1 Timothy 6:11–16

"As for you, man of God, flee from these things." You see, he didn't just say, "Leave and forsake," but "Flee from," as from an enemy. You were trying to flee with gold; flee from gold instead. Let your heart flee from it, and your use of it need have no worries. Do without greed; don't do without concern for others. There's something you can do with gold, if you're its master, not its slave. If you're the master of gold, you can do good with it; if you're its slave, it can do evil with you.

Strive to discover stirrings that are good during the time of prayer, as the wise do. These consist in reflection on the Spirit's insights and sagacious thought, and consideration during the time of prayer of how to please the will of the Maker of all. This is the final end of all virtue and of all prayer. When in these matters you receive the power that stems from grace to be bound firmly to their continual stirrings, you will become a "man of God" and will be close to spiritual things.

"But thou, O man of God."

This is a title of great dignity. For we are all men of God, but the righteous peculiarly so, not by right of creation only, but by that of appropriation. If then thou art a "man of God," seek not superfluous things, which lead thee not to God, but

"Flee these things, and follow after righteousness." Both expressions are emphatic; he does not say turn from one, and approach the other, but "flee these things, pursue righteousness," so as not to be covetous.

"Godliness," that is, soundness in doctrines. "Faith," which is opposed to questionings. "Love," patience, meekness.

Immortality, then, is not the consequence of nature, but the reward and recompense of virtue. Lastly, man does not immediately upon his birth walk upright, but at first on all fours, because the nature of his body and of this present life is common to us with the dumb animals; afterwards, when his strength is confirmed, he raises himself, and his tongue is loosened so that he speaks plainly, and he ceases to be a dumb animal. And this argument teaches that man is born mortal; but that he afterwards becomes immortal, when he begins to live in conformity with the will of God, that is, to follow righteousness, which is comprised in the worship of God, since God raised man to a view of the heaven and of Himself. And this takes place when man, purified in the heavenly laver, lays aside his infancy together with all the pollution of his past life, and having received an increase of divine vigour, becomes a perfect and complete man.

Therefore, because God has set forth virtue before man, although the soul and the body are connected together, yet they are contrary, and oppose one another. The things which are good for the soul are evil to the body, that is, the avoiding of riches, the prohibiting of pleasures, the contempt of pain and death. In like manner, the things which are good for the body are evil to the soul, that is, desire and lust, by which riches are desired, and the enjoyments of various pleasures, by which the soul is weakened and destroyed.

But you, O man of God, flee these things; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.

But you, O man of God. Great is the dignity. For all men are servants of God, especially the righteous, not only according to the reason of creation, but also according to that of adoption.

flee these things. Both with emphasis; for Paul did not say, "Avoid this one, but approach that one," but rather, "Flee and pursue."

pursue righteousness. To have no more than is sufficient for life.

godliness. In doctrines.

faith. Without controversies.

love. The offspring of faith, towards God and men. The order of the statement is good. For from faith, love is born; and from love, patience. And patience, as it walks, makes gentleness.

...as also he who hath after the example of Timothy ordered his life, obeying him who says, "Follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses."

He in whomsoever the Spirit of God is, is in accord with the will of the Spirit of God; and, because he is in accord with the Spirit of God, therefore does he mortify the deeds of the body and live unto God, "treading down and subjugating the body and keeping it under; so that, while preaching to others," he may be a beautiful example and pattern to believers, and may spend his life in works which are worthy of the Holy Spirit, so that he may "not be cast away," [1 Corinthians 9:27] but may be approved before God and before men. For in "the man who is of God," [1 Timothy 6:11] with him I say there is nothing of the mind of the flesh; and especially in virgins of either sex; but the fruits of all of them are "the fruits of the Spirit" [Galatians 5:22] and of life, and they are truly the city of God, and the houses and temples in which God abides and dwells, and among which He walks, as in the holy city of heaven.

Great is this dignity! True, all people are God's, but especially the righteous — not only because they are God's creatures, but also because of their closeness to God. If you are a man of God, then do not seek that which turns you away from God, but what?

Do both with intense diligence. He did not say withdraw and approach, but: "flee these things and pursue righteousness," so as not to rob anyone, as those who wish to become rich do.

He means the dogmas.

Which does not admit of investigation.

That is, in a correct way of life, for its foundation is love.

From love comes patience and meekness. For love endures all things and is long-suffering.

Then when he says, but you, O man of God, he warns him to follow sound doctrine and to flee from evil:

first, he describes the road he should follow;

second, he binds him to it with a command, at I charge you.

In regard to the first he does two things: first, he urges him to avoid the sins already mentioned;

second, he points out what he should do, at pursue justice.

Because a servant should imitate his master, for it is said: as the judge of the people is himself, so also are his ministers (Sir 10:2); he says, O man of God. As if to say: you are dedicated to the service of God: O Lord, I am your servant (Ps 115:16); he who says he abides in him, ought himself also to walk, even as he walked (1 John 2:6). Therefore, if you are a man of God, you ought to do as Christ did who fled when they wished to make him king (John 6:15); who having joy set before him, endured the cross, despising the same (Heb 12:2). Therefore, you too, fly these things: lo, I have gone far off, flying away; and I abode in the wilderness (Ps 54:8).

What then is he to do? Two things:

first, clothe himself in spiritual armor;

second, do battle with them, at fight the good fight.

But spiritual armor is useful either for doing good or enduring evil;

and the first of these involves us with our neighbor, to whom we are rightly ordered through justice and godliness, i.e., mercy: because the first without the second is severity, and the second without the first is weakness. As to the first he says, pursue justice, which is competent to prelates: love justice, who judge the earth (Wis 1:1); as to the second he says, godliness, i.e., mercy: mercy and truth preserve the king, and his throne is strengthened by clemency (Prov 20:28).

