Clement: "we understand, then, the Unknown, by divine grace, and by the word alone"

“It remains that we understand, then, the Unknown, by divine grace, and by the word alone that proceeds from Him; as Luke in the Acts of the Apostles relates that Paul said, "Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For in walking about, and beholding the objects of your worship, I found an altar on which was inscribed, To the Unknown God. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, Him declare I unto you.””

(λείπεται δὴ θείᾳ χάριτι καὶ μόνῳ τῷ παρ' αὐτοῦ λόγῳ τὸ ἄγνωστον νοεῖν, καθὸ καὶ ὁ Λουκᾶς ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσι τῶν ἀποστόλων ἀπομνημονεύει τὸν Παῦλον λέγοντα· ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, κατὰ πάντα ὡς δεισιδαιμονεστέρους ὑμᾶς θεωρῶ. περιερχόμενος γὰρ καὶ ἀναθεωρῶν τὰ σεβάσματα ὑμῶν εὗρον καὶ βωμὸν ἐν ᾧ ἐπεγέγραπτο· "7ἀγνώστῳ θεῷ."7 ὃν οὖν ἀγνοοῦντες εὐσεβεῖτε, τοῦτον ἐγὼ καταγγέλλω ὑμῖν.) (Str. 5.12.82.4)

"God always remains a mystery"

“This is because in Himself, according to His essence, God always remains a mystery. He expresses His natural hiddenness to the same degree that He makes it the more hidden through the revelation” (Maximus, Cap. 1.9) (PG 90:1181C)

"God is invisible and inaccessible to originated things"

"God is invisible and inaccessible to originated things, and especially to men upon earth. When then men in infirmity invoke Him, when in persecution they ask help, when under injuries they pray, then the Invisible, being a lover of man, shines forth upon them with His beneficence, which He exercises through and in His proper Word. And immediately the divine manifestation is made to every one according to his need, and is made to the weak health, and to the persecuted a 'refuge' and 'house of defense;' and to the injured He says, 'While you speak I will say, Here I am Isaiah 58:9.' Whatever defense then comes to each through the Son, that each says that God has come to be to himself, since succour comes from God Himself through the Word."(Con. Ar. 63)

"The perfect knowledge of God is so to know Him that we are sure we must not be ignorant of Him, yet cannot describe Him."

6. It is the Father to Whom all existence owes its origin. In Christ and through Christ He is the source of all. In contrast to all else He is self-existent. He does not draw His being from without, but possesses it from Himself and in Himself. He is infinite, for nothing contains Him and He contains all things; He is eternally unconditioned by space, for He is illimitable; eternally anterior to time, for time is His creation. Let imagination range to what you may suppose is God's utmost limit, and you will find Him present there; strain as you will there is always a further horizon towards which to strain. Infinity is His property, just as the power of making such effort is yours. Words will fail you, but His being will not be circumscribed. Or again, turn back the pages of history, and you will find Him ever present; should numbers fail to express the antiquity to which you have penetrated, yet God's eternity is not diminished. Gird up your intellect to comprehend Him as a whole; He eludes you. God, as a whole, has left something within your grasp, but this something is inextricably involved in His entirety. Thus you have missed the whole, since it is only a part which remains in your hands; nay, not even a part, for you are dealing with a whole which you have failed to divide. For a part implies division, a whole is undivided, and God is everywhere and wholly present wherever He is. Reason, therefore, cannot cope with Him, since no point of contemplation can be found outside Himself and since eternity is eternally His. This is a true statement of the mystery of that unfathomable nature which is expressed by the Name 'Father:' God invisible, ineffable, infinite. Let us confess by our silence that words cannot describe Him; let sense admit that it is foiled in the attempt to apprehend, and reason in the effort to define. Yet He has, as we said, in 'Father' a name to indicate His nature; He is a Father unconditioned. He does not, as men do, receive the power of paternity from an external source. He is unbegotten, everlasting, inherently eternal. To the Son only is He known, for no one knows the Father save the Son and him to whom the Son wills to reveal Him, nor yet the Son save the Father. Matthew 11:27 Each has perfect and complete knowledge of the Other. Therefore, since no one knows the Father save the Son, let our thoughts of the Father be at one with the thoughts of the Son, the only faithful Witness, Who reveals Him to us.

