Commentary on the Song of Songs 2.169–3.183

Origen · Commentary on the Song of Songs · ca. 240–245 (Rufinus's translation ca. 410) · Caesarea · 16 passages

Latin text: Migne, PG 13 (Latin text: Migne, Patrologia Graeca vol. 13 (1862), transcribed from library-scan OCR of the printed volume; section divisions and supplied lines: Baehrens, GCS 33 (1925), public domain).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).

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Chapter 2

2.169PG 13:142b–143b

Quod ergo ait: Alligamentum guttae fraternus meus mihi , corporeae nativitatis ejus indicat sacramentum. Videtur enim quodammodo alligamentum esse et vinculum quoddam animae corpus, quod alligamentum guttae in Christo divinae virtutis ac suavitatis astringitur. Si autem ad unamquamque animam quae dicta sunt referuntur, alligatura guttae dogmatum continentia constrictio ac divinarum sententiarum nodositas intelligitur. Innexa enim sibi invicem sunt fidei rationes et vinculis veritatis astricta. Denique et lex mundum dicit esse omne vas quod alligatum est, immundum vero quod solutum fuerit, et non ligatum . Cujus rei haec figura erat, quod Christus in quo nunquam fuit ulla immunditia peccati, alligamentum guttae dicitur. Et ideo anima non debet contingere aliquid dissolutum, et quod non sit ratione subnixum et dogmatum veritate constrictum, ne immunda fiat. Qui enim immundum contigerit, immundus erit secundum legem. Continget namque eum sensus irrationabilis et alienus a sapientia Dei, et faciet eum immundum. Vide autem si forte Filium Dei in carne guttam dictum, et quasi breve aliquid et exiguum nominatum possumus accipere, sicut et Daniel de eo dicit: Lapidem parvum de monte excisum sine manibus, et factum post haec montem magnum. Vel sicut in libello duodecim prophetarum nihilominus gutta quidem futura dicitur, quae congreget populum. Est ergo et in prophetis ita scriptum : Et erit , ex gutta populi hujus congregatus congregabitur Iacob. Decebat enim eum qui veniebat congregare non solum Jacob, sed et omnes gentes, quae, sicut propheta dicit, reputata sunt tanquam gutta ex situla, exinanientem se divinitatis forma, effici ipsum ut guttam, et sic venire ad congregandam guttam gentium, et guttam nihilominus reliquiarum Jacob. Sed et in quadragesimo quarto psalmo dicitur ad dilectum, cui etiam ipse psalmus ascribitur : Myrrha et gutta et casia a vestimentis tuis. A

When she says, then, "A bundle of the drop is my kinsman to me," it indicates the mystery of his bodily birth. For the body seems in a way to be a bundle and a kind of bond of the soul, a bundle which in Christ binds the drop of divine power and sweetness. But if what has been said is referred to each soul, the bundle of the drop is understood as the binding together of the contents of doctrines and the knottedness of divine sentences. For the reasons of faith are interwoven with one another and bound by the bonds of truth. Indeed the law also says that every vessel that is bound up is clean, but what is loosed and not bound is unclean. This was a figure of the fact that Christ, in whom there was never any uncleanness of sin, is called a bundle of the drop. And therefore the soul must not touch anything loose, which is not supported by reason and bound by the truth of doctrines, lest it become unclean. For whoever touches the unclean will be unclean according to the law. For an irrational sense, foreign to the wisdom of God, will touch him and make him unclean. See also whether we can take it that the Son of God in the flesh is called a drop, and named as something small and slight; just as Daniel too says of him: "A small stone cut from the mountain without hands, and afterwards it became a great mountain." Or as in the book of the twelve prophets likewise a drop is said to be coming which will gather the people. For it is written thus in the prophets: "And it shall be, from the drop of this people Jacob shall surely be gathered." For it was fitting that he who came to gather not only Jacob but all the nations, which, as the prophet says, are counted as a drop from a bucket, emptying himself of the form of the Godhead, should himself become as a drop, and so come to gather the drop of the nations and likewise the drop of the remnant of Jacob. And in the forty-fourth psalm it is said to the beloved, to whom the psalm itself is ascribed: "Myrrh and drop and cassia from your garments."

Song 1:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Num 19:15 (allusion, high confidence) · Num 19:22 (allusion, high confidence) · Dan 2:34 (quotation, high confidence) · Dan 2:35 (quotation, high confidence) · Mic 2:12 (quotation, medium confidence) · Isa 40:15 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 2:7 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 45:8 (44:9 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The 'bundle of the drop' signifies Christ's body binding his divine power, or for the soul the binding of doctrines (as only bound vessels are clean); Christ is a 'drop', small like Daniel's stone, who gathers the nations.

The rule about bound vessels is Num 19:15.
'From the drop of this people' follows the Greek of Mic 2:11–12; the identification is probable.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip; OCR slips; OCR slips and stray marks; OCR slips, split word and stray marks; stray mark; stray marks and OCR slip): Alligamentum gutta: fraternus → Alligamentum guttae fraternus; corporea: nativitatis → corporeae nativitatis; Videtur cnim quodammodo alligamentum esse et vinculum quodedam anima corpus, quod alligamentum gutta in Christo divina virtutis → Videtur enim quodammodo alligamentum esse et vinculum quoddam animae corpus, quod alligamentum guttae in Christo divinae virtutis; animam qua dicta sunt referuntur, alligatura gutta dogmatum → animam quae dicta sunt referuntur, alligatura guttae dogmatum; lnnexa enim sibi invicem sunt fidei rationes ct vinculis → Innexa enim sibi invicem sunt fidei rationes et vinculis; Cujus rei hac figura erat → Cujus rei haec figura erat; alligamentum gutta dicitur. Et ideo → alligamentum guttae dicitur. Et ideo; d0gmatum veritate → dogmatum veritate; secundum legem “9. Continget namqne → secundum legem. Continget namque; montem magnum ’°. → montem magnum.; qua eongregct populum. Est ergo et in prolthetis → quae congreget populum. Est ergo et in prophetis; Decebat cnim → Decebat enim; situla 9', exinanien~ ο tem se divinitatis forma, cftici ipsum ut guttam, et sic venire ad eongregandam → situla, exinanientem se divinitatis forma, effici ipsum ut guttam, et sic venire ad congregandam; Myrr/ta et gutta et casia a vestimentis tuis θ’. Α → Myrrha et gutta et casia a vestimentis tuis. A.

