In this study, we
will seek to understand anthropomorphisms
and theophanies. What are they? How
to avoid pitfalls in the interpretation of
the Scriptures when anthropomorphism
and theophanies are encountered in the
Bible. As in previous studies, we will
look at definitions, scriptures, commentary
evidence and confessional support for
the glorifying of God in how we live.
“Shew me thy ways, O
LORD; teach me thy paths.” (Psalm 25:4)
Definitions from two sources:
Anthropomorphism:
Narrowly, the
attribution of human form to God. More
broadly, a description of God using
human categories; language that speaks of
God in human terms, ascribing human
features and qualities to him. *
Anthropomorphism:
God relates to us in
human terms. Anthropomorphism comes from two
Greek words: anthropos (man) and morphe
(form). Therefore, an anthropomorphism is
when God appears to us or manifests
Himself to us in human form or even
attributes to Himself human
characteristics. **
Theophany:
A theophany is a
visible manifestation of God usually
restricted to the Old Testament. God has
appeared in dreams (Genesis 20:3-7; Genesis
28:12-17), visions (Genesis
15:1-21; Isaiah 6:1-13), as an angel
(Genesis 16:7-13; Gen 18:1-33), etc.
There is a
manifestation known as the Angel of the Lord
(Judges 6:20f.) and seems to have
characteristics of God Himself (Genesis
16:7-9; Gen 18:1-2; Exodus 3:2-6;
Joshua 5:14; Judges 2:1-5; Jdg 6:11). Such
characteristics as having the name
of God, being worshiped, and recognized as
God has led many scholars to
conclude that the angel of the Lord is
really Jesus manifested in the Old
Testament. This does not mean that Jesus is
an angel. The word
"angel" means messenger.
Other scriptures that
describe more vivid manifestations of God
are Genesis 17:1; Gen 18:1; Exodus
6:2-3; Exo 24:9-11; Exo 33:20; Numbers
12:6-8; Acts 7:2. **
What is a theophany?
A theophany is a
manifestation of God in the Bible that is
tangible to the human senses. In its
most restrictive sense, it is a visible
appearance of God in the Old Testament
period, often, but not always, in human
form. ***
Scriptural examples of
Anthropomorphisms:
Does God have hands?
“And the Egyptians
shall know that I am the LORD, when I
stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and
bring out the children of Israel from among
them.” (Exodus 7:5)
Does God have a face?
“And the soul that
turneth after such as have familiar spirits,
and after wizards, to go a whoring
after them, I will even set my face against
that soul, and will cut him off
from among his people.” (Leviticus 20:6)
Does God have feet?
“My foot hath held
his steps, his way have I kept, and not
declined.” (Job 23:11)
Does God have eyes
and ears?
“The eyes of the LORD
are upon the righteous, and his ears are
open unto their cry.” (Psalm 34:15)
Is God a bird?
“He shall cover thee
with his feathers, and under his wings shalt
thou trust: his truth shall be thy
shield and buckler.” (Psalm 91:4)
Is Jesus a door?
“I am the door: by me
if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and
shall go in and out, and find
pasture.” (John 10:9)
Properly
understanding anthropomorphic passages are
important to avoid errors in
interpretation. A large Utah based religion
interprets these passages literally
to teach that God exists in a corporeal and
human form. They would say God has
feet, ears, eye, and hands and has a white
beard.
We see in Scripture something
altogether different. For example, God
says he is not a man:
“God
is not a man that he should lie; neither
the son of man that he should repent: hath
he said, and shall he not do it? Or
hath he spoken, and shall he not make it
good?” (Numbers 23:19)
“I will not execute
the fierceness of mine anger, I will not
return to destroy Ephraim: for I am
God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst
of thee: and I will not enter into
the city.” (Hosea
11:9)
In response to these
passages, the Utah based religion would say,
“Yes it is true that God is not a
man, although he looks like a man.”
This response would be
countered with what
the Bible says in the next two verses:
“God is a Spirit: and
they that worship him must worship him in
spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24)
“Behold my hands and
my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and
see; for a spirit hath not flesh
and bones, as ye see me have.” (Luke 24:39)
Comments:
Not only is God not a
man, “God is a Spirit.” Negatively, God says
he is not (a man) and positively, He
says what He is (a Spirit)!
