ACC ~ John 1 v18b

HE IS THE ONLY SON; WE ARE MANY SONS

AUGUSTINE: He is Son by nature, we by grace; he is the “only Son,” we are many, because he is born, we are adopted. [1] So while God had a one and only Son, “he did not spare,” as the apostle says, “his very own one and only Son, but gave him up for us all.” [2] What greater medicine could the human race demand or hope for, than that the only Son should be sent, not to live with us, but to die? SERMON 348A.3. [3]

[1] See Gal 4:5.

[2] Rom 8:32.

[3] WSA 3 11:311.

THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON

HILARY OF POITIERS: It seemed to [John] that the name of Son did not set forth with sufficient distinctness his true divinity, unless he gave an external support to the peculiar majesty of Christ by indicating the difference between him and all others. And so he not only calls him the Son but adds the further designation of the Only Begotten. In this way he cuts away the last prop from under this imaginary adoption. For the fact that he is Only Begotten is proof positive of his right to the name of Son. ON THE TRINITY 6.39. [1]

[1] NPNF 2 9:113*.

THE ONLY ONE WHO COULD SEE GOD

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: “No one has seen God at any time;” for the “Only Begotten” himself being God, “which is in the bosom of” God “the Father,” made this declaration to us, saying most clearly to the hierophant [1] Moses, “No one shall see my face and live.” [2] He also said to his own disciples, “Not that any one has seen the Father, except he who is of God, he has seen the Father.” [3] For the Father is visible to the Son, who alone is Son by nature, and only in this way may one understand [4] that the divine nature divinely sees and is seen. It is not [visible] to anything else that exists. COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 1.10. [5]

[1] Lit., “the holy revealer.”

[2] Ex 33:20.

[3] Jn 6:46.

[4] Gk eikasai.

[5] LF 43:122**.

THE ONLY BEGOTTEN GOD IS NOT A DIFFERENT GOD

HILARY OF POITIERS: In the nature of God, God is one, yet in such a way that the Son also is God, because in him there is not a different nature. And since he is God of God, both must be God, and since there is no difference of kind between them, there is no distinction in their essence. The idea of having a number of titular gods is rejected because there is no diversity in the quality of the divine nature. Therefore he is anathema who says there are many gods, and he is anathema who denies that the Son is God. It is fully shown that the fact that each has one and the same name arises from the real character of the similar substance in each…. In confessing the unborn God the Father, and the only begotten God the Son, with no dissimilarity of essence between them, each is called God. And yet, God must be believed and be declared to be one. So by the diligent and watchful care of the bishops the creed guards the similarity of the nature begotten and the nature begetting, confirming it by the application of one name. ON THE COUNCILS 36. [1]

[1] NPNF 2 9:14*.