Topics: Christology

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Cant. 2.169 (PG 13:142b–143b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-commentarius-canticum/2-169/#p-2-169). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Rufinus's Latin translation of Origen's lost Greek (Migne PG 13, from the library scan's OCR, slips corrected as logged; lost lines supplied from Baehrens, GCS 33, 1925, where noted); cited by book and the page of Baehrens's edition; no public-domain English translation exists, so each batch was re-read against the Latin.

2.170PG 13:143b–144d

vestimentis ergo Verbi Dei , quae est doctrina sapientiae, procedit myrrha, mortis indicium duntaxat pro humano genere suscepta. Gutta, ut supra diximus, exinanita divinitatis forma , servilis forma suscepta dignatio. Casia quoque, quoniam id genus herba aquis indesinentibus nutriri dicitur et coalescere, redemptionem humani generis per aquas baptismi indicat datam. Sic ergo alligaturam guttae fraternum suum sponsa tanquam nuptiali dramate loquens inter medium uberum suorum commorantem dicit: ubera, ut superius jam diximus, principale cordis adverte, in quo Ecclesia Christum, vel anima Verbum Dei desiderii sui vinculis alligatum tenet et astrictum. Si quis enim Verbum Dei toto affectu in corde suo et toto amore constringit, ipse solus poterit odorem fragrantiae ejus et suavitatis accipere. Botrus cypri fraternus meus mihi in vineis Engaddi. Quantum ad litterae ipsius explanationem, habet aliquid ambiguum quod ait : Botrus cypri fratruelis mihi; quia et uva florens cyprus dicitur, ferens etiam ipsa floridum quemdam fructum in modum florentis uva prolatum. Sed videtur magis ad fructum vitis respicere sermo, quandoquidem vinearum Engaddi facta est memoria. Engaddi autem ager terrae Judaeae est, non tantum vineis quantum balsamis florens. Hic ergo erit historicus sensus sponsae loquentis ad adolescentulas, ut intelligatur dicens, primo quidem : Nardus mea odorem mihi sponsi mei reddit. Secundo vero alligamentum gutta effectus est fraternus meus mihi demorans inter media ubera mea. Tertio botrus cypri ex vineis Engaddi superans omne quidquid est in odoribus et floribus suavitatis : quo scilicet audientes haec adolescentulae magis ac magis ad charitatem sponsi concitentur et amorem.

From the garments of the Word of God, then, which are the teaching of wisdom, proceeds myrrh, the sign, namely, of the death undergone for the human race. The drop, as we said above, is his condescension in emptying himself of the form of the Godhead and taking the form of a servant. The cassia too, since this kind of plant is said to be nourished and to grow by unceasing waters, indicates the redemption of the human race given through the waters of baptism. So the bride, speaking as in a wedding drama, says that her kinsman, the bundle of the drop, dwells between her breasts. By the breasts, as we have already said above, understand the ruling part of the heart, in which the church holds Christ, or the soul the Word of God, bound and held fast by the bonds of its desire. For if anyone binds the Word of God in his heart with all his disposition and all his love, he alone will be able to receive the scent of his fragrance and sweetness. "A cluster of henna is my kinsman to me, in the vineyards of Engedi." As for the explanation of the letter itself, the words "a cluster of henna is my kinsman to me" have some ambiguity, because the flowering grape too is called cyprus, itself bearing a kind of flowering fruit produced in the manner of a flowering grape. But the saying seems rather to look to the fruit of the vine, since mention is made of the vineyards of Engedi. Engedi is a district of the land of Judea, flourishing not so much in vineyards as in balsam. This, then, will be the historical sense of the bride speaking to the young maidens, to be understood as saying, first: My nard gives back to me the fragrance of my bridegroom; second: My kinsman has become to me a bundle of the drop dwelling between my breasts; third: a cluster of henna from the vineyards of Engedi, surpassing all that is sweet in scents and flowers; so that the young maidens, hearing these things, may be stirred more and more to the love and desire of the bridegroom.

Ps 45:8 (44:9 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Phil 2:6 (allusion, high confidence) · Phil 2:7 (allusion, high confidence) · Song 1:13 (allusion, high confidence) · Song 1:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Song 1:12 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Myrrh, drop and cassia signify Christ's death, self-emptying and baptism; the Word bound in the heart gives his fragrance; verse 14's 'cluster of henna of Engedi' completes the bride's threefold praise to rouse the maidens.

'Henna' renders cyprus (Greek kypros), the henna plant; Origen discusses whether it refers to a flowering grape or a distinct tree.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (Migne's verse heading removed; OCR slip; OCR slip; OCR slips): qua est doctrina sapientia → quae est doctrina sapientiae; alligaturam gutta fraternum → alligaturam guttae fraternum; paterit odorem fragrantia ejus → poterit odorem fragrantiae ejus; Vers. Η. Botrus cypri fraternus meus mihi in vinei: Engaddi → Botrus cypri fraternus meus mihi in vineis Engaddi; littera ipsius explanationem, hahet → litterae ipsius explanationem, habet; Eugaddi autem ager terra Judaa est → Engaddi autem ager terrae Judaeae est; Hie ergo erit historicus sensus sponsa loquentis ad adolescentulus → Hic ergo erit historicus sensus sponsae loquentis ad adolescentulas; efi‘ectus → effectus; fioribus suavitatis → floribus suavitatis; hac adolescentula → haec adolescentulae.

Topics: Baptism

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Cant. 2.170 (PG 13:143b–144d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-commentarius-canticum/2-169/#p-2-170). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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2.171PG 13:144d–144b

Idcirco autem singulatim, et per ordinem, primo nardum suam, deinde guttam, posthac etiam botrum cypri nominat, ut per eos gradus quosdam profectus doceat charitatis. Sed videamus jam quid spiritalis habeat intellectus. Siquidem hic qui appellatur botrus ad fructum vitis referendus est :Verbum Dei accipimus sicut sapientiam et virtutem et thesaurum scientiae, aliaque multa, ita et vitem veram dici. Sicut ergo his quibus efficitur sapientia et scientia, non ad subitum, sed per profectus quosdam et gradus, pro studiis et intentione ac fide eorum qui ei vel in sapientia, vel in scientia, vel in virtute participantur, sapientes eos et scientes reddit vigentesque virtutibus; ita et in quibus vitis vera efficitur, non eis ad subitum maturos botros producit et dulces, nec repente eis efficitur vinum suave et laetificans cor hominis, sed primo producit eis suavitatem tantummodo odoris in florem. Botrus hic florens esse memoratur in vineis Engaddi, ut gratia fragrantiae ipsius immittatur in initiis animae, ut post haec pati possit acerbitatem tribulationum et tentationum, quae propter Verbum Dei credentibus excitantur; et ita demum maturitatis ejus dulcedinem praebet, usque dum perducat eos ad torcularia ubi effunditur sanguis uvae, sanguis novi testamenti qui bibatur in die festo in superioribus, ubi stratum magnum paratum est. Sic ergo per singulos hos profectus graduum incedere oportet eos, qui per sacramentum vitis, et botrum cypri initiati, ad perfectionem feruntur, et calicem novi testamenti ab Jesu susceptum bibere contendunt. Quod si cyprus sui generis arbor accipiendus est, cujus fructus etiam flos non tantum odoris suavitatem, quantum et vim calefaciendi ac fovendi dicitur possidere: illa sine dubio accipitur sponsi virtus, qua incalescunt animae erga fidem ejus et charitatem, quae contingebat eos qui dicebant : Nonne cor nostrum erat ardens intra nos, cum adaperiret nobis Scripturas?

And she names one by one and in order first her nard, then the drop, after that the cluster of henna, so as to teach through them certain steps of progress in charity. But let us now see what the spiritual understanding holds. If this which is called a cluster is to be referred to the fruit of the vine, we take it that the Word of God, just as he is called wisdom and power and the treasure of knowledge and many other things, is also called the true vine. Just as, then, for those to whom he becomes wisdom and knowledge he makes them wise and knowing and strong in virtues not all at once, but through certain advances and steps, according to the zeal, effort and faith of those who share in him as wisdom, or knowledge, or power; so too in those in whom he becomes the true vine he does not produce ripe and sweet clusters for them all at once, nor does sweet wine that gladdens the heart of man come to them suddenly; but first he produces for them only the sweetness of scent in the flower. This cluster is said to be flowering in the vineyards of Engedi, so that the grace of its fragrance may be poured into the soul at its beginnings, so that afterwards it may be able to bear the bitterness of tribulations and temptations which are stirred up against believers for the sake of the Word of God; and so at last he gives the sweetness of his ripeness, until he brings them to the winepresses where the blood of the grape is poured out, the blood of the new covenant, which is drunk on the feast day in the upper room, where a large room has been prepared. So by each of these steps of progress those must advance who, initiated through the mystery of the vine and the cluster of henna, are borne on to perfection and strive to drink the cup of the new covenant received from Jesus. But if cyprus is to be taken as a tree of its own kind, whose fruit and flower are said to possess not only sweetness of scent but also the power of warming and cherishing, then without doubt the bridegroom's power is meant, by which souls grow warm toward his faith and charity, the power that touched those who said: "Did not our heart burn within us while he opened the scriptures to us?"

1 Cor 1:24 (allusion, high confidence) · Col 2:3 (allusion, high confidence) · John 15:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 104:15 (103:15 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Song 1:14 (allusion, high confidence) · Deut 32:14 (allusion, medium confidence) · Luke 22:20 (allusion, high confidence) · Mark 14:15 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 24:32 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Nard, drop and henna mark steps of progress in love; Christ the true vine first gives the scent of the flower, then strength in trials, and at last the wine of the new covenant; henna's warming power is the love that made the disciples' hearts burn.

The 'feast day in the upper room' alludes to the Last Supper (Mark 14:15) and the cup of the new covenant.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip; OCR slip and stray marks; OCR slips; stray mark): ideirco aute‘m → Idcirco autem; thesaurum scientia, aliaque → thesaurum scientiae, aliaque; his quibus efiicitur → his quibus efficitur; etin quibus vitis vera ellieitur → et in quibus vitis vera efficitur; ellicitur viuum suave et 1atilicans cor hominis, scd primo → efficitur vinum suave et laetificans cor hominis, sed primo; Botrus hic llorcns → Botrus hic florens; fragrantia ipsius immittatur in initiis anima, ut post hac → fragrantiae ipsius immittatur in initiis animae, ut post haec; tentationum, qua propter Verbum → tentationum, quae propter Verbum; prabet, usque dum perducat eos ad toreularia ubi effunditur sanguis uva, sanguis novi teetamenti → praebet, usque dum perducat eos ad torcularia ubi effunditur sanguis uvae, sanguis novi testamenti; Oportet eos, qui ι) per sacramentum → oportet eos, qui per sacramentum; aceipiendus → accipiendus; fructus etiam llos → fructus etiam flos; incalescunt anima erga → incalescunt animae erga; qua? contingebat → quae contingebat; Scripturas ”? → Scripturas?.

Topics: Eucharist

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Cant. 2.171 (PG 13:144d–144b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-commentarius-canticum/2-169/#p-2-171). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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2.172PG 13:144b–145b

Vel certe quoniam de vineis Engaddi botrus hic florens nominatur esse : Engaddi autem interpretatur oculus tentationis meae; si quis est qui intellectum habere potest quomodo tentatio est vita hominis super terram, et intelligit quomodo quis in Deo eripitur a tentatione, et qui agnoscit qualitatem tentationis suae, ita ut possit de ipso dici, quia in his omnibus non peccaverit labiis suis coram Deo, huic botrus cypri de vineis Engaddi efficitur verbum Dei. Observandum tamen est quod verba sponsae ita referuntur, ut et nardus et alligamentum guttae et botrus cypri ipsi soli sint, utpote quae in hos jam profectus ascenderit. Sola enim perfecta anima est quae ita habet purum et purgatum odoramentum sui sensus, ut possit nardi, et guttae, et cypri ex Verbo Dei procedentis fragrantiam capere, et gratiam divini odoris haurire.

