Taking Wives

Oὕτως εἶπεν Kύριος ὁ θεὸς Ισραηλ ἐπὶ τὴν ἀποικίαν ἣν ἀπῴκισα ἀπὸ Ιερουσαλημ οἰκοδομήσατε οἴκους καὶ κατοικήσατε καὶ φυτεύσατε παραδείσους καὶ φάγετε τοὺς καρποὺς αὐτῶν, καὶ λάβετε γυναῖkας.. Τί δέ ἐστι τὸ λαθεῖν γυναῖkας; Ἐδήλωτεν ὁ περὶ τῆς σοφίας εἰπών Ταύτὴν ἐζήτησα Κύμην ἀγαγέσθαι ἐμαυτῷ, καὶ ἐραστὴς ἐγενόμην τοῦ κάλλους αὐτῆς. Δεῖ ταύτης ἐρᾷν, ὡς ἐν Παροιμίαις Σολομὼν εἰσηγήτατο, φἡσας Ἑράσθητι αὑτῆς, καὶ τηρήσει σε καὶ χαράχωσον αὐτὴν, καὶ ὑψώσει σε. Καὶ ἄλλας ὦ νόει παρὰ τὴν σοφίαν γυναῖκας, τὰς λοιπὰς ἀρττάς, Οὕτω γὰρ ἐξέσται πολλὰς γυναῖκας λαξεῖν ἐξ ὧν δεῖ τεχνοποιεῖν. ἀπὸ σοφίας λόγον σοφίας, ὡς ἂν καὶ ἄλλους οἰχοδομήσῃς" ἀπὸ σωφροσύνης ἔργα σωφροσύνης, ἵνα σώφρονας ποιήσῃς βίῳ χαὶ λόγῳ" ἀπὸ ὀικαιοσύντς ἔργα διχαιοσύνης ἐν κοινωνί καὶ συναλλάγμασι" ἀλλὰ καὶ δικαίους διδάσκων τεχνοποιῆσεις ἀπὸ δικαιοσύνης. Υἱοὺς δὲ ποιήσεις ἀπὸ τῶν υἱῶν καὶ θυγατέρας" υἱοὺς μὲν τὰ θεῖα νοῆματὰ χαὶ τὰ δόγματα, θυγατέρας δὲ τὰς πράξεῖς. Ὠριγένης, Ἐκλογαι Εἰς Ἱερεμαιν Source: Migne PG 13.577a-b

Thus says the Lord God of Israel to all those gone into exile from Jerusalem, build houses and dwell in them and plant gardens and eat their fruits, and take wives... 1 But what is it to take a wife? He makes it clear who speaks of wisdom saying, 'I sought to take this bride for myself, and I was made a lover of beauty.' 2 And it is indeed needful to love her, as Solomon teaches us in Proverbs with these words, 'You shall love her and she will guard you, and with a ditch dug about her she will exalt you.' 3 Yet let it be understood that there are other wives apart from wisdom, the other virtues. So it is permitted to take many wives, from which children should be produced. Wise speech is born from wisdom, so that you may edify others. Prudent works are born from prudence, by which you may make others prudent in life and words. Just works in civil life and agreements are born from justice, and in teaching others to be just you will produce children from justice. Indeed you will produce sons and daughters, sons who are holy thoughts and teaching, and daughters who are deeds. Origen, Commentary On Jeremiah, Fragment 1 Jerem 29.4-5 2 Wisdom 8.2 3 Prov 4.6

Concerning Captivity

Jam captivitas imminebat, et adhuc adhortabatur Deus tribuens, ut ita dicam, et ante unam diem locum poenitentiae: unde scriptum est, usque ad captivitatem Jerusalem, et usque ad quintum mensem prophetasse Jeremiam. Jam hostium vincula restrinxerant manus, et nihilominus haec quodammodo dicebat Deus: Ecce captivi facti estis: agite, licet sero, poenitentiam: rogate me, et parcam vobis: possum eruere de captivitate, qui tradidi. Habemus itaque quaedam necessaria ex superscriptione ista, quae continet tempora prophetiae, quia juxta suam clementiam exhortatur Deus semper homines ad salutem, ut, cessante delicto, etiam captivitas conquiescat. Haec autem et de nobis possumus intelligere: si peccaverimus, et nos captivi futuri sumus. Etenim tradi peccatorem Satanae, nihil distat ab eo quod Judaei sunt traditi Nabuchodonosor. Utque illos Deus concessit adversario, propter frequentes impietates; sic nos propter peccata quae fecimus, tradimur spiritali Nabuchodonosor: et quos tradidi, inquit, Satanae, ut discant non blasphemare, Apostolus de aliis peccatoribus. Puta quantum malum est peccare, ut tradamur Satanae captivanti animos eorum qui relinquuntur a Deo. Non sine causa autem, neque sine judicio Deus relinquit quos deserit. Cum enim miserit pluviam super vineam, et vinea pro uva attulerit spinas, quid faciet, nisi ut mandet nubibus, ne pluant super eam imbrem? Quapropter in proximo est propter delicta nostra, quorum nobis conscii sumus, et nos captivari. Origenes,Homiliae XIV in Jeremiam, Homilia I, Interprete Hieronymo Stridonensis Source: Migne PL 25.586c-587b

Captivity was imminent, and yet the Lord still exhorted, giving a place of penance even one day before, whence it is written that even to the capture of Jerusalem and even to the fifth month Jeremiah made prophecy. 1 Then even with the fetters of the enemy on the hands, nevertheless the Lord spoke in this manner, 'Behold you have been made captive, but even though it is so late make penance. Ask of me and I will spare you. I who handed you over can bring you out of captivity.' Thus we may identify a certain necessity from what is written, which the times of the prophecy contains, because according to His mercy God is always exhorting men to salvation, so that by ceasing to sin they might overcome captivity. We are even able to understand these things of ourselves, that if we sin we shall be made captive. Indeed 'I have given the sinner to Satan,' 2 is no different from the Jews being given to Nabuchodonosor. Thus as God gave them to the adversary because of their repeated wickedness, so on account of the sins we commit we are given over to the spiritual Nabuchodonosor. 'Who I have given to Satan, so that they learn not to blaspheme,' 3 the Apostle says of other sinners. Think how grave an evil it is to sin, because of which we are given to Satan with the captive souls of those who have forsaken God. It is not without cause or reason that God abandoned those who deserted Him. For when He sends rain upon the vine and it brings forth thorns rather than grapes, what shall He do but command the clouds not to rain on it? 4 Which is imminent on account of our sins, which makes us their associates, and leads us into captivity. Origen, Fourteen Homilies on Jeremiah, from the First Homily, Translated by Saint Jerome. 1 Jerem 1.3 2 1 Cor 5.5 3 1 Tim 1.20 4 Isaiah 5.1-6

Fleeing Babylon

Fugite ergo de medio Babylonis, ut medietatem Babylonis deserentes, in finibus ejus incipiatis esse, non in medio. Quod si cui videtur obscurum, sic fiet manifestius: quia qui valde demersus est in vitiis, hic medius habitator est. Qui vero paulatim relinquens malum, et naturam suam ad meliora convertens, non tam coeperit virtutes possidere, quam cupere, iste licet ex medio fugerit Babylonis, tamen necdum de Babylone discessit. Secundum istius modi expositiones decet sacras Litteras credere, ne unum quidem apicem habere vacuum sapientia Dei. Qui enim mihi homini praecipit, dicens: Non apparebis ante conspectum meum vacuus, multo plus hoc ipse agit, ne aliquid vacuum loquatur. Ex plenitudine ejus accipientes prophetae ea, quae erant de plenitudine sumpta, cecinerunt, et idcirco sacra volumina spiritus plenitudine spirant, nihilque est, sive in Prophetis, sive in Lege, sive in Evangelio, sive in Apostolo, quod non a plenitudine divinae majestatis descendat. Quamobrem spirant in Scripturis sanctis hodieque plenitudinis verba, Spirant autem his, qui habent et oculos ad videnda coelestia, et aures ad audienda divina, et nares ad ea quae sunt plenitudinis sentienda. Haec dixi, quia non sit simpliciter positum: Fugite de Babylone, sed cum additamento necessario: Fugite de medio Babylonis, et resalvate unusquisque animam suam. Primum oportet fugere de medio Babylonis, deinde singulos animas suas resalvare, cum fugerint. Neque vero dixit salvate, sed resalvate. Appositio syllabae significat sacramentum. Quia quondam gustantes salutem, et de ea propter peccata postea corruentes, venerunt ad Babylonem. Cujus rei causa oportet resalvare animam suam, ut incipiat recuperare quod perdidit, secundum apostolum Petrum dicentem ita: Reportabimus finem fidei salutem, de qua salute exquisierunt et scrutati sunt prophetae, qui propter nostram prophetaverunt gratiam. Verumtamen in nobis est fugere de Babylone, et in nostra positum est potestate, si velimus resuscitare quod corruit. Origenes,Homiliae XIV in Jeremiam, Sermo II, Interprete Hieronymo Stridonensis Source: Migne PL 25.600a-d

