A Blind Spot in The Study of Fourth Cent

T h e Jo u rn a l o f T h e o lo g ica l S tu d ie s, N S , V o l.
6 9 , P t 2 , O c to b e r 2 0 1 8
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A B L IN D S P O T IN T H E S T U D Y O F
F O U R T H -C E N T U R Y C H R IS T IA N T H E O L O G Y :
T H E C H R IS T O L O G IC A L E X E G E S IS O F
T H E O P H A N IE S
Bo g d a n G. Bu c u r
D u q u e s n e U n iv e r s ity , D e p a r tm e n t o f T iie o lo g y
bucui'bufiduq.edu
A b stract
The notion that christophanic exegesis is, essentially, a pre-Nicene tradition
with little or no relevance for the study of later Christian literature is
woefully inadequate: it minimizes the continued appeal to theophanies
across much of the fourth-century theological spectrum, and does not
account for the pervasive and insistent references to theophanies in
Byzantine hymnography. This article seeks to demonstrate that the christo-
logical exegesis of theophanies, widely recognized as an element of
shared tradition, continued to function as a polemical 'adjuvant' in fourth-
century anti-Jewish, anti-Arian, anti-modalistic, and anti-Apollinarian
argumentation.
In t r o d u c t io n
T h e o p h a n ie s a r e , in th e H e b r e w B ib le , in s ta n c e s o f p a r tic u la r ly
in te n s e a ttu n e m e n t b e tw e e n G o d a n d s e le c t in d iv id u a ls a n d c o m
m u n itie s , w h ic h a r tic u la te a g r a n d s to r y o f d iv in e -h u m a n in te r
a c tio n across th e m any and m a n ifo ld b ib lic a l t e x ts .1 The
c h r is to lo g ic a l e x e g e s is o f O ld T e s ta m e n t th e o p h a n ie s is a p r o m in
e n t a n d c h a r a c te r is tic fe a tu r e o f a n ti-J e w is h , a n ti-d u a lis tic , a n d
a n t i- m o d a lis t ic p o le m ic s c a r r ie d o u t b y w r it e r s s u c h a s J u s t in o f
1 E x a m p le s o f b ib lic al th e o p h an ie s in c lu d e G o d w a lk in g in th e g a rd en o f
E d e n , c o n v e rsin g w ith A b rah a m a t M a m re , a p p e arin g to Ja c o b in th e d re a m o f
th e la d d e r a n d w re stlin g w ith h im a t P e n iel; th e ‘a n g e l’, ‘fire ’, ‘p illa r’, ‘c lo u d ’,
a n d ‘g lo ry ’ o n S in a i, w h ic h g u id e d th e Isra e lite s o u t o f E g y p t, ta b e rn a cle d in
11
th e te n t o f m e etin g a n d , la te r, in th e T e m p le ; th e a n th ro p o m o rp h ic g lo ry
December 2018
se a ted o n E z e k ie l’s c h a rio t-th ro n e a n d th e e n th ro n e d ‘L o rd o f h o sts’ in Isa ia h ;

D a n iel’s ‘A n c ien t o f d a y s’ a n d ‘S o n o f M a n ’; th e G o d se e n ‘b e tw ee n th e tw o
liv in g b e in g s’ in th e L X X o f H a b b a k u k 3 ; a n d th e ‘c o m m a n d e r o f th e a rm y o f
th e L o rd ’ se e n b y Jo sh u a (G en e sis 3 ; G e n . 1 8 :1 ; 2 8 :1 2 — 1 3 ; 3 2 :2 4 — 3 0 ; E x o d .
3 :1 -1 5 ; 1 3 :2 1 -2 ; 1 4 :1 9 -2 0 ; 2 4 :1 0 , 1 7 ; 3 4 :5 -8 ; Jo sh . 5 :1 3 -1 5 ; E z e k . 1 :2 6 -8 ; Isa.
6 :1 -3 ; D a n . 7 :1 0 , 1 3 ; H a b . 3 :2 L X X ).
© T h e A u th or(s) 2 0 1 8 , P u b lish e d b y O x fo rd U n iv e rsity P ress, A ll rig h ts re serv e d .

F o r p e rm issio n s, p lease em ail: jo u rn als.p e rm issio n s@ o u p .c o m
d o i:1 0 .1 0 9 3 /jts/fly 0 5 0 A d v a n c e A c c e s s p u b lic a tio n 2 7 Ju ly 2 0 1 8
E X E G E S IS O F T H E O P H A N IE S 589
N e a p o l i s , I r e n a e u s o f L y o n , o r T e r t u l l ia n . I t i s g e n e r a l l y a s s u m e d

th a t r e c o u rse to th e o p h a n ie s w as rendered o b s o le te d u r in g th e
c o n c i li a r e r a b y t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f a ‘t e c h n i c a l ’ t h e o l o g i c a l g l o s s
a r y in t h e s e r v ic e o f a m o r e n u a n c e d a n d p r e c is e d o c t r in a l a r t ic u
l a t io n . S c h o la r s h ip on th e c h r isto lo g ic a l and t r i n it a r i a n
c o n tr o v e r s ie s o f th e fo u r th c e n tu ry r e fle c ts th is a s s u m p tio n by
p a y in g o n ly scan t a tte n tio n to th e in te r p r e ta tio n of b i b l ic a l
t h e o p h a n ie s .
T h e e s ta b lis h e d s c h o la r ly p o s itio n w a s , u n til r e la tiv e ly r e c e n tly ,
th a t th e s o -c a lle d ‘a r g u m e n t fr o m th e o p h a n ie s ’ w as fo r g e d by
J u s t i n o f N e a p o l i s i n t h e h e a t o f h i s e n g a g e m e n t a g a i n s t M a r c io n .
M o r e s p e c i f ic a l l y , a c c o r d i n g t o O s k a r S k a r s a u n e , J u s t i n w o u l d b e
f u s in g t h e t r a d it io n a l t e s tim o n ia - a r g u m e n t in f a v o u r o f t w o G o d s
(th e c lu s te r o f G e n . 1 9 :2 4 , P s. 1 1 0 :1 , a n d P s . 4 5 :7 ) w ith h is o w n
o r i g i n a l a r g u m e n t a b o u t t h e o p h a n i e s a s c h r is t o p h a n i e s . 2 O v e r t h e
la s t 20 years, h ow ever, a g r o w in g segm en t of s c h o l a r s h ip on
C h r is tia n o r ig in s has tr a c ed th is se c o n d -c e n tu r y ‘Y H W H
C h r is t o lo g y ’ o r ‘C h r is t o lo g y o f D iv in e I d e n tit y ’ b a c k t o t h e w r it
i n g s o f t h e N e w T e s t a m e n t .3 T h i s d e v e l o p m e n t h a s , q u i t e n a t u r
a lly , c h a n g e d t h e p e r c e p t io n o f J u s t in ’s a c h ie v e m e n t . A c c o r d in g
YXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIH
2 O sk a r S k a rsa u n e, P r o o f f r o m P r o p h e c y : A S t u d y in J u s t in M a r t y r ’s P r o o f -
T e x t T r a d itio n . T e x t -T y p e , P r o v e n a n c e , T h e o lo g ic a l P r o file (L eid e n : B rill, 1 9 8 7 ),
p p . 2 0 8 — 9 , 2 1 1 — 2 ; B e n e d ic t K o m in ia k , T h e T h e o p h a n ie s o f th e O ld T e s ta m e n t in
th e W r itin g s o f S t . J u s t i n (W ash in g to n , D C : C U A , 1 9 4 8 ), p . 4 ; D e m etrio s C .
T rak a te llis, T h e P r e - E x is te n c e o f C h r is t in th e W r itin g s o f J u s ti n M a r ty r : A n
E x e g e tic a l S t u d y w ith R e fe r e n c e to th e H u m ilia tio n a n d E x a lt a ti o n C h r is to lo g y
(M isso u la , M T : S c h o lars P re ss, 1 9 7 6 ), p p . 5 9 , 8 5 .
3 Ja rl E . F o ssu m , ‘K y rio s Je su s as th e A n g e l o f th e L o rd in Ju d e 5 — 7 ’,
N T S 3 3 (1 9 8 7 ), p p . 2 2 6 -4 3 ; D a v id B . C a p e s, O ld T e s ta m e n t Yahw eh T e x ts in
P a u l’s C h r is to lo g y (T u b in g e n : M ohr S ie b ec k , 1 9 9 2 ); C h a rle s
A . G ie sc h e n ,
A n g e lo m o r p h ic C h r is to lo g y : A n te c e d e n ts a n d E a r ly E v id e n c e (L e id e n : B rill,
1 9 9 8 ) , esp . p p . 5 1 — 1 2 3 , 1 8 7 — 2 0 0 ; G iesc h e n , ‘T h e R e a l P re sen c e o f th e S o n b e
fo re C h rist: R e v isitin g a n O ld A p p ro a c h to O ld T e s tam e n t C h risto lo g y ’, C T Q
6 8 (2 0 0 4 ), p p . 1 0 5 — 2 6 ; C . C . N e w m a n , J. R . D a v ila , a n d G . S . L e w is (e d s.),
T h e J e w is h R o o ts o f C h r is to lo g ic a l M o n o th e is m : P a p e rs fr o m th e S t. A ndrew s
C o n fe r e n c e on th e H is to r ic a l O r ig in s o f th e W o r s h ip B rill,
o f Jesus (L e id e n :
1 9 9 9 ); L a rry W . H u rta d o , L o r d J e s u s C h r is t: D e v o tio n to J e s u s in E a r lie s t
C h r is tia n ity (G ra n d R a p id s, M I: E e rd m a n s, 2 0 0 3 ); R ic h ard B a u c k h am , J e s u s
a n d th e G o d o f I s r a e l: G o d C r u c ifie d a n d O th e r S tu d ie s o n th e N e w T e s ta m e n t’s
C h r is to lo g y o f D iv in e I d e n t it y (G ran d R a p id s, M I: E e rd m a n s, 2 0 0 8 ); S im o n J.
11
G a th e rc o le , T h e P r e e x is te n t S o n : R e c o v e r in g th e C h r is to lo g ie s o f M a t th e w , M a r k ,
December 2018
a n d L u k e (G ra n d R a p id s, M I: E e rd m a n s, 2 0 0 6 ); S e an M . M c D o n o u g h , C h r is t
a s C r e a to r : O r ig in s o f a N e w T e s ta m e n t D o c tr in e (N e w Y o rk : O x fo rd U n iv e rsity
P ress, 2 0 0 9 ); C h ris T illin g , P a u l’s D iv in e C h r is to lo g y (T u b in g e n : M o h r
S ie be c k, 2 0 1 2 ); R a n d y R h e au m e , A n E x e g e tic a l a n d T h e o lo g ic a l A n a ly s is o f th e
S o n ’s R e la tio n s h ip to th e F a th e r in J o h n ’s G o s p e l: G o d ’s E q u a l a n d S u b o r d in a te
(L ew isto n , N Y a n d L a m p ete r: M e llen P re ss, 2 0 1 4 ); C risp in F letc h er-L o u is,
590 BOGDAN G. BUCUR
to L a r r y H u r ta d o , w h o a p p r o a c h e s th e is s u e fr o m th e p e r s p e c tiv e

o f h is m a s s iv e s tu d y o f fir s t-c e n tu r y c h r isto lo g ic a l d e v e lo p m e n ts ,
J u s t in d i d n o t o r i g i n a t e t h e b a s i c i d e a t h a t t h e p r e i n c a r n a t e J e s u s c o u l d b e
f o u n d a c t iv e i n c e r t a in O l d T e s t a m e n t p a s s a g e s . . . J u s t in w a s e s s e n t i a l l y
b u ild in g upon a lin e o f c h r is t o lo g ic a l a rg u m en t a lr e a d y a v a i la b l e . He
r e f le c t s a n a p p r o a c h t o t h e O l d T e s t a m e n t t h a t h a d b e e n a f e a t u r e o f d e
v o t io n t o J e s u s d u r in g t h e f ir s t d e c a d e s o f t h e C h r i s t i a n m o v e m e n t .4
P a tr is tic s c h o la r s h ip o n J u s tin s e e m s to h a v e ta k e n n o te o f th is
s ig n if ic a n t a d v a n c e in t h e s t u d y o f C h r is t ia n o r ig in s , a n d f o u n d
a d d it io n a l e v id e n c e t h a t t h e a r g u m e n t f r o m th e o p h a n ie s d id n o t
d e r iv e from J u s t in ’s se c o n d -c e n tu r y a n ti-d u a lis tic p o le m ic s b u t
w a s th e e x te n sio n to s u c h a p u r p o s e o f a m u c h o ld e r e x e g e tic a l
tr a d itio n b e lo n g in g to th e C h r is tia n d is c o u r s e ‘a d i n t r a ’ , i n t h e
c o n t e x t o f w o r s h ip a n d c e le b r a t io n .5
A s e c o n d a r e a o f s c h o la r s h ip o n th e C h r is tia n r e c e p tio n o f O ld
T e s ta m e n t th e o p h a n ie s h a s d o c u m e n te d a n d d is c u s s e d th e p r o m
in e n t p la c e th a t th e ‘p r i m i t i v e ’ c h r is to p h a n ic e x e g e s is h e ld in
B y z a n tin e h y m n o g r a p h y u n til th e n in th c e n tu r y , a n d in E a s te r n
a n d W e s t e r n ic o n o g r a p h y u n t il t h e f if te e n t h .6 I t s e e m s , t h e n , th a t
id e n tify in g th e O ld T e sta m e n t ‘L o r d ’, w h o r e v e a le d h im s e lf in
v is io n s t o th e p a tr ia r c h s a n d p r o p h e t s , w it h t h e ‘L o r d ’ J e s u s o f
C h r is tia n w o r s h ip is a rob u st th e o lo g ic a l t r a d it i o n in th e
fir s t th r e e c e n tu r ie s a s w e ll a s in th e s e c o n d h a lf o f th e fir s t m ille n
n iu m c e . W h a t o f th e a ll-im p o r ta n t p e r io d b e tw e e n I r e n a e u s o f
L y o n a n d R o m a n o s th e M e lo d is t? T h is q u e s t io n is a ll t h e m o r e
in tr ig u in g s in c e ‘c la s s ic s ’ of B y z a n tin e hym nography su ch as
R om anos th e M e lo d is t, John D a m a sc e n e , and C osm as of
M a iu r n a d id n o t r e a d J u s t in o r I r e n a e u s , b u t w e r e in s t e a d d e e p ly
in d e b te d to fo u r th -c e n tu r y w r ite r s lik e E p h rern Syrus and
G r e g o r y N a z ia n z e n .7
Jesus M o n o th e is m , V o lu m e 1: C h r is to lo g ic a l O r ig in s : The E m e r g in g C onsensus

a n d B e y o n d (E u g e n e, O R : C a sc a d e , 2 0 1 5 ).
4 H u rta d o , L o r d J e s u s C h r is t , p . 5 7 7 .
5 B ogdan G. B u c u r, ‘Ju stin M a rty r’s E x e g e sis of O ld T e sta m en t
T h e o p h a n ie s a n d th e P a rtin g o f th e W a y s b e tw ee n C h ristia n ity a n d Ju d a ism ’,
T S 7 5 (2 0 1 4 ), p p . 3 4 -5 1 .
6 B ogdan G. B u c u r, ‘E x e g e sis of B ib lic al T h e o p h a n ies in B y z a n tin e
11
H y m n o g ra p h y : R e w ritte n B ib le ?’, TS 6 8 (2 0 0 7 ), p p . 9 2 -1 1 2 ; G a b rie l B u n g e ,

