“The Source of Knowledge” by St. John of Damascus in the context of previous systems of Orthodox Christology

Abstract: this article is devoted to the analysis of the Christology of St. John of Damascus, systematically presented in his work “The Source of Knowledge”, which represents not only the quintessence of the theology of St. Rev. himself. John, but also sums up the development of patristic thought of the era of the Ecumenical Councils. Because of this, the article presents both an overview of the doctrine of Christ set forth in the aforementioned treatise of Damascus, and a brief description of previous systems of Orthodox Christology. Of course, a special place in the treatise is occupied by the part entitled “An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith,” on which we have largely relied. The article examined the works of such authors as Origen (“On the Beginnings”), Clement of Alexandria (“Stromata”), St. Cyril of Jerusalem “Catechetical Teachings”, St. Gregory of Nyssa (“The Great Catechetical Discourse”), Blessed. Theodoret of Cyrus (“Abridged Exposition of Divine Dogmas”) and, in fact, “The Source of Knowledge” by St. John Damskina. We analyzed both the structural and content aspects of Christological systems and identified the uniqueness of the “Source of Knowledge” as a system of Orthodox Christology. The relevance of this article is due to the fact that after the release of the critical edition of the works of St. John of Damascus and a new translation of the “Source of Knowledge” into Russian, such patrolological studies, according to historiography, have not been carried out. There are also no publications devoted to a comprehensive analysis of the Christology of St. John. Starting to review the Christological system of St. John of Damascus, set out in the “Source of Knowledge,” we will outline the basic concepts used in our study. By system we mean “a set of elements that are in relationships and connections with each other, which forms a certain integrity, unity” [15, p. 249]. Any system is built on the basis of systematization, i.e., mental activity, “during which the objects being studied are organized into a specific system based on the chosen principle” [19]. This article is about the doctrinal (dogmatic) system. Dogmatic systems can be spoken of in two meanings. Firstly, it is a set of doctrinal concepts and provisions united by a common concept or idea (for example, the theology of St. Basil the Great, based on Orthodox dogma). Secondly, it is a separate dogmatic work of some author, dedicated to the disclosure of certain doctrinal truths. In such works there is necessarily an author's text (unlike collections of quotations, florilegies), dogmatic provisions are separated from private theological opinions. As an example of a dogmatic system, one can cite the work of St. John of Damascus "The Source of Knowledge". A dogmatic system as a work of any author, as a rule, has content in common with his other theological works. Based on the foregoing, we will designate that by the Christological system of a particular church writer, we mean, first of all, the Christological concept set forth by the author in his dogmatic system as a separate work. Let us begin with a review of the key Christological systems that preceded the “Source of Knowledge” by St. John of Damascus. The first of these is “Stromata” by Clement of Alexandria [2]. This is a collection of eight books, each of which is a collection of various notes reflecting the vision of God and the world through the prism of true Christian philosophy [9, p. 29]. As for the Christological content of this work, only one chapter, “Stromat” (Book 7, Chapter II), is devoted to Christological issues. According to Clement, Christians find salvation “through the Son” [14, p. 201], which indicates the path of life of a true Gnostic and reveals the fullness of knowledge of God [14, p.199]. Christ is the almighty Lord and Savior [14, p. 198]. Christ is at the same time a Man who suffered in the flesh [14, p. 199]. Since the Son of God is omnipotent, He has a providential effect on all people, including pagans [14, p. 199]. Noteworthy is the dogmatic system of Clement’s student, Origen, called “On the Principles” (Περὶ ἀρχῶν) [7]. In fact, this work represents the first systematically presented system of dogmatics. Περὶ ἀρχῶν consists of four books. In the first, second and fourth books we can find Origen's reflections on issues of Christology. Most of them are devoted to the doctrine of the existence of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. In the doctrine of the Incarnate Word, Origen focuses on describing mainly the soul of Christ. At the same time, Origen expresses rather assumptions than statements [17, p. 182–183]. Origen confesses two natures in Christ, divine and human, as well as the properties inherent