Doing this also involves us with God to whom we are rightly ordered, first of all, by faith which perfects the intellect: without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb 11:6); second, by charity which perfects our affectivity: he who abides in love, abides in God, and God in him (1 John 4:16).

For sustaining evils we need two virtues, namely, patience and mildness, because a man can be subject to two disorderly emotions in the face of evil, namely, immoderate sadness and the anger resulting therefrom. Therefore, patience is a shield against immoderate sadness: in your patience you shall possess your souls (Luke 21:19); and mildness against anger.

Let godliness move you to justice, continence, gentleness, that you may avoid childish acts, and that rooted and grounded in grace you may fight the good fight of faith. Do not entangle yourself in the affairs of this life, for you are fighting for God. For he who fights for the emperor is forbidden by human laws to enter upon lawsuits or do any legal business or sell merchandise. How much more ought he who enters upon the warfare of faith to keep away from every kind of business. Let him be satisfied with the produce of his own little bit of land, if he has it. If he has not that, let him be content with the pay he will get for his service.

In another place the apostle says, "And all those who will live godly lives in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution." Then, to help prevent people from renouncing godliness when they are persecuted, he urges them to cling to the faith. "You, therefore, continue in the things you have learned and been assured of." Just as brothers become strongly knit together when one helps another, so faith and godliness, coming from the same family, cohere together. A person who gives his attention to one of the two is strengthened by the other. Consequently, wishing Timothy to live godly to the end and to fight the battle in faith, St. Paul says, "Fight the good fight of faith, and lay hold on eternal life."

Recall your glorious profession which you made before God, the angels and men. Remember the august company, the holy chorus of virgins, the assembly of the Lord and the church of saints. Call to mind also your grandmother, old in Christ but still young and strong in virtue, and your mother, vying with her in the Lord and striving by new and unusual toils to destroy former habits. Remember also your sister, who is likewise both imitating and aspiring to surpass them, and who by the advantage of her virginity is outstripping the virtuous actions of her elders and is industriously summoning, both by word and by life, you her sister, as she thought, to a contest of like eagerness. Recall these, and also the angelic chorus singing with them to God, the spiritual life in the flesh and the heavenly life on earth.

"Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life." Lo, there is thy reward, "whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession," in hope of eternal life, "before many witnesses."

That is, do not put that confidence to shame. Why dost thou labor to no profit?

"Fight the good fight."

Here he commends his boldness and manliness, that before all he confidently "made profession," and he reminds him of his early instruction.

"Lay hold on eternal life."

There is need not only of profession, but of patience also to persevere in that profession, and of vehement contention, and of numberless toils, that you be not overthrown. For many are the stumbling-blocks, and impediments, therefore the way is "strait and narrow." It is necessary therefore to be self-collected, and well girt on every side. All around appear pleasures attracting the eyes of the soul. Those of beauty, of wealth, of luxury, of indolence, of glory, of revenge, of power, of dominion, and these are all fair and lovely in appearance, and able to captivate those who are unsteady, and who do not love the truth. For truth has but a severe and uninviting countenance. And why? Because the pleasures that she promises are all future, whereas the others hold out present honors and delights, and repose; though all are false and counterfeit. To these therefore adhere gross, effeminate, unmanly minds, indisposed to the toils of virtue. As in the games of the heathens, he who does not earnestly covet the crown, may from the first give himself up to revellings and drunkenness, and so do in fact the cowardly and unmanly combatants, whilst those who look steadfastly to the crown sustain blows without number. For they are supported and roused to action by the hope of future reward.

Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of eternal life, to which you were called, and you made the good confession before many witnesses.

Fight the good fight of faith. The fight of faith, both what has been said, and the courageous one in trials. And immediately the reward of such a fight, eternal life.

to which you were called. For everyone who comes to baptism is called to this.

the good confession. Rather confession, it refers to that in baptism, when we confess to renounce the Devil and to join and believe in Christ.

A command about purity, obedience until the end.

For the angels, as it were, have charge over our souls, to whom "while we are still children we are committed," as it were, "to tutors and governors until the time appointed by the father." And they, therefore, now say about the progress of each of us, "Now I know that you fear God." Suppose, for example, I intend to be a martyr. An angel could not say to me on this basis, "Now I know that you fear God," for an intention of the mind is known to God alone. But if I shall undertake the struggles, if I shall utter a "good confession," if I shall bear calmly all things which are inflicted. Then an angel can say, as if confirming and strengthening me, "Now I know that you fear God."

In like manner, O blessed, consider whatever is hard in your present situation as an exercise of your powers of mind and body. You are about to enter a noble contest in which the living God acts the part of superintendent and the Holy Spirit is your trainer, a contest whose crown is eternity, whose prize is angelic nature, citizenship in heaven for ever and ever.

That is, stand for the faith immovably and invincibly — by the power of the word and by a blameless life.

Here is the great reward for the struggle — eternal life.

For you are called to the hope of eternal life.

Here the apostle praises his boldness and courage, as one who confessed Christ amid dangers. Or he speaks of the confession that takes place at baptism, when we confess that we renounce Satan and unite ourselves to Christ. Note that what is required is not confession alone, but also endurance, so as to remain faithful to one's confession at all times, so as not to fall away from it even during severe persecution.

Then when he says, fight the good fight of faith, he urges him to engage in the conflict:

first, he shows him how to fight;

second, he gives a reason.

He says, therefore: fight the good fight as soldiers do, who fight for two reasons: either to defend what they own, or to acquire what they lack; and this holy persons also should do.

