Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names
§ About this work
Writing to his fellow-Presbyter Timothy, Dionysius, having ended the Outlines of Divinity, undertakes an Exposition of the Divine Names, holding that God is celebrated only as the Scriptures reveal, as Super-Essential Cause who is nameless yet named from His beneficent Emanations (Part 1). Part 2 shows the Sacred Writers calling the Godhead both Nameless—citing the vision that rebukes one asking "What is thy name?"—and possessed of all names, human and symbolic. Continuing sections state that qualities pre-exist in the Creative Originals, that the Incarnation of Jesus surpasses all minds, and quote Hierotheus's Elements of Divinity on the Deity of Jesus and on Differentiation; extensive scriptural and editorial notes accompany each part. Chapter 3 opens with invocation of the Trinity, prayer figured by cord and cables, and Dionysius naming Hierotheus his preceptor next to Paul, recalling the gathering where James and Peter were present. Chapter 4 treats Good, Light, Beautiful, and Yearning, then argues at length that Evil is not existent and inheres neither in angels, devils, souls, beasts, nature, bodies, nor matter, being only deficiency of Good. Chapter 5 celebrates "Being" and the Exemplars; Chapter 6, Eternal Life, dismissing Simon; Chapter 7, Wisdom and "Foolish Wisdom"; Chapter 8, Power, Righteousness, Salvation, and Redemption, where the reply confounds Elymas the sorcerer. Chapters 9 and 10 expound Great, Small, Same, Motion, Equality, and "Omnipotent" and "Ancient of Days." Chapter 11 praises Peace and Very Being; Chapter 12, Holy of holies, King of kings, Lord of lords, God of gods. Chapter 13, on "Perfect" and "One," preferring the Negative method, closes the treatise on Intelligible Names, Dionysius asking Timothy to correct it before proceeding to Symbolical Divinity.
The chapter opens by proposing to celebrate God, whose Names are many, as "Omnipotent" and "Ancient of Days." The title "Omnipotent" is given because He is the All-Powerful Foundation that maintains and embraces the Universe, produces it out of Himself as from a Root, attracts all things back into Himself as unto a Receptacle, and secures them with a transcendent bond against destruction. The Godhead is further called "Omnipotent" because It is potent over all things, rules with sovereignty, and is the Object of desire for all, casting Its yoke of Desire for Its Goodness. The title "Ancient of Days" is given because He is the Eternity and Time of all things and anterior to Days, Eternity, and Time. The titles "Time," "Day," "Season," and "Eternity" apply to Him in a Divine sense as unchanging and as the Cause of Eternity, Time, and Days. In the Sacred Theophanies He is described as Ancient and as Young. The Divine Initiator explains both terms imply the Primal Being of God. The text then addresses how Scripture speaks of Time and Eternity, noting Scripture calls things "eternal" that are ancient, and gives "Time" to the changing process of birth, death, and variation. Those circumscribed by Time are destined to share Eternity. Things participating in both stand midway between Being and Birth. The chapter closes celebrating God as both Eternity and Time, before Eternity, whose Kingdom is that of all Eternal Ages. Amen.
Chapter 10, Section 1aChapter 10, Section 1bChapter 10, Section 1cChapter 10, Section 1d