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From the Work on Things Created

Methodius of Olympus

Section 2

About this work

Author: Methodius of Olympus

II. Origen says that what he calls the Centaur is

‹ Section 1 Section 3 ›

the

universe

which

is

co

-

eternal

with

the

only

wise

and

independent

God

.

For

he

says

,

since

there

is

no

workman

without

some

work

,

or

maker

without

something

made

,

so

neither

is

there

an

Almighty

without

an

object

of

His

power

.

For

the

workman

must

be

so

called

from

his

work

,

and

the

maker

from

what

he

makes

,

and

the

Almighty

Ruler

from

that

which

He

rules

over

.

And

so

it

must

be

,

that

these

things

were

made

by

God

from

the

beginning

,

and

that

there

was

no

time

in

which

they

did

not

exist

.

For

if

there

was

a

time

when

the

things

that

are

made

did

not

exist

,

then

,

as

there

were

no

things

which

had

been

made

,

so

there

was

no

maker

;

which

you

see

to

be

an

impious

conclusion

.

And

it

will

result

that

the

unchangeable

and

unaltered

God

has

altered

and

changed

.

For

if

He

made

the

universe

later

,

it

is

clear

that

He

passed

from

not

making

to

making

.

But

this

is

absurd

in

connection

with

what

has

been

said

.

It

is

impossible

,

therefore

,

to

say

that

the

universe

is

not

unbeginning

and

co

-

eternal

with

God

.

To

whom

the

saint

replies

,

in

the

person

of

another

,

asking

,

“

Do

you

not

consider

God

the

beginning

and

fountain

of

wisdom

and

glory

,

and

in

short

of

all

virtue

in

substance

and

not

by

acquisition

?

”

“

Certainly

,

”

he

says

.

“

And

what

besides

?

Is

He

not

by

Himself

perfect

and

independent

?

”

“

True

;

for

it

is

impossible

that

he

who

is

independent

should

have

his

independence

from

another

.

For

we

must

say

,

that

all

which

is

full

by

another

is

also

imperfect

.

For

it

is

the

thing

which

has

its

completeness

of

itself

,

and

in

itself

alone

,

which

can

alone

be

considered

perfect

.

”

“

You

say

most

truly

.

For

would

you

pronounce

that

which

is

neither

by

itself

complete

,

nor

its

own

completeness

,

to

be

independent

?

”

“

By

no

means

.

For

that

which

is

perfect

through

anything

else

must

needs

be

in

itself

imperfect

.

”

“

Well

,

then

shall

God

be

considered

perfect

by

Himself

,

and

not

by

some

other

?

”

“

Most

rightly

.

”

“

Then

God

is

something

different

from

the

world

,

and

the

world

from

God

?

”

“

Quite

so

.

”

“

We

must

not

then

say

that

God

is

perfect

,

and

Creator

,

and

Almighty

,

through

the

world

?

”

“

No

;

for

He

must

surely

by

Himself

,

and

not

by

the

world

,

and

that

changeable

,

be

found

perfect

by

Himself

.

”

“

Quite

so

.

”

“

But

you

will

say

that

the

rich

man

is

called

rich

on

account

of

his

riches

?

And

that

the

wise

man

is

called

wise

not

as

being

wisdom

itself

,

but

as

being

a

possessor

of

substantial

wisdom

?

”

“

Yes

.

”

“

Well

,

then

,

since

God

is

something

different

from

the

world

,

shall

He

be

called

on

account

of

the

world

rich

,

and

beneficent

,

and

Creator

?

”

“

By

no

means

.

Away

with

such

a

thought

!

”

“

Well

,

then

,

He

is

His

own

riches

,

and

is

by

Himself

rich

and

powerful

.

”

“

So

it

seems

.

”

“

He

was

then

before

the

world

altogether

independent

,

being

Father

,

and

Almighty

,

and

Creator

;

so

that

He

by

Himself

,

and

not

by

another

,

was

this

.

”

“

It

must

be

so

.

”

“

Yes

;

for

if

He

were

acknowledged

to

be

Almighty

on

account

of

the

world

,

and

not

of

Himself

,

being

distinct

from

the

world

,

—

may

God

forgive

the

words

,

which

the

necessity

of

the

argument

requires

,

—

He

would

by

Himself

be

imperfect

and

have

need

of

these

things

,

through

which

He

is

marvellously

Almighty

and

Creator

.

We

must

not

then

admit

this

pestilent

sin

of

those

who

say

concerning

God

,

that

He

is

Almighty

and

Creator

by

the

things

which

He

controls

and

creates

,

which

are

changeable

,

and

that

He

is

not

so

by

Himself

.

”