The distinction between unique and only

"Restore my only-begotten from the lions" (Ps 51:7). He says that he has his soul as only-begotten. He had it as only-begotten; he had it as alone. It is not possible for more than one soul to be tested, since therefore it is only-begotten to me.

And in another way: "God made man upright" (Gen 1:26), "in his own image" and "likeness" he created him. When it remains in this state according to which it was created, it does not become outside himself; it does not become outside himself. Since therefore it is the person of the Savior saying this—which Jesus had as a soul—it does not belong to anyone else.

And our souls become those of the rulers; for whoever is defeated by someone, to him he is also surrendered. And it is indeed possible to fall away from the true Lord to other masters and from one to others, when discordant sins occur; for the one having repented is restored from the malice of those surrounding it into goodness. Since therefore the soul of Jesus "has been tested in every way according to likeness without sin" (cf. Heb 4:15), it never belonged to anyone else except to the one who took it. Because of this he calls it his only-begotten.

And it must be said also thus: "my only-begotten"; for all souls become of the Savior: "receiving the end of faith the salvation of souls" (Heb 2:4). Concerning salvation, therefore, is the seeking and searching of a prophet. They are, therefore, "receiving the salvation, the end of faith" of the Savior. They are indeed members of him, all of them becoming his body. But this one is to him differently from those; for this one he chose to have as an instrument and a temple, so that through it he might dispense the energies, through it the salvation.

So also, having been born in Hades, he did not remain there; for he was only-begotten of him. And "only-begotten" often signifies "alone." Aetius the Arian, the father of Eunomius, who overwhelmed him, used to say: "as great" (meaning), he says, "are they being granted to Christ because he is the only-begotten of God." He says: "and others are only-begotten; the world is only-begotten, the sun, the earth." I say to him: it is not the same to be called only-begotten and an only-begotten offspring and an only-begotten child. Only Jesus is said to be "only-begotten Son" (John 1:14); for it is said: "we beheld his glory, a glory as of the only-begotten from the Father" (John 1:14). And the "only-begotten from the Father" child...

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It is not 'only-begotten'. And it is always so: 'For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son' (John 3:16). He never said 'only-begotten' simply, but 'only-begotten Son'. And again: 'because they did not believe in the name of the only begotten Son of God' (John 1:18). If something were a unique creation, as you say, 'monogenes', but not a unique work—for there are also other works of God—it would not be a unique creation.

Therefore, when the saint says: 'Look upon me and have mercy on me, for I am alone and poor', he means 'I am alone'. And Elijah, saying: 'I alone am left, and they seek my life to take it from me' (1 Kings 19:10), it would have been said 'alone', not 'son' or 'child'. And here he says: 'my only one from the lions', the cruel ones, those having risen up against me. Save and redeem my soul, which is mine alone; for this one alone did not know sin, this one alone 'has been tested in all things without sin' (1 Cor 10:13).

Furthermore: how was he restored? He did not fall into sins, but rather, how much he was reverent toward the cruelty of those lying in wait, that he might not suffer this. Now we speak from the perspective of the holy man. And the examples of Susanna and Joseph are clear. And the devil himself has devices, sophistic thoughts, which only he and every diligent person can know. For Paul says: 'we are not ignorant of his devices' (2 Cor 2:11). His thoughts are his methods, his very wiles, the sophistic thoughts through which he wants to campaign against us.

Therefore, 'restore' us; for the state of being frightened was entirely a pre-passion. And he wants to bring us out from that pre-passion; for he did not say 'from my wickedness'. Furthermore: to what state of indifference? He did not say, while being frightened, 'restore me to indifference', but to a state where he no longer even has pre-passion. I have a feeling that I am disturbed. 'Restore' therefore 'my soul'. 'Why are you sorrowful, my soul, and why are you troubled within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise him' (Psalm 42:5); for he did not say to another; he spoke to his own mind: 'Why are you sorrowful and why are you troubled within me?'. You have Him who stops the disturbance. As if someone were saying while burning and being agitated: 'Why do you burn so? There is a physician able to...'