7. It is easier for me to feel this concerning the Father than to say it. I am well aware that no words are adequate to describe His attributes. We must feel that He is invisible, incomprehensible, eternal. But to say that He is self-existent and self-originating and self-sustained, that He is invisible and incomprehensible and immortal; all this is an acknowledgment of His glory, a hint of our meaning, a sketch of our thoughts, but speech is powerless to tell us what God is, words cannot express the reality. You hear that He is self-existent; human reason cannot explain such independence. We can find objects which uphold, and objects which are upheld, but that which thus exists is obviously distinct from that which is the cause of its existence. Again, if you hear that He is self-originating, no instance can be found in which the giver of the gift of life is identical with the life that is given. If you hear that He is immortal, then there is something which does not spring from Him and with which He has, by His very nature , no contact; and, indeed, death is not the only thing which this word 'immortal' claims as independent of God. If you hear that He is incomprehensible, that is as much as to say that He is non-existent, since contact with Him is impossible. If you say that He is invisible, a being that does not visibly exist cannot be sure of its own existence. Thus our confession of God fails through the defects of language; the best combination of words we can devise cannot indicate the reality and the greatness of God. The perfect knowledge of God is so to know Him that we are sure we must not be ignorant of Him, yet cannot describe Him. We must believe, must apprehend, must worship; and such acts of devotion must stand in lieu of definition.

(Hilary of Poitiers, On the Trinity, 2.6-7)

"We too have our wholly negative theology."

Robert Jenson on the death of God and negative theology. (Robert W. Jenson, A Religion Against Itself (Wipf and Stock Publishers 2009),

Celsus according to Origen on the three ways

"You see how the way of truth is sought by seers and philosophers, and
how Plato knew that it is impossible for all men to travel it. Since this
is the reason why wise men have discovered it, that we might get some
conception of the nameless First Being which manifests him either by
synthesis with other things, or by analytical distinction from them,
or by analogy, I would like to teach about that which is otherwise
indescribable." (C. Cels. 7.42, quoted from Hägg)

Clement: The One is infinite

 “[...]since the first principle (ἀρχὴ) of everything is difficult to find out
(δυσεύρετος), the absolutely first and oldest principle (πρώτη καὶ
πρεσβυτάτη ἀρχὴ), which is the cause of all other things being and having
been, is difficult to exhibit (δύσδεικτος). For how can that be expressed
which is neither genus, nor difference, nor species, nor individual, nor
number; nay more, is neither an event, nor that to which an event happens?
No one can rightly express Him wholly. For on account of His greatness He
is ranked as the All, and is the Father of the universe. Nor are any parts to
be predicated of Him. For the One is indivisible (ἀδιαίρετον γὰρ τὸ ἕν); wherefore also it is infinite (ἄπειρον), not considered with reference to
inscrutability (ἀδιεξίτητον), but with reference to its being without
dimensions (ἀδιάστατον), and not having a limit (μὴ ἔχον πέρας). And
therefore it is without form and name (ἀσχημάτιστον καὶ ἀνωνόμαστον).” (Str. 5.12.81.4, pp. 463-464)

Gregory of Nazianzen: God may be thought of as "transcending being"

“God is the most beautiful and exalted of the things that exist (τῶν ὄντων) – unless one prefers to think of him as transcending being (ὑπὲρ τὴν οὐσίαν), or to place the sum total of existence (τὸ εἶνα) in him, from whom it also flows to others.” (Gregory Nazianzen, Or. 6, 12 (PG 35, 737 B))

Dionysius: "Not-Being is an excess of Being"

"Now if the Good is above all things (as indeed It is) Its Formless Nature produces all-form; and in It alone Not-Being is an excess of Being, and Lifelessness an excess of Life and Its Mindless state is an excess of Wisdom, and all the Attributes of the Good we express in a transcendent manner by negative images. And if it is reverent so to say, even that which is not desires the all-transcendent Good and struggles itself, by its denial of all things, to find its rest in the Good which verily transcends all being." (Dionysius, De divinis nominibus 4,3)

