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| Chapter VIII.—Answer to an objection, arising from the words of Christ (Matt. vi. 24). God alone is to be really called God and Lord, for He is without beginning and end.
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Chapter VIII.—Answer to an objection,
arising from the words of Christ (Matt. vi. 24). God alone is to be really called God and Lord,
for He is without beginning and end.
1. This calumny, then, of
these men, having been quashed, it is clearly proved that neither the
prophets nor the apostles did ever name another God, or call [him] Lord,
except the true and only God. Much more [would this be the case with
regard to] the Lord Himself, who did also direct us to “render unto
Cæsar the things that are Cæsar’s, and to God the things that are
God’s;”3364
naming indeed Cæsar as
Cæsar, but confessing God as God. In like manner also, that [text] which
says, “Ye cannot serve two masters,”3365
He does Himself interpret, saying, “Ye cannot serve God and
mammon;” acknowledging God indeed as God, but mentioning mammon, a
thing having also an existence. He does not call mammon Lord when He
says, “Ye cannot serve two masters;” but He teaches His
disciples who serve God, not to be subject to mammon, nor to be ruled by
it. For He says, “He that committeth sin is the slave of
sin.”3366
Inasmuch, then, as He
terms those “the slaves of sin” who serve sin, but does not
certainly call sin itself God, thus also He terms those who serve mammon
“the slaves of mammon,” not calling mammon God. For mammon
is, according to the Jewish language, which the Samaritans do also use, a
covetous man, and one who wishes to have more than he ought to
have. But according to the Hebrew, it is by the addition of a syllable
(adjunctive) called Mamuel,3367
| 3367 A word of which many explanations have been proposed,
but none are quite satisfactory. Harvey seems inclined to suspect the
reading to be corrupt, through the ignorance and carelessness of the
copyist. [Irenæus undoubtedly relied for Hebrew criticisms on some
incompetent retailer of rabbinical refinements.] | and
signifies gulosum, that is, one whose gullet is insatiable.
Therefore, according to both these things which are indicated, we cannot
serve God and mammon.
2. But also, when He spoke of the devil as strong, not
absolutely so, but as in comparison with us, the Lord showed Himself
under every aspect and truly to be the strong man, saying that one can in
no other way “spoil the goods of a strong man, if he do not first
bind the strong man himself, and then he will spoil his
house.”3368
Now we were the vessels
and the house of this [strong man] when we were in a state of apostasy;
for he put us to whatever use he pleased, and the unclean spirit dwelt
within us. For he was not strong, as opposed to Him who bound him, and
spoiled his house; but as against those persons who were his tools,
inasmuch as he caused their thought to wander away from God: these did
the Lord snatch from his grasp. As also Jeremiah declares, “The
Lord hath redeemed Jacob,
and has snatched him from the hand of him that was stronger than
he.”3369
If, then, he had not pointed out Him who
binds and spoils his goods, but had merely spoken of him as being strong,
the strong man should have been unconquered. But he also subjoined Him
who obtains and retains possession; for he holds who binds, but
he is held who is bound. And this he did without any comparison,
so that, apostate slave as he was, he might not be compared to the Lord:
for not he alone, but not one of created and subject things, shall ever
be compared to the Word of God, by whom all things were made, who is our
Lord Jesus Christ.
3. For that all things, whether Angels, or Archangels,
or Thrones, or Dominions, were both established and created by Him who is
God over all, through His Word, John has thus pointed out. For when he
had spoken of the Word of God as having been in the Father, he added,
“All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything
made.”3370
David also, when he had
enumerated [His] praises, subjoins by name all things whatsoever I have
mentioned, both the heavens and all the powers therein: “For He
commanded, and they were created; He spake, and they were made.”
Whom, therefore, did He command? The Word, no doubt, “by
whom,” he says, “the heavens were established, and all their
power by the breath of His mouth.”3371
But that
He did Himself
make all things freely, and as He pleased,
again David says, “But our God is in the heavens above, and in the
earth; He hath made all things whatsoever He pleased.”3372
But the things established are distinct from
Him who has established them, and what have been made from Him who has
made them. For He is Himself uncreated, both without beginning and end,
and lacking nothing. He is Himself sufficient for Himself; and still
further, He grants to all others this very thing, existence; but the
things which have been made by Him have received a beginning. But
whatever things had a beginning, and are liable to dissolution, and are
subject to and stand in need of Him who made them, must necessarily in
all respects have a different term [applied to them], even by those who
have but a moderate capacity for discerning such things; so that He
indeed who made all things can alone, together with His Word, properly be
termed God and Lord: but the things which have been made cannot have this
term applied to them, neither should they justly assume that appellation
which belongs to the Creator.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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