4. О творении

First of all, it is necessary to prove that there is a Creator of creation, who was not formed, as Valentinus fabled, by the passion of Achamothos, and after the eruption of thirty-five aeons was born as a result of mutual communication and passion; and also not any Angels, according to the teachings of Basilides, Cerinthos and others, who, as they say, were under the command of Jadabaoth, created the creation. Nor do we speak with the vile Marcion, as if there is someone other than the good Creator. On the contrary, we ourselves have been taught, and we teach others, that the God of all created everything with the Only Begotten Word and the All-Holy Spirit; because “By the Word of the Lord the heavens were established, and by the Spirit of His mouth was all their power” (Ps. 33:6). And in another place, having mentioned the visible and invisible creation and commanded to sing songs of praise to the Creator, David added: “As He spoke, and it came to pass: He commanded, and it was created” (Ps. 33:9); and again: “Stretch out the sky like skin. Cover Thy most exalted waters" (Ps. 103:2-3); and after a few words: “found the earth on its firmament” (Ps. 103:5); and again: “Who created the heavens with his mind,... established the earth on the waters” (Ps. 135:5-6). And before David, the great Moses teaches us even more convincingly that this God created heaven and earth with all the elements, that He created the nature of light and adorned the sky with luminaries, and the earth with forests, meadows and harvests; He also produced the kinds of animals, and assigned the air as a place of residence for birds, separated the moist essence for those who float, and the land for cattle and beasts, and after all this he created human nature. All the Prophets teach us in accordance with this. Isaiah cries: “You who made the heavens and set them up, establish the earth and what is on it, and give breath to people... and spirit to those who walk on it” (Isaiah 42:5); and again: “Who made the heavens like a tent and stretched them out like a tabernacle” (Is. 40:22). And God Himself says through his mouth: “He spread out one heaven” (Is. 44:24). And blessed Jeremiah said this: “This God, who showed the earth” (Is. 45:18), “will fill it with two-legged and four-legged cattle. Send the light, and she goes, calling on it, and listening to Him with trembling” (Bar. 3, 32-33). But I have no need for prophetic sayings, because nature itself taught this to people before the law and the prophets. And this ancient Melchizedek said this, blessing Abraham: “Blessed is Abraham by the Most High God, who created heaven and earth” (Gen. 14:19). And the patriarch himself said the same to the Sodomites: “I will lift up my hand to the Most High God, who created heaven and earth” (Gen. 14:22). And Abraham, sending a servant to arrange the bride, said to him: “Put your hand under my thigh. And I will slay you by the Lord God of heaven and God of earth” (Gen. 24:2-3). And the courageous Job, who even before the establishment of the law was distinguished by virtue, recognized the true God as the Creator. For he says: “The sky is one wide, and he walks on the sea as on the earth” (Job 9:8). And the Ascetic himself teaches this victorious ascetic much about creation. But so as not to give those who do not accept the Old Testament Scripture an opportunity to contradict what has been said, let us move on to the New Testament Scripture and show that it speaks in accordance with the Old Testament. Thus, it turns out that both currents have the same source. Therefore, let us listen to how the wise John says that everything is brought into being by the Word. For John says: “without Him nothing came into being” (John 1:3). Let us also listen to the divine Paul, who cries: “For by Him all things were created,... visible and invisible” (Col. 1:16); and again: “With him also did the Father create the eyelids” (Heb. 1:2). And speaking to the people in the Areopagus, he said this: “God, who created the world and all that is in it, this Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in churches made with hands, nor does he accept pleasure from the hands of men, demanding that, Himself giving to everyone life and breath and everything: from one blood He created the whole language of man, to live on all the face of the earth” (Acts. 17, 24–26); and in Lystra, to those who intended to make a sacrifice, Paul said the following: “And we are men of service to you, preaching good news to you from these vanities to turn to the living God, who made heaven and earth and the sea and everything that is in them” (Acts 14:15). And the words that follow contain the same thought. But it is unnecessary to dwell on this and from the Divine Scripture, citing many testimonies, because among the Hellenes, those who were especially distinguished for their wisdom asserted that God is the Creator. And Socrates, the son of Sophronis, and Plato, the son of Ariston, and their successors, and very many others, held this opinion, asserting that God borrowed the means for creation from a ready-made substance. Therefore, in this regard, we will show the superiority of church dogmas. You might be interested in: