The Manifestation and Hiddenness of God

To those who love: for here we receive the fear that is being set aside for the sake of love—'perfect love casts out fear' (1 John 4:18). And love is perfect when we do not love for the sake of another. Therefore, 'perfect love casts out fear because fear has punishment'—not that which is said concerning it: 'it is no loss to those who fear him.'

I have worked for those who hope in you against the sons of men. I have worked this concealment. Some are sons of men who are not reproached. But men and sons are often reproached when it is said: 'Sons of men, how long will you be heavy-hearted?' (Ps 39:13) But when it is said: 'The Lord looked down from heaven, he saw all the sons of men' (Ps 145:5), these sons of men are praised.

And I say a paradox: when they are lifted up toward God, they are righteous men and sons of men; but when they are toward the righteous, the sinners are sons of men, being vile, concerning whom Paul writes: 'For where there is strife and jealousy among you, are you not human?' (Gal 5:20) and concerning whom: 'But you, indeed, as men, are dying' (1 Cor 3:3), having fallen from being the sons of the Most High. Toward the holy men called or named gods, the vile are called sons of men; but toward the sons who are the cause for God, those whom he looks upon, they are diligent.

And again: 'You will save men and cattle, Lord. As you have multiplied your mercy, O God; and the sons of men hope in the shadow of your wings' (Ps 36:7). 'A great man and a precious man is the merciful one.' Here the man who is 'according to the image and likeness' (Gen 1:26) of God is praised in greatness. But when someone, having fallen from being the son of the Most High, becomes a son of man, this man is vile.

'I have worked for those who hope in you against the sons of men'—the diligent ones—and let those know the work: the concealment of the wealth of your goodness. You will hide them in the secrecy of your face, the sons of men for whom I have worked your mercy. And someone is hidden in the secrecy of God thus: God has a face appearing through his own creatures; for it is said: 'Analogously, the Creator is seen from the greatness and beauty of the creatures.' He is seen from the analogy of creation; for just as if someone sees a ship, the imagination of the shipbuilder...

Where is it received even if not present? And he who sees a ship sailing straight from afar immediately comes to the understanding that there is one steering it. And a chariot being carried in order from afar, even if the one seeing does not see the driver, he remembers him. In this way, as the cosmos is being carried in order and having a beautiful nature, a vision of the beauty and greatness of God is known; for if the things created are great, much greater is the Maker.

Therefore, when someone takes a vision of God from the cosmos, the order, the concept, and the judgments of providence, he has not been hidden into the secrecy of His person. Such also are those who have philosophized among the Greeks; for from the greatness of the created things and the beauty, they took a vision of God. But he who, receiving a vision of God without the creation, has seen the Son and through the Son the Father—for 'he who has seen me has seen the Father' (John 14:9)—this one is hidden in the secrecy of the person of God. And the creative Word is a secret.

Again, so that I may speak more popularly: Jesus had two persons, of man and of God. Those who know Him according to the flesh, receive Him in the manifestation of the person. But those who, turning away from knowing Him according to the flesh, have come to knowing Him as the Divine Word, these have been hidden in the secrecy of the person of God. And furthermore, since we were saying that the outward vision of the cosmos is a person, the Word through whom the things created came to be, and through whom they are provided for and governed, is the secret of the person of God; and the creative Word is a secret.

God often hides His own goodness from the small ones who fear Him. We examined yesterday those who fear, abstaining from evil through the fear of punishment, if it must be called this abstention from evil. 'Perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment' (1 John 4:18). The disposition of knowledge of good and evil, and desiring the good and, having bowed to it, abstaining from evil lust, stays away from evil not by the fear of punishment, but turns away from evil. If, however, some word persuades him that there is no punishment, he practices what he chooses as evil. God, therefore, often does not bring punishment immediately, but brings goodness.