December 2018
T h e R u b le v T r i n i t y : T h e I c o n o f th e T r i n it y b y th e M o n k - P a i n t e r A n d r e i R u b le v
(C restw o o d , NY: SVS, 2 0 0 7 ); F ra n g o is B o e sp flu g , L e s T h e o p h a n ie s b ib liq u e s
d a n s T a r t m e d ie v a l d ’O c c id e n t e t d ’O r ie n t (G e n e v a : D ro z , 2 0 1 2 ).
7 P e ter K a rav ites, ‘G re g o ry N a z ia n zin o s a n d B y z a n tin e H y m n o g ra p h y’, J H S
1 1 3 (1 9 9 3 ), p p . 8 1 -9 8 ; W illiam L . P e te rse n , ‘T h e D e p e n d en c e o f R o m a n o s th e
M e lo d ist u p o n th e S y riac E p h rern : Its Im p o rta n ce fo r th e O rig in o f th e
S c h o la r s h ip o n th e th e o lo g ic a l d e v e lo p m e n ts in th e fo u r th a n d

fifth c e n tu r ie s s e ld o m o r n e v e r d is c u s s e s th e q u e s tio n o f c h r is to -
p h a n ie s .8 I t is u s u a lly o n ly s t u d e n ts o f A u g u s t in e w h o b r in g u p
th is is s u e , in a s m u c h a s it o ffe r s th e b a c k g r o u n d a g a in s t w h ic h th e
b is h o p of H ip p o ’s v ie w on th e c r ea te d m a n ife s ta tio n s o f th e
T r i n i t y s h i n e s b r i l l i a n t ly . 9 T h e p a g e s t o f o l l o w a t t e m p t t o a d d r e s s
t h i s a p p a r e n t g a p i n s c h o l a r s h ip b y c o n s i d e r i n g t h e u s e o f c h r i s t o -
p h a n ic e x e g e s is a m o n g a s e le c t io n o f n o t a b le f o u r t h - c e n t u r y w r it
e r s in c lu d in g E u s e b iu s o f C a e s a r e a , M a r c e llu s , A t h a n a s iu s , B a s il,
a n d G r e g o r y o f N y s s a . I t w ill b e c o m e a p p a r e n t th a t th e c h r is to -
lo g ic a l in te r p r e ta tio n o f O ld T e s ta m e n t th e o p h a n ie s w a s a b u n
d a n tly p resen t am ong fo u r th -c e n tu r y th in k e r s of a v a r ie ty of
s c h o o ls , c u ttin g across th e b a r r ie r s e s ta b lis h e d by creeds and
YXWVUTSRQPONMLKJ
K o n ta k io n ’, V C 3 9 (1 9 8 5 ), p p . 1 7 1 — 8 7 ; P e te rse n , T h e D ia te s s a m n a n d E p h r e m
S y r u s a s S o u r c e s o f R o m a n o s th e M e lo d is t (L o u v ain : P e e te rs, 1 9 8 5 ).
A n o ta b le e x c e p tio n : M a n lio S im o n e tti, L a c r is i a r ia n a nel IV s e c o lo
(R o m e: A u g u stin ia n u m , 1 9 7 5 ), p p . 5 0 6 — 11 (‘L e te o fa n ie’).
9 See Jo h n H e n ry N ew m an, An E ssay on th e D e v e lo p m e n t of C h r is tia n
D o c tr in e (L o n d o n : P ic k erin g , 1 8 7 8 ), p p . 1 3 6 — 7 : ‘[T ]h e A n te -n ic e n e F a th ers, as
in so m e o f th e fo re g o in g e x tra cts, sp e a k o f th e A n g e lic v isio ns in th e O ld
T e s tam e n t as if th e y w e re a p p e a ra n c e s o f th e S o n ; b u t S t. A u g u stin e in tro
d u c e d th e e x p licit d o c trin e , w h ic h h a s b e e n re ce iv ed sin c e h is d a te, th a t th e y
w e re sim p ly A n g e ls, th ro u g h w h o m th e O m n ip re se n t S o n m a n ife ste d H im se lf.
T h is in d e e d is th e o n ly in te rp re ta tio n w h ic h th e A n te -n ic e n e sta te m e n ts a d m it
te d , as so o n a s re aso n b e g a n to e x a m in e w h a t th e y d id m e a n . T h e y c o u ld n o t
m e a n th a t th e E te rn a l G o d c o u ld re ally b e se e n b y b o d ily e y e s; if a n y th in g w as
se e n, th a t m u st h a v e b e e n so m e c rea ted g lo ry o r o th e r sy m b o l, b y w h ic h it
p le a se d th e A lm ig h ty to sig n ify H is P rese n ce ... T h e e a rlier F a th ers sp o k e as
if th e re w e re n o m e d iu m in te rp o se d b e tw ee n th e C rea to r a n d th e c rea tu re , a n d
so th e y se em e d to m a k e th e E te rn a l S o n th e m e d iu m ; w h a t it re ally w as, th e y
h a d n o t d e te rm in e d . S t. A u g u stin e ru le d , a n d h is ru lin g h a s b e e n a c c e p te d in
la ter tim e s, th a t it w a s n o t a m e re a tm o sp h e ric p h e n o m e n o n , o r a n im p re ssio n
o n th e se n ses, b u t th e m a te ria l fo rm p ro p e r to a n A n g e lic p re se n c e, o r th e
p re se n c e o f a n A n g e l in th a t m a te ria l g a rb in w h ic h b le sse d S p irits d o o rd in a r
ily a p p e ar to m e n .’ S e e a lso Ju le s L e b re to n , ‘S a in t A u g u stin , th e o lo g ie n d e la
T rin ite : S o n e x e g e se d e s th e o p h an ie s’, M is c e lla n e a A u g u s tin ia n a 2 (1 9 3 1 ), p p .
8 2 1 — 3 6 ; B asil S tu d e r, Z u r T h e o p h a n ie -E x e g e s e A u g u s tin s : U n te r s u c h u n g z u e in e m
A m b r o s iu s - Z ita t in d e r S c h r i f t D e V id e n d o D e o (R o m e : H e rd e r, 1 9 7 1 ); M ich e l
R e n e B a rn es, ‘T h e V isib le C h rist a n d th e In v isib le T rin ity : M t. 5 :8 in
A u g u stin e ’s T rin ita ria n T h e o lo g y o f 4 0 0 ’, M o d e r n T h e o lo g y 1 9 (2 0 0 3 ), p p . 3 2 9 -
5 6 ; K a ri K lo o s, C h r is t, C r e a tio n , a n d th e V is io n o f G o d : A u g u s t in e ’s
T r a n s fo r m a tio n o f E a r ly C h r is tia n T h e o p h a n y I n te r p r e ta tio n (L eid e n : B rill,
11
2 0 1 1 ). T h e th e o lo g ic a l p a rti-p ris, e x p lic it in N e w m an , re m a in s p re sen t in

December 2018
S tu d e r, w h o n o te s Ire n a eu s ’s ‘ a l l z u re alistisch e s V e rsta n d n is d e r T h e o p h an ie n ’

( Z u r T h e o p h a n ie -E x e g e s e , p . 8 2 ), o r th a t H ila ry ‘sc h rie b d e n T h e o p h an ie n d e s
S o h n e s e in e z u g ro sse W irk lich k e it z u ’, o r th a t ‘d ie se [N iza n e r] d ie
E rsc h e in u n g e n z u a u ssc h lie sslich d e m S o h n e v o rb e h ie lte n u n d sie z u g le ic h m it
d e r M e n sch w e rd u n g z u se h r in e in e r K o n tin u ita t sa h en ’ (p . 3 7 ; e m
p h a sis a d d e d ).
592 BOGDAN G. BUCUR
c o u n c ils a n d t h e o lo g ic a l p a r t ie s , c o n s t it u t in g a d e e p ly h o n o u r e d

a n d w i d e l y s h a r e d t r a d it i o n , a n d c o n t r i b u t i n g t o t h e o l o g i c a l a r g u
m e n ta t io n m o r e t h a n is u s u a lly a c k n o w le d g e d b y s t u d e n ts o f e a r ly
C h r is tia n ity .
Th e Ar g u m e n t f r o m Th e o ph a n ie s in Eu s e b iu s o f Ca e s a r e a :
Tr a d it io n a n d In n o v a t io n
I n th e tr a n s itio n fr o m p r e -N ic e n e th e o lo g y to th e m o r e m a tu r e ,
m o r e te c h n ic a lly p r e c is e a r tic u la tio n o f d o c tr in e b y creeds and
c o u n c ils and C h r is tia n th in k e r s w ith in th e new s o c io -p o litic a l
f r a m e o f a C h r i s t i a n E m p i r e , t h e f i g u r e o f E u s e b iu s o f C a e s a r e a
o c c u p i e s a n i m p o r t a n t p l a c e .1 0 N e v e r t h e l e s s , a s a n e m i n e n t s p e
c i a l i s t o n E u s e b iu s n o t e s :
[ t ]h e a r g u m e n t f r o m t h e o p h a n ie s in E u s e b iu s h a s n e v e r b e e n t h e o b j e c t o f
t h o r o u g h e x a m in a t i o n . T h o s e f e w a u t h o r s w h o h a v e s h o w n s o m e i n t e r e s t
in t h is t o p ic h a v e n o t g u e s s e d it s r ic h e s a n d im p o r t a n c e in t h e h is to r y o f
d o c tr in e s . E u s e b iu s ’ t h o u g h t in te r v e n e s , n e v e r t h e le s s , a t a m o m e n t, a f t e r
t h e d e a t h o f O r ig e n a n d b e f o r e t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e A r i a n c r i s is . A r i a n r e
c o u r s e t o t h e a n c ie n t t h e o p h a n i e s has le d la t e r t h e o lo g ia n s to d is ta n c e
t h e m s e lv e s f r o m t h e a r g u m e n t. H e r e j u s t a s e ls e w h e r e , E u s e b iu s a p p e a r s
t o b e t h e l a s t r e p r e s e n t a t iv e o f p r e - N i c e n e t h e o lo g y : s t il l a s t r a n g e r t o
p r e o c c u p a tio n s th a t w o u ld o n ly e m e r g e a fte r th e c o u n c il o f N ic a e a , h e
o ffe r s in th e Proof of the Gospel a n d , e a r li e r , i n t h e Prophetic Eclogues, th e
lo n g e s t, m ost e la b o r a te , and c e r ta in ly r ic h e st r e fle c tio n th a t any pre-
N ic e n e a u th o r had ever c o n se c r a te d to th e q u e s t io n of a n c ie n t
t h e o p h a n i e s . 11
L ik e h is p r e d e c e s s o r s , E u s e b iu s f in d s in t h e o p h a n ie s t h e d o c t r i
n a l fo u n d a tio n fo r th e q u a lifie d r e c e p t io n o f w is d o m tr a d itio n s
o u t s i d e o f I s r a e l ; l i k e J u s t i n M a r t y r h e c a l l s t h e L o g o s 8 evrepos YXWVU
6 eos, 1 2 id e n tifie s th e L ogos w ith th e T e t r a g r a m m a t o n ,1 3 and
10 O n E u seb iu s’ e x e g esis o f th e o p h a n ie s, se e Je an S irin e lli, L e s V u e s h is to r i-

q u e s d ’E u s e b e d e Cesaree durant la p e r io d e p r e n ic e e n n e (D a k ar: M a c on , 1 9 6 1 ), p p .
2 5 9 — 9 2 ; S e b a stie n M o rlet, L a ‘D e m o n s tr a tio n e v a n g e liq u e ’ d ’E u s e b e d e C e s a r e e :
E tu d e sur I ’a p o lo g e tiq u e c h r e tie n n e a I ’e p o q u e de C o n s ta n tin (P a ris: In stitu t
c P E tu d e s A u g u stin ie n n e s, 2 0 0 9 ), p p . 4 4 2 — 5 7 .
11 M o rle t, L a ‘D e m o n s tr a tio n e v a n g e liq u e ’ d ’E u s e b e d e C e s a r e e , p p . 4 4 0 — 1.
12 E .g . E u se b iu s, E c lo g u e s 1 .1 2 (P G 2 2 , c o l. 1 0 6 8 C ); D e m . E v . 5 .3 0 (P G 2 2 ,
11
c o l. 4 0 9 D ; F e rra r 1 , p . 2 7 1 ).
December 2018
13 T h e L o g o s sp e a k in g to M o se s w a s 6 K v p io s 6 ... b id t o v r e r p a y p d f.if.io v
h q \o v f.te v o s (E u se b iu s, E c lo g u e s 1 .1 0 — 1 2 [P G 2 2 , co ls. 1 0 5 3 D , 1 0 5 6 C , 1 0 6 5 A , C ,
1 0 6 8 A ]). T h e re a re m a n y p a ssag e s in w h ic h E u se b iu s id e n tifie d Y H W H w ith
th e S o n , a lth o u g h a n id e n tifica tio n w ith th e F a th e r a lso o c c u rs. S e e S e b astien
M o rle t, ‘M e n tio n s e t in te rp re tatio n s d u te tra g ram m e c h e z E u seb e d e C e sa re e ’,
R E A u g 6 0 (2 0 1 4 ), p p . 2 1 3 -5 2 , esp . p p . 2 2 6 -7 , 2 4 2 -7 .
u n d e rsta n d s th e o p h a n ie s as m a n ife s ta tio n s o f th e L ogos ‘c o n

c e r n in g h im s e lf w ith th e w o r k o f m a n k in d ’s s a lv a tio n e v e n b e fo r e
t h e I n c a r n a tio n ’.1 4 H e e m p h a t ic a lly r e je c ts t h e in t e r p r e t a t io n of
t h e o p h a n i e s a s m e r e a n g e l i c a p p a r it i o n s , 1 5 a n d i n s t e a d i n t e r p r e t s
G e n e sis 18 (th e M a m r e th e o p h a n y ), G e n e sis 22 (th e P e n ie l th e -

o p h a n y ), I s a ia h 6 , e tc . a s s c r ip tu r a l r e p o r ts a b o u t th e m a n ife s ta
tio n s o f th e S o n o r L o g o s o f G o d .
T w ic e in h is Church History E u s e b iu s sta tes th a t th e ‘L o r d
G o d ’ m e n tio n e d in G e n e s is 1 8 w a s n o n e o th e r th a n ‘C h r is t h im
s e lf, t h e W o r d o f G o d ’.1 6 T h e r e a r e tw o m o r e r e fe r e n c e s in th e
Life of Constantine, o n e b y E u s e b iu s h im s e lf, a n d th e s e c o n d tim e

b y E m p e r o r C o n s t a n t i n e , i n a l e t t e r a d d r e s s e d t o t h e c i v i l ia n a n d
e c c l e s i a s t i c a l a u t h o r i t ie s o f P a le s tin e — h e n c e a ls o to E u s e b iu s —
m a n d a t in g t h e d e s t r u c t i o n o f t h e l o c a l s h r i n e , t h e e r a d i c a t i o n o f
a ll p r a c tic e s deem ed ‘s a c r ile g io u s a b o m in a t io n s ’ at M am re, and
t h e b u ild in g o f a m a g n if ic e n t c h u r c h .1 7 I n d e e d , t h e p la c e w a s a t
th e tim e a liv e ly in t e r - r e lig io u s p ilg r im a g e s ite a ttr a c tin g Jew s,
p a g a n s , a n d C h r i s t i a n s .1 8 I n t h e Proof of the Gospel E u s e b iu s e v e n
YXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCB
14 E u se b iu s, E c lo g u e s 1 .1 0 (P G 2 2 , c o l. 1 0 5 6 A ).
15 E u se b iu s, H i s t . e c c l. 1 .2 .1 0 (S C 3 1 , p . 8 ); D e m . e v . 5 .9 (G C S 2 3 , p p . 2 3 1 —
2 ); E c c l. T h e o l. 2 .2 1 (G C S 1 4 , p . 1 3 0 ); E c lo g u e s 1 .3 (P G 2 2 , co ls. 1 0 2 8 -3 6 );
C o m m . E s a . 1 .4 1 (G C S 5 5 , p . 3 7 ); C o m m . P s . 7 9 (P G 2 3 , c o l. 9 5 2 C ). S e e a lso
E c lo g u e s 1 .1 0 (P G 2 2 , c o l. 1 0 5 6 B ) o n th e L o rd (L o g o s/S o n ) m a n ife stin g h im
se lf d ire ctly ( a v r o s 8 i e a v r o v ) , n o t b y a n g e lic m e d ia tio n (§ 7 d y y e X o v ) a n d
E c lo g u e s 1 .1 2 (P G 2 2 , co l. 1 0 6 8 C ), w h ic h d e c lare s th eo p h a n ies to b e , u n d isp u t-
ed ly , n e ith er m a n ife sta tio n s o f th e F a th er, n o r o f so m e a n g e lic p o w e r, b u t a p p a
ritio n s o f th e d iv in e L o g o s, th e ‘se c o n d G o d ’ (d v a p u p iX e K ra is o v r e 6 r o w o X o w
© eos, ovre d y y e X iK r j n s B v v a p u s r jv r/ y p r jf.ia r l^ o v a a rep M o o a e i, avros Be 6 d e io s
A oyos, o v a K p ifito s r r e r r ia r e v K a p e v /.(.era r o v r o w oXow H a r e p a /cat K v p io v B evrepov
e iv a i r o w d n a v r o w © e o v r e /cat K v p io v ) .
16 E u se b iu s, H i s t. e c c l. 1 .2 .7 ; 1 .4 .1 2 (S C 3 1 , p p . 7 , 2 0 ).
17 E u se b iu s, V it. C o n s t. 3 .5 1 .1 (S C 5 5 9 , p . 4 1 6 ): ‘H a v in g h e a rd th a t th e
se lf-sa m e S a v io u r w h o e rew h ile h a d a p p e a re d o n e a rth h a d in a g e s lo n g sin ce
p a st a ffo rd e d a m a n ife sta tio n o f h is D iv in e p rese n c e to h o ly m e n o f P a lestin e
n e a r th e o a k o f M a m b re , h e o rd e re d th a t a h o u se o f p ra y er sh o u ld b e b u ilt
th e re a lso in h o n o u r o f th e G o d w h o h a d th u s a p p e a red ’; V it. C o n s t. 3 .5 3 .3
(S C 5 5 9 , p . 4 2 0 ): ‘T h e re first th e S a v io u r h im se lf, w ith th e tw o a n g e ls, v o u c h
sa fe d to A b rah a m a m a n ife sta tio n o f h is p re se n ce .’
18 S e e E u se b iu s, V it. C o n s t. 3 .5 1 — 3 . A v iv id d e sc rip tio n o f th e p la c e is g iv e n
b y S o z o m e n ( H is t.e c c l. 2 .4 .2 — 3 [S C 3 0 6 , p . 2 4 6 ; tra n s. N P N F ]): ‘H e re th e
11
in h a b ita n ts o f th e c o u n try a n d o f th e re g io n s ro u n d P a lestin e, th e P h o e n icia n s,

