CHAPTER 2. The origin of the way heretics closely observe
ST. BASIL THE GREAT
those who associate with them; that is why you think that clear teaching concerning the force underlying these prepositions is desirable. I will write as concisely as possible, hoping to present a suitable beginning for this discussion.
CHAPTER 2. The origin of the way heretics closely observe the use of prepositions.
Someone aware of the importance of small matters might suppose the meticulousness of these men with syllables and words reflects straightforwardness. Such is not the case, however; for no small evil is risked here, but a deep and hidden plot against true religion. Their contention is that any mention of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as dissimilar makes it easy to demonstrate that they are different in nature. They have an old trick invented by Aetius, the champion of this heresy, who writes in one of his letters that things whose natures are dissimilar are expressed in dissimilar terms, and, vice-versa, dissimilar terms are used to describe things whose natures are dissimilar. In his attempt to prove this he even drags in the Apostle's words: "one God and Father, from Whom are all things...and one Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom are all things." ' He then goes on to say that the relationship between these prepositions (from and through) indicates the relationship between the natures they describe, and, since the expression "from whom" differs from "through whom," the Father is therefore different from the Son. This pestilence of a heresy depends entirely upon the subtleties of these men concerning the above prepositons. They assign the words "from whom" to God
™I Cor. 8:6.