Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names · 12 of 16 · tr. C.E. Rolt
Chapter 2, Section 1l
166 περὶ ἡνωμένης καὶ διακεκριμένης θεολογίας καὶ τίς ἡ θεία ἕνωσις καὶ διάκρισις.
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).
168 The title “Good ” is applied to the whole Godhead.
And if that title, then others too.
Cf.
Matt.
xix.
17 .] 169 John x.
11 .
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.
171 Ex.
iii.
14 .
172 Rev.
i.
4 .
173 Ps.
cii.
27 .
174 John xv.
26 .
175 John v.
21 .
176 John vi.
63 .
177 2 Cor.
iii.
17 .
178 1 Chron.
xxix.
14 .
179 Rom.
xi.
36 .
180 Ibid.
181 Ps.
civ.
30 .
182 John x.
30 .
183 John xvi.
15 .
184 John xvii.
10 .
185 i.e.
That we are seeking to destroy the distinction between the Persons of the Trinity.
186 The method of Undifference applies to the ultimate Godhead, that of Differentiation to the emanating Godhead.
The absolute and the relative planes of Being both belong to God.
On the absolute plane all distinctions are transcended, and the Persons exist in a manner in which They would appear to us to be merged, but on the relative plane we see that They are eternally distinct.
See Intr., p.
8.
187 Because we see things which are good, fair, existent, etc., we apply to God, their ultimate Cause, the titles “Good,” “Fair,” “Existent,” etc.
See p.
36, n.
6.
188 i.
e.
Only the Second Person was Incarnate, was crucified, etc.
‘Mysteries of Love and Being” = φιλανθρωφίας οὐσιώδη μυστήρια.
189 προόδους τε καὶ ἐκφάνσεις,—sc.
the Persons of the Trinity.
See Intr., p.
16.
190 The received text reads: Φᾶσι .
.
.
Themes
◆Apophatic Theologytheology
Describing the divine only by negation—God transcends all positive categories and concepts; the via negativa.
The text argues that Scriptural titles are symbols that dimly suggest God's whole Nature rather than expressing parts of it.
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 distinction between the ultimate Godhead and the emanating Godhead is noted in the commentary on absolute vs. relative planes.