Or else, since this flowering cluster is said to be from the vineyards of Engedi, and Engedi is interpreted 'eye of my temptation': if there is anyone who can understand how the life of man on earth is temptation, and understands how one is delivered from temptation in God, and who recognizes the nature of his temptation, so that it can be said of him that in all these things he did not sin with his lips before God, for him the Word of God becomes a cluster of henna from the vineyards of Engedi. We must observe, however, that the bride's words are so related that the nard, the bundle of the drop and the cluster of henna belong to her alone, as one who has already risen to these advances. For only the perfect soul has the scent of its perception so pure and cleansed that it can catch the fragrance of the nard, the drop and the henna proceeding from the Word of God, and draw in the grace of the divine fragrance.

Song 1:14 (allusion, high confidence) · Job 7:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Job 2:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Song 1:12 (allusion, high confidence) · Song 1:13 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: 'Engedi' means 'eye of my temptation': for one who understands and overcomes temptation like Job, the Word becomes the cluster of Engedi; only the perfect soul perceives the fragrance of nard, drop and henna.

'Engedi' interpreted as 'eye of my temptation' follows an ancient etymology.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR joined words; OCR slip; OCR slips; leaked footnote removed from split word; OCR slip; running head removed): interlsa. XL, l5. θ’ Ps.xttv, 8. Luc. xxxv, 3i. pretatur oculus tentationis mea; → interpretatur oculus tentationis meae;; si quis estqui → si quis est qui; Ientationis sua → tentationis suae; in liis omnibus → in his omnibus; huic hotrus → huic botrus; verba sponsa ita referuntur → verba sponsae ita referuntur; alligamcntum gutta et botrus → alligamentum guttae et botrus; utpote qua in hos → utpote quae in hos; anima est qua ita habet purum et purgatqu odoramentum sui sensus. → anima est quae ita habet purum et purgatum odoramentum sui sensus,; et gutta, et cypri → et guttae, et cypri; haurire. LIBER Vers. → haurire..

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Cant. 2.172 (PG 13:144b–145b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-commentarius-canticum/2-169/#p-2-172). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Chapter 3

3.172PG 13:145b–145c

Ecce es speciosa, proxima mea; ecce es speciosa; oculi tui columbae. Secundo jam sponsus cum sponsa in verbo colloquioque miscetur. Et primo quidem sermone invitavit eam ad hoc ut cognosceret semetipsam, dicens ei quod bona quidem esset inter mulieres, sed nisi cognosceret semetipsam, certa quaque pateretur. Et quasi quia velociter ad agnitionem sui sensu intellectuque cucurrerit, comparat eam equis suis vel equitatui, quibus obtinuerit currus Pharaonis. Simul et genas ejus pro insigni verecundia et conversationis pernicitate turturibus comparat, cervicemque ejus ornamentorum redimiculis. Nunc autem jam speciosam profitetur eam, et speciosam non sicut prius in mulieribus tantum, sed quasi proximam sibi, et adhuc in majus titulum laudis extollit, et affirmat quod non tantum cum proxima est ei, speciosa sit, sed etsi contingat ei absentem esse, etiam sic speciosa sit. Hoc enim indicatur in eo quod cum dixisset : Ecce es speciosa, proxima mea, addit post hac absolute, et sine ulla adjunctione : Ecce es speciosa. Sed in superioribus non laudaverat visum ejus, credo quia nondum ad intuitum profecerat spiritalis intelligentia;

“Behold, you are fair, my near one; behold, you are fair; your eyes are doves.” Now for the second time the Bridegroom joins with the Bride in word and conversation. In his first speech he invited her to know herself, telling her that she was indeed fair among women, but that unless she knew herself she would suffer certain things. And as if because she had run swiftly, in sense and understanding, to the knowledge of herself, he compares her to his horses or cavalry, by which he overcame the chariots of Pharaoh. At the same time he compares her cheeks to turtledoves, for her remarkable modesty and the swiftness of her conduct, and her neck to strands of ornaments. But now he declares her fair, and fair not, as before, only among women, but as one near to him; and he raises her still higher in the title of praise and affirms that she is fair not only when she is near him, but that even if it should happen that she is absent from him, even so she is fair. For this is indicated in that, after he had said, “Behold, you are fair, my near one,” he adds afterwards absolutely and without any addition, “Behold, you are fair.” But in the earlier verses he had not praised her sight, I believe because her spiritual understanding had not yet advanced to insight;

Song 1:15 (quotation, high confidence) · Song 1:8 (allusion, high confidence) · Song 1:9 (allusion, high confidence) · Song 1:10 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The Bridegroom's second praise shows the Bride's progress: she is now fair as one near to him, even in his absence.

Song 1:15. “My near one” renders proxima (Greek πλησίον, “neighbour”), kept literal because Origen builds on the idea of nearness. The earlier praises referred to are Song 1:8–10.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip; OCR slip and stray margin letter; OCR slip; word split; stray mark): me cs speciosa; oculi tui columba:. → ecce es speciosa; oculi tui columbae.; colloquioqne mi- ‘ sectur → colloquioque miscetur; ad ί hoc → ad hoc; bona ’ quidem → bona quidem; cegnosceret b semetipsam → cognosceret semetipsam; quasi qlia velociter → quasi quia velociter; intellectuquc → intellectuque; cquis suis → equis suis; pvrnicitate → pernicitate; redimieulis → redimiculis; athuc → adhuc; nou tantum → non tantum; disisset → dixisset.

