ACC ~ Revelation 3 v14c

CHRIST IS BOTH PATH AND GOAL. PRIMASIUS: Since in the person of the one Christ humanity is said to have been assumed, he says, “who is the beginning of the creation of God.” It is appropriate to regard the Lord Christ as the beginning of God’s creation because of the mystery of the incarnation. From his person we read, “The Lord created me as a beginning of his ways.” And the apostle said, “Since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest,” and following. For he himself is the Way, who is the fatherland, he himself the Author of faith, who is also its fulfiller, he himself both alpha and omega, he himself the beginning whom no ones precedes, he himself the end whom no one succeeds as ruler. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 3.14.

CHRIST RULES ALL THINGS. OECUMENIUS: “The beginning of the creation of God,” he says. Most likely, that Arian gang of Christ fighters would adduce this passage as though through these words the Son was rendered a creature. But let us not accept these impious words of theirs. Rather, it must be considered whether in any other Scripture such a view is advanced, so that someone might make a judgment by comparing like with like. Writing to the Colossians, the wise apostle spoke of the Son: “Who is first fruit, the firstborn of all creation.” He did not say “first-created.” And so, also the prophet says, “From the womb before the morning star, I begot you,” not “I created you.” And so also Solomon: “Before all the hills, he brought me forth.” In his treatise Concerning the Son, the holy Gregory interpreted the passage, “The Lord created me as the beginning of his ways,”to refer to the body of the Lord with its rational soul, but the language “he brought forth” to the divinity. Since they all claim as dogmatic truth the “generation” of the only Word and Son, and not his “creation,” what then do these words, “the beginning of the creation of God,” mean? Nothing other than that he who possesses the beginning in all things is the “ruler” of the creation of God. For, since the Father made all things through the Son, rightfully does he who is the creator and maker of all things and who brought all things from nonbeing into being rule those things made by him. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 3.14-22.

Rev