Sophia Scriptura

On Created Things (Excerpts from Xeno) (complete)

Methodius of Olympus · On Created Things (Excerpts from Xeno) · late 3rd cent. (disputed) · place unknown · 10 passages

Greek text: Bonwetsch, GCS 27 (Greek text and German translation of the Old Slavonic: G. N. Bonwetsch, Methodius (GCS 27, 1917); OCR made for this site).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0). Compare: Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 6 (1886).

Chapter 1

1Bonwetsch GCS 27:493

Ὅτι τὸ »μὴ βάλητε τὸ ἅγιον τοῖς κυσί, μηδὲ τοὺς μαργαρίτας ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χοίρων« μαργαρίτας μὲν τοῦ Ξένωνος τὰ μυστικώτερα τῆς θεοσδότου θρησχείας ἐχλαμβάνοντος μαθήματα, χοίρους δὲ τοὺς ἔτι ἀσεβείᾳ καὶ ἡδοναῖς παντοίαις δίκην χοίρων ἐν βορβόρῳ καλινδουμένους (τούτοις γὰρ εἰρῆσθαι παρὰ Χριστοῦ ἔλεγε μὴ παραβαλεῖν τὰ θεῖα μαθήματα. διὰ τὸ μὴ δύνασθαι αὐτὰ φέρειν, ἅτε τῇ ἀσεβείᾳ καὶ ταῖς ἀγρίαις ἡδοναῖς προχατισχημένους) ὁ μέγας Μεθόδιος φησιν, Εἰ μαργαρίτας τὰ σεμνοπρεπῆ καὶ θεῖα μαθήματα δεῖ ἐξακούειν, χοίρους δὲ τοὺς ἀσεβείᾳ καὶ ἡδοναῖς συζῶντας, οἷς καὶ ἀπαράβλητα καὶ ἀπόχρυφα τὰ πρὸς εὐσέβειαν καὶ τὴν εἰς Χριστὸν πίστιν ἀποστολικὰ διεγείροντα κηρύγματα δεῖ εἶναι, ὁρα ὡς οὐδένα λέγεις τῶν Χριστιανῶν τοῖς τῶν ἀποστόλων κηρύγμασιν ἐξ ἀσεβείας αὐτῶν τῆς προτέρας ἐπιστρέψαι" οὐδὲ γὰρ ἂν πάντως παρέβαλον τὰ κατὰ τὸν Χριστὸν μυστήρια τοῖς δι᾿ ἀπιστίαν χοίροις ἐοικόσιν. ἢ οὖν πᾶσι τοῖς Ἕλλησι καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἀπίστοις ταῦτα παρεβλήθη παρὰ τῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ μαθητῶν καὶ ἐχηρύχθη, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ἀσεβείας μετέβαλεν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν εἰς Χριστὸν πίστιν, ὥσπερ οὐν καὶ πιστεύοντες ὁμολογοῦῖμεν, καὶ οὐχέτε δύναται νοεῖσθαι τό »μὴ βάλητε τοὺς μαργαρίτας ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χοίρωνςε, ὡς ἐρρήθη" ἢ τούτου ὡς ἐλέχθη νοουμένου, ἀνάγκη ἡμᾶς λέγειν ὡς οὐδενὶ τῶν ἀπίστων, οὓς χοίροις ἀπεικάξζομεν, ἐκ τῶν ἀποστολικῶν διδαγμάτων, μαργαριτῶν δίκην τὰς: ψυχὰς καταυγαζόντων, ἡ εἰς Χριστὸν πίστις καὶ ἡ τῆς ἀσεβείας ἐλευθερία γεγένηται. βλάσφημον δὲ τοῦτο. οὐχ ἄρα δεῖ μαργαρίτας μὲν τὰ μυστικώτερα τῶν μαθημάτων ἐκλαμβάνειν ἐνταῦθα, χοίρους δὲ τοὺς ἀσεβεῖς, οὐδὲ τό »μὴ βάλητε τοὺς μαργαρίτας ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χοίρωνε εἰς τό »μὴ παραβάλητε τοῖς ἀσεβέσε καὶ ἀπίστοις τὰ μυστικὰ καὶ τελειοποιὰ τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν πίστεως διδάγματα« παραλαμβάνειν" ἀλλὰ μαργαρίτας μὲν τὰς ἀρετὰς ἐκδέχεσθαι χρή, αἷς ὥσπερ πολυτίμοις μαργαρίταις ἡ ψυχὴ καθωραΐξζεται, μὴ παραβαλεῖν δὲ αὐτοὺς τοῖς χοίροις τουτέστι μὴ παραβαλεῖν αὐτὰς τὰς ἀρετάς, οἷον ἁγνείαν καὶ σωφροσύνην καὶ δικαιοσύνην καὶ ἀλήθειαν. ταῦτας δὴ μὴ παραβαλεῖν ταῖς μαχλώσαις ἡδοναῖς (χοίροις γὰρ ἐοίκασιν αὗται;, ἵνα μὴ τὰς ἀρετὰς αὗται καταφαγοῦσαι χοιρώδη βίον καὶ πολυπαθῆ τὴν ψυχὴν βιοτεύειν παρασχευάσώσιν.

Hoti to »mē balēte to hagion tois kysi, mēde tous margaritas hymōn emprosthen tōn choirōn« margaritas men tou Xenōnos ta mystikōtera tēs theosdotou thrēscheias echlambanontos mathēmata, choirous de tous eti asebeią kai hēdonais pantoiais dikēn choirōn en borborǭ kalindoumenous (toutois gar eirēsthai para Christou elege mē parabalein ta theia mathēmata. dia to mē dynasthai auta pherein, hate tę̄ asebeią kai tais agriais hēdonais prochatischēmenous) ho megas Methodios phēsin, Ei margaritas ta semnoprepē kai theia mathēmata dei exakouein, choirous de tous asebeią kai hēdonais syzōntas, hois kai aparablēta kai apochrypha ta pros eusebeian kai tēn eis Christon pistin apostolika diegeironta kērygmata dei einai, hora hōs oudena legeis tōn Christianōn tois tōn apostolōn kērygmasin ex asebeias autōn tēs proteras epistrepsai" oude gar an pantōs parebalon ta kata ton Christon mystēria tois di᾿ apistian choirois eoikosin. ē oun pasi tois Hellēsi kai tois allois apistois tauta pareblēthē para tōn tou Christou mathētōn kai echērychthē, kai apo tēs asebeias metebalen autous eis tēn eis Christon pistin, hōsper oun kai pisteuontes homologouimen, kai ouchete dynatai noeisthai to »mē balēte tous margaritas hymōn emprosthen tōn choirōnse, hōs errēthē" ē toutou hōs elechthē nooumenou, anankē hēmas legein hōs oudeni tōn apistōn, hous choirois apeikaxzomen, ek tōn apostolikōn didagmatōn, margaritōn dikēn tas: psychas kataugazontōn, hē eis Christon pistis kai hē tēs asebeias eleutheria gegenētai. blasphēmon de touto. ouch ara dei margaritas men ta mystikōtera tōn mathēmatōn eklambanein entautha, choirous de tous asebeis, oude to »mē balēte tous margaritas hymōn emprosthen tōn choirōne eis to »mē parabalēte tois asebese kai apistois ta mystika kai teleiopoia tēs eis Christon pisteōs didagmata« paralambanein" alla margaritas men tas aretas ekdechesthai chrē, hais hōsper polytimois margaritais hē psychē kathōraïxzetai, mē parabalein de autous tois choirois toutesti mē parabalein autas tas aretas, hoion hagneian kai sōphrosynēn kai dikaiosynēn kai alētheian. tautas dē mē parabalein tais machlōsais hēdonais (choirois gar eoikasin hautai?, hina mē tas aretas hautai kataphagousai choirōdē bion kai polypathē tēn psychēn bioteuein parascheuasōsin.