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Cant. 3.172 (PG 13:145b–145c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-commentarius-canticum/2-169/#p-3-172). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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3.173PG 13:145c–159b

nunc ergo ait: Oculi tui columbae. Grandis in hoc profectus ejus ostenditur, ut quae prius tantum speciosa in mulieribus dicta est, nunc ut proxima speciosa dicatur, ex ipso sine dubio sponsi splendorem decoris accipiens ut semel ab ipso sumpta pulchritudine, etiamsi accidat ei paululum sponsi absentiam pati, nihilominus pulchra permaneat. Quod autem oculi ejus comparantur columbis, ob hoc profecto contingit quia divinas Scripturas non jam secundum litteram, sed secundum spiritum intelligat, et aspiciat in eis spiritalia mysteria. Columba enim indicium est Spiritus sancti. Spiritali ergo sensu intelligere legem et prophetas, hoc est oculos columba habere. Et hic quidem columba oculi ejus appellantur, in Psalmis vero hujusmodi anima pennas sibi dari columbae desiderat, ut volare possit in intellectum spiritalium mysteriorum, et requiescere in atriis sapientiae. Sed et si dormire quis possit, hoc est collocari et requiescere in medio sortium, atque intelligere sortium rationem, et cognoscere divini judicii causas. non solum penna columba quibus in spiritalibus intellectibus volet, promittuntur ei, sed deargentatae pennae, id est verbi et rationis ornamento decorata. Scapula quoque ejus in specie auri fieri dicuntur, ubi constantia fidei et dogmatum stabilitas indicatur perfectorum. Ergo si caput esse Christus dicitur, nihil puto absurdum videri, si oculi eorum qui secundum interiorem hominem spiritaliter intelligunt, et spiritaliter dijudicant, Spiritus sanctus esse dicantur. Et ob hoc fortassis in lege sicut agnus positus est, per cujus hostiam populus purificaretur in Pascha; ita et columba posita sunt, quibus purificatur homo ingressus hunc mundum.

now therefore he says, “Your eyes are doves.” Great progress of hers is shown in this: that she who was earlier called fair only among women is now called fair as one near, receiving without doubt the splendour of her beauty from the Bridegroom himself, so that, having once received beauty from him, even if it happens that she suffers the Bridegroom's absence for a little while, she remains beautiful nonetheless. That her eyes are compared to doves happens surely for this reason: because she understands the divine Scriptures no longer according to the letter but according to the spirit, and beholds spiritual mysteries in them. For the dove is a sign of the Holy Spirit. To understand the law and the prophets in a spiritual sense, then, is to have the eyes of a dove. And here her eyes are called doves; but in the Psalms such a soul longs for the wings of a dove to be given her, that she may fly into the understanding of spiritual mysteries and rest in the courts of wisdom. And if anyone can sleep, that is, be placed and rest, “in the midst of the lots,” and understand the reason of the lots and know the causes of divine judgement, not only are the wings of a dove promised to him, with which to fly among spiritual understandings, but also “silvered wings,” that is, wings adorned with the ornament of word and reason. Her shoulders too are said to be “in the appearance of gold,” by which the constancy of faith and the stability of doctrines of the perfect are indicated. If, then, Christ is said to be the head, I think it will seem nothing absurd if the eyes of those who understand spiritually according to the inner man, and judge spiritually, are said to be the Holy Spirit. And for this reason perhaps, just as in the law a lamb was appointed, by whose sacrifice the people were purified at the Passover, so doves too were appointed, by which a man who enters this world is purified.

Song 1:15 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 55:6 (54:7 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 68:13 (67:14 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 5:23 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Cor 2:15 (echo, low confidence) · Exod 12:5 (allusion, medium confidence) · Lev 12:8 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The dove-eyes signify spiritual understanding of Scripture, given by the Holy Spirit.

Ps 55:6 (54:7 LXX) and Ps 68:13 (67:14 LXX), “if you sleep in the midst of the lots, wings of a dove covered with silver, and her back with the yellowness of gold.” The doves offered for purification after childbirth: Lev 12:6–8; cf. Luke 2:24. “Longs for” (desiderat) and “perfect” are supplied from Baehrens where the Migne scan lost or garbled them.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (Migne's footnote and running head leaked into the text; OCR read Latin as Greek letters; OCR slip; OCR slip (Baehrens: perfectorum); OCR slip and footnote marker; OCR slip; words joined; stray mark; supplied from Baehrens, GCS 33, where the Migne scan lost the line): columba). Grandis → columbae. Grandis; utqua prius → ut quae prius; speciosa iu mulieribus → speciosa in mulieribus; sponsn → sponsi; spiritu'm → spiritum; columba ιιι volare → columbae desiderat, ut volare; sapienιὶκ. Sed → sapientiae. Sed; collocari " Psal. vaut, huc loco et infra columba: ; ubi edit. TERTIUS. et requiescere → collocari et requiescere; in‘ spiritalibus intellectihus → in spiritalibus intellectibus; deargeutata penna “, → deargentatae pennae,; iu specie auri → in specie auri; indicatur perfecturum. → indicatur perfectorum.; dijudieant → dijudicant; purificarctur in Pascha "; → purificaretur in Pascha;.

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Cant. 3.173 (PG 13:145c–159b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-commentarius-canticum/2-169/#p-3-173). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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3.174PG 13:159b–147a

