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Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names · 1 of 16 · tr. C.E. Rolt

Chapter 2, Section 1a

65 CHAPTER II Concerning the Undifferencing and the Differentiation in Divinity, and the Nature of Divine Unification and Differentiation. 166 166 περὶ ἡνωμένης καὶ διακεκριμένης θεολογίας καὶ τίς ἡ θεία ἕνωσις καὶ διάκρισις. I. ’ Tis the whole Being of the Supernal Godhead (saith the Scripture) that the Absolute Goodness hath defined and revealed. 167 167 The point of this section is that God’s Nature is not a sum total of separate Attributes. Therefore when we say that the Scriptural titles of God are only symbols and that the ultimate Godhead transcends them, we do not mean that they express only a part of His Nature (for His Nature has no parts), but that they dimly suggest His whole Nature. Hence, too, we cannot say that some of God’s titles belong only to one separate Person of the Trinity and others only to the other Persons severally—e. g. The Trinity, and not the Father alone, is the Creator of the world. “The one world was made by the Father, through the Son, in the Holy Ghost” (St. Aug., Com. on St. John, Tr. XX. 9). For in what other sense may we take the words of Holy Writ when it tells us how the Godhead spake concerning Itself, and said: “Why asketh thou me concerning the good? None is good save one, that is, God.” 168 168 The title “Good ” is applied to the whole Godhead. And if that title, then others too. Cf. Matt. xix. 17 .] Now this matter we have discussed elsewhere, and have shown that all the Names proper to God are always applied in Scripture not partially but to the whole, entire, full, complete Godhead, and that they all refer indivisibly, absolutely, unreservedly, and wholly to all the wholeness of the whole and entire Godhead. Indeed (as we made mention in the Outlines of Divinity), if any one deny that such utterance refers to the whole Godhead, he blasphemeth and profanely dares to divide the Absolute and Supreme Unity. We must, then, take them as referring unto the entire Godhead. For not only did the goodly Word Himself say: “I am Good,” 169 169 John x. 11 . but 66 also one of the inspired prophets speaks of the Spirit as Good. 170 170 Ps. cxliii. 10 . This is a further argument arising out of what has been said above. The point here is that we cannot limit the title “Good” to one Person of the Trinity. (The notion that the Father is stern and the Son mollifies His sternness is false.) The rest of the section takes other titles and shows how they are common to all Three Persons of the Trinity. So, too, of the words “I Am that I Am.” 171 171 Ex. iii. 14 . If, instead of applying these to the whole Godhead, they wrest them to include only one part Thereof, how will they explain such passages as: “Thus saith He that is and was and is to come, the Almighty,” 172 172 Rev. i. 4 . or: “Thou art the same,” 173 173 Ps. cii. 27 . or “The Spirit of Truth that is, and that proceedeth from the Father”? 174 174 John xv. 26 .
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Themes
Apophatic Theologytheology

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

The passage argues that divine titles are symbols that dimly suggest the whole Nature rather than expressing parts of it.

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Divine Hiddennesstheology

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

The text emphasizes that the ultimate Godhead transcends Scriptural titles and is not fully known through them.

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Divine Simplicitytheology

The doctrine that God has no parts, divisions, or composite attributes; pure undivided being.

The passage explicitly states that God's Nature has no parts and is indivisible.

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Hidden Sayingssoteriology

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

Scriptural titles are described as symbols that dimly suggest the whole Nature rather than expressing parts.

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Living Godtheology

The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality.

The text describes God as active in creation and self-revelation through speech.

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Monadcosmology

The absolutely simple, undivided first principle from which all multiplicity and existence flows.

The concept of the 'Absolute Goodness' and 'Supernal Godhead' aligns with the undivided first principle.

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Mystical Unionsoteriology

The merging of the individual soul or self with the divine, transcending personal identity.

The passage discusses the nature of divine unification as a central theme.

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Opposites Transcendedanthropology

The dissolution of binary oppositions (male/female, inner/outer, above/below) as a mark of spiritual completion.

The text argues that God's Nature is not a sum total of separate Attributes and transcends parts.

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Paradox As Teachingethics

Using apparent contradiction, reversal, or riddle to destabilise ordinary understanding and induce insight.

The statement 'None is good save one, that is, God' uses a paradoxical structure to convey truth.

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Sacred Namestheology

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

The passage extensively discusses the meaning and application of Scriptural titles of God as symbols.

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Trinitytheology

The doctrine that the one Godhead or first principle subsists as three co-equal aspects or persons rather than a bare unity — the Christian Father/Son/Holy Ghost invoked in the recurring liturgical formula 'In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,' but structurally the same pattern as the Egyptian Amen/Ptah/Osiris, the Hindu Brahma/Vishnu/Siva, and the Kabbalistic Chochmah/Binah/Kether triads that esoteric writers explicitly map onto it as instances of one universal law. Distinct from unity_of_being (the general claim that all existence is one substance, agnostic about internal plurality) and divine_simplicity (God as having no parts or divisions at all) in asserting a definite three-aspected differentiation within a single divine essence.

The passage explicitly discusses the three Persons of the Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Ghost) and argues that divine names apply to all three inseparably rather than being distributed among them.

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Unity Of Beingtheology

The doctrine that all existence is ultimately one substance or one divine reality; non-duality as a theological claim.

The chapter's title and content focus on the 'Undifferencing' and 'Unification' in Divinity.

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