On "Do not give what is holy to the dogs, nor throw your pearls before swine": Xenon took the pearls to be the more mystical teachings of the God-given religion, and the swine to be those still rolling in ungodliness and pleasures of every kind, like swine in the mire (for he said that Christ had told them not to set the divine teachings before these, because they cannot bear them, being held fast by ungodliness and savage pleasures). The great Methodius says: If we must understand the pearls as the venerable and divine teachings, and the swine as those who live with ungodliness and pleasures, from whom the apostolic preaching that rouses to godliness and to faith in Christ must be withheld and hidden, see how you are saying that none of the Christians turned from their former ungodliness through the preaching of the apostles; for they would certainly not have set the mysteries of Christ before those who are like swine through unbelief. Either, then, these things were set before all the Greeks and the other unbelievers by the disciples of Christ and preached to them, and turned them from ungodliness to faith in Christ, as indeed we believe and confess, and then "Do not throw your pearls before swine" can no longer be understood as was said; or, if it is understood as was said, we must say that for none of the unbelievers, whom we liken to swine, has faith in Christ and freedom from ungodliness come about through the apostolic teachings, which light up souls like pearls. But this is blasphemous. So we must not take the pearls here as the more mystical teachings and the swine as the ungodly, nor take "Do not throw your pearls before swine" as "Do not set before the ungodly and unbelievers the mystical and perfecting teachings of faith in Christ." Rather, we must understand the pearls as the virtues, with which the soul is adorned as with precious pearls; and not setting them before the swine means not setting the virtues themselves, such as purity and self-control and righteousness and truth, before lustful pleasures (for these are like swine), so that these pleasures may not devour the virtues and make the soul live a swinish life full of passions.

Matt 7:6 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Methodius rejects Xenon's reading of the pearls and swine as mystical teaching withheld from unbelievers, since the apostles preached to unbelievers; the pearls are the virtues, which must not be given over to pleasures.

  • The work On Things Created survives only in excerpts in Photius, Library, cod. 235; the opening "On …" / "That …" clauses are Photius's own summaries. Xenon is named by Photius as the interlocutor whose view Methodius opposes. The Greek here is uncorrected OCR of Bonwetsch; clear slips are corrected (logged). Matt 7:6.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip; OCR slip (Latin letters); OCR slips; OCR split word): »un βάλητε → »μὴ βάλητε; Ei μαργαρίτας → Εἰ μαργαρίτας; νουυμένου → νοουμένου; λίγειν → λέγειν; ἀσίστων, OT: χοίροις → ἀπίστων, οὓς χοίροις; καταῦ γαζόντων → καταυγαζόντων; χοίρους di → χοίρους δὲ; εἰς τό U παραβάλητε → εἰς τό »μὴ παραβάλητε; ἀπίοτοι- τὰ → ἀπίστοις τὰ; ὀιδάγματας πάραλαμβάνειν → διδάγματα« παραλαμβάνειν; ἐκὀέχεσθαι → ἐκδέχεσθαι.

Topics: Scripture and canon, Ethics

Cite (SBL): Methodius, Creat. 1 (Bonwetsch GCS 27:493; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-de-creatis/1/#p-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek excerpts preserved by Photius (Bonwetsch, GCS 27, 1917); re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 2

2Bonwetsch GCS 27:494

Ὅτι ὁ ὠριγένης, ὃν Κένταυρον καλεῖ, ἔλεγε συναΐδιον εἶναι τῷ μόνῳ σοφῷ καὶ ἀπροσδεεῖ θεῷ τὸ πᾶν. ἔφασκε γάρ, Εἰ οὐκ ἔστι δημιουργὸς ἄνευ δημιουργημάτων ἢ ποιητὴς ἄνευ ποιημάτων. οὐδὲ παντοχράτωρ ἄνευ τῶν κρατουμένων (τὸν γὰρ δημιουργὸν διὰ τὰ δημιουργήματα ἀνάγχη καὶ τὸν ποιητὴν διὰ τὰ ποιήματα καὶ τὸν παντοχράτορα διὰ τὰ χρατούμενα λέγεσθαι), ἀνάγκη ἐξ ἀρχῆς αὐτὰ ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ γεγενῆσθαι, καὶ μὴ εἶναι χρόνον ὅτε οὐκ ἣν ταῦτα. εἰ γὰρ ἣν χρόνος ὅτε οὐκ ἣν τὰ ποιήματα, ἐπεὶ τῶν ποιημάτων μὴ ὄντων οὐδὲ ποιητής ἐστιν, ὅρα οἷον ἀσεβὲς ἀκολουθεῖ. ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀλλοιοῦσθαι καὶ μεταβάλλειν τὸν ἄτρεπτον καὶ ἀναλλοίωτον συμβήσεται θεόν. εἰ γὰρ ὕστερον πεποίηκε τὸ πᾶν, δῆλον ὅτι ἀπὸ τοῦ μὴ ποιεῖν εἰς τὸ ποιεῖν μετέβαλε. τοῦτο δὲ ἄτοπον μετὰ τῶν προεἰρημένων. οὐκ ἄρα δυνατὸν λέγειν, μὴ εἶναι ἄναρχον καὶ συναΐδιον τῷ θεῷ τὸ πᾶν.

Hoti ho ōrigenēs, hon Kentauron kalei, elege synaïdion einai tǭ monǭ sophǭ kai aprosdeei theǭ to pan. ephaske gar, Ei ouk esti dēmiourgos aneu dēmiourgēmatōn ē poiētēs aneu poiēmatōn. oude pantochratōr aneu tōn kratoumenōn (ton gar dēmiourgon dia ta dēmiourgēmata ananchē kai ton poiētēn dia ta poiēmata kai ton pantochratora dia ta chratoumena legesthai), anankē ex archēs auta hypo tou theou gegenēsthai, kai mē einai chronon hote ouk hēn tauta. ei gar hēn chronos hote ouk hēn ta poiēmata, epei tōn poiēmatōn mē ontōn oude poiētēs estin, hora hoion asebes akolouthei. alla kai alloiousthai kai metaballein ton atrepton kai analloiōton symbēsetai theon. ei gar hysteron pepoiēke to pan, dēlon hoti apo tou mē poiein eis to poiein metebale. touto de atopon meta tōn proeirēmenōn. ouk ara dynaton legein, mē einai anarchon kai synaïdion tǭ theǭ to pan.

That Origen, whom he calls the Centaur, said that the universe is co-eternal with God, who alone is wise and needs nothing. For he argued: If there is no maker without things made, nor creator without things created, nor almighty without things ruled (for the maker must be so called because of the things made, the creator because of the things created, and the almighty because of the things ruled), then they must have been brought into being by God from the beginning, and there was no time when they were not. For if there was a time when the things created were not, then, since there is no creator either when there are no things created, see what impiety follows. And it will also follow that the immutable and unchangeable God is altered and changed. For if he made the universe later, clearly he changed from not making to making. But this is absurd, along with what was said before. Therefore it is not possible to say that the universe is not without beginning and co-eternal with God.

Notes and citation

Summary: Photius reports Origen's argument, as Methodius presents it, that the universe must be co-eternal with God, since God is always Creator and Almighty and cannot change.

  • Photius's excerpt from Methodius, On Things Created; "the Centaur" is Methodius's name for Origen in this work (Photius, Library, cod. 235). The argument is the view Methodius goes on to refute; translated as reported. Compare Origen, On First Principles 1.2.10 and 1.4.3.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip (lost accent); OCR slips (Latin letters, χ for κ)): Ei οὐχ ἔστι → Εἰ οὐκ ἔστι; συμβησεται → συμβήσεται.

Extrabiblical texts: Origen, Princ. 1.2.10 (Origen, On First Principles; allusion)

Cite (SBL): Methodius, Creat. 2 (Bonwetsch GCS 27:494; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-de-creatis/1/#p-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek excerpts preserved by Photius (Bonwetsch, GCS 27, 1917); re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 3

3Bonwetsch GCS 27:494

Πρὸς ὅν φησι δι᾿ ἑτέρου προσώπου ὃ ἅγιος ἐρωτῶν, ᾿Αρά γε σοφίας καὶ δόξης καὶ συλλήβδην πάσης ἀρετῆς ἀρχὴν καὶ πηγὴν οὐσιωδῶς, ἀλλὰ μὴ ἐπικτήτως ἡγῇ τὸν θεόν; Τί δὲ πρὸς τούτοις; οὐχὶ τέλειος πάντῃ δι΄ ἑαυτὸν καὶ ἁπροσδεῆς; Ἀληθῆ. ἀμήχανον γὰρ τὸ ἀπροσδεὲς δι’ ἕτερον εἶναί τι ἁπροσδεές; Ἀμήχανον. Πᾶν γὰρ τὸ δι᾿ ἕτερον πλῆρες ὃν καὶ ἀτελὲς λεχτέον; ᾿Ανάγκη. Τὸ γὰρ αὐτὸ δι᾽ ἑαυτὸ ἑαυτοῦ πλήρωμα ὃν καὶ αὐτὸ ἐν ξαυτῷ μένον, τέλειον εἶναι τοῦτο μόνον δοξαστέον; ᾿Αληθέστατα λέγεις. Τὸ δὲ μήτε αὐτὸ δι᾽ ἑαυτὸ μήτε αὐτὸ ἑαυτοῦ πλήρωμα ὃν φαίης ἂν ἀπροσδεές; Οὐδαμῶς. Οὐκ ἄρα ὁ θεὸς τέλειος διά τι νομισθήσεται" ὃ γὰρ διά τι τέλειόν ἐστιν, αὐτὸ καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸ ἀτελὲς ἀνάγχη τυγχάνειν. Οὐκοῦν καὶ ὁ θεὸς αὐτὸς δι᾿ ἑαυτὸν τέλειος, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ δι᾽ ἕτερον λογισθήσεται; Ὀρθότατα. Ἕτερον θεὸς κόσμου, καὶ ἕτερον κόσμος θεοῦ; Παντελῶς. Οὐκ ἄρα τέλειον φατέον καὶ δημιουργὸν καὶ παντοκράτορα διὰ κόσμον τὸν θεόν; Ὅπως δι᾽ ἑαυτόν, ἀλλὰ μὴ διὰ κόσμον, καὶ ταῦτα τρεπτόν, αὐτὸς καθ' ἑαυτὸν τέλειος εὐρίσκοιτο. Προσηκόντος. Τί δέ; τὸν πλούσιον διὰ τὸν πλοῦτον λεκτέον πλούσιον; Ὀρθῶς. Καὶ τὸν σοφὸν κατὰ μετοχὴν τῆς οὐσιώδους σοφίας, οὐκ αὐτὸν σοφίαν ὄντα, σοφὸν προσαγορευτέον; Ναί. Τί δέ; κἀὶ τὸν θεόν, ἕτερον ὄντα κόσμου, διὰ κόσμον ταύτῃ πλούσίον καὶ εὐεργέτην καὶ δημιουργὸν κλητέον; Ἄπαγε, οὐδαμῶς. Οὐκοῦν αὐτὸς ἑαυτοῦ πλοῦτος καὶ δι᾿ ἑαυτὸν πλούσιος καὶ δυνατὸς τυγχάνει; Ἔοιχεν. Ἆρα καὶ πρὸ κόσμον πάντῃ ἀπροσδεὴς ὢν καὶ πατὴρ καὶ παντοκράτωρ καὶ δημιουργός, ὕπως αὐτὸς δι᾿ ἑαυτόν, ἀλλὰ μὴ δι᾽ ἕτερον ταῦτα ἢ; Ἀνάγκη. Εἰ γὰρ διὰ κόσμον καὶ οὐχὶ δι᾽ ἑαυτόν, ἕτερος ὧν κόσμου, παντοχράτωορ γνωρίζοιτο συγγνώμῃ ὁ θεός (ἀναγκάζομαι γὰρ τοῦτο εἰπεῖν), αὐτὸς καθ' ἑαυτὸν ἀτελὴς ἔσται καὶ προσδεὴς τούτων, δι᾽ ἃ παντοχράτωρ καὶ δημιουργός ἐστιν. Ὑπερφυῶς. Οὐχ ἄρα ἀποδεχτέον ταύτην τὴν ὀλέθριον ἁμαρτίαν περὶ θεοῦ τῶν λεγόντων παντοχράτορα εἶναι καὶ δημιουργὸν διὰ τὰ κρατούμενα καὶ δημιουργούμενα τρεπτά, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ δί ἑαυτὸν εἶναι τὸν θεόν.

Pros hon phēsi di᾿ heterou prosōpou ho hagios erōtōn, ᾿Ara ge sophias kai doxēs kai syllēbdēn pasēs aretēs archēn kai pēgēn ousiōdōs, alla mē epiktētōs hēgę̄ ton theon? Ti de pros toutois? ouchi teleios pantę̄ di΄ heauton kai haprosdeēs? Alēthē. amēchanon gar to aprosdees di’ heteron einai ti haprosdees? Amēchanon. Pan gar to di᾿ heteron plēres hon kai ateles lechteon? ᾿Anankē. To gar auto di᾽ heauto heautou plērōma hon kai auto en xautǭ menon, teleion einai touto monon doxasteon? ᾿Alēthestata legeis. To de mēte auto di᾽ heauto mēte auto heautou plērōma hon phaiēs an aprosdees? Oudamōs. Ouk ara ho theos teleios dia ti nomisthēsetai" ho gar dia ti teleion estin, auto kath᾽ heauto ateles ananchē tynchanein. Oukoun kai ho theos autos di᾿ heauton teleios, all᾽ ou di᾽ heteron logisthēsetai? Orthotata. Heteron theos kosmou, kai heteron kosmos theou? Pantelōs. Ouk ara teleion phateon kai dēmiourgon kai pantokratora dia kosmon ton theon? Hopōs di᾽ heauton, alla mē dia kosmon, kai tauta trepton, autos kath' heauton teleios euriskoito. Prosēkontos. Ti de? ton plousion dia ton plouton lekteon plousion? Orthōs. Kai ton sophon kata metochēn tēs ousiōdous sophias, ouk auton sophian onta, sophon prosagoreuteon? Nai. Ti de? kai ton theon, heteron onta kosmou, dia kosmon tautę̄ plousion kai euergetēn kai dēmiourgon klēteon? Apage, oudamōs. Oukoun autos heautou ploutos kai di᾿ heauton plousios kai dynatos tynchanei? Eoichen. Ara kai pro kosmon pantę̄ aprosdeēs ōn kai patēr kai pantokratōr kai dēmiourgos, hypōs autos di᾿ heauton, alla mē di᾽ heteron tauta ē? Anankē. Ei gar dia kosmon kai ouchi di᾽ heauton, heteros hōn kosmou, pantochratōor gnōrizoito syngnōmę̄ ho theos (anankazomai gar touto eipein), autos kath' heauton atelēs estai kai prosdeēs toutōn, di᾽ ha pantochratōr kai dēmiourgos estin. Hyperphyōs. Ouch ara apodechteon tautēn tēn olethrion hamartian peri theou tōn legontōn pantochratora einai kai dēmiourgon dia ta kratoumena kai dēmiourgoumena trepta, all᾽ ou di heauton einai ton theon.

Against him the saint, speaking through another character, asks: Do you consider God to be the beginning and source of wisdom and glory, and in short of all virtue, in his essence and not by acquisition? — Certainly. — What more? Is he not perfect in every way through himself, and in need of nothing? — True. — For it is impossible that what needs nothing should be free of need through something else? — Impossible. — For everything that is full through something else must also be called imperfect? — Necessarily. — Only that which is its own fullness through itself and remains in itself is to be held perfect? — You speak most truly. — And would you call free of need what is neither through itself nor its own fullness? — By no means. — Then God will not be thought perfect because of something; for what is perfect because of something must in itself be imperfect. — So God himself will be reckoned perfect through himself, and not through another? — Most rightly. — God is one thing and the world another, and the world other than God? — Entirely. — Then we must not say that God is perfect and maker and almighty because of the world? — So that he may be found perfect in himself, through himself, and not because of the world, a changeable thing. — Fittingly. — What then? Is the rich man to be called rich because of his riches? — Rightly. — And the wise man to be called wise by sharing in essential wisdom, not as being wisdom himself? — Yes. — What then? Is God too, being other than the world, to be called rich and benefactor and maker in this way, because of the world? — Away with it, by no means. — So he is his own wealth, and rich and powerful through himself? — So it seems. — Then even before the world, being wholly without need, he was Father and Almighty and Maker, so that he is these things through himself and not through another? — Necessarily. — For if God (forgive me, for I am compelled to say it), being other than the world, were known as almighty because of the world and not through himself, he will be imperfect in himself and in need of those things because of which he is almighty and maker. — Exceedingly so. — So we must not accept this ruinous error about God from those who say that he is almighty and maker because of the changeable things that are ruled and made, and not through himself.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Notes and citation

Summary: In a short dialogue Methodius argues that God is perfect, almighty, and Maker through himself, not because of the world, so the world need not be eternal.

  • Photius's excerpt from Methodius, On Things Created; the dialogue form is the author's ("through another character"). The Greek is uncorrected OCR; misread lines, line numbers, and a line of Bonwetsch's apparatus that leaked into the text are removed by logged corrections. At "forgive me" (συγγνώμῃ) the manuscripts read συγγνώμην; Bonwetsch's reading is followed.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (Bonwetsch's apparatus leaked into the text; OCR garble; OCR junk (misread line); OCR junk and line number; OCR slip; OCR slip (Latin letters); OCR slips; OCR slips (Latin letters); OCR slips and line number; line number; line number and OCR slip): ἡγῇ τὸν θεόν; , ᾿ ᾿ 3 “ > ᾿ 4 2' U Τί → ἡγῇ τὸν θεόν; Τί; ᾿4ληθῆ. > , \ \ 2 ‘ )») ὦ 3 , > , “ἀμήχανον → Ἀληθῆ. ἀμήχανον; ᾿Ἀμήχανον. - \ ‘ ᾿ - μὰ \ \ , 5 Πᾶν → Ἀμήχανον. Πᾶν; To γὰρ → Τὸ γὰρ; 10 To δὲ → Τὸ δὲ; AAN οὐ Öl ἕτερον → ἀλλ᾽ οὐ δι᾽ ἕτερον; χύσμου, καὶ ἕτερον κόσμος θεοῦ: 20 Παντελῶς → κόσμου, καὶ ἕτερον κόσμος θεοῦ; Παντελῶς; αὐτὸς 25 χαθ' ἑαυτὸν → αὐτὸς καθ' ἑαυτὸν; αὐτὸν 80 σοφίαν → αὐτὸν σοφίαν; Ἄπαγε, οὐδαμῶς. 35 Οὐχοῦν → Ἄπαγε, οὐδαμῶς. Οὐκοῦν; 8 δι᾿ Β 2367 91 φατὲ A 24 ὕπως μὴ A 32 χόσμου] χόσμον A 890 πλούϊσιον A 3140 Ὁ 84 οὐδαμῶς, ἄπαγε B Ausgg. 35 αὑτὸν A Up ἄρα → Ἆρα; ἀπρούδι ἧς ὧν → ἀπροσδεὴς ὢν; ᾿Ἰνάγκη. Fl γὰρ → Ἀνάγκη. Εἰ γὰρ; συγγνώμῃ 6 θεός → συγγνώμῃ ὁ θεός; πκρατούμενα → κρατούμενα.

Cite (SBL): Methodius, Creat. 3 (Bonwetsch GCS 27:494; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-de-creatis/1/#p-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek excerpts preserved by Photius (Bonwetsch, GCS 27, 1917); re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 4

4Bonwetsch GCS 27:496

Ὅρα δὲ καὶ τόδε. εἰ ὕστερον, ἔφης, πεποίηται ὃ κόσμος, μὴ πρότερον ὦν, μεταβάλλειν ἀνάγκη τὸν ἀπαθῆ καὶ ἀναλλοίωτον θεόν· τὸν γὰρ ποιοῦντα πρότερον μηδέν, ὕστερον δέ, ἀπὸ τοῦ μὴ ποιεῖν εἰς τὸ ποιεῖν μεταβάλλειν καὶ ἀλλοιοῦσθαι ἀνάγκη. Ἔλεγον γάρ. Πέπαυται δὲ τοῦ ποιεῖν ποτε τὸν κόσμον ὃ θεός, ἢ οὔ; Πέπαυται. Οὔπω γὰρ ἦν τετελειωμένος ἄν. ᾿4ληθές. Εἰ οὖν τὸ ποιεῖν ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ποιεῖν ἀλλοίωσιν τοῦ θεοῦ καταψηφίζεται, οὐχὶ καὶ τὸ μὴ ποιεῖν ἐκ τοῦ ποιεῖν; ᾿Ανάγκη. ᾿Ηλλοιῶσθαι δὲ αὐτὸν φαίης μὴ ποιοῦντα σήμερον παρ᾽ ὃ ἦν ὅτε ἐποίει; Οὐδαμῶς. Οὐδ᾽ ἄρα ὅτ᾽ ἐποίει τὸν κόσμον, ἠλλοιῶσθαι αὐτὸν ἀνάγκη παρ᾽ ὁ ἢν ὅτε οὐχ ἐποίει" καὶ οὔτε ἀνάγκη συνυπάρχειν αὐτῷ τὸ πᾶν δεῖν λέγειν διὰ τὸ μὴ ἀναγχάζεσθαι λέγειν ἠλλοιῶσθαι, οὔτε συναΐδιον δι᾿ αὐτὸ τοῦτο.

Hora de kai tode. ei hysteron, ephēs, pepoiētai ho kosmos, mē proteron ōn, metaballein anankē ton apathē kai analloiōton theon; ton gar poiounta proteron mēden, hysteron de, apo tou mē poiein eis to poiein metaballein kai alloiousthai anankē. Elegon gar. Pepautai de tou poiein pote ton kosmon ho theos, ē ou? Pepautai. Oupō gar ēn teteleiōmenos an. ᾿4lēthes. Ei oun to poiein ek tou mē poiein alloiōsin tou theou katapsēphizetai, ouchi kai to mē poiein ek tou poiein? ᾿Anankē. ᾿Ēlloiōsthai de auton phaiēs mē poiounta sēmeron par᾽ ho ēn hote epoiei? Oudamōs. Oud᾽ ara hot᾽ epoiei ton kosmon, ēlloiōsthai auton anankē par᾽ ho ēn hote ouch epoiei" kai oute anankē synyparchein autǭ to pan dein legein dia to mē ananchazesthai legein ēlloiōsthai, oute synaïdion di᾿ auto touto.

Consider this too. If the world was made later, you said, not having existed before, the impassible and unchangeable God must change; for one who made nothing before, but made later, must change and be altered from not making to making. — I did say so. — Has God at some point ceased from making the world, or not? — He has ceased. — For otherwise it would not yet have been completed. — True. — If, then, making after not making convicts God of alteration, does not not-making after making do so too? — Necessarily. — But would you say that he has been altered, now that he is not making today, from what he was when he was making? — By no means. — Then neither, when he was making the world, must he have been altered from what he was when he was not making; and it is not necessary to say that the universe must coexist with him because we are compelled to say he has been altered (for we are not), nor that it is co-eternal for this very reason.

Gen 2:2 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Since God has ceased creating without being changed, his beginning to create did not change him either, so the world need not be eternal.

  • Photius's excerpt from Methodius, On Things Created (uncorrected OCR; slips corrected and logged).

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR lost letters; OCR slip; OCR slip (accent); OCR split word): Ὅρα δὲ καὶ δε. → Ὅρα δὲ καὶ τόδε.; θεύν᾽ → θεόν·; Οὐπω → Οὔπω; ὅ τ᾽ ἐποίει → ὅτ᾽ ἐποίει.

Cite (SBL): Methodius, Creat. 4 (Bonwetsch GCS 27:496; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-de-creatis/1/#p-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek excerpts preserved by Photius (Bonwetsch, GCS 27, 1917); re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 5

5Bonwetsch GCS 27:496

Καί μοι φαθὶ καὶ ὧδε. γενητὸν τὸ μὴ γενέσεως ἔχον ἀρχὴν φαίης ἄν; Οὐ δῆτα' εἰ γὰρ μὴ ὑποπίπτει γενέσεως ἀρχῇ, ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἀγένητόν ἐστιν. Εἰ δὲ γέγονεν, ὑπὸ αἰτίου τινὸς δίδως αὐτὸ γεγονέναι" πάντῃ γὰρ ἀδύνατον χωρὶς αἰτίου γένεσιν ἔχειν; Ἀδύνατον. Κόσμον δὴ οὖν. καὶ ὅσα ἐν αὐτῷ μῶν ἄλλου τινὸς ἢ θεοῦ δημιουργοῦντος φήσομεν γεγονέναι ὕστερον. πρότερον οὐχ ὄντα; Δῆλον ὅτι θεοῦ. Ἀδύνατον γὰρ τὸ γενέσεως ἀρχῇ περιορισθὲν συναπέραντον εἶναι τῷ ἀπεράντῳ; Ἀδύνατον.

Kai moi phathi kai hōde. genēton to mē geneseōs echon archēn phaiēs an? Ou dēta' ei gar mē hypopiptei geneseōs archę̄, ex anankēs agenēton estin. Ei de gegonen, hypo aitiou tinos didōs auto gegonenai" pantę̄ gar adynaton chōris aitiou genesin echein? Adynaton. Kosmon dē oun. kai hosa en autǭ mōn allou tinos ē theou dēmiourgountos phēsomen gegonenai hysteron. proteron ouch onta? Dēlon hoti theou. Adynaton gar to geneseōs archę̄ perioristhen synaperanton einai tǭ aperantǭ? Adynaton.

Tell me this too: would you call created what has no beginning of coming into being? — Certainly not; for if it does not fall under a beginning of coming into being, it is necessarily uncreated. — And if it has come into being, you grant that it came into being through some cause; for it is wholly impossible for anything to come into being without a cause? — Impossible. — The world, then, and all that is in it: shall we say that it came into being later, not having existed before, through the making of anyone other than God? — Clearly through God. — For it is impossible that what is bounded by a beginning of coming into being should be co-infinite with the infinite? — Impossible.

Notes and citation

Summary: Whatever has come into being has a cause and a beginning, so the world, made by God, cannot be co-infinite with him.

  • Photius's excerpt from Methodius, On Things Created (uncorrected OCR; slips and a leaked line of Bonwetsch's apparatus removed by logged corrections).

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (Bonwetsch's apparatus leaked into the text; OCR slip): 2 αὐτὸς < A 6 συγγνώμην ΑΒ: f od. {(χατὰ) ovyy. Kl: συγγνώμῃ Bo A315 28 ἐχ τοῦ μὴ noısiv A 238 ὅτε now AB 29 δεῖ AB 88 φασὶ A φ [Ὁ ᾿Αδύνατον → Ἀδύνατον; ὁημιουργοῦντος → δημιουργοῦντος; ᾿Ἡδύνατον γὰρ → Ἀδύνατον γὰρ; ᾿Ιδύνατον. → Ἀδύνατον..

Cite (SBL): Methodius, Creat. 5 (Bonwetsch GCS 27:496; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-de-creatis/1/#p-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek excerpts preserved by Photius (Bonwetsch, GCS 27, 1917); re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 6

6Bonwetsch GCS 27:497

Πάλιν δὴ οὖν, ὦ Κένταυρε, ἐξ ἀρχῆς διαλεγώμεθα. θείᾳ ἐπιστήμῃ τὰ ὄντα φατὲ γεγονέναι, ἢ οὐ; Ὦ βάλε, λέξουσιν, οὐδαμῶς. “X ἀπὸ τῶν στοιχείων ἢ ὕλης ἢ στηριγμάτων, ἢ ὅπως αὐτοὶ ταῦτα βούλεσθε ὀνομάζειν (οὐδὲν γὰρ διαφέρει)" τούτων ἀγενήτως προὐφεστηχότων καὶ πλημμελῶς φερομένων ὁ θεὸς διακρίνας ἐτεχνάσατο τὰ πάντα, ὥσπερ ἀγαθὸς ζωγράφος ἀπὸ πολλῶν χρωμάτων μίαν τεχνησάμενος ἰδέαν; Οὐδὲ τοῦτο. πάντως γὰρ ἀποφεύξονται ὁμολογῆσαι καθ' ἑαυτῶν, ἵνα μὴ τῆς διακρίσεως καὶ τῆς μεταμορφώσεως τὴν ὕλην συγχωροῦντες ἀρχὴν ἐσχηκυῖαν. ἀναγκασθῶσι τῷ λόγῳ κατὰ πάντα τὸν θεὸν ἦρχθαι τοῦ διοικεῖν λέγειν καὶ κατακοσμεῖν τὴν πρότερον ἄμορφον οὖσαν ὕλην.

Palin dē oun, ō Kentaure, ex archēs dialegōmetha. theią epistēmę̄ ta onta phate gegonenai, ē ou? Ō bale, lexousin, oudamōs. “X apo tōn stoicheiōn ē hylēs ē stērigmatōn, ē hopōs autoi tauta boulesthe onomazein (ouden gar diapherei)" toutōn agenētōs prouphestēchotōn kai plēmmelōs pheromenōn ho theos diakrinas etechnasato ta panta, hōsper agathos zōgraphos apo pollōn chrōmatōn mian technēsamenos idean? Oude touto. pantōs gar apopheuxontai homologēsai kath' heautōn, hina mē tēs diakriseōs kai tēs metamorphōseōs tēn hylēn synchōrountes archēn eschēkuian. anankasthōsi tǭ logǭ kata panta ton theon ērchthai tou dioikein legein kai katakosmein tēn proteron amorphon ousan hylēn.

Let us discuss again from the beginning, then, Centaur. Do you say that the things that exist came into being by divine skill, or not? — "Go on with you," they will say, "by no means." — Then from the elements, or matter, or supports, or whatever you wish to call them (it makes no difference), these subsisting beforehand without beginning and moving in disorder, did God fashion all things by separating them, as a good painter fashions one form out of many colors? — Not this either. For they will altogether avoid admitting it against themselves, lest, by granting that matter had a beginning of its separation and transformation, they be compelled by the argument to say that God in every respect began to govern and adorn matter that was formerly shapeless.

Notes and citation

Summary: Methodius presses the Origenists: if God shaped pre-existing matter, matter had a beginning of its ordering, which they will not admit.

  • Photius's excerpt from Methodius, On Things Created (uncorrected OCR; slips corrected and logged). "Centaur" is Methodius's name for Origen. The first answer ("by no means") is given as the text stands; the sense of the question is uncertain.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip; line number and OCR slip; line number inside a word): 10 Ὧ βάλε → Ὦ βάλε; 15 μέαν → μίαν; συγχωθοῦντες → συγχωροῦντες; ἄμορ20 φον → ἄμορφον.

Cite (SBL): Methodius, Creat. 6 (Bonwetsch GCS 27:497; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-de-creatis/1/#p-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek excerpts preserved by Photius (Bonwetsch, GCS 27, 1917); re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 7

7Bonwetsch GCS 27:497

Φέρε γάρ, ἐπειδὴ (σὺν τῷ θεῷ φάναι) ἐνταῦθα τοῦ λόγου γεγόναμεν, ἤτω τις ἀνδριάς, ἑστὼς ἐπὶ βάσεως, καλός" οὗ θαυμάζοντες οἱ θεώμενοι τὴν εὐρυθμον καλλονὴν διαφερέσθωσαν πρὸς ἀλλήλους, πῇ μὲν γενητόν, πῇ δὲ καὶ ἀγένητον πειρώμενοι λέγειν. ἐροίμην γὰρ σφᾶς, Δι᾿ ἣν αἰτίαν ἀγένητον αὐτόν φατε; πότερον διὰ τὸν τεχνίτην, ὅπως μηδαμῶς ἀργήσας τῆς δημιουργίας νομίζοιτο, ἢ δι᾽ ἑαυτόν; ἂν μὲν γὰρ διὰ τὸν τεχνίτην, πῶς ἀγένητος ὧν πρὸς τοῦ τεχνίτου δημιουργεῖται: εἰ γὰρ 02006 ἐν ἐνδείᾳ τῆς τέχνης καθέστηκε χαλκουογούμενος πρὸς τὸ σχεῖν ὁποῖον ὁ δημιουργὸς ἐθέλοι χαρακτῆρα, ποίῳ τρόπῳ ἀγένητος ἔσται πάσχων τε καὶ ὁρώμενος; εἰ δὲ αὐ δι᾿ ἑαυτὸν τέλειος καὶ ἀγένητος λέγοιτο μὴ δεῖσθαι τῆς τέχνης ὁ οι τε ῶι ἀνδοιάς, χατὰ τὸ ὀλέθριον δόγμα, ἀνάγκη αὐτοματιῦ μὸν u εἰ δ᾽ οὐδὲ τοῦτον LO0G ἐθελήσαντες προυήπκαο σθαι τὸν λόγων πικρότερον ἀποκρινοῦνται, τὸ μὲν βρέτα: ἀγένητον οὐκ εἶναι λέγοντες. γενητὸν δὲ εἶνε ἀεὶ γενέ σι ὡς ἀρχὴν οὐχ ἔχον, ὅπως ἄναρχος λέγοιτο χκυατεῖν τοῦ τεχνύσματος 0 τεχνίτης, Οὐκοῦν, ὦ οὗτοι, λέξομεν αὐτοῖς. εἰ μὴ χρόνος μήτε αἰὼν εὐρίσκοιτο ἐπάνω, ὅτε οὐχ ἡ» τέλειος ὁ ἀνδριάς, τί παρέσχεν αὐτῷ ὁ τεχνίτης ἢ τί ἐνήργησεν εἰς αὐτόν, φατέ. εἰ γὰρ ὁ αὐτὸς ἀνενδεὴς ὧν καὶ οὐκ ἔχων ἀρχὴν γενέσεως: τυγχάνει. ταύτῃ μᾶλλον καθ' ὑμᾶς ὁ δημιουργὸς οὐδέποτε δημιουργήσας οὔτε δημιουργῶν εὐρεθήσεται, καὶ πάλιν εἰς αὐτὸ ἔοικεν ὁ λόγος περιδεδραμηκέναι, αὐτοματισμὸν ὁμολογεῖν. ἐὰν γὰρ κὰν τὸ ἀκαριαίτατον (τὸν; ἀνδριάντα κινῆσαι ὁ δημιουργὸς λεχθῇ, ἀρχῇ ὑποπεσεῖται. καθ᾽ ἣν πρότερον αὐτὸν ἄκοσμον καὶ ἀκίνητον ὄντα ἤρξατο κινεῖν καὶ χοσμεῖν. οὐχουν καὶ ην καὶ ἔσται διηνεκῶς ὁ αὐτὸς ἀεὶ κόσ μος" ἀπεικαστέον γὰρ τῷ μὲν θεῷ τὸν τεχνίτην, τὸν δὲ ἀνδριάντα τῷ κόσμῳ. πῇ δὴ οὖν, ὦ ἠλίθιοι, οἴεσθε τὴν κτίσιν συναπέραντον οὖσαν τῷ δημιουργῷ μὴ δεῖσθαι τοῦ δημιουργοῦ; τὸ γὰρ συναπέραντον, μηδαμῶς ἀρχὴν γενέσεως ἔχον, καὶ συναγένητον καὶ ἰσοδύναμον ἀνάγκη τυγχάνειν. τὸ δὲ ἀγένητον, αὐτοτελὲς καὶ ἄτρεπτον φανθέν, καὶ ἀπροσδεὲς καὶ ἄφθορον ἔσται καὶ εἰ τοῦτο οὕτως ἔχει, οὐχέτι ὁ κόσμος τρεπτὸς χαθ'᾽ ὑμᾶς.

Phere gar, epeidē (syn tǭ theǭ phanai) entautha tou logou gegonamen, ētō tis andrias, hestōs epi baseōs, kalos" hou thaumazontes hoi theōmenoi tēn eurythmon kallonēn diapheresthōsan pros allēlous, pę̄ men genēton, pę̄ de kai agenēton peirōmenoi legein. eroimēn gar sphas, Di᾿ hēn aitian agenēton auton phate? poteron dia ton technitēn, hopōs mēdamōs argēsas tēs dēmiourgias nomizoito, ē di᾽ heauton? an men gar dia ton technitēn, pōs agenētos hōn pros tou technitou dēmiourgeitai: ei gar 02006 en endeią tēs technēs kathestēke chalkouogoumenos pros to schein hopoion ho dēmiourgos etheloi charaktēra, poiǭ tropǭ agenētos estai paschōn te kai horōmenos? ei de au di᾿ heauton teleios kai agenētos legoito mē deisthai tēs technēs ho oi te ōi andoias, chata to olethrion dogma, anankē automatiy mon u ei d᾽ oude touton LO0G ethelēsantes prouēpkao sthai ton logōn pikroteron apokrinountai, to men breta: agenēton ouk einai legontes. genēton de eine aei gene si hōs archēn ouch echon, hopōs anarchos legoito chkyatein tou technysmatos 0 technitēs, Oukoun, ō houtoi, lexomen autois. ei mē chronos mēte aiōn euriskoito epanō, hote ouch hē» teleios ho andrias, ti pareschen autǭ ho technitēs ē ti enērgēsen eis auton, phate. ei gar ho autos anendeēs hōn kai ouk echōn archēn geneseōs: tynchanei. tautę̄ mallon kath' hymas ho dēmiourgos oudepote dēmiourgēsas oute dēmiourgōn eurethēsetai, kai palin eis auto eoiken ho logos peridedramēkenai, automatismon homologein. ean gar kan to akariaitaton (ton? andrianta kinēsai ho dēmiourgos lechthę̄, archę̄ hypopeseitai. kath᾽ hēn proteron auton akosmon kai akinēton onta ērxato kinein kai chosmein. ouchoun kai ēn kai estai diēnekōs ho autos aei kos mos" apeikasteon gar tǭ men theǭ ton technitēn, ton de andrianta tǭ kosmǭ. pę̄ dē oun, ō ēlithioi, oiesthe tēn ktisin synaperanton ousan tǭ dēmiourgǭ mē deisthai tou dēmiourgou? to gar synaperanton, mēdamōs archēn geneseōs echon, kai synagenēton kai isodynamon anankē tynchanein. to de agenēton, autoteles kai atrepton phanthen, kai aprosdees kai aphthoron estai kai ei touto houtōs echei, oucheti ho kosmos treptos chath'᾽ hymas.

Come, since (with God be it said) we have reached this point of the argument, let there be a statue standing on a base, a beautiful one; and let those who look at it, admiring its well-proportioned beauty, disagree with one another, some trying to say that it was made, others that it was unmade. I would ask them: For what reason do you say it is unmade? Because of the craftsman, so that he may in no way be thought idle from his craft, or because of itself? If because of the craftsman, how is it, being unmade, fashioned by the craftsman? For if it … stood in need of the craft, being worked in bronze to take whatever form the maker wished, in what way will it be unmade, being acted upon and seen? But if again it were said to be perfect and unmade through itself, and the statue … not to need the craft, then according to the ruinous doctrine one must … spontaneity. But if, not wishing … this either, they answer more sharply, saying that the statue is not unmade, but is always made, as having no beginning of its making, so that the craftsman may be said to rule his work without beginning, then we shall say to them, my friends: if neither a time nor an age is found earlier, when the statue was not perfect, tell me what the craftsman supplied to it or what he worked upon it. For if it is the same, without need and without a beginning of coming into being, then on your view the maker will all the more be found never to have made it nor to be making it; and again the argument seems to have run round to the same point, to admit spontaneity. For if the maker is said to have moved the statue even for the shortest instant, he will fall under a beginning, at which he began to move and adorn it when it was formerly unadorned and unmoved. So the world was not and will not be continually the same for ever. For the craftsman is to be compared to God, and the statue to the world. How then, you fools, do you think that creation, being co-infinite with the Creator, does not need the Creator? For what is co-infinite, having no beginning of coming into being at all, must also be co-unmade and of equal power. And the unmade, shown to be self-perfect and unchangeable, will be without need and incorruptible; and if this is so, the world is no longer changeable, on your view.

Notes and citation

Summary: By the image of a statue, Methodius argues that a work without beginning would need no maker, so an eternal world would be uncreated, unchangeable, and equal to God, which is absurd.

  • Photius's excerpt from Methodius, On Things Created. The OCR is badly damaged in the middle of this passage; garbled words are shown as "…" and clear slips corrected (logged). The sentence "So the world was not and will not be … the same for ever" reads οὐκοῦν ("so") in the OCR; it is translated as a negative conclusion (οὐκ οὖν), which the argument requires (uncertain).

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR garble; OCR slip; OCR slip (Latin letters); OCR slip (accent); line number inside a word; OCR slip): ἐροίμὴν → ἐροίμην; ῃ) δι ἑαυτόν → ἢ δι᾽ ἑαυτόν; χαρα80 χτῆρα → χαρακτῆρα; τρύπῳ → τρόπῳ; ἀνέρχος → ἄναρχος; ZZ οὗτοι → ὦ οὗτοι; τεχνίτης 4 τί → τεχνίτης ἢ τί; δημίου ργήσας οἶὗἶτε → δημιουργήσας οὔτε; περιόεὁραμηκέναι → περιδεδραμηκέναι; ἀκοῦμον → ἄκοσμον; κόσμφ → κόσμῳ; ἐσοδύναμον → ἰσοδύναμον; ἀφθοόρον → ἄφθορον.

Cite (SBL): Methodius, Creat. 7 (Bonwetsch GCS 27:497; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-de-creatis/1/#p-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek excerpts preserved by Photius (Bonwetsch, GCS 27, 1917); re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 9

9Bonwetsch GCS 27:498

Ὅτι φησὶν ὁ ἅγιος, Δύο δὲ δυνάμεις ἐν τοῖς προωμολογημένοις ἔφαμεν εἶναι ποιητικάς, τὴν ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων γυμνῷ τῷ βουλήματι χωρὶς μελλησμοῦ ἅμα τῷ θελῆσαι αὐτουργοῦσαν ὃ βούλεται ποιεῖν" τυγχάνει δὲ ὃ πατήρ᾽ θατέραν δὲ κατακοσμοῦσαν καὶ ποικίλλουσαν κατὰ μίμησιν τῆς προτέρας τὰ ἤδη γεγονότα" ἔστι δὲ ὁ υἱός, ἡ παντοδύναμος καὶ κραταιὰ χεὶρ τοῦ πατρός, ἐν ἢ μετὰ τὸ ποιῆσαι τὴν ὕλην ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων κατακοσμεῖ.

Hoti phēsin ho hagios, Dyo de dynameis en tois proōmologēmenois ephamen einai poiētikas, tēn ex ouk ontōn gymnǭ tǭ boulēmati chōris mellēsmou hama tǭ thelēsai autourgousan ho bouletai poiein" tynchanei de ho patēr᾽ thateran de katakosmousan kai poikillousan kata mimēsin tēs proteras ta ēdē gegonota" esti de ho huios, hē pantodynamos kai krataia cheir tou patros, en ē meta to poiēsai tēn hylēn ex ouk ontōn katakosmei.

The saint says: In what was agreed before, we said that there are two creative powers: the one which, by bare will, without delay, at the same moment as it wills, itself makes out of what is not whatever it wishes to make (this is the Father); and the other, which adorns and diversifies what has already come into being, in imitation of the first (this is the Son, the all-powerful and mighty hand of the Father), in which, after making matter out of what is not, he adorns it.

Ps 33:9 (32:9 LXX) (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Methodius distinguishes two creative powers: the Father, who creates from nothing by his will, and the Son, the Father's hand, who orders and adorns what was made.

  • Photius's excerpt from Methodius, On Things Created (uncorrected OCR; slips corrected and logged). The description of the Son as the Father's hand who adorns what the Father created is translated as written. Compare Irenaeus, Against Heresies 4.20.1 (the Son and Spirit as God's hands).

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip; OCR slip (Latin letters); OCR slip (accent)): προοωμολογημένοις → προωμολογημένοις; ὀντῶν → ὄντων; τὰ ON γεγονότα → τὰ ἤδη γεγονότα; 6 υἱός → ὁ υἱός; πανταδύναμος → παντοδύναμος.

Extrabiblical texts: Irenaeus, Haer. 4.20.1 (Against Heresies; echo)

Topics: Trinity

Cite (SBL): Methodius, Creat. 9 (Bonwetsch GCS 27:498; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-de-creatis/1/#p-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek excerpts preserved by Photius (Bonwetsch, GCS 27, 1917); re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 10

10Bonwetsch GCS 27:498

Ὅτι τὸ Ἰὼβ βιβλίον Μωσέως εἶναι ὁ ἅγιος φησιν.

Hoti to Iōb biblion Mōseōs einai ho hagios phēsin.

The saint says that the book of Job is by Moses.

Notes and citation

Summary: Methodius held that Moses wrote the book of Job.

  • Photius's one-line report from Methodius, On Things Created (uncorrected OCR; slips corrected and logged).

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR junk; OCR slip (Latin letters)): ayıos → ἅγιος; r Ω Ἣ - - , \ > \ \ - → .

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Methodius, Creat. 10 (Bonwetsch GCS 27:498; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-de-creatis/1/#p-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek excerpts preserved by Photius (Bonwetsch, GCS 27, 1917); re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 11

11Bonwetsch GCS 27:498

Ὅτι περὶ τοῦ »ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησε τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆνε τῷ σι φησίν. ἀρχὴν δὲ αὐτὴν τὴν σοφίαν λέγων τις οὐκ ἂν ἁμάρτοι. λέγεται γὰρ παρά τινι τῶν ἐκ τοῦ θείου χοροῦ λέγουσα περὶ αὐτῆς τὸν τρόπον τοῦτον »κύριος ἔχτισέ μὲ ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ, εἰς ἔργα αὐτοῦ πρὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος ἐθεμελίωσέ με«. ἦν γὰρ ἀκόλουθον καὶ πρεπωδέστερον πάντα ἃ εἰς γένεσιν ἦλθον εἶναι ταύτης νεώτερα, ἐπεὶ καὶ δι᾿ αὐτῆς γεγόνασιν. ἐπίστησον γὰρ εἰ μὴ καὶ τό »ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος καὶ ὁ λόγος ἣν πρὸς τὸν θεόνε χατὰ τὸν εὐαγγελιστήν »καὶ θεὸς ἣν ὁ λόγος" οὗτος ἦν ἐν ἀρχῇ πρὸς τὸν θεόνς, εἰ μὴ τούτοις ὁμαρτεῖ. τὴν μὲν γὰρ ἀρχήν. ἀφ᾽ ἧς ἀνεβλάστησεν ὃ ὀρθότατος λόγος, τὸν πατέρα καὶ ποιητὴν τῶν ὅλων φατέον, ἐν ᾧ ν᾿ τῷ δέ »νοὗτος ἣν ἐν ἀρχῇ πρὸς τὸν θεόνε τὸ ἐξουσιαστιχὺν τοῦ λόγου. ὁ εἶχε παρὰ τῷ πατρὶ καὶ πρὸ τοῦ τὸν κόσμον εἰς γένεσιν παρελθεῖν, ἔοικε σημαίνειν, τὴν ἐξουσίαν ἀρχὴν εἰπών. οὐχοῦν ἀρχὴ μετὰ τὴν ἰδίαν ἄναρχον ἀρχήν, τὸν πατέρα, αὐτὸς τῶν ἄλλων γίνεται, δι᾿ ἧς ἅπαντα δημιουργεῖται.

Hoti peri tou »en archę̄ epoiēse ton ouranon kai tēn gēne tǭ si phēsin. archēn de autēn tēn sophian legōn tis ouk an hamartoi. legetai gar para tini tōn ek tou theiou chorou legousa peri autēs ton tropon touton »kyrios echtise me archēn hodōn autou, eis erga autou pro tou aiōnos ethemeliōse me«. ēn gar akolouthon kai prepōdesteron panta ha eis genesin ēlthon einai tautēs neōtera, epei kai di᾿ autēs gegonasin. epistēson gar ei mē kai to »en archę̄ ēn ho logos kai ho logos hēn pros ton theone chata ton euangelistēn »kai theos hēn ho logos" houtos ēn en archę̄ pros ton theons, ei mē toutois homartei. tēn men gar archēn. aph᾽ hēs aneblastēsen ho orthotatos logos, ton patera kai poiētēn tōn holōn phateon, en hǭ n᾿ tǭ de »noutos hēn en archę̄ pros ton theone to exousiastichyn tou logou. ho eiche para tǭ patri kai pro tou ton kosmon eis genesin parelthein, eoike sēmainein, tēn exousian archēn eipōn. ouchoun archē meta tēn idian anarchon archēn, ton patera, autos tōn allōn ginetai, di᾿ hēs hapanta dēmiourgeitai.

On "In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth" he says: One would not be wrong in saying that the beginning is Wisdom itself. For one of the divine choir is said to speak of her in this way: "The Lord created me as the beginning of his ways, for his works; before the age he founded me." For it was fitting and more appropriate that all things that came into being should be younger than she, since they also came into being through her. Consider whether "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God," according to the evangelist, "and the Word was God; he was in the beginning with God," does not agree with these. For the beginning from which the most upright Word sprang we must say is the Father and Maker of all things, in whom he was; and "he was in the beginning with God" seems to signify the authority of the Word, which he had with the Father even before the world came into being, calling the authority "beginning." So after his own beginning without beginning, the Father, he himself becomes the beginning of the others, through which all things are made.

Gen 1:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Prov 8:22 (quotation, high confidence) · Prov 8:23 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:1 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:2 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:3 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The "beginning" of Genesis 1:1 is Wisdom, the Word, who was with the Father before creation and through whom all things were made.

  • Photius's excerpt from Methodius, On Things Created (uncorrected OCR; slips corrected and logged; the word after γῆν is garbled and omitted). Prov 8:22–23 in the Greek form ("created me") is applied to Wisdom, the Word, as written; the verse was later disputed in the Arian controversy. John 1:1–2. The Father is called the Word's "beginning without beginning", as written.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR doubled article; OCR lost letter; OCR slip; OCR slip (Latin letters); OCR slips; OCR split word; line number inside a word): ρχὴν δὲ → ἀρχὴν δὲ; τρύπον → τρόπον; »κχύριος → »κύριος; ἐθθεμελίωσέ μεκς → ἐθεμελίωσέ με«; η» γὰρ → ἦν γὰρ; τό νὲν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγο & → τό »ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος; ὃ ὁ λόγος → ὁ λόγος; ZI ἐν → ἦν ἐν; 20γος → λόγος; σημ αἰνεῖν → σημαίνειν.

Topics: Christology, Trinity

Cite (SBL): Methodius, Creat. 11 (Bonwetsch GCS 27:498; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-de-creatis/1/#p-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek excerpts preserved by Photius (Bonwetsch, GCS 27, 1917); re-read against the Greek.