Holy, Holy, Holy: One Godhead in Three

… as we do, think on the things below; rather, the highest powers keep their minds in certain unspeakable heights of thought. Their mouths too are given to praise. They give glory, and do so in turn, not because they grow weary, I think, but rather yielding the honor to one another and exchanging their praises as gifts. For all things above are in good order.

Saying “Holy” three times, they close the doxology with “Lord of hosts” (Isaiah 6:3), placing the holy Trinity in one nature of Godhead. For we say, as all confess, that the Father truly subsists, and so too the Son and the Holy Spirit. Yet no reasoning divides each of those named into a difference of nature; one Godhead is understood in three hypostases.

This is attested to us by the holy Seraphim themselves, who also say that the whole earth is full of his glory (Isaiah 6:3), foretelling what was to come and announcing beforehand the mystery of the saving plan carried out through Christ. Before the Word became flesh, the destroying demon, the dragon, the apostate, held sway over all that is under heaven, and the creation was worshiped in place of the Creator and Maker (Romans 1:25). But since the only-begotten Word of God became man, the whole earth has been filled with his glory.

For every knee will bow to him, and every tribe and tongue will confess him and serve him, as it is written (Isaiah 45:23; Philippians 2:10–11; Daniel 7:14). Blessed David also cried this out beforehand in the Spirit, for he said: “All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, O Lord” (Psalm 86:9). This has been fulfilled now that the multitude from the nations has been called, and all worship him who for our sake became as we are, yet in himself remained above all.

“And the lintel was lifted up at the voice with which they cried, and the house was filled with smoke” (Isaiah 6:4).

The prophet had seen the Lord of hosts sitting on a throne high and lifted up, with the holy Seraphim standing in a circle around him and praising him with unceasing doxologies; and he affirmed that the house was full of his glory (Isaiah 6:1–3). But now he says that the lintel was lifted up and the house filled with smoke, and this at the voice with which the holy Seraphim cried out.

Shall we then say that the voice was the cause of what happened to the house? Yet surely it would be most unseemly to choose to think so. How, then, shall we approach the meaning of the passage before us? In the best and wisest way.

Before the incarnation and coming of our Savior, while Israel still carried on its life under the law without hindrance or rebuke, that famous temple in Jerusalem which Solomon built was full of the glory of God. For they performed …