Refutation of All Heresies 6.47.2
Authorship disputed: The work names no author. Book 1 was long printed among Origen's works as the Philosophumena; after books 4–10 were found in a manuscript from Mount Athos (published 1851), it was assigned to Hippolytus, the usual view today, though some scholars ascribe it to another Roman writer of the same circle. Books 2 and 3 are lost, and book 4 lacks its beginning.
Summary: The dove at Jesus' baptism is “omega and alpha,” since the letters of “dove” add up to 801.
Greek text · Duncker–Schneidewin, 316
ὃν ἐφανέρωσεν, ἐλθόντος αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸ βάπτισμα, ἡ τῆς περιστερᾶς κάθοδος, ἥτις ἐστὶν ὦ καὶ ἄλφα, διʼ ἀριθμοῦ δηλουμένου ὀκτακοσίων ἑνός, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο Μωσέα ἐν τῇ ἕκτῃ ἡμέρᾳ λέγειν τὸν ἄνθρωπον γεγονέναι.
English · Claude translation
whom the descent of the dove made manifest when he came to baptism; the dove is omega and alpha, shown by the number eight hundred and one; and for this reason Moses says that man came into being on the sixth day.
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The letters of περιστερά (“dove”) total 801, the value of ω (800) and α (1).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (unread letter in the digital text; the number 801 makes it certain): ἐστὶν (??) καὶ ἄλφα → ἐστὶν ὦ καὶ ἄλφα.
Cite this passage
Hippolytus, Haer. 6.47.2 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/hippolytus-refutatio/6/47/2/).
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Plain text
Hippolytus, Haer. 6.47.2 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/hippolytus-refutatio/6/47/2/).
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