First, they should guard what they have, namely, faith and the virtues; hence he says, of faith, i.e., of defending their faith: even unto death, fight for justice (Sir 4:33). Or, of faith, that through faith they might avoid sin: this is the victory that overcomes the world: our faith. (1 John 5:4). Or, of faith, i.e., to convert others to the faith; and he calls it the good fight, i.e., a lawful battle: everyone who strives for the mastery, refrains himself from all things (1 Cor 9:25). For it is good when he abstains from all obstacles: I have fought the good fight (2 Tim 4:7).

Second, they fight to acquire what they lack, namely, eternal life, which is acquired with a struggle: the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent bear it away (Matt 11:12); hence he says, lay hold on eternal life, i.e., as if guarding something, be victorious in your struggle.

Or, fight the good fight of faith. For which reward? That you may lay hold on eternal life: but we, that we may receive an incorruptible crown (1 Cor 9:25).

Then when he says, to which you are called, he gives the reason for saying, lay hold on eternal life. First he answers an objection. As if to say: you say that I should lay hold. Of course I would like to, but I cannot. But if you can, because it is owing to you in justice, for you have been called to it by God and by the King of the kingdom of eternal life. Therefore, you should fight to the utmost: he has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Pet 2:9).

Second, he informs him of his obligation. As if to say: fight the good fight, because you have vowed to do so; consequently, it is not permitted for you to give up; hence he says, be it confessed a good confession before many witnesses, i.e., at your consecration you promised a good fight, when you were ordained a bishop: woe is unto me if I preach not the Gospel. For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, a dispensation is committed to me (1 Cor 9:16). Or, a good confession, namely, by preaching the faith to preserve it.

Again he calls God to witness, as he had done a little before, at once to increase his disciple's awe, and to secure his safety, and to show that these were not human commandments, that receiving the commandment as from the Lord Himself, and ever bearing in mind the Witness before Whom he heard it, he may have it more fearfully impressed upon his mind.

"I charge thee," he says, "before God, Who quickeneth all things."

Here is at once consolation in the dangers which awaited him, and a remembrance of the resurrection awakened in him.

"And before Jesus Christ, Who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession."

The exhortation again is derived from the example of his Master, and what he means is this; as He had done, so ought ye to do, for for this cause He "witnessed" (1 Pet. ii. 21), that we might tread in His steps.

"A good confession." What he does in his Epistle to the Hebrews,-"Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith; Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds" (Heb. xii. 2, Heb xii. 3),-that he now does to his disciple Timothy. As if he had said, Fear not death, since thou art the servant of God, Who can give life to all things.

But to what "good confession" does he allude? To that which He made when Pilate asked, "Art thou a King?" "To this end," He said, "was I born." And again, "I came, that I might bear witness to the Truth. Behold, these have heard Me." (John xviii. 37.) He may mean this, or that when asked, "Art thou the Son of God?" He answered, "Thou sayest, that I am (the Son of God)." (Luke xxii. 70.) And many other testimonies and confessions did He make.

I charge you before God, who gives life to all things, and Christ Jesus, who testified before Pontius Pilate the good confession, to keep the commandment without spot, blameless, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Again Paul makes God a witness, both increasing the fear and making the disciple more secure, because he has in mind the one who was witnessed.

who gives life to all things. This is also a comfort against dangers. For if God, Paul says, gives life to all things, why should we fear the struggles for faith? And that He encourages this is clear from what follows, Jesus Christ, who testified before Pontius Pilate. For if the Master testified, why do we delay?

Who testified before Pontius Pilate. For Jesus testified concerning what he was doing, that he himself is the Christ, the Son of God. Therefore, Clement in the seventh book of Hypotyposes.

the good confession. What good confession does it speak of? In a somewhat mysterious way, however, Jesus confessed that he is God. For when Pilate said, "Are you a king?" he said, "For this I was born." (Jn. 18:37)

to keep the commandment without spot. That is, neither tainted by doctrines nor by conduct.

until the appearing. Until, Paul says, your last breath. But he did not say it thus. However, in order to stir him more greatly, he remembered the Lord's appearance, and the dreadful glory.

What is this deposit? Is it so secret as to be supposed to characterize a new doctrine? or is it a part of that charge of which he says, "This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy? " and also of that precept of which he says, "I charge thee in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Jesus Christ who witnessed a good confession under Pontius Pilate, that thou keep this commandment? " Now, what is (this) commandment and what is (this) charge? From the preceding and the succeeding contexts, it will be manifest that there is no mysterious hint darkly suggested in this expression about (some) far-fetched doctrine, but that a warning is rather given against receiving any other (doctrine) than that which Timothy had heard from himself, as I take it publicly: "Before many witnesses" is his phrase.

Multiplying fear and making the disciple more unwavering, he calls God as witness, showing that these are not human testaments, with the purpose that, having it always in mind, he would by the remembrance of this bring his soul to trembling. "Who gives life to all things." Here is contained encouragement amid dangers and a remembrance of the resurrection; it is as if the apostle says: do not fear death, for you are a servant of God, Who can give life to all things. "And before Christ Jesus, Who witnessed." Again from the example of the Teacher he draws instruction. As He witnessed, so must we also imitate Him. Being asked by Pilate: "So then, You are a King?" – He answered: "For this I was born and came into the world, to bear witness to the truth" (Jn. 18:37). And much else He witnessed and confessed.

Then when he says, I charge you before God, he obliges him to the foregoing under orders:

first, he gives the orders;

second, he explains something he stated earlier, at which in his times.

