Scripture and God in Christianity

some particular man to whom the name especially belongs. For Peter is no more man than Andrew
or John or James. Hence, as the word embraces all that are included under the same name,
there is need of some mark of distinction by which we may recognize not man in general but Peter
or John. There are other nouns which stand for a particular object and denote not the one nature
but a separate thing having nothing in common, so far as its individuality goes, with others
of the same kind, like Paul or Timothy....Thus when two or more are taken together, such as Paul
and Silvanus and Timothy, and inquiry is made concerning their substance, we do not use one
word for the substance of Paul, another for that of Silvanus, and other for that of Timothy....If
then you transfer to theology the distinction you have drawn in human affairs between substance
and hypostasis you will not go wrong." 630
Gregory of Nazianzuz explained the formula by the following example: "What was Adam? A
creature of God. What, then, was Eve? A fragment of the creature. And what was Seth? The begotten
of both. Does it, then, seem to you that creature and fragment and begotten are the same
being? Of course it does not. But were not these persons consubstantial? Of course they were.
Well, then, here it is an acknowledged fact that different persons may have the same substance."
631 He further argues that "For the Father is not Son, and yet this is not due to either deficiency
or subjection of essence; but the very fact of being unbegotten or begotten, or proceeding,
has given the name of Father to the first, of the Son to the second, and to the third, him of whom
we are speaking, of the Holy Ghost, that the distinction of three persons may be preserved in the
one nature and dignity of the Godhead. For neither is the Son Father, for the Father is one, but he
is what the Father is; nor is the Spirit Son because he is of God, for the only-begotten is one, but
he is what the Son is. The three are one in Godhead, and the one three in properties; so that neither
is the unity a Sabellian one, nor does the Trinity countenance the present evil distinction." 632
In connection with the complete equality of the three persons Gregory of Nazianzuz writes: "To
us there is one God, for the Godhead is one, and all that proceeds from his is referred to one,
though we believe in three Persons. For one is not more and another less God; nor is one before
and another after; nor are they divided in will or parted in power; nor can you find here any of the
qualities of divisible things; but the Godhead is, to speak concisely, undivided in separate Persons;
and there is one mingling of lights, as it were of three suns joined to each other. When,
then, we look at the Godhead, or the first cause, or the monarchia, that which we conceive is one;
but when we look at the Persons in whom the Godhead dwells, and at those who timelessly and
with equal glory have their being from the first cause, there are three whom we worship." 633
Gregory of Nyssa gives the example of gold observing that "there may be many golden staters,
but gold is one, so we may be confronted with many who individually share in human nature,
such as Peter, James, and John, yet the "man" [the human nature] in them is one." 634 There is a
complete operational harmony between these three distinct Persons, "We do not learn that the Father
does something on his own, in which the Son does not co-operate. Or again, that the Son
acts on his own without the Spirit. Rather does every operation which extends from God to creation
and is designated according to our differing conceptions of it have its origin in the Father,
proceed through the Son, and reach its completion by the Holy Spirit. It is for this reason that the
word for the operation is not divided among the persons involved. For the action of each in any
matter is not separate and individualized. But whatever occurs, whether in reference to God's
providence for us or to the government and constitution of the universe, occurs through the three
78