(Eἰ δὲ καὶ ὑπὲρ πάντα τὰ ὄντα ἐστίν, ὥσπερ οὖν ἐστι, τἀγαθόν, καὶ τὸ ἀνείδεον
εἰδοποιεῖ. Καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ μόνῳ καὶ τὸ ἀνούσιον οὐσίας ὑπερβολὴ καὶ τὸ ἄζωον ὑπερέχουσα ζωὴ καὶ τὸ ἄνουν ὑπεραίρουσα σοφία καὶ ὅσα ἐν τἀγαθῷ τῆς τῶν ἀνειδέων ἐστὶν ὑπεροχικῆς εἰδοποιίας. Καί, εἰ θεμιτὸν φάναι, τἀγαθοῦ τοῦ ὑπὲρ πάντα τὰ ὄντα καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ μὴ ὂν ἐφίεται καὶ φιλονεικεῖ πως ἐν τἀγαθῷ καὶ αὐτὸ εἶναι τῷ ὄντως ὑπερουσίῳ κατὰ τὴν πάντων ἀφαίρεσιν.)

Philo (God speaking to Moses): "Do not, then, ever expect to be able to comprehend me nor any one of my powers, in respect of our essence"

"(41) Which that interpreter of the divine word, Moses, the man most beloved by God, having a regard to, besought God and said, "Show me thyself"--all but urging him, and crying out in loud and distinct words--"that thou hast a real being and existence the whole world is my teacher, assuring me of the fact and instructing me as a son might of the existence of his father, or the work of the existence of the workman. But, though I am very desirous to know what thou art as to thy essence, I can find no one who is able to explain to me anything relating to this branch of learning in any part of the universe whatever. (42) On which account, I beg and entreat of thee to receive the supplication of a man who is thy suppliant and devoted to God's service, and desirous to serve thee alone; for as the light is not known by the agency of anything else, but is itself its own manifestation, so also thou must alone be able to manifest thyself. For which reason I hope to receive pardon, if, from want of any one to teach me, I am so bold as to flee to thee, desiring to receive instruction from thyself." (43) But God replied, "I receive, indeed, your eagerness, inasmuch as it is praiseworthy; but the request which you make is not fitting to be granted to any created being. And I only bestow such gifts as are appropriate to him who receives them; for it is not possible for a man to receive all that it is easy for me to give. On which account I give to him who is deserving of my favour all the gifts which he is able to receive. (44) But not only is the nature of mankind, but even the whole heaven and the whole world is unable to attain to an adequate comprehension of me. So know yourself, and be not carried away with impulses and desires beyond your power; and let not a desire of unattainable objects carry you away and keep you in suspense. For you shall not lack anything which may be possessed by you." (45) When Moses heard this he betook himself to a second supplication, and said, "I am persuaded by thy explanations that I should not have been able to receive the visible appearance of thy form. But I beseech thee that I may, at all events, behold the glory that is around thee. And I look upon thy glory to be the powers which attend thee as thy guards, the comprehension of which having escaped me up to the present time, worketh in me no slight desire of a thorough understanding of it." (46) But God replied and said, "The powers which you seek to behold are altogether invisible, and appreciable only by the intellect; since I myself am invisible and only appreciable by the intellect. And what I call appreciable only by the intellect are not those which are already comprehended by the mind, but those which, even if they could be so comprehended, are still such that the outward senses could not at all attain to them, but only the very purest intellect. (47) And though they are by nature incomprehensible in their essence, still they show a kind of impression or copy of their energy and operation; as seals among you, when any wax or similar kind of material is applied to them, make an innumerable quantity of figures and impressions, without being impaired as to any portion of themselves, but still remaining unaltered and as they were before; so also you must conceive that the powers which are around me invest those things which have no distinctive qualities with such qualities, and those which have no forms with precise forms, and that without having any portion of their own everlasting nature dismembered or weakened. (48) And some of your race, speaking with sufficient correctness, call them ideas (ideai), since they give a peculiar character (idiopoiousi) to every existing thing, arranging what had previously no order, and limiting, and defining, and fashioning what was before destitute of all limitation, and defination, and fashion; and, in short, in all respects changing what was bad into a better condition. (49) "Do not, then, ever expect to be able to comprehend me nor any one of my powers, in respect of our essence. But, as I have said, I willingly and cheerfully grant unto you such things as you may receive. And this gift is to call you to the beholding of the world and all the things that are in it, which must be comprehended, not indeed by the eyes of the body, but by the sleepless vision of the soul. (50) The desire of wisdom alone is continual and incessant, and it fills all its pupils and disciples with famous and most beautiful doctrines." When Moses heard this he did not cease from his desire, but he still burned with a longing for the understanding of invisible things." (Philo, De Specialibus Legibus 1,47-49)

Philo: "Do not, however, think that the living God, he who is truly living, is ever seen so as to be comprehended by any human being"

"II. (7) Do not, however, think that the living God, he who is truly living, is ever seen so as to be comprehended by any human being; for we have no power in ourselves to see any thing, by which we may be able to conceive any adequate notion of him; we have no external sense suited to that purpose (for he is not an object which can be discerned by the outward sense), nor any strength adequate to it: therefore, Moses, the spectator of the invisible nature, the man who really saw God (for the sacred scriptures say that he entered "into the Darkness,"{3}{#ex 20:21.} by which expression they mean figuratively to intimate the invisible essence), having investigated every part of every thing, sought to see clearly the much-desired and only God; (8) but when he found nothing, not even any appearance at all resembling what he had hoped to behold; he, then, giving up all idea of receiving instruction on that point from any other source, flies to the very being himself whom he was seeking, and entreats him, saying, "Show my thyself that I may see thee so as to know Thee."{4}{#ex 33:13.} But, nevertheless, he fails to obtain the end which he had proposed to himself, and which he had accounted the most all-sufficient gift for the most excellent race of creation, mankind, namely a knowledge of those bodies and things which are below the living God. (9) For it is said unto him, "Thou shalt see my back parts, but my face shall not be beheld by Thee."{5}{#ex 33:23.} As if it were meant to answer him: Those bodies and things which are beneath the living God may come within thy comprehension, even though every thing would not be at once comprehended by thee, since that one being is not by his nature capable of being beheld by man. (10) And what wonder is there if the living God is beyond the reach of the comprehension of man, when even the mind that is in each of us is unintelligible and unknown to us? Who has ever beheld the essence of the soul? the obscure nature of which has given rise to an infinite number of contests among the sophists who have brought forward opposite opinions, some of which are inconsistent with any kind of nature. (11) It was, therefore, quite consistent with reason that no proper name could with propriety be assigned to him who is in truth the living God. Do you not see that to the prophet who is really desirous of making an honest inquiry after the truth, and who asks what answer he is to give to those who question him as to the name of him who has sent him, he says, "I am that I Am,"{6}{#ex 3:14.} which is equivalent to saying, "It is my nature to be, not to be described by name:" (12) but in order that the human race may not be wholly destitute of any appellation which they may give to the most excellent of beings, I allow you to use the word Lord as a name; the Lord God of three natures--of instruction, and of holiness, and of the practice of virtue; of which Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob are recorded as the symbols. For this, says he, is the everlasting name, as if it has been investigated and discerned in time as it exists in reference to us, and not in that time which was before all time; and it is also a memorial not placed beyond recollection or intelligence, and again it is addressed to persons who have been born, not to uncreated natures. (13) For these men have need of the complete use of the divine name who come to a created or mortal generation, in order that, if they cannot attain to the best thing, they may at least arrive at the best possible name, and arrange themselves in accordance with that; and the sacred oracle which is delivered as from the mouth of the Ruler of the universe, speaks of the proper name of God never having been revealed to any one, when God is represented as saying, "For I have not shown them my Name;"{7}{#ex 6:3.} for by a slight change in the figure of speech here used, the meaning of what is said would be something of this kind: "My proper name I have not revealed to them," but only that which is commonly used, though with some misapplication, because of the reasons abovementioned. (14) And, indeed, the living God is so completely indescribable, that even those powers which minister unto him do not announce his proper name to us. At all events, after the wrestling match in which the practicer of virtue wrestled for the sake of the acquisition of virtue, he says to the invisible Master, "Tell me thy Name;"{8}{#ge 32:29.} but he said, "Why askest thou me my name?" And he does not tell him his peculiar and proper name, for says he, it is sufficient for thee to be taught my ordinary explanations. But as for names which are the symbols of created things, do not seek to find them among immortal natures." (Philo, De Mutatione Nominum 7-14) 