'Flee, then, from the midst of Babylon,' 1 so that forsaking the midst of it you begin to be on its edges, and not in the middle of it. If this seems obscure to some, let it be made more manifest. He who is utterly immersed in vice, he is a dweller in the midst of it, but he who withdraws himself a little from evil and turns his nature to better things, and who not so much begins to possess the virtues than to recover, this one can be said to have fled from the midst of Babylon, but he has yet to cut himself off from Babylon. It befits us to believe that this is the way of understanding Holy Scripture, lest the wisdom of God note there is an emptiness at our height. For He who commands man, saying, 'You shall not appear empty before me,' 2 much more urges this lest we speak in vain. For the prophets received His fullness, and when they were full to bursting, they sang, and therefore the holy books breathe forth the fullness of the sprit, and nothing, either in the prophets, or in the Law or in the Gospel, or in the Apostle, is there that has not come down from the fullness of the Divine majesty. As they breathe forth in the Holy Scriptures their fullness of words even today, so they breathe in those who have eyes for seeing the things of heaven and ears for the hearing of Divine things and noses for the sensing of such fullness. I have said this because it is not set down simply,' Flee from Babylon' but it comes with a necessary addition, 'Flee from the midst of Babylon and let each one restore his soul.' First one must flee from the midst of Babylon, then, having fled, each one must restore his soul. For it does not say 'save' but 'restore.' And the difference in phrasing signifies a mystery. That is, they once tasted of salvation and after fell into ruin because of their sins, and so came to Babylon, which is the cause of them needing to restore their souls, so that they may begin to recover what they have lost, as the Apostle Peter says 'Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls, which salvation the prophets have inquired and diligently sought, who prophesied grace.' 3 Truly it is for us to flee from Babylon and it is in our power if we wish to restore what has been ruined. Origen, Fourteen Homilies on Jeremiah, from the Second Sermon, Translated by Saint Jerome. 1 Jerem 51.6 2 Exod 23.15 3 1 Pet 1.9-10

The Judgement Of Thoughts

Nunc videamus quod sequitur: Et inter se invicem cogitationibus accusantibus, aut etiam defendentibus in die, cum judicabit Deus oscuta hominum secundum Evangelium meum, per Jesum Christum. Rectum judicium Dei esse quis dubitet, ubi accusatores, et defensores adhibenter et testes? Et quidem de hoc justo Dei judicio nos homines capiamus exemplum, nec putamus unquam sine accusante, et defendente, et testibus justum haberi posse judicium. Deinde videndum est quomodo in illa die, cum judicabit Deus occulata hominum, cogitationes vel accusabunt animam, vel defendent, non utique illae cogitantiones quae tunc erunt, sed istae quae nunc sunt in nobis. Cum enim sive bona, sive mala cogitamus, velut in ceri, ita in corde nostro tam bonarum quam malarum cogitationem notae quaedam et signacula relinquuntur, quae in occulto nunc pectoris posita, in illa die revelari dicuntur a nullo alio, nisi ab eo qui solus potest occulta hominum scire: quorum signorum, vel quarum notarum causas non latere Deum etiam nostra conscientia contestabitur. Quod tamen judicium, secundum Evangelium Pauli hoc est, quod Paulus annuntiat, per Jesus Christum fiet. Pater enim neminem judicat, sed omne judiciu dedit Filio. Marcion tamen, et omnes qui diversis figmenti varias introducant animaum naturas, hoc ex loco apertissime confutantur, cum a Paulo dicitur Deus occulata hominum judicare per Jesum Christum: et ostenditur unumquemque non naturae privilegio, sed propriis cogitationibus accusatum, vel excusatum, conscientiae suae testimonio judicandum. Origenes, Commentariorum In Epistolam Beati Pauli Ad Romanos, Liber II, Interprete Rufino Aquileiense Source: Migne PG 14.894a-c

Now let us see what follows: 'And their thoughts between themselves accusing or defending one another, on the day when God judges the hidden things of men according to my Gospel, through Jesus Christ.' 1 Who shall doubt there is a righteous judgement of God when there are accusing and defending witnesses brought forth? And certainly concerning this just judgement of God, we men are an example, lest we should think anyone can have a just judgement without having accusing and defending witnesses. Then let it be seen how on that day God shall judge the hidden things of men, with thoughts defending or accusing the soul, not as thoughts shall be then, but as they are in us now. When we think either good things or bad things, they leave a certain impression or mark of the thought of good things or of evil things as in wax, which is now set in the hidden place of the heart, but on that day are said to be exposed by none other than Him who alone can know the hidden things of men, which signs, or the causes of the impressions, our conscience shall bear witness to God are not hidden. And this judgement, according to the the Gospel of Paul, that is, what Paul proclaims, shall be by Jesus Christ. 'For the Father judges no one, but He has given all judgement to the Son.' 2 So Marcion and all those who with their many fables introduce differing natures of souls are openly refuted by this passage, when Paul says that God judges the hidden things of men through Jesus Christ, for it is shown there is no privileged nature, but judgement is though the witness of conscience which with its own thoughts is accused or excused. Origen, from the Commentary on the Letter of Paul to the Romans, Book 2, Translated by Rufinus of Aquileia. 1 Rom 2.15-16 2 Jn 5.22

At The Devil's Table

Ἐὰν καθίσῃς δειπνεῖν ἐπὶ τραπέζης δυναστῶν νοητῶς νόει τὰ παρατιθέμενά σοι, καὶ ἐπίβαλλε τὴν χεῖρά σου εἰδὼς ὅτι τοιαῦτά σε δεῖ παρασκευάσαι Δυνάστην ἐνταῦθα τὸν διάβολόν φησιν· τράπεζαι δὲ αὐτοῦ εἰσι ψευδομαρτυρίαι, λοιδορίαι, καταλαλιαὶ, συμβουλίαι κακαὶ, ἐπιθυμίαι αἰσχραὶ, καὶ πᾶν ὅτι οῦν σατανικὸν ἐπιτήδευμα· ταῦτα δὲ παρατιθέμενά σοι ὐπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ, νοητῶς νόει, καὶ ἐπίβαλε τὴν διάνοιάν σου, ὃ ἐστιν ἡ χειρ· εἰδὼς ὅτι τοιαῦτά σε δεῖ παρασκευάσαι, οἷα καὶ συμπαρεστάναι σοι ὀφείλουσιν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ Κυρίου, ὅτε ἀπονέμει ἐκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ· εἰ δὲ ἀπληστότερος εἴ, καὶ ὀρέγῃ τῶν ὑψηλῶν καὶ πλειόνων καὶ μειζόνων, ἂτινά εἰσι θεῖα καὶ Θεοῦ, μὴ ἐπιθύμει τῶν τοῦ πονηροῦ ἐδεσμάτων· ταῦτα γὰρ ἔχεται ζωῆς προσκαίρυ, ὅ ἐστι ψευδοῦς· δεῖ δὲ τὴν θείαν Φραφὴν νοητῶς νοεῖσθαι καὶ πνευματικῶς· ἠ γὰρ κατὰ τὴν ἱστορίαν αἰσθητὴ γνῶσις, οὐκ ἔστιν ἀληθής. Ὠριγένης, Ἐκλογαὶ Εἰς Παροιμίας, Κεφαλή ΚΓ’ Source: Migne PG 17.221c

If you sit to dine at the table of a powerful man consider well the things which are set before you, and stretch out your hand knowing what things are appropriate for you to take. 1 The powerful man here is the devil and his table is false speech and abuse and detraction and wicked plots and shameful desires and everything that is a Satanic work. All these things are set before you by the wicked one, and you must reach out with your mind, which here he calls the hand, knowing what is appropriate to you, which on the day of the Lord will be reckoned to you when He rewards everyone according to their works. 2 Because if you are not satisfied here, and you desire high things, and many of them, and great things, those things which are heavenly and Divine, yet even so beware lest you are snared in his wicked bonds, for to enjoy the things of this brief life is a lie. It is necessary to understand Scripture according to the intellect and the spirit, for what is told under a material account is not true. Origen, On Proverbs, Chapter 23 1 Prov 23.1 2 Rom 2.6

Rich And Poor

Πλούσιος καὶ πτωχὸς συνήντησαν ἀλλήλοις, ἀμφοτέρους δὲ ὁ Kύριος ἐποίησεν Συναντῶσιν ἀλλήλοις, ὁ μὲν πλούσιος διὰ τῶν ἐλεημοσυνῶν καθαιρῶν τὸν θυμὸν, καὶ κτώμενος τὴν ἀγαπην· ὁ δὲ διὰ τῆς πενίας τὸ ταπεινοφρονεῖν διδασκόμενος· τὸν μὲν γὰρ, θέλει παιδεύεσθαι· τὸν δὲ, μεταδιδόναι· ὥστε τὸν μὲν εὐχάριστον εἶναι, τὸν δὲ ἐλεήμονα. Ὠριγένης, Ἐκλογαὶ Εἰς Παροιμίας, Κεφαλή ΚΒ’ Source: Migne PG 17.217b

The rich man and the poor man meet together, the Lord made them both. 1 They meet together when the rich man extinguishes anger with alms and fashions love, and the other is learning the humility of a poor condition, for he wishes to learn and the other to give, thus one will be thankful and the other merciful. Origen, On Proverbs, Chapter 22 1 Prov 22.2

