Sheep And Imitators

Μένουσι δὲ ὥσπερ πρόβατα αἰώνα. Ποῖος νοῦς ἐστι τοῦ· μενοῦσιν ὡς πρόβατα αἰώνια; Περι ὦν φησιν ὁ Χριστός· Τὰ ἐμὰ πρόβατα τῆς ἐμῆς φωνῆς ἀκούουσι, καὶ ἐγὼ ζωὴν αἰώνιον δίδωμι αὐτοῦς, καὶ τὰ ἐξῆς· ταῦτα ἐστι τὰ αἰώνια πρόβατα. Ἐπεὶ οὖν μῖμοί εἰσον οἱ ἑτερόδοξοι, καὶ ἐθέλουσι μιμεῖσθαι τῆν ποίμνην τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἐπισκόπους ἑαυτοῖς χειροτονοῦντες, πρεσβυτέρους, διακόνους, διδασκάλους, λαὸν, κατηχουμένους, μιμούμενοι τα αἰώνια πρόβατα, πληροῦσι τό Μένουσι, δὲ ὡς πρόβατα αἰώνια. Οὐκ εἰσὶ δὲ πρόβατα αἰώνια, ἀλλὰ μένουσιν ὡς πρόβατα αἰώνια. Ὠριγένης, Εἰς Τον Ιὠβ Source: Migne PG 17.77c-d

There are like sheep eternal... 1 What does it mean: they are as sheep eternal? They are those concerning whom Christ said: 'My sheep hear my voice, and I shall give to them eternal life.' 2 They are the eternal sheep. But because there are the heterodox who are mimics, who wish to imitate the flock of Christ, who ordain for themselves bishops and priests and deacons and teachers, and the people, and catechumens, they are the imitators of the eternal sheep, so it is said that they are 'like' sheep eternal. For they are not the eternal sheep but they are like the eternal sheep. Origen, On Job, Fragment 1 Job 21.11 2 Jn 10.27-28