The Etymologies of Isidore of Seville - Pot-pourri

35. There are certain terms applied to God from
human usage, taken from our body parts or from lesser
things, and because in his own nature he is invisible and
incorporeal, nevertheless appearances of things, as the
effects of causes, are ascribed to him, so that he might
more easily make himself known to us by way of the
usage of our speech. For example, because he sees all
things, we may speak of his eye; because he hears all, we
may speak of his ear; because he turns aside, he walks;
because he observes, he stands. 36. Inthis way and in
other ways like these a likeness from human minds is
applied to God, for instance that he is forgetful or mindful.
Hence it is that the prophet says (Jeremiah 51:14),
“The Lord of hosts hath sworn by his soul” – not that
God has a soul, but he speaks in this way as from our
viewpoint. 37. Likewise the ‘face’ of God in Holy Scripture
is understood not as flesh, but as divine recognition,
in the same way in which someone is recognized when
his face is seen. Thus, this is said in a prayer to God
(Psalm 79:4 Vulgate), “Shew us thy face,” as if he were to
say, “Grant us thy recognition.”
38.Thus the ‘traces’ of God are spoken of, because now
God is known through a mirror (I Corinthians 13:12),
but he is recognized as the Almighty at the culmination,
when in the future he becomes present face to face for
each of the elect, so that they behold his appearance,
whose traces they now try to comprehend, that is, him
whom it is said they see through a mirror. 39.Forinrelation
to God, position and vesture and place and time are
spoken of not properly, but metaphorically, by way of
analogy. For instance (Psalm 98:1 Vulgate), “He that sitteth
on the cherubims” is said with reference to position;
and (Psalm 103:6 Vulgate) “The deep like a garment is
its clothing,” referring to vesture; and (Psalm 101:28 Vulgate)
“Thy years shall not fail,” which pertains to time;
and (Psalm 138:8 Vulgate) “If I ascend into heaven, thou
art there,” referring to place. 40. Again,inthe prophet
(Amos 2:13), “As a wain laden with hay,” an image is
used of God. All these refer to God figuratively, because
nothing of these things refers properly to his underlying
being.
ii. The Son of God (De Filio Dei) 1.Inthedivinewritings
Christ is also found to be named in many ways, for
he, the only-begotten Son of God the Father, although
he was the equal of the Father, took the form of a slave
(Philippians 2:7)for our salvation. Whence some names
The Etymologies VII.i.35–ii.11 155
are given to him with regard to the substance of his
divinity, and some with regard to the dispensation of his
assumed humanity.
2. He is named ‘Christ’ (Christus) from ‘chrism’
(chrisma), that is, ‘anointed one,’ for it was a precept
among the Jews that they would confect a sacred ointment
by which those who were called to the priesthood
or the kingship might be anointed. Just as nowadays
for kings to be clothed in the purple is the mark of
royal dignity, soforthemanointing with sacred ointment
would confer the royal title and power. Hence they
are called ‘anointed ones’ (christus)fromchrism, which
is unction, 3. forthe Greek chrisma is ‘unction’ (unctio)
in Latin. When this anointing was done spiritually, it
accommodated the name ‘Christ’ to the Lord, because
he was anointed by the Spirit from God the Father, as
in Acts (4:27): “For there assembled together in this city
against thy holy child . . . whom thou hast anointed” –
by no means with visible oil, but by the gift of grace, for
which visible ointment is a sign. 4. ‘Christ’ is not, however,
a proper name of the Savior, but a common-noun
designation of his power. When he is called ‘Christ,’ it
is a common designation of his importance, but when
he is called ‘Jesus Christ’ it is the proper name of the
Savior. 5. Further, the name of Christ never occurred
at all elsewhere in any nation except in that kingdom
alone where Christ was prophesied, and whence he was
to come. 6.Again, in Hebrew he is called ‘Messiah’ (Messias),
in Greek ‘Christ,’ in Latin ‘the anointed’ (unctus).
7. TheHebrew‘Jesus’ is translated in Greek,
and “healer” (salutaris) or“savior”(salvator) inLatin,
because he has come for all nations as the ‘bearer of salvation’
(salutifer). 8.TheEvangelist renders the etymology
of his name, saying (Matthew 1:21), “And thou shalt call
his name Savior (salvator ; cf. Vulgate Iesus), for he shall
save his people.” Just as ‘Christ’ signifies a king, so ‘Jesus’
signifies a savior. 9.Not every kind of king saves us, but
asavior king. The Latin language did not have this word
salvator before, but it could have had it, seeing that it
was able towhenitwanted.10. TheHebrewEmmanuel
in Latin means “God is with us,” undoubtedly because,
born of a Virgin, God has appeared to humans in mortal
flesh, that he might open the way of salvation to heaven
for the inhabitants of earth.
Christ’s names that pertain to the substance of his
divinity are as follows: God (Deus), Lord (Dominus). 11.
He is called God because of his unity of substance with