ACC ~ John 14 v20
DIFFERENT HUMAN AND DIVINE INDWELLINGS
HILARY OF POITIERS: If he wished to indicate a mere unity of will, why did he set forth a kind of gradation and sequence in the completion of the unity, unless it were that, since he was in the Father through the nature of deity and we on the contrary are in him through his birth in the body, he would have us believe that he is in us through the mystery of the sacraments? And thus there might be taught a perfect unity through a mediator while, we abiding in him, he abode in the Father and as abiding in the Father abode also in us. In this way we might arrive at unity with the Father, since in him who dwells naturally in the Father by birth, we also dwell naturally while he himself abides naturally in us also. ON THE TRINITY 8.15. [1]
[1] NPNF 2 9:141-42*; CCL 62A:327.
A UNION OF DIVINE PARTICIPATION
CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: If it is merely because he loves and is loved that the Son is in God the Father, and if by the same law we are in the Son and he in us, and no different bond of union is discernibleâwhether we consider that which binds the Son to the Father or us to him and him to usâthen in what sense, or on what principle, I ask you, does Jesus say that âin that dayâ we shall know the mystery of this? âŚ
âFor in that day you shall know,â he says, âthat I am in the Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.â For I myself live, he says, for I am life by nature and have shown the temple of my own body alive. But when you yourselves (albeit you are of a corruptible nature) also behold yourselves living in a similar way as I do, then indeed you shall know very clearly that I, being life by nature, knitted you through myself into God the Father, who is also himself life by nature, making you partakers as it were and sharers in his incorruption. For I am in the Father naturally, being the fruit of his essence and its real offspring, subsisting in it, having shone forth from it. I am life of life, and you are in me and I in you, forasmuch as I appeared as a man myself and made you partakers of the divine nature by having my Spirit dwell in you. For Christ is in us through the Spirit, converting that which has a natural tendency to corruption into incorruption and transferring it from the condition of dying to that which is otherwise. And so Paul also says that âhe who raised Jesus Christ from the dead shall enliven also your mortal bodies through his Spirit that dwells in you.â [1] For albeit the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father, yet he comes through the Son and is his own. For all things are through the Son from the Father. The divine psalmist will testify that it was through the Spirit that we were recreated for eternal life when he cries as one speaking to the God of all ⌠, âYou shall take away their breath and they shall fail and shall turn again to their dust. You shall send forth your Spirit, and they shall be made, and you shall renew the face of the earth. [2] Do you hear how the transgression that was in Adam and theâturning awayâ from the divine commandments, troubled the nature of humanity and made it return to its own earth? But when God sent forth his Spirit and made us partakers of his own nature and through him renewed the face of the earth, we were transfigured to ânewness of life,â casting off the corruption that comes with sin and once more grasping eternal life through the grace and love toward the human race that our Lord Jesus Christ has. COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 9.1. [3]
[1] Rom 8:11.
[2] Ps 104:28-30 (103:28-30 LXX).
[3] LF 48:312, 321-22*.
IMPLICATIONS OF UNITY WITH FATHER AND SON
THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA: Then, he says, from these facts only you will learn that what I said to you was true about which you now have your doubts. I said, âI am in my Fatherâ concerning the equality of nature and the inseparable connection when I will appear so. And I said âyou are in meâ concerning your faith and love for me when you will be made a participant with me in charity and also in the gift of the Spirit. âAnd I in youâ is said with reference to what the close connection will cause when, after being regenerated by the power of the Spirit, you are with me in the body and I am with you in the head. [1] COMMENTARY ON JOHN 6.14.20. [2]
[1] Eph 4:15-16; Col 2:19.
[2] CSCO 4 3:274-75.
BECOMING ONE OF THREE PERSONS
APHRAHAT: When someone sweeps clean their soul in the name of Christ, Christ dwells in them and God dwells in Christ. From that time onward, that person becomes one of three personsâhimself; Christ, who dwells in him; and God, who dwells in Christ. DEMONSTRATION 4.11. [1]
[1] CS 101:15-16**.
Jn