'But all these things one and the same Spirit works, dividing to each one as He wills.' Now just as through baptism we die and are reborn in Christ, so we are sealed by the Spirit, which is the Finger of God and the spiritual seal. The Holy Spirit is written to have come in the form of a dove, so that His nature might be declared through the bird of simplicity and innocence. Hence too the Lord says (Matt. 10:16): 'Be simple as doves.' For this bird is bodily without gall, having only innocence and love. The Holy Spirit is thence called by the name of 'fire,' because in the Acts of the Apostles He appeared as fire through the division of tongues, which also settled upon each one of them.
For this reason He gave to the apostles the grace of diverse tongues, that they might be made fit for the instruction of the faithful peoples. But that He is recorded to have rested upon each one individually, the reason is this: that it might be understood that He was not divided among the many, but remained wholly present in each single one, as is nearly the custom with fire. For kindled fire has this nature, that to however many gaze upon it, to however many look upon its 'lock of purple splendour,' it imparts to them all the sight of its light, and grants to them all the service of its gift, and nonetheless itself remains in its own wholeness. The Holy Spirit is called by the name of water in the Gospel, when the Lord cries out and says (John 7:38): 'If anyone thirst, let him come to me and drink.'
'He who believes in me, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.' But the Evangelist explained in what sense He spoke, for he goes on to say: 'This he said concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in him were about to receive.' Yet the water of the sacrament is one thing, and the water that signifies the Spirit of God is another. For the water of the sacrament is visible; the water of the Spirit is invisible. The former washes the body and signifies what takes place in the soul; but through that Holy Spirit the soul itself is cleansed and made fat. The Holy Spirit is therefore called an anointing, as the apostle John testifies, because just as oil by its natural weight floats upon every liquid, so in the beginning the Holy Spirit was borne above the waters.
Whence also the Lord is read to have been anointed with the oil of gladness, that is, with the Holy Spirit. But John the apostle too calls the Holy Spirit an anointing, saying (1 John 2:27): 'And as for you,' he says, 'let the anointing which you have received from him abide in you; and you have no need that anyone teach you, but as his anointing teaches you concerning all things.' For the Holy Spirit Himself is the invisible anointing. IV. ON THE TRINITY. It is called Trinity because the whole is made one out of a certain three, as it were a Tri-unity; like memory, understanding, and will, in which the mind holds within itself a certain image of the divine Trinity. For although they are three, they are one, since each subsists in itself and all are in all.
The Father, therefore, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit are trinity and unity. For the same is one, the same is also three. In nature one, in persons three. One on account of the community of majesty, three on account of the property of the persons. For the Father is one, the Son another, the Holy Spirit another; yet 'another' (of person), not 'another thing' (of substance), because it is a good equally simple, equally unchangeable and coeternal. The Father alone is not from another; therefore He alone is called unbegotten. The Son alone is born from the Father; therefore He alone is called begotten. The Holy Spirit alone proceeds from the Father and the Son; therefore He alone is named the Spirit of both. In this Trinity some names are appellative, others proper.
The proper names are the essential ones, such as God, Lord, Almighty, Immutable, Immortal. And they are proper on this account, because they signify that very substance by which they are one. But the appellative names are Father and Son and Holy Spirit, Unbegotten and Begotten and Proceeding. These same are also relative, because they are referred to one another. For when God is said, it is essence, because it is said with reference to itself. But when Father and Son and Holy Spirit are said, they are said relatively, because they are referred to one another. For the Father is called so not with reference to Himself, but relatively to the Son, because He has a son to Him; so also the Son is called so relatively, because He has a father; so also the Holy Spirit, because He is the Spirit of the Father and the Son.
