NPNF2-08. Basil: Letters and Select Works - Holy Bible Institute

The systematic discussion of syllables is derived from heathen philosophy.man. “In which” is supposed to indicate time and place. When was it produced? In thistime. And where? In this place. And though place and time contribute nothing to what isbeing produced, yet without these the production of anything is impossible, for efficientagents must have both place and time. It is these careful distinctions, derived from unpracticalphilosophy and vain delusion, 723 which our opponents have first studied and admired,and then transferred to the simple and unsophisticated doctrine of the Spirit, to the belittlingof God the Word, and the setting at naught of the Divine Spirit. Even the phrase set apartby non-Christian writers for the case of lifeless instruments 724 or of manual service of themeanest kind, I mean the expression “through or by means of which,” they do not shrinkfrom transferring to the Lord of all, and Christians feel no shame in applying to the Creatorof the universe language belonging to a hammer or a saw.5723 ἐκ τῆς ματαιότητος καὶ κενῆς ἀπάτης. cf. ματαιότης ματαιοτήτων, “vanity of vanities,” Ecc. i. 2, lxx. InArist. Eth. i. 2, a desire is said to be κενὴ καὶ ματαία, which goes into infinity,—everything being desired for thesake of something else,—i.e., κενη, void, like a desire for the moon, and ματαία, unpractical, like a desire for theempire of China. In the text ματαιότης seems to mean heathen philosophy, a vain delusion as distinguishedfrom Christian philosophy.724 ἄψυχα ὄργανα. A slave, according to Aristotle, Eth. Nich. viii. 7, 6, is ἔμψυχον ὄργανον.146