Basil
“But the divine nature is too exalted to be perceived as objects of enquiry are perceived, and about things which are beyond our knowledge we reason on probable evidence. We are therefore of necessity guided in the investigation of the divine nature by its operations.”
“The operations are various, and the essence simple, but we say that we know our God from His operations, but do not undertake to approach near to His essence. His operations come down to us, but His essence remains beyond our reach.”
“And His operations, what are they? For majesty ineffable, and for numbers innumerable.”
Gregory of Nyssa
“For God who is by nature beyond our sight is visible in his activities, being perceived in the characteristics that surround him.”
Cyril of Jerusalem
“The Divine Nature then it is impossible to see with eyes of flesh: but from the works, which are Divine, it is possible to attain to some conception of His power.”
“[T]he Spirit is one and undivided, but His operations various.”
Gregory Nazianzus
“But if we say that God is ‘incorporeal,’ this term neither represents nor contains the divine essence. The same is true of ‘unbegotten,’ ‘beginningless,’ ‘immutable,’ and ‘incorruptible,’ indeed of whatever is said concerning God or of the things around God.”
Cyril of Alexandria
“Creating belongs to the energy but begetting to the nature. Nature and energy are not identical.”
Maximus the Confessor
“Therefore, absolutely nothing of what is said ‘about God or the things around God’ can ever be the essence of God, for not even a positive affirmation (which is uniquely appropriate to God alone), devoid of all relation, and detached from the energy around a thing, is able to manifest that thing according to what it is in its essence.”
John of Damascus
“Therefore, one should not suppose that any one of these things which are affirmed of God is indicative of what He is in essence. Rather, they show either what He is not, or some relation to some one of those things that are contrasted with Him, or something of those things which are consequential to His nature or operation.”
Sources: https://ubipetrusibiecclesia.com/2020/05/30/essence-energies-distinction-in-the-church-fathers/
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.