Sed et de eo nunc dicere, et hostiarum qualitates discutere, longior videtur excessus, et proposito operi minime conveniens. Hac autem memorasse sufficiat, pro eo quod praesens sermo continet : Oculi tui columba. Quasi diceret : oculi tui spiritales sunt, spiritaliter videntes, spiritaliter intelligentes. Potest adhuc profundiore fortassis sacramento quod dixit : Ecce es speciosa, proxima mea, intelligi de praesenti saeculo dictum ; quia speciosa quidem sit et hic Ecclesia, cum proxima est Christo, et cum imitatur Christum. Quod vero iteravit, et dixit : Ecce es speciosa, potest ad futurum saeculum pertinere, ubi jam non solum imitatione, sed ipsa sui perfectione formosa est et speciosa; ut ibi dicat esse oculos ejus columba, ut duorum oculorum columba dua intelligantur esse Filius Dei et Spiritus sanctus. Et ne mireris si columba simul dicatur, cum uterque similiter advocatus dicatur, sicut Joannes evangelista declarat, Spiritum quidem sanctum dicens Paracletum, quod est advocatus. Et de Jesu Christo nihilominus in Epistola sua dicit quia ipse sit advocatus apud Patrem pro peccatis nostris. Sed et apud Zachariam prophetam dua oliva ad dexteram et ad sinistram candelabri positae, Unigenitum nihilominus et Spiritum sanctum designare creduntur. Vers. 16. Ecce es bonus fraternus meus, et quidem ecce es speciosus, cubile nostrum umbrosum. Nunc primum videtur attentius inspexisse sponsi sui pulchritudinem sponsa, et considerasse illis oculis qui columbae esse dicti sunt, decus et speciem Verbi Dei. Quia revera non potest prius perspici nec agnosci quanta sit in Verbo magnificentia, nisi prius oculos quasi columbae, id est intelligentiam spiritalem accipiat. Commune autem cubile sibi quod dicit esse cum sponso, corpus hoc mihi videtur indicari animae, in quo adhuc posita digna habita sit ascisci ad consortium Verbi Dei.

But to speak of this now, and to discuss the kinds of sacrifices, seems too long a digression and not at all suited to the work in hand. Let it suffice to have mentioned these things on account of what the present text contains: “Your eyes are doves.” As if he said: your eyes are spiritual, seeing spiritually, understanding spiritually. Further, by a perhaps deeper mystery, his words “Behold, you are fair, my near one” can be understood as said of the present age, since the Church is fair even here when she is near to Christ and when she imitates Christ. But his repeating it and saying “Behold, you are fair” can refer to the age to come, where she is now beautiful and fair not only by imitation but by her own perfection; so that there he says her eyes are doves, in order that the two doves of the two eyes may be understood to be the Son of God and the Holy Spirit. And do not wonder that both together are called doves, since both alike are called Advocate, as John the evangelist declares, calling the Holy Spirit the Paraclete, that is, the Advocate; and of Jesus Christ likewise he says in his Epistle that he is the Advocate with the Father for our sins. And in the prophet Zechariah too the two olive trees placed at the right and the left of the lampstand are believed to signify the Only-begotten and the Holy Spirit as well. Verse 16: “Behold, you are good, my kinsman, and indeed, behold, you are fair; our bed is shady.” Now for the first time the Bride seems to have looked more attentively at the beauty of her Bridegroom, and to have considered with those eyes which were called doves the grace and beauty of the Word of God. For truly one cannot first perceive or recognize how great a magnificence is in the Word unless one first receives eyes like a dove's, that is, spiritual understanding. And the bed which she says she has in common with the Bridegroom seems to me to indicate this body of the soul, in which, while still placed in it, she has been found worthy to be taken into fellowship with the Word of God.

Song 1:15 (quotation, high confidence) · John 14:16 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 John 2:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Zech 4:3 (allusion, high confidence) · Song 1:16 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The repeated praise may refer to the Church now and in the age to come; the dove-eyes may signify the Son and the Spirit; the Bride now sees the Bridegroom's beauty.

John 14:16, 26 (the Paraclete); 1 John 2:1; Zech 4:3, 11–14; Song 1:16. “My kinsman” renders fraternus (Greek ἀδελφιδός, “beloved” or “brother's son”). The Migne text also carries a footnote crumb (“others read: of doves”) and a page number, removed by logged correction.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip; OCR slip (ae digraph lost); OCR slip and footnote marker; OCR slips; Migne's footnote, footnote marker and page number leaked into the text; footnote marker; stray mark; word split): iutelligentes → intelligentes; prasenti saculo → praesenti saeculo; spe. ciosa → speciosa; proxima est ’ Christo → proxima est Christo; futurum saculum → futurum saeculum; Filius Deis → Filius Dei; advocatus ". Et → advocatus. Et; peccatis nostris". Sed → peccatis nostris. Sed; candelabri posita“, → candelabri positae,; Unigeuitum → Unigenitum; Spiritum sauctum designare → Spiritum sanctum designare; Vers. l6. Ecce cs bonus fraternus meus, et qui- habent : columbarum. dem ecce es speciosus, cubile nostrum umbrosam (6|). Nunc primum videtur attentius inspexisse 69 sponsi → Vers. 16. Ecce es bonus fraternus meus, et quidem ecce es speciosus, cubile nostrum umbrosum. Nunc primum videtur attentius inspexisse sponsi.

Topics: Trinity

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Cant. 3.174 (PG 13:159b–147a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-commentarius-canticum/2-169/#p-3-174). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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3.175PG 13:147a–147b

quod umbrosum, utpote non aridum, sed fructuosum memorat, et tanquam densitate boni operis nemorosum. Sed haec sponsa dicit, anima duntaxat quae columbae jam oculos habet. Hi vero qui tantummodo credunt sponso, non tamen perspicere potuerunt in Verbo Dei quanta sit pulchritudo, dicunt : Et vidimus eum, et non habebat speciem, neque decorem, sed species ejus indecora et deficiens prae filiis hominum. Quae autem bene profecit et supergressa est adolescentularum et octoginta concubinarum, et sexaginta reginarum ordinem, ista anima potest dicere : Ecce es decorus fraternus meus, et quidem speciosus. Sed etsi adhuc in corpore positus intelligam densitatem Spiritalium sensuum et intelligentiam Scripturarum divinarum tam crebra opacitate contextam, ut rapidior aestus, qui multos solet adurere et arefacere fructus eorum, me tamen tenebrare non possit, nec ulla vis tentationum fidei in me germen arefacere, tunc possum dicere quia cubile nostrum umbrosum. Quod autem dicit cubile nostrum, quasi communem sibi cum sponso corporis sui indicans esse locum, ad illam similitudinem dictum intellige, qua et Paulus dixit, quia corpora nostra membra Christi sunt. Cum enim dicit corpora nostra, quasi sponsae id esse corpus ostendit. Cum vero membra Christi memorat, eadem corpora etiam sponsi esse corpus indicat.