in each of the natures [17, p. 183]. The doctrine of the soul of Christ echoes the well-known misconception about the pre-existence of souls. She was adamant to sin and thereby stood out among other souls [18, p. 380]. According to Origen, we can talk about the Incarnate Word, we can call Christ the Son of Man; The Son of God died on the Cross, and the Son of Man will come in glory in the last times [17, p. 184–185]. In general, Origen’s Christology has a “pagan-gnostic character”, it contains traces of philonism and neoplatonism [20, p. 266, 268, 276]. The “Catechetical Instructions” of St. Cyril of Jerusalem were written to teach the catechumens in the faith. There are only 18 teachings, their content corresponds to the Creed of the Jerusalem Church [11, p. 305]. The fourth teaching is devoted to the disclosure of the doctrine of God, and some issues of Christology are also revealed there. Thus, Christ is the pre-eternally begotten Son of God, “in everything like Him who gave birth” [13, p. 46]. Christ is not only equal in dignity with the Father, he is one with him in will [13, p. 145]. The “Teachings...” deals primarily with issues of a soteriological and polemical nature; the volume of Christological reflections is relatively small. As Christological issues become actualized in the church-historical field, the volume of parts of dogmatic systems devoted to the doctrine of the Person of the Savior increases. Thus, in the “Great Catechetical Discourse” [5] St. Gregory of Nyssa, out of 33 chapters, 22 are devoted exclusively to the economy of the Son of God. St. Gregory of Nyssa confesses the truth that Christ is perfect God and perfect Man. The fact that God became Man does not diminish the divine dignity [10, p. 114–116, 132]. We cannot logically explain the principle of the union of deity and humanity [10, p. 122]. It is revealed to us that the deity did not change during the Incarnation [10, p. 188] and that “the mystery of God’s incarnation” [10, p. 204] is necessary for our salvation. Christological system of St. Gregory of Nyssa is much more developed in comparison with previous systems of Orthodox Christology. St. Gregory touches on a wider range of issues in his teaching about the Face of the Savior, arguing his idea, in addition to Holy Scripture, with various kinds of logical constructions. Issues of triadology are considered to a much lesser extent in the “Big Announcement”. In addition, the work has a pronounced polemical orientation. Let us complete our brief overview of the systems of Orthodox Christology of the ancient Church with the work of Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrus, “Abridged Exposition of Divine Dogmas.” The work is part of the treatise “Abridged presentation of malicious heretical fables” [8]. “Abridged summary...” includes a preface and 29 chapters. Christological teaching is revealed in chapters 11–15. Blzh. Theodoret, in contrast to the false teaching of the heretics, asserts that the Son is the only begotten of the Father [21, p. 44, 46–47]. Both before and after the Incarnation, the Son is perfect God [21, p. 104]. Christ is true Man and God, equal in honor to the Father [21, p. 109, 112]. In order to heal man from sin, the Son comes into the world [21, p. 106]. As a true Man, Christ endured suffering states, including suffering and death. Blzh. Theodoret writes that Christ accepted “the weakness of human nature” [21, p. 118]. These sufferings expose the heretics who denied the fullness of the Incarnation [21, p. 114]. At the same time, it is in His Resurrection that Christ reveals the truth of His suffering and death for humanity. The Christological component of the “Abridged Exposition...” is revealed succinctly, in response to specific heretical errors. Much of the argument is based on Scripture. The author in his reflections relies on the provisions of the Chalcedonian Oros. Having completed the review of the most important Christological systems of the ancient Church, let us begin to consider the system of Orthodox Christology of St. John of Damascus "The Source of Knowledge". The critical edition of “The Source of Knowledge” (Πηγὴ γνώσεως) represents the first, second and fourth volumes of the works of St. John of Damascus, published by the Benedictine monk Boniface Cotter [4]. In this article from Russian translations we will refer to the text of the translation by A. Bronzov (1894) and A. Sagarda (1913) with corrections and comments by D.E. Afinogenov [12]. “The Source of Knowledge” occupies a special place among the works of St. John of Damascus, not only because of its genre originality (as a dogmatic system). This work by Rev. John wrote in the last years of his life [6, p. XXVI]. Thus, Πηγὴ γνώσεως represents a certain sum of the theological thought of the Holy Father. In terms of its structure, the “Source of Knowledge” in