Tractates on the Gospel of John

¹² Do not then believe that that was made by which were made all things, lest you be not new-made by the Word, which makes all things new. For already have you been made by the Word, but it behooves you to be new-made by the Word. If, however, your belief about the Word be wrong, you will not be able to be new-made by the Word. And although creation by the Word has happened to you, so that you have been made by Him, you are unmade by yourself: if by yourself you are unmade, let Him who made you make you new: if by yourself you have been made worse, let Him who created you re-create you.

But how can He re-create you by the Word, if you hold a wrong opinion about the Word? The evangelist says, “In the beginning was the Word;” and you say, “In the beginning the Word was made.” He says, “All things were made by Him;” and you say that the Word Himself was made. The evangelist might have said, “In the beginning the Word was made:” but what does he say? “In the beginning was the Word.” If He was, He was not made; that all things might be made by it, and without Him nothing be made. If, then, “in the beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God;” if you can not imagine what it is, wait till you are grown. That is strong meat: receive milk that you may be nourished, and be able to receive strong meat.