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Taken together the images suggest the thoughts presented by the theological terms ‘coessential’ ( oJmoouvsio" ) and ‘only-begotten’ ( monogenhv" ).

The ‘glory’ of God finds expression in the Son as its ‘effulgence’: the ‘essence’ of God finds expression in Him as its ‘type.’

Neither figure can be pressed to conclusions. The luminous image may be said to have no substantive existence ( to; ga;r ajpauvgasma, fasivn (the followers of Sabellius, Marcellus, Photinus), ejnupovstaton oujk e[stin ajllj ejn eJtevrw/ e[cei to; ei\nai Chrysost. Hom. 2.1). The express image may be offered in a different substance. So it is that the first figure leaves unnoticed the Personality of the Son, and the second figure the essential equality of the Son with the Father. But that which the one figure lacks the other supplies. We cannot conceive of the luminous body apart from the luminous image; and we cannot identify the archetype and its expression.

Under another aspect we observe that the Divine Manifestation is placed side by side with the Divine Essence. It is in Christ that the Revelation is seen ( ajpauvgasma ). It is in Christ that the Essence is made intelligibly distinct for man ( carakthvr ).

The two truths are implied by the words of the Lord recorded in St John's Gospel John 5:19, 30; 14:9.

For the pre-existence of the Son compare Heb. 7:3; 10:5. It must farther be noticed that in the description of the Being of the Son language is used which points to a certain congruity in the Incarnation. This is the ‘propriety’ of His Nature to perfectly reveal God. Through Him God reveals Himself outwardly.

Under this aspect the clause which describes the action of the Son— fevrwn ta; pavnta tw'/ rJhvmati th'" dunavmew" aujtou' —gives in its most general form the truth expressed in the divine acts o}n e[qhken klhronovmon pavntwn, dij ou| kai; ejpoivhsen tou;" aijw'na" .
ajpauvgasma th'" dovxh" ] the effulgence of His glory , Vulg. splendor gloriae (and so Latt. uniformly).
ajpauvgasma ] The verb ajpaugavzw has two distinct meanings:
1. To flash forth: radiate.
2. To flash back: reflect. The noun
ajpauvgasma , which is a characteristically Alexandrine word occurring in Wisdom (Wisd. 7:25), and in Philo, may therefore mean either

1. The effulgence; or
2. The reflection (refulgence). The use of the word by Philo is not decisive as to the sense to be chosen. In one passage the sense ‘
effulgence ’ appears to be most natural: De concupisc. § 11 (2.356 M.) to; dj ejmfuswvmenon (Gen. 2:7) dh'lon wJ" aijqevrion h\n pneu'ma kai; eij dhv ti aijqerivou pneuvmato" krei'tton, a{te th'" makariva" kai; trismakariva" fuvsew" ajpauvgasma .

In two others the sense ‘ reflection ’ is more appropriate: De opif. mundi § 51 (1:35 M.) pa'" a[nqrwpo" kata; me;n th;n diavnoian oijkeivwtai qeivw/ lovgw/, th'" makariva" fuvsew" ejkmagei'on h] ajpovspasma h] ajpauvgasma gegonwv", kata; de; th;n tou' swvmato" kataskeuh;n a{panti tw'/ kovsmw/ .

De plantatione Noae § 12 (1.337 M.) to; de; aJgivasma (Ex. 15:17) oi|on aJgivwn ajpauvgasma, mivmhma ajrcetuvpou, ejpei; ta; aijsqhvsei kala; kai; nohvsei kalw'n eijkovne" .


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