1 Corinthians 8:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

We are from Him in two ways: by being and by faith, which is also a creation. As he says elsewhere, “that He might create in Himself one new man from the two” (Eph 2:15). “And one Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom are all things, and we through Him.” What has been said must again be understood of Christ. Through Him the human race was brought both from non-being into being and from error to truth. Thus the expression “through Whom” does not mean “without Christ.” We were created by Him through Christ. The very names used by the Apostle must not be understood as though the name Lord belonged exclusively to the Son, and the name God to the Father. In Scripture one is often used in place of the other. For example, it is said, “The Lord said to my Lord” (Ps 109:1). Again, “Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You” (Ps 44:8). Again, “from whom is Christ according to the flesh, Who is over all, God” (Rom 9:5). In many other places these names are used one in place of the other. If each belonged exclusively to one Person, the Son would not be God, and the same God as the Father. He would only be Son. Then Paul, after saying, “to us there is one God,” would have added the word Father in vain to signify the Unbegotten. For the word God would have been sufficient if it belonged to Him alone. Nor is this all. If you should say that God is called one, and therefore the name God does not belong to the Son, then see this. The same is said of the Son, and the Son is called the one Lord. Yet we do not say that therefore the name Lord belongs to Him alone. Therefore the word one has the same force in relation to the Son as in relation to the Father. The Son’s being called one Lord does not prevent the Father from being Lord, and the same Lord as the Son. Likewise, the Father’s being called one God does not prevent the Son from being God, and the same God as the Father. If someone asks why the Apostle did not mention the Spirit, we shall answer this. He was speaking to idolaters and refuting their teaching about many gods and many lords. Therefore he called the Father God, and the Son Lord. He did not venture here to call the Father Lord together with the Son, lest they think he acknowledged two Lords. Likewise, he did not call the Son God together with the Father, lest they think he acknowledged two Gods. Is it surprising, then, that he did not mention the Spirit? Here he had the pagans in mind and proved that we do not acknowledge polytheism. Therefore he often repeats the word one. He says, “there is no other God but One,” and, “to us there is one God and one Lord.” From this it is clear that, out of condescension to the weakness of his hearers, he used this manner of speech. Because of this, he did not mention the Spirit. If this were not so, then elsewhere he ought not to mention the Spirit or place Him on a level with the Father and the Son. If the Spirit were not equal to the Father and the Son, it would be especially improper to place Him on a level with Them in baptism. For in baptism the dignity of the Godhead is chiefly revealed, and gifts are bestowed which belong to God alone to bestow. Thus I have shown why the Spirit is passed over in silence here. If it is not so, then tell me why He is placed on a level with the Father and the Son in baptism. You cannot give another reason except that They are equal in honor. Therefore, when there is no such need, see how Paul places Them together, saying, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Cor 13:13). And again: “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are diversities of ministries, but the same Lord. There are diversities of operations, but the same God” (1 Cor 12:4-6). But here he directs his speech to pagans, and to the weakest among pagans. Therefore for the time being he keeps silence about the Spirit. The prophets do the same with regard to the Son. Because of the weakness of their hearers, they nowhere mention Him clearly.

When you hear the words "one God, the Father," and "one Lord Jesus Christ," do not think that the name God is assigned exclusively to the Father, and the name Lord to the Son. For the Son too is called God without distinction, for example, in the words: "from whom is Christ according to the flesh, Who is over all, God" (Rom. 9:5). Likewise the Father is called Lord, for example, in the words: "The Lord said to my Lord" (Ps. 109:1).

But because the Apostle is speaking with Greeks who honor many gods and many lords, he did not call the Son God, lest they, accustomed to polytheism, think of two gods. Nor did he call the Father Lord, lest they think that we too have many lords. For the same reason, that is, out of consideration for the weakness of his hearers, he did not mention the Spirit here. Likewise the prophets did not clearly mention the Son because of the weakness of the Jews, lest they think of a passionate birth.

Therefore he constantly adds "one." He says, "There is no God except one," and "one God," and "one Lord." Thus he called the Father the one God in distinction from falsely named gods, not in distinction from the Son. Likewise he called the Son the one Lord in distinction from falsely named lords, not in distinction from the Father.

"What is God? The beginning of all, according to the Apostle who says, 'One God, the Father, from Whom are all things' (1 Cor. 8:6). And the Word is from Him according to the mode of generation, γεννητῶς. The Spirit is from Him according to the mode of procession, ἐκπορευτῶς." Athanasius the Great, pseudoepigraph, Testimonies from Scripture concerning the natural communion of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, 48, PG 28, 72D-73A.

Another person hears that there is one God, from Whom are all things, and worships and honors Him. But the devil lays a snare for him too and blocks his hearing, so that he does not hear that there is one Lord, through Whom are all things. Thus, from excessive piety, he is cast into impiety. By dividing the Father and the Son, he at the same time confuses the Father and the Son, considering Them one Person and not one authority. Thus, not knowing the right measure in faith, a man falls into the calamity of false belief.

107. This is the highest glory of faith: truly to understand the Cross of Christ. Other crosses bring me no benefit. Only the Cross of Christ is useful to me, and truly useful, by which the world is crucified to me, and I to the world. If the world is crucified to me, I know that it is dead, and I do not love it. I know that the world is passing away, and I do not desire it. I know that corruption will destroy this world, and I flee it like a stench. I beware of it as of a terrible disease, and I abandon it as destruction.