From the Pulpit Commentary on John
4:24:
Verse 24. - A still
more explicit and comprehensive reason is
given for the previous assertion,
based on the essential nature of God himself
in the fullness of his eternal
Being. God is Spirit (Πνεῦμα
ὁ Θεός;
cf. John 1:1, Θεὸς
η΅ν ὁ Λόγος, - the
article indicates the subject, and the
predicate is here generic, and not an
indefinite; therefore we do not render it,
“God is a Spirit”). The most
comprehensive and far-reaching metaphor or
method by which Jesus endeavoured to
portray the fundamental essence of the
Divine Being is “Spirit,” not body, not ὕλη,
not κόσμος, but that deep inner
verity presented in self-conscious ego;
the substantia of which mind may be
predicated, and all its states and
faculties. The Father is Spirit, the Son is
Spirit, and Spirit is the unity of
the Father and the Son. St. John has
recorded elsewhere that “God is Light,”
and “God is Love.” These three Divine
utterances are the sublimest ever formed
to express the metaphysical, intellectual,
and moral essence of the Deity. They
are unfathomably deep, and quite
inexhaustible in their suggestions, and yet
they are not too profound for even a little
child or a poor Samaritaness to
grasp for practical purposes. If God be
Spirit, then they who worship him, the
Spirit, must by the nature of the case, must
by the force of a Divine
arrangement, worship him, if they worship
him at all, in spirit and in truth.
The truth which our Lord uttered was not
unknown in the Old Testament. (1)
Spirit – From Vine's Expository Dictionary of
New Testament Words:
Spirit
[1, G4151, pneuma]
primarily denotes the
wind (akin to pneo,
“to breathe, blow”);
also “breath;” then, especially “the
spirit,” which, like the wind, is
invisible, immaterial and powerful. The NT
uses of the word may be analyzed
approximately as follows:
(a) the wind, John
3:8 (where marg. is, perhaps, to be
preferred); Hebrews 1:7; cp. Amos 4:13,
Sept.;
(c) the immaterial,
invisible part of man, Luke 8:55; Acts 7:59;
1 Corinthians 5:5; James 2:26; cp.
Ecclesiastes 12:7, Sept.;
(d) the disembodied
(or 'unclothed,' or 'naked,' 2 Corinthians
5:3-4) man, Luke 24:37, Luke 24:39;
Hebrews 12:23; 1 Peter 4:6;
(e) the resurrection
body, 1 Corinthians 15:45; 1 Timothy 3:16; 1
Peter 3:18;
(f) the sentient
element in man, that by which he perceives,
reflects, feels, desires, Matthew
5:3; Matthew 26:41; Mark 2:8; Luke 1:47,
Luke 1:80; Acts 17:16; Acts 20:22; 1
Corinthians 2:11; 1 Corinthians 5:3-4; 1
Corinthians 14:4, 1 Corinthians 14:15;
2 Corinthians 7:1; cp. Genesis 26:35; Isaiah
26:9; Ezekiel 13:3; Daniel 7:15;
(h) the equivalent of
the personal pronoun, used for emphasis and
effect: 1st person, 1 Corinthians
16:18; cp. Genesis 6:3; 2nd person, 2
Timothy 4:22; Philemon 1:25; cp. Psalms
139:7; 3rd person, 2 Corinthians 7:13; cp.
Isaiah 40:13;
(i) character, Luke
1:17; Romans 1:4; cp. Numbers 14:24;
(j) moral qualities
and activities: bad, as of bondage, as of a
slave, Romans 8:15; cp. Isaiah
61:3; stupor, Romans 11:8; cp. Isaiah 29:10;
timidity, 2 Timothy 1:7; cp.
Joshua 5:1; good, as of adoption, i.e.,
liberty as of a son, Romans 8:15; cp.