For by these appellations this is signified, that they are referred to one another, not the very substance by which they are one. Therefore the Trinity resides in the relative names of the persons; the deity is not tripled, but is in singularity; because if it were tripled, we would introduce a plurality of gods. But the name of 'gods' is spoken in the plural of angels and holy men for this reason, that they are not deservedly equal. Concerning whom the Psalm says (Ps. 82:6): 'I said, You are gods.' But concerning the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, on account of the one and equal divinity, it is shown that there is not the name of 'gods' but of 'God,' as the Apostle says (1 Cor. 8:6): 'Yet to us there is one God,' or as is said by the divine voice (Mark 12:29):
'Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God is one God,' namely, so that there is both a Trinity and one Lord God. Among the Greeks the faith concerning the Trinity is in this manner: one OUSIA, as if one were to say one nature or one essence; three HYPOSTASEIS, which in Latin resounds as either three persons or three substances. For Latin usage does not properly say of God anything but 'essence'; 'substance' it does not say properly, but by misuse, since among the Greeks 'substance' is truly understood as person, not nature. V. ON THE ANGELS. In Greek they are called angeli, in Hebrew malachoth, but in Latin they are rendered 'messengers' (nuntii), from the fact that they announce the will of the Lord to the peoples. But the word 'angel' is the name of an office, not of a nature.
For they are always spirits, but when they are sent, they are called angels. To whom the license of painters gives wings, that they may signify their swift running-about into all places, just as, according to the fables of the poets, the winds are said to have wings, namely on account of their speed. Whence also Holy Scripture says (Ps. 104:3): 'Who walks upon the wings of the winds.' But that there are nine orders of angels the sacred Scriptures testify, that is: angels, archangels, thrones, dominations, virtues, principalities, powers, cherubim, and seraphim. Why the names of their offices are so called, we set forth by interpretation. They are called angels because they are sent from the heavens to make announcement to men. For 'angel' in Greek is 'messenger' in Latin.
Archangels in the Greek tongue are rendered 'chief messengers.' For those who announce small or least matters are called angels; but those who announce the highest matters are called archangels. They are called archangels because they hold the primacy among the angels; for ARCHOS in Greek is rendered 'chief' in Latin. For they are leaders and princes, under whose order duties are assigned to each of the angels. For that the archangels are set over the angels the prophet Zechariah testifies, saying (Zech. 2:3-4): 'Behold, the angel who was speaking in me went forth, and another angel went forth to meet him, and said to him: Run, speak to this young man, saying:
Jerusalem shall be inhabited without walls.' For if in these very offices of the angels the higher powers in no way disposed the lower, in no manner would this, which the angel was to say to the man, have been made known to him by an angel. But certain of the archangels are called by private names, so that by the very words there might be designated what they are capable of in their work. Gabriel in Hebrew is translated into our tongue as 'the fortitude of God.' For where divine power or strength is manifested, Gabriel is sent. Whence also at the time when the Lord was about to be born and to triumph over the world, Gabriel came to Mary, that he might announce Him who deigned to come in humility to wage war against the aerial powers. Michael is interpreted 'Who is like God.'
For when something of wondrous power comes to pass in the world, this archangel is sent. And from that very work is his name, because no one is able to do what God is able to do. Raphael is interpreted 'the cure or medicine of God.' For wherever the work of curing and healing is needful, this archangel is sent by God; and thence he is called the medicine of God. Whence also this same archangel, sent to Tobias, applied a cure to his eyes, and, the blindness wiped away, restored sight to him. For by the interpretation of the name the office of the angel too is designated. Uriel is interpreted 'the fire of God,' just as we read that fire appeared in the bush. We read also that fire was sent from above and fulfilled what was commanded.
But the thrones and dominations and principalities and powers and virtues, by which the Apostle embraces the whole heavenly society, are understood as orders and dignities of angels; and according to this very distribution of offices, some are called thrones, some dominations, some principalities, some powers, according to the certain dignities by which they are mutually distinguished. Certain angelic virtues are declared as ministries, through whom signs and miracles come to pass in the world; on account of which they too are called Virtues. Powers are those to whom the adverse virtues are subjected, and thence they are named by the title of Powers, because the malignant spirits are restrained by their power, lest they harm the world as much as they desire.
