The revelation of a
thing is not always its first manifestation. A truth is said to be revealed
when it is illumined by a new light. Such is the mystery of redemption; and
such is justification by faith, dimly foretold by the life of Abraham and by
the signs of the prophets, and especially by Habacuc. This doctrine was almost uncomprehended,
because no one could reconcile it with the declaration of Moses, which seemed
to make all real justice depend upon the Law. Now, thanks to the Gospel, the
question is cleared up. It is proved that, without faith, the Law can do
nothing, and that faith can do everything even without the Law. It is a
revelation: Justitia Dei in eo revelatur. (Fernand Prat, The Theology
of Saint Paul, 2 vols. [trans. John L. Stoddard; Westminster, Md.: The
Newman Bookshop, 1926], 1:193)
On “God the unseen” (Col 1:15):
Col. i, 15: ος εστιν εικων του Θεου του αορατου. The same phrase without the epithet του αορατου is
found in 2 Cor. iv. 4. Grammar, the usage of Paul, and theology requires that θεος
(with the definite article) should designate the Father, and then the
qualifying words του αορατου
must apply to him, as Father, in a special manner—that is, manifesting himself,
as archetype in and by his image. The author of the Book of Wisdom (vii, 26)
says of wisdom personified or personal: ‘Απαυγασμα γαρ εστι φωτος αιδιου . . . και εικων την αγαθοτητος αυτου.
For the idea, see John i, 18. Philo also gives his Logos the title of image of
God (De Mundi opif., 8; De confus. ling. 20, 28; De Profugis, 19; De Monarch, ii 5; De
Somn, i, 51). He derived his theory of the Logos-image from
Gen. i, 26-27. (Fernand Prat, The
Theology of Saint Paul, 2 vols. [trans. John L. Stoddard; Westminster, Md.:
The Newman Bookshop, 1926], 1:288 n. 1)