December 2018
a n d th e A rab ia n s, a ssem b le a n n u a lly d u rin g th e su m m er se aso n to k e e p a b ril

lia n t fe ast; a n d m a n y o th e rs, b o th b u y e rs a n d se lle rs, re so rt th e re o n a c co u n t o f
th e fair. In d e ed , th is fe ast is d ilig e n tly freq u e n te d b y all n a tio n s: b y th e Je w s,
b e c a u se th e y b o a st o f th e ir d e sc e n t fro m th e p a tria rc h A b rah a m ; b y th e
P a g a n s, b e c a u se a n g els th e re a p p e are d to m e n ; a n d b y C h ristia n s, b e c a u se H e
w h o fo r th e sa lv a tio n o f m a n k in d w a s b o rn o f a v irg in , a fte rw ard s m a n ifeste d
594 BOGDAN G. BUCUR
m e n tio n s h a v in g s e e n a c u ltic a r te fa c t a t M a r n r e , w h ic h d e p ic te d

t h e s c e n e o f t h e t h r e e v is it o r s e n j o y in g A b r a h a m ’s h o s p it a lit y , a n d
n o t e s t h a t ‘h e i n t h e m i d s t s u r p a s s e s t h e m i n h o n o u r . This would
be our Lord and Saviour.’ S i m il a r l y , a t P e n i e l : ‘ H e t h a t w a s s e e n
b y J a co b w a s n o n e o th e r th a n th e W o r d o f G o d ’, a n d , in D a n ie l
7, th e Son of M an r e p r e sen ts th e L ogos, G o d ’s F ir s t-B o r n ,
W is d o m , a n d D iv in e O f f s p r in g , ‘c a lle d the Son of man b ecau se of
h is fin a l a p p e a r a n c e in th e fle s h ’, a n d fo r e s e e n a s e n d - t im e u n iv e r
s a l j u d g e .21
I n h is Commentary on Isaiah, w h ile p r e s e n tin g h is c h r is to lo g ic a l
in t e r p r e ta t io n o f I s a ia h 6 , E u s e b iu s r e v is its a ll p r e v io u s t h e o p h a -
n ie s and a s c r ib e s th e m to one and th e sa m e a g e n t, th e L ogos:
s in c e ‘n o b o d y has ever seen G od’ (J o h n i: 18) or ‘t h e F a th er’
(J o h n 6 :4 6 ):
YXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA
t h e L o r d o f h o s ts w h o a p p e a r e d t o t h e p r o p h e t w a s a n o t h e r t h a n t h e u n b e
g o tte n a n d in v isib le a n d i n c o m p r e h e n s i b l e d i v in i t y . A n d w h o c o u l d t h is
b e b u t th e o n ly b e g o tte n G o d w h o is in th e b o s o m o f th e F a th e r [ J o h n 1 : 1 8 ] ,
H im se lf th e re to a g o d ly m a n . T h is p la c e w a s m o reo v e r h o n o re d fittin g ly w ith

re lig io u s e x e rc ise s. H e re so m e p ra y ed to th e G o d o f a ll; so m e c a lle d u p o n th e
a n g e ls, p o u re d o u t w in e , b u rn t in c e n se, o r o ffe re d a n o x , o r h e -g o a t, a sh e e p ,
o r a c o ck .’
19 E u se b iu s, D e m . e v . 5 .9 (G C S 2 3 , p . 2 3 2 ; F e rra r 1 , p . 2 5 4 ): ‘th e y w h o
w e re e n te rta in e d b y A b ra h a m , a s re p re se n te d in th e p ic tu re ( Iv l y p a s p r js
sit o n e o n e a c h sid e, a n d h e in th e m id st su rp asse s th e m in h o n
a v a K e lg e v o i) ,
o u r. T h is w o u ld b e o u r L o r d a n d S a v i o u r , W h o m th o u g h m e n k n e w H im n o t
th e y w o rsh ip p e d , c o n firm in g th e H o ly S c rip tu re s. H e th e n th u s in p e rso n fro m
th a t tim e so w ed th e se e d s o f h o lin e ss a m o n g m e n , p u ttin g o n a h u m a n fo rm
a n d sh a p e ( a v d p d n r e io v . .. e iS o s r e k c u o x r j g a ) , a n d re v ea led to th e g o d ly a n c e sto r
A b rah a m W h o H e w as, a n d sh e w ed h im th e m in d o f H is F a th e r.’ A s it h a p
p e n s, a rc h ae o lo g y h a s tu rn e d u p a fifth -ce n tu ry m o u ld fo r stam p in g ritu a l
c a k e s, w ith , o n o n e sid e, th e im a g e o f th re e a n g e ls se a te d a t ta b le a n d th e in
sc rip tio n ‘M a y th e a n g els b e m e rcifu l to m e’, a n d , o n th e o th e r, a n im a g e o f
A p h ro d ite O u ra n ia , p e rh ap s a ssim ilate d w ith th e V irg in M a ry , w ith th e in sc rip
tio n ‘R e jo ic in g , I re c eiv e th e h e a v en ly o n e [g o d d e ss]’. T h e m id d le fig u re o n
th e m o u ld is c lea rly d istin g u ish e d a m o n g th e th re e . If th e m o u ld is a C h ristian
a rte fac t, its im ag e ry c o n c u rs w ith E u seb iu s’ re p o rt a n d w ith h is v ie w th a t
A b ra h am ’s v isito rs w e re th e S o n o f G o d a n d tw o a c c o m p a n y in g a n g e ls. F o r
im a g e a n d d e sc rip tio n s, se e M a rg are t E n g lish F ra ze r, ‘A S y n c re tistic P ilg rim ’s
M o u ld fro m M a m re (?)’, G e s ta 1 8 (1 9 7 9 ), p p . 1 3 7 -45 .
20 E u se b iu s, D e m . e v . 7 .2 (F e rra r 2 , p . 8 3 ; se e a lso , le ss d e v e lo p e d , D e m . e v .
11
4 .1 6 , F e rra r 1 , p . 2 1 0 ): ‘It is th e G o d th a t d w e lls th e re in , W h o w a s se e n b y

December 2018
Ja c o b in h u m a n fo rm a n d sh a p e , w h e refo re h e w a s d e e m e d w o rth y o f th e
n a m e , S e er o f G o d , fo r su c h is th e tra n sla tio n o f h is n a m e . A n d I h a v e e sta b
lish e d in th e e a rly p a rt o f th is w o rk th a t H e th a t w a s se e n b y Ja c o b w a s n o n e
o th e r th a n th e W o rd o f G o d .’
21 E u se b iu s, H i s t. e c c l. 1 .2 .2 4 — 6 (S C 3 1 , p p . 1 2 — 1 3 ); E c lo g u e s 3 .4 4 (P G 2 2 ,
c o l. 1 1 7 3 C D ).
w h o s t e p p e d d o w n f r o m h i s o w n e x a l t e d p o s it i o n , m a d e h i m s e l f v i s i b l e

a n d c o m p r e h e n s i b le t o h u m a n i t y ? [ E u s e b i u s n o w r e h e a r s e s t h e m o s t i m
p o r ta n t th e o p h a n ie s to A braham , Jacob, M oses, and E z e k ie l ] . .. He
a s s u m e d a c e r t a in f o r m b e f o r e A b r a h a m a n d w a s s e e n i n t h e f i g u r e o f a
m an w hen A braham w as by the oak and washed the feet a n d s h a r e d a ta b le
w ith th e d iv in e s tr a n g e r . . . A n d J a c o b a l s o s a i d c o n c e r n i n g t h is , For I
have seen God face to face, and my life has been preserved. A n d th e p r e se n t
p r o p h e t [ s c i l. I s a i a h ] s a w a n d a l s o w i t n e s s e d g l o r y . T h u s , a s w e d i s c u s s e d
a b o v e , h e s a w t h e g l o r y o f o u r S a v i o r J e s u s C h r is t . T h u s i t w a s f o r M o s e s
a n d f o r E z e k i e l t o o .2 2
In th e Church History, t o o , E u s e b iu s p u t s f o r t h t h e s a m e c o n v e n
tio n a l v ie w :
T h e g r e a t s e r v a n t M o s e s a n d b e f o r e h i m i n t h e f ir s t p l a c e A b r a h a m a n d
h is c h ild r e n , and as m any r ig h te o u s m en and p r o p h e ts as a fte r w a r d
a p p e a r e d , h a v e c o n te m p la te d h im w i t h t h e p u r e e y e s o f t h e m in d , a n d
as
h a v e r e c o g n iz e d h i m a n d o f f e r e d t o h i m t h e w o r s h i p w h i c h i s d u e h i m
Son o f God .. . Y o u w i l l p e r c e iv e a l s o f r o m t h e s a m e w o r d s t h a t this was no
other than he who talked with Moses.2 3
A s J o r g U lr ic h o b s e r v e s : ‘D a h e r w e r d e n s a m t lic h e a lt t e s t a m e n t -
lic h e T h e o p h a n ie n v o n E u s e b (w ie d e r u m in Ubereinstimmung mit
der antiken christlichen Tradition der E xegese) ganz s e lb st-
v e r s ta n d lic h und k on sequ en t a ls L o g o p h a n ie n b e z ie h u n g s w e is e
C h r is to p h a n ie n g e d e u t e t .’ 2 4 2 W
5 hat s h o u ld perhaps be added is
th a t th e o p h a n ie s a ls o a n t ic i p a t e th e in c a r n a tio n , s in c e in a ll o f
t h e m t h e S o n d e s c e n d s f r o m h i s o w n g r e a t n e s s , ‘m a k i n g h i m s e l f
s m a l l ’ { o y u K fiv v to v r e a v r o v ) s o a s t o b e c o m e v i s i b l e a n d p e r c e p t i b l e
b y h u m a n s .- '
22 E u se b iu s, C o m m . E s a . 3 .4 1 (G C S 5 5 , p p . 3 6 — 7 ; tran s. in C o m m e n ta r y o n
I s a ia h : E u s e b iu s o f C a e s a r e a , tra n s. w ith a n in tro d u c tio n a n d n o te s b y Jo n a th a n
J. A rm stro n g , e d . Jo e l C . E lo w sk y [D o w n e rs G ro v e , IL : I V P A c a d e m ic , 2 0 1 5 ],
p p . 2 7 — 8 ). E u se b iu s re ta in s th e c h risto lo g ic al in te rp reta tio n o f P s. 7 9 :2 (w h ich
h e c o n n e c ts w ith th e c h e ru b im o f E x o d u s 2 5 a n d th e v isio n s o f E z e k ie l 1 a n d
1 0 ). S e e E u se b iu s, C o m m . P s . 7 9 (P G 2 3 , co l. 9 5 6 B , D ) a n d th e d isc u ssio n in
R u sse ll C h ristm a n , W h a t D i d E z e k i e l S e e ? (L eid e n : B rill, 2 0 0 5 ), p p . 3 0 — 1 .
23 E u se b iu s, H i s t. e c c l. 1 .2 .6 , 1 3 (S C 3 1 , p p . 7 , 9 ; tra n s. N P N F ).
11
24 Jo rg U lric h , E u s e b v o n C a e s a r e a u n d d ie J u d e n (B e rlin : d e G ru y ter, 1 9 9 8 ),

December 2018
p . 1 8 3 (e m p h a sis m in e).
25 E u se b iu s, C o m m . E s a . 1 .4 1 (G C S 5 5 , p . 3 6 ). S e e a lso D e m . e v . 7 .1 (G C S
2 3 , p p . 2 9 7 — 8 ): b e fo re d e liv e rin g h is p ro p h e c y o f th e v irg in a l b irth (Isa 7 :1 4 ),
Isa ia h b e a rs w itn ess o f h is g lo rio u s v isio n o f C h rist’s d iv in ity , b y w ritin g ‘I
sa w th e L o rd sittin g u p o n a h ig h a n d lo fty th ro n e , e tc. (Isa 6 :1 )’; D e m . e v .
9 .1 6 (G C S 2 3 , p . 4 3 8 ).
596 BOGDAN G. BUCUR
E u s e b iu s a ls o s h o w s o r ig in a lit y in h is e x e g e s is o f t h e o p h a n ie s .

A s id e fr o m o c c a s io n a l o r ig in a l s o lu tio n s to th is or th a t t e x t,2 6
m o s t s ig n if ic a n t in t h is r e s p e c t is t h e in t e r p r e t a t io n o f t h e b u r n in g
b u sh scen e se t fo r th in th e Prophetic Eclogues and Proof of the
Gospel. E u s e b iu s a d d s a d i s t i n c t a n d o r i g i n a l v o i c e t o t h e r i c h c h o
r u s o f J e w is h a n d C h r is tia n in te r p r e te r s o f E x o d u s 3 b y p o s itin g a
d i s j u n c t i o n b e t w e e n t h e v i s u a l a n d t h e a u d it o r y a s p e c t s o f t h e t h e -
o p h a n y (th e a n g e l appeared, w h ile th e L o r d spoke to M o se s), a n d
b y d e p ic tin g M o s e s a s a s p ir itu a l n e o p h y te w h o s e a ttu n e m e n t to
G od r a n k s m u c h lo w e r th a n th a t o f th e p a tr ia r c h s o f o ld . In a
s tr ik in g d e p a r tu r e fr o m th e m a in s tr e a m o f J e w is h a n d C h r is tia n
t r a d it i o n , E u s e b i u s s t a t e s t h a t ‘t h r o u g h o u t a l l o f S c r i p t u r e G o d i s
not even once s a id t o h a v e a p p e a r e d t o M o s e s ’,2 7 b e c a u s e h e w a s a
m e r e b e g i n n e r , ‘n o t f i t f o r a u g h t t h a n a n g e l i c v i s i o n s ’ , 2 8 s p i r it u a l ly
in fe r io r to th e p a tr ia r c h s . T h is m e tic u lo u s ‘d e m o tio n ’ o f M o s e s
by m eans of exegesis fo c u se d o n p a ssa g es su c h a s E x o d u s 19, 24,
a n d 3 3 , a n d N u m b e r s 1 2 , a n d th e r e fe r e n c e to th e v ie w s o f o th e r
e x e g e te s ,2 9 su g g e sts th a t E u s e b iu s is a tte m p tin g to c o u n te r an
26 O n e su c h e x c ep tio n is E u se b iu s’ fin e a n a ly sis o f H a b . 3 :2 L X X ( e v jie a c o YXWVU

Svo w h ic h le a d s h im to p a rt w a y s w ith th e e x e g esis o f h is
I q jo w y v o p a d -p a r j),
p re d ec e sso rs, to w h o m h e a sc rib e s th e re ad in g ‘liv in g b e in g s’. S e e E u seb iu s o f
C a e sa re a , D e m . e v . 6 .1 5 .9 (G C S 2 3 , p . 2 7 0 ; F e rra r 2 , p . 2 1 ): ‘O u r L o rd a n d
S a v io u r, to o , th e W o rd o f G o d H im self, w a s k n o w n b e tw e e n tw o liv e s . T h e w o rd
Io j o j v is p lu ra l a n d a c c e n te d w ith c irc u m fle x o n th e la st sy lla b le as th e p lu ra l o f
th e sin g u la r n o u n (life ). It is n o t le b o w a c c e n te d a c u te o n th e p e n u ltim a te
fro m IPj o v (a liv in g c rea tu re), b u t w i t h c ir c u m fle x o n th e la s t s y lla b le (fo o d w )
fro m n o m in a tiv e p lu ra l £o>cd (liv e s). H e say s, th e re fo re, H e w a s k n o w n b e tw e en
tw o liv e s . O n e life is th a t a c c o rd in g to G o d , th e o th e r th a t a c co rd in g to m a n ;
th e o n e m o rta l, th e o th e r e tern a l. A n d th e L o rd h a v in g e x p e rie n c ed b o th is
rig h tly sa id to h a v e b e e n m a d e k n o w n b e tw ee n tw o liv e s in th e L X X tran sla
tio n . A q u ila tra n sla te s d iffe re n tly : I n th e n e a r in g o f th e y e a r s , c a u s e i t to liv e .
W h a t d o e s i t m e a n h e re b u t t h y w o r k ? A n d T h e o d o tio n say s: I n th e m id s t o f
th e y e a r s , c a u s e h im to liv e , a n d S y m m a c h u s ren d e rs: W ith in th e y e a r s , r e v iv e
h im . T h e y all b y th e u se o f Io j o j g o v (ca u se to liv e) sh e w c le a rly th a t th e w o rd
in th e o rig in a l d o e s n o t re fer to irratio n al o r ra tio n a l a n im a ls. A n d so fo llo w in g
th e re n d e rin g o f th e S e p tu a g in t, H e w a s m a d e k n o w n b e tw e e n tw o liv e s , a n d n o t
th e c o m m e n ta to rs w h o h a v e p rec e d e d m e , I u n d e rsta n d th a t th e tw o liv es o f
th e S u b je ct o f th e p ro p h e c y a re re fe rre d to , th e D iv in e a n d th e H u m a n .’
27 E u se b iu s, E c lo g u e s 1 .9 (P G 2 2 , co l. 1 0 5 2 A ): o v S e a r r a ^ a v e v p o is S t’ o X r js
r r js v o fto O e a la s -r^v y p a c p fjv a r jfie io v fte v r jv & > s on 8 rj a x p O r/ o © e o s rj o K v p io s r q j
11
M o ja e i, o r r e p It t i f.io v o w r o w r p ic o v r r a r p ia p y o w e lp r /fte v o v ific p a lv e r a i', cf. E c lo g u e s 1 .1 2

December 2018
(P G 2 2 , co l. 1 0 6 1 A ): oS S’ d r r a ^ o X o y o s fia p r v p e i X e y o w o n d x p O rj a v r q j o K v p io s ,
tb s 677t r o w r r a r p ia p y o w e ip r^ K o o s r e r r jp r jr a i.
2S y r jS e v TrA eov d y y e X iK r js o T r r a o la s y o jp oS v rt (E u se b iu s, D e m . e v . 5 .1 3 [G C S 2 3 ,
p . 2 4 0 ; F e rra r 1 , p . 2 5 8 ]).
29 E u se b iu s, E c lo g u e s 1 .1 2 (P G 2 2 , c o l. 1 0 6 1 A ): c o s v o ^ d a e ie v n s ', o js o ir jd e lr ]
av ns.
e s ta b lis h e d J e w is h tr a d itio n a ffir m in g th e s p ir itu a l p r im a c y o f th e