Psalms 51:12; meekness, 1 Corinthians 4:21;
cp. Proverbs 16:19; faith, 2
Corinthians 4:13; quietness, 1 Peter 3:4;
cp. Proverbs 14:29
(k) the Holy Spirit,
e.g., Matthew 4:1 (See below); Luke 4:18;
(l) 'the inward man'
(an expression used only of the believer,
Romans 7:22; 2 Corinthians 4:16;
Ephesians 3:16); the new life, Romans
8:4-Romans 8:6, Romans 8:10, Romans 8:16;
Hebrews 12:9; cp. Psalms 51:10;
(m) unclean spirits,
demons, Matthew 8:16; Luke 4:33; 1 Peter
3:19; cp. 1 Samuel 18:10;
(n) angels, Hebrews
1:14; cp. Acts 12:15;
(o) divine gift for
service, 1 Corinthians 14:12, 1 Corinthians
14:32;
(p) by metonymy,
those who claim to be depostories of these
gifts, 2 Thessalonians 2:2; 1 John
4:1-3;
(q) the significance,
as contrasted with the form, of words, or of
a rite, John 6:63; Romans 2:29;
Romans 7:6; 2 Corinthians 3:6;
(r) a vision,
Revelation 1:10; Revelation 4:2; Revelation
17:3; Revelation 21:10." * [*
From Notes on Thessalonians, by Hogg and
Vine, pp 204,205.] (2)
See below in the for more
study # area
for a biblical and philosophical
examination of does God have a body.
Anthropomorphisms from Nave's
Topical Bible:
(Figures of speech,
which attribute human forms, acts, and
affections to God)
In addition to the
anthropomorphic
passages, there are occurrences of where God
has revealed himself in human
form. How do we explain this and what does
this mean? These appearances are
called theophanies. This is a new term. It
is similar to an anthropomorphism.
Theophany from the Dictionary of Bible Themes:
1454 theophany
A temporary visible
manifestation of the presence and glory of
God. This may be in natural
phenomena such as cloud or fire, in human
form or in prophetic visionary
experience.
God is manifested in
nature
God’s presence in
storms, thunder and lightning Ps 18:7-15; Ex
19:16 See also Ex 20:18; Job 37:5;
Ps 29:3-9; Ps 77:18; Ps 97:4; Isa 30:27-33;
Am 1:2; Hab 3:11; Zec 9:14; Rev
11:19
God’s presence in
volcanic phenomena Ex 19:18 See also Isa
30:33
God’s presence in
earthquakes Isa 29:5-6 See also Jdg 5:4-5;
Ps 77:18; Hab 3:6
Specific phenomena
associated with the presence of God
Fire signifies God’s
presence Ex 3:2 Fire in particular
represents the purity, holiness and
unapproachability of God. See also Ex 13:21;
Ex 19:18; Ex 24:17; Lev 9:24; Nu
14:14; Dt 4:11-12; Dt 5:4,22-26; Jdg
13:20-22; Ps 97:3; Joel 2:30
Smoke signifies God’s
presence Ex 19:18 See also Ex 20:18; Ps
144:5; Isa 6:4; Isa 30:27; Joel 2:30;
Rev 15:8
Cloud signifies God’s
presence Ex 16:10 Cloud and smoke convey the
mystery and transcendence of God.
See also Ex 13:21 God speaks to Moses from
the cloud: Ex 19:9; Ex 24:15-16; Ex
33:9; Ex 34:5; Dt 31:15
Lev 16:2; Nu 9:15-22;
Nu 14:14; 1Ki 8:10-11; Eze 1:4; Eze 10:3-4
The transfiguration of Jesus Christ:
Mt 17:5 pp Mk 9:7 pp Lk 9:34-35
Rev 14:14-16
God is manifested in
human or angelic form
Ge 16:7-13 See also
Ge 18:1-22; Ge 32:24-30; Jos 5:13-15
God appears in
prophetic visions
God appears on a
throne Isa 6:1 John interprets this verse to
refer to Jesus Christ (Jn 12:41).
See also Eze 1:26; Eze 10:1; Da 7:9; Rev
4:2; Rev 20:11
God appears attended
by angels and other heavenly beings Isa 6:2;
Eze 1:5-18; Eze 10:9-13; Rev
4:6-11
God appears like, or
with, precious stones Ex 24:10; Eze 1:26;
Rev 4:3
Functions and effects
of theophanies
Theophanies reveal
God’s glory Eze 10:4 See also Ex 16:10; Ex
24:16; Ex 40:34-35; Lev 9:23-24; Nu
14:10; 1Ki 8:11; 2Ch 7:1-3; Ps 29:3,9; Ps
97:2-6; Eze 11:22-23
Theophanies bring
judgment Isa 30:27 See also Nu 12:9-10; Ps
18:13-15
Theophanies arouse
the fear of God Ex 19:16; Ex 20:18-20; Isa
6:5
Theophanies
commission God’s servants Isa 6:8; Eze
1:28-2:1
Theophanies
authenticate God’s servants Nu 12:5-8
See also
1045God, glory of
1065God, holiness of
1310God as judge
1403God, revelation
1469visions
2595incarnation
4060nature
4140angel of the Lord
4180seraphim
4805clouds
4826fire
4851storm
“And the Lord
appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed
will I give this land: and there
builded he an altar unto the Lord, who
appeared unto him. And he removed from
thence unto a mountain on the east of
Bethel, and pitched his tent, having
Bethel on the west and Hai on the east: and
there he builded an altar unto the
Lord, and called upon the name of the Lord.
