Συγκατάβασις
condescension
Translated by Catharine Roth25 Apr 2014Vetting: high3 revisions
Translation
[sc. This is the term used] when God appears not as he is, but as he who is able to behold him is capable [of seeing], thus he shows himself, measuring his appearance to the weakness of the viewers' sight.
Greek original · Adler’s text
Συγκατάβασις· ὅταν μὴ ὡς ἔστιν ὁ θεὸς φαίνηται, ἀλλ' ὡς ὁ δυνάμενος αὐτὸν θεωρεῖν οἷός τε ἐστὶν οὕτως ἑαυτὸν δεικνύει, ἐπιμετρῶν τῇ τῶν ὁρώντων ἀσθενείᾳ τῆς ὄψεως τὴν ἐπίδειξιν.
Betacode
*sugkata/basis: o(/tan mh\ w(s e)/stin o( qeo\s fai/nhtai, a)ll' w(s o( duna/menos au)to\n qewrei=n oi(=o/s te e)sti\n ou(/tws e(auto\n deiknu/ei, e)pimetrw=n th=| tw=n o(rw/ntwn a)sqenei/a| th=s o)/yews th\n e)pi/deicin.
Notes
- John Chrysostom, On the incomprehensible nature of God (= Against the Anomoeans) PG 48.722. The passage quoted occurs in immediate response to the question 'what is condescension?'
References
A.‑M. Malingrey, ed., Jean Chrysostome, Sur l'incompréhensibilité de Dieu [Sources chrétiennes 28 bis. Paris: Éditions du Cerf, 1970]
Neighbouring entries
Revision history3 revisions · last 25 Apr 2014
- corrected my mistake — Catharine Roth
- cosmeticule — Catharine Roth
- tweaking; raised status — David Whitehead
- Translated — Catharine Roth