Relevant
books
available at Amazon Texts
 
Henry Chadwick
Contra Celsum
(Translation) ----------
Rowan Greer (Editor)
Exhortation to Martyrdom, Prayer (Classics of Western Spirituality)
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General Works
John A. McGuckin,
The Westminister Handbook to Origen
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Joseph W. Trigg
Origen ----------
E. A. D. Lauro
The Soul and Spirit of Scripture within Origen's Exegesis
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R. P. C. Hanson
Allegory and Event: A Study of the Sources and Significance of Origen's
Interpretation of Scripture ----------
Hans Urs von Balthasar
Origen: Spirit and Fire - A Thematic Anthology of His Writings
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1. ALL who believe and are assured that grace and
truth were obtained through Jesus Christ, and who know Christ to be the truth,
agreeably to His own declaration, “I am the truth,” derive the knowledge which
incites men to a good and happy life from no other source than from the very
words and teaching of Christ. And by the words of Christ we do not mean those
only which He spake when He became man and tabernacled in the flesh; for before
that time, Christ, the Word of God, was in Moses and the prophets. For without
the Word of God, how could they have been able to prophesy of Christ? And were
it not our purpose to confine the present treatise within the limits of all
attainable brevity, it would not be difficult to show, in proof of this
statement, out of the Holy Scriptures, how Moses or the prophets both spake and
performed all they did through being filled with the Spirit of Christ. And
therefore I think it sufficient to quote this one testimony of Paul from the
Epistle to the Hebrews, in which he says: “By faith Moses, when he was come to
years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing rather to
suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for
a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of
the Egyptians.” Moreover, that after His ascension into heaven He spake in His
apostles, is shown by Paul in these words: “Or do you seek a proof of Christ who
speaketh in me?”
2. Since many, however, of those who profess to believe in Christ differ from
each other, not only in small and trifling matters, but also on subjects of the
highest importance, as, e.g., regarding God, or the Lord Jesus Christ, or the
Holy Spirit; and not only regarding these, but also regarding others which are
created existences, viz., the powers. and the holy virtues; it seems on that
account necessary first of all to fix a definite limit and to lay down an
unmistakable rule regarding each one of these, and then to pass to the
investigation of other points. For as we ceased to seek for truth
(notwithstanding the professions of many among Greeks and Barbarians to make it
known) among all who claimed it for erroneous opinions, after we had come to
believe that Christ was the Son of God, and were persuaded that we must learn it
from Himself; so, seeing there are many who think they hold the opinions of
Christ, and yet some of these think differently from their predecessors, yet as
the teaching of the Church, transmitted in orderly succession from the apostles,
and remaining in the Churches to the present day, is still preserved, that alone
is to be accepted as truth which differs in no respect from ecclesiastical and
apostolical tradition.
3. Now it ought to be known that the holy apostles, in preaching the faith of
Christ, delivered themselves with the utmost clearness on certain points which
they believed to be necessary to every one, even to those who seemed somewhat
dull in the investigation of divine knowledge; leaving, however, the grounds of
their statements to be examined into by those who should deserve the excellent
gifts of the Spirit, and who, especially by means of the Holy Spirit Himself,
should obtain the gift of language, of wisdom, and of knowledge: while on other
subjects they merely stated the fact that things were so, keeping silence as to
the manner or origin of their existence; clearly in order that the more zealous
of their successors, who should be lovers of wisdom, might have a subject of
exercise on which to display the fruit of their talents,—those persons, I mean,
who should prepare themselves to be fit and worthy receivers of wisdom.
4. The particular points clearly delivered in the teaching of the apostles are
as follow:—
First, That there is one God, who created and arranged all things, and who, when
nothing existed, called all things into being—God from the first creation and
foundation of the world—the God of all just men, of Adam, Abel, Seth, Enos,
Enoch, Noe, Sem, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the twelve patriarchs, Moses, and the
prophets; and that this God in the last days, as He had announced beforehand by
His prophets, sent our Lord Jesus Christ to call in the first place Israel to
Himself, and in the second place the Gentiles, after the unfaithfulness of the
people of Israel. This just and good God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Himself gave the law and the prophets, and the Gospels, being also the God of
the apostles and of the Old and New Testaments.
Secondly, That Jesus Christ Himself, who came (into the world), was born of the
Father before all creatures; that, after He had been the servant of the Father
in the creation of all things—“For by Him were all things made” —He in the last
times, divesting Himself (of His glory), became a man, and was incarnate
although God, and while made a man remained the God which He was; that He
assumed a body like to our own, differing in this respect only, that it was born
of a virgin and of the Holy Spirit: that this Jesus Christ was truly born, and
did truly suffer, and did not endure this death common (to man) in appearance
only, but did truly die; that He did truly rise from the dead; and that after
His resurrection He conversed with His disciples, and was taken up (into
heaven).
Then, Thirdly, the apostles related that the Holy Spirit was associated in
honour and dignity with the Father and the Son. But in His case it is not
clearly distinguished whether He is to be regarded as born or innate, or also as
a Son of God or not: for these are points which have to be inquired into out of
sacred Scripture according to the best of our ability, and which demand careful
investigation. And that this Spirit inspired each one of the saints, whether
prophets or apostles; and that there was not one Spirit in the men of the old
dispensation, and another in those who were inspired at the advent of Christ, is
most clearly taught throughout the Churches.