That he often calls the Son God is easy for anyone who wishes to learn from his epistles. He says: "Awaiting the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ" (Tit. 2:13). And: "From whom is Christ according to the flesh, Who is over all, God" (Rom. 9:5). And: "In the kingdom of Christ God" (Eph. 5:5), and many similar things.

Here he named the Father God and the Son Lord so as not to give those recently freed from Greek delusion, and who had come to know the truth, an occasion to return to the deception of polytheism. If the followers of Arius and Eunomius say that the phrase "one God" places the Son outside the Father's Godhead, let them hear what follows: "and one Lord." For if, because there is one God the Father, the Son is not God, then the Father is not Lord, because there is one Lord, Jesus Christ.

But let their blasphemies turn upon their own head. The divine Apostle proves equality. He uses the word "one" equally of the Father and of the Son, and shows that the word "Lord" is equivalent to the word "God." Thus the Old Testament Scripture also shows these names joined together. It says: "I am the Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt" (Ex. 20:2). And: "Hear, O Israel: the Lord your God, the Lord is one" (Deut. 6:4). And: "O Lord my God, You are greatly magnified" (Ps. 103:1), and many similar things.

Therefore the true God is undoubtedly also Lord, and the true Lord is undoubtedly also God. Moreover, there is no other God the Father, because there is one God the Father. There is no other Lord Jesus Christ, because there is one Lord Jesus Christ.

The phrase "and we for Him" means that we must turn to Him, look to Him, and praise Him without ceasing. The words "and we" indicate not creation, but salvation. For all things were created by Him, while we who have believed have obtained salvation through Him.

It means the same as “from Him.” Of the Son he says, “through Whom are all things,” di’ hou, through Whom. This does not mean as through an instrument, but by self-acting, almighty power. It is as in the Gospel of John: “All things were made through Him” (Jn 1:3). This means the same as “from Him.” Both “from Whom” and “through Whom” mean the same thing: from Him. By this the single activity of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ is affirmed. What the Father creates, the Son creates at the same time. Of us he says, in relation to the Father, “and we for Him,” eis auton, into Him. That is, we are destined to be in communion with Him. In Him are our goal and our supreme good. In relation to the Lord Jesus Christ he says, “and we through Him,” di’ autou. That is, through Him we come to God. Through Him we are reunited with Him after our fall away, and we attain our final destiny. Here is what St. Chrysostom says on this important passage: “The very names used by the Apostle, that is, God and Lord, must not be understood as though the name Lord belonged exclusively to the Son, and the name God to the Father. In Scripture one is often used in place of the other. For example, it is said, ‘The Lord said to my Lord’ (Ps 109:1). Again, ‘Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You’ (Ps 44:8). Again, ‘from whom is Christ according to the flesh, Who is over all, God’ (Rom 9:5). In many other places these names are used one in place of the other. If each belonged exclusively to one Person, and if the Son were not God, and the same God as the Father, but were only Son, then Paul would have added the word Father in vain. For after saying, ‘to us there is one God,’ he added Father to signify the unbegotten essence. Yet the word God would have been sufficient, if it belonged to Him alone. Nor is this all that may be said. You will say that God, the Father, is called the one God. Therefore the name God does not belong to the Son. But see that the same is said of the Son. The Son too is called the one Lord. Yet we do not say that therefore the name Lord belongs to Him alone. Therefore the word one has the same force in relation to the Father as it has in relation to the Son. Just as the Son’s being called the one Lord does not prevent the Father from being Lord, and the same Lord as the Son. So the Father’s being called the one God does not prevent the Son from being God, and the same God as the Father.” These are the words of Theodoret: “Here the apostolic wisdom is worthy of wonder. Above, by saying ‘many gods and many lords,’ he showed that the title Lord is equivalent to the title God. Now the Apostle divided these titles and assigned one to the Father and the other to the Son. By this he healed the weakness of the Corinthians, raising them to knowledge of the equality of the Father and the Son. The Old Testament Scripture also shows these names joined together. For it is said, ‘I am the Lord your God’ (Ex 20:2). And, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one’ (Deut 6:4). And, ‘O Lord my God, You are greatly magnified’ (Ps 103:1), and much else like this. Therefore the true God is undoubtedly also Lord. The true Lord is undoubtedly also God. Moreover, there is no other God the Father, because there is one God the Father. There is no other Lord Jesus Christ, because there is one Lord Jesus Christ. The words ‘and we for Him’ mean that we must turn to Him, look to Him, and praise Him without ceasing. The words ‘and we through Him’ make us understand not creation, but salvation. All things were created by Him, and we who have believed have obtained salvation through Him.” But St. Chrysostom refers both expressions, “we for Him” and “we through Him,” equally to salvation. Likewise, he refers “from Whom are all things” and “through Whom are all things” to creation. “By the words ‘from Whom are all things,’ he indicates creation and the bringing from non-being into being. By the words ‘and we for Him,’ he indicates faith and our union with Him. He says above, ‘from Him you are in Christ Jesus’ (1 Cor 1:30). We are from God in two ways: by being and by faith, which is also creation. The same must be understood of Christ. Through Him the human race was brought both from non-being into being and from error to truth. This is what the Apostle expressed in the words, ‘through Whom are all things, and we through Him.’”