ACC ~ John 1 v3b

ALL THINGS VISIBLE OR INVISIBLE CREATED BY CHRIST

CHRYSOSTOM: And that you may not think that he merely speaks of all the things mentioned by Moses, he adds that “without him was not anything made that was made.” That is to say, that of created things, not one—whether it be visible or intelligible—was brought into being without the power of the Son. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 5.1. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 14:21*.

DISTINCTION BETWEEN CREATOR AND COMPANION

HILARY OF POITIERS: “All things were made through him” needs qualification. There is the Unbegotten who no one made; there is also the Son, begotten of the unborn Father. “All things” is an unguarded statement, admitting no exceptions. While we are silent, not daring to answer or trying to think of some reply, you [John] break in with, “And without him was nothing made.” You have restored the author of the Godhead to his place while proclaiming that he has a companion. From your saying that nothing was made “without him,” I learn that he was not alone. He through whom the work was done is one; he without whom it was not done is another: a distinction is drawn between Creator and Companion.

Reverence for the one unbegotten Creator distressed me, lest in your sweeping assertion that all things were made by the Word you had included him. You have banished my fears by your “without him was nothing made.” Yet this same “without him was nothing made” brings its own trouble and distraction. There was, then, something made by that other; not made, it is true, “without him.” If the other did make anything, even if the Word were present at the making, then it is untrue that “through him all things were made.” It is one thing to be the Creator’s Companion, quite another to be the Creator’s self. I could find answers of my own to the previous objections; in this case, fisherman, I can only turn at once to your words, “All things were made through him.” And now I understand, for the apostle has enlightened me with these words: “Things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers, all are”through” him and “in him.” [1] ON THE TRINITY 2.18-19. [2]

[1] Col 1:16.

[2] NPNF 2 9:57*. See below on Jn 1:4, where his argument continues, and also Cyril of Jerusalem Catechetical Lectures 11.21.

MADE NOT ONLY THROUGH BUT BY THE WORD

ORIGEN: Now let us see why the statement “And without him was not anything made” is added. Some might think it superfluous to subjoin “without him was not anything made” to “all things were made through him.” For if every conceivable thing has been made “through the Word,” nothing has been made “without the Word.” That all things have been made through the Word, however, does not now follow from the assertion that nothing has been made without the Word. It is possible that not only have all things been made through the Word but also that some things have been made by the Word.

We must know, therefore, how the expression “all things” is to be understood and how “nothing” should be understood. For it is possible, if both expressions have not been made clear, to take it to mean that if all things were made through the Word, and evil and all the profusion of sin and wickedness belong to the “all things,” that these too, were made through the Word. But this is a false conclusion. For… it is not surprising that all creatures have been made through the Word… but this does not now follow also for acts of sin and falling away. COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 2.91-92. [1]

[1] FC 80:118, SC 120:264-66.

NOT-BEING AND NOTHING ARE SYNONYMS

ORIGEN: So far as the meaning of “nothing” and “not being” are concerned, they will appear to be synonyms. “Not being” would be meant by “nothing,” and “nothing” by “not being.” The apostle indeed appears to use the expression “those things that are not” not for things that exist nowhere but for things that are wicked, considering “those things that are not” to be things that are bad. For he says, “God called those things that are not as those that are.” [1] … “Not being” and “nothing” are synonyms, and for this reason those “who are not” are “nothing,” and all evil is “nothing,” since it too is “not being.” And evil, which is called “nothing,” has been made without the Word, not being included in “all things.” We have presented then to the best of our ability, what the “all things” are that have been made through the Word, and what that is which was made without him, and, because it never was, is also for this reason called “nothing.” COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 2.94, 99. [2]

[1] Rom 4:17.

[2] FC 80:119-20*, SC 120:268-70. In this section Origen also tells why the devil is included in creation.

HUMAN BEINGS BECOME NOTHING WHEN THEY SIN

AUGUSTINE: Certainly sin was not made through him, and it is clear that sin is nothing and that human beings become nothing when they sin. And an idol was not made through the Word. Indeed an idol has a certain shape, but humankind has been made through the Word. For the form of humanity in the idol was not made through the Word. And it has been written, “We know that an idol is nothing.” [1] These things, then, were not made through the Word; but whatever things were made through the agency of nature, whatever exist in creation, all things of all kinds whatsoever—from the angel to the grubworm—[these are what were made by the Word]. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 1.13.1. [2]

[1] 1 Cor 8:4.

[2] FC 78:52.

CHRIST, THE MAKER OF ALL, IS THE MODEL OF AUTHENTIC POVERTY

AUGUSTINE: We have found the genuine poor person. We have found him to be kind and humble, not trusting in himself, truly poor, a member of the poor man, who became poor for our sake, though he was rich. Look at this rich man of ours, who “for our sake became poor, though he was rich;” [1] see how rich he is: “All things were made through him, and without him was made nothing.” There is more to making gold than to having it. You are rich in gold, silver, flocks, household, farms, produce; you were unable to create these things for yourself, though. See how rich he is: “All things were made though him.” See how poor he is: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” [2] Who can fittingly reflect on his riches, how he makes and is not made, how he creates and is not created, is not formed but forms, forms changeable things while changelessly abiding ephemeral things while he himself is everlasting? Who can fittingly ponder his riches? Let us ponder his poverty instead, in case being poor ourselves we may just be able to grasp it. SERMON 14.9. [3]

[1] 2 Cor 8:9.

[2] Jn 1:14.

[3] WSA 3 1:320-21*. See also Sermon 265E.2; Sermon 239.6 for similar treatments of Christ’s poverty on our behalf using this passage.

Jn