Principalities are those who preside over the companies of angels. Who, because they dispose the angels subject to them for the fulfilling of the divine ministry, received the title of principalities. For some are those who administer, others who assist, just as is said through Daniel (Dan. 7:10): 'Thousands of thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times a hundred thousand stood before him.' Dominations are those who are pre-eminent even over the Virtues and Principalities, who, because they hold dominion over the other companies of angels, are called Dominations. Thrones are companies of angels which in Latin speech are called 'seats'; and they are called Thrones because the Creator presides over them, and through them disposes His judgments.
But the cherubim too are declared to be sublime powers of the heavens and angelic ministries; who, from the Hebrew, are interpreted into our tongue as 'a multitude of knowledge.' For they are more sublime companies of angels, who, because being placed nearer they are more fully filled with divine knowledge than the rest, are called Cherubim, that is, 'fullness of knowledge.' These are those two living creatures fashioned of metal over the mercy-seat of the ark, to signify the presence of the angels, in the midst of whom God is shown. Likewise the seraphim too are a multitude of angels, who from the Hebrew are interpreted into Latin as 'burning' or 'kindling.' Who are called 'burning' for this reason, that no angels stand between them and God;
and therefore, the nearer they stand in His presence, so much the more are they inflamed by the brightness of the divine light. Whence they too veil the face and the feet of Him who sits upon the throne of God; and therefore the rest of the throng of angels cannot fully see the essence of God, since the Cherubim cover it. These names, therefore, of the companies of angels are so special to the individual orders that nonetheless they are in part common to all. For although the Thrones are especially designated as the seats of God in the order of certain angels, nevertheless through the Psalmist it is said (Ps. 80:2): 'You who sit upon the Cherubim.' But these orders of angels are called by private names for this reason, because they have received this very office more fully in their proper order.
And although they are common to all, nevertheless these names are properly assigned to their own orders. For to each one, as was said before, proper offices have been enjoined, which it is established that they merited at the beginning of the world. For because the angels are set over both places and men, the angel testifies through the Prophet, saying (Dan. 10:13): 'The prince of the kingdom of the Persians withstood me.' Whence it appears that there is no place over which the angels are not set. For they preside even over the auspices of all works. This is the order or distinction of the angels who, after the fall of the wicked ones, stood firm in heavenly vigor. For after the apostate angels fell, these were made solid by the perseverance of eternal blessedness. Whence also, after the creation of heaven, it is found at the beginning (Gen. 1:6, 8):
'Let there be a firmament, and the firmament was called heaven.' Doubtless showing that after the ruin of the wicked angels, these who remained obtained the firmness of eternal perseverance, now turned away by no fall, falling by no pride, but firmly remaining in the love and contemplation of God, having nothing else sweet except Him by whom they were created. But that two Seraphim are read of in Isaiah (Is. 6:2), figuratively they show the signification of the Old and New Testament. But that they cover the face and feet of God is because we cannot know the things past before the world and the things future after the world, but by their testimony we contemplate only the things between.
Each one has six wings, because we know in the present age only of the fabric of the world, the things that were made in six days. That one cries out 'Holy' three times to the other demonstrates the mystery of the Trinity in one divinity. VI. ON MEN WHO RECEIVED THEIR NAME BY A CERTAIN PRESAGE. Very many of the first men have the origin of their names from proper causes. To whom the words were so prophetically imposed that they might agree either with their future or their preceding causes. In which, nevertheless, with the spiritual sacrament remaining, we now pursue only the understanding of the history according to the letter. But where we have not attained the interpretation of the etymology, we have set down the etymology alone in Latin.
But that one Hebrew name is interpreted in one way and another comes about according to the diversity of accents and letters, so that the names are changed into various significations. Adam, as the blessed Jerome hands down, is interpreted 'man' or 'earthy' or 'red earth.' For from earth was flesh made, and the ground was the material of the man to be made. Eve is interpreted 'life' or 'calamity' or 'woe.' 'Life,' because she was the origin of being born; 'calamity' and 'woe,' because by her transgression she became the cause of dying. For 'calamity' took its name from 'falling' (a cadendo). But others say: Eve was called 'life' and 'calamity' for this reason, because often a woman is the cause of salvation to a man, often of calamity and death, which is 'woe.'