"μὴ μέντοι νομίσῃς τὸ ὄν, ὅ ἐστι πρὸς ἀλήθειαν ὄν, ὑπ’ ἀνθρώπου τινὸς καταλαμβάνεσθαι. ὄργανον γὰρ οὐδὲν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἔχομεν, ᾧ δυνησόμεθα ἐκεῖνο φαντασιωθῆναι, οὔτ’ αἴσθησιν – αἰσθητὸν γὰρ οὐκ ἔστιν – οὔτε νοῦν. Μωυσῆς οὖν ὁ τῆς ἀειδοῦς φύσεως θεατὴς [καὶ θεόπτης] – εἰς γὰρ τὸν γνόφον φασὶν αὐτὸν οἱ θεῖοι χρησμοὶ εἰσελθεῖν (Exod. 20, 21), τὴν ἀόρατον καὶ ἀσώματον οὐσίαν αἰνιττόμενοι – πάντα διὰ πάντων ἐρευνήσας ἐζήτει τὸν τριπόθητον καὶ μόνον ἀγαθὸν τηλαυγῶς ἰδεῖν.   8. ἐπεὶ δ’ οὐδὲν εὕρισκεν, ἀλλ’ οὐδὲ ἐμφερῆ τινα ἰδέαν τῷ ἐλπιζομένῳ, τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν ἄλλων διδασκαλίαν ἀπογνοὺς ἐπ’ αὐτὸ καταφεύγει τὸ ζητούμενον καὶ δεῖται λέγων· “ἐμφάνισόν μοι σεαυτόν, γνωστῶς ἴδω σε” (Exod. 33, 13)· καὶ ὅμως ἀμοιρεῖ τῆς προθέσεως, αὐταρκεστάτης δωρεᾶς τῷ θνητῶν ἀρίστῳ γένει νομισθείσης τῆς <τῶν> μετὰ τὸ ὂν σωμάτων τε ὁμοῦ καὶ πραγμάτων ἐπιστήμης.   9. λέγεται γάρ· “ὄψει τὰ ὀπίσω μου, τὸ δὲ πρόσωπόν μου οὐκ ὀφθήσεταί σοι” (ibid. 23), ὡς τῶν ὅσα μετὰ τὸ ὂν σωμάτων τε ὁμοῦ καὶ πραγμάτων εἰς κατάληψιν ἐρχομένων, εἰ καὶ μὴ πάντα ἤδη καταλαμβάνεται, μόνου δ’ ἐκείνου μὴ πεφυκότος ὁρᾶσθαι.   10. καὶ τί θαυμαστόν, εἰ τὸ ὂν ἀνθρώποις ἀκατάληπτον, ὁπότε καὶ ὁ ἐν ἑκάστῳ νοῦς ἄγνωστος ἡμῖν; τίς γὰρ ψυχῆς οὐσίαν εἶδεν; ἧς ἡ ἀδηλότης μυρίας ἔριδας σοφισταῖς ἐγέννησεν ἐναντίας εἰσηγουμένοις γνώμας ἢ καὶ ὅλοις γένεσιν ἀντιστατούσας.   11. ἦν οὖν ἀκόλουθον τὸ μηδ’ ὄνομα κύριον ἐπιφημισθῆναι δύνασθαι τῷ ὄντι πρὸς ἀλήθειαν. οὐχ ὁρᾷς ὅτι φιλοπευστοῦντι τῷ προφήτῃ, τί τοῖς περὶ τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ ζητοῦσιν ἀποκριτέον, φησὶν ὅτι “ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ὤν” (Exod. 3, 14), ἴσον τῷ εἶναι πέφυκα, οὐ λέγεσθαι;   12. τοῦ δὲ μὴ παντάπασιν ἀμοιρῆσαι τὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένος προσρήσεως τοῦ ἀρίστου, δίδωσι καταχρῆσθαι ὡς ἂν ὁ ὢν ὀνόματι τοιούτῳ· “κύριος ὁ θεὸς” τῶν τριῶν φύσεων, διδασκαλίας, τελειότητος, ἀσκήσεως, ὧν σύμβολα Ἀβραάμ, Ἰσαάκ, Ἰακὼβ ἀναγράφεται. “τοῦτο γάρ μου” φησίν “ὄνομα αἰώνιον” ὡς ἂν ἐν τῷ καθ’ ἡμᾶς αἰῶνι ἐξεταζόμενον, οὐκ ἐν τῷ πρὸ αἰῶνος, “καὶ μνημόσυνον”, οὐ τὸ πέρα μνήμης καὶ νοήσεως ἱστάμενον, καὶ πάλιν “γενεαῖς” (ibid. 15), οὐ φύσεσιν ἀγενήτοις.   13. καταχρήσεως γὰρ ὀνόματος θείου δεῖ τοῖς εἰς τὴν θνητὴν γένεσιν ἐλθοῦσιν, ἵν’, εἰ καὶ μὴ πράγματι, ὀνόματι γοῦν προσερχόμενοι ἀρίστῳ κατ’ αὐτὸ κοσμῶνται. δηλοῖ δὲ καὶ λόγιον ἐκ προσώπου θεσπισθὲν τοῦ τῶν ὅλων ἡγεμόνος περὶ τοῦ μηδενὶ δεδηλῶσθαι τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ κύριον. “ὤφθην” φησί “πρὸς Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰακὼβ θεὸς ὢν αὐτῶν, καὶ τὸ ὄνομά μου κύριον οὐκ ἐδήλωσα αὐτοῖς” (Exod. 6, 3). τοῦ γὰρ ὑπερβατοῦ μετατεθέντος ἑξῆς ἂν τοιοῦτος εἴη λόγος· “ὄνομά μου τὸ κύριον οὐκ ἐδήλωσα αὐτοῖς”, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἐν καταχρήσει διὰ τὰς εἰρημένας αἰτίας.   14. οὕτω μέντοι τὸ ὂν ἄῤῥητόν ἐστιν, ὥστ’ οὐδὲ αἱ ὑπηρετούμεναι δυνάμεις κύριον ὄνομα ἡμῖν λέγουσι· μετὰ γοῦν τὴν πάλην, ἣν ὑπὲρ κτήσεως ἀρετῆς ὁ ἀσκητὴς ἐπάλαισε, φησὶ τῷ ἀοράτῳ ἐπιστάτῃ· “ἀνάγγειλόν μοι τὸ ὄνομά σου”, ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· “ἵνα τί τοῦτο ἐρωτᾷς τὸ ὄνομά μου;” (Gen. 32, 29), καὶ οὐ μηνύει τὸ ἴδιον καὶ κύριον. ἀπόχρη γάρ σοι, φησίν, ὠφελεῖσθαι κατὰ τὰς ἐμὰς εὐφημίας, τὰ δὲ γενητῶν σύμβολα, ὀνόματα, μὴ ζήτει παρὰ φύσεσιν ἀφθάρτοις·"