Declare To Me

Annuntia mihi quem dilexit anima mea, ubi pascis, ubi cubas in meridie Non quaero alia tempora, quando vespere, quando dilucul, quando in solis pascis occubitu; illud tempus inquiro, quando florente die, quando plena luce in majestatis tuae splendore versaris. Annuntia mihi quem dilexit anima mea, ubi pascis, ubi cubas in meridie. Diligenter observa ubi meridiem legeris. Apud Joseph meridie fratres prandium celebrant. Angeli meridie Abrahae suscipiuntur hospitio, et caetera istiusmodi. Quaere, et invenies Scripturam divinam non frustra seu fortuitu unumquemque usurpare sermonem. Quis putas est dignus e nobis ut ad meridiem usque perveniat, et videat ubi pascat, ubi cubet sponsus? Annuntia mihi quem dilexit anima mea, ubi pascis, ubi cubas in meridie. Nisi enim tu mihi annuntiaveris, incipio errabunda jactari, et dum te quaero in aliorum greges incurro. Et quia aliorum erubesco aspectus, faciem meam atque ora mox contegere incipio. Sum quippe sponsa formosa, et aliis nudam faciem meam non ostendo, nisi tibi soli quem jampridem deosculata sum. Annuntia mihi quem dilexit anima mea, ubi pascis, ubi cubas in meridie, nequando fiam sicut cooperta super greges sodalium tuorum. Ut ista non patiar, ut non fiam cooperta, ut ora non contegam, et ad alios usuqe perveniens, incipiam forsitan et eos amare quos nescio; idcirco annuntia mihi ubi te quaeram et inveniam in meridie, ne forte fiam quasi cooperata super greges sodalium tuorum. Origenes, In Canticum Canticorum, Homilia I, Interprete Divo Hieronymo Source: Migne PG 13.45c-46a

Declare to me whom my soul loves, where you pasture, where you sleep at noon. 1 I do not seek other times, at evening, at dawn, when in distant fields he slumbers, I ask for that time when the day flourishes, when it is at its full light in the majesty of your splendour. 'Declare to me whom my soul loves, where you pasture, where you sleep at noon.' Diligently observe where you may read of noon. At noon brothers feasted with Joseph, at noon angels were received by Abraham, and other things like this. Seek and you shall find that Divine Scripture does not employ any word in vain or by chance. Who of us do you think is worthy that at noon he may draw near and see where He pastures, where the bridegroom sleeps? 'Declare to me whom my soul loves, where you pasture, where you sleep at noon.' For unless you shall announce it to me I shall begin to rush about in error and while I seek you I shall run into the flocks of others. And because I blush at the sight of others, I shall begin to cover my face and mouth. I certainly am the fair bride, and I do not show my uncovered face to others, only to you alone by whom I was once kissed. 'Declare to me whom my soul loves, where you pasture, where you sleep at noon,' lest I am overwhelmed by the flocks of your companions. So that I do not suffer this, so that I am not overwhelmed, and I am not covered, and I come to others, and perhaps I begin to love those I do not know, thus declare to me where I should seek you and find you at noon, lest perhaps I become as one overwhelmed by the flocks of your companions. Origen, Commentary On The Song of Songs, from Homily 1, translated by Saint Jerome 1 Song 1.6

Building Up

Καὶ ἁνοικοδομήσω αὑτούς. Ὃ Χριστὸς οἶκοδόμος καὶ ἀρχιτέχτων περὶ οὗ ἐν προφῇταις λέλεχται· Οὗτος οἰκοδυμήσει τὴν πόλιν μου, καὶ τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν τοῦ λαοῦ μου ἐπιστρέψει. Φησὶν οὖν ὁ Κύριος· Καὶ οἰκοδομήσω αὐτοὺς, καὶ oὑ μὴ καθελῶ· ἀγαθὸς γὰρ ὧν ὁ Θεὸς οἰχοδομέματά τινα καθαιρεῖ’ δεῖ γὰρ τὴν ἐν ἡμῖν οἰχοδομὴν τῶν ἀχαθάρτων πνευμάτων καταλυθῆναι, καὶ οὕτω τὸν ναὸν οἰχοδομτθῆναι Θεῷ ἐξ ἀρετῶν τε καὶ δογμάτων ὀρθῶν, ἵνα ὀφθῇ ἡ δόξα αὐτοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ. Ἔστι ἐξ καὶ γεωργὸς καταφυτεύων, καὶ ἐγκεντρίξων, οὖς ἄξιον. Φησὶ γὰρ ὁ Σωτὴρ, ὡς ῥίξα τοὺς κλάδους πάντας ἀνέχων: Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἄμπειϊιος ἡ ἀμηθινὴ, ὑμεῖς τὰ κιήματα ὁ δὲ Πωτήρ μου ὃ γεωργός ἐστι. Πᾶν κῆμα ἐν ἐμοὶ μένον, καὶ ποιοῦν καρπὸν καλὸν ὁ Πατὴρ μου καθαίρει, ἵνα πλείονα καρπὸν φέρῃ· πᾱν δὲ κλῆμα ἐν ἐμοὶ μένον, μὴ φέρον δὲ καρπὸν, ὁ Πατήρ μου ἐκκόπτει, καὶ εἰς πῦρ αὑτὸ βάλλει. Οὐχ ἐν ἐθνικοῖς, ἀλλ᾽ ἂν τοῖς πιστοῖς ἔστι τὸ, Ἐν αὐτῷ μένον καὶ μὴ φέρον καρπὸν, οἷός ἔστιν ὁ έγων εἶναι πιστὸς χαὶ πλημμελῶν ἐπὶ ἀδείας ἔστις εἰκότως ἐκκόπτεται·καὶ καθαίρει δὲ τὸν καρπὸν φέρον, ἵνα, κἂν τι παρορᾷ ὡς ἄνθρωπος, διορθώσειεν. Ὠριγένης, Ἐκλογαι Εἰς Ἱερεμαιν Source: Migne PG 13.576c-577a

I shall build them up again. 1 Christ is the builder and the architect, concerning which it is said in the prophets: 'He shall raise up my city and return the people to me.' 2 And thus the Lord says, 'I shall build up and I shall not destroy.' 3 For it is good that God destroys what is built up when it is necessary to overthrow the buildings of unclean spirits in us, so that the temple of God may be raised up from the virtues and righteous teaching, in order that His glory may appear in it. And He is the farmer who plants and grafts on those who are worthy, because the Saviour, who is the root of all the branches, says: 'I am the true vine, and you are the branches. My father is the farmer. All the branches that remain with me and yield good fruit my Father shall purge, and every branch remaining with me that does not bear fruit my Father shall cut off and give to the fire.' 4 This is not said of the Gentiles but about the faithful, about the one who says he is faithful and yet wanders off where he will. He is deservedly cut off. And the branch bearing fruit is purged so that if a man is neglectful in something, he may correct himself. Origen, Commentary On Jeremiah, Fragment 1 Jerem 14.6 2 Isaiah 45.13 3 Jerem 24.6 4 Jn 15.1-6

Eating Honey

Φάγε μέλι υἱέ ἀγαθὸν γὰρ κηρίον ἵνα γλυκανθῇ σου ὁ φάρυγξ. Oὕτως αἰσθήσῃ σοφίαν τῇ σῇ ψυχῇ ἐὰν γὰρ εὕρῃς ἔσται καλὴ ἡ τελευτή σου καὶ ἐλπίς σε οὐκ ἐγκαταλείψει. Ἐσθίει μέλι ὁ ἀπὸ τῶν θείων Γραφῶν ὠφελούμενος· ὁ δὲ ἀπ' αὐτῶν ἐκβάλλων τῶν πραγμάτων τοὺς λόγους, ἀφʼ ὧν εἰλήφασιν ἅγιοι προφῆται καὶ οἱ ἀπόστολοι, ἐν τῷ ποιεῖν τε καὶ διδάσκειν, τρώγει κηρίον· καὶ τὸ μὲν μέλι φαγεῖν, τοῦ βουλομένου παντός· τὸ δὲ κηρίον, μόνου τοῦ καθαροῦ· ἢ καὶ μέλι ῥητέον τὴν ἀλληγορίαν· κηρίον δὲ, τὴν ῥητὴν ἐπίσκεψιν καὶ ἱστορίαν, πρὸς τὸ ἔχειν τὸν ἀποκεκρυμμένον νοῦν καὶ βαθύτερον, ἔνεστι γὰρ τῷ κηρίῳ μέλι· φάρυγγα δὲ τὴν θρεπτικὴν τῆς ψυχῆς δύναμιν, δι' ἧς αἱ τροφαὶ παραπέμπονται εἰς τὴν κοιλίαν· ἐὰν οὖν ταῦτα κατορθώσῃς, τά τε κατὰ διάνοιαν, καὶ τὰ καθ' ἱστορίαν, ἔσονταί σοι αἰσθήσει τῆς σοφίας αὐτὰ τὰ σοφὰ δόγματα· ἐὰν γὰρ εὕρῃς τὸν πνευματικὸν τῆς Γραφῆς νοῦν, ἔσται καλὴ ἡ τελευτή σου, ὡς λεχθῆναι· Τίμιος ἐναντίον Κυρίου ὁ θάνατος τῶν ὁσίων αὐτοῦ· οὐκ ἀποβαλεῖς δὲ τὴν εἰς τὸ μέλλον ἐλπίδα. Μὴ προτιμήσῃς τὸν διάβολον τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δικαιοσύνης, ἢν οἱ δίκαιοι νομεύονται· μηδὲ ἀπατηθῇς μωρολογίαις θανατηφόροις χορτάσαι σου τὴν καρδίαν σου, ὅ ἐστι κοιλία. Μὴ ἕνεκεν ἡδονῆς προδῷς τὸν Θεόν· οὗτος γὰρ νομὴ δικαίου, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐγκαταλείψῃ σε. Ὠριγένης, Ἐκλογαὶ Εἰς Παροιμίας, Κεφαλή KΔ´ Source: Migne PG 17.228a-c

Eat honey, O son, for it is good and the comb is most sweet in your throat. So is wise teaching to your soul, which when you find it, you shall have hope at the end, and your hope shall not perish. 1 He eats honey who is improved by the Divine Scriptures. And he who draws out from the account of things, derived from the holy prophets and the Apostles, he eats the comb in teaching and doing. To eat honey is more pleasing, but the comb is only for the pure. The honey is spoken of allegorically. So the comb is what we name speculation and investigation, which grasps the more hidden and deeper sense, and in the comb is the honey. The throat is the digestive faculty of the soul by which power food is sent to the stomach. If, then, you are rightly established in these things, things of understanding and investigation, you shall you grasp the wisdom of wise teaching. For if you find the spiritual understanding of Scripture, even your death will be a beautiful thing, as it says: 'Precious in the sight of God is the death of his holy ones.' 2 You shall not have lost hope for the future. Do not prefer the devil to the righteousness of God which feeds the righteous. Nor be deceived, that you fill your heart, which is like a stomach, with foolish and fatal teachings. Do not on account of pleasure be a traitor to God. He feeds the righteous and He shall not abandon you. Origen, On Proverbs, Chapter 24 1 Prov 24.13-14 2 Ps 115.15

Beauty And Proximity

Rursus sponsi ad eam sermo dirigitur, et dicit: Ecce speciosa proxima mea, ecce speciosa... Illa sic dicit ad sponsum: Ecce speciosus fratuelis meus; non adjungit, et proximus meus. Hic autem quando loquitur ad eam: Ecce speciosa, adjungit et, proxima mea. Quare autem illa non dicit: Ecce speciosus proximus meus mihi, sed tantum, ecce speciosus? Quare ille non solum, speciosa es, dicit, sed, speciosa es proxima mea? Sponsa si longe fuerit a sponso, non est speciosa; tunc pulchra fit, quando Dei verbo conjungitur. Et merito nunc docetur a sponso, ut proxima sit, et a suo latere non recedat. Ecce speciosa proxima mea, ecce speciosa. Incipis quidem esse speciosa ex eo quod proxima mihi es: postquam autem coeperi esse speciosa, etiam sin additamento proximae, absolute es speciosa. Ecce speciosa proxima mea, ecce speciosa.  Origenes, In Canticum Canticorum Homilia II, Interprete Divo Hieronymo Source: Migne PG 13.50b-c

Again the speech of the bridegroom is directed to her, 'Behold my beautiful one, my near one, behold my beautiful one...' 1 Then she says to the bridegroom, 'Behold my fair brother,' but she does not add, 'my near one.' But when he says to her, 'Behold my beautiful one,' he does add, 'my near one.' Why does she not say 'Behold my beautiful one, my near one,' but only, 'Behold my beautiful one?' Why does he not say just say 'My beautiful one,' but also, 'my near one?' If the bride is far from the bridegroom, she is not beautiful. She becomes beautiful when she is joined to the Word of God. And rightly it is now taught by the bridegroom, so that she might be near and not withdraw from his side. 'Behold my beautiful one, my near one, my beautiful one.' You begin to be beautiful because you are near me, and after you have begun to be beautiful, your nearness increases it to a flawless beauty. 'Behold my beautiful one, my near one, behold my beautiful one.' Origen, Commentary On The Song of Songs, from Homily 2, translated by Saint Jerome 1 Song 1.14

Glory And Disgrace

..αἰσχύνθητε ἀπὸ καυχήσεως ὑμῶν ἀπὸ ὀνειδισμοῦ ἔναντι Kυρίου. Ἴδωμεν δὲ καὶ ἑξῆς ἐπίπληξιν ἀναγχαίαν ἣν καλὸν εἰς τὸν ἐθικὸν τόπον ἀναλαθεῖν λέγουσαν" Αἷσχύγθητε ἀπὸ καυχήσεως ὑμῶν, ἀπὸ ὀνειδισμοῦ ἐναντίον Κυρίου. Ἔστι τινὰ ἐν οἷς καυχώμεθα δια τὴν ἄνοιαν, οὐχ οὖσιν καυχήσεως ἀξίοις οἷον ἐάν καυχήσηταί τις, ὅτι πλούσιός ἐστι, καὶ πολλὰ χέχτηται, λέγοιτ᾽ ἂν πρὸς αὐτόν Αἰσχύγθητε ἀπὸ καυχήσεως ὑμῶν. Ἐὰν καυχήσηται τι; ἐπὶ εὐγενείξ ταύτῃ τῇ ἐκτὸς, λεχθήσεται πρὸς αὐτόν" Αἰσχύγθητε ἀπὸ καυχήσεως ὑμῶν. Ἐὰν καυχήσηταί τις ἐπὶ πολυτελείᾳ ἱματίων, ἐπὶ οἰκοδομῇ οἰχίας πλουσίως κατεσχευασμένης, ἀλλοτρία ἐστὶν ἡ καύχησις καυχῆς σεως ἁγίων" διὸ λεχθήσεται πρὸς τὸν τοιοῦτον᾽ Αἰσιχὺγθητε ἀπὸ καυχήσεως ὑμῶν. Άkουε τοῦ λόγου τοῦ προφήτου Ἱερεμίου χελεύοντος ἡμᾶς μὴ καυχᾶσθαι· Μηδὲ ὁ σοφὸς ἐπὶ τῇ σοφίᾳ αὐτοῦ, μηδὲ ὀϊσχυρὸς ἐν τῇ ἰσχύϊ αὑτοῦ, μηδὲ ὁ πιλούσιος ἐν' τῷ πιλούτῳ αὐτοῦ, μηδὲ ἐν τούτῳ καυχάσθω ὁ καυχώμενος, συγιεῖν καὶ γιγώσκειν, ὅτι ἐγώ εἶμι Κύριος. θέλεις καυχᾶσθαι, καὶ καυχώμενος μὴ ἀκοῦσαι, Αἰσχύνθητε ἀπὸ καυχήσεως ὑμῶν; Καύχησαι ὡς ᾿Απόστολος, καὶ εἰπέ ᾿Εμοὶ δὲ μὴ γέγοιτο καυχᾶσθαι εἰ μὴ ἐν τῷ σταυρῷ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ, δι' οὗ ἐμοὶ κόσμος ἐσταύρωται, κἀγὼ τῷ κόσμῳ. Θέλεις kαυχᾶσθαι ἵνα μὴ ἐλεγχθῇς· Αἰσιχύνθητε ἀπὸ kαυχήσεως ὑμῶν; Ἄκουε Παύλου καυχωμένου, καὶ μάνθανε, ὅταν λέγῃ· Ἥδιστα οὗν καυχήσομαι ἐν ταῖς ἀσθεγείαις μου, ἵν ἐπισκηγώσῃ ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Ἄκουε οἷα καυχᾶται καυχήματα Eν κόποις περισσοτέρως. Τίς δύναται ἡμῶν τοῦτο εἰπεῖν; Ἐν φυλακαῖς ὑπερβαλλιόντως. ἐν θανάτοις πολλιάκις ὑπὸ Ἰουδαίων πεντάχις τεσσαράκοντα παρὰ μίαν ἔλαβον, τρὶς ἐῤῥαῦδίσθην, ἅπαξ ἐλιθάσθηγν, τρὶς ἐραυάγησα. Μανθάνομεν οὖν χαὶ χαυχήσεων εἶναι διαφοράς᾽ ὥς τινας μὲν χαυχήσεις εἶναι αἰσχύνης ἀξίας, ἐφ᾽ οἷς λέγοιτ᾽ ἂν ἐχεῖνο τὸ ἀποστολιχόν᾽ Καὶ ἡ δόξα ἐν τῇ αἰσχύνῃ αὐτῶν. Ἐφ᾽ οἷς ἔδει αὐτοὺς αἰσχύνεσθαι, ἐπὶ τούτοις οἴονται δοξάζεσθαι. Ὠριγένης Ἰερεμίας, Ὁμολία IA' Source: Migne PG 13.324c-325a