And Abram journeyed, going on still
toward the south.” (Genesis 12:7-9)
There are other
examples of theophanies in Genesis 18:1-33
and Genesis 32:22-30. (4)
Comments in
conclusion:
The
Bible uses many literary forms. For example,
it uses genera's such as law,
historical narrative, wisdom, poetical,
gospel, didactic letters, or epistles,
predictive, and apocalyptic literature. When
reading poetical portions of
Scripture, you should recognize the
difference from the didactic letters of
Paul.
For example when you
read:
“He
shall cover thee with his feathers,
and under his wings shalt
thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield
and buckler” (Psalm 91:4).
In Psalm 91:4, you must
understand the genera of literature as
poetical and not interpret it literally.
Whereas in contrast:
“Since,
therefore, we have now been justified by his
blood, much more shall we be saved
by him from the wrath of God” (Romans 5:9
ESV).
This passage in
Romans is straightforward doctrinal
teaching and every reason to take the
passage literally.
Hermeneutical
safeguards
Grammatico-Historical-Hermeneutical
Method:
What
is the Grammatico-Historical-Hermeneutical
Method? This method of
interpretation focuses attention not only on
literary forms but also upon
grammatical constructions and historical
contexts from which the Scriptures
were written. It is the literal school of
interpretation. Knowledge of Hebrew,
Greek, and history is crucial to this
process. With tools such as a Strong’s
Concordance, any layman can utilize this
method.
Exegesis, the interpretive norm:
Exegesis (from the Greek ἐξήγησις
from ἐξηγεῖσθαι' to lead out') is a
critical explanation or
interpretation of a text, especially a
religious text. Traditionally the term is
used for exegesis
of the Bible;
however, in contemporary usage, it has
broadened to mean a critical explanation
of any text. The goal of biblical exegesis
is to explore the meaning of the text, which
then leads to discovering its
significance or relevance.
Exegesis includes a wide
range of critical disciplines: textual
criticism is the investigation into the
history and origins of the text, but
exegesis may include the study of the
historical and cultural backgrounds for the
author, the text and the original
audience. Other analysis includes
classification of the type of literary
genres
present in the text, and an analysis of
grammatical and syntactical features in
the text itself.
Eisegesis, the interpretive
danger:
Eisegesis (from Greek εἰς
“into” and ending from exegesis
from ἐξηγεῖσθαι “to lead out”) is
the process of misinterpreting a text
in such a way that it introduces one's own
ideas, reading into the text. This
is best understood when contrasted with exegesis.
While exegesis
draws out the meaning
of the text, eisegesis
occurs when a
reader reads his/her interpretation into the
text. As a result, exegesis
tends to be objective when
employed effectively while eisegesis
is regarded as highly subjective. An
individual who practices eisegesis
is known as an eisegete,
as someone who practices exegesis
is known as an exegete.
Understanding the
Bible is not that hard; The Westminster
Confession of Faith 1.7:
All
things in Scripture are not alike plain in
themselves, nor alike clear unto all
(2 Pet. 3:16); yet those things which are
necessary to be known, believed, and
observed for salvation, are so clearly
propounded, and opened in some place of
Scripture or other, that not only the
learned, but the unlearned, in a due use
of the ordinary means, may attain unto a
sufficient understanding of them (Ps.
119:105, 130).
“Study to shew
thyself approved unto God, a workman that
needeth not to be ashamed, rightly
dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy
2:15)
Notes:
1.H.
D. M. Spence and Joseph S. Exell, The
Pulpit Commentary, John, Vol. 17,
(Grand Rapids, Michigan, Eerdmans
Publishing Company reprint 1978), p.169-170.
2.W.
