EXPOSITION BY THE SAME, MOST USEFUL, ON THE VOCABULARY AND STATEMENTS OF THE HOLY CREED: Whence they were gathered, and against whom they are composed.
A It is worth the effort to set forth how the most holy Creed was drafted by the Fathers under the inspiration of God, so that we may clearly know how piously and wisely they wrote it, seeking their knowledge and sentiments not from themselves, but entirely from the divine oracles. Therefore, they drew almost all the sentiments of the divine Creed from the Holy Scriptures, as will be briefly shown here.
1. Against Greeks and Jews, and pagans, and all other impious persons, whether those who do not confess God, or those who indeed acknowledge God but do not believe Him to be the Father of the only-begotten Word, or the one who produces the Holy Spirit.
I believe. Gospel: Do you believe in the Son of God? And: You believe in God, and believe in me. Apostles: Believe in the Lord Jesus.
In one God. Gospel: That they may know you, the only true God. Brother of the Lord: You believe that God is one. Paul: To us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we in Him, and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things.
The Father. Gospel: I ascend to my Father and your Father. And: Holy Father, and the world has not known you. And: I go to my Father. And: I will ask my Father. And: Or can I not now entreat my Father? And: My Father, into your hands I shall commend my spirit. C Peter: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul: The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ knows.
A Omnipotent. Zechariah: Thus says the Lord Almighty. And: Upon the house of the Lord Almighty. And: The Lord Almighty says. — Ezekiel: Adonai Lord, who is Almighty. Moreover, "Sabaoth" also signifies Almighty; the prophet uses the former term to express the latter meaning. Likewise, Isaiah attributes it to the whole Trinity, saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Sabaoth." — Gospel: "Father, Lord of heaven and earth." — David: "For in his hand are the ends of the earth." — The Disciple who rested on the breast of the Lord: "Who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."
2. Against the Greeks, who say that God is not the cause of all things from non-being, nor the governor of all.
Maker of heaven and earth.
Moses: "In the beginning God created heaven and earth." — Gospel: "Father, Lord of heaven and earth."
Of all things visible and invisible.
Paul: "Whether visible or invisible, all things were created through him and for him." Clearly from the Father, through Christ. — David: "For he spoke, and they were made; he commanded, and they were created."
3. Against the Greeks and Jews who deny Christ.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God the only-begotten.
Paul: "And to us there is one God the Father, and one Lord Jesus Christ." — Gospel: "That they may know you the only true God, and him whom you have sent, Jesus Christ." And: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." And: "And I have seen and believed that this is the Christ, the Son of God." And: "Do you believe in the Son of God?" And: "These things have been written, that they may believe that this is the Christ, the Son of God." And: "The only-begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known." And: "So God loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son." — And B the Beloved: "That you may know concerning the Only-Begotten."
4. Against Arius, who says the Son is a creature.
Begotten of the Father before all ages. C D
Gospel: "I came forth from the Father and am come." And: "I came forth from the Father and have come into the world." — John: "Everyone who loves him who begot, loves also him who has been begotten of him." — Gospel: "And now glorify me, Father, with the glory which I had with you before the world was." "In the beginning was the Word." And: "Who is in the bosom of the Father." And: "Who was in the begin-
-Aning." Of the Apostle: "In these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, through whom he also made the ages." — Of Proverbs: "He established me from eternity." "And before all the hills he begets me." 5. Against those who impiously blaspheme the impossible generation of the Only-begotten Son.
