The Etymologies of Isidore of Seville - Pot-pourri

156 VII.ii.12–ii.31 Isidore of Seville
the Father, and Lord because of the creation subservient
to him. 12. Andheis God and man, for he is Word and
flesh. Whence he is called the Doubly-Begotten (bis genitus),
because the Father begot (gignere,ppl. genitus)him
without a mother in eternity, and because a mother begot
him without a father in the temporal world. 13.Butheis
called the Only-Begotten (unigenitus) according to the
peerless quality of his divinity, for he is without brothers;
he is called the First-Begotten (primogenitus)withregard
to his assuming of human nature, in which he deigned
through the grace of adoption to have brothers, among
whom he was the first begotten.
14. Heiscalled ‘of one substance’ (homousion, i.e.
)with the Father because of their unity of substance,
because in Greek substance or essence is called
and - means “one.” The two joined together
therefore denote ‘one substance.’ For this reason he is
called Homousion, that is (John 10:30), “I and the Father
are one” – that is, of the same substance with the Father.
15. Although this name is not written in Sacred Scripture,
nevertheless it is supported in the formal naming
of the whole Trinity because an account is offered
according to which it is shown to be spoken correctly,
just as in those books we never read that the Father is
the Unbegotten (Ingenitus), yet we have no doubt that he
should be spoken of and believed to be that. 2 16. Homoeusion
(i.e. ), that is “similar in substance,”
because as God is, so also is God’s image. Invisible is
God, and invisible his image (i.e. the divinity latent in
Jesus).
17.TheBeginning (Principium), because all things are
from him, and before him nothing was. 18. TheEnd
(Finis), either because he deigned at the end (finis) of
time to be born and to die humbly in the flesh and to
undertake the Last Judgment, or because whatever we do
we refer to him, and when wehavecometohimwehave
nothing further to seek. 19.Heisthe‘Mouth of God’ (Os
Dei)because he is his Word, for just as we often say ‘this
tongue’ and ‘that tongue’ for ‘words,’ which are made
by the tongue, so ‘Mouth’ is substituted for the ‘Word of
God,’ because words are normally formed by the mouth.
20. Further, he is called the Word (Verbum)because
through him the Father established or commanded all
things. 21. Truth (Veritas), because he does not deceive,
but gave what he promised. Life (Vita) because he created.
He is called the Image (Imago)because of his equivalent
likeness to the Father. 22.Heisthe Figure (Figura)
because although he took on the form of a slave, he portrayed
in himself the Father’s image and immeasurable
greatness by his likeness to the Father in his works and
powers.
23. Heisthe‘Hand of God’ (Manus Dei) because all
things were made through him. Hence also the ‘Right
Hand’ (Dextera) because of his accomplishment of the
work of all creation, which was formed by him. The Arm
(Brachium), because all things are embraced by him.
24. ThePower(Virtus), because he contains in himself
all the authority of the Father, and governs, holds, and
rules the whole creation of heaven and earth. 25.Wisdom
(Sapientia), because he himself reveals the mysteries of
knowledge and the secrets of wisdom. But although the
Father and the Holy Spirit may be ‘Wisdom’ and ‘Power’
and ‘Lamp’ and ‘Light,’ nevertheless strictly speaking it is
the Son who is designated by these names. 26.Again,he
is called Clarity (Splendor) because of what he plainly
reveals. Lamp (Lumen), because he illuminates (illuminare).
Light (Lux), because he unlocks the eyes of the
heart for gazing at the truth. Sun (Sol), because he is the
illuminator. 27.TheOrient (Oriens,i.e. “East,” “Sunrising”)
because he is the source of light and the brightener
of things, and because he makes us rise (oriri)toeternal
life. 28. The Fount (Fons), because he is the origin of
things, or because he satisfies those who thirst.
He is also the and .HeisAlpha because no letter
precedes it, for it is the first of the letters, just as the Son of
God is first, for he answered the Jews interrogating him
that he was the beginning (John 8:25). Whence John in
the Apocalypse, properly putting down the letter itself,
says (22:13), “I am and ,first and last.” First, because
before him nothing is. Last, because he has undertaken
the Last Judgment. 29.Mediator(Mediator), because he
has been constituted a mean (medius)betweenGodand
humanity, so that he might lead humanity through to
God – whence the Greeks also call him (“mediator”).
30. Paraclete, that is, advocate, because he intercedes
for us with the Father, as John says of him (I John
2:1), “We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ
the just.” 31. ForParaclete(Paracletus) isaGreekword
that means “advocate” in Latin. This name is ascribed to
2 Isidore’s care with the concept of the unity of substance of Jesus
and the Father reflects the recent conversion of the Visigothic king
from Arianism, which was heretical on this point, to Catholicism.
Isidore’s brother Leander was instrumental in this conversion.