J e w s o v e r t h e G e n t ile s .3 0 3 1
In c o n c lu s io n , E u s e b iu s ’ u s e o f th e o p h a n ie s is , fo r th e m o st
p a r t, p r o fo u n d ly t r a d it io n a l— a s M o r le t sh ow ed , ‘a p r iv ile g e d
p la c e o f c o n ju n c tio n b e tw e e n th e p o le m ic a l tr a d itio n s te m m in g
f r o m J u s t in a n d t h e A le x a n d r ia n s c h o la r ly t r a d it io n o f P h ilo a n d
O r ig e n ’ — and, on o c c a s io n , s u r p r is in g ly in n o v a tiv e . A lth o u g h
t h e e l e m e n t o f ‘ d e m o t i o n ’ s e e m s t o b e o r i g i n a l , t h i s p a r t i c u la r a s
p e c t o f E u s e b iu s ’ e x e g e s is o f S in a i te x ts m a k e s s e n s e w ith in th e
la r g e r fr a m e w o r k o f h is a n ti-J e w is h s tr a te g y , w h ic h is its e lf, t o
g e th e r w it h th e a u x ilia r y u s e o f c h r is to p h a n ic e x e g e s is , a n e a r lie r
tr a d itio n th a t g o e s b a c k to J u s tin M a r ty r , th e F o u r th G o s p e l, a n d
t h e P a u l in e e p i s t le s .
Th e ‘Ar g u m e n t f r o m Th e o ph a n ie s ’ a g a in s t Ma r c e l l u s
The A r ia n c o n tr o v e r sy and th e c o n f lic t w ith M a r c e ll u s le d

E u s e b iu s t o , a s it w e r e , ‘r e c y c le ’ h is in t e r p r e ta t io n o f t h e o p h a n ie s
and r e d ir e c t it a g a in s t h is o p p o n e n t. A lth o u g h M a r c e ll u s of
A n c y r a s h a r e s th e tr a d itio n o f v ie w in g O ld T e s ta m e n t th e o p h a
n ie s a s m a n ife s ta tio n s o f th e W o r d o f G o d , h is v ie w (a s r e p o r te d
b y E u s e b iu s ) t h a t ‘ G o d i s a n i n d iv i s i b l e m o n a d ’ 3 2 d e t e r m i n e s a n
in te r p r e ta tio n of th e o p h a n ie s very d iffe r e n t fr o m th a t of
E u s e b iu s . T h e c le a r e s t e v id e n c e is fo u n d in M a r c e llu s’ d is c u s s io n
o f t h e b u r n in g b u s h e p is o d e , in w h ic h t h e t a r g e t o f h is c r it ic is m is
A s te r iu s (w h o s e p o s itio n c o in c id e s w ith th a t o f E u s e b iu s ):
W h o , th e n , d o e s A s te r iu s th in k it w a s th a t s a id ‘I a m h e w h o is ’: th e S o n
o r th e F a th e r ? F o r h e [A s te r iu s ], c o n s id e r in g th e h u m a n fle s h a s s u m e d b y
t h e W o r d o f G o d a n d i m a g i n in g s u c h t h in g s o n a c c o u n t o f i t , s a y s t h a t
th e r e a r e tw o h y p o s ta s e s , th e F a th e r a n d th e S o n , th u s s e p a r a tin g th e S o n
of G od fr o m th e F a t h e r , j u s t a s s o m e o n e w o u ld s e p a r a te a h u m a n son
fr o m h is n a tu r a l fa th e r . N o w , if h e s a y s it w a s th e F a th e r w h o s p o k e th e s e
t h in g s to M oses in order to d i s t i n g u is h h im s e lf fr o m th e Son, he
[ A s t e r iu s ] w i ll b e c o n f e s s i n g t h a t t h e S o n i s n o t G o d . F o r h o w c o u l d h e
w h o s a i d ‘ I a m t h e o n e w h o i s ’ n o t h a v e t h e r e b y c o n f e s s e d t h a t ‘h e i s ’ i n
c o n t r a d i s t i n c t i o n t o o n e ‘ w h o i s n o t ’ ? B u t i f h e [ A s t e r iu s ] s h o u ld c la im
YXWVUTSRQPONMLK
t h a t i t w a s t h e S o n , a s h y p o s t a t i c a l l y d i s t i n c t ( b tr o a r d a e i b ir jp y p ie v o v ), w h o
11
30 F o r a m o re d e tailed d isc u ssio n , see B ogdan G. B u c u r, ‘“G o d never

December 2018
A p p e a red to M o se s” : E u se b iu s o f C a e sa re a’s P e c u lia r E x e g e sis o f th e B u rn in g

B u sh T h e o p h a n y ’, J o u r n a l o f th e B ib le a n d its R e c e p tio n (fo rth c o m in g ), e sp . se c
tio n 3 .1 , ‘A n ti-Je w ish P o lem ic s a n d th e D e m o tio n o f M o se s’.
31 M o rle t, L a 'D e m o n s tr a tio n e v a n g e liq u e ’ d ’E u s e b e d e C e s a r e e , p . 4 5 7 .
E u se b iu s, E e e l. T h e o l. 2 .1 9 (G C S 1 4 , p . 1 2 3 ): p o v d S a y o v v e ir a i d b ia ip e r o v
rov h fo v (p a G K C O V .
598 BOGDAN G. BUCUR
s a i d ‘ I a m h e w h o i s ’, t h e n h e i n t u r n w i l l b e c o u n t e d a s s a y i n g t h e s a m e
t h i n g a b o u t t h e F a t h e r . E i t h e r o f t h e s e o p t i o n s i s i m p i o u s .3 3

T h e a l t e r n a t i v e ( ‘w h o w a s t h e o n e w h o s a i d I am He Who Is—
t h e S o n o r t h e F a th e r ? ’) is m e a n t t o h ig h lig h t t h e a b s u r d ity , b u t e s
p e c i a l l y t h e ‘ i m p i e t y ’, o f v i e w in g t h e F a t h e r a n d t h e S o n a s tw o
h y p o s ta s e s ; in d e e d , s a y in g th a t it w a s th e F a th e r w h o a p p e a r e d a t
in contra
t h e b u r n in g b u s h im p lie s t h a t t h e F a t h e r is t r u ly e x is te n t
distinction to the Son,3 4 a n d is , t h e r e f o r e , u ltim a te ly , a d e n ia l o f t h e
d iv in ity o f th e S o n . F o r M a r c e llu s , G o d a n d h is W o r d c a n n o t b e
d is tin g u is h e d any m o r e th a n one d i s t in g u i s h e s a hum an p erson
f r o m it s v o ic e , a n d a p e r s o n ’s w ill, s p e e c h , a n d a c t io n f r o m it s e x e r
c i s e o f r e a s o n i n g .3 5 T o s a y , t h e r e f o r e , t h a t t h e W o r d a p p e a r s a n d
p r o c la im s ‘I a m F ie W h o I s ’ e x p r e s s e s th e th e o lo g ic a l n o tio n o f th e
F a th e r s p e a k in g th r o u g h th e W o r d : A eyei p.ev tw Mcooei 6 Trar-qp,
XeyeL 8 e St j Xo v o t l S id t o v Xoyov.3 6 B r ie f l y p u t , f o r M a r c e l l u s t h e o p h a -
n i e s a r e a l w a y s ‘b y t h e F a t h e r t h r o u g h t h e W o r d ’ . 3 7 3 8
E u s e b iu s , b y c o n tr a s t, s ta te s th a t it w a s u n d o u b te d ly th e S o n o f
G o d w h o s p o k e to M o s e s a t th e b u r n in g b u s h , h e w h o a p p e a r e d
to A b r a h a m a t M a r n r e (G e n e s is 1 8 ), w h o to ld M o s e s th a t h e h a d
m a n ife s te d h im s e lf to A b r a h a m , I s a a c , a n d J a c o b (E x o d . 6 :2 -3 ),
w h o l a t e r p r o c l a i m e d h i m s e l f t o ‘b e ’ b e f o r e A b r a h a m ‘w a s ’ ( J o h n
8 : 3 6 ) , s in c e h e w a s t h e ‘m e d ia t o r ’ ( G a l. 3 : 2 0 ) e v e n b e f o r e t h e in
c a r n a tio n (iTplv rj rrjv odpxa avaXafieiv).3S
T h u s , in th e fir s t d e c a d e s o f th e fo u r th c e n tu r y , th e a n ti-J e w is h
and a n ti-m o d a lis tic u se of th e o p h a n ie s , a lr e a d y e x e r c is e d by
33 M a rc e llu s, F r. 8 5 /6 3 -8 6 /6 4 = E c c l. T h e o l. 2 .1 9 (G C S 14, p. 1 2 3 ); m y
tra n sla tio n . T h e fra g m e n ts o f M a rc e llu s a re g iv e n tw o n u m b e rs, c o rre sp o n d in g
to M a rk u s V in z en t, M a r k e l l v o n A n k y r a : D ie F r a g m e n ts . D e r B r i e f a n J u l i u s
v o n R o m (L eid e n : B rill, 1 9 9 7 ) a n d th e G C S c ritic a l e d itio n : E u s e b iu s W e r k e 4 :
G e g e n M a r c e ll. T ib e r d ie k ir c h lic h e T h e o lo g ie . D ie F r a g m e n te M a r c e lls , 3 rd e d n .,
e d . H e in rich K lo sterm an n , re v ise d b y G u n th er C h ristia n H a n sen (G C S 1 4 ;
B e rlin : A k a d e m ie -V e rla g , 1 9 9 1 ).
34 77cuS' yap e y y o jp e i tov X eyo vra «eyoj e lp u o 6j v » fir / a v v o f- to X o y e iv oti K ara
6w e a v T o v e iv c u c p r /o iv .
a v T ib ia o T o X r jv t o v f.tr j o v t o s o
35 M a rc e llu s, F r. 8 7 /6 1 — A g a in s t M a r c e llu s 2 .2 ; E c c l. T h e o l. 1 .1 7 (G C S 1 4 ,
p p . 4 0 , 7 7 ).
36 M a rc e llu s, F r. 8 9 /62 — A g a in s t M a r c e llu s 2 .2 (G C S 1 4 , p . 4 0 ).
37 M a rc e llu s, F r. 8 7 /6 1 and F r. 8 9 /62 — A g a in s t M a r c e llu s 2 .2 , 1 1 ; E c c l.
11
T h e o l. 1 .1 7 (G C S 1 4 , p p . 4 0 , 7 7 , 1 1 2 ): ‘Ju st as all c re atu res a re m a d e b y th e

December 2018
F a th e r th ro u g h th e W o rd (th ro t o v n a T p o s b i d t o v X o y o v y e y o v e v ), so a lso a re all

u tteran c e s m a d e b y th e F a th e r th ro u g h th e W o rd (th ro t o v n c iT p o s b i d t o v X o y o v
o r jp ia lv e T a iy ; ‘F o r w h a te v er th e F a th e r sa y s is a lw ay s e x p re sse d b y m e a n s o f th e
W o rd ’s a c t o f sp e a k in g (t t c iv t c i y d p o a a c iv o t t c it t ip X e y r j, t c iv t c l r r a v T a y o v §k x t o v
Xo y o v X e y o w c p a lv e T c ii) .
38 E u se b iu s, E c c l. T h e o l. 2 .2 1 .1 (G C S 1 4 , p . 1 3 0 ).
C h r is tia n th in k e r s o f th e s e c o n d a n d th ir d c e n tu r ie s , h a d c le a r ly

n o t l o s t i t s a p p e a l.
At h a n a s iu s o f Al e x a n d r ia
C h u rch tr a d itio n as w e ll as th e a c a d e m ic g u ild see in

A t h a n a s i u s t h e g r e a t c h a m p io n o f N i c a e a , t h e d e f i n e r a n d d e f e n d
er of th e o /x o o u c n o v . U n d e r n e a th c o n s id e r a tio n s about th e
o /x o o u c n o v , h o w e v e r , lie s t h e b e d r o c k o f t h e ‘c h r is t o p h a n ic ’ r e a d in g
o f th e O ld T e sta m e n t. T h is is n o t s u r p r is in g , o f c o u r s e , s in c e
A t h a n a s iu s u n d e r s t a n d s t h e o lo g iz in g a s , e s s e n tia lly , a p r o c e s s o f
d is c e r n in g th e r e v e la tio n a r tic u la te d in th e S c r ip t u r e s .3 9 In
Contra Arianos, fo r in s ta n c e , h e h a s n o h e s ita tio n in r e h e a r s in g
th e p r e -N ic e n e a r g u m e n t fo r th e d iv in ity o f th e Son: C h r is t is
p r e -e x is te n t a n d d iv in e a n d , a s s u c h , a lw a y s a lr e a d y th e o b je c t o f
h u m a n a n d a n g e l i c w o r s h ip , b e c a u s e A b r a h a m w o r s h ip s h im in
h is te n t (G e n e s is 1 8 ), M o s e s w o r s h ip s h im a t th e b u r n in g b u s h
( E x o d u s 3 ) , a n d D a n ie l s e e s h im a s t h e A n c ie n t o f D a y s , s e a t e d o n
th e d iv in e th r o n e a n d a tte n d e d b y th o u s a n d s u p o n th o u s a n d s o f
a n g e l i c m i n is t e r s ( D a n . 7 : 1 0 ) :
F o r if th e L o r d b e G o d , S o n , W o r d , y e t w a s n o t a ll t h e s e b e fo r e H e b e
cam e m an .. . And if He r e c e iv e d H is w o r s h ip a fte r d y in g , how is
A b r a h a m s e e n to w o r s h ip H im in t h e te n t, a n d M o s e s in th e b u s h ? a n d ,
a s D a n i e l s a w , m y r ia d s o f m y r ia d s , a n d t h o u s a n d s o f t h o u s a n d s w e r e m i n
i s t e r i n g u n t o H i m ?40
I f th e n th e y s u p p o s e th a t th e S a v io u r w a s n o t L o r d a n d K in g , e v e n b e fo r e
H e b e c a m e m a n a n d e n d u r e d th e C r o s s , b u t th e n b e g a n to b e L o r d , le t
th e m know th a t th ey are o p e n ly r e v iv in g th e s t a te m e n t s of th e
S a m o s a t e n e . B u t i f , a s w e h a v e q u o t e d a n d d e c la r e d a b o v e , H e i s L o r d
a n d K in g e v e r la s tin g , s e e in g t h a t A b r a h a m w o r s h ip s H im a s L o r d . . . it is
p la in t h a t e v e n b e fo r e H e b e c a m e m a n , H e w a s K in g a n d L o r d e v e r la s t
i n g , b e i n g I m a g e a n d W o r d o f t h e F a t h e r .4 1
9 It w a s A th an a siu s ( S y n . 3 5 .2 [S C 5 6 3 , p . 3 0 0 ]; D e e r . 2 2 .3 [P G 2 5 , c o l.
4 5 6 A B ]; A fr o s 4 .2 -4 [ A W II.8 , p p . 3 2 8 -9 ]) w h o o rig in a te d th e rich e x e g e tic al
11
trad itio n o f d e fen d in g th e u se o f th e n o n -b ib lica l te rm o v a ia b y re fe re n ce to