5. After these points, also, the apostolic teaching is that the soul, having a
substance and life of its own, shall, after its departure from the world, be
rewarded according to its deserts, being destined to obtain either an
inheritance of eternal life and blessedness, if its actions shall have procured
this for it, or to be delivered up to eternal fire and punishments, if the guilt
of its crimes shall have brought it down to this: and also, that there is to be
a time of resurrection from the dead, when this body, which now “is sown in
corruption, shall rise in incorruption,” and that which “is sown in dishonour
will rise in glory.” This also is clearly defined in the teaching of the Church,
that every rational soul is possessed of free-will and volition; that it has a
struggle to maintain with the devil and his angels, and opposing influences,
because they strive to burden it with sins; but if we live rightly and wisely,
we should endeavour to shake ourselves free of a burden of that kind. From which
it follows, also, that we understand ourselves not to be subject to necessity,
so as to be compelled by all means, even against our will, to do either good or
evil. For if we are our own masters, some influences perhaps may impel us to
sin, and others help us to salvation; we are not forced, however, by any
necessity either to act rightly or wrongly, which those persons think is the
case who say that the courses and movements of the stars are the cause of human
actions, not only of those which take place beyond the influence of the freedom
of the will, but also of those which are placed within our own power. But with
respect to the soul, whether it is derived from the seed by a process of
traducianism, so that the reason or substance of it may be considered as placed
in the seminal particles of the body themselves, or whether it has any other
beginning; and this beginning, itself, whether it be by birth or not, or whether
bestowed upon the body from without or no, is not distinguished with sufficient
clearness in the teaching of the Church.
6. Regarding the devil and his angels, and the opposing influences, the teaching
of the Church has laid down that these beings exist indeed; but what they are,
or how they exist, it has not explained with sufficient clearness. This opinion,
however, is held by most, that the devil was an angel, and that, having become
an apostate, he induced as many of the angels as possible to fall away with
himself, and these up to the present time are called his angels.
7. This also is a part of the Church’s teaching,
that the world was made and took its beginning at a certain time, and is to be
destroyed on account of its wickedness. But what existed before this world, or
what will exist after it, has not become certainly known to the many, for there
is no clear statement regarding it in the teaching of the Church.
8. Then, finally, that the Scriptures were
written by the Spirit of God, and have a meaning, not such only as is apparent
at first sight, but also another, which escapes the notice of most. For those
(words) which are written are the forms of certain mysteries, and the images of
divine things. Respecting which there is one opinion throughout the whole
Church, that the whole law is indeed spiritual; but that the spiritual meaning
which the law conveys is not known to all, but to those only on whom the grace
of the Holy Spirit is bestowed in the word of wisdom and knowledge.
The term ἀσώματον, i.e., incorporeal, is disused and unknown, not only in many
other writings, but also in our own Scriptures. And if any one should quote it
to us out of the little treatise entitled The Doctrine of Peter, in which the
Saviour seems to say to His disciples, “I am not an incorporeal demon,” I have
to reply, in the first place, that that work is not included among
ecclesiastical books; for we can show that it was not composed either by Peter
or by any other person inspired by the Spirit of God. But even if the point were
to be conceded, the word ἀσώματον there does not convey the same meaning as is
intended by Greek and Gentile authors when incorporeal nature is discussed by
philosophers. For in the little treatise referred to he used the phrase
“incorporeal demon” to denote that that form or outline of demoniacal body,
whatever it is, does not resemble this gross and visible body of ours; but,
agreeably to the intention of the author of the treatise, it must be understood
to mean that He had not such a body as demons have, which is naturally fine, and
thin as if formed of air (and for this reason is either considered or called by
many incorporeal), but that He had a solid and palpable body. Now, according to
human custom, everything which is not of that nature is called by the simple or
ignorant incorporeal; as if one were to say that the air which we breathe was
incorporeal, because it is not a body of such a nature as can be grasped and
held, or can offer resistance to pressure.
9. We shall inquire, however, whether the thing
which Greek philosophers call ἀσώματον, or “incorporeal,” is found in holy
Scripture under another name. For it is also to be a subject of investigation
how God himself is to be understood,—whether as corporeal, and formed according
to some shape, or of a different nature from bodies,—a point which is not
clearly indicated in our teaching. And the same inquiries have to be made
regarding Christ and the Holy Spirit, as well as respecting every soul, and
everything possessed of a rational nature.
10. This also is a part of the teaching of the
Church, that there are certain angels of God, and certain good influences, which
are His servants in accomplishing the salvation of men. When these, however,
were created, or of what nature they are, or how they exist, is not clearly
stated. Regarding the sun, moon, and stars, whether they are living beings or
without life, there is no distinct deliverance. Every one, therefore, must make
use of elements and foundations of this sort, according to the precept,
“Enlighten yourselves with the light of knowledge,” if he would desire to form a
connected series and body of truths agreeably to the reason of all these things,
that by clear and necessary statements he may ascertain the truth regarding each
individual topic, and form, as we have said, one body of doctrine, by means of
illustrations and arguments,—either those which he has discovered in holy
Scripture, or which he has deduced by closely tracing out the consequences and
following a correct method.
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