Light from light. Of the Gospel: "That he might bear witness to the light." "And the light was true, which lightens every man coming into the world." — David: "In your light we shall see light." — Of Paul: "Who is the brightness of his glory." True God from true God. Of the beloved disciple: "This is the true God and eternal life." "And we are in the true one, in his Son Jesus Christ." — Of the Gospel: "I am the truth." — Of Paul: "According to the manifestation of the glory of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ." Begotten. B Of Proverbs: "And before all the hills he begets me." — Of the Gospel: "For this I was born, and for this I have come." — Of the beloved disciple: "He who loves him who begot, loves also him who is begotten of him." 6. Against Arius and Eunomius. Not made. He is begotten, not made together with created things. For he himself is the creator of all. — Of Paul: "Through whom he made the ages." — Of Wisdom: "Who made all things by your word." 6. Against Arius and Eudoxius and others of the same impious opinion. Consubstantial with the Father. Of the Gospel: "I and the Father are one." And: "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?" And: "He who has seen me has seen the Father." — Of Paul: "Who being the brightness of his glory, and the image of his substance." And: "Who existing in the form of God, did not account it a robbery to be equal to God, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant." Through whom all things were made. D Of Paul: "Through whom he also made the ages." And: "All things were created through him and in him." And: "He is before all, and in him all things consist." — Of the Gospel: "All things were made through him, and without him nothing was made that has been made." — Of Proverbs: "He established me from eternity." This witnesses to the pre-eternal and immovable foundation of his living Wisdom in the Father; as also the verse, "The Lord created me as the beginning of his ways for his works," foreshadows the incarnation, through which the great works of sal-
A our salvation were brought to fulfillment. As it is also said, "God founded the earth in wisdom," showing the beginning of his works. And that, "You have made all things in wisdom." And that, "He who made all things by your word." The verse, "The Lord created me," he says, means that instead of creating and making his works, he willed it through me, his Wisdom. And David bears witness to this, saying, "By the word of the Lord the heavens were established." But the manifestation of him in the flesh is more clearly taught by the words, "The Lord created me," as we have said.
8. Against the Manichaeans and other impious men who reject the economy of the Word of God. B "Who for us men." Paul: "For all things are for your sake." And, "If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all." And, "Since therefore the children have shared in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same." "And for our salvation." Isaiah: "Neither an angel, nor an ambassador, but the Lord himself saved us." Peter: "Concerning which salvation they made inquiry." Gospel: "I have not come to judge the world, but that I might save the world." And, "That the world might be saved through him." And, "For salvation is from the Jews." And, "This is Christ the Savior of the world."
9. Prophetically against Nestorius and the rest of the impious who deny the Incarnation of the Word of God, and C blaspheme against him by saying he appeared only in fantasy. "Descended from the heavens." Apostle: "He who descended is the same as he who ascended." Gospel: "That I have descended from heaven." Paul: "For God sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh."
10. Against those heretics who talk nonsense, and affirm that the Word assumed a body dissimilar to ours. "And was incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary." Isaiah: "Behold, the Virgin shall have in her womb and shall bring forth a Son." Gospel: "And how shall this be to me, since I do not know a man? Do not fear, Mary. Behold, you shall conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son. The Holy Spirit shall come D upon you, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you." And to Joseph: "For that which is born in her is of the Holy Spirit. And he did not know her, until she brought forth her firstborn Son." Paul: "And God sent forth his Son, made of a woman." Gospel: "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us."
A 11. Against Apollinarius, who foolishly claims the human nature of Christ is mindless; against Eutyches and Dioscorus and also Severus and the rest of the Acephali, who affirm that the Word of God had one nature and who rave about His incarnation; and finally against Pyrrhus and the rest of the Monothelites.
*He was made man.*
Paul: "Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men." And: "For there is one God, and one mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus." Gospel: "Because He is the Son of man. Wonder not at this." And: "When the Son of man shall sit on the throne of His majesty."
12. Against those who impiously dream that the Lord could not suffer in the flesh, but taught that He suffered only in appearance.
*He was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried.*
Paul: "I charge thee before God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who gave testimony under Pontius Pilate, a good confession." Gospel: "You seek Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified?" Paul: "And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures."
13. Against the Jews and Greeks and all the impious.
*And He rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures.*
Gospel: "But He rising early the first day of the week." And: "And today is the third day since these things were done." And: "Jesus standing in the midst of the disciples, and saith to them: Peace be to you." And: "Remember how He spoke unto you, as yet being in Galilee, saying: That the Son of man C must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again."
*And ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father.*
Gospel: "And the Lord Jesus, after He had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God." And: "And it came to pass, whilst He blessed them, He departed from them, and was carried up to heaven." Acts: "While they looked on, He was raised up: and a cloud received Him out of their sight."