and she calls it shady, as being not dry but fruitful and, as it were, wooded with a thickness of good works. But these things the Bride says: the soul, that is, which already has the eyes of a dove. But those who only believe in the Bridegroom, yet have not been able to perceive how great is the beauty in the Word of God, say: “And we saw him, and he had no form nor comeliness, but his form was without honour and failing beyond the sons of men.” But the soul that has made good progress and passed beyond the rank of the maidens, and of the eighty concubines and sixty queens, this soul can say: “Behold, you are comely, my kinsman, and indeed fair.” And if, while still placed in the body, I understand the thickness of spiritual senses and the understanding of the divine Scriptures to be woven with so dense a shade that the fiercer heat, which commonly scorches and withers the fruits of many, still cannot darken me, nor any force of temptations wither the shoot of faith in me, then I can say that “our bed is shady.” And her saying “our bed,” as though indicating that the place of her body is common to her and the Bridegroom, understand as said after the likeness in which Paul too said that our bodies are members of Christ. For when he says “our bodies,” he shows as it were that this body is the Bride's; but when he speaks of the members of Christ, he indicates that the same bodies are also the body of the Bridegroom.

Isa 53:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Song 6:8 (allusion, high confidence) · Song 1:16 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 6:15 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Only the soul with spiritual sight sees the Word's beauty; the shady bed is the body, shared with Christ as Paul says our bodies are members of Christ.

Isa 53:2–3 (as in the Greek and Latin versions); Song 6:8 (sixty queens and eighty concubines); 1 Cor 6:15.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip; OCR slip and footnote marker; footnote marker; stray marks): quue umbrosum → quod umbrosum; lii vero → Hi vero; pra: filiis hominum 9’. → prae filiis hominum.; fructus eorum,_ vme tamen → fructus eorum, me tamen; Paulus dixit‘, → Paulus dixit,.

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Cant. 3.175 (PG 13:147a–147b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-commentarius-canticum/2-169/#p-3-175). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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3.176PG 13:147b–148b

Haec ergo corpora si umbrosa sunt, ut superius diximus, bonis duntaxat operibus referta et spiritalium sensuum densitate cumulata, de his talibus dici potest: Per diem sol non uret te, neque luna per noctem. Justum namque tentationis sol non adurit requiescentem sub umbra Verbi Dei. Iste enim sol qui adurit justum, non est laudabilis, sed ille magis qui se transfigurat in angelum lucis. Bonus ergo et decorus dicitur fraternus;et quanto magis inspici potuerit oculis spiritalibus, tanto speciosior invenitur et pulchrior; quia non solum illius species et pulchritudo mirabilis apparebit, verum et inspicienti atque intuenti eum decus ingens et species formae nova ac mirabilis orietur, secundum illud quod Apostolus Verbi Dei intuens pulchritudinem dicit: Nam etsi is qui foris est homo noster corrumpitur, sed qui intus est renovatur de die in diem . Merito ergo talis haec anima commune habet cubile cum Verbo corpus suum. Pervenit enim divina virtus usque ad corporis gratiam, cum in eo vel castitatis donum, vel continentiae, aliorumque bonorum operum collocat gratiam. Considera sane, ne forte possit etiam illud corpus quod assumpsit Jesus commune ei cum sponsa cubile nominari, quoniam quidem videtur per ipsum Ecclesia Christo esse sociata, et participium Verbi Dei capere potuisse, secundum quod mediator Dei et hominum dicitur, et secundum quod Apostolus dicit: Quoniam in ipso habemus accessum per fidem in spe gloriae Dei. Vers. 17. Tigna domorum nostrarum cedri, trabes nostrae cypressi. Videtur ab sponso responderi ad gratiam eorum quae dicta fuerunt prius ab Sponsa, quibus edoceat eam cuiusmodi sint tecta ista munia, et qualis in eis materia contignationis habeatur. Haec habet historica narratio. Videtur autem Ecclesia describi a Christo, quae est domus Spiritalis, et domus Dei, sicut docet Paulus dicens : Si autem tardius venero, ut scias, quomodo te oporteat in domo Dei conversari, quae est ecclesia Dei vivi, columna et firmamentum veritatis.

These bodies, then, if they are shady, as we said above, filled that is with good works and heaped with a thickness of spiritual senses, of such as these it can be said: “By day the sun shall not burn you, nor the moon by night.” For the sun of temptation does not scorch the righteous man resting under the shade of the Word of God. For that sun which scorches the righteous is not praiseworthy, but rather he who transforms himself into an angel of light. The kinsman, then, is called good and comely; and the more he can be looked upon with spiritual eyes, the fairer and more beautiful he is found; for not only will his form and beauty appear wonderful, but in the one who looks upon him and gazes at him a great grace and a new and wonderful beauty of form will arise, according to what the Apostle says as he gazes on the beauty of the Word of God: “For though our outer man is corrupted, yet the inner is renewed day by day.” Rightly, then, such a soul has her body as a bed in common with the Word. For the divine power reaches even to the grace of the body, when it places in it the gift of chastity or of continence and the grace of other good works. Consider too whether perhaps that body which Jesus assumed can also be called the bed he shares with the Bride, since through it the Church seems to have been joined to Christ and to have been able to receive a share in the Word of God, according as he is called the mediator of God and men, and according as the Apostle says: “Since in him we have access through faith in hope of the glory of God.” Verse 17: “The timbers of our houses are cedars, our beams cypresses.” The Bridegroom seems to reply to the kindness of what was said earlier by the Bride, teaching her what sort these roofs and walls are, and what material of framing they have. This the literal account contains. But the Church seems to be described by Christ: she is the spiritual house and the house of God, as Paul teaches, saying: “But if I come later, that you may know how you ought to behave in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.”

Ps 121:6 (120:6 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 11:14 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Cor 4:16 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Tim 2:5 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 5:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 3:12 (echo, medium confidence) · Song 1:17 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Tim 3:15 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The shady body shares in grace; Christ's assumed body may be the shared bed; the house with cedar timbers is the Church.

