Chapter V

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

The text negates common reasons for sacrifice (honour, thanks, fruits) to define the transcendent nature of the Gods.

Ontological opposition between two primal principles (light/darkness, truth/lie, spirit/matter) as the fundamental structure of reality.

The distinction between Gods as exempt causes and men as part of common polity implies an ontological separation.

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

The text emphasizes that the true nature of sacrifice preserves the transcendency of the Gods beyond ordinary human practices.

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

The reference to Gods as 'exempt causes' suggests a non-composite divine nature distinct from human institutions.

Augustinian and Plotinian doctrine that evil has no positive being of its own but is a lack, distortion, or absence of the good — denying ontological dualism while preserving moral seriousness.

The text argues that common human practices like sacrifice do not preserve the transcendency of the Gods, implying that their true nature is hidden or deficient in these rituals.

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

The text describes Gods as active 'exempt causes' who bestow goods on humans, implying a personal divine reality.

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

The author states that sacrifices are not required for honour or thanks, using negation to reveal the true nature of the ritual.

The maintenance of a state of cleanliness—physical, moral, or spiritual—required for encounter with the divine.

The passage argues that common sacrifices preserve the transcendency of the Gods and order of them as exempt causes.

Iamblichean ritual practice that engages the gods directly through consecrated material symbols and actions, on the premise that divine power descends into properly prepared matter — distinct from philosophical contemplation alone.

The passage explicitly discusses the nature of sacrifices as a ritual practice that engages the Gods directly to maintain their transcendent order.