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Indeed, [the Damascene] says ... that ὁ ὤν is the most important of all the names attributed to God.

Girolamo Zanchi

Five Books on
the Nature of God,
or
On the Divine Attributes



By Girolamo Zanchi

Translated by Patrick J. O'Banion

Book 1, Chapter 11, Part 3

Volume 1 is available for order now
from Merchant Royal Press

In book 1, chapter 9 [of The Orthodox Faith], the Damascene makes two primary points about God’s names, and he adduces their Greek meaning and etymology, because he is interpreting Greek names. These are ὁ ὤν [the One who is] and ὁ θεός [God]. Indeed, he says of the former that it is the most important of all the names attributed to God.[1] He says that the reason why God called Himself τὸν ὄντα [the One who is] is that He contains everything and, so, is perfect in Himself. That is, He is the first and supreme Being, from whom and in whom is all other being. For He gathers together and contains all being in Himself like an infinite and unbounded sea.[2] But since Dionysius the Areopagite wrote that God’s first name is the Good,[3] the Damascene also faithfully recounts his opinion.[4]
This is how some reconcile them. The Damascene spoke with reference to that divine name which, in the first place and per se, is appropriate to God insofar as He is God in Himself. For He is eternal essence. For that reason, His first name is the One who is.[5] But Dionysius was considering that whereby God first revealed Himself to us, and this is His highest goodness, which He declares and communicates to the whole world by creating, ruling, and giving life to things. Accordingly, His first name—the name whereby He reveals Himself—is the Good.[6]Next, the Damascene proposes three etymological options for the name God,[7] which he says is His second name.[8] Moreover, he says that this name is derived [in one of two ways. It may be derived] from the verb “to run” and to pervade all things.[9] And θέω means I run or I surround. Accordingly, He is called God[10] in that He surrounds, disposes, and rules all things and hastens to help and assist all—or to say it all with one word: providence. For in Him we live, move, and are [Acts 17:28]. And this is what Scripture teaches in Wisdom 8:1, for speaking of Wisdom, which is God, it says: [Wisdom] reaches from end to end and disposes all things sweetly. In Greek they put it better: [Wisdom] reaches or extends herself vigorously from end to end and governs all things to advantage.[11] Thus, Hebrews 1[:3]: He upholds all things by the Word of His strength, that is, His powerful Word. This is the first etymology, which Plato had alleged (in Cratylus [397d]), and Proclus, one of Plato’s interpreters, followed him [in his Commentary on Cratylus, §126].[12]The second etymology, says Damascus, is that God is derived from the verb “to kindle” [αἴθειν], which means “to burn.”[13] Fire, the sun, stars, and the heavens are called αἴθερα [the ether] from αἴθειν [to kindle], not so much because they shine, having been kindled with light, but rather because, by their light and power, they stir up heat in souls and, so, vivify and cause generation, life, and all heat. Or ethereal things are so-called from always running,[14] because they are running always and with constant motion. So, perhaps God is called God[15] because He Himself effects these things across the heavens and stars and especially because He kindles whatever light and good affection is in the hearts of men. And besides, He is light and is said to dwell in light inaccessible [1 Tim. 6:16]. He is also called fire in the Scriptures [Deut. 4:24]. God can also be said to be always running,[16] that is, running to the aid of all things and ruling everything without pause. This is the second etymology.The third: the Damascene says, Or “God” is derived from the verb “to see” [θεᾶσθαι] all things, for nothing escapes His notice and He surveys all things. For He saw “all things before they came to pass” [Dan. 13:42 (Susanna)], having conceived of each of them outside of time and each comes to pass at the preordained time in accordance with the timeless intention of His will, which is a predetermination.[17] Thus, Hebrews 4[:13]: No creature is invisible in His sight, for all things are naked and open to His eyes.These things from the Damascene concerning the two names of God—the One who is and God[18]—are confirmed from various passages. To these, he adds that the first name—the One who is[19]—is indicative of God’s being but not of what He is.[20] But the second name—God[21]—is the name of His energy.[22]

[1] κυριώτερον πάντων τῶν ἐπὶ θεοῦ λεγομένων ονομάτων. Quoted from John of Damascus, On the Orthodox Faith, 83.

[2] Ὅλον γάρ ἐν ἑαυτῷ συλλαβὼν ἔχει τὸ εἶναι· οἶόν τι πέλαγος οὑσίας ἄπειρον καὶ ἀόριστον. Quoted from John of Damascus, On the Orthodox Faith, 84 (altered). Norman Russell notes the relationship between this statement and Pseudo-Dionysisus, The Divine Names, ch. 5, §4.

[3] τὸ ἀγαθὸν.

[4] The pertinent sentence is omitted from the Russell translation of bk. 1, ch. 9. FOTC, 37:189 reads: “But then, as St. Dionysius says, He is ‘The Good,’ for in God one may not say that the being comes first and then the good afterwards.” The translator directs readers to Pseudo-Dionysius, The Divine Names, ch. 2, §1.

[5] ὁ ὤν.

[6] τὸ ἀγαθόν.

[7] θεοῦ.

[8] δεύτερον ὄνομα.

[9] ἐκ τοῦ θέειν καὶ περιέπειν τὰ σύμπαντα. Quoted from John of Damascus, On the Orthodox Faith, 84 (altered).

[10] θεὸς.

[11] Διατείνει δὲ ἀπὸ πέρατος ἐπὶ πέρας εὐρώστως καὶ διοικεῖ τὰ πάντα χρηστῶς.

[12] Proclus, On Plato Cratylus, trans. Brian Marshall Duvick (Bloomsbury Academic, 2007), 72.

[13] θεὸς ἐκ τοῦ αἴθειν, ὁ ἐστὶ καίειν, hoc est, adurere, & accendere. Quoted from John of Damascus, On the Orthodox Faith, 84 (altered).

[14] ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀεὶ θέειν.

[15] θεὸς.

[16] ἀεὶ θέειν.

[17] θεὸς ἀπὸ τοῦ θεᾶσθαι τὰ πάντα. Αλάθῆτος γὰρ ἐστὶ καὶ πάντων ἐπόπτης. Ἐθεάσατο γὰρ τὰ πάντα πρὶν γενέσεως αὐτῶν, ἀχρόνως ἐννοήσας, καὶ ἕκαστον κατὰ τὴν θελητικὴν ἀυτοῦ ἄχρονον ἔννοιαν· ἥτις ἐστὶ προορισμός. Quoted from John of Damascus, On the Orthodox Faith, 84 (altered).

[18] τοῦ ὄντος & τοῦ θεοῦ.

[19] τοῦ ὄντος.

[20] τοῦ εἶναι τοῦ θεοῦ παραστατικόν: non autem τοῦ τί εἶναι. Quoted from John of Damascus, On the Orthodox Faith, 84 (altered).

[21] τοῦ θεοῦ.

[22] ἐνεργείας.

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