Confessions - Book XI - Chapter Xiii
St. Augustine explains the nature of God's eternal existence beyond time, emphasizing that God created time itself and is not bound by temporal limitations.
In this profound exposition, St. Augustine explores the nature of God's eternal existence and the creation of time itself. He challenges common misconceptions about time preceding creation and reveals how God transcends temporal limitations. Augustine's reflections deepen the understanding of divine eternity and the relationship between God and time, inviting believers to contemplate the eternal 'now' in which God dwells.
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15. But if the roving thought of someone should wander over the images of past time, and wonder that thou, the Almighty God, the All-creating and All-sustaining, the Architect of heaven and earth, didst for ages unnumbered abstain from so great a work before thou didst actually do it, let him awake and consider that he wonders at illusions. For in what temporal medium could the unnumbered ages that thou didst not make pass by, since thou art the Author and Creator of all the ages? Or what periods of time would those be that were not made by thee? Or how could they have already passed away if they had not already been? Since, therefore, thou art the Creator of all times, if there was any time before thou madest heaven and earth, why is it said that thou wast abstaining from working? For thou madest that very time itself, and periods could not pass by before thou madest the whole temporal procession. But if there was no time before heaven and earth, how, then, can it be asked, \"What wast thou doing then?\" For there was no \"then\" when there was no time.
16. Nor dost thou precede any given period of time by another period of time. Else thou wouldst not precede all periods of time. In the eminence of thy ever-present eternity, thou precedest all times past, and extendest beyond all future times, for they are still to come--and when they have come, they will be past. But \"Thou art always the Selfsame and thy years shall have no end.\"[432] Thy years neither go nor come; but ours both go and come in order that all separate moments may come to pass. All thy years stand together as one, since they are abiding. Nor do thy years past exclude the years to come because thy years do not pass away. All these years of ours shall be with thee, when all of them shall have ceased to be. Thy years are but a day, and thy day is not recurrent, but always today. Thy \"today\" yields not to tomorrow and does not follow yesterday. Thy \"today\" is eternity. Therefore, thou didst generate the Coeternal, to whom thou didst say, \"This day I have begotten thee.\"[433] Thou madest all time and before all times thou art, and there was never a time when there was no time.
Sermon Outline
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I
- The misconception of time before creation
- God as the Creator of all ages and times
- The impossibility of time existing before God
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II
- God’s eternal nature beyond past and future
- The concept of God's years as unending and present
- Human time contrasted with divine eternity
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III
- The eternal 'today' of God
- The generation of the Coeternal Son
- The unity of all time in God's presence
Key Quotes
“For in what temporal medium could the unnumbered ages that thou didst not make pass by, since thou art the Author and Creator of all the ages?” — St. Augustine
“Thy years neither go nor come; but ours both go and come in order that all separate moments may come to pass.” — St. Augustine
“Thy 'today' yields not to tomorrow and does not follow yesterday. Thy 'today' is eternity.” — St. Augustine
Application Points
- Recognize that God exists beyond our human understanding of time and is always present.
- Trust in God's eternal nature as a foundation for faith amidst life's temporal challenges.
- Contemplate the unity of past, present, and future in God's eternal 'today' to find peace.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does St. Augustine mean by God being eternal?
He means that God exists outside of time, having no beginning or end, and is present in an everlasting 'now'.
How can God create time if He exists outside of it?
God, as the Creator, brought time into existence; before creation, there was no time, so God is not limited by temporal constraints.
What is the significance of the 'Coeternal' mentioned?
The Coeternal refers to the Son, begotten by God, who exists eternally alongside the Father, emphasizing the eternal nature of the Trinity.
Why does Augustine say there was never a time when there was no time?
Because time itself was created by God, there was never a 'before' time; time began with creation and is sustained by God.