Exposition of the Christian Faith, Book III

Book III

• Exposition of the Christian Faith III.1 — Statement of the reasons wherefore the matters, treated of shortly in the two former, are dealt with more at length in the three later books. Defence of the employment of fables, which is supported by the example of…vatican.va
• Exposition of the Christian Faith III.2 — The incidents properly affecting the body which Christ for our sake took upon Him are not to be accounted to His Godhead, in respect whereof He is the Most Highest. To deny which is to say that the Father was…vatican.va
• Exposition of the Christian Faith III.3 — That the Father and the Son must not be divided is proved by the words of the Apostle, seeing that it is befitting to the Son that He should be blessed, only Potentate, and immortal, by nature, that is, and not by…vatican.va
• Exposition of the Christian Faith III.4 — We are told that Christ was only “made” so far as regards the flesh. For the redemption of mankind He needed no means of aid, even as He needed none in order to His Resurrection, whereas others, in order to raise the…vatican.va
• Exposition of the Christian Faith III.5 — Passages brought forward from Scripture to show that “made” does not always mean the same as “created;” whence it is concluded that the letter of Holy Writ should not be made the ground of captious arguments, after…vatican.va
• Exposition of the Christian Faith III.6 — In order to dispose of an objection grounded on a text in St. John, St. Ambrose first shows that the Arian interpretation lends countenance to the Manichæans; then, after setting forth the different ways of dividing…vatican.va
• Exposition of the Christian Faith III.7 — Solomon’s words, “The Lord created Me,” etc., mean that Christ’s Incarnation was done for the redemption of the Father’s creation, as is shown by the Son’s own words. That He is the “beginning” may be understood from…vatican.va
• Exposition of the Christian Faith III.8 — The prophecy of Christ’s Godhead and Manhood, contained in the verse of Isaiah just now cited, is unfolded, and its force in refuting various heresies demonstrated. 54. This beginning did Isaiah see, and therefore he…vatican.va
• Exposition of the Christian Faith III.9 — The preceding quotation from Solomon's Proverbs receives further explanation. 59. Perchance you will ask how I came to cite, as referring to the Incarnation of Christ, the place, “The Lord created Me,” seeing that…vatican.va
• Exposition of the Christian Faith III.10 — Observations on the words of John the Baptist (John i. 30), which may be referred to divine fore-ordinance, but at any rate, as explained by the foregoing considerations, must be understood of the Incarnation. The…vatican.va
• Exposition of the Christian Faith III.11 — St. Ambrose returns to the main question, and shows that whenever Christ is said to have “been made” (or “become”), this must be understood with reference to His Incarnation, or to certain limitations. In this sense…vatican.va
• Exposition of the Christian Faith III.12 — The kingdom of the Father and of the Son is one and undivided, so likewise is the Godhead of each. The kingdom of the Father and of the Son is one and undivided, so likewise is the Godhead of each. 92. I would now…vatican.va
• Exposition of the Christian Faith III.13 — The majesty of the Son is His own, and equal to that of the Father, and the angels are not partakers, but beholders thereof. The majesty of the Son is His own, and equal to that of the Father, and the angels are not…vatican.va
• Exposition of the Christian Faith III.14 — The Son is of one substance with the Father. 108. And now, your Majesty, with regard to the question of the substance, why need I tell you that the Son is of one substance with the Father, when we have read that the…vatican.va
• Exposition of the Christian Faith III.15 — The Arians, inasmuch as they assert the Son to be “of another substance,” plainly acknowledge substance in God. The only reason why they avoid the use of this term is that they will not, as Eusebius of Nicomedia has…vatican.va
• Exposition of the Christian Faith III.16 — In order to forearm the orthodox against the stratagems of the Arians, St. Ambrose discloses some of the deceitful confessions used by the latter, and shows by various arguments, that though they sometimes call the…vatican.va
• Exposition of the Christian Faith III.17 — An objection based on St. Stephen’s vision of the Lord standing is disposed of, and from the prayers of the same saint, addressed to the Son of God, the equality of the Son with the Father is shown. 137. There is…vatican.va