In the orders first, he brings in witnesses; second, he commends the orders; third, he shows how they are to be kept. As witnesses he calls on God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, he says, I advised you; but lest you suppose that you can act otherwise, I charge you, as you are wont to charge those under you, before God. He had charged him to do two things, namely, lay hold on eternal life and be it confessed the good confession; therefore, he calls on the Author of life, who gives life to all things. But he says, God, who is the entire Trinity, the author of life. He also calls on the man, Christ Jesus, who claimed to be the Son of God; which is the good confession of our faith.

The commandments of God are irreproachable, because they contain nothing unjust. "I command you before God, who gives life to all things, that you keep the commandment without stain, irreproachable."

"That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ."

That is, till thy end, thy departure hence, though he does not so express it, but that he may the more arouse him, says, "till His appearing." But what is "to keep the commandment without spot"? To contract no defilement, either of doctrine or of life.

Similarly, concerning Onesiphorus, does he also write to Timothy: "The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy in that day; " unto which day and time he charges Timothy himself "to keep what had been committed to his care, without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ: which in His times He shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords," speaking of (Him as) God It is to these same times that Peter in the Acts refers, when he says: "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of His holy prophets.

That is, so that neither in dogmas nor in life would you stain yourself with anything.

That is, until your death, until your departure. However, he did not say it that way, but said: "even until the appearing," in order to encourage him more, reminding him also of that fearful glory.

Likewise, he commends the order, because in itself it is just and right and irreproachable: you shall not find iniquity in my tongue (Job 6:30).

But how long are these words in vogue? Unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The unto specifies the aim intended by these orders, i.e., that by observing these words you may prepare yourself for the coming; or, until your death, because as you are at that moment, so will death find you: he who shall persevere until the end, he shall be saved (Matt 24:13).

What is owed to the lonely Lord, which is to the Word, that is, to that spiritual, true sword of Solomon. What is the lonely? Is it the Father without the Son, or the Son without the Father? By no means. When I say only the Father, I do not separate the Son; because in the bosom and secret of the Father is the Son. When I say only the Son, I join the Father, just as the Son also joined, saying: Behold, the hour is coming when you will leave me alone: but not alone, because the Father is with me. So both the Father alone is blessed, and alone is called powerful; so that the Son may not be separated from Him, who is always in the Father.

Prayer itself must come from a humble, meek, pure heart. It must confess its sins without making excuses. In the course of bitter tears it will show trust in the most sweet pity of the Lord. It must not seek earthly aims but desire heavenly ones. It must be sequestered from desires of the body and attach itself solely to the divine. In short, it must be wholly spiritual, bestowing nothing but tears on the flesh. Insofar as it is lawful, seek to behold in mental contemplation him whom you entreat and then you realize what sort of person you should be in offering yourself prostrate before him. He is, as Paul says, "the blessed and only Mighty, the King of kings and Lord of lords."

God's other titles fall into two distinct groups. The first group belongs to his power, the second to his providential ordering of the world, a twofold providential ordering—involving, and not involving, incarnation. Clear cases of titles which belong to his power are … "King" of "rulers" and "Lord of the masters." … For since we are controlled by three conditions—fear of punishment, hope for salvation and glory too, and the practice of the virtues which result in these last—the name which mentions retribution deals with fear. The one which mentions salvation with hope, and that which refers to virtues, disciplines us to practice them. The intention is that by, as it were, carrying God inside him, one may have some success here and press on all the harder to perfection, toward that affinity with God which comes from the virtues.

When someone sees resplendent lords of rank, kings, leaders and all those who appear prominent in wealth, to them he speaks in fearful words. Their dynasties are advantaged by his fear. Yet "now, kings, understand; be instructed, all you who judge the earth; serve the Lord with fear and rejoice in him with trembling," because "he is the King of kings and the Lord of lords." Wherever the mighty rules, God threatens with the fear of his kingdom. Yet wherever the worthless are humbled, God offers the medicine of his clemency. For this God is a great King to those who reign and a Lord to those who exercise lordship. Again, the very same one lowers his rank and is found, according to holy Scripture, to be a Father to orphans and a Judge to widows, a King to kings, a Leader to leaders, a Lord to lords.

"Which in His times He shall show, Who is the blessed and only Potentate, King of kings, and Lord of lords, Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto."

Of whom are these things said? Of the Father, or of the Son? Of the Son, undoubtedly: and it is said for the consolation of Timothy, that he may not fear nor stand in awe of the kings of the earth.

"In His times," that is, the due and fitting times, that he may not be impatient, because it has not yet come. And whence is it manifest, that He will show it? Because He is the Potentate, the "only Potentate." He then will show it, Who is "blessed," nay blessedness itself; and this is said, to show that in that appearing there is nothing painful or uneasy.

But he says, "only," either in contradistinction to men, or because He was unoriginated, or as we sometimes speak of a man whom we wish to extol.

"Who only hath immortality." What then? hath not the Son immortality? Is He not immortality itself? How should not He, who is of the same substance with the Father, have immortality?

He, the framer of all creation and maker of our race, became man for our sake, and coming from a holy Virgin's womb, on earth conversed with men. For us ungrateful servants the master endured death, even the death of the cross, that the tyranny of sin might be destroyed, that the former condemnation might be abolished, that the gates of heaven might be open to us again. In this way he has exalted our nature, and set it on the throne of glory, and granted to them that love him an everlasting kingdom and joys beyond all that tongue can tell or ear can hear. He is the mighty and the only potentate, King of kings and Lord of lords, whose might is invincible and whose lordship is beyond comparison. He alone is holy and dwells in holiness, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit is glorified. Into this faith I have been baptized.

which in its own times he will show, the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen nor can see; to whom be honor and eternal power. Amen.

which in its own times. That is, to the appropriate, the appointed times. Therefore, do not be upset that it has not already happened.

the blessed and only Sovereign. These things have been said about the Son. For the one who is coming shows the presence. But the Father will not come, but the Son, for judgment; these things have been said concerning the one who is coming.

the blessed, the self-blessedness. For all sorrow and pain have fled from him. Jesus is both a ruler and a good king. Therefore, the earthly ones should not be feared by us.

and only Sovereign. Where you might hear about one of the three holy Persons, this or that one alone, do not accept what is said of the other two by way of contrast, but rather about those who do not exist, yet are called gods. For behold, now speaking about the Son these things, which elsewhere have also been said about the Father and about the Spirit, He said, The Only one.