December 2018
th e 6 to r o f E x o d . 3 :1 4 . S e e X a v ie r M o rale s, ‘In tro d u ctio n ’ to A th a n a s e

d ’A l e x a m i r i e : L e t t r e s u r le s S y n o d e s . S y n o d a le d ’A tic y r e . B a s ile d ’A tic y r e : T rade
sur la fo i. (S C 5 6 3 ), p . 1 0 7 ; M o ra les, L a T h e o lo g ie tr iiiita ir e d ’A th a n a s e
d ’A l e x a m i r i e (P a ris: In s titu t d ’E tu d e s A u g u stin ie n n e s, 2 0 0 6 ), p p . 2 8 8 — 9 0 .
40 A th a n asiu s, C A 1 .3 8 .5 ( A W 1 .2 , p . 1 4 8 ; tran s. N P N F ).
41 A th a n asiu s, C A 2 .1 3 .1 ( A W 1 .2 , p . 1 8 9 ; tran s. N P N F ).
600 BOGDAN G. BUCUR
T h e s a m e e x e g e s is o f t h e o p h a n ie s o c c u r s in A t h a n a s iu s ’ De syn

odis 52:
[W e ] u n d e r sta n d th e o n e n e s s o f th e S o n w ith th e F a th e r to b e .. . a c c o r d
YXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFED
i n g t o e s s e n c e a n d i n t r u t h ( K a r a r r /v o v o la v K a i d X r jd e lq ) .. . t h e r e b e i n g b u t
one F orm o f G o d h e a d ( e ’l b o v s d e o r r jT o s ), a s t h e L i g h t a n d t h e R a d i a n c e .
F o r t h i s w a s s e e n b y t h e P a t r ia r c h J a c o b , a s S c r i p t u r e s a y s , ‘ T h e s u n r o s e
upon h im w h e n th e F orm of G od (t o e lb o s too 0eov) p a sse d b y ’ [G e n .
3 2 :3 ], B e h o ld in g th is, and u n d e r s ta n d in g of w hom F ie w as Son and
I m a g e , t h e h o ly P r o p h e t s s a y , ‘T h e W o r d o f t h e L o r d c a m e t o m e ’; a n d
r e c o g n iz in g th e F a th e r , w h o w a s b e h e ld a n d r e v e a le d in H im , th e y m a d e
b o ld t o s a y : ‘T h e G o d o f o u r fa th e r s h a s a p p e a r e d u n t o m e , t h e G o d o f
A braham , and I s a a c , a n d J a c o b ’ [E x o d . 3 :1 6 ], T h is b e in g s o , w h e r e fo r e
s c r u p l e w e t o c a l l c o e s s e n t i a l ( o q o o v o io v ) , a c c o r d i n g t o l i k e n e s s a n d o n e
n e s s o f g o d h e a d , H im w h o is o n e w ith t h e F a th e r , a n d a p p e a r s a s d o e s th e
F a t h e r (c p a iv o q e v o v c o s e o n T t a r e p a ) ? 4 -
L ik e o th e r w r ite r s , A th a n a s iu s g iv e s m u c h a tte n tio n to th e e x e

g e s is o f t h e b u r n in g b u s h t h e o p h a n y . H is t h e o lo g ic a l p o s it io n is ,
q u ite c le a r ly , th a t ‘M o s e s b e h e ld G od’ ju st as ‘t o A braham
appeared G o d ’, m o r e s p e c ific a lly th e L ogos; y e t, h is in te r p r e t
a tio n s e e m s to d ia lo g u e w ith E u s e b iu s ’ v ie w th a t G o d o c c a s io n a l
ly a p p e a r s a n d s p e a k s to M o se s th ro u g h a n g e ls , a s th r o u g h th e
p illa r o f c lo u d :
F o r Z a c h a r i a s s a w a n A n g e l; a n d I s a ia h s a w t h e L o r d . M a n o a h , t h e f a t h e r
o f S a m s o n , s a w a n A n g e l; b u t M o s e s b e h e ld G o d . G i d e o n s a w a n A n g e l ,
b u t t o A b r a h a m a p p e a r e d G o d . A n d n e it h e r h e w h o s a w G o d , b e h e ld a n
A n g e l , n o r h e w h o s a w a n A n g e l, c o n s id e r e d t h a t h e s a w G o d ; f o r g r e a t ly ,
o r r a t h e r w h o l ly , d o t h in g s b y n a t u r e o r i g i n a t e d i f f e r f r o m G o d t h e C r e a t o r .
B u t if a t a n y tim e , w h e n th e A n g e l w a s s e e n , h e w h o s a w it h e a r d G o d ’s
v o ic e , a s to o k p la c e a t th e b u s h ; fo r the Angel of the Lord teas seen in a flame
of fire out of the bush, and the Lord called Moses out of the bush, saying, I am
the God of thy father, the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God
of Jacob, y e t w a s n o t t h e A n g e l t h e G o d o f A b r a h a m , b u t i n t h e A n g e l G o d
s p o k e (iv Si dyyiXco XaXcov r/v 6 6 eos). A n d w h a t w a s s e e n w a s a n A n g e l; b u t
G o d s p o k e i n h i m (iv avrco). F o r a s H e s p o k e t o M o s e s i n t h e p i l l a r o f a
c l o u d i n t h e t a b e r n a c l e , s o a l s o G o d a p p e a r s a n d s p e a k s i n A n g e ls (iv
dyyiXois)■ S o a g a i n t o t h e s o n o f N u n H e s p a k e b y a n A n g e l ( 8 1 ’ a y y e 'A o u ) .
B u t w h a t G o d s p e a k s , i t i s v e r y p l a in H e s p e a k s t h r o u g h t h e W o r d , a n d n o t
th r o u g h a n o th e r . A n d th e W o r d , a s b e in g n o t s e p a ra te fr o m th e F a th e r , n o r
11
u n l ik e a n d f o r e i g n t o t h e F a t h e r ’ s E s s e n c e , w h a t H e w o r k s , t h o s e a r e t h e
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F a t h e r ’ s w o r k s , a n d H i s f r a m i n g o f a l l t h in g s i s o n e w i t h H i s ; a n d w h a t t h e
S o n g iv e s , t h a t is t h e F a t h e r ’s g if t. A n d h e w h o h a t h s e e n t h e S o n , k n o w s
t h a t, in s e e in g H im , h e h a s s e e n , n o t A n g e l, n o r o n e m e r e ly g r e a te r th a n
42 A th a n a siu s, S y n . 5 2 (S C 5 6 3 , p . 3 5 4 ; tra n s. N P N F ).
A n g e ls , n o r in s h o r t a n y c r e a tu r e , b u t th e F a th e r H im se lf. A n d h e w h o

h e a r s t h e W o r d , k n o w s t h a t h e h e a r s t h e F a t h e r ; a s h e w h o i s i r r a d ia t e d b y
t h e r a d i a n c e , k n o w s t h a t h e i s e n l ig h t e n e d b y t h e s u n .4 3
A t h a n a s i u s a c c e p t s t h a t t h e s a c r e d t e x t m i g h t i m p o s e a d i s t i n c t io n
b e t w e e n t h e v i s u a l a n d t h e a u d it o r y c o m p o n e n t s o f t h e t h e o p h a n y ,
a n d t h a t t h e v is u a l c o m p o n e n t is p r o b a b ly b r o u g h t a b o u t t h r o u g h
th e m e d ia tio n o f a n a n g e lic p r e s e n c e ; h e m a in ta in s , n e v e r th e le s s ,
th a t th e a u d ito r y c o m p o n e n t is to b e a s c r ib e d to th e L o g o s , w h o
m a y b e c a l l e d ‘ a n g e l ’ f o r h i s r o l e i n r e v e a l in g a n d a n n o u n c i n g t h e
F a t h e r ,4 4 b u t i s n o t , lik e th e a n g e l, an in s tr u m e n t of G od, but
G o d ’s very ow n e x p r e ss io n . Ju st b e fo r e th e q u o te d p assage,
A th a n a s iu s h a s e s ta b lis h e d th a t th e a n g e lic m a n ife s ta tio n (a s p e r
E u s e b iu s’ e x e g e s is ) w o u ld n o t c o n v e y p e r fe c tly th e d iv in e s o u r c e
a n d c o n t e n t o f t h e r e v e la t io n . H is r e a s o n in g is t h a t n o c r e a tu r e is
a b l e t o c o n v e y t h e r e v e l a t i o n a l w o r k o f G o d , b e c a u s e ‘b e i n g w o r k s ,
th e y c a n n o t w o r k w h a t G o d w o r k s’; e v e n th e a n g e ls a r e s e p a r a te
a n d d i v i d e d (Keôpiaêvoi xal hieorrjKOTes) f r o m t h e o n l y G o d i n n a
t u r e .4 5 U n lik e c r e a t u r e s , h o w e v e r , a s w e h a v e j u s t s e e n , t h e L o g o s
i s ‘n o t s e p a r a t e (ov K e y c D /a iff/r e V o s -) f r o m t h e F a t h e r , n o r u n l i k e a n d
f o r e i g n t o t h e F a t h e r ’ s E s s e n c e ’ , s o t h a t ‘w h a t H e w o r k s , t h o s e a r e
t h e F a t h e r ’s w o r k s , a n d H is fr a m in g o f a ll t h in g s is o n e w it h H is ;
a n d w h a t t h e S o n g i v e s , t h a t i s t h e F a t h e r ’ s g i f t ’ .4 6 I t f o l l o w s , t h e n ,
t h a t o n l y t h e S o n c a n c o n v e y t h e F a t h e r ’ s v i s u a l a n d a u d it o r y r e v e
la tio n p e r fe c tly : s e e in g th e S o n , o n e s e e s th e F a th e r ; h e a r in g th e
W o rd , o n e h ea rs th e F a th e r ; r e c e iv in g w h a t th e Son w orks and
g iv e s , o n e r e c e iv e s t h e F a t h e r ’s w o r k s a n d g ift.
Th e Ar g u m e n t f r o m Th e o ph a n ie s in Pr o -Nic e n e
Ar g u m e n t a t io n
I n s u b s e q u e n t d e c a d e s t h e d e b a te b e t w e e n m ia h y p o s t a t ic a n d
d y o h y p o s ta tic th e o lo g ie s c o n tin u e s , w ith E u n o m iu s s o u n d in g
YXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFE
43 A th a n asiu s, C A 3 .2 5 .1 4 ( A W 1 .3 , p p . 3 2 2 -3 ; tran s. N P N F ).
44 S e e A th a n asiu s’ re m ark s, ju s t a fe w lin e s e a rlie r, a b o u t Ja co b ’s p ra y er fo r
h is g ra n d so n s (G en . 4 8 :1 6 , 6 a yyeX o s 6 p v o p te v o s /re £k r r d v ro w row kclkow
e v X o y r jo a t r d T r a tb la r a v r a ): ‘B u t if it b e lo n g to n o n e o th e r th a n G o d to b le ss
a n d to d e liv er, a n d n o n e o th e r w a s th e d e liv e re r o f Ja c o b th a n th e L o rd
11
H im self, a n d H im th a t d e liv ere d h im th e P a triarc h b e so u g h t fo r h is g ra n d so n s,

December 2018
e v id e n tly n o n e o th e r d id h e jo in to G o d in h is p ra y e r th a n G o d ’s W o r d , w h o m
th e r e fo r e h e c a lle d A n g e l b e c a u s e i t is H e a lo n e w h o r e v e a ls th e F a th e r ’
(A th a n asiu s, C A 3 .2 5 .1 3 [ A W 1 .3 , p . 3 2 2 ; tra n s. N P N F ]; e m p h a sis a d d ed ).
45 A th a n asiu s, C A 3 .2 5 .1 4 ( A W 1 .3 , p . 3 2 2 ; tran s. N P N F ).
46 a e p y a ^ e r a t, r a v r a r o v r r a r p o s e o r tv e p y a , K a l p d a v r r o L e i r r /v S r jfx to v p y la v . K a l a
S iS c v G iv o v l os-, r o v r r a rp o s e o r tv r j b o o ts -
602 BOGDAN G. BUCUR
r e m a r k a b l y l i k e E u s e b iu s o f C a e s a r e a , a n d B a s i l o f C a e s a r e a a n d

G regory of N yssa e c h o in g M a r c e l lu s and A th a n a s iu s . In d eed ,
E u n o m iu s r a d ic a liz e s th e E u s e b ia n r e a d in g o f E x o d u s 3 a n d s ta te s
th a t ‘[t]h e o n e th a t s e n t M o s e s w a s H e W h o Is, w h ile th e o n e
t h r o u g h w h o m h e s e n t a n d s p o k e , i s t h e a n g e l o f H i m W h o I s ’ .4 7
A t th e o th e r end o f th e th e o lo g ic a l s p e c tr u m , th e a r g u m en t,
a r tic u la te d e a r l ie r b y M a r c e ll u s and A th a n a s iu s , th a t th e s tr ic t
s e p a r a tio n b e tw e e n 6 YXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCB
cov a n d 6 t o o o v t o s ayyeXos a m o u n t s t o e q u a t
in g th e S o n to a pefj cov, is n o w m a d e b y B a s il o f C a e s a r e a a n d
G r e g o r y o f N y s s a . B a s il b u ttr e s s e s h is a ffir m a tio n a b o u t C h r is t a s
‘t h e t r u l y E x i s t i n g O n e ’ a n d ‘ t h e s o u r c e o f b e i n g f o r a l l b e i n g s ’
w i t h a n e x e g e s i s o f E x o d . 3 : 1 4 i n w h i c h ‘t h e a n g e l ’ , ‘t h e L o r d ’ ,
a n d ‘G o d ’ a ll r e fe r to t h e S o n :
P le a se s to p s a y i n g t h a t h e d o e s n o t e x i s t w h e n h e i s t h e o n e w h o t r u ly
e x is ts , t h e o n e w h o is t h e s o u r c e o f life , a n d t h e o n e w h o p r o d u c e s b e in g
f o r a l l t h a t e x i s t s . D i d n ’t h e f i n d a d e s i g n a t i o n w e l l - s u i t e d f o r h i m s e l f a n d
fittin g fo r h is o w n e te r n ity w h e n h e n a m e d h im s e lf He Who Is in h is o r
a c le t o M o s e s h is s e r v a n t? H e s a id : I a m H e W h o I s [ E x o d . 3 :1 4 ] . . . I t is
w r it t e n t h a t t h e a n g e l o f t h e L o r d a p p e a r e d t o M o s e s in t h e b u s h b u r n in g
w i t h f ir e . A f t e r m e n t io n i n g t h e a n g e l a t t h e o u t s e t o f t h e n a r r a t i v e , s c r i p
tu r e in tr o d u c e s th e v o ic e o f G o d w h e n it s a y s th a t h e s a id to M o s e s : I am
the Goel of your father Abraham [ E x o d . 3 : 6 ] , A little fu r th e r o n , th e s a m e
o n e s a i d : I am He Who Is [ E x o d . 3 : 1 4 ] , S o , t h e n , w h o is t h is o n e w h o is
b o t h a n g e l a n d G o d a l i k e ? I s n ’t i t h e w h o m w e h a v e l e a r n e d i s c a l le d b y
t h e n a m e the angel of great counsel [ I s a . 9 : 5 ] ? . . . w h e n h e n a m e d h i m s e l f
He Who Is b e f o r e M o s e s , h e i s u n d e r s t o o d t o b e n o n e o t h e r t h a n G o d t h e
W o r d , w h o teas in the beginning with God [ J o h n 1 : 2 ] ,4 8
47 C ite d in G re g o ry o f N y ssa , E im . 3 .9 .3 2 (G N O 2 , p . 2 7 6 , tra n s. S . G .

H a ll, p . 2 1 0 ). C f. E u n . 3 .9 .3 4 (G N O 2 , p . 2 7 6 ; tran s. H a ll, p . 2 1 1 ): ‘h e [C h rist]
is o n e o f th e a n g e ls’. E n g lish tran slatio n in Jo h a n L e e m a n s a n d M a tth ie u
C a ssin (e d s.), G r e g o r y o f N y s s a : C o n tr a E u n o m iu m I I I . A n E n g lis h T r a n s la tio n
w ith C o m m e n ta r y a n d S u p p o r tin g S tu d ie s . P r o c e e d in g s o f th e 1 2 th I n te r n a tio n a l
C o llo q u iu m o n G r e g o r y o f N y s s a ( L e u v e n , 1 4 — 1 7 S e p te m b e r 2 0 1 0 ) (L eid e n : B rill,
2 0 1 4 ), p p . 4 2 -2 3 3 .
48 B a sil, E u n . 2 .1 8 (S C 3 0 5 , p . 7 0 , I T , tran s. T h e F a th ers o f th e C h u rc h ,
1 2 2 , p p . 1 5 5 — 6 ). S e e a lso G re g o ry o f N y ssa, E u n . 3 .9 .3 4 — 6 (G N O 2 , p . 2 7 7 ;
tra n s. H a ll, p . 2 1 1 ): G reg o ry re a d s ‘a n g e l’ in E x o d. 3 :1 a g a in st E x o d . 3 3 :1 5
a n d 3 4 :2 , 9 (M o ses’s su c c e ssfu l p ra y er th a t th e L o rd h im se lf, n o t a n a n g e l ,
11
sh o u ld le ad Isra e l). T h e a rg u m en t is n o t v e ry c lea r, in g o o d p a rt b e c au se , as

December 2018
H a ll n o te s (p . 2 1 1 , n . 1 8 7 ), ‘E x o d u s is itself c o n fu sin g a n d re p e titiv e , a n d