the modern version (which differs from the manuscript tradition) includes three parts: “Dialectics”, “About a Hundred Heresies in Brief” and “An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith”. “Dialectics” is a collection of theological and philosophical definitions, its content based on a transposition of Aristotle’s terminology in relation to Christian theology. Moreover, most of the material was borrowed not directly from Aristotle, but indirectly from his commentators [16, p. 70]. In “Dialectics” we find definitions of terms that are the most important in Christology: “nature”, “hypostasis”, “person”, “individual”, “property”, “will”, “action”, “suffering”. The treatise “On One Hundred Heresies in Brief” is written in the form of a hundred (100 chapters), it provides a brief description of heretical teachings, including a number of Christological heresies: Nestorianism, Monothelitism, Monophysitism and others. “On a Hundred Heresies” continues the established tradition of presenting Orthodox doctrine in comparison with heretical errors. Sources for the treatise include the synopsis of Panarion, attributed to St. Epiphany (Anacephalaeosis; CPG, N3765), as well as the collection Doctrina Patrum [1, s. 479]. “An Accurate Exposition of the Orthodox Faith” is the central work of “The Source of Knowledge.” Includes 100 chapters; in the manuscript tradition it is known in two versions [6, s. XXIII–XXV], published in combination with Dialectics. The content of the treatise corresponds to the Nicene-Constantinople Creed. As for the Christological component of the treatise, chapters from 45 to 81 are devoted to issues of Christology. His Christological thought, St. John of Damascus bases mainly on the works of St. Cyril of Alexandria, St. Gregory the Theologian, St. Gregory of Nyssa, St. Maximus the Confessor [6, s. XXVII]. Following the tradition of previous dogmatic systems, St. John of Damascus, “An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith,” begins with the doctrine of God in Himself: God reveals Himself in the world. The culmination of Divine Revelation is expressed in the coming into the world of the Son of God [12, p.157]. Christ is the Only Begotten Son of the Father, perfect God and perfect Man, in two natures and one complex hypostasis [12, p. 158]. In Chapter VI “On the Word of God” the Logos is called “perfect and eternally existing”, existing “by itself”, identical with the Father by nature [12, p. 163–164]. Christ, being a single hypostasis, “One and the Same,” desires and acts “both in divine and human form” [12, p. 255, 269]. The third part of the Exact Exposition is devoted to a description of Christology. Damascene writes that in the Incarnation God’s love for people is manifested; the Lord comes into the world in order to save His creation [12, p. 234]. Through the Virgin Mary “the Word became a hypostasis for the flesh” [12, p. 236]. It was the Son who became man, since “the peculiarity [of the hypostasis. - Jer. N.M.] immovable”, born before the century from the Father, He is born in time from the Mother (12, pp. 277–278). St. John of Damascus criticizes the errors of heretics, pointing out one of the most important: false teachers distort theological terminology. St. John indicates the relationship between the terms “hypostasis”, “nature”, “species”, “image of mutual exchange”, denotes the role of number in the context of the calculation of natures in Christ [12, p. 241–242, 247–248]. In the hypostasis of Christ, it is not the particular, but rather the common natures of deity and humanity that are united. The hypostasis of Christ is uncreated according to divinity and created according to humanity, visible and invisible [12, p. 289]. At the same time, we call Christ the incarnate word, for “anointing (ἡ χρίσις) refers to the human principle” [12, p. 290]. “It is not necessary for natures, hypostatically united with each other, to each have their own hypostasis” [12, p. 248], because of this we can talk about perfect hypostatic humanity in Christ. St. John of Damascus, relying on the Orthodox tradition, gives an interpretation of the “Trisagion”, the formula “One nature of God’s word incarnate”, “divine action”, as well as the term “Theotokos”. In the 60th chapter of St. John makes the case for the presence of two, and not three, natures in the Incarnate Word. It was human nature to endure blameless passions “in order to sanctify us” [12, p. 277]. Although humanity had weakness, ignorance, and was “slave” [12, p. 277], however, through unity with the Word we do not call Him a slave and do not attribute ignorance to Him. The Lord voluntarily experienced fear and suffering [12, p. 280]. “Christ alone suffered” in the flesh, but we cannot talk “about a deity who suffered through the flesh or about God who suffered through the flesh” - the impassive deity is