Truths From The Text

In this episode we continue our study of "relations" and how to say relative names of God (Creator, Lord, etc.).

In this episode we begin a new topic of how to say certain Relative Names of God, such as "God is Creator," "God is Lord," and so forth.

We conclude our study of Moses Maimonides treatment of metaphorical names by looking at "Begetting" and "Abiding."

We continue to work through Moses Maimonides treatment of common Hebrew metaphors as they are said of God.

We continue to work through Moses Maimonides treatment of common Hebrew predicates and their diverse senses, remembering always that God does not have a body.

Holy Scripture frequently speaks of God under the metaphors of sitting, standing, and arising. What do these different bodily postures mean when we say them of the incorporeal God?

In this episode we pause to answer a handful of listener questions. You can send your questions to [email protected] and we may answer them when we do our next Q&A episode.

St. Thomas Aquinas (De ver q 2 a 1 ad 4):

What is in God without imperfection is found with some defect in creatures. Hence, if we attribute to God something found in creatures, we must entirely remove everything that smacks of imperfection so that only what is perfect will remain; for it is only according to its perfection that a creature imitates God. I point out, therefore, that our scientific knowledge contains both some perfection and some imperfection. Its certitude pertains to its perfection, for what is known scientifically is known with certainty. To its imperfection belongs its progression from principles to the conclusions contained in that science; for this progression happens only because the intellect, in knowing the premises, knows the conclusions only potentially. If it actually knew the conclusions, there would be no need of it to go further, since motion is simply the passage from potency to act. Knowledge is said to be in God, therefore, because of its certitude about things known, but not because of the progression mentioned above, for, as Dionysius says, this is not found even in angels.

St. Thomas Aquinas (https://aquinas.cc/la/en/~ST.I.Q14.A1):

Because perfections flowing from God to creatures exist in a higher state in God Himself (Q. 4, A. 2), whenever a name taken from any created perfection is attributed to God, it must be separated in its signification from anything that belongs to that imperfect mode proper to creatures. Hence knowledge is not a quality of God, nor a habit, but substance and pure act.

Whatever is divided and multiplied in creatures exists in God simply and unitedly (Q. 13, A. 4). Now man has different kinds of knowledge, according to the different objects of His knowledge. He has intelligence as regards the knowledge of principles; he has science as regards knowledge of conclusions; he has wisdom, according as he knows the highest cause; he has counsel or prudence, according as he knows what is to be done. But God knows all these by one simple act of knowledge, as will be shown (A. 7). Hence the simple knowledge of God can be named by all these names; in such a way, however, that there must be removed from each of them, so far as they enter into divine predication, everything that savors of imperfection; and everything that expresses perfection is to be retained in them. Hence it is said, With Him is wisdom and strength, He hath counsel and understanding (Job 12:13).

Key Takeaway

When it comes to positive divine names, we can distinguish between:

1) Simple Perfections (no negation needed)

2) Mixed Perfections (some negation needed, remove the aspect of imperfection and retain the perfection)

3) Metaphorical/Symbolic Names (total negation of predicate, ie. "God is a rock, lion, wrath, other passions, etc..")