 152 Ps. xxxiii. 17 . 153 Job x. 8 . 154 Ps. xci. 4 . 155 Ibid. 156 Deut. xxxiii. 27 . 157 Ex. xxxiii. 23 . 158 Ex. xxiv. 10 . 159 Rev. xiv. 14 . 160 Ezek. i. 26, 27 . 161 Ps. lxxv. 8 . 162 Prov. ix. 5 . 163 τῶν νοητῶν θεωνυμιῶν—i. e. the Names belonging to God when revealed in the relative sphere; not those which belong to the ultimate Godhead as such. In fact, the Godhead, as such, is Nameless. See Intr., p. 7. 164 κυρίως εἰπεῖν—i. e. actually godlike because man is deified by them. 165 See Myst. Theol. I. 2; and cf. Matt. vii. 6 .
Themes
Apophatic Theologytheology

Describing the divine only by negation—God transcends all positive categories and concepts; the via negativa.

The text explicitly states that 'the Godhead, as such, is Nameless' and discusses the limitations of using analogies from the material world.

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Divine Hiddennesstheology

The supreme God's radical concealment beyond ordinary knowledge or perception; the Hidden Father.

The passage emphasizes that God is 'above Time' and that the ultimate Godhead transcends all positive categories and names.

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Divine Lighttheology

The uncreated luminous quality of the divine, sometimes experienced directly in mystical states; illumination as revelation.

References to 'Sun,' 'Star,' and 'Rock' as divine attributes indicate the luminous quality of the divine.

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Hidden Sayingssoteriology

Esoteric teachings reserved for those ready to receive them; outer meaning conceals an inner liberating truth.

The text discusses 'analogies drawn from the material world' and 'psychic visions' as means to reveal the divine Names.

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Sacred Namestheology

Divine names or formulas that carry ontological power, used in prayer, liturgy, or magical practice.

The passage is titled 'The Divine Names' and extensively discusses the use of divine names like 'Good,' 'Fair,' and 'Sun' to reveal God's nature.

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