— [OECUMENIUS] who alone has immortality. How does he say about God that He alone has immortality, when both angels and souls and demons have immortality? Therefore, when he says about God: "Who alone has immortality," he either takes away immortality from those we mentioned, or he lies. And we say that those about whom the address is do not have immortality, but they partake in it, by the grace of Him who alone by nature is immortal. For this has been given to them by God. For God is the one from whom we all partake, just as we do with other things, so immortality is compared to that which is more excellent. [end of the excerpt by Oecumenius A f. 15ν; B f. 211ν; G f. 300r] —

dwelling in unapproachable light. Which itself is immortality and inaccessible light, do you think it is limited to a place? Is light one thing and the light itself another? Yet it is the light itself. Do you see that when we want to say something great, the tongue becomes powerless? It is truly called unapproachable because no one can approach the shining mind, "whom no man has seen." For no one has seen the divinity of the Son, just as neither the Father nor the Spirit; for he was seen according to the flesh.

to whom be honor and eternal power. If his honor and power will be eternal, certainly his appearance will be as well. For he promised: "And behold, I am with you all the days." (Matt. 28:20)

A guide for the wealthy towards true life.

That is, at a fitting, predetermined time. Therefore do not grieve that it has not yet come.

And the apostle says this for consolation, so that Timothy would not look upon the seemingly blissful goods of this world, but would fix his gaze upon the One alone Who is blessedness itself, in Whom there is neither sorrow nor sighing; so that he would not fear any earthly rulers and kings. At the same time, he prepares him for what His coming will reveal. For He is "the only Mighty One." All of this is said about the Son. And the word "only" the apostle used to contrast Him with men, or with false gods, but not in relation to the other Persons of the Most Holy Trinity.

The Lord alone possesses immortality by essence; angels, although immortal, are so not by nature but by grace. Therefore, they do not have immortality, but are partakers of immortality.

Above, the Apostle gave certain orders to Timothy, commanding him to observe the foregoing until the coming of Christ; therefore, he now discusses Christ's coming, about which he discloses three things:

first, that it will occur at a suitable time;

second, that it will be evident;

third, he reveals the author of this coming.

In regard to the first, he says, which in his times he shall show who is the Blessed and only Mighty, the King of kings: in the last days there shall come deceitful scoffers, walking after their own lusts, saying: where is his promise or his coming? (2 Pet 3:3). Therefore, he wishes to show that even though his coming seems to be delayed, it will nevertheless be shown in his time: all things have their season (Eccl 3:1); there is a time and opportunity for every business (Eccl 8:6). The suitable time will be the end of the world, because that is the time of harvest and of collecting the fruits; consequently, it must come at the end of the world.

In regard to the second he says, he shall show, i.e., will manifest. For although he is visible in the flesh, his power is hidden; but then, even his divinity will be manifest to the saints: but the wicked will see only the glory of his body.

In regard to the third he says that he who is God and the Trinity shall show him.

In regard to this he does two things:

first, he describes the coming of Christ;

second, bursting out in praise of Christ, he applauds him, at to whom be honor and empire everlasting.

In regard to the first he does three things:

first, he describes the author of this coming in terms of his perfect action;

second, in terms of his singular power;

third, in terms of his incomprehensible nature.

He describes the first when he says, Blessed; for blessedness is a perfect action, which is distinctive of the supreme active power disposed in the best way: and this is our blessedness, whereas God's blessedness is that by which he knows himself: for if God did not know himself, he would not be blessed. As Gregory says: so long as God enjoys himself, he is perfectly glorious.

And it is fitting that the author of this coming be described as Blessed, because the purpose of Christ's coming is to lead us to blessedness: happy shall I be, if there shall remain of my seed to see the glory of Jerusalem (Tob 13:20).

In regard to the second he says, the only Mighty: you are mighty (Ps 88:9). But why does he say, the only? Do not all things have might? Yes, by participation; but God alone is mighty of himself and essentially. Hence he says, King of kings and Lord of lords: lord is a name of power, so also king. Therefore, one who has a lord and king over him is subject to power, and such a one is not powerful of himself, but purely of another. Therefore, if Christ is the King of kings and Lord of lords, then he alone has power not from someone else, but all others from him.

And two of God's powers are mentioned, namely, his governance of the world, when he says, King of kings: the king that sits on the throne of judgment scatters away all evil with his look (Prov 20:8); and his creative power, when he says, Lord of lords: know that the Lord is God: he made us and not we ourselves (Ps 99:3); and he has on his garment and on his thigh written: king of kings, and lord of lords (Rev 19:16).

How could the Son not have immortality who has life in himself? He has it in his nature. He has it in his essential Being. God has it not as a temporal grace but owing to his eternal Godhead. He has it not by way of a gift as a servant but by peculiar right of his generation, as the coeternal Son. He has life in the same way that the Father has life.

For it would be in vain, if it were not seen. Indeed, God Himself was in the light, because He dwells in inaccessible light, and He was the true light, which enlightens every person coming into this world: but He wished that light to be made, which could be perceived by bodily eyes. Whoever desires to construct a building worthy of a father's dwelling, before laying the foundations, explores from where to pour in light, and this is the first grace, which, if lacking, the whole house horrifies with its ugly neglect. Light is what adorns the other decorations of the house.

