Introduction

5.1.2 of The Trinity is the subject of this article. Augustine, in The Trinity, seeks to commune with and help others commune with the Triune God. In books 1-4, Augustine grounds our communion with God in the missions of the Son and the Spirit. The Son is begotten eternally, and the Spirit is proceeding eternally. We know the Father through the Son by the Holy Spirit. These missions, which are on greatest display in the coming of Christ and sending of the Holy Spirit, were typified in the Old Testament. Though the persons are distinct, and the Son and Spirit have missions, while the Father does not, there is no inequality between them.

Book 5 begins a section spanning to chapter 8 on what distinguishes the three persons of the Trinity that he and his readers might know and commune with God more intimately. Such a task, distinguishing between the names of the persons, while maintaining the unity of substance, is a difficult task. The human mind cannot comprehend it. Human speech cannot univocally articulate it. As much and more is said in 5.1.1 and further developed in the section under analysis.

Exposition

Augustine calls for both grace and mercy to those who are engaging in discourse about the Trinity. His reason is that the subject requires such grace and mercy. For in discussing the Trinity, one is speaking about the invisible and unchanging nature. They are speaking about that which “cannot be measured by the standard of things visible, changeable, mortal and deficient” (189). In fact, to know God and speak of him in the way Augustine desires requires the grace of illumination from God.

Augustine illustrates man’s inability to comprehend God by asserting that man is unable even to comprehend his intellect. Though when one thinks of the intellect, he will conclude at the very least that it is invisible and simple, meaning without parts. This assertion gives grounds for the lesser than greater than argument. If man’s intellect that is lesser, is invisible, simple, and incomprehensible, then how much more is this true of God who is greater not only in quantity but also quality. Alternatively, as Augustine writes, “So what we do not find in our better part we should not look for in that which is far and away better than our better part” (190).

“Thus, we should understand God, if we can and as far as we can, to be good without quality, great without quantity, creative without need or necessity, presiding without position, holding all things together without possession, wholly everywhere without place, everlasting without time, without any change in himself making changeable things, and undergoing nothing” (190). This quote displays Augustine’s reverence to God and his heart behind calling for humility in both communicating and reading about the Triune God. Positively it can be said God is simple, independent, immutable, omnipresent, spiritual, invisible, and sovereign. The Christian in pursuit of knowing God and speaking about him must do so with humility and care. Further, there is a mystery that is necessary when discussing such an excellent subject. The one who understands God as Augustine has described may never reach the depths of comprehending what God is, but he certainly will steer clear attributing to God what He is not.

Main Themes

The main themes of this gobbet are the creator-creature distinction, awe and mystery in theological contemplation, and humility in theological discourse. God, as the creator, is distinct from all that He has created, including humans who bear his image. He exists, period. Thus, humans, when contemplating God, should understand that there will be mystery, and such mystery should move them to awe and fear of their creator. To even know of this God in any meaningful fashion, requires condescension on his part to His creatures. Such condescension God has done in the missions of the Son and Spirt. The Son became flesh to make God known. The Spirit illuminates and reminds God’s people what God has revealed in His Son.

The final themes stem from the prior two; humility is a requirement when communicating about the Triune God. As creatures, men at their best cannot comprehend the simple, invisible, and eternal essence of God. If men cannot comprehend such things, then caution should be exercised when trying to communicate them. Men must not contradict that which God has revealed about Himself by predicating to Him that which He is not.

Conclusion

5.1.2 of The Trinity provides the foundational posture for theological contemplation and discourse, as Augustine moves into the difficult task of articulating what God has revealed about Himself in the Scriptures. Namely, that the one God eternally exists as coequal and coeternal persons. The essence of God is indivisible and simple. The persons are three in number and distinguished by how they relate to one another and not by their essence, which is the same. Human language may not be able to exhaustively articulate God, but it can say true things about Him and avoid saying false things about Him. Humility and care are required both in articulating the Trinity and in reading about the Trinity. Indeed, divine grace is required for such a pursuit as Augustine writes, “there is no effrontery in burning to know, out of faithful piety, the divine and inexpressible truth that is above us, provided the mind is fired by the grace of our creator and savior, and not inflated by arrogant confidence in its own powers” (189).