A marks of virginity. Question: For what reason did the Son become man, and not the Father, nor the Spirit? And what did He accomplish by becoming man? Answer: The Father is Father, and not Son. The Son is Son, and not Father. The Holy Spirit is Spirit, and not Father, nor Son. For a property cannot be changed; for how would it be a property if it were changed or transformed? For this reason the Son of God also becomes Son of man, having been incarnate from the holy Virgin, and did not depart from His filial property. Now the Son of God became man, so that on behalf of that for which He made man, He might again grant him immortality and eternal life for the enjoyment of eternal goods. Amen: be it, be it.
2. The Father and the Son are not two without origin, but are most closely conjoined B without any middle. Mixing produces corruption, and [things] are so mixed, like water and wine. Union is, when a certain conjunction occurs, such that one is not diminished, nor the other corrupted, but remains in that which it is; as the soul and the body. Thus also Christ, God the Word perfect, and man perfect, is united, but not confused. One God, the Father of the living Word, of subsistence-possessing wisdom and power and eternal character, perfect begetter of the perfect, Father of the only-begotten Son, and one Lord, alone from the alone, God from God, character and image of the divinity, active Word, wisdom which contains the whole structure of things, and power that created all creation: true Son of the true Father, invisible of the invisible, and incorruptible of the incorruptible, and immortal of the immortal, and eternal of the eternal. And one Holy Spirit, having its existence from God, and having appeared through the Son, namely to men. Perfection of the Son and life, cause of the living, holy spring, holiness, bestower of sanctification, in whom is manifested God the Father, who is over all and in all; and God the Son, who is through all; a perfect Trinity, in glory and eternity and kingship, not divided, nor alienated. Neither therefore is anything created, or a servant in the Trinity, nor anything brought in, as C if it were formerly not existing, and later entering in. For He was not unable both to pass through the door, and not to damage its seals. Even if I speak of three hypostases, I say there is one principle; for the Father is the principle of the Son and of the Spirit, not according to time, but according to cause. Therefore neither, D according to cause. This is: Although I say three hypostases, yet I proclaim there is one principle. For the Father is the principle of the Son and Spirit, not by reason of time, but of cause. Which he [says]. Nevertheless, the Son Himself is also a principle, not only of creatures, but also with respect to the Holy Spirit. Whence Cyril, book VIII on John, chap. XXIV, upon the words: "The principle, who even speak to you," writes: That the Son of God Himself is also called a principle, the present place of the Gospel most clearly testifies: yet do not on that account contend that there are two principles, the Father and the Son, but a unique principle, just as both the Father is God, and the Son is God; yet not two gods, but one is God.
A For neither did the Son ever fail the Father, nor the Spirit the Son; but the same Trinity is always immutable and unalterable. For thus we believe the blessed, life-giving, and indivisible holy Trinity. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three persons, one image; three characters, one impression; three hypostases, one deity; three properties, one essence; three energies, one grace; three existences, one equality; three forms of knowledge, one glory; three names, one confession; three confessions, one faith. God is an eternal and invariable substance, which created existing things. God is the supreme and inaccessible light, which can neither be comprehended by the mind nor explained in speech.
3. Question. In how many ways is God [spoken of]? Answer. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit; B the blessed nature, the goodness free from envy; the beauty beloved by all who have partaken of reason and deeply desired; the beginning of beings, the fountain of life, the inaccessible wisdom, the immutable nature, the life free from molestation, the conversation unknown to sorrows, concerning which there is no alteration, which change does not touch, the gushing fountain, the abundant grace, the exhaustless treasure.
4. We confess our Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son and Word of the Father, light from light, true God from true God, C to have been incarnate and to have become man from the Holy Spirit and from the holy, glorious Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary. We confess the same to be perfect God and perfect man, one and the same Son, both before the incarnation and after the incarnation: of the same essence as the Father according to his deity, and in all things like unto us, and of the same essence as us according to his humanity, becoming man without sin; begotten of the Father before the ages according to his deity, but in the last days the same [begotten] for us and for our salvation from the holy D Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, one and the same Son recognized in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division. For two natures came together with one another throughout an indivisible, unconfused, and unchanged union. For the flesh is flesh and is not deity, even if it has become the flesh of God; in like manner also the Word is God and is not flesh, even if he made the flesh one through the economy. We say, therefore, that there are two natures, but one Christ and Son and Lord, the Word of God who became man and took on flesh. For he did not
diminish his own glory A, the Lord, by taking on flesh. For before he took on flesh and humbled himself, only the angels knew him; but after he humbled himself, the whole nature of men came to know him. You see how humiliation did not work a diminution, but rather caused his glory to shine forth more. If, however, any of the inquisitive asks whether the Godhead was on the cross or was not, he makes it such that it is not in everything, and circumscribed in one place; but we say that God is uncircumscribed and incomprehensible.
5. Question. Whence is the word *Theos* (God) etymologized? Answer. From *theō*, which is to compose and make, as he is the maker of all and the cause of the composition of all things; or from *theō*, which is to run, forGod is present everywhere. Or *Theos*, from *theasthai* (to behold); for God beheld all things before they came to be. *Kyrios* (Lord) is from *kyros*, which signifies authority. Question. What is union? Answer. That which consists according to hypostasis, and is a thing existing B out of diverse natures. Question. Is the divine nature communicative, or is it receptive? Answer. Communicative. Question. What is synaloepha? Answer. Confusion. Question. By what names is the Father honored, and for what reason is he called Father? Answer. One Father, the holy God, and Almighty, without beginning, eternal, immortal, unlooked-upon, inexplicable, unending, without successor, unmoved, unsearchable, who is not corrupted by gifts. He is called Father because he preserves all things. Question. By what names is the Son honored, and in what respect is he called Son? Answer. One Son, the holy Word, ineffable offspring, unutterable Word, invisible mind, light of life, sun of righteousness, shepherd, door, way, lamb. He is called Son because he is from the Father. Question. By what names is the Holy Spirit honored, and in what respect is he called Spirit? Answer. One Holy Spirit, lordly, life-giving, philanthropic, consubstantial, existent, hypostatic, firm, swift, untroubled, sanctifying power, consubstantial with the Father C and Son. For it is the breath of the upper powers of God; it is called *Pneuma* (Spirit) because it is inclined to lean and blow wherever it wills. Question. What is Jesus Christ? Answer. The Lord who became man without sin. Question. What is Christ? Answer. A symbol of the Godhead and of ensouled flesh, an immutable union. D