Clement: "abstracting all that belongs to bodies and things called incorporeal, we cast ourselves into the greatness of Christ"

 

“We shall understand the mode of purification by confession (καθαρτικὸν τρόπον ὁμολογίᾳ), and that of contemplation by analysis (ἀναλύσει), advancing by analysis to the first notion, beginning with the properties underlying it; abstracting (ἀφελόντες) from the body its physical properties, taking away (περιελόντες) the dimension (διάστασιν) of depth, then that of breadth, and then that of length. For the point (σημεῖόν) which remains (ὑπολειφθὲν) is a unit (μονὰς), so to speak, having position; from which if we abstract (περιέλωμεν) position, there is the conception of unity. If, then, abstracting all that belongs to bodies and things called incorporeal, we cast ourselves into the greatness of Christ (τὸ μέγεθος τοῦ Χριστοῦ κἀκεῖθεν), and thence advance (προΐοιμεν) into immensity (ἀχανὲς) by holiness, we may reach somehow to the thought (νοήσει) of the Almighty, knowing not what He is, but what He is not (οὐχ ὅ ἐστιν, ὃ δὲ μή ἐστι γνωρίσαντες).” (Str. 5,71,2-5)

"God is therefore μὴ ὄν"

“Necessarily we say that through superiority and preeminence over τῶν ὄντων God is above all existence, above all life, above all knowledge, above every ὄν and the ὄντως ὄντα; indeed he is unknowable, infinite, invisible, without idea, insubstantial, inconceivable, and because transcendent, he is nothing of existents, and because he is above existents, he has nothing from existents. God is therefore μὴ ὄν.” (Marius Victorinus, Ad Cand. 13, 5–12 (SC 68, p. 148; tr. Clark, p. 70))

