Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews

Then again with respect to the flesh “You have loved righteousness and hated iniquity, therefore God, even Your God, has anointed You.”

What is, “Your God”? Why, after that he has uttered a great word, he again qualifies it. Here he hits both Jews, and the followers of Paul of Samosata, and the Arians, and Marcellus, and Sabellius, and Marcion. How? The Jews, by his indicating two Persons, both God and Man; the other Jews, I mean the followers of Paul of Samosata, by thus discoursing concerning His eternal existence, and uncreated essence: for by way of distinction, against the word, “He made,” he put, “Your throne, O God, is for ever and ever.” Against the Arians there is both this same again, and also that He is not a slave; but if a creature, He is a slave. And against Marcellus and the others, that these are two Persons, distinguished in reference to their subsistence. And against the Marcionites, that the Godhead is not anointed, but the Manhood.

Next he says, “Above Your fellows.” But who are these His “fellows” other than men? That is Christ received “not the Spirit by measure.” Do you see how with the doctrine concerning His uncreated nature he always joins also that of the “Economy”? What can be clearer than this? Did you see how what is created and what is begotten are not the same? For otherwise he would not have made the distinction, nor in contrast to the word, “He made” [&c.], have added, “But unto the Son He said, Your throne, O God, is for ever and ever.” Nor would he have called the name, “Son, a more excellent Name,” if it is a sign of the same thing. For what is the excellence? For if that which is created, and that which is begotten be the same, and they [the Angels] were made, what is there [in Him] “more excellent”? Lo! Again ὁ Θεὸς, “God,” with the Article.