Let the bishop add this prayer, and say: O God Almighty, the true God, to whom nothing can be compared, who art everywhere, and present in all things, and art in nothing as one of the things themselves; who art not bounded by place, nor grown old by time; who art not terminated by ages, nor deceived by words; who art not subject to generation, and wantest no guardian; who art above all corruption, free from all change, and invariable by nature; who inhabitest light inaccessible.

Already you have told me, O Lord, by means of a loud voice in my interior ear, that you are eternal, alone possessing immortality, since you change in relation neither to any form nor to motion. Your will is not altered in regard to periods of time, because no will is immortal if it is now one way and now another. In your sight this is clear to me. May it become more and more clear, I pray, and may I continue to live soberly under your protecting wings, within the influence of this revelation.

I am doing the right thing in taking my time over this question [about the origin of the soul], because I have no doubt at all that the soul is immortal, not as God is, "Who only has immortality," but in a certain way according to its own nature, and that it is a created being, not the substance of the Creator: this I hold most firmly, as well as all other truths about the nature of the soul.

So if God alone has immortality, is the soul mortal? That's why I said the soul is immortal after its own fashion. You see, it can also die. Your graces must try to understand, and then the problem will be solved. I make bold to say, the soul can die, can be killed. Certainly it's immortal. So there you are; I make bold to say it is both immortal in one sense and capable of being killed in another sense. And that's why I said there is a kind of immortality, that is to say, an absolute and total unchangeableness, which God alone has, as it says of him, "Who alone has immortality."

If you ask whether he can also be seen at any time as he is, I answer that this was promised to his sons, of whom it is said, "We know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is." If you ask by what means we shall see him, I answer: as the angels see, for we shall then be equal to them, as the angels see those things which are called visible; but no one has ever seen God nor can see him, because "he inhabits light inaccessible," and his nature is invisible as it is immortal.

This, then, is charity, however small a thing it appears to us, as it inheres in our will; "it is not seen in any locality, nor sought by bodily eyes, nor limited by our sight, nor held by touch, nor heard by its utterance, nor perceived in its approach." How much more true this is of God, of whom charity is the pledge within us! If our interior man is an image of him—insignificant, indeed—not begotten of him but created by him, and, although it is still renewed day by day, it now dwells in such light that no faculty of corporeal sight comes near to it, and if those things which we perceive with the eyes of the heart by means of that light are distinguished from each other and separated by no intervals of space, how much more is this true of God, who inhabits light inaccessible to the bodily senses, to whom there can be no approach except for the clean of heart!

God, Father Son and Holy Spirit, is in his own proper nature invisible. But he has appeared when he wished and to whom he wished; not as he is but in whatever way he wished, being served after all by all creation. If your mind, though it is invisible in your body, can appear by uttering your voice, and the voice in which your mind appears when you speak is not the substance of your mind, it means that mind is one thing and voice another, and yet mind becomes apparent in a thing which in itself is not. So too God, if he appeared in fire, is all the same not fire; if he appeared in smoke, still he isn't smoke; if he appeared in a sound, he isn't a sound. These things are not God, but they indicate God. If we bear this in mind, we may safely believe that it could have been the Son who appeared to Moses and was called both Lord and angel of the Lord.

Such light is beyond reach and is yet the closest to the soul, even more than it is to itself. It is also unconfinable, and yet supremely intimate. This can be seen by none but a man suspended beyond himself in a lofty vision; and when we wish to see by means of simple intuition how such art is one and yet manifold, we cannot conceive how infinite it is, except in terms of extension, because the imagination interferes: and so we cannot see by simple intuition, except through reasoning.

In the last chapter of First Timothy it is said of God: *Who alone has immortality and dwells in inaccessible light, whom no man has seen, nor can see.* But everything by which or in which we know is accessible to the knower: therefore that by which or in which we know cannot be the light of eternal reason or truth. — To this it must be said that he speaks of that approach which is to that light in the fullness and splendor of its clarity, in which way one does not approach it through the power of a creature, but through the deiformity of glory.

Since Paul says, "Only he that has immortality and inhabits inaccessible light," how can the psalmist say here, "Come to him, and be enlightened? But the problem is solved by this brief statement of the truth: his light is said to be inaccessible when the unique and almighty nature of its substance is described; but when the grace of the sacred Godhead pours forth, we both approach him and obtain blessed enlightenment.

How then shall the Greeks any longer disbelieve the divine appearance on Mount Sinai, when the fire burned, consuming none of the things that grew on the mount; and the sound of trampets issued forth, breathed without instruments? For that which is called the descent on the mount of God is the advent of divine power, pervading the whole world, and proclaiming "the light that is inaccessible." For such is the allegory, according to the Scripture. But the fire was seen, as Aristobulus says, while the whole multitude, amounting to not less than a million, besides those under age, were congregated around the mountain, the circuit of the mount not being less than five days' journey. Over the whole place of the vision the burning fire was seen by them all encamped as it were around; so that the descent was not local. For God is everywhere.

But the Gnostic does not share either in those affections that are commonly celebrated as good, that is, the good things of the affections which are allied to the passions: such, I mean, as gladness, which is allied to pleasure; and dejection, for this is conjoined with pain; and caution, for it is subject to fear. Nor yet does he share in high spirit, for it takes its place alongside of wrath; although some say that these are no longer evil, but already good. For it is impossible that he who has been once made perfect by love, and feasts eternally and insatiably on the boundless joy of contemplation, should delight in small and grovelling things. For what rational cause remains any more to the man who has gained "the light inaccessible," for revering to the good things of the world? Although not yet true as to time and place, yet by that gnostic love through which the inheritance and perfect restitution follow, the giver of the reward makes good by deeds what the Gnostic, by gnostic choice, had grasped by anticipation through love.