E. Vine, An
Expository Dictionary of New
Testament Words, (Iowa Falls, Iowa,
Riverside Book and Bible House), p.
1075-1076.
3.Nave,
Orville J. Nave's
Topical Bible “Entry
for 'Anthropomorphisms,'” Kindle
p. 1799.
4.Martin
H. Manser, Editor, Dictionary
of Bible
Themes, Kindle p. 6517.
5.St.
Thomas Aquinas, Summa
Theologiæ, Unabridged,
1Volume, (Stief Books, 2017), p. 10-11.
Mr. Kettler has
previously published articles in the Chalcedon
Report and Contra
Mundum. He and his wife Marea attend
the Westminster, CO, RPCNA Church. Mr.
Kettler is the author of the book defending
the Reformed Faith against attacks,
titled: The Religion That Started in
a Hat. Available at:
www.TheReligionThatStartedInAHat.com
A biblical and philosophical
examination of does God have a body. #
From the Summa Theologiæ of St.
Thomas Aquinas Question 3.The
simplicity of
God:
Article
1.
Whether God is a body?
Objection
1.
It seems that God is a body. For a body is
that which has the three
dimensions. But Holy Scripture attributes
the three dimensions to God, for it
is written: “He is higher than Heaven, and
what wilt thou do? He is deeper than
Hell, and how wilt thou know? The measure of
Him is longer than the earth and
broader than the sea” (Job 11:8-9).
Therefore God is a body.
Objection
2.
Further, everything that has figure is a
body, since figure is a quality of
quantity. But God seems to have figure, for
it is written: “Let us make man to
our image and likeness” (Genesis 1:26). Now
a figure is called an image,
according to the text: “Who being the
brightness of His glory and the figure,”
i.e. the image, “of His substance” (Hebrews
1:3). Therefore God is a body.
Objection
3.
Further, whatever has corporeal parts is a
body. Now Scripture attributes
corporeal parts to God. “Hast thou an arm
like God?” (Job 40:4); and “The eyes
of the Lord are upon the just” (Psalm
33:16); and “The right hand of the Lord
hath wrought strength” (Psalm 117:16).
Therefore God is a body.
Objection
4.
Further, posture belongs only to bodies. But
something which supposes
posture is said of God in the Scriptures: “I
saw the Lord sitting” (Isaiah
6:1), and “He standeth up to judge” (Isaiah
3:13). Therefore God is a body.
Objection
5.
Further, only bodies or things corporeal can
be a local term “wherefrom” or “whereto.”
But in the Scriptures God is spoken of as a
local term “whereto,” according to
the words, “Come ye to Him and be
enlightened” (Psalm 33:6), and as a term
“wherefrom”:
“All they that depart from Thee shall be
written in the earth” (Jeremiah
17:13). Therefore God is a body.
On
the
contrary, It is written in the Gospel of St.
John (John 4:24): “God is a
spirit.”
I
answer
that, It is absolutely true that God is not
a body; and this can be shown in
three ways.
First,
because
no body is in motion unless it be put in
motion, as is evident from
induction. Now it has been already proved
(I:2:3), that God is the First Mover,
and is Himself unmoved. Therefore it is
clear that God is not a body.
Secondly,
because
the first being must of necessity be in act,
and in no way in
potentiality. For although in any single
thing that passes from potentiality to
actuality, the potentiality is prior in time
to the actuality; nevertheless,
absolutely speaking, actuality is prior to
potentiality; for whatever is in
potentiality can be reduced into actuality
only by some being in actuality. Now
it has been already proved that God is the
First Being. It is therefore
impossible that in God there should be any
potentiality. But every body is in
potentiality because the continuous, as
such, is divisible to infinity; it is
therefore impossible that God should be a
body.
Thirdly,
because
God is the most noble of beings. Now it is
impossible for a body to be
the most noble of beings; for a body must be
either animate or inanimate; and
an animate body is manifestly nobler than
any inanimate body. But an animate
body is not animate precisely as body;
otherwise all bodies would be animate.
Therefore its animation depends upon some
other thing, as our body depends for
its animation on the soul. Hence that by
which a body becomes animated must be
nobler than the body. Therefore it is
impossible that God should be a body.
