God's uncreated wisdom, that is, with the Word. He must, 1 suppose, mean the angelic
Unfinished Literal Commentary on Genesis 1 25 lacking even in the souls of animals. Or is it that higher light which reveals itself in the power or reasoning, from which everything that has been created has its beginning?25
But whichever kind of light is being signified, we are still, surely, obliged to take it as something made and created, and not the light which shines in God's own Wisdom, which was born, not created—in case it should be assumed that God was without any light before he instituted this sort that we are now dealing with. Of this sort, after all, as the very words indicate clearly enough, it is stated that it was made. And he said, the text goes, Let light be made, and light was made. Light born of God is one thing, light which God made quite another. Light born of God is God's very own wisdom, while light that has been made is any kind that is subject to change, whether it be incorporeal or corporeal.
21. People often wonder, though, how there could be any corporeal light before the sky or the heavens existed, and the lamps in the sky, which are set out after this light here, as though the human mind could easily grasp, or grasp at all, whether there is any light in addition to the heavens, which nonetheless is distin guished and spread out through space and embraces the universe. But since we are permitted here to understand an incorporeal light, ifwe say that in this book it is not only the visible creation but the entire creation that is being set before us, what need is there to linger over this argument? And the question people ask, when were the angels made?—well perhaps they are being indicated here, very briefly indeed, but still most aptly and suitably.
Genesis 1:4: the goodness of the light
22. And Godsaw the light, that it was good (Gn 1:4). This statement should be understood as signifying, not joy at some unexpected good, but approval of the work done. What, after all, could be said more aptly about God, insofar as anything can be said about him among human beings, than to put "he said," "it was made," "he approved" in such a way that in "he said" his command is to be understood, in "it was made" his power, in "he approved" his benevolence? The inexpressible, after all, was rightly expressed to human beings through human agency in such a way as to profit them all.
Genesis 1:4: how light was dividedfrom darkness
23. And God divided between the lightand the darkness (Gn 1 :4). From this it can be gathered with what ease the divine work produced these effects. There is
25. As the next sentence shows, he is clearly not here identifying the power of reason in us with God's uncreated wisdom, that is, with the Word. He must, 1 suppose, mean the angelic intelligences.