Cain is interpreted 'possession,' whence his father, expressing his etymology, says (Gen. 4:1): 'Cain, that is, I have possessed a man through God.' The same is also 'lamentation,' because he was slain in requital for the slain Abel, and paid the penalty of his own crime. Abel is interpreted 'mourning,' by which name he was prefigured as one to be slain. The same is also 'vanity,' because he was quickly dissolved and taken away. Seth is interpreted 'resurrection,' because he was born after the slaying of his brother, as though he raised up a resurrection of the brother from the dead. The same is also 'placing,' because God placed him in the stead of Abel. Enos, according to the variety of the proper language, is called 'man' or 'male.' And fittingly he had this name. For concerning him it is written (Gen. 4:26):
'Then was the beginning of calling upon the name of the Lord'; although very many of the Hebrews think that then for the first time idols were fashioned in the name of the Lord and in His likeness. Enoch, 'dedication.' For in his name Cain afterwards built a city. Cainan, 'their lamentation' or 'their possession'; for just as Cain is 'possession,' so the derived name, which is Cainan, makes 'their possession.' Methuselah is interpreted 'he is dead.' The etymology of the name is evident. For some thought that he had been translated with his father and had escaped the flood. On this account it is significantly rendered 'he is dead,' that it might be shown that he did not live after the flood, but died in the same cataclysm. For only eight men escaped the flood in the ark.
Lamech, 'striking.' For he struck and slew Cain: which he himself afterwards confesses to have perpetrated to his wives. Noah is interpreted 'rest,' because under him all the former works rested through the flood. Whence also his father, calling his name Noah, said (Gen. 5:29): 'This one makes us rest from all our works.' Shem is said to be 'named,' because he received his name from a presage of posterity. For from him are the patriarchs and the apostles and the people of God. From his stock also is Christ, whose name is great among the nations from the rising of the sun to its setting. Ham, 'hot,' and he too was surnamed from a presage of the future. For his posterity possessed that part of the earth which is hotter through the neighboring sun.
Whence also Egypt is to this day called 'Kam' in the language of the Egyptians. Japheth, 'breadth.' For from him is the people of the nations born; and because from the nations there is a broad multitude of believers, from that same breadth he was called Japheth. Canaan, the son of Ham, is interpreted 'their movement.' Which is what else but 'their work'? For on account of the movement of the father, that is, on account of his work, he was cursed. Arphaxad, 'healing devastation.' Cush in Hebrew is interpreted 'Ethiopian'; he obtained the name from the posterity of his race. For from him were begotten the Ethiopians. Nimrod is interpreted 'tyrant.' For he first seized an unwonted tyranny among the people, and himself undertook to build a tower against God in impiety. Eber, 'passage.'
His etymology is mystical, because from his stock God would pass over, nor would He persevere among them, the grace being transferred to the nations. For from him the Hebrews arose. Peleg, 'division,' upon whom the father imposed such a name for this reason, because he was born then, when through tongues the earth was divided. Terah, 'exploration of ascent.' Melchizedek, 'righteous king.' 'King,' because he afterwards ruled Salem. 'Righteous,' because, discerning the sacraments of the Law and the Gospel, he offered in sacrifice not the victims of cattle, but the oblation of bread and the cup. Lot, 'declining.' For he did not consent to the deeds of the Sodomites, but declined their unlawful burnings of the flesh. Moab, 'from the father.' And the whole name has an etymology. For the firstborn daughter conceived him from her father.
Ammon, whose cause of name is rendered 'son of my people,' is so derived that in part it is the sense of the name, in part it is the very word. For Ammi, from which the Ammonites are named, is called 'my people.' Sarai is interpreted 'my princess,' because she was mother of the household of one house only. Afterwards, the cause of the name being changed, the letter 'i' being removed from the end, she is called Sarah, that is, 'princess.' For she was to be the princess of all nations, just as the Lord had also promised to Abraham (Gen. 17:16): 'I will give you a son from Sarah, and I will bless him, and he shall become nations, and kings of peoples shall be from her.' Hagar, 'sojourner,' or 'converted.' For so she was.