...you are disgraced in your glorying, in your shame before the Lord. 1 Let us see what else there is here for needful correction, which we should receive in a moral sense: 'You are disgraced in your glorying, in your shame before me.' There are many things in which we glory and show our lack of sense. For example, if some glory in their many possessions, He says to them, 'You are disgraced in your glorying.' If some glory in the nobility of their family, it is said to them, 'You are disgraced in your glorying.' If someone fall into boasting over expensive clothing, over a house adorned with much wealth, he is far from the glory of the saints, and it is said to him: 'You are disgraced in your glorying.' Hear what the Divine speech says to Jeremiah, exhorting us not to glory in our wisdom, 'Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the rich man in his riches, he who would glory let him glory in understanding and knowing that I am the Lord.' 2 You wish to glory and not hear in your glorying: 'You are disgraced in your glorying.' ? Glory like the Apostle and say, 'Let it no be for me to glory but in the cross of Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.' 3 You wish to glory and not hear, 'You are disgraced in your glorying'? Hear Paul glorying and learn when he says, 'Gladly, then, I glory in my weaknesses so that the power of Christ might dwell in me.' 4 Hear what the glories are that he glories in, 'In much labour.' Who can say this? 'In a long time in prison, often among the dead, from the Jews who gave me forty five lashes less one, three blows of the stick, and once I was stoned, three times I suffered shipwreck.' 5 Let us learn the differences between glories and that some glory in what is shameful, and some in the things the Apostle speaks of. 'And their glory is in their disgrace.' 6 Over things which disgrace them, these they think make them glorious. Origen, from the Eleventh Homily on Jeremiah 1 Jerem 12.13 2 Jerem 9.23-24 3 Galat 6.14 4 2 Cor 12.9 5 2 Cor 11.23-25 6 Philip 3.19

The Ruin Of The Unworthy

Οὕτως εἶπεν Kύριος ἐπὶ Αχιαδ καὶ ἐπὶ Σεδεκιαν ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ δίδωμι αὐτοὺς εἰς χεῖρας βασιλέως Βαβυλῶνος καὶ πατάξει αὐτοὺς καi ὀφθαλμοὺς ὑμῶν. Τοιαῦτα πείσεται πᾶς πράσσων πρεσδύτεέρος ὑπὸ βασιλέως Βαδυλῶνος. Εἰ γὰρ ὁ ἀναξίως τις μεταλαμθάνων Εὐχαριστίαν εἰς χρῖμα λήψεται, πόσῳ μᾶλλον ὁ χαθεζόμενος ἐν πρεσδυτερίῳ συνειδότι μεμιασμένῳ, kαὶ τὸ Χριστοῦ μολύνων συνέδριον; Τίς γὰρ αὐτῷ συγχαθήμενος εὐλαδὴς λέγειν τολμήσει τὸ, Οὐχ ἐκάθισα μετὰ συνεδρίου ματαιότητος, καὶ τὰ ἐπὶ τούτοις. Ὠριγένης, Ἐκλογαι Εἰς Ἱερεμαιν Source: Migne PG 13.580a

Thus the Lord says to Achab and Sedecias, who have prophesied falsely in my name, I shall give you into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he shall punish them before your eyes. 1 All who do such things will suffer by the king of Babylon, For if someone who is unworthy takes up the Eucharist and thereby takes up his condemnation, 2 how much more shall he who sits in the counsel of elders with a wicked conscience defiles the gathering of Christ? For if there is someone who is pious sitting with him, shall he dare say, 'I have not sat in the counsel of vanity,' and what follows? 3 Origen, Commentary On Jeremiah, Fragment 1 Jerem 29.21 2 1 Cor 11.29 3 Ps 25.4

Many Spirits

Quicunque enim Spiritu Dei aguntur, hi filii sunt Dei... In quo utique ipsum Dei spiritum dicit. Et iterum in sequeti: Non enim acceptistis, inquit, spiritum servitutis iterum in timore. In hoc ostendit spiritum servitutum servituts alium esse quam illum quem supra dixit Spiritum Dei. Et propterea subjungit: Sed acceptistis spiritum adoptionis filiorum, in quo clamamus: Abba. In hoc spiritum adoptionis ostendit ipsum esse quem dixit supra Spiritum Dei, de quo et repetit: Ipse enim Spiritus testimonium reddit spiritui nostro, hoc est, ipse Spiritus Dei, in quo Patrem Deum clamamus, testimonium reddit spiritui nostro. Qui spiritus noster alius sine dubio est quam vel ille spiritus servitutis, qui datur in timore, vel hic qui ei de invocatione Patris testimonium reddit. Omnes ergo homines, ut videtur, aguntur aliquo spiritu, sicut ipse Paulus scripsit: Scitis autem et vos, cum essetis gentes, quomodo ad idola mutu agebamini. In hoc ostendit quia etiam gentes ad idola aguntur aliquo spiritu. Est ergo Spiritus Dei idem qui est et Spiritus Christi, idemque ipse et Spiritus sanctus est. Sed et spiritus adoptioinis idem dici videtur, sicut praesens apostolicus declarat sermo. David quoque qui dicit, Spiritum sanctum tuum ne auferas a me, et, Spiritu principali confirma me, de eodem dicere videtur: quemque principalem Spiritum propterea arbitror nominatum, ut ostenderetur esse quidem multos spiritus, sed in his principatum et dominationem hunc Spiritum sanctum, qui et principalis appellatur, tenere. Sicut enim multi sunt filii Dei, ut Scriptura dicit: Ego dixi Dii estis, et filii Excelsi omnes, unus tamen est natura Filius et Unigenitus de Patre, per quem omnes filii appellantur, ita et spiritus multi quidem sunt, sed unus est qui vere ex ipso Deo procedit, et caeteris omnibus vocabuli ac sanctifactionis suae gratiam donat. Quod autem plures sint spiritus declarat idem Apostolus ad Hebraeos scribens et dicens: Nonne omnes sunt ministeriales spiritus ad ministerium missi propter eos qui haereditatem capiunt salutis? Sed et David dicit: Qui facit angelos suos spiritus. Et Daniel nihilominus testatur, et dicit: Bendicite, spiritus et animae justorum, Dominum. Et in praesenti loco Pauls, Ipsa Spiritus, inquit, testimonium reddit spiritui nostro, et in aliis, Ut integer spiritus vester, et anima, et corpus in die Domini nostri Jesu Christi servetur. Quae omnia dubium non est quin de rationabilibus spiritibus dicta sint. Origenes, Commentariorum In Epistolam Beati Pauli Ad Romanos, Liber VII, Interprete Rufino Aquileiense Source: Migne PG 14.1103a-1104a

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God... 1 In which he is speaking of the same spirit of God. And again in what follows he says, 'For you have not received a spirit of slavery again unto fear,' and shows that the spirit of slavery is something different from Him whom above he called the Spirit of God. And because of this he adds, 'But you have received the spirit of adoption, by which we cry, Father.' In this he shows that the spirit of adoption is the same as Him whom above he called the Spirit of God, concerning whom he says again, 'The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit,' that is, the same Spirit of God by whom we cry out to God, 'Father' bears witness with our spirit. Which spirit of ours is without doubt different both from the spirit of slavery given unto fear, and from Him who gives testimony concerning the invocation of the Father. Therefore it seems that all men are led by some spirit, as Paul himself wrote. 'You yourselves know that when you were Gentiles you were being led to dumb idols.' 2 By that showing that even the Gentiles are led to idols by some spirit. Thus the Spirit of God is the same as the Spirit of Christ who is Himself the same as the Holy Spirit. But even the spirit of adoption seems to be called the same Spirit, as the Apostle's present passage declares. David also, who says, 'Do not take your Holy Spirit from me,' and 'With the perfect spirit strengthen me,' 3 seems to be speaking of the same Spirit, which I judge was named the perfect spirit so that it might be shown that there are indeed many spirits, but among them it is the Holy Spirit who is named perfect, who holds sovereignty and dominion. For just as there are many sons of God, as Scripture says, 'I have said you are Gods and sons of the Most High,' 4 and yet there is only one who is by nature the Son and Only Begotten from the Father, through whom all sons are named, so there are many spirits, yet only one Spirit who truly proceeds from God Himself. It is He who gives the grace of His own name and sanctification to all the others. And that there are more spirits this same Paul also declares in writing to the Hebrews, saying, 'Are they not all ministering spirits sent to minister to those who seize on the inheritance of salvation?' 5 Moreover David says, 'He who makes his angels spirits.' And Daniel bears witness and says, 'Praise the Lord, you spirits and souls of the righteous...' And in the present passage Paul says, 'The Spirit Himself bears witness with your spirit,' and elsewhere, 'So that your whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.' 6 It is not a matter of doubt, then, that all these things had been said of rational spirits. Origen, from the Commentary on the Letter of Paul to the Romans, Book 7, Translated by Rufinus of Aquileia. 1 Rom 8.14 2 1 Cor 12.2 3 Ps 50.11-12 4 Ps 82.6 5 Heb 1.14 6 Ps 104.4, Dan 3.86 LXX, Rom 8.16

