Stones And Sons

Illis enim qui de Abraham gloriabantur dicit: Et ne incipiatis dicere vobismetipsis, patrem habemus Abraham. Et de gentibus rursum loquitur: Dico enim vobis, quia potest Deus de lapidibus istis suscitare filios Abrahae. De quibus lapidibus? Non utque lapides irrationabiles corporeosque monstrabat, sed homines insensibiles et quondam duros, qui quia lapides et ligna adorabunt, impletum est illud quod in psalmo cantabatur: Similis illis fiant qui faciunt ea, et omnes qui confidunt eis. Vere qui faciunt idola, et confidunt in eis, similes sunt diis suis, absque sensu, sine ulla ratione, in lapides lignaque conversi sunt. Cum enim tantum videant creaturarum ordinem, decorem, officium, tantam mundi pulchritudinem, nolunt de creaturis intelligere Creatorem, neque considerant tantae dispensationis aliquam providentiam, aliquem esse rectorem, sed sunt caeci, his tantum oculis mundum videntes, quibus irrationabilia jumenta et bestiae vident. Non enim animadvertunt in his quae vident ratione regi, aliquam inesse rationem. Haec propterea, quia Joannes dixerat: Potest Deus de lapidibus istis suscitare filios Abrahae. Et nos igitur obsecreumus Deum, ut si quando fuimus lapides, vertamur in filios Abrahae pro his filiis qui ejecti sunt, et repromissonem adoptionemque suo vitio perdiderunt. Unum testimonium adhuc de lapidibus ponam. Siquidem in cantico Exodi scribitur: Vertantur in lapides, donec pertranseat populus tuus, Domine, donec transeat populus tuus iste quem possedisti. Rogatur itaque Deus, ut paulisper convertantur in lapides; hoc enim Graecs sermo significantius sonat, λιθούσθωσαν, donec pertranseat populus Judaeorum. Haud dubium quin postquam illi transierint, gentes lapideae esse cessabunt, et pro duro corde recipient humanam in Christo rationabilemque naturam. Cui est gloria et imperium in saecula saeculorum. Amen. Origenes, Homiliae in Lucam, Homilia XXII, Interprete Sancto Hieronymo Source: Migne PG 13.1858d-1856c

To those who gloried in Abraham John says: 'Do not begin to say yourselves, we have Abraham for a father.' And again about the Gentiles he says, 'I say to you that God can raise up sons of Abraham from these stones.' 1 From what stones? He does not mean irrational material stones but senseless and hard hearted men who adore stones and wood, which fulfills what was sung in the Psalm: 'They who make them are made like them, and so are all who trust in them.' 2 Truly those who make idols and trust in them are made like their gods, without sense, without any reason, they are turned into stone and wood. For when they see only the forms of created things, and the fairness of them, and the usefulness of them, and the beauty of the world, they care not to understand the creator through creatures, nor do they consider any providence in such a great dispensation, or any maker, but they are blind, with their eyes seeing only the world, by which they see like mindless cattle and beasts. Nor are they admonished by these things they see to be ruled by reason, and to be in possession of some reason. Because regarding these things John said, 'God can raise up sons of Abraham from these stones,'  therefore let us entreat God that if we have been stones, that we are turned into sons of Abraham, in place of those sons who have been cast out and in their sin and have died to the promise of adoption. One testimony I shall set forth about stones. In the song in Exodus it is written: 'Let them be turned into stones, until your people pass by, O Lord, until your people pass by, whom you have taken up.' 3 Thus God is asked that they be turned into stone for a little while, (and here the Greek word 'lithousthosan,' that is, let them be petrified, is more meaningful,) until the people of the Jews passes by. Without doubt after they have passed by the Gentiles shall cease to be stone, and receive for a hard heart a human one 4 in Christ, and a rational nature, to whom be glory and power forever. Amen. Origen, Homilies on Luke, from Homily 22, Translated by Saint Jerome 1 Lk 3.8 2 Ps 115.8 3 Exod 15.16 4 Ezek 36.26