“Necessario per praelationem et per eminentiam τῶνὂντων deum dicemus supra omnem exsistentiam, supra omnem vitam, supra omnem cognosccntiam, supra omne ὂν et ὄντωςὄντα, quippe inintellegibile, infinitum, invisibile, sine intellectu, insubstantiale, inio cognoscibile, et quod super omnia, nihil de his quae sunt, ct quoniam supra quae sunt, nihil ex his quae sunt. Μὴὂν ergo deus est”

Maximus on the Word being concealed while revealed

 For the Word, who created the universe and established the law, is concealed in His manifestation, being invisible according to nature; and He is manifested through concealment, assuring those who are wise that by nature He cannot be apprehended.
– Maximus, Amb. 10.18.1129C

Thomas on negative theology

Although by the revelation of grace in this life we cannot know of God "what He is," and thus are united to Him as to one unknown; still we know Him more fully according as many and more excellent of His effects are demonstrated to us, and according as we attribute to Him some things known by divine revelation, to which natural reason cannot reach, as, for instance, that God is Three and One. (ST, 1a q12 a13 ad1)

Minucius Felix: "He who thinks that he knows the magnitude of God, is diminishing it"

"He can neither be seen — He is brighter than light; nor can be grasped — He is purer than touch; nor estimated; He is greater than all perceptions; infinite, immense, and how great is known to Himself alone. But our heart is too limited to understand Him, and therefore we are then worthily estimating Him when we say that He is beyond estimation. I will speak out in what manner I feel. He who thinks that he knows the magnitude of God, is diminishing it; he who desires not to lessen it, knows it not. Neither must you ask a name for God. God is His name. We have need of names when a multitude is to be separated into individuals by the special characteristics of names; to God, who is alone, the name God is the whole. If I were to call Him Father, you would judge Him to be earthly; if a King, you would suspect Him to be carnal; if a Lord, you will certainly understand Him to be mortal. Take away the additions of names, and you will behold His glory." (Minucius Felix, Octavius §18)

Pascal on the Hidden God

If there were no obscurity, man would not be sensible of his corruption; if there were no light, man would not hope for a remedy. Thus, it is not only fair, but advantageous to us, that God be partly hidden and partly revealed; since it is equally dangerous to man to know God without knowing his own wretchedness, and to know his own wretchedness without knowing God. (Pensees, 446/586)

What can be seen on earth indicates neither the total absence, nor the manifest presence of divinity, but the presence of a hidden God. Everything bears this stamp. (Pensees, 449/556)

“Let them at least learn the nature of the religion they are attacking, before they attack it. If this religion boasted of having a clear vision of God, and of possessing Him plain and unveiled, then to say that nothing we see in the world reveals Him with this degree of clarity would indeed be to attack it. But it says, on the contrary, that man is in darkness and far from God, that He has hidden Himself from man’s knowledge, and that the name He has given Himself in the Scriptures is in fact The Hidden God (Is 45:15). Therefore if it seeks to establish these two facts: that God has in the church erected visible signs by which those who sincerely seek Him may recognize Him, and that he has nevertheless so concealed them that He will only be perceived by those who seek Him with all their hearts, what advantage can the attackers gain when, while admitting that they neglect to seek for the truth, they yet cry that nothing reveals it? For the very darkness in which they lie, and for which they blame the Church, establishes one of her two claims, without invalidating the other, and also, far from destroying her doctrine, confirms it” (Blaise Pascal, Pensees, 194).

Russell on Wittgenstein

"after all, Mr Wittgenstein manages to say a good deal about what cannot be said, thus suggesting to the sceptical reader that possibly there may be some loophole through the hierarchy of languages, or by some other exit" (Russell, 2003, p. xxi)

Augustine: "a thing is not ineffable which can be called ineffable"

There is some contradiction of terms, since, if that is ineffable which cannot be spoken of, a thing is not ineffable which can be called ineffable" (Christian Instruction 1.6.6)

Eckhart on Paul: "In seeing nothing, he saw the divine nothing."

"The light that is God is unmingled, no admixture comes in. This was a sign that it was the true light he saw, which is Nothing (niht). By the light he meant quite simply that with his eyes open he saw nothing. In seeing nothing, he saw the divine nothing." (Pr. 71).