The Corrupted Mountain

Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ πρὸς σὲ τὸ ὄρος τὸ διεφθαρμένον τὸ διαφθεῖρον πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν καὶ ἐκτενῶ τὴν χεῖρά μου ἐπὶ σὲ καὶ κατακυλιῶ σε ἀπὸ τῶν πετρῶν καὶ δώσω σε ὡς ὄρος ἐμπεπυρισμένον. Ὅρος τὴν Βαθυλῶνα διὰ τὸ τῆς βασιλείας ὕψος kαλεῖ' ὅπερ ἦν ἐξ εἰδωλολατρείας καὶ τῶν ἀδίχων ἔργων, δι᾿ ὧν διέφθειρε τοὺς ἄλλους διεφθαρμένον. Ἦν δὲ καὶ ἐφ᾽ ὕψους ἡ πόλις διὰ τὸν παραχεΐμενον ποταμὸν, ἐξ οὗ τινες ἀναδαθμοὶ πρὸς τὴν πόλιν ἀνέφερον, διμερῆ, τε οὖσαν καὶ ἐξ ἑχατέρας ὄχθης παραχειμένην τῷ ποταμῷ, πρὸς τῷ καὶ εἶναι τὰ τείχη τῆς πόλεως ὑψηλότατα. Χεῖρα δὲ τὴν τιμωρητιχὴν δύναμιν τὴν τῆς ἰδίας αὐτὴν ὡς ἐχ πετρῶν χαθαεροῦσαν ἀσφαλείας τε χαὶ φρουρᾶς εἰς ἄχρηστον δὲ χαὶ τοὺς λίθους αὐτῆς διὰ τὸ πῦρ ἀφανίζουσαν, ὡς μὴ συνίστασθαι λίθον πρὸς στεῤῥοϊέραν οἰχοδομίαν. ᾿Αναγωγῆς δὲ λόγῳ καὶ ὁ διάδολος ὄρος ὠνόμασται, ὡς ἐν τῷ Ζαχαρίᾳ' Τίς εἶ σὺ τὸ ὄρος τὸ μέγα, τὸ πρὸ προσὠπου Ζοροδάδε; Καὶ περὶ τοῦ ἔχοντος χωφὸν καὶ ἄλαλον δαιμόνιον ἔλεγεν ὁ Σωτήρ' Ἑὰν ἔχητε κίστιν ὡς χόχχον σιγάπεως, ἐρεῖτε τῷ ὄρει τούτῳ' Μετάδηθι, καὶ μεταδήσεται. Ὅρος οὖν ὁ διάδολος ἀπὸ τῆς ἰδίας διεφθαρμένον kαkίας, καὶ διαφθεῖρον τοὺς, ὅσοι φρονοῦσι τὰ γήϊνα. Ὠριγένης, Ἐκλογαι Εἰς Ἱερεμαιν Source: Migne PG 13.603b-c

Behold I am against you, corrupted mountain that corrupts the whole earth, with my hand stretched out against you I shall tear you from your stones, and I shall make of you a burnt heap. 1 Babylon is called a mountain because of the eminence of its kingdom, which being corrupted with its idolatry and wicked works corrupted others. And the city itself was set on a high place because of the proximity of the river, from which steps rose up to the city, on two sides, even from both banks of the river. And besides this the city walls were very high. But the hand is the punishing power that tears it from its own security and fortifications, as from a stone foundation, and its stones will be of no more use because of the coming fire, and there shall not be one of them able to make firm its construction. And by reason of anagoge the devil is also called a mountain, as in Zachariah, 'Who are you, great mountain, who are before the face of Zorobabel?' 2 And concerning him who had a deaf and dumb demon, the Saviour said, 'If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mountain, Go, and it would go.' 3 Thus the mountain is the devil corrupted by his own depravity, and he corrupts those who know the things of the earth. Origen, Commentary On Jeremiah, Fragment 1 Jerem 51.25 2 Zach 4.7 3 Mt 17.19

The City And The Height

Oὕτως εἶπεν Kύριος ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἀποστρέψω τὴν ἀποικίαν Ιακωβ καὶ αἰχμαλωσίαν αὐτοῦ ἐλεήσω, Καὶ οἰκοδομηθήσεται ἡ πόλις ἐπὶ τὸ ὕψες αὐτῆς. Εἴποις δ᾽ ἂν, ὅτι Kαὶ τὴν ἰδίαν ἐπιδείχνυσιν ἀγαθότητα, δι᾽ ἣν kαὶ τὴν ἀποτομίαν ἐπάγει τοῖς αὐτῆς ἐν χρείᾳ τυγχάνουσι. Διὸ, μετὰ τὸ εἰς ἀλγεινὸν θεραπευθῆναι, οἰκοδομηθήσεται, φησὶν, ἡ πόλις ἐπὶ τὸ ὕψος αὑτῆς. Ποῖον ὕψος ; Οὐ δύναται πόλις ἐπάνω ὄρους κειμένη κρυδῆναι, ὁποία ἐστὶν, ἡ μηδὲν φρονοῦσα ταπεινὸν ἣ ἀνθρώπινον, ἡδονάς, φῆσι χαὶ πλοῦτον ἐν γῇ χαὶ δοξάρια. Συνηγέρθη γὰρ τῷ Χριστῷ, καὶ τὰ ἄνω ζητεῖ. Ταῦτά σου ποιοῦντος, οἰχοδομηθήσεται ἡ πόλις σου ἐπὶ τὸ ὕψος αὐτῆς. Ὠριγένης, Ἐκλογαι Εἰς Ἱερεμαιν Source: Migne PG 13.580b

Thus says the Lord, 'I will bring back the tent of Jacob and I will have pity on the ruins, and the city shall be built on her height.' 1 One may say that here His benevolence is manifested, because of which it was necessary to act severely with those who needed it. Therefore, after a painful cure, He says that 'the city shall be built up on her height.' On what height? It is not possible to hide a city built on a hill, 2 that is, it knows nothing base or human, and I speak here of pleasures and worldly wealth and glory. For rising with Christ it seeks the things which are above. 3 In the doing of such things the city shall be built on her height. Origen, Commentary On Jeremiah, Fragment 1 Jerem 30.18 2 1 Mt 5.14 3 Colos 3.1-2

Many Kingdoms

Qui quaesierit, inquit, animam suam salvare, perdet et qui perdiderit eam, salvabit eam. Martyres quaerunt salvare animam suam: propterea perdunt, ut salvent eam. Qui vero volunt salvare animam suam, ut non perdant eam, hi et corpus corpus et animam perdunt pariter in gehennam. Quamobrem nolite timere eos, ait, qui possunt corpus occidere, sed timete magis eum qui potest animam et corpus perdere in gehennam. Hoc ad propositum, juxta vires ingenii nostri breviter dixerimus. Animalis autem non recipit ea quae sunt spiritus: et idcirco salvari non potest. Seminatur corpus animale, surgit corpus spiritale. Porro qui adhaeret Domino, spiritus unus efficitur. Si ergo qui Domino copulatur, cum animalis esset per id in spiritalem vertitur, et unus est spiritus: nos quoque perdamus animam nostram, ut adhaerentes Domino in unum spiritum transformemur. Sed et de regno Dei interrogatus, respondit Salvator Pharisaeis: Quando venerit, inquit, non venit regnum Dei cum observatione, neque dicunt, ecce hic, aut ecce ibi. Regnum enim Dei intra vos est. Non omnibus Salvator dicit, regnum Dei intra vos est: siquidem in peccatoribus regnum peccati est, et absque ulla ambiguitate, aut regnum peccati, aut regnum Dei in corde nostro imperat. Unde sive quae facimus, sive quae loquimur, sive quae cogitamus, contemplemur attentius, et tunc videbimus utrum Dei imperium regnet in nobis, an imperium delictorum. Quam diversitatem sciens Apostolus, quosdam commonet, dicens: Non regnet peccatum in mortali vestro corpore. Si quis nostrum desiderat regnum Dei, regnatur ab eo. Si quis avaritiae ardore cruciatur, regnatur ab avaritia. Porro qui injustitiam reginam habet, regnatur ab ea. Qui vanae gloriae ambitione sustollitur, regnat ei aura popularis. Qui moeret, qui aliquid reformidat, qui amat, qui desiderat, imperant ei singula, prout perturbationibus variis possidetur. Quae omnia cognoscentes, et quam multa sint genera regnorum, surgamus precemurque Deum, ut auferat a nobis regnum inimici, et possimus sub regno esse Dei omnipotentis, id est sub regno sapientiae, pacis, justitiae, veritatis, quae cuncta in unigenito Dei Filio intelliguntur, cui est gloria et imperium in saecula saeculorum. Amen. Origenes, Homiliae in Lucam, Homilia XXXVI, De eo quod scriptum est: Qui voluerit animam suam salvare, perdet eam, usque ad eum locum ubi ait: Regnum Dei intra vos est, Interprete Sancto Hieronymo Source: Migne PG 13.1894b-1895b

'He who seeks to save his soul,' He says 'shall lose it, and he who loses it shall save it.' 1 Martyrs seek to save their souls , because of which they perish so that they might save them. However, he who wishes to save his soul so that he might not lose it, he loses both his body and soul in hell. 'Do not fear those, He says, 'who can kill the body, but fear more Him who can destroy the soul and the body in hell. 2 Concerning this, according to the men of our understanding, we shall speak briefly. 'But the animal man cannot receive the things of the spirit,' and thus cannot be saved. 'The animal body is sown, the spiritual body rises up.' 3 But he who adheres to the Lord is made one spirit. Therefore if he who is bound to the Lord by that turns what is animal into what is spiritual, the spirit is one, and we lose our own souls, so that adhering to the Lord we might be transformed into one spirit. Then questioned about the kingdom of God, the Saviour answers the Pharisees: 'When it comes, the kingdom of heaven does not come before the eye, nor will they say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' but the kingdom of God is within you.' 4 He does not say 'the kingdom of God is within you,' to everyone, for certainly the kingdom of sin reigns in those who sin, and without any doubt either the kingdom of sin or the kingdom of God reigns in us. Therefore let us carefully think on what we do and what we say and what we think, and then we shall see whether it is the kingdom of God that reigns in us or the kingdom of the wicked. Which difference the Apostle understood, warning them: 'Do not let sin reign in your bodies.' 5 If one of us desires the kingdom of God, it reigns in us. If someone is troubled by avarice, avarice reigns in him. But he who has the kingdom of unrighteousness, he is ruled by that. He who is puffed up with the vainglory of ambition is ruled by the whims of the people. He who groans or fears something, and he who desires, he is ruled by that, and without doubt possessed by various troubles. Which all knowing, let us rise up and pray to God, that as there are many types of kingdoms, He will take from us the kingdom of the enemy, even so that we are able to come under the reign of almighty God, that is, under the reign of wisdom and peace and righteousness and truth, which are all understood in the only begotten Son of God, to whom be glory and rule forever. Origen, Homilies on Luke, from Homily 36, , On that which is written: 'He who wishes to save his soul shall lose it...' to where it is said, 'the kingdom of God is within you.' Translated by Saint Jerome 1 Lk 17.33 2 Lk 12.4-5 3 1 Cor 2.14, 1 Cor 15.44 4 Lk 17.20-21 5 Rom 6.12

