From the Works of Philo Besides, if we only receive the expression, By myself have I sworn, in the manner which we ought, we shall be in no danger from sophistry. May we not, then, say, that the truth is something of this sort? None of those beings which are capable of entertaining belief, can entertain a firm belief respecting God. For He has not displayed His nature to anyone, but keeps it invisible to every kind of creature. Who can venture to affirm of Him who is the cause of all things either that He is a body, or that He is incorporeal, or that He has such and such distinctive qualities, or that He has no such qualities? or who, in short, can venture to affirm anything positively about His essence, or His character, or His constitution, or His movements? But He alone can utter a positive assertion respecting Himself, since He alone has an accurate knowledge of His own nature, without the possibility of mistake. His positive assertion, therefore, is one which may be thoroughly trusted in the first place, since He alone has any knowledge respecting His actions, so that He very appropriately swore by Himself, adding Himself confirmation to His assertion, which it was not possible for anyone else to do. On which account men who say that they swear by God, may well be considered impious. For no man can rightly swear by Himself, because He is not able to have any certain knowledge respecting His own nature, but we must be content if we are able to understand even His name, that is to say, His word, which is the interpreter of His will. For that must be God to us imperfect beings, but the first mentioned, or true God, is so only to wise and perfect men
Posted on: Tue, 10 Jun 2014 03:15:46 +0000
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