G re g o ry q u o te s p a ssag e s o u t o f o rd e r’. W h a t is e m in e n tly c lea r, h o w e v er, is
G reg o ry ’s th e o lo g ic a l c o n v ic tio n th a t, if E x o d u s 3 sp e ak s o f M o se s e n c o u n te r
in g H im W h o Is, a C h ristian re ad in g c a n o n ly a ffirm th a t ‘th e o n e w h o m a d e
h im self k n o w n b y th e title H e w h o is , is th e O n ly -b eg o tte n G o d (3 .3 5 ) ... e i
th e r th e O n ly -b eg o tte n G o d n e v e r a p p e are d to M o se s, o r H e th a t is, fro m
In G r e g o r y , t o o , m e ta p h y s ic a l s p e c u la t io n on ‘b e i n g ’ a n d ‘n o n -

b e in g ’ is w e ld e d to th e e x e g e s is o f b ib lic a l th e o p h a n ie s , s o th a t
s e r io u s a tte n tio n m u s t th e r e fo r e b e g iv e n to b o th . G r e g o r y ta k e s
th e d iv in e Eyto elyu 6YXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA
cov a n d t h e Eyto elyu s t a t e m e n t s i n D e u t e r o -
I s a i a h a s t h e s c r i p t u r a l ‘m a r k o f t h e t r u e G o d h e a d ’ a n d , s i m p l y
assuming t h e t r a d it io n a l id e n t if ic a t io n o f C h r is t a s M o s e s ’ in t e r
l o c u t o r o n S i n a i, c o n c l u d e s t h a t E u n o m i a n t h e o l o g y — ‘t h e s o p h i s
tic a l fa b r ic a tio n a b o u t th e n o n -e x is te n c e at som e tim e o f H im
W h o t r u l y i s ’— i s n o n - s c r i p t u r a l , a d e p a r t u r e f r o m C h r i s t i a n i t y , a
tu r n in g to id o la tr y :
T h e w o r d o f h o l y s c r ip t u r e s u g g e s t s o n e w a y o f k n o w i n g t r u e g o d h e a d ,
w h ic h M o s e s is ta u g h t b y t h e h e a v e n ly v o ic e , w h e n h e h e a r s h im who
s a id , I am he who is .. . T h a t is w h y w e a ffir m th a t t h e a r g u m e n t, th a t th e
o n e w h o t r u ly is , o n c e w a s n o t , is a d e n ia l a n d r e je c tio n o f t r u e g o d h e a d .
C o n s id e r : th e one w ho th ro u g h l i g h t r e v e a le d h is e x iste n c e to M oses,
n a m e d h im s e lf a s b e in g , w h e n h e s a id I am that is; a n d I s a ia h , b e c o m in g a
k in d o f a n in s tr u m e n t fo r t h e o n e w h o s p o k e in h im , s a y s in th e p e r s o n o f
h im who is , I am first and I am hereafter (Isa . 4 4 :6 ), th e r e b y m a k in g
k n o w n b y e a c h th o u g h t th e e te r n ity o f G o d . .. I n d e e d , th e g r e a t J o h n ,
a n n o u n c in g t h e O n ly - b e g o t t e n G od in h is ow n p r o c l a m a t io n in ev ery
w a y e n s u r e s th a t h is a c c o u n t a llo w s n o a c c e s s to th e id e a o f n o n -b e in g in
c o n n e c t i o n w i t h h i m t h a t i s : h e s a y s t h a t h e w a s i n t h e b e g in n i n g , t h a t h e
w a s w ith G o d , th a t h e w a s G o d , th a t h e w a s L ig h t a n d th a t h e w a s fo r e v e r
L ife a n d T r u th a n d a ll g o o d th in g s , a n d th a t h e w a s n e v e r a t a n y tim e
l a c k i n g a n y e x c e ll e n c e , h e w h o i s t h e f u l ln e s s o f a l l g o o d t h in g s a n d i s i n
t h e b o s o m o f t h e F a t h e r (c f. J o h n 1 :1 -4 , 1 4 -1 8 ) ... T h e r e fo r e , if M o s e s
r u le s th a t it s h o u ld b e fo r u s a s o r t o f m a r k o f tr u e d e ity th a t th e o n ly
t h in g w e k n o w a b o u t G o d is t h is , t h a t h e is .. . t h e n , in t h e s e c ir c u m s t a n
c e s w e d e c l a r e t h e w h o l e s o p h i s t i c a r g u m e n t , t h a t t h e o n e w h o t r u ly i s ,
o n c e w a s n o t, to b e n o th in g b u t a p e r v e r s io n o f C h r istia n ity a n d a tu r n in g
t o i d o la t r y .4 9
Th e Ar g u m e n t f r o m Th e o ph a n ie s in An t i -Apo l l in a r ia n
Ar g u m e n t a t io n
G r e g o r y o f N y s s a a ls o u s e s t h e o p h a n ie s o n a s e c o n d t h e o lo g ic a l
f r o n t , n a m e ly i n h i s a n t i - A p o l l i n a r i a n p o l e m i c s . I n t h e Letter to
Theophilus, fo r in s ta n c e , w h ic h s e ts o u t to c o u n te r A p o llin a r iu s ’
11
c r i t i q u e o f t h e a l l e g e d ‘t w o s o n s ’ d o c t r i n e a s ‘a b s u r d a n d u t t e r l y
December 2018
w h o m th e w o rd c o m es to th e S e rv an t [i.e. M o se s, m y o b s.], is h im se lf th e
S o n (3 .3 6 )’.
45 G re g o ry o f N y ssa, E u n . 3 .6 (G N O 2 , p p . 1 8 6 -9 ; tra n s. H a ll, p p . 1 5 3 -4 ).
604 BOGDAN G. BUCUR
im p io u s ’,5 0 h e a r g u e s t h a t t h e in c a r n a t io n {eirupaveia) o f th e S o n

d o e s n o t im p ly a d u a lity o f s o n s a n y m o r e th a n th e m u ltip lic ity o f
O ld T e s ta m e n t th e o p h a n ie s w o u ld im p ly a m u ltip lic ity o f s o n s .
A nyone w ho to o k t h e p r o v id e n tia l m a n if e s t a tio n o f th e O n ly -b e g o tte n

S o n o f G o d in t h e f le s h a s t h e p r o d u c tio n o f a n o t h e r S o n w o u ld a ls o h a v e
to c o u n t w it h in t h e lis t o f d iv in e m a n ife s ta t io n s a ll t h e t h e o p h a n ie s to
h o ly p e o p le t h a t o c c u r r e d b e fo r e th e a p p ea ra n ce o f th e O n ly -b e g o tte n
S o n o f G o d in t h e f le s h , a n d a ls o t h o s e th a t h a p p e n e d a fte r t h a t e v e n t to
t h o s e w h o w e r e w o r th y , a n d s o w o u ld h a v e t o a s s u m e a m u ltit u d e o f S o n s .
T h e b e i n g w h o h a d d e a l in g s w i t h A b r a h a m w o u l d b e o n e S o n ; h e w h o
a p p e a r e d to I s a a c , a n o th e r ; h e w h o w r e s tle d w ith J a c o b , a n o th e r ; y e t a n
o th e r , h e w h o a p p e a r e d to M o s e s in v a r io u s m a n ife s ta tio n s : in lig h t, in
d a r k n e s s , i n a p i l la r o f c l o u d , i n f a c e - t o - f a c e e n c o u n t e r , i n t h e v i e w o f h i s
b a c k ; s t il l a n o t h e r , h e w h o s t o o d i n t h e l i n e o f b a t t l e w i t h M o s e s ’ s u c c e s
s o r . T h e n t h e r e i s h e w h o c o n v e r s e d w i t h J o b f r o m o u t o f t h e w h i r lw i n d ;
h e w h o a p p e a r e d o n a n e x a lte d th r o n e to I s a ia h ; th e b e in g in h u m a n fo r m
d e s c r ib e d in E z e k ie l’s w r itin g s ; la te r o n , h e w h o s tr u c k d o w n P a u l in th e
lig h t ; a n d , b e fo r e t h a t , h e w h o a p p e a r e d o n t h e m o u n ta in in s u b lim e g lo r y
t o t h o s e w ith P e te r . I f it is a b s u r d a n d w h o lly im p io u s t o a s s ig n t h e v a r i
o u s th e o p h a n ie s o f t h e O n ly -b e g o t te n to a n u m b e r o f S o n s , it is e q u a lly
i m p io u s t o u s e t h is m a n i f e s t a t i o n i n t h e f l e s h a s a n o p p o r t u n it y t o a s s u m e
t h a t t h e r e i s a s e c o n d S o n .5 1
I t is q u ite c le a r th a t G r e g o r y b a s e s h is a r g u m e n ta tio n o n th e tr a d
itio n a l th e o lo g y o f th e o p h a n ie s a s c h r is to p h a n ie s , b u ild in g o n th e
u n d is p u te d a s s u m p tio n th a t th e o n e a n d th e s a m e S o n a p p e a r e d
to t h e p a tr ia r c h s a n d p r o p h e t s o f o ld a n d , la te r , a p p e a r e d in th e
f l e s h a n d r e v e a l e d h i s d i v i n e i d e n t i t y t o h i s d i s c i p l e s . A s s c h o la r s
have n o te d — m o st o fte n o n ly in p a s s in g — G r e g o r y of N yssa is
h e r e d e p lo y in g testimonia u s e d in o ld e r p o le m ic a l c o n te x ts (a n ti-
J e w is h , a n t i-A r ia n ) and r e p u r p o s in g th e m in a novel and
‘u n e x p e c t e d ’ w a y t o a r g u e f o r t h e u n i t y o f C h r i s t .5 2
50 G re g o ry o f N y ssa, YXWVUTSRQPO
‘th e y a lleg e th a t ... so m e p e o p le in th e
T h e o p h .:
C a th o lic C h u rch p ro fe ss tw o S o n s, o n e S o n b y n a tu re a n d o n e w h o e m e rg e d
la ter b y w a y o f a d o p tio n . I d o n o t k n o w w h e re th e y h a v e h e a rd a n y th in g lik e
th is o r w h o it is th e y a re p ic k in g a fig h t w ith ; I h a v e n e v e r h e a rd a n y o n e ta lk
in g th a t k in d o f n o n se n se’ (G N O 3 /1 , p p . 1 1 9 — 2 8 , a t p p . 1 2 0 — 1 ; tra n s. T h e
F a th e rs o f th e C h u rc h , 1 3 1 , p . 2 6 0 ).
51 G re g o ry o f N y ssa , T h e o p h . (G N O 3 /1 , p p . 1 2 1 -2 ; tran s. T h e F a th e rs o f
11
th e C h u rc h , 1 3 1 , p p . 2 6 1 — 2 ).
December 2018
52 H e le n e G re lie r, ‘L ’A rg u m e n ta tio n de G reg o ire de N y sse c o n tre

A p o lin a ire d e L a o dic ee : E tu d e litte ra ire e t d o c trin a le d e Y A n tir r h e tic u s a d v e r s u s
A p o lin a r iu m e t d e V A d T h e o p h ilu m a d v e r s u s a p o lin a r is ta s ’ (P h .D . d iss.,
U n iv e rsity o f L y o n , 2 0 0 8 ), p . 6 2 7 , n . 2 6 3 5 : ‘L ’a rg u m e n t d e s th eo p h a n ies d e
T A T c o m m e p ro p h e ties d u C h rist a e te a b o n d a m m e n t u tilise d a n s les
p o lem iq u es a n terieu re s a la c o n tro v e rse a n ti-a p o lin ariste , e t sp e c ia lem e n t d a n s
E X E G E S I S O F T H E O P H A N IE S 605
Oppo n e n t s , Im pe r s o n a t o r s , a n d a Cl o u d o f Ot h e r Wit n e s s e s

C h r is t o p h a n i c e x e g e s i s w a s a v e n e r a b l e , d e e p l y h o n o u r e d , e x e g e t - ZYXWVUTS
i c a l t r a d it i o n , w i d e l y s h a r e d e v e n a m o n g t h e o l o g ic a l o p p o n e n t s . I t i s
n o te w o r th y , in th is r e s p e c t, th a t th e tr a d itio n a l c h r is to p h a n ic e x e
g e s is d e fe n d e d b y A th a n a s iu s in De synodis 52 is u p h e ld b y th e
‘A r i a n ’ o p p o n e n t s l a m b a s t e d a f e w c h a p te r s e a r lie r , in De synodis
2 6 - 7 .5 3 S im ila r ly , as G regory o f N yssa r e a ffir m s h is b e lie f th a t
th e th e o p h a n y to M oses (iv rfj yevofjiJvrj Mcovoei deoipaveia) w as a
m a n i f e s t a t io n o f t h e S o n w h o b o t h a p p e a r e d ( i . e . a s t h e a n g e l o f t h e
les d isc u ssio n s a n ti-ju iv e s ... L ’a rg u m e n t d es th e o p h a n ie s n ’e st p as o rig in a l e n

lu i-m e m e , m a is la fa q o n d o n t G reg o ire le re e x p lo ite p o u r re p o n d re a
T a c cu sa tio n d e c o n fe sse r d e u x F ils e st in a tte n d u e . E n e ffe t, il se se rt d e s n o m -
b re u x v e rsets q u i e taie n t u tilises c o m m e p ro p h e ties d u C h rist, a fin d e p o u sse r
ju s q u ’a l’a b su rd e le g rief a p o lin ariste .’ C f. B ria n E. D a le y , ‘D iv in e
YXWVUTSRQPONML
T ran sc e n d e n c e a n d H u m a n T ran s fo rm a tio n ’, S P 3 2 (1 9 9 7 ), p p . 8 7 -9 5 , a t p . 8 9
(e m p h a sis m in e ): ‘H is [G re g o ry o f N y ssa’s] m a in e ffo rt in th is b rief le tte r
[L e tte r to T h e o p h ilu s] is to re fu te th e m a in A p o llin a ria n c h a rg e a g a in st h im
a n d h is c o llea g u e s: th a t b y in sistin g o n th e c o m p lete n ess o f Je su s’ h u m a n ity ,
in c lu d in g a h u m a n c o n sc io u sn e ss o r n o u s, th e y a re te a ch in g “ tw o S o n s ... o n e
w h o is so b y n a tu re, th e o th e r w h o h a s b e c o m e so la ter b y a p p o in tm e n t.” In
re p ly , G r e g o r y p r e s e n ts th e I n c a r n a tio n o f th e W o r d a s th e c u lm in a tio n o f th e th e o
p h a n ie s o f s a c r e d h is to r y — all a c ts o f se lf-rev e la tio n b y a sin g le d iv in e S o n ’;
G e o rg e D io n D ra g as, ‘T h e A n ti-A p o llin a rist C h risto lo g y o f S t. G re g o ry o f
N y ssa : A F irs t A n a ly sis’, G O T R 4 2 (1 9 9 7 ), p p . 2 9 9 -3 1 4 , a t p . 3 0 3 (e m p h a sis
m in e ): ‘G re g o ry n o t o n ly d e n ies th e e x isten c e o f su c h a d o c trin e [i.e. ‘tw o
so n s’], b u t a lso in v ite s T h e o p h ilu s to re fu te it. A t th e sa m e tim e , h o w e ve r, h e
m a k es c e rta in o b se rv a tio n s a b o u t th is d o c trin e , w h ic h rev e al th e first e lem en ts
o f h is o w n p o sitio n ... It is c ru c ial to n o te h e re th a t f o r G r e g o r y th e in c a r n a te
m a n ife s ta tio n o f th e S o n o f G o d d o e s n o t d iffe r in its c o n te n t f r o m th e o th e r d iv in e
m a n ife s ta tio n s w h ic h p r e c e d e d i t in th e O ld T e s ta m e n t .’
53 F irs t C o u n c il o f S irm iu m , A n a th e m a s 1 5 — 1 7 (— A th a n a siu s, S y n . 2 7 [S C
5 6 3 , p . 2 7 4 ; tra n s. N P N F ]): ‘W h o so e v er sh a ll sa y th a t A b rah a m saw , n o t th e
S o n , b u t th e In g e n era te G o d o r p a rt o f H im , b e h e a n a th e m a! W h o so ev e r sh a ll
sa y th a t w ith Ja co b , n o t th e S o n as m a n , b u t th e In g e n era te G o d o r p a rt o f
H im , h a s w re stle d , b e h e a n a th e m a! W h o so e v e r sh a ll e x p lain T h e L o r d r a in e d
f i r e f r o m th e L o r d ? n o t o f th e F a th e r a n d th e S o n , a n d sa y s th a t H e ra in ed
fro m H im se lf, b e h e a n a th em a . F o r th e S o n , b e in g L o rd , ra in e d fro m th e
F a th e r W h o is L o rd .’ T h e ta rg e t h e re , as w e ll as in th e E k th e s is M a k r o s tic h o s ,
w h ic h A th an a siu s q u o te s b e fo re it, is th e d o c trin e o f M a rc e llu s a n d P h o tin u s—
11
‘th o se w h o m a k e a p re te n ce o f sa y in g th a t H e is b u t th e m e re w o rd o f G o d
December 2018
a n d u n e x istin g , h a v in g H is b e in g in a n o th e r— n o w as if p ro n o u n c e d , as so m e
sp e ak , n o w a s m e n ta l ... S u c h a re th e d isc ip les o f M a rc e llu s a n d S c o tin u s o f
G a la tian A n c y ra , w h o , e q u a lly w ith Je w s, n e g a te C h rist’s e x isten c e b e fo re ag es,
a n d H is G o d h e ad , a n d u n e n d in g K in g d o m , u p o n p re te n ce o f su p p o rtin g th e
d iv in e M o n a rc h y ’ ( E k th e s is M a k r o s tic h o s , A n a th e m a 5 [— A th a n a siu s, S y n . 2 6 ;
S C 5 6 3 , p . 2 6 4 ; tran s. N P N F ]).
606 BOGDAN G. BUCUR
L o r d ) a n d d e c la r e d h im s e lf to b e 6 YXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGF
cov, h e a s s u m e s t h a t E u n o m i u s i s

f a m il i a r w i t h t h e u n d e r l y i n g c h r is t o l o g i c a l e x e g e s i s o f E x o d u s 3 . 5 4
O n e s h o u ld a ls o c o n s id e r th e p e r c e p tio n o f fo u r th -c e n tu r y t h e
o lo g ia n s su ch as C y r i l o f J e r u s a l e m , A s t e r iu s , or ‘b l e s s e d papa
A t h a n a s iu s ’5 5 in la te r p s e u d e p ig r a p h i c w r itin g s . Som e of th e
h o m ilie s on th e P s a lm s a s c r ib e d to A s te r iu s o f A rn asea, now
th o u g h t to b e th e w o r k o f a n u n k n o w n p r o - N ic e n e th e o lo g ia n in
th e area of A n t i o c h ,5 6 are r e p le te w ith r e fe re n c es to th r o n e -
th e o p h a n ie s (I s a ia h 6, E z e k ie l 1 and 3 :1 2 ) read, o f cou rse, as
c h r is to p h a n ie s . T h is is u n d o u b te d ly a m a r k o f th e litu r g ic a l tr a d
i t i o n t h e y r e f l e c t .5 7
54 G re g o ry o f N y ssa , R e fu t. 2 9 (G N O 2 , p . 3 2 3 ; tran s. N P N F ): ‘R eal ex isten ce