outside of suffering [12, p. 282]. Even death could not separate the single hypostasis of the incarnate God the Word, since “one hypostasis of the Word was the hypostasis of both the Word and the soul and body” [12, p. 284]. Unlike other people, the body of Christ after death remained “incorruptible” (ἄφθαρτον, ἀδιάφθορον), although it was “perishable” (φθαρτὸν) during his earthly life [12, p. 284–285]. Christ prayed, “assimilating our face, and prefiguring in himself what was ours, and becoming an example for us...”, prayed to God the Father before the resurrection of Lazarus, during the Gethsemane prayer, from the Cross [12, p. 281–282]. Questions of Christology are touched upon by St. John of Damascus and in the fourth book of “An Exact Exposition...”. In chapter LXXIV, Damascene notes that the action of the impeccable passions in Christ ceased after the Resurrection, although the physical composition of the Savior did not change. Through His Ascension, the Lord glorified His flesh, “He... is greeted with united worship from all creation” [12, p. 278; see also 12, p. 287]. St. John calls for distinguishing properties related to nature from properties related to hypostasis: birth, crucifixion and resurrection are hypostatic properties, at the same time, the deity is impassive and cannot be born from a person [12, p. 291]. Christ is the only begotten, firstborn Son of God, but not the first created [12, p. 292]. The Lord “through His passion delivered us from corruption” [12, p. 293], He, “having become human in all respects... partakes of our poor and weak nature,” “made flesh for Himself.” Through the Eucharist “we partake of the divinity of Jesus... we become one body of Christ” [12, p. 304]. The Infant of God born from the Virgin is the Son of God, God incarnate, but not a God-bearing man [12, p. 308]. In the form of a certain conclusion in the presentation of the Christology of St. John of Damascus briefly, in a sequential systematic order, in the 91st chapter of the “Exact Exposition ...” entitled “On what is said about Christ” highlights the most important aspects of the Orthodox teaching about the Person of the Savior. System of Christology St. John of Damascus is also revealed in other works of the saint, most fully in his Christological polemical treatises. However, their study is beyond the scope of this article. “The Source of Knowledge” St. John of Damascus expresses the tradition of a multi-part presentation (cf.: “Stromata” in the trilogy of Clement of Alexandria, four books of “On the Elements” of Origen, three parts of the “Great Catechetical Oration” of St. Gregory of Nyssa, “Abridged Exposition of Divine Dogmas” as the fifth book of “Abridged Exposition of Malicious Heretical Fables” by Blessed Theodoret of Cyrus ) dogmatic systems. In comparison with previous authors, St. John most fully and expressively expounds the Orthodox doctrine, reveals heretical false teachings, and defines theological and philosophical terminology. Orthodox dogma is often presented in comparison with heretical concepts (cf., for example, “Abridged presentation...” of Blessed Theodoret). The volume of the Christological component of the “Source of Knowledge” significantly exceeds previous dogmatic systems. The key basis of the Christology of St. John of Damascus, like previous church writers, soteriology. At the same time, we can highlight the polemical, sacramental and anthropological basis of his teaching about Christ. The starting point of the Christology of St. John - the thesis that Christ is the incarnate Son of God, the true God. The Incarnation of the Logos revealed the fullness of the revelation of God to the world, the fullness of the knowledge of God (cf.: “Stromata”, “Catechetical Teachings”). The main semantic dominant of the Christology of St. John of Damascus is an affirmation of the fullness of humanity perceived by the word. Although the same can be said about the previous church tradition, Damascene expresses this truth more systematically and in detail. The main intonations of Orthodox Christology, sounded in the works of ancient authors (the doctrine of two perfect natures in Christ, theopaschist expressions, etc.), found their conceptual completion in the Christological system of St. John of Damascus. St. John of Damascus widely uses the “philosophical” method in revealing the Christological dogma (cf.: “Great Catechetical Word”); the philosophical justification of Christology is one of the key ones. St. John of Damascus touches on particular issues of Christology, which, most likely, were the most relevant in his time (for example, the issues of “ignorance” and “prosperity” of Christ, the explanation of Christ’s prayer appeal to his father, the problem of the voluntariness of the Savior’s suffering, the worship of His flesh, etc.). 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