As it turns out, the basic reason for the insertion of the term “Filioque” (= “and the Son”) in the Latin Creed (Symbol of Faith) is the omission to discern between the prepositions ‘ex’ and ‘a’ of the Latin language.

This omission is usually also observed with the Greek prepositons ‘εκ’ or ‘παρά’ - including those of the olden Greek language, when rendering them in modern Greek.  However, we need to be aware of the following:  

In general, the prepositions ‘εκ’ or ‘παρά’ (in olden Greek) have the nuance of immediacy - as does the Latin ‘ex’; whereas the preposition ‘από’  has the nuance of mediation - as does the Latin ‘a’ or ‘ab’ (=by).

More analytically and more specifically -particularly in the case of the “Filioque” addition- we need to point out the following:

The meaning and interpretation of the Greek prepositions ‘εκ’ or ‘παρά’ is ‘on the part of’ /‘from’: meaning that the Third Person (=the Holy Spirit) of the Holy Trinity ‘proceeds’ immediately/directly from/on the part of  another Person (=the Father), without the Second Person of the Trinity (the Son) being ‘interpolated’ between them, and Who -as such- does not participate in the Holy Spirit’s procession/origin from the Father.

On the contrary, the nuance of the preposition ‘από’  is that of mediation – which means that the Third Person of the Trinity (the Holy Spirit) also proceeds from another person (besides the Father).

Thus, if used, the Greek preposition ‘από’ would allow another Person of the Trinity (the Son) to interpolate and to participate with the other two Persons of the Trinity (the Father and the Holy Spirit).  In which case, the other Person (the Son) could participate in the Holy Spirit’s procession and origin.

The same thing occurs in Latin: The preposition ‘ex’ signifies the immediate, the direct procession-origin of the one Person (the Holy Spirit) from another Person (the Father), without the participation, without the interpolation of another Person (the Son).

Conversely, the preposition 'a' – ‘ab’ (= by, from), by virtue of its mediation, allows for the possibility that the proceeding Person (the Holy Spirit) can also proceed from another Person - meaning that ‘another’ (the Second Person - the Son), can interpolate between the first Person (the Father) and the third Person (the Holy Spirit). In other words, that the other person (the Son) participates in the Spirit’s procession.

Pursuant to all the above, if we ignore and overlook the difference in meaning of the prepositions ‘παρά’, ‘εκ’ and ‘από’ in olden Greek, as well as of the Latin ones of ‘ex’ and ‘a-ab’, it is easy for one to get carried away into an error.   

It is therefore necessary, when someone uses the Greek prepositions ‘εκ’  or ‘παρά ‘ - and the ‘ex’ (= the Latin of ‘εκ’ or ‘παρά’) in the Latin text of the Creed - to write only the established wording of ‘Who proceeds from the Father’ - WITHOUT the insertion of the term ‘Filioque’ (=and from the Son), because as mentioned earlier on, the prepositions ‘εκ’ - ‘παρά ‘ - ‘ex’ all contain the nuance of immediacy : without any mediation.

But when one uses the preposition ‘από’ or ‘a/ab’ (= from, by) they have the potential to insert “and of the Son” (=Filioque), because the nuance of mediation in these prepositions makes such an allowance.

And now we have reached a crucial point, which we must notice very carefully.  The New Testament in the original, olden Greek (the ‘koine’) syntax has the preposition ‘παρά’ (= on the part of) as follows: 

“...the Holy Spirit...Who proceeds forth on the part of the Father...”

This syntax does not make allowance for the insertion of 'and' ( ‘και εκ’ = and on the part of) the Son (per the Filio-que); in other words, for another Person to be interpolated between the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Unfortunately, however, the first translator Fathers of the New Testament had – from the olden Greek (‘koine’) to Latin (out of ignorance?) – had used the preposition ‘a/ab’ (= by, from) into a text of the Evangelist John, instead of the preposition ‘ex’ (= ‘out of’ or ‘on the part of’).   Hence it was (and still is) easy for anyone to get carried away and insert the term “Filioque” (= “and from the Son”) in the Latin Creed, or, to even defend the infiltration of the Filioque in the Latin Symbol of Faith.

But it is also easy to perceive -after all the above- the error in the Latin Symbol of Faith as well as its usage in the Latin text of the Bible, and to make the due corrections;  That is, the preposition ‘ex’ (= on the part  of) should be used in the Latin Bible – the way it is in the Latin Creed -  and the “Filioque” addition should then be removed from the Creed.

It must be noted and stressed here that, initially by the second Ecumenical Council in Greek (and for centuries after, also in Latin), the Symbol of Faith contained the correct preposition ‘ex’ (and not the preposition ‘a’), and the ‘Filioque’ addition was absent.

As confirmation of the above, we are quoting below the passages that pertain to that which had preoccupied us until now and is included in them.  This will prove the affinity between all the verses of the Holy Bible.

In brief:

• The Father “sends forth” the Holy Spirit; He “gives” the Holy Spirit, and He “dispatches” the Holy Spirit.

• The Son “sends” the Holy Spirit and asks for this from the Father.

• The Holy Spirit is “emitted” (proceeds forth) only on the part (‘εκ’, ‘παρά’, ‘ex’) of the Father.

Given the above data, each one of us can contribute to the return of the West to its original path, the upright path – and, why not? - to the unity of all Christians - of the East and the West.

 

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Bibliographic support (indicatively):

• Vraka Ant., The Grammar of the Latin word, Athens 2008.

• Kakridi Th., Grammar of the Latin Language, Athens 1964.

• Katevaeni Kon., Syntacticon of the Greek Language, Athens 1965.

• Tzartzanou Ach., Grammar of the Ancient Greek Language, Athens 1962.

• Tzartzanou Ach., Syntactic of the ancient Greek language, Athens 1976.

• Humbert J.- Kourmouli G., Syntactic of the ancient Greek language, Athens 1957.

 

Translation: KN