*And He shall come again, with glory, to judge the living and the dead.*
Acts: "Ye men of Galilee, why stand you looking up to heaven? This Jesus who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come, as you have seen Him going into heaven." Gospel: "And then shall you see the Son of man coming in the clouds with glory." And: "Then shall the Son of man sit upon the throne of His glory."
and all nations shall be gathered before Him." Acts: "Who did eat and drink with Him after He rose from the dead. And He commanded us to preach unto the people and to testify that it is He which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead." D Daniel: "I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit... And, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days... and there was given Him dominion and glory."
Of whose kingdom there shall be no end.
Daniel: "And His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His kingdom shall not be left to another people." Gospel: "And He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end."
14. Against Macedonius the Spirit-fighter.
And in the Holy Spirit.
Gospel: "Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." "But when the Comforter is come, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name." David: "Take not thy Holy Spirit from me."
The Lord.
Paul: "Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." Peter: "Why hast thou lied to the Holy Spirit? Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God."
The Giver of Life.
Gospel: "It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing." David: "Thou sendest forth thy Spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth." Moses: "And breathed into his nostrils the breath of life." B Ezekiel: "Son of man, prophesy unto the Spirit, and the Spirit came into them, and they lived."
15. Prophetically against the innovation of the Latins.
Who proceedeth from the Father.
Gospel: "When the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father." "And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him." Paul: "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God." David: "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth."
C ...that the glory and adoration of the Trinity is one; but the Father is the one Cause, as the only Producer of the Only-begotten, and the only Producer of the Spirit. For the first statement, "Who proceedeth from the Father," and the later one, "together with the Father and the Son worshipped and glorified," clearly teaches this.
Of the Gospel: "Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." And, "For who knows the things of a man, save the spirit of man that is in him? Even so the things of God no one knows, save the Spirit that is in God." And in Isaiah and Ezekiel the angels say: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord of Sabaoth; heaven and earth are full of His glory," clearly the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the one God in Trinity.
17. Against heretics who oppose the Law and the Prophets. *Who spoke through the prophets.* Of Zechariah (words in the Gospel of St. Luke): "As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, who have been since the world began, salvation from our enemies." Of the Theotokos (in the same place): "As He spoke to our fathers," and the rest. Of the Acts: "To this all the prophets witness, that through His name all who believe in Him shall receive remission of sins." And, "Whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began." Of the Gospel: David says in the Holy Spirit: "The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand." Of the Acts: "And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness." Of Exodus: "And they were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they prophesied in the camp."
18. Against those who say that the ancient things are contrary to those of the Gospel, and who do not accept the visions of the prophets. *In one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.* Paul: "Who has made both one." And, "One Lord, one faith, one baptism." And, "Holy brethren." And, "Built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone." And, "You are the body of Christ, and members individually." And, "And God has appointed these in the Church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers." And, "That the Church may be built up." And, "For you are the temple of the living God." And, "For the edification of the Church." And, "Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom you also are built together." And, "He is the head of the body of the Church." And, as the seven Epistles are called Catholic because they were written generally to all believers, so the Church of all the orthodox is called Catholic. D
ANOTHER EXPOSITION OF THE CREED
19. Against the Bogomils and all impious men who deny baptism or judge it to be useless. A *I confess one baptism for the remission of sins.* Paul: "You have confessed the good confession." And, "For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." "One Lord, one faith, one baptism." "Baptizing them for the remission of sins." — Gospel: "Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
20. Against the Greeks and Origen, who reject the resurrection of the dead and, consequently, that of our Savior Jesus Christ himself. B *I look for the resurrection of the dead.* Acts: "Concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged." — Isaiah: "The dead will rise again, and those who are in the tombs will be awakened." — Paul: "For the expectation of the creation waits for the revelation of the sons of God." — Gospel: "When the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live."
21. Against Origen again, who teaches a transformation in the future life and says that there will be an end to punishment. C *And the life of the coming age. Amen.* Gospel: "He who hates his soul in this world will keep it for eternal life." — Acts: "And as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come." — Isaiah: "Father of the coming age." — Gospel: "I live, and he who eats me will live because of me." And, "I am the resurrection and the life." And, "These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. Amen."