Ps 121:6 (120:6 LXX); 2 Cor 11:14; 2 Cor 4:16; 1 Tim 2:5; Rom 5:2 (combined with Eph 3:12); Song 1:17; 1 Tim 3:15. The words from “praiseworthy” to “angel of light,” lost in the Migne scan, are supplied from Baehrens.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip; OCR slip and footnote marker; OCR slip and stray mark; OCR slip in the supplied Baehrens text; OCR slips in the supplied Baehrens text; OCR slips; word split; footnote marker; stray mark; stray marks from the scan; supplied from Baehrens, GCS 33, where the Migne scan lost the line): flare ergo corpora → Haec ergo corpora; diei potest → dici potest; noctem’. → noctem.; non est damnalucis. → non est laudabilis, sed ille magis qui se transfigurat in angelum lucis.; intuens χ pulchritudinem → intuens pulchritudinem; [oris est homo ᾖ noster → foris est homo noster; de χ die → de die; commune ...ν ην... . -.------ πυ, habet → commune habet; aliorumque ὲ bonorum → aliorumque bonorum; sane, η ne forte → sane, ne forte; assumpsit χ Jesus → assumpsit Jesus; nominari, η quoniam → nominari, quoniam; hominum ‘ dicitur → hominum dicitur; gloria: Dei ‘. → gloriae Dei.; Vers. i7. → Vers. 17.; trabes nostra: cypressi → trabes nostrae cypressi; auibus edoceat → quibus edoceat; ha-i ξ beatur. llaec habet → habeatur. Haec habet; autem'i Ecclesia → autem Ecclesia; »si autein tardius → Si autem tardius; in donio Dei conversari, quac est ecclesia Dei vivi, columna et finnanicutuni veritntisc. → in domo Dei conversari, quae est ecclesia Dei vivi, columna et firmamentum veritatis..

Topics: Christology

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Cant. 3.176 (PG 13:147b–148b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-commentarius-canticum/2-169/#p-3-176). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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3.177PG 13:148b–149b

Si ergo ecclesia domus Dei est, quia omnia quae habet pater filii sunt, ecclesia domus filii Dei est. Frequenter autem et plurali numero appellantur ecclesiae, ut ait ibi: nos talem consuetudinem non habemus neque ecclesiae Dei. Et iterum scribit ecclesiis Galatiae Paulus et Iohannes septem ecclesiis. Sunt ergo sive ecclesia vel ecclesiae domus sponsi et sponsae sive animae et domus Verbi, in quibus tigna sunt cedrina. Legimus esse quasdam cedros Dei, super quas vinea, quae translata est de Aegypto, extendisse dicitur traduces sive arbusta sua, sicut ait in psalmis: operuit montes umbra eius, et arbusta eius cedros Dei. Evidenter igitur per haec quaedam in ecclesia cedri Dei nominantur. Cum ergo dicit sponsus : Tigna domorum nostrarum cedri, intelligere debemus cedros Dei esse eos qui Ecclesiam contegunt, et esse aliquos horum validiores qui trabes appellantur. Et puto quod convenienter hi qui episcopatum bene ministrant in Ecclesia, trabes dici possunt, quibus sustentatur et tegitur omne aedificium, vel ab imbrium labe, vel ab ardoribus solis. Secundo autem horum loco tigna presbyteros opinor appellari : et trabes quidem dici cypressos, quibus et fortitudo robustior, et odor suavitatis inest, per quod et in operibus solidum, et in doctrinae gratia fragrantem et odoris scientiae Christi plenos designaret debere. Cap. II. Vers. 1, 2. Ego flos campi et lilium convallium: sicut lilium in medio spinarum, ita proxima mea in medio filiarum. Haec ille qui sponsus et Verbum et sapientia est, de semetipso et de sponsa ad amicos ac sodales suos loqui videtur. Sed secundum proposita expositionis ordinem Christus haec de Ecclesia loqui intelligendus est, et ipse dicere se florem esse campi et lilium convallium. Campus planities terra: dicitur, cui cultura adhibetur et excolitur ab agricolis. Convalles vero saxosa magis et inculta indicant loca. Possumus autem et campum illum intelligere populum qui per prophetas colebatur et legem ; convallem vero saxosum et incultum gentium locum.

If, then, the church is the house of God, since all that the Father has is the Son's, the church is the house of the Son of God. And churches are often named in the plural as well, as he says there: “We have no such custom, nor do the churches of God.” And again Paul writes “to the churches of Galatia,” and John “to the seven churches.” Whether, then, the church or the churches are the house of the Bridegroom and the Bride, or souls are the house of the Word, in them the timbers are of cedar. We read that there are certain “cedars of God,” over which the vine that “was brought out of Egypt” is said to have stretched its shoots or branches, as he says in the Psalms: “Its shade covered the mountains, and its branches the cedars of God.” Plainly, then, by these words certain persons in the church are called cedars of God. When, therefore, the Bridegroom says, “The timbers of our houses are cedars,” we must understand that the cedars of God are those who roof over the Church, and that some of them are stronger, and these are called beams. And I think that those who administer the episcopate well in the Church can fittingly be called beams, by whom the whole building is held up and covered, whether from the damage of rains or from the heat of the sun. In the second place after them, I think, the presbyters are called timbers. And the beams are said to be cypresses, which have both a sturdier strength and a sweet fragrance; by this he would signify that they ought to be solid in works, fragrant in the grace of doctrine, and full of the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ. Chapter 2, verses 1–2: “I am the flower of the field and the lily of the valleys; as a lily among thorns, so is my near one among the daughters.” He who is Bridegroom and Word and Wisdom seems to say these things about himself and the Bride to his friends and companions. But according to the order of exposition we proposed, Christ must be understood to say this about the Church, and to say of himself that he is the flower of the field and the lily of the valleys. A field is the name for a level stretch of ground to which cultivation is applied and which is tilled by farmers; valleys rather indicate rocky and uncultivated places. We can understand that field as the people which was cultivated through the prophets and the law, and the valley as the rocky and uncultivated place of the Gentiles.

John 16:15 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 11:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 1:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Rev 1:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 80:8 (79:9 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 80:10 (79:11 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Song 1:17 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 2:14 (echo, medium confidence) