To Autolycus 1.5
Summary: God, like the soul in the body or a pilot on a ship, is invisible but known by his works; creation is enclosed in God's hand like seeds in a pomegranate.
Greek text · Otto 8:16–18
Καθάπερ γὰρ ψυχὴ ἐν ἀνθρώπῳ οὐ βλέπεται, ἀόρατος οὖσα ἀνθρώποις, διὰ δὲ τῆς κινήσεως τοῦ σώματος νοεῖται ἡ ψυχή, οὕτως ἔχοι ἂν καὶ τὸν θεὸν μὴ δύνασθαι ὁραθῆναι ὑπὸ ὀφθαλμῶν ἀνθρωπίνων, διὰ δὲ τῆς προνοίας καὶ τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ βλέπεται καὶ νοεῖται. Ὃν τρόπον γὰρ καὶ πλοῖον θεασάμενός τις ἐν θαλάσσῃ κατηρτισμένον καὶ τρέχον καὶ κατερχόμενον εἰς λιμένα δῆλον ὅτι ἡγήσεται εἶναι ἐν αὐτῷ κυβερνήτην τὸν κυβερνῶντα αὐτό, οὕτως δεῖ νοεῖν εἶναι τὸν θεὸν κυβερνήτην τῶν ὅλων, εἰ καὶ οὐ θεωρεῖται ὀφθαλμοῖς σαρκίνοις διὰ τὸ αὐτὸν ἀχώρητον εἶναι. Εἰ γὰρ τῷ ἡλίῳ ἐλαχίστῳ ὄντι στοιχείῳ οὐ δύναται ἄνθρωπος ἀτενίσαι διὰ τὴν ὑπερβάλλουσαν θέρμην καὶ δύναμιν, πῶς οὐχὶ μᾶλλον τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ δόξῃ ἀνεκφράστῳ οὔσῃ ἄνθρωπος θνητὸς οὐ δύναται ἀντωπῆσαι; Ὃν τρόπον γὰρ ῥοά, ἔχουσα φλοιὸν τὸν περιέχοντα αὐτήν, ἔνδον ἔχει μονὰς καὶ θήκας πολλὰς διαχωριζομένας διὰ ὑμένων καὶ πολλοὺς κόκκους ἔχει τοὺς ἐν αὐτῇ κατοικοῦντας, οὕτως ἡ πᾶσα κτίσις περιέχεται ὑπὸ πνεύματος θεοῦ, καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ περιέχον σὺν τῇ κτίσει περιέχεται ὑπὸ χειρὸς θεοῦ· ὥσπερ οὖν ὁ κόκκος τῆς ῥοᾶς ἔνδον κατοικῶν οὐ δύναται ὁρᾶν τὰ ἔξω τοῦ λέκους, αὐτὸς ὢν ἔνδον, οὕτως οὐδὲ ἄνθρωπος ἐμπεριεχόμενος μετὰ πάσης τῆς κτίσεως ὑπὸ χειρὸς θεοῦ οὐ δύναται θεωρεῖν τὸν θεόν. Εἶτα βασιλεὺς μὲν ἐπίγειος πιστεύεται εἶναι, καίπερ μὴ πᾶσιν βλεπόμενος, διὰ δὲ νόμων καὶ διατάξεων αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξουσιῶν καὶ δυνάμεων καὶ εἰκόνων νοεῖται. Τὸν δὲ θεὸν οὐ βούλει σὺ νοεῖσθαι διὰ ἔργων καὶ δυνάμεων;
English · Claude translation
For just as the soul in a human being is not seen, being invisible to people, but is perceived through the movement of the body, so God cannot be seen by human eyes, but is seen and perceived through his providence and his works. When someone sees a ship on the sea, fitted out, running before the wind and making for harbor, he will plainly conclude that there is a pilot on board steering it; so we must conclude that God is the pilot of the universe, even though he is not seen with eyes of flesh, since he is beyond containing. If a human being cannot look at the sun, though it is a very small element, because of its surpassing heat and power, how much less can a mortal face the glory of God, which is beyond expression? A pomegranate, enclosed by its rind, has within it many cells and compartments separated by membranes, and many seeds that dwell in it. In the same way the whole creation is enclosed by the spirit of God, and the enclosing spirit, together with the creation, is enclosed by the hand of God. And just as the pomegranate seed, dwelling within, cannot see what is outside the rind, since it is inside, so the human being, enclosed with the whole creation by the hand of God, cannot behold God. Again, an earthly king is believed to exist even though he is not seen by everyone, and is known through his laws and ordinances, his officials and forces and statues; and will you not allow God to be known through his works and mighty deeds?
About this passage
Notes
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (accent: grave on ὢν before a following word): αὐτὸς ὤν ἔνδον → αὐτὸς ὢν ἔνδον.
Cite this passage
Theophilus, Autol. 1.5 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theophilus-autolycus/1/5/).
Plain text
Theophilus, Autol. 1.5 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theophilus-autolycus/1/5/).
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