And yet some of their theologians—even while outwardly denying this notion—still utter statements that entail it, likening the matter to a ray that shines forth from the sun. Concerning the Spirit they say: “He emanates from God, coming out of Him.”

All of that fits the idea of begetting: something departing from Him, or coming into existence through Him without His deliberate choice or will. Such a thing must, moreover, have a locus in which it subsists, for a ray can only abide when it strikes the earth.

Now whatever issues forth from something else must be either a self-subsisting substance or a property that inheres in another. If it is a substance, then a portion has become separated from the Lord; if it is an accident, it needs a substrate, and thus would be generated from two sources.

Their comparison with the way speech proceeds from the intellect is likewise unsound, for speech comes about by a human being’s power and volition and is created after having been nonexistent. Even supposing that the knowledge and wisdom found in a person’s heart could be described as “generated” from him, or called “his child”—a usage unknown in any language—and even if it were current in the tongue of some nation, it would still not be permissible to interpret the words of the prophets accordingly unless that usage were attested in their own language.

As for their own claim, they maintain that the Word is inseparable from God’s very essence from eternity past to eternity future, yet is nevertheless begotten of Him while remaining uncreated. Such a statement is self-contradictory and invalid on multiple counts.