Reply
to
Objection 1. As we have said above (I:1:9),
Holy Writ puts before us spiritual
and divine things under the comparison of
corporeal things. Hence, when it
attributes to God the three dimensions under
the comparison of corporeal
quantity, it implies His virtual quantity;
thus, by depth, it signifies His
power of knowing hidden things; by height,
the transcendence of His excelling
power; by length, the duration of His
existence; by breadth, His act of love
for all. Or, as says Dionysius (Div. Nom.
ix), by the depth of God is meant the
incomprehensibility of His essence; by
length, the procession of His
all-pervading power; by breadth, His
overspreading all things, inasmuch as all
things lie under His protection.
Reply
to Objection
2. Man is said to be after the image of God,
not as regards his body, but as
regards that whereby he excels other
animals. Hence, when it is said, "Let
us make man to our image and likeness", it
is added, "And let him
have dominion over the fishes of the sea"
(Genesis 1:26). Now man excels
all animals by his reason and intelligence;
hence it is according to his
intelligence and reason, which are
incorporeal, that man is said to be
according to the image of God.
Reply
to
Objection 3. Corporeal parts are attributed
to God in Scripture on account of
His actions, and this is owing to a certain
parallel. For instance the act of
the eye is to see; hence the eye attributed
to God signifies His power of
seeing intellectually, not sensibly; and so
on with the other parts.
Reply
to
Objection 4. Whatever pertains to posture,
also, is only attributed to God by
some sort of parallel. He is spoken of as
sitting, on account of His
unchangeableness and dominion; and as
standing, on account of His power of
overcoming whatever withstands Him.
Reply
to
Objection 5. We draw near to God by no
corporeal steps, since He is everywhere,
but by the affections of our soul, and by
the actions of that same soul do we
withdraw from Him; thus, to draw near to or
to withdraw signifies merely
spiritual actions based on the metaphor of
local motion.
Article
2.
Whether God is composed of matter and form?
Objection
1.
It seems that God is composed of matter and
form. For whatever has a soul is
composed of matter and form; since the soul
is the form of the body. But
Scripture attributes a soul to God; for it
is mentioned in Hebrews (Hebrews
10:38), where God says: “But My just man
liveth by faith; but if he withdraw
himself, he shall not please My soul.”
Therefore God is composed of matter and
form.
Objection
2.
Further, anger, joy and the like are
passions of the composite. But these
are attributed to God in Scripture: “The
Lord was exceeding angry with His
people” (Psalm 105:40). Therefore God is
composed of matter and form.
Objection
3.
Further, matter is the principle of
individualization. But God seems to be
individual, for He cannot be predicated of
many. Therefore He is composed of
matter and form.
On
the
contrary, Whatever is composed of matter and
form is a body; for dimensive
quantity is the first property of matter.
But God is not a body as proved in
the preceding Article; therefore He is not
composed of matter and form.
I
answer
that, It is impossible that matter should
exist in God.
First,
because
matter is in potentiality. But we have shown
(I:2:3) that God is pure
act, without any potentiality. Hence it is
impossible that God should be
composed of matter and form.
Secondly,
because
everything composed of matter and form owes
its perfection and goodness
to its form; therefore its goodness is
participated, inasmuch as matter
participates the form. Now the first good
and the best—viz. God—is not a
participated good, because the essential
good is prior to the participated
good. Hence it is impossible that God should
be composed of matter and form.
Thirdly,
because
every agent acts by its form; hence the
manner in which it has its form
is the manner in which it is an agent.
Therefore whatever is primarily and
essentially an agent must be primarily and
essentially form. Now God is the
first agent, since He is the first efficient
cause. He is therefore of His
essence a form; and not composed of matter
and form.
Reply
to
Objection 1. A soul is attributed to God
because His acts resemble the acts of
a soul; for, that we will anything, is due
to our soul. Hence what is pleasing
to His will is said to be pleasing to His
soul.
Reply
to
Objection 2. Anger and the like are
attributed to God on account of a similitude
of effect. Thus, because to punish is
properly the act of an angry man, God's
punishment is metaphorically spoken of as
His anger.
Reply
to
Objection 3. Forms which can be received in
matter are individualized by
matter, which cannot be in another as in a
subject since it is the first
underlying subject; although form of itself,
unless something else prevents it,
can be received by many. But that form which
cannot be received in matter, but
is self-subsisting, is individualized
precisely because it cannot be received
in a subject; and such a form is God. Hence
it does not follow that matter
exists in God. (5)