Unbinding The Colt

Mittit Salvator discipulos suos, ut solvant pullum asinae super quem nullus hominum aliquando sederat. Porro quid aliud super asinum sedere potest absque homine? Volo paulisper exemplum sumere, ut quod dicturus sum, possit intelligi. Scriptum est in Isaia: Visio quadrupedum in tribulatione et angustia, et reliqua, usque ad eum locum ubi ait: Non proderunt eis divitiae aspidum. Unusquisque nostrum consideret quantas opes aspidum ante portaverit, quantas divitias bestiarum, et quomodo numquam rationabilis homo sederit super asinum nostrum, non sermo Moysi, non Isaiae, non Jeremiae, nec reliquorum omnium prophetarum: et videbit tunc sedisse super nos sermonem Dei atque rationem, quando venit Dominus Jesus, et praecepit discipulis suis, ut euntes solverent pullum asinae, qui prius vinctus fuerat, ut liber incederet. Solutus itaque pullus asinae adducitur ad Jesum, ad cujus solutionem mittens discipulos dixerat: Si quis vos interrogaverit quare solvitis pullum, dicite ei quia Dominus necessarium illum habet. Multi erant domini hujus pulli antequam Salvator cum haberet necessarium: postquam vero ille coepit esse dominus, plures domini esse cessaverunt. Nemo enim potest Deo servire et mammonae. Quando malitiae servierimus, multis sumus passionibus vitiisque subjecti. Solvitur ergo pullus, quia Dominus necessarium cum habet. Vos estis pullus asinae, quid vestri Filius Dei necessarium habet? quid a vobis expetit? salute vestra opus habet, cupit vos solvi vinculis peccatorum. Deinde mittunt discipuli vestes suas super asinum, et sedere faciunt Salvatorem. Assumunt sermonem Dei, et imponunt cum super animas auditorum. Vestibus exuuntur, substernunt eas in via. Super nos sunt vestimenta apostolorum: opera eorum bona, ornamenta nostra sunt, volunt apostoli indumenta sua calcari a nobis. Et revera solutus a discipulis asinus, et portans Jesum, incidit super vestimenta apostolorum, quando doctrinam eorum imitatur et vitam. Quis nostrum ita beatus est, ut sedeat super illum Jesus? Qui quamdiu in monte fuit, cum suis apostolis morabatur: quando vero coepit vicinus esse descensui, tum occurrit ei turba populorum. Si non venisset ad descensum, non ei poterat occurrere multitudo. Descendit, seditque super pullum asinae, et omnis populus voce consona laudabat Deum. Quod Pharisaei videntes, dicebant Domino: Increpas eos. Quibus ille respondit: Si isti tacuerint, lapides clamabunt. Quando nos loquimur, lapides silent: quando nos tacemus, lapides clamant. Potest enim Dominus de lapidibus istis suscitare filios Abrahae. Quo tempore nos tacebimus? Quando refrixerit charitas multorum, quando illud quod a Salvatore praedicatum est, fuerit impletum: Putas veniens Filius hominis inveniet fidem super terram? Propterea Domini misericordiam deprecemur, ne nobis tacentibus, lapides clamitent; sed loquamur et laudemus Deum in Patre, et Filio, et Spiritu sancto. Origenes, Homiliae in Lucam, Homilia XXXVII, De eo quod a discipulis pullus asinae solutus est, Interprete Sancto Hieronymo Source: Migne PG 13.1895c-1896d

The Saviour sends His disciples to loose the colt of an ass which was bound and on whom no man had ever sat. 1 How was it that no man had ever sat on it? I wish for a moment to take up an example, so that what I shall say shall be understood. It is written in Isaiah, 'A vision of beasts in distress and anguish...' and the rest, until that place where it says, '...the wealth of asses shall not profit them.' 2 Let each one of us consider how much of the wealth of asses he carried before, how much the wealth of beasts, and how a rational man had never sat on our ass, neither the speech of Moses, nor Isaiah, nor Jeremiah, nor any of the rest of the Prophets, and then let us see that the rational word had come to sit upon us when Jesus Christ came and instructed His disciples to go and untie the colt of an ass, which had been bound, so that it might walk freely. Thus the unbinding of the colt of the ass leads to Jesus, to which unbinding He sends the disciples, saying, 'If someone asks you why you are untying the colt, say to him that the master has need of it.' Many were its masters before the Lord had need of it, but after He begins to be the master the other masters fall away. 'No one can serve God and mammon.' 3 When we are servants of wickedness we are the subjects of many passions and vices. Therefore the colt is unbound because the Lord has need. You are the colt of the ass, why would the Lord have need of you? What does He want with you? He cares for your salvation. He wishes for you to be unbound from the chains of sin. Then the disciples threw their garments over the ass and made the Saviour sit. They take up the word of God and place it on the souls of those who hear. They take off their garments and strew them in the way. The vestments of the Apostles are over us, their good works are our adornments, and they wish their cloaks to be trodden on by us. And truly the ass untied by the disciples and bearing Jesus walks on the cloaks of the Apostles when their teaching and way is imitated. Who of us is so blessed that Jesus sits upon us? He who while he was on the mount tarried with His Apostles, but then He began to come near when He descended, and that so that He might approach the crowd of the people. If He had not come down, the multitude would not have been able to meet Him. 4 He descends, He sits on the colt of the ass and all the people praise God with one voice. When the Pharisees see, they say to the Lord, 'Cry out against them,' and He answers, 'If I silenced them, the stones would cry out.' When we speak the stones are silent, when we are silent the stones cry out. For the Lord can raise up sons of Abraham from stones. 5 At what time shall we be silent? When the love of many cools, when that which has been preached by the Saviour is fulfilled. Do you think that the son of man shall find faith on earth? 6 Let us pray for the mercy of the Lord, lest with us being silent, the stones cry out. But let us speak and praise God, in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit Origen, Homilies on Luke, from Homily 37, On why the donkey colt was unbound by the disciples, translated by Saint Jerome 1 Lk 19.29-30 2 Isaiah 30.6 3 Lk 16.13 4 Mt 5.1-8.1 5 Mt 3.8 6 Lk 18.8

Kings And Reigns

Tam Filio Dei, quam Antichristo regnandi studium est. Sed et Antichristus regnare desiderat, ut occidat quos sibi subjecerit; Christus ad hoc regnat ut salvet. Et unusquisque nostrum, si felix est; regnatur a Christo sermone, sapientia, justitia, veritate. Si autem amatores voluptatis sumus magis quam amatores Dei, regnamur a peccato, de quo Apostolus loquitur: Non ergo regnet peccatum in vestro mortali corpore. Duo igitur reges certatim regnare festinant: peccati rex peccatoribus diabolus, justitiae rex justis Christus. Origenes, Homiliae in Lucam, Homilia XXX, Interprete Sancto Hieronymo Source: Migne PG 13.1877a-b

As it is with the Son of God, so the Antichrist has a zeal to rule. But the Antichrist desires to rule so that he may ruin those who are subject to him, whereas Christ wishes to save us. Each of us, if we are blessed, rule through Christ, in word, and in wisdom, and in righteousness, and in truth. But if we are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, then we are ruled by sin, concerning which the Apostle says, 'Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body.' 1 Thus two kings are eager to reign, the devil over sinners in sin, and Christ over the righteous in righteousness. Origen, Homilies on Luke, from Homily 30, Translated by Saint Jerome 1 Rom 6.12

