ACC ~ Mark 1 v11a

THE TRIUNE WITNESS

ORIGEN: In the Jordan the Trinity was manifested to humanity. The Father bore witness, the Son received witness, and the Holy Spirit gave confirmation. FRAGMENTS ON MATTHEW 58. [1]

[1] GLCS 41.1.38; AEG 307. Origen remarks in his Homilies on Genesis: “Then for the first time the mystery of the Trinity began to be disclosed” (Homily 2.5, FC 71:84).

THE TRIUNE PRESENCE

AUGUSTINE: The Trinity appears very clearly: the Father in the voice, the Son in the man, the Spirit in the dove. TRACTATE ON JOHN 6.5.1. [1]

[1] Cetedoc 0278, 6.5.11; FC 78:133.

THREE IN ONE

AUGUSTINE: In the Scripture many details are mentioned distinguishably of each of the triune Persons individually, such as cannot be said of them jointly, even though they are inseparably together, as when they are made manifest by corporeal sounds. So in certain passages of Scripture and through certain created beings they are shown separately and successively, as the Father in the voice which is heard: “Thou art my Son,” [1] and the Son in the human nature which he took from the Virgin, [2] and the Holy Spirit in the physical appearance of a dove. [3] These are mentioned distinguishably, it is true, but they do not prove that the Three are separated. To explicate this, we take as an example the unity of our memory, our understanding, our will. Although we list these distinguishably, individually and in their various functions, there is nothing we do or say which proceeds from one of them without the other two. [4] However, we are not to think that these three faculties are compared to the Trinity so as to resemble it at every point, for a comparison is never given such importance in an argument that it exactly fits the thing to which it is compared. Besides, when can any likeness in a created being be applied to the Creator? LETTER 169, TO EUODIUS. [5]

[1] Cf. Ps 2:7; Mt 3:17; Mk 1:11; Lk 3:22; Acts 13:33; Heb 5:5.

[2] Mt 1:23, 25; Lk 2:7.

[3] Mt 3:16; Mk 1:10; Lk 3:22; Jn 1:32.

[4] As memory, understanding and will are three and can be conceived distinguishably, nothing we do or say proceeds from one of them without the other two. In this way God is three yet one.

[5] Cetedoc 0262, 169.44.2.615.5; FC 30:54-55.