Novatian

In his own words on John

• John 10:30

  This word can be true of no human being, "I and the Father are one." Christ alone declared this word out of the consciousness of his divinity.

  ON THE TRINITY 13

• John 10:30

  But since they frequently urge on us the passage where it is said, "I and the Father are one," in this also we shall overcome them with equal facility. For if, as the heretics think, Christ were the Father, he ought to have said, "I, the Father, am one." But when he says I and afterwards introduces the Father by saying, "I and the Father," he severs and distinguishes the peculiarity of his, that is, the Son's person, from the paternal authority, not only in respect of the sound of the name but moreover in respect of the order of the distribution of power, since he might have said, "I the Father," if he had had it in mind that he himself was the Father. And since he said "one" thing, let the heretics understand that he did not say "one" person. For "one," placed in the neuter, intimates association, not personal unity. He is said to be one neuter, not one masculine, because the expression is not referred to the number, but it is declared with reference to the association of another. Finally, he adds, and says, "We are," not "I am," so as to show, by the fact of his saying "I and the Father are," that they are two persons. Moreover, that he says one, has reference to the agreement, and to the identity of judgment and to the loving association itself, as reasonably the Father and Son are one in agreement, in love and in affection. And because he is of the Father, whatsoever he is, he is the Son. The distinction, however, remains that he is not the Father who is the Son, because he is not the Son who is the Father. For he would not have added "we are" if he had had it in mind that he, the only and sole Father, had become the Son.

  ON THE TRINITY 27

• John 10:36

  The Jews thought that what he had said was … hateful and blasphemous, for he had shown himself in these discourses to be God. Therefore they rushed at once to stoning and set to work passionately to hurl stones. He, however, strongly refuted his adversaries by the example and witness of the Scriptures. "If," said he, "he called them gods to whom the words of God were given, and the Scripture cannot be broken, you say of him whom the Father sanctified and sent into this world, 'You blaspheme,' because I said, I am the Son of God." With these words, he did not deny that he was God, but rather he confirmed the assertion that he was God. For because undoubtedly they are said to be gods to whom the words of God were given, much more is he God who is found to be superior to all these. And nevertheless he refuted the calumny of blasphemy in a fitting manner with lawful tact. For his desire is to be understood to be God as the Son of God, not wanting to be understood as the Father. Thus he said that he was sent and showed them that he had manifested many good works from the Father that further demonstrates that he wanted to be understood as the Son and not the Father. And in the latter portion of his defense he made mention of the Son, not the Father when he said, "You say, 'You blaspheme,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God.' " Thus, as far as pertains to the guilt of blasphemy, he calls himself the Son, not the Father; but as pertaining to his divinity, by saying, "I and the Father are one," he proved that he was the Son of God. He is God, therefore, but God in such a manner as to be the Son, not the Father.

  ON THE TRINITY 15

• John 17:3

  If Christ is only a man, why did he lay down for us such a rule of faith as to say, "But this is life eternal, that they may know you the one and true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent"? If he had not wanted himself to be understood also as God, why did he add, "And Jesus Christ whom you have sent" unless it is because he wanted to be accepted as also God? Because, if he had not wanted himself to be understood as God, he would have added "and the man Jesus Christ whom you have sent." But as it is, neither Christ added this nor did he hand down to us that he is only man. Rather, he joined [himself] to God so that he might also by this union be understood as God, as indeed he is.

  ON THE TRINITY 16.4