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| The Likeness of the Divine Word, Such as It Is, is to Be Sought, Not in Our Own Outer and Sensible Word, But in the Inner and Mental One. There is the Greatest Possible Unlikeness Between Our Word and Knowledge and the Divine Word and Knowledge.
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Chapter 11.—The Likeness of
the Divine Word, Such as It Is, is to Be Sought, Not in Our Own
Outer and Sensible Word, But in the Inner and Mental One. There is
the Greatest Possible Unlikeness Between Our Word and Knowledge and
the Divine Word and Knowledge.
20. Accordingly, the word that
sounds outwardly is the sign of the word that gives light inwardly;
which latter has the greater claim to be called a word. For that
which is uttered with the mouth of the flesh, is the articulate
sound of a word; and is itself also called a word, on account of
that to make which outwardly apparent it is itself assumed. For our
word is so made in some way into an articulate sound of the body,
by assuming that articulate sound by which it may be manifested to
men’s senses, as the Word of God was made flesh, by assuming that
flesh in which itself also might be manifested to men’s senses.
And as our word becomes an articulate sound, yet is not changed
into one; so the Word of God became flesh, but far be it from us to
say He was changed into flesh. For both that word of ours became an
articulate sound, and that other Word became flesh, by assuming it,
not by consuming itself so as to be changed into it. And therefore
whoever desires to arrive at any likeness, be it of what sort it
may, of the Word of God, however in many respects unlike, must not
regard the word of ours that sounds in the ears, either when it is
uttered in an articulate sound or when it is silently thought. For
the words of all tongues that are uttered in sound are also
silently thought, and the mind runs over verses while the bodily
mouth is silent. And not only the numbers of syllables, but the
tunes also of songs, since they are corporeal, and pertain to that
sense of the body which is called hearing, are at hand by certain
incorporeal images appropriate to them, to those who think of them,
and who silently revolve all these things. But we must pass by
this, in order to arrive at that word of man, by the likeness of
which, be it of what sort it may, the Word of God may be somehow
seen as in an enigma. Not that word which was spoken to this or
that prophet, and of which it is said, “Now the word of God grew
and multiplied;”978
and again, “Faith then cometh by
hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ;”979
and again,
“When ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye
received it not as the word of men but, as it is in truth, the word
of God”980
(and there
are countless other like sayings in the Scriptures respecting the
word of God, which is disseminated in the sounds of many and
diverse languages through the hearts and mouths of men; and which
is therefore called the word of God, because the doctrine that is
delivered is not human, but divine);—but we are now seeking to
see, in whatsoever way we can, by means of this likeness, that Word
of God of which it is said, “The Word was God;” of which it is
said, “All things were made by Him;” of which it is said,
“The Word became flesh;” of which it is said “The Word of God
on high is the fountain of wisdom.”981
We must go on, then, to that word
of man, to the word of the rational animal, to the word of that
image of God, that is not born of God, but made by God; which is
neither utterable in sound nor capable of being thought under the
likeness of sound such as must needs be with the word of any
tongue; but which precedes all the signs by which it is signified,
and is begotten from the knowledge that continues in the mind, when
that same knowledge is spoken inwardly according as it really is.
For the sight of thinking is exceedingly like the sight of
knowledge. For when it is uttered by sound, or by any bodily sign,
it is not uttered according as it really is, but as it can be seen
or heard by the body. When, therefore, that is in the word which is
in the knowledge, then there is a true word, and truth, such as is
looked for from man; such that what is in the knowledge is also in
the word, and what is not in the knowledge is also not in the word.
Here may be recognized, “Yea, yea; nay, nay.”982
And so this likeness of the image
that is made, approaches as nearly as is possible to that likeness
of the image that is born, by which God the Son is declared to be
in all things like in substance to the Father. We must notice in
this enigma also another likeness of the word of God; viz.
that, as it is said of that Word, “All things were made by
Him,” where God is declared to have made the universe by His
only-begotten Son, so there are no works of man that are not first
spoken in his heart: whence it is written, “A word is the
beginning of every work.”983
But here also, it is when the word
is true, that then it is the beginning of a good work. And a word
is true when it is begotten from the knowledge of working good
works, so that there too may be preserved the “yea yea, nay
nay;” in order that whatever is in that knowledge by which we are
to live, may be also in the word by which we are to work, and
whatever is not in the one may not be in the other. Otherwise such
a word will be a lie, not truth; and what comes thence will be a
sin, and not a good work. There is yet this other likeness of the
Word of God in this likeness of our word, that there can be a word
of ours with no work following it, but there cannot be any work
unless a word precedes; just as the Word of God could have existed
though no creature existed, but no creature could exist unless by
that Word by which all things are made. And therefore not God the
Father, not the Holy Spirit, not the Trinity itself, but the Son
only, which is the Word of God, was made flesh; although the
Trinity was the maker: in order that we might live rightly through
our word following and imitating His example, i.e. by having
no lie in either the thought or the work of our word. But this
perfection of this image is one to be at some time hereafter. In
order to attain this it is that the good master teaches us by
Christian faith, and by pious doctrine, that “with face
unveiled” from the veil of the law, which is the shadow of things
to come, “beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord,”
i.e. gazing at it through a glass, “we may be transformed
into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the
Lord;”984
as we
explained above.
21. When, therefore, this image
shall have been renewed to perfection by this transformation, then
we shall be like God, because we shall see Him, not through a
glass, but “as He is;”985
which the Apostle Paul expresses by
“face to face.”986
But now, who can explain how great
is the unlikeness also, in this glass, in this enigma, in this
likeness such as it is? Yet I will touch upon some points, as I
can, by which to indicate it.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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