Babylon And Salvation

Παραγγείλατε ἐπὶ Βαβυλῶνα πολλοῖς.  Οἱ μὲν ἐν Βαβυλῶνι πολλοὶ, οἱ δὲ ἐν Ἰερουσαλὴμ ἑλάχιστοι· εἴρηται γάρ· Οὐ παρὰ τοῦτο ἠγὰπσεν ὑμᾶς Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν παρὰ τὸ εἴναι πολλοστούς· ὑμεῖς γάρ ἐστε ὀλιγοστοὶ παρὰ πάντα τὰ ἔνθη. Ὀλίγοι ὄντως οἱ σωζόμενοι καὶ διὰ τῆς στενῆς εἰσερχόμενοι θύρας. Παραγγέλλεται δὲ πᾶς ἐπὶ τὴν πλατεῖαν καὶ εὐρύχωρον βαβυλῶνα τόξον ἐκτείνειν, καὶ μηδένα ταύτης περιποιεῖσθαι. Ὠριγένης, Ἐκλογαι Εἰς Ἱερεμαιν

Announce it to the multitudes of Babylon. 1 Those of Babylon are many, those of Jerusalem few. For it is said: 'Not account of this does the Lord love you, that you are many, for you are the smallest of all the peoples.' 2 For truly they are few who are saved, who enter through the narrow gate. 3 And it is announced to everyone to draw their bows against the broad and easy Babylon, that no one in it escape. 4 Origen, Commentary On Jeremiah, Fragment 1 Jer 50.2 2 Deut 7.7 3 Mt 7. 13-14 4 cf Jer 50. 14-16