Augustine begins Book 2 with a discussion in the prologue of how the Bible creates a problem for readers as it takes many forms. Poems, gospels, parables, the Bible forces the reader to make choices that Augustine implies are difficult especially as it comes to interpretation. Augustine writes that he going to put forth his reading but "would rather receive any sort of censure than mistaken or flattering praise" (97)--as if to invite to crowd-sourcing exegetical practice.
Book 2: Chapter One
Augustine is again concerned with thinking about the univocity of the Trinity. The problem can be expressed as how to understand the Son being derived from God and still be equal with God. Augustine unpacks this problem using John 5:19--"Whatever the Father does, the same the son also does likewise." By using "the same" and "likewise" John is indicating that they are "equal and indivisible" but also that "the son cannot do anything of himself except what he sees the Father doing" (99).
The problem in other terms is the differences between "from" and "equal." The problem is that "derived from" is thought of as being "unequal" but really it only describes a sequence of order in time. The Son is derived from the Father in time but not necessarily in magnitude.
Augustine, then, reinforces, the univocity of the Trinity by parsing out the cause of inequality as derived from thinking that something that may come afterward is "inferior." Rather, progression does not equate with equality, and the Trinity is equal even if it occurs in time differently (although, as emphasized before, the Word was always there and the Word is Jesus). By progression, Augustine, I assume, is meaning Jesus as manifested in flesh which doesn't violate the problem of equality, but does indeed put Jesus in time.
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