(t o o v t c o s o v ) is o p p o se d to u n re a l e x iste n c e (t o
fir } o v t c o s o v ) . . . B u t if th ey d o n o t
d e n y th e e x isten c e o f th e M a k er o f all th in g s, le t th e m b e c o n te n t n o t to d e p riv e o f

real e x iste n ce H im W h o is, W h o in th e D iv in e a p p e a ran c e to M o se s g a v e H im self
th e n a m e o f E x iste n t, w h e n H e said , I a m th a t I a m ev en as E u n o m iu s in h is la te r
a rgu m e n t a g ree s w ith th is, sa y in g th a t it w as H e W h o a p p e a re d to M o se s/
55 E p ip h a n iu s, P a n . 7 2 .4 .4 (G C S 4 7 , p . 2 5 9 ).
s6 O n th e q u e stio n of a u th o rsh ip , se e W o lfram K in z ig , In Search of
A s te r iu s : S tu d ie s on th e A u th o r s h ip o f H o m ilie s (G o ttin g e n :
on th e P s a lm s
V a n d e n h o e ck & R u p re c h t, 1 9 9 0 ). F o r th e G re e k te x t, se e M a rc el R ic h ard ,
A s te r i i S o p h is ta e commentariorum in P s a lm o s q u a e s u p e r s u n t (O slo : B ro g g er,
1 9 5 6 ). S e e a lso th e th o ro u g h stu d y o f H o m ilie s 1 5 a n d 2 9 in H a n sjo rg a u f d e r
M a u r, D ie Osterhomilien d e s A s te r iu s S o p h is te s (T rie r: P a u lin u s, 1 9 6 7 ), p p .
8 3 -9 4 .
57 H o r n . 1 5 .1 6 c a lls o n th e b e lie v e rs to jo in in th e a n g e lic p ra ise o f th e rise n
a n d a sc e n d e d C h rist, a n d th u s to fu lfil to g e th er w ith th e ir h e a v e n ly c o u n ter
p a rts th e p ro p h e c y o f P s. 8 :2 , ‘o u t o f th e m o u th s o f in fa n ts a n d n u rslin g s y o u
fu rn ish e d p ra ise fo r y o u rs e lf; sin c e th e a n g e lic p a ttern o f w o rsh ip is a ta p e stry
o f b ib lica l p a ssag e s in c lu d in g , p red icta b ly , Isa. 6 :3 , a lo n g w ith E z e k . 3 :1 2 a n d
P s. 2 3 :7 ( H o r n . 1 5 .1 6 [R ich a rd , p . 1 1 5 ]), a n d e lse w h e re ( H o r n . 1 6 .1 2 [R ic h ard ,
p . 1 2 1 ]) P s. 8 :2 (‘y o u r m a g n ific e n ce w a s ra ised b e y o n d th e h e a v en s’) is lin k e d
w ith Isaia h ’s th ro n e , ‘lo fty a n d ra ise d u p ’, it is c le a r th a t it is, in d e e d , th e a n
g e lic T risa g io n th a t c o n stitu te s ‘th e h y m n o f th e fa ith fu l’, su n g fo r th e first
tim e b y th e n e w ly b a p tiz e d C h ristia n s— th e ‘b a b e s’ in P s. 8 :2 — ‘w h o fo rm e rly
m u d d ie d th e ir lip s [cf. Isaia h ’s ‘u n c lea n lip s’] w ith d irty so n g s’ ( H o r n . 1 6 .1 5
[R ich a rd , p p . 1 2 2 — 3 ]). T h e o b je c t o f a n g e lic a n d e a rth ly w o rsh ip is C h rist, as
c a n b e a sc e rta in ed fro m th e fo llo w in g : H o r n . 1 6 .1 2 (R ic h a rd , p p . 1 2 1 — 2 ) u n d e r
stan d s b o th P s. 8 :2 (‘e x a lte d o v e r th e h e a v en s’) a n d its a n a lo g o n , Isaia h ’s ‘lo fty ’
th ro n e , as re fe ren c e s to th e A sc e n sio n o f C h rist; H o r n . 1 5 .1 5 (R ic h ard , p . 1 1 5 )
sa y s th e sa m e a b o u t P s. 8 :2 , th e n sta tes th a t th e o b je c t o f a n g e lic w o rsh ip is
‘th e lu m in o u s c la y ’ (t o v t t t /Xo v X d ^ n r o v r a ) o f th e a sce n d e d C h rist, fo r th e ‘g lo ry
11
o f th e L o rd f r o m its p la c e ’, w h ic h is to b e b le sse d a c c o rd in g to E z e k . 3 :1 2 , is
December 2018
n o n e o th e r th a n th e g lo ry strea m in g f r o m C h r i s t’s g lo r ifie d b o d y ( H o r n . 1 5 .1 6

[R ic h ard , p . 1 1 5 ]: Ik r o v r o r r o v a v r o v , r o v iv S o ^ o v a o j /.ta r o s )', in H o r n . 2 9 .9 — 1 0
(R ic h a rd , p p . 2 3 2 — 3 ), ‘th e h e a v e n s d e cla re th e g lo ry o f G o d ’ (P s. 1 8 :2 ) is in te r
p re te d as a re fe ren c e to th e p e rp etu a l w o rsh ip o ffere d jo in tly b y sa in tly h u m a n s
(A b ra h a m , M o se s, Jo b , D a v id , a n d th e E v a n g e lists Jo h n a n d P a u l a re all
‘re aso n -e n d o w e d h e a v e n s’) a n d b y th e a n g e lic h o sts, c u lm in a tin g w ith th e
A fifth -c e n tu r y h o m ily o n th e M e e tin g o f th e L o r d a s c r ib e d to

C y r i l o f J e r u s a le m , 5 8 f o r i n s t a n c e , d e l i g h t s i n t h e p a r a d o x i c a l i d e n t i
fic a tio n o f th e fr a g ile b a b y J e s u s in th e a r m s o f S y m e o n w ith th e

L o r d o f t h e E x o d u s a n d o m n ip o te n t A n c ie n t o f D a y s . F o r P s .- C y r il,
it is t h is c h ild w ho, o f o ld , p a r ted th e sea fo r I s r a e l, and drow ned

P h a r a o h , a n d g a v e th e L a w to th e I s r a e lite s , a n d r a in e d d o w n m a n n a , a n d
le d th e H e b r e w n a tio n b y a p illa r fir e , a n d r e n t th e r o c k a s u n d e r , a n d k e p t
t h e b u s h u n c o n s u m e d i n a f l a m e o f d e w y f i r e .5 9
A s s u c h , r e a d e r s a r e e x h o r t e d t o ‘s i n g a n d c h a n t a n d g l o r i f y t h e
in fa n t -a n d -G o d , b o t h f o r t y -d a y o ld a n d p r e - e t e r n a l, b o t h a lit t le
c h ild a n d A n c ie n t o f D a y s , b o th a b a b y a t th e b r e a s t a n d th e
m a k e r o f t h e a g e s ’.6 0 A N a t iv it y h o m ily a s c r ib e d to A th a n a s iu s
r e v o l v e s a r o u n d t h e s a m e p a r a d o x b y i n v o k in g t h e b u r n i n g b u s h
t h e o p h a n y a n d D a n ie l’s v is io n :
I b e h o ld a s tr a n g e m y s te r y : in p la c e o f th e s u n , th e S u n o f R ig h te o u s n e s s
p la c e d in th e V ir g in in a n u n c ir c u m s c r ib e d m a n n e r . . . T o d a y G o d , H e -
W h o -Is and p r e -e x ists , b eco m es w hat he w as n o t; fo r b e in g G od, he
b e c o m e s a h u m a n b e in g w ith o u t s te p p in g o u t o f h is b e in g G o d ... T h e
A n c ie n t o f D a y s i s b o r n a s a c h i l d . 6 1
T h e r e a r e m a n y m o r e t e x t s t h a t c o u ld b e b r o u g h t i n t o t h e d i s c u s
s io n . A m ong G r e e k -s p e a k in g sou rces one m ay q u o te C y r il of
c h e ru b im o f E z e k . 3 :1 2 a n d th e se rap h im o f Isa . 6 :3 . T h e o b je c t o f th e ir
w o rsh ip — ‘G o d ’— is sp e cifie d w h e n th e lo n g list o f p a tria rc h s, p ro p h e ts, a n d
a p o stle s w h o h a v e a lso ‘d e c la red th e g lo ry o f G o d ’ is b ro u g h t to c o m p le tio n b y
q u o tatio n s p o in tin g to C h rist: Jo h n 1 :1 4 (‘w e h a v e se e n h is g lo ry ’) a n d T itu s
2 :1 3 (‘th e a p p e a rin g o f th e g lo ry o f o u r g re a t G o d a n d S a v io u r, C h rist Je su s’).
YXWVUTSRQPONMLK
58 P s.-C y ril o f Je ru sa le m , H o m ilia in o c c u r s u m d o m in i (P G 3 3 , c o ls. 1 1 8 3 —
1 2 0 4 ). T h is h o m ily w a s p ro b a b ly w ritte n a ro u n d 4 5 0 (M ic h e l A u b in e a u , D e s
H o m e lie s fe s ta le s d ’H e s y c h iu s d e J e r u s a le m , 2 v o ls. [B ru ssels: S o c iete d e s
B o lla n d iste s, 1 9 7 8 ], v o l. 1 , p . 4 , n . 2 ). S e e th e tran sla tio n a n d th o ro u g h d isc u s
sio n o f th e te x t b y E lle n A le x , ‘D ie H o m ilie I n o c c u r s u m d o m in i d e s P s-C y rill
v o n Je ru sa le m : U b e rse tz u n g u n d K o m m en ta r’ (M A th e sis, U n iv e rsity o f
R e g e n sb u rg , 2 0 1 2 ).
59 P s.-C y ril o f Je ru sale m , D e o c c u r s u 1 2 (P G 3 3 , c o l. 1 2 0 0 A B ): T o v r o t o
t t c l l BIo v ia r lv o t t c iXc u t o j la p c x r jX r r /v d d X a o a a v B u x p p r j^ c x s k c l i t o v cp cxp cxo x fiv O la a s k c l i
t o v v o y o v B o v s r o ts Io p a r /X iT c u s k c x i t o y c x w c x e r r o y fip iG c xs k c u g t v Xo j r r v p o s t o y e v o s
tow 'E fip c x lo w o B rjyrjG c x s k c xi x re T p c x v p r /^ c x s k c xi fi& T o v 7T v p o d p o a o v cpX oyos
a tp X e K T o v c p v X c x ^cx s-
11
60 P s.-C y ril o f Je ru sa le m , D e o c c u r s u 4 (P G 3 3 , co l. 1 1 9 2 A ): T raca

December 2018
SoôA oy^craT O J IJc l l Bl o v 9 e o v , T e a a c x p c x K o v 9 r jf.te p o v k c x i t r p o c x io w io v , t t c l l BIo v p iK p o v k c x i

rrc x X c x to v t o w r /y e p o w , r r cx d h o v 9 rjX c x £ ,o v k c x i t o w c x io w o w T r o tr /T r /v .
61 P G 2 8 , co ls. 9 6 0 A -96 1 A : M v a T T jp io v e v o v /SA eV oj, ix v t i r /X io v t o v r jX io v T r js
B iK C X L o a v v rjs c x T te p iy p c x T T T o x s y o x p r\a c x v T (x £v T r j IIc x p 9 e v q ). . .. © eos a rp ^ ce p o v o ow k c xi
t r p o o w y lv e T C L i o r r e p o v k r jv ■ ow y c x p © e o s , y iv e T c x i c x v 9 p o j7 r o s , o v k Ik g t c x s t o v e iv cx i © e o s
... '0 IIc x Xc x l o s t o w r jf.te p d w t t c l l BIo v y e y o v e v .
608 BOGDAN G. BUCUR
J e r u s a l e m ,6 2 E p i p h a n i u s ,6 3 John C h r y s o s to m ,6 4 T heodoret of

C y r u s ,6 5 a n d th e Apostolic Constitutions; 6 6 am ong L a t in w r ite r s
N o v a t i a n ,6 7 G regory of E l v i r a ,6 8 P h o e b a d iu s ,6 9 A m b rose of
YXWVUTSRQPONMLK
62 C y ril o f Je ru sa le m , C a t . 1 4 .2 7 (P G 3 3 , c o l. 8 6 1 A ; tran s. T h e F a th e rs o f
th e C h u rc h , 6 4 , p . 5 0 ), a rg u in g fo r th e S o n ’s n a tu ra l a n d e tern a l d iv in ity (‘H e
d id n o t g a in H is th ro n e b y w a y o f a d v a n ce m e n t’): ‘T h e p ro p h e t Isaia h , h a v in g
b e h e ld th is th ro n e b e fo re th e c o m in g o f th e S a v io r in th e flesh sa y s, I s a w th e
L o r d s e a te d o n a h ig h a n d lo fty th r o n e . F o r th e F a th e r n o m a n h a s a t a n y tim e
s e e n , a n d H e w h o th e n a p p ea re d to th e p ro p h et w a s th e S o n .’
63 E p ip h a n iu s, A n c o r a tu s 2 9 .5 (G C S 2 5 , p . 3 8 ; T h e F a th ers o f th e C h u rc h ,
1 2 8 , p . 1 0 3 ) o n th e M a m re th e o p h a n y : ‘th a t h e m ig h t p o in t o u t th e o n e G o d
a n d th e tw o o th e rs fo llo w in g h im , h is a n g e ls’; 3 9 .4 (G C S 2 5 , p . 4 9 ; T h e
F a th e rs o f th e C h u rc h , 1 2 8 , p . 1 1 8 ): ‘th e S o n o f G o d w h o c a m e fro m a b o v e
w ith tw o a n g e ls’.
64 C h ry so sto m , H o r n . G e n . 4 2 .2 (P G 5 4 , co l. 3 8 7 ): ‘In A b ra h am ’s te n t b o th
th e a n g e ls a n d th e ir m a ster (/cat o t ay y eA o t, /cat 6 r o v r o jv A e o T r o r r js ) w e re se e n a t
th e sa m e tim e ’; T h e a tr . 3 (P G 5 6 , co l. 5 4 6 ): ‘C h rist a p p e are d to y o u , O w o n
d ro u s o n e , fla n k e d b y tw o a n g e ls; a n d th ro u g h [y o u r] c a re fo r stran g e rs ( h id
< p iX o ^ e v ia s ) y o u b e c am e a m e ssm a te to G o d a n d a n g e ls (@ eo> /cat d iy y e X o is
6 f.L O G K r]v o s). O , b le sse d te n t ( G K rjv rj ), w h ic h b y c o n d e sc en sio n (S t’ ot/covo^ttav)
h o u se d G o d a c c o m p a n ie d b y a n g e ls! C h rist a p p e are d to y o u in h u m a n fo rm ( e v
d v d p d jT T o v a y ^ tart), d isc lo sin g to y o u th e m y ste ry o f th e d iv in e a d v e n t o f h im self
a n d [h is] sa lv atio n ’; O n th e E q u a lity o f th e F a th e r a n d th e S o n 11 (S C 3 9 6 , p p .
3 0 4 — 6 ): Isa ia h 6 , to g e th er w ith D a n ie l 7 a n d 3 K in g s 2 2 a re in v o k e d as p ro o f
te x ts fo r th e S o n ’s d iv in ity , e x p ressed v isu a lly b y h is b e in g se a te d o n th e d iv in e
th ro n e .
T h e o d o re t o f C y ru s, Q u . 7 0 o n G e n e s is ( T h e Q u e s tio n s o n th e O c ta te u c h ,
tra n s. R o b e rt C . H ill [W a sh in g to n , D C : C U A P ress, 2 0 0 7 ], p . 1 4 4 ): th e th re e
v isito rs, w h o o n ly a p p e a r to b e e a tin g , w e re tw o a n g e ls a c c o m p a n y in g th e m a s
te r (‘th e y a n d th e ir L o rd ’, a v r o i /cat 6 r o v r o jv h e G T r o r r js ).
66 A p o s . C o n . 5 .2 0 .5 (S C 3 2 9 , p . 2 7 8 ; tra n s. N P N F ): ‘H e is th e C h rist o f
G o d . .. T o H im d id M o se s b e a r w itn ess, a n d sa id : T h e L o r d r e c e iv e d f i r e fr o m
th e L o r d , a n d r a in e d i t d o w n (G e n . 1 9 .2 4 ); H im d id Ja c o b se e a s a m a n , a n d
sa id : I h a v e s e e n G o d f a c e to fa c e , a n d m y s o u l is p r e s e r v e d ; H im d id A b ra h a m
e n te rta in , a n d a c k n o w le d g e to b e th e Ju d g e , a n d h is L o rd ; H im d id M o se s see
in th e b u sh ; ... H im d id Jo sh u a th e so n o f N u n se e , as th e c a p ta in o f th e
L o rd ’s h o st (Jo sh . 5 :1 4 ) ... H im D a n ie l d e sc rib e s a s th e S o n o f m a n c o m in g
to th e F a th er, a n d re c eiv in g all ju d g m en t a n d h o n o u r fro m H im ; a n d as th e
sto n e c u t o u t o f th e m o u n ta in w ith o u t h a n d s . ..’. S im ilarly , A p o s . C o n .
8 .1 2 .1 8 — 2 7 (S C 3 3 6 , p . 1 8 8 ), th e A n a p h o ra , su g g e sts th a t A b ra h am ’s c a ll c o n
siste d o f a v isio n o f th e M e ssiah b y w h ic h G o d d e liv e re d h im fro m id o la try
( Z v e i 6 ... i^ tc p c xv lo c x s c x v rc p r o v X p ia r o v g o v ).
11
67 N o v a tian , T r in . 1 8 .1 1 — 1 7 (C C S L 4 , p p . 4 5 — 6 ).
December 2018
68 G re g o ry o f E lv ira , D e f i d e 8 0 — 9 0 (C C S L 6 9 , p p . 2 4 2 — 4 ): a list o f c h risto -

lo g ica lly in te rp rete d th eo p h a n ies a sso cia te d w ith A b ra h a m , Ja c o b /Israe l, a n d
M o se s; T r a c ta te s o n th e B o o k s o f H o l y S c r ip tu r e 2 .1 0 — 11 (C C S L 6 9 , p p . 1 1 — 1 2 ).
69 P h o e b a d iu s o f A g e n ( C o n tr a A r ia n o s 1 6 .7 — 1 7 .3 , tra n s. T h e F a th e rs o f th e
C h u rc h , 3 8 , p . 1 3 0 , 1 3 2 ) first a sc rib e s E x o d . 3 :1 4 to th e F a th e r (1 6 .7 ), th e n
sta tes th a t th e S o n , b e in g th e im a g e o f th e in v isib le G o d (C o l. 1 :1 5 ), c o u ld n o t
M i l a n ,7 0 H i l a r y o f P o i t i e r s ,7 1 a n d J e r o m e . 7 2