Love, Life and Eternity

Σαφῶς ἐν τούτοις παρίσταται ἡ κατὰ τὸν δημιουργὸν τοῦ κόσμου Θεὸν καὶ τὰς αὐτοῦ Γραφὰς κηρυσσομένη ζωὴ αἰώνιος, ἤν κὶα ὁ Σωτὴρ καταγγέλλει. Πυθομένου οὖν τοῦ νομικοῦ· Τί ποιήσας ζωὴν αἰώνιον κληρονομήσω; ἐπὶ τὸν νόμον ἀναπέμπει, ἐκεῖθεν συνάγῃ ἐντολὰς τὰς προσαγούσας τὸν ποιοῦντα αὐτὰς τῇ αἰωνίῳ ζωῇ. Μαρτυρεῖ γοῦν τῷ εἰληθότι ἀπὸ μὲν τοῦ Δευτρονομίου τὸ Ἀγαπήσεις Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου· ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ Λευῖτικοῦ τὸ, Τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτὸν, Ὁρθῶς ἀπεκρίθης, καὶ προστίθησι· Τοῦτο ποίει, καὶ ζήσῃ, δηλονότι τὴν ζωὴν τὴν αἰώνιον, περὶ ἦς κάκεῖνός τε ἐπύθετο, καὶ ὁ Σωτὴρ διδάσκει. Ταῦτα δὲ εἴρηται πρὸς τοὺς ἀπὸ Οὐαλεντίνου, καὶ Βασιλίδου, καὶ τούς ἀπὸ Μαρκίωνος. Ἔχουσι γὰρ καὶ αὐτοὶ τὰς λέξεις ἐν τῷ καθ' ἑαυτοὺς Εὐαγγελίῳ· καὶ φήσομεν πρὸς αὐτούς· Ὁ μαρτυρήσας τῷ, ὅτι Ἀγαπήσεις Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου, τὴν ἐντολὴν ἀπὸ Νόμου εἰρηκότι, οὐ παρὰ τινος ἄλλου ἤ του δυμιουργοῦ εἰρημένην, καὶ φήσας ἐπὶ τούτοις αὐτῷ, Ὀρθῶς ἀπεκρίθης, τί ἄλλὸ βούλεται ἡμᾶς πράττειν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ζῆσαι τὴν αἰώνιον ζωὴν, ἤ ἀγαπᾷν τὸν Θεὸν, τὸν ἐν νομῳ καὶ προφήταις, ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ; Ὁ Σωτὴρ δὲ ψοῦν ἀπεφήνατο περὶ τῶν δύο ἐντολῶν λέγων· Καὶ ἐν αὐταῖς ὅλος ὁ νόμος καὶ οἱ προφῆται κρέμανται. Ὠριγένης, Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Λουκαν Ἐπαγγελιον Source : Migne PG 13.1904c-d

According to God the creator of the world and the things preached in the Scriptures and as the Saviour declares, eternal life is manifestly offered in these things, whence being questioned by the lawyer, 'What shall I do to have eternal life,' 1 He directs him to the Law, there to gather from the commandments what shall grant eternal life. He gives witness, therefore, to that which is found in Deuteronomy: 'Love the Lord your God,' and in Leviticus: 'Love your neighbour as yourself,' 2 saying, 'You have answered correctly,' then adding, 'Do this and live,' that is, the life that is eternal, about which the man questioned Him, and the Saviour taught. And these things said are opposed to the sectarians of Valentinus and Basilides and Marcion, for they have these same words in their own Gospel, and we say to them, the commandment 'Love the Lord your God,' is quoted from the Law and He does not commend it as anything else but as something said by the Creator, and therefore He says, 'You have answered correctly,' because what else does He wish us to do so that we might live the eternal life but to love God with the whole heart, which is likewise found in the Law and in the prophets? Then the Saviour gives His judgement regarding these two commandments, 'And from these hang all the Law and the prophets.' 3 Origen, On the Gospel of St Luke, Fragment from the Orations of Macarius Chrysocephalus on Luke 1 Lk 10.25 2 Deut 6.5, Levit 19.18 3 Mt 22.40

Ordered And Disordered Love

Ordinate in me charitatem... Eleganter locutus est, ordinate, plurimorum quippe inordinata est charitas; quando in primo loco debent diligere, diligunt in secundo: quod in secundo, diligunt in primo: et quod oportet amare quarto, amant tertio: et rursus tertium in quarto, et est in plerisque charitatis ordo perversus. Sanctorum vero charitas ordinata est. Volo ad intelligendum hoc quod dictum est, ordinate in me charitatem, aliqua exempla replicare. Te vult divinus sermo diligere patrem, filium, filiam; vult te sermo divinus diligere Christum. Nec dicit tibi, ne diligas liberos, ne parentibus charitate jungaris. Sed quid dicit? Ne inordinatam habeas charitatem, ne primum patrem, aut matrem, deinde me diligas: ne filii et filiae plus quam mei charitate tenearis. Qui amat patrem aut matrem super me, non est me dignus: qui amat filium aut filiam super me, non est me dignus. Recole conscientiam tuam de patris, matris, fratrisve affectu, et considera qualem circa sermonem Dei et Jesu habeas charitatem: statim deprehendes magis te filium et filiam diligere, quam Verbum: magis te parentes amare, quam Christum. Quis, putas, ita proficit ex nobis, ut praecipuam et primam inter omnes sermones Dei habeat charitatem, qui in secundo loco liberos ponat? Juxta hunc modum, ama uxorem tuam. Nullus quippe aliquando suam carnem odio habuit, sed amat ut carnem. Et erunt, inquit, duo in carne una, et non in uno spiritu. Ama et Deum; sed ama illum, non ut carnem et sanguinem, sed ut spiritum. Qui enim adhaeret Deo, unus spiritus est. Igitur ordinata est charitas in perfectis. Ut autem post Deum etiam inter nos ordo ponatur, primum mandatum est, ut diligamus parentes: secundum, ut filios: tertium, ut domesticos nostros. Si autem filius malus est, et domesticus bonus: domesticus in charitate filii collocetur. Et ita fiet, ut sanctorum ordinata sit charitas. Magister quoque et Dominus noster in Evangelio praecepta de charitate constituens, ad uniuscujusque dilectionem proprium aliquid apposuit, et dedit intelligentiam ordinis his qui possunt audire Scripturam dicentem: Ordinate in me charitatem. Diliges Dominum Deum tuum ex toto corde tuo, et ex tota mente tua, et ex tota anima tua, et ex tota virtute tua. Diliges proximum tuum, sicut teipsum: non proximum ex toto corde, ex tota anima, et ex tota virtute, et ex tota mente. Rursus, inquit: Diligite inimicos vestros: et non apposuit, ex toto corde. Non est inordinatus sermo divinus, nec impossibilia praecipit, nec dicit: diligite inimicos vestros ut vosmetipsos: sed tantum, diligite inimicos vestros; sufficit eis, quod eos diligimus, et odio non habemus. Proximum vero, ut teipsum. Porro Deum ex toto corde, et ex tota anima, et ex tota mente, et ex tota virtute. Si haec intellexeris, et intellecta compleveris, fecisti quod sponsi sermone praecipitur: Introducite me in domum vini, ordinate in me. charitatem. Origenes, In Canticum Canticorum Homilia II, Interprete Divo Hieronymo Source: Migne PG 13.53b-c

Order love in me... 1 It is spoken elegantly, in order, for certainly love is disordered in many, when what they should love first they love second, and what they should second they love first, and what they should love fourth, they love third, and again what they should love third they love fourth, for in most the order of love has been perverted. But the love of those who are holy is ordered. I wish this which is said, 'Order love in me,' to be understood by turning back to a certain example. The Divine word wishes you to love a father, a son, a daughter, and the Divine word wishes you to love Christ. It is not said to you, 'Do not love your children,' nor 'Do not be attached to your parents by love.' But what is said? That love should not be disordered so that you love your father and mother first and then me. Do not prefer the love of your son or daughter before me, for it is not worthy of me. 'He who loves his father and mother before me is not worthy of me. He who loves his son and daughter before me is not worthy of me.' 2 Review your conscience regarding the affection you have for your father and mother and family, and consider what sort of love you have for Jesus and the word of God. Suddenly you grasp that you love your sons and daughter more than the Word. You love your parents more than Christ. Who do you think it helps among us that love is held to be special and primary among all the words of God, which put offspring in second place? In this way love your wife. Since no one has hatred for his own flesh but he loves it as flesh. 3 'And they shall be two in one flesh,'  He says, 4 and yet not in one spirit. Love God, but do not love him as flesh and blood, but as spirit. For he who adheres to God is one spirit. This is how love is ordered in those who are perfect. Thus our own are placed in order after God. First is the commandment that we love parents, secondly our children, thirdly our household. But if a son is wicked and a slave good, the slave is placed into the love of a son. And that it should be, so it is that love is ordered in those who are holy. In the Gospel our teacher and Lord sets down a precept concerning love, that each love be applied appropriately, and He gives the reason for this order to those who are able to the hear the Scripture saying: 'Order love in me.' 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your mind and with all your soul and with all your strength. Love your neighbour as yourself.' 5 But not your neighbour with all your heart and all your mind and with all your soul and all your strength. Again He says, 'Love your enemies,' 6 but does not add 'with all your heart.' There is no disorder in the Divine speech, nor does it teach impossible things, nor does it say, 'Love your enemies as yourself,' but only, 'Love your enemies,' It is enough for them that we love them and have no hate for them. A neighbour, however, is to be loved as oneself. And God is to be loved with the whole heart, and with the whole soul, and with the whole mind, and with all one's strength. If you understand this and have a full understanding, you will do what word of the spouse commands: 'Bring me into the house of wine, order love in me.' Origen, Commentary On The Song of Songs, from Homily 2, translated by Saint Jerome 1 Song 2.4 2 Mt 10.37 3 Ephes 5.29 4 Gen 2.24 5 Deut 6, Mt 12, Mk 12, Lk 10 6 Lk 56.35