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Theology of the Trinity: one God in three persons
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The author opens his treatise by distinguishing the theology of the Trinity from the economy of the Incarnation, beginning with the Trinity.
In the theology of the Trinity, one God is glorified and worshipped in three persons: one divinity, one nature, one essence, one power and authority, one will. Yet there are three persons and three hypostases, each with its own property. For the Father's property is to be unbegotten; the Son's property is to be begotten; and the Holy Spirit's property is to be proceeding.
Greek Τοῦ αὐτοῦ. Οὐ τοσοῦτον ἐκ τῆς θείας Γραφῆς τὸν περὶ τῆς Τριάδος
διδασκόμεθα λόγον, ὅσον ἐκ τῆς φυσικῆς ἀκολουθίας. Τοῦ αὐτοῦ, περὶ τῆς
θεολογίας.
Ἐπὶ μὲν τῆς θεολογίας εἷς Θεὸς δοξάζεται καὶ προσκυνεῖται ἐν τρισὶν
ὑποστάσεσι· μία θεότης, μία φύσις, μία οὐσία, μία δύναμις καὶ ἐξουσία, ἓν θέλημα· τρία
δὲ πρόσωπα, καὶ τρεῖς ὑποστάσεις, ἑκάστη ‹95.229› μετὰ τῆς ἰδιότητος. Ἴδιον γὰρ τοῦ
Πατρὸς τὸ ἀγέννητον· ἴδιον δὲ τοῦ Υἱοῦ τὸ γεννητόν· καὶ ἴδιον τοῦ Πνεύματος τὸ
ἐκπορευτόν.
About this text John of Damascus sums up the faith in brief: one God in three Persons, each with a distinct property, and two natures in the one Person of Christ.
The work distinguishes the theology of the Trinity from the economy of the Incarnation, likely for instruction or clarification.
The treatise opens with the Trinity. One God is glorified and worshipped in three persons, with one divinity, nature, essence, power, authority, and will. Each person keeps a distinct property: the Father is unbegotten, the Son is begotten, and the Spirit proceeds. The Father is without beginning, the Son is co-beginningless though from the Father, and the Holy Spirit is co-eternal and co-beginningless, proceeding from the Father not by filial generation but by procession.
The second part concerns the incarnate Word. Two natures are confessed in one person, Jesus Christ, God together with man, with two wills and two activities. Each nature keeps its property without division or confusion. The divine nature raises the dead and performs miracles, while the human nature hungers, thirsts, grows weary, and endures sufferings. The Word was united to flesh without confusion or division, ascended with that flesh, sits at the Father's right hand, and will come in glory at the end of the ages to judge the living and the dead as God incarnate.
Printed text used
Translated from PG 94-96; De theologia This work has passed this project's source check. This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.
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