God is light: the highest, the unapproachable, the ineffable, that can neither be conceived in the mind nor uttered with the lips, that gives life to every reasoning creature. He is in the world of thought what the sun is in the world of sense; presenting himself to our minds in proportion as we are cleansed; and loved in proportion as he is presented to our mind; and again, conceived in proportion as we love him; himself contemplating and comprehending himself and pouring himself out on what is external to him. That light, I mean, which is contemplated in the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, whose riches is their unity of nature and the one out-leaping of their brightness.

But we, even when we are told that God "only has immortality," we understand by "immortality" the Son. For life is immortality, and the Lord is that life, who said, "I am the Life." And if he is said to dwell "in the light that no man can approach," again we make no difficulty in understanding that the true Light, unapproachable by falsehood, is the Only-begotten, in whom we learn from the Truth itself that the Father is. Are we to think of the Only-begotten in a manner worthy of the Godhead, or to call him, as heresy prescribes, perishable and temporary?

7. The beloved generates love, and the light immaterial the light inaccessible.

And pay heed to the accuracy with which Paul speaks. He did not say, "Who is an unapproachable light" but "Who dwells in unapproachable light." Why? So that you may learn that if the dwelling is unapproachable, so much more so is the God that dwells in it. But Paul did not say this to make you suspect that there is a house or place surrounding God. Rather, he wished you to have a deeper and superior knowledge that God is beyond our comprehension.… A thing is unapproachable which, from the start, cannot be investigated nor can anyone come near to it. We call the sea incomprehensible because, even when divers lower themselves into its waters and go down to a great depth, they cannot find the bottom. We call that thing unapproachable which, from the start, cannot be searched out or investigated.

But if Paul said elsewhere, "God was manifested in the flesh," do not wonder, because the manifestation took place in the flesh, not in his substance. Furthermore, Paul also testified here that God himself was invisible, not only to men but also to the powers above. Having said "was manifested in the flesh," he added, "he appeared to angels." Thus he became visible to the angels as well, at the time when he put on the flesh.… Similarly, when he said, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God," he was speaking of mental vision—which is within our power—and also of thought about God, so, likewise, it may be said of the angels that by reason of their pure and constant nature, they continually think of nothing else but God.… Therefore, just as he has been seen by many, in whatever way vision of him was possible for them, but no one has ever beheld his essence, so also we all now know God, but no one knows his substance, whatever it is, except only he who has been begotten from him.

"Dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto." Is He then Himself one Light, and is there another in which He dwells? is He then circumscribed by place? Think not of it. By this expression is represented the Incomprehensibleness of the Divine Nature. Thus he speaks of God, in the best way he is able. Observe, how when the tongue would utter something great, it fails in power.

"Whom no man hath seen nor can see." As, indeed, no one hath seen the Son, nor can see Him.

"To whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen." Thus properly, and much to the purpose, has he spoken of God. For as he had called Him to witness, he speaks much of that Witness, that his disciple may be in the greater awe. In these terms he ascribes glory to Him, and this is all we can do, or say. We must not enquire too curiously, who He is. If power everlasting is His, fear not. Yea though now it take not place, to Him is honor, to Him is power evermore.

For the unbegotten and incorporeal beauty, which neither begins nor is corruptible but is unchangeable and grows not old and is in need of nothing, he resting in himself and in the very light which is in unspeakable and inapproachable places, embracing all things in the circumference of his power, creating and arranging, made the soul after the image of his image. Therefore, also, it is reasonable and immortal.

To be fully alive belongs to God, more fully than to any creature. The apostle considered the superiority of the life of God to be beyond comparison. It is with this in mind that Scripture says "Surely as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord." This is God, "Who alone has immortality," because none of the living beings with God has the life whose aliveness is absolutely unchangeable and immutable.

We must understand, therefore, that this charity, which God is, in whoever it exists loves nothing earthly, nothing material, nothing corruptible. It is against its nature to love anything corruptible, seeing that it is itself the fount of incorruption. For, because God, "who only has immortality and inhabits light inaccessible," is charity, it is charity alone that possesses immortality.

There is a certain emphatic saying by John, "No man has seen God at any time"; meaning, of course, at any previous time. But he has indeed taken away all question of time, by saying that God has never been seen. The apostle confirms this statement. For, speaking of God, he says, "Whom no man has seen, nor can see," because the man indeed would die who should see him. But the very same apostles testify that they had both seen and "handled" Christ. Now, if Christ is himself both the Father and the Son, how can he be both the Visible and the Invisible?… It is evident that he was always seen from the beginning, who became visible in the end; and that he, on the contrary, was not seen in the end who had never been visible from the beginning; and that accordingly there are two—the Visible and the Invisible. It was the Son, therefore, who was always seen.… For the Father acts by mind and thought, while the Son, who is in the Father's mind and thought, gives effect and form to what he sees.

The apostle confirms this statement; for, speaking of God, he says, "Whom no man hath seen, nor can see; " because the man indeed would die who should see Him.

Of the Father, however, he says to Timothy: "Whom none among men hath seen, nor indeed can see; "and he accumulates the description in still ampler terms: "Who only hath immortality, and dwelleth in the light which no man can approach unto." It was of Him, too, that he had said in a previous passage: "Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to the only God; " so that we might apply even the contrary qualities to the Son Himself-mortality, accessibility-of whom the apostle testifies that "He died according to the Scriptures," and that "He was seen by himself last of all," -by means, of course, of the light which was accessible, although it was not without imperilling his sight that he experienced that light.

