• Home
  • Works
  • Introduction Guide Collaboration Sponsors / Collaborators Copyrights Contact Imprint
Bibliothek der Kirchenväter
Search
DE EN FR
Works Alexander of Alexandria (250-328) Epistula ad Alexandrum Thessalonicensem? To Alexander, Bishop of the City of Constantinople

5.

Wherefore I do not think that he is to be reckoned amongst the pious who presumes to inquire into anything beyond these things, not listening to this saying: "Seek not out the things that are too hard for thee, neither search the things that are above thy strength." 1 For if the knowledge of many other things that are incomparably inferior to this, are hidden from human comprehension, such as in the apostle Paul, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him." 2 As also God said to Abraham, that "he could not number the stars;" 3 and that passage, "Who can number the sand of the sea, and the drops of rain." 4 How shall any one be able to investigate too curiously the subsistence of the divine Word, unless he be smitten with frenzy? Concerning which the Spirit of prophecy says, "Who shall declare his generation?" 5 And our Saviour Himself, who blesses the pillars of all things in the world, sought to unburden them of the knowledge of these things, saying that to comprehend this was quite beyond their nature, and that to the Father alone belonged the knowledge of this most divine mystery. "For no man," says He, "knoweth the Son, but the Father: neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son." 6 Of this thing also I think that the Father spoke, in the words, "My secret is to Me and Mine."


  1. Ecclus. iii. 22. [Compare the canonical equivalent, Ps. cxxxi. 1.] ↩

  2. 1 Cor. ii. 9. ↩

  3. Gen. xv. 5. ↩

  4. Ecclus. i. 2. ↩

  5. Isa. liii. 8. ↩

  6. Matt. xi. 27. ↩

pattern
  Print   Report an error
  • Show the text
  • Bibliographic Reference
  • Scans for this version
Translations of this Work
To Alexander, Bishop of the City of Constantinople
Commentaries for this Work
Notes and Elucidations to Alexander of Alexandria

Contents

Faculty of Theology, Patristics and History of the Early Church
Miséricorde, Av. Europe 20, CH 1700 Fribourg

© 2023 Gregor Emmenegger
Imprint
Privacy policy