The Ancient Witnesses

94 • The Ancient Witnesses: A Journey to Discover Our Sacred Roots

by the Father, for the Father had the Logos in Himself from the very beginning.” 14 Following Athenagorus, several more witnesses spoke on the passage in Proverbs Mentor directed those still waiting their turns to speak on the opening words of Genesis. “I wish to comment on and the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters ,” said Ephrem of Syria, whom I had met in the reading room. Mentor nodded his approval and the witness commented. “The spirit hovered in order for us to learn that the work of creation was the unified work of the Spirit with the Father and the Son,” explained Ephrem. “The Father spoke, the Son created, and the Spirit hovered, demonstrating its unity with the other persons. All creation was brought to perfection and accomplished by the Trinity.” 15 Ambrose of Milan next rose and added, “The Spirit fittingly moved over the earth, destined to bear fruit because by the aid of the Spirit it held the seeds of new birth, which were to sprout according to the

14 Athenagorus, same as above, but see also J. Robert Wright, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon , Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, vol. IX, 61; and William R. Schoedel (ed), Athenagorus, Legatio and De Resurrectione (Oxford, 1972), 20-21. 15 Ephrem the Syrian, Commentary on Genesis 1 (quotation from Andrew Louth. Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture. Genesis 1-2 , 6), emphasis added. Some works of Ephrem are in NPNF 2.13, but not his Commentary on Genesis .