What, again, if He was One who was "crowned with glory and honour," and He Another by whom He was so crowned, -the Son, in fact, by the Father? Moreover, how comes it to pass, that the Almighty Invisible God, "whom no man hath seen nor can see; He who dwelleth in light unapproachable; " "He who dwelleth not in temples made with hands; " "from before whose sight the earth trembles, and the mountains melt like wax; " who holdeth the whole world in His hand "like a nest; " "whose throne is heaven, and earth His footstool; " in whom is every place, but Himself is in no place; who is the utmost bound of the universe;-how happens it, I say, that He (who, though) the Most High, should yet have walked in paradise towards the cool of the evening, in quest of Adam; and should have shut up the ark after Noah had entered it; and at Abraham's tent should have refreshed Himself under an oak; and have called to Moses out of the burning bush; and have appeared as "the fourth" in the furnace of the Babylonian monarch (although He is there called the Son of man),-unless all these events had happened as an image, as a mirror, as an enigma (of the future incarnation)? Surely even these things could not have been believed even of the Son of God, unless they had been given us in the Scriptures; possibly also they could not have been believed of the Father, even if they had been given in the Scriptures, since these men bring Him down into Mary's womb, and set Him before Pilate's judgment-seat, and bury Him in the sepulchre of Joseph.

Can He really be defined by place? Or is the light one thing and He Himself another? Of course, He Himself is also light. Do you see to what degree language becomes feeble when we wish to utter something great? This light is unapproachable, because, on account of its immeasurable radiance, no one can approach it.

That is, according to the Divinity. He was seen and is visible only according to the humanity. Saint John Chrysostom understands it such that in the above-said it is spoken concerning the Son, and in what follows chiefly concerning the Father, although these words are applicable also to the Son and to the Spirit.

So, if His dominion is eternal, then you must not fear, even though it is not revealed now. If His honor is eternal, then you must not despair, even though He is not honored now. We can only do this blamelessly — that is, glorify Him, and not curiously investigate Him. The apostle explains the teaching about God here in a timely manner. For since he called God as a witness, he also describes His glory, in order to move the listener more deeply.

In regard to the third he says, who alone has immortality and inhabits light inaccessible. God's incomprehensibility is clear from two things: first, because he transcends whatever is comprehensible in creatures; second, because, being God, he is too great for anyone's comprehension.

He shows the first when he says, alone: for in every change something is lost, because whatever is changed ceases to be what it was. Therefore, that is properly and truly incorruptible which is altogether unchangeable. But every creature considered in itself undergoes some change, and God alone is altogether unchangeable. Therefore, if any creature is unchangeable, this is the result of grace. But this shows that God's nature transcends everything in created nature: to the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory (1 Tim 1:17).

As to the second he says, inhabits light inaccessible. For in material things light is the principle of seeing; hence that by which something is known in any way is whatsoever is called a light. But that by which each thing is known is its form, insofar as that form is actual; hence to the extent that a thing's form is actual, to that extent it has light. Therefore, things which are acts, but not pure act, are said to be lucent, but not light. But the divine essence, which is pure act, is light itself: he was not the light, but he came to give testimony of the light. There was a true light (John 1:8). But God abides with himself, and this light is inaccessible, i.e., not visible to a bodily eye, but to the intellectual eye. Yet no created intellect can approach to it.

But it should be noted that there are two ways in which an intellect can approach to a knowledge of some nature; namely, by knowing it and by comprehending it. But it is impossible for our intellect to arrive at a comprehension of God, because that requires knowing all that can be known about God. But God is perfectly knowable, insofar as he is being and light. But these are infinite. Therefore God is infinitely knowable. But a created intellect is finite. Therefore, not even Christ's human intellect comprehended God.

But there is another way of knowing God, namely, by attaining to God; yet even in this way no created intellect, utilizing only its own power, attains to a knowledge of what God is: the reason being that no cognitive faculty can transcend its object, just as sight cannot go beyond seeing color. Now the appropriate object of our intellect is the essence of a thing; hence, whatever is over and above the essence of a thing exceeds the power of any intellect. But in God there is nothing other than his essence.

Then how can he be known? We arrive at knowing him in this life through grace, and in the future life through glory: come to him and be enlightened (Ps 33:6).

But then how does God inhabit light inaccessible? For it is said: clouds and darkness are round about him (Ps 96:2), and in Exodus: Moses went into the dark cloud wherein God was (Exod 20:21).

I answer with Dionysius: every dark cloud is an inaccessible light; therefore, what is light here is a dark cloud there: but it is a dark cloud inasmuch as it is invisible, and a light inasmuch as it is visible.

But something is invisible for two reasons: first, by reason of itself, as something opaque; second, by reason of its excessive brilliance, as the sun is invisible to the eye of an owl. Hence, some things are not visible to us on account of a deficiency within themselves, and others on account of their richness; which is the way God is inaccessible to us.

Whom no man has seen: if this refers to being comprehended, it is absolutely true, even for the angels, because God alone comprehends himself. But if it refers to the vision by which he is reached bodily, then it is true in three ways: first, because no one sees him with his bodily eyes; second, according to the essence in the mind's eye: then no one living in the flesh, except Christ, can see him: you cannot see my face: for man shall not see me and live (Exod 33:20); third, no one sees what God is in himself: no one knows the Father but the Son, and he to whom it shall please the Son to reveal him (Matt 11:27); flesh and blood have not revealed it to you (Matt 16:17).

Then he bursts forth in praise of God, saying, to whom be honor and empire everlasting; and he mentions two things: the first pertains to showing reverence, saying, honor, which is to show reverence: if I be a father, where is my honor? (Mal 1:6); the second, to governance, when he says, and empire everlasting.