T h e c o n v e r g e n c e o f s o m a n y g e o g r a p h ic a lly a n d th e o lo g ic a lly
d iv e r s e s o u r c e s o n t h e c h r is t o lo g ic a l in t e r p r e ta t io n o f t h e o p h a n ie s
i n d i c a t e s t h a t w e a r e d e a l i n g h e r e w i t h a w i d e s p r e a d t r a d it i o n , r e
m a r k a b ly e n d u r in g a cro ss th e c e n tu r ie s b u t a ls o a m e n a b le t o a
v a r ie ty o f p o le m ic a l u s e s . A s ig n if ic a n t c h a n g e in t h e in t e r p r e t
a t io n o f t h e o p h a n ie s o c c u r s o n ly w ith A u g u s t in e a n d o n ly W e s t o f
th e A d r ia tic ; b u t th e th e o lo g ic a l r e v o lu tio n in a u g u r a te d b y th e
b is h o p o f H i p p o , a l r e a d y t h o r o u g h l y d i s c u s s e d i n s c h o l a r s h i p ,7 3
e x c e e d s th e lim its o f th is a r tic le .
h a v e c o m e in to b e in g a t a la te r p o in t, a n d , fin ally , re a c h e s th e c o n c lu sio n th a t

th e o n e w h o sp o k e to M o se s w a s th e S o n (1 7 .2 ).
YXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFED
70 A m b ro se , D e f i d e 1 .1 3 .8 3 (C S E L 7 8 , p . 3 6 ): N o n p a t e r in r u b o , n o n p a t e r
in e r e m o , s e d f i li u s e s t M o y s i lo c u tu s . . . H i e e s t e r g o q u i le g e m d e d it . . . H i e e s t
e r g o d e u s p a tr ia r c h a r u m , h is e s t d e u s p r o fe ta r u m . C f. D e f i d e 5 .1 .2 6 (C S E L 7 8 ,
p p . 2 2 5 — 6 ): th e q u i e s t o f E x o d . 3 :1 4 e sta b lish e s th e e tern ity o f C h rist ( s e m p e r
e s t) as o p p o se d to th e c rea ted e x isten c e o f a n g e ls ( e r a t G a b r ie l e r a t R a p h a e l,
e r a n t a n g e li .. . q u i a liq u a n d o n o n f u e r i n t) . S e e also th e o p e n in g o f A m b ro se ’s
h y m n I n te n d e , q u i r e g is I s r a e l, s u p e r c h e r u b im q u i s e d e s . F o r th e b ib lica l e x e g e sis
o f A m b ro se ’s h y m n , se e E d o u a rd C o th e n e t, ‘L ’A rrrie re -p la n b ib liq u e d e
l’h y m n e d e S t. A m b ro ise “ In te n d e , q u i reg is Israe l’” , in A . M . T ria c c a a n d A .
P isto ia (e d s.), L H y m .n o g r a p h ic : C o n fe r e n c e s S a i n t -S e r g e X L V I e S e m a in e d }e tu d e s
litu r g iq u e s , P a r is , 2 9 j u i n — 2 j u i l le t 1 9 9 9 (R o m e : E d iz io n i L itu rg ic h e , 2 0 0 0 ), p p .
1 5 3 -60 .
71 H ila ry o f P o itie rs, T r in . 4 .2 3 -3 4 (S C 4 4 8 , p p . 5 6 -7 6 ): a d isc u ssio n o f th e o -
p h a n ic te x ts (G en e sis 1 6 , 1 8 — 1 9 , 2 8 , 3 2 ; E x o d u s 3) to p ro v e o f th e d iv in ity o f th e
S o n , id e n tified u n a m b ig u o u sly as th e ‘a n g e l o f th e L o rd ’ a n d ‘th e a n g e l o f g re at
c o u n se l’ (Isa . 9 :6 , L X X : ^ e y a X r js fio v X fjs a y y e X o s ): ‘w h a t sa y s th e S c rip tu re o f H im
W h o is c a lle d th e A n g e l o f G o d , y e t sp e a k s w o rd s w h ic h b e lo n g to G o d alo n e?
... H e W h o is c alled th e A n g e l o f G o d is a lso L o rd a n d G o d . T h e S o n o f G o d
is also , a c co rd in g to th e p ro p h e t, th e A n g e l o f g re at c o u n se l’ (4 .2 3 ).
72 Je ro m e , C o m m . I n E s a . 1 8 .6 5 .1 (C C S L 7 3 A , p. 7 4 4 ), in a casu al re m ark th a t
E x o d . 3 :1 4 , as w ell as sev eral o th e r O ld T e sta m e n t th e o p h a n ie s, re fe rs to th e S o n ;
C o m m . I n M a t . 2 .1 4 .2 7 (C C S L 7 7 , p . 1 2 4 ), w h e re e g o s u m a t th e b u rn in g b u sh is
lin k e d to e g o s u m in M a tt. 1 4 :2 7 (im p ly in g id e n tity o f su b je ct); C o m m . I n M e . 1
(C C S L 7 8 , p . 4 5 2 ), w h e re c o n n e c tin g Jo h n 1:1 w ith E x o d. 3 :1 4 o ffe rs p ro o f fo r
th e e te rn ity a n d d iv in ity o f th e S o n , w h o alw ay s ‘w a s’ (r jv ) as o p p o se d to Jo h n th e
B a p tist, w h o c a m e to b e ( iy e v e r o ). In E p . 1 8 A 4 .1 (C S E L 5 4 , p. 7 8 ), Je ro m e
a sc rib e s th e O rig e n ia n v iew (th e e n th ro ne d fig u re o f Isaia h 6 as th e F a th e r, a n d
th e tw o se ra p h im as th e S o n a n d th e S p irit) to u n n a m ed e a rlier in te rp re te rs, b o th
G re ek a n d L a tin . H is d isse n t fro m th e ir o p in io n is ex eg etical: ju d g in g fro m Jo h n
1 2 :3 9 -4 1 a n d A c ts 2 8 :2 5 — 7 , th e e n th ro ne d fig u re w as C h rist, w h o th e re fo re c a n n o t
11
b e id e n tifie d w ith o n e o f th e se rap h im . T h e sa m e ex egesis is se t fo rth , th is tim e in

December 2018
a m o re strid e n t p o le m ica l to n e , in C o m m I n E s a . 3 .6 .1 — 8 (C C S L 7 3 , p p . 8 3 — 9 0 ).
Je ro m e re p ea ts h is fu n d a m e n ta l v iew tw ice (C S E L 7 3 , p . 8 4 , a n d a g ain a t 7 3 ,
p. 8 7 ): v is u s e s t a u te m F iliu s in r e g n a n tis h a b itu .
73 S e e B o g d a n G . B u c u r, ‘T h e o p h a n ie s a n d V isio n o f G o d in A u g u stin e ’s
D e T r in ita te : A n E a stern O rth o d o x P e rsp e c tiv e’, S V T Q 5 2 (2 0 0 8 ), p p . 6 7 — 9 3 ,
a n d K lo o s, C h r is t, C r e a tio n , a n d th e V is io n o f G o d (a b o v e, n . 9 ).
610 BOGDAN G. BUCUR
Co n c l u s io n

T h e c h r is to lo g ic a l e x e g e s is o f O ld T e s ta m e n t th e o p h a n ie s , a l
t h o u g h p e r c e iv e d a s in s u f f ic ie n t a n d r e n d e r e d o b s o le te for the ar
ticulation of doctrine b y th e d e v e lo p m e n t o f a m o r e s o p h is tic a te d
a n d p r e c is e te c h n ic a l g lo s s a r y a n d a r g u m e n ta tio n , c o n tin u e d to b e
w id e ly r e c o g n iz e d as an e l e m e n t o f s h a r e d t r a d it i o n , a n d fu n c
tio n e d as a p o le m ic a l ‘a d j u v a n t ’ t o fo u r th -c en tu ry a n ti-J e w is h ,
a n t i-A r ia n , a n t i- m o d a lis tic , a n d a n t i- A p o llin a r ia n a r g u m e n ta t io n .
I t c e r ta in ly r e ta in e d its o r ig in a l litu r g ic a l s e ttin g (in c o m m u n a l
w o r s h ip a s w e ll a s , o n e m a y in fe r , p e r so n a l p r a y e r ), a n d w o u ld e x
p e r ie n c e a m a jo r r e s s u r g e n c e in h y m n o g r a p h y d u r in g th e s e c o n d
h a lf o f th e fir s t m ille n n iu m c e .
If th e c o n tin u e d p resen ce o f th is e x e g e tic a l and t h e o lo g ic a l
t r a d it io n in t h e f o u r th c e n t u r y is c o n s id e r e d in c o n j u n c t io n w it h
its p e r v a s iv e n e s s in p r io r c e n tu r ie s a n d r e n e w e d p r o life r a tio n in
la te r h y m n o g r a p h ic te x ts , c h r is to p h a n ic e x e g e s is a p p e a r s a s a r o
b u s t, a d a p ta b le , w id e s p r e a d , and lo n g -s ta n d in g C h r is tia n tr a d
itio n . The c o n tr a st w ith th e m in im a l r e p r e s e n ta tio n of th is
tr a d itio n in s c h o la r ly a c c o u n ts a b o u t f o u r t h - c e n t u r y t h e o lo g y is
im m e d ia te ly a p p a r e n t.
It seem s th a t a b lin d sp ot e x is ts, w h ic h h id e s th is e a r ly
C h r i s t i a n t r a d it i o n f r o m t h e l i g h t s o f m o d e r n s c h o l a r s h i p , m a k i n g
it a lm o s t in v is ib le a n d in c o n s e q u e n t ia l. I c a n o n ly h o p e t h a t t h e
p a g e s a b o v e h a v e s u c c e e d e d in s ig n a llin g t h e p r o b le m , s o t h a t w e
c a n a d ju st a n d sh a r p e n o u r fo c u s.
11
December 2018
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T h e Jo u rn a l o f T h e o lo g ica l S tu d ie s, N S , V o l.

Downloaded from https://academic.oup.eom/jts/article-abstract/69/2/588/5060972 by Ed 'ATLA' Gillespie user on

se a ted o n E z e k ie l’s c h a rio t-th ro n e a n d th e e n th ro n e d ‘L o rd o f h o sts’ in Isa ia h ;

© T h e A u th or(s) 2 0 1 8 , P u b lish e d b y O x fo rd U n iv e rsity P ress, A ll rig h ts re serv e d .

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Jesus M o n o th e is m , V o lu m e 1: C h r is to lo g ic a l O r ig in s : The E m e r g in g C onsensus

H y m n o g ra p h y : R e w ritte n B ib le ?’, TS 6 8 (2 0 0 7 ), p p . 9 2 -1 1 2 ; G a b rie l B u n g e ,

Downloaded from https://academic.oup.eom/jts/article-abstract/69/2/588/5060972 by Ed 'ATLA' Gillespie user on

2 0 1 1 ). T h e th e o lo g ic a l p a rti-p ris, e x p lic it in N e w m an , re m a in s p re sen t in

S tu d e r, w h o n o te s Ire n a eu s ’s ‘ a l l z u re alistisch e s V e rsta n d n is d e r T h e o p h an ie n ’

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10 O n E u seb iu s’ e x e g esis o f th e o p h a n ie s, se e Je an S irin e lli, L e s V u e s h is to r i-

u n d e rsta n d s th e o p h a n ie s as m a n ife s ta tio n s o f th e L ogos ‘c o n ­

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G e n e sis 18 (th e M a m r e th e o p h a n y ), G e n e sis 22 (th e P e n ie l th e -

Life of Constantine, o n e b y E u s e b iu s h im s e lf, a n d th e s e c o n d tim e

in h a b ita n ts o f th e c o u n try a n d o f th e re g io n s ro u n d P a lestin e, th e P h o e n icia n s,

a n d th e A rab ia n s, a ssem b le a n n u a lly d u rin g th e su m m er se aso n to k e e p a b ril­

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H im se lf th e re to a g o d ly m a n . T h is p la c e w a s m o reo v e r h o n o re d fittin g ly w ith

4 .1 6 , F e rra r 1 , p . 2 1 0 ): ‘It is th e G o d th a t d w e lls th e re in , W h o w a s se e n b y

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24 Jo rg U lric h , E u s e b v o n C a e s a r e a u n d d ie J u d e n (B e rlin : d e G ru y ter, 1 9 9 8 ),

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26 O n e su c h e x c ep tio n is E u se b iu s’ fin e a n a ly sis o f H a b . 3 :2 L X X ( e v jie a c o YXWVU

M o ja e i, o r r e p It t i f.io v o w r o w r p ic o v r r a r p ia p y o w e lp r /fte v o v ific p a lv e r a i', cf. E c lo g u e s 1 .1 2

e s ta b lis h e d J e w is h tr a d itio n a ffir m in g th e s p ir itu a l p r im a c y o f th e

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The A r ia n c o n tr o v e r sy and th e c o n f lic t w ith M a r c e ll u s le d

30 F o r a m o re d e tailed d isc u ssio n , see B ogdan G. B u c u r, ‘“G o d never

A p p e a red to M o se s” : E u se b iu s o f C a e sa re a’s P e c u lia r E x e g e sis o f th e B u rn in g

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T h e o l. 1 .1 7 (G C S 1 4 , p p . 4 0 , 7 7 , 1 1 2 ): ‘Ju st as all c re atu res a re m a d e b y th e

F a th e r th ro u g h th e W o rd (th ro t o v n a T p o s b i d t o v X o y o v y e y o v e v ), so a lso a re all

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C h u rch tr a d itio n as w e ll as th e a c a d e m ic g u ild see in

trad itio n o f d e fen d in g th e u se o f th e n o n -b ib lica l te rm o v a ia b y re fe re n ce to

th e 6 to r o f E x o d . 3 :1 4 . S e e X a v ie r M o rale s, ‘In tro d u ctio n ’ to A th a n a s e

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L ik e o th e r w r ite r s , A th a n a s iu s g iv e s m u c h a tte n tio n to th e e x e ­

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H im self, a n d H im th a t d e liv ere d h im th e P a triarc h b e so u g h t fo r h is g ra n d so n s,

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47 C ite d in G re g o ry o f N y ssa , E im . 3 .9 .3 2 (G N O 2 , p . 2 7 6 , tra n s. S . G .

sh o u ld le ad Isra e l). T h e a rg u m en t is n o t v e ry c lea r, in g o o d p a rt b e c au se , as

H a ll n o te s (p . 2 1 1 , n . 1 8 7 ), ‘E x o d u s is itself c o n fu sin g a n d re p e titiv e , a n d

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A nyone w ho to o k t h e p r o v id e n tia l m a n if e s t a tio n o f th e O n ly -b e g o tte n

52 H e le n e G re lie r, ‘L ’A rg u m e n ta tio n de G reg o ire de N y sse c o n tre

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les d isc u ssio n s a n ti-ju iv e s ... L ’a rg u m e n t d es th e o p h a n ie s n ’e st p as o rig in a l e n

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54 G re g o ry o f N y ssa , R e fu t. 2 9 (G N O 2 , p . 3 2 3 ; tran s. N P N F ): ‘R eal ex isten ce

d e n y th e e x isten c e o f th e M a k er o f all th in g s, le t th e m b e c o n te n t n o t to d e p riv e o f

n o n e o th e r th a n th e g lo ry strea m in g f r o m C h r i s t’s g lo r ifie d b o d y ( H o r n . 1 5 .1 6

A fifth -c e n tu r y h o m ily o n th e M e e tin g o f th e L o r d a s c r ib e d to

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fic a tio n o f th e fr a g ile b a b y J e s u s in th e a r m s o f S y m e o n w ith th e

it is t h is c h ild w ho, o f o ld , p a r ted th e sea fo r I s r a e l, and drow ned

60 P s.-C y ril o f Je ru sa le m , D e o c c u r s u 4 (P G 3 3 , co l. 1 1 9 2 A ): T raca

So^oA oy^craT O J IJc l l Bl o v 9 e o v , T e a a c x p c x K o v 9 r jf.te p o v k c x i t r p o c x io w io v , t t c l l BIo v p iK p o v k c x i

u n d e rsta n d s th e o p h a n ie s as m a n ife s ta tio n s o f th e L ogos ‘c o n

a n d th e A rab ia n s, a ssem b le a n n u a lly d u rin g th e su m m er se aso n to k e e p a b ril

L ik e o th e r w r ite r s , A th a n a s iu s g iv e s m u c h a tte n tio n to th e e x e