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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
John Chrysostom
"And He is before all things," he saith. This is befitting God. Where is Paul of Samosata? "And in Him all things consist," that is, they are created into Him. He repeats these expressions in close sequence; with their close succession, as it were with rapid strokes, tearing up the deadly doctrine by the roots. For, if even when such great things had been declared, still after so long a time Paul of Samosata sprung up, how much more [would such have been the case], had not these things been said before? …
Athanasius of Alexandria
For after making mention of the creation, he naturally speaks of the Framer's Power as seen in it, which Power, I say, is the Word of God, by whom all things have been made. If indeed the creation is sufficient of itself alone, without the Son, to make God known, see that you fall not, from thinking that without the Son it has come to be. …
Theophylact of Ohrid
He constantly returns to the same thing, so that by unceasing words, as by frequent blows, he might uproot the pernicious teaching. And notice, he did not say that He came into being before all, but – "is," which is proper to God. Where then is Paul of Samosata, who says that He received His beginning from Mary? And all things stand upon Him, as upon a foundation; it is in this sense precisely, as a foundation, that He is the firstborn of creation. …
Western Saints
Ambrose of Milan
Now we come to that laughable method, attempted by some, of showing a difference of Power to subsist between Father and Son, on the strength of apostolic testimony, it being written "But for us there is One God, the Father, of Whom are all things, and we in Him, and One Lord, Jesus Christ, through Whom are all things, and we through Him." It is urged that no small difference in degree of Divine Majesty is signified in the affirmation that all things are "of" the Father, and "through" the Son. …
Thomas Aquinas
Since someone might ask: Are all things eternal? the Apostle says in answer: No! He is before all, that is, before all times and other things: "The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his ways, before he made anything from the beginning" (Prov 8:22). Or, He is before all in dignity: "Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord?" (Ps 89:6). As relating to the conservation of things he says, and in him all things hold together, that is, they are conserved. …
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