[She was given to the embrace of Abraham as a sojourner for the cause of bearing offspring, who after her contempt, at the angel's rebuke, was converted back to Sarah.] Keturah, 'incense.' Ishmael is interpreted 'the hearing of God'; for so it is written (Gen. 16:11): 'And she called his name Ishmael, because God has heard her.' Esau has three names, and is variously called from proper causes. For he is called Esau, that is 'red,' so named on account of the cooking, namely, of the red lentils, by the food of which he lost his birthright. But Edom he was called on account of the redness of his body, which in Latin is called 'bloody.' And Seir, because he was shaggy and hairy; for when he was born, he was all hairy like a skin. And the same is called by three names: Esau, that is 'red'; Edom, that is 'bloody';
Seir, that is 'hairy,' because he had no smoothness. Rebecca, 'patience,' or 'she who has received much.' Leah, 'laborious,' certainly in bearing. For she experienced more pains than Rachel in the fecundity of childbearing. Rachel is interpreted 'ewe.' For on her account Jacob pastured the sheep of Laban. Zilpah, 'gaping mouth.' Bilhah, 'grown old.' Dinah is translated into 'cause.' For she became the cause of strife among the Shechemites. Tamar, 'bitterness for the dead husbands.' Likewise also 'exchanging.' For she changed herself into the garb of a harlot, when she lay with her father-in-law. Perez, 'division,' from the fact that he divided the little membrane of the afterbirth, he obtained the name of divider, that is 'Perez.' Whence also the Pharisees, who separated themselves as it were as righteous from the people, were called 'divided.'
Zerah, his brother, in whose hand was the scarlet thread, is interpreted 'rising'; either because he first appeared, or because very many righteous men were born from him, as is contained in the book of Chronicles, he was called Zerah, that is 'rising.' Job is turned into Latin as 'grieving'; and rightly 'grieving,' on account of the striking of his flesh and the passions of his griefs. For the etymology of the name prefigured his calamities. Pharaoh is the name not of a man, but of an honor, just as among us kings are called 'Augusti,' though they are reckoned by their proper names. But Pharaoh is expressed in Latin as 'denying Him,' namely God, or 'His scatterer.' For he was the afflicter of the people of God. Jannes, 'of the sea,' or 'where there is a sign.' For his sign yielded and failed before the signs of Moses;
whence also the magicians said (Ex. 8:19): 'This is the finger of God.' Jambres, 'sea of skins' or 'sea in the head.' Finally, Moses is interpreted 'taken up out of the water.' The daughter of Pharaoh found him exposed at the bank of the river, and gathering him up she adopted him for herself; and she called his name Moses, because she had taken him up out of the water. Aaron is interpreted 'mountain of fortitude,' because, taking the censer, he stood in the way in the midst of the surviving and the slain, and shut out the ruin of death like some strong mountain. Eleazar, 'the help of God.' Balak, 'casting down headlong,' or 'devouring.' Balaam, 'a vain people.' Phinehas, 'sparing the mouth.' For he transfixed with a dagger Zimri together with the Midianite harlot, and appeased the fury of the Lord, that He might spare.
Zimri, this one 'provoking' or 'embittering.' For properly the name is figured from bitterness, because by sinning he embittered the people. Rahab, 'breadth,' or 'hunger,' or 'onset.' Joshua is interpreted 'savior.' For he in the figure of Christ saved the people from the desert, and led them into the land of promise. Caleb, as it were 'heart,' or 'dog.' Othniel, 'the time of God,' or 'the answer of God.' Ehud, 'glorious.' Barak, 'flashing.' Deborah, 'bee' or 'talkative.' 'Bee,' because she was most ready for war, fighting against Sisera, and, he being slain, she sang a song; hence 'talkative.' Jael, 'ascent.' Gideon, 'the proof of their iniquity.'
For by frequent proofs he was informed by what presage he should carry out the future victory against the enemies, from which future proof he took the etymology of the name. Abimelech, 'my father the king.' Tola, 'little worm,' or 'scarlet.' Jair, 'enlightening.' Jephthah, 'opening,' or 'opened.' Heshbon, 'thought,' or 'the bond of grief.' Abdon, 'his servant.' Samson, 'their sun,' or 'the strength of the sun.' For he was renowned in valor, and delivered Israel from the enemies. Delilah, 'poor little one,' or 'bucket.' Boaz, 'in strength,' [or] 'in whom is might.' Naomi, whom we can interpret as 'consoled,' because, her husband and children having died abroad, she held her Moabite daughter-in-law as her consolation. Ruth is interpreted 'hastening.'
For she was a foreigner from a gentile people, who, leaving her fatherland, hastened to cross over into the land of Israel, saying to her mother-in-law (Ruth 1:16): 'Wherever you go, I will go.' Hannah is interpreted 'his grace,' because, while by nature she was formerly barren, at last she was made fruitful by the grace of God. Eli, 'my God.' Hophni, 'unshod.' For he was the son of Eli chosen for the ministry of the priesthood, whose loss he expressed by his name. For the Apostle says (Eph. 6:15): 'Having your feet shod in the preparation of the Gospel of peace.' And the Prophet (Is. 52:7): 'How beautiful are the feet that announce peace!' This one, then, is interpreted 'unshod,' so that by his name the priesthood of the Old Testament might be signified as taken away from the old people.
Phinehas, the brother of Hophni, is interpreted 'a dumb mouth,' by which is signified the silence of the old priesthood and doctrine. Samuel, 'his name is God.' Jesse, 'sacrifice of the island,' or 'incense.' Saul is interpreted 'petition.' For it is well known how the people of the Hebrews petitioned him for themselves as king, and received him not according to God, but according to their own will. David, 'strong of hand,' certainly because he was most strong in battles. He is also 'desirable,' namely in his stock, concerning which the Prophet had foretold (Hag. 2:7): 'The desired of all nations shall come.' Solomon is declared to have been of three names. His first appellation is called Solomon, that is 'peaceable,' because in his reign there was peace.
His second name is Jedidiah, because he was beloved and dear to the Lord. His third appellation is Koheleth, which in Greek is called Ecclesiastes, in Latin 'Preacher' (Contionator), because he spoke to the people. Jonathan, 'gift of the dove.' Absalom, 'the peace of the father,' by antiphrasis, because he waged war against his father; or because in that very war David is read to have been at peace toward his son, so much so that he even bewailed him with great grief when he was slain. Rehoboam, 'breadth of the people,' and that too by antiphrasis, because, ten tribes being separated from him, only two were left to him. Abijah, 'the Lord is father,' or 'he was a father.' Asa, 'taking away,' or 'lifting up.' Jehoshaphat, 'the judgment of the Lord.' Joram, 'who is exalted.' Ahaziah, 'laying hold of the Lord.' Athaliah, 'the time of the Lord.'
Joash, 'breathing,' or 'the strength of the Lord.' Amaziah, 'taking away the people.' Uzziah, 'the fortitude of the Lord.' Azariah, 'the help of the Lord.' But Uzziah is the same as Azariah, by a double name. This is the one who, attempting to claim the priesthood unlawful for himself, was struck with leprosy on the forehead. Jotham, 'perfect.' A beautiful etymology of the name. For he did right in the sight of the Lord, and built the lofty gate of the temple. Ahaz, 'laying hold.' Hezekiah, 'the Lord is strong.' Manasseh, 'forgetful.' For through many crimes and sacrileges he had abandoned and forgotten God. [or because God has forgotten his sins.] Amon, 'faithful' or 'laden.' Josiah, 'where is the incense of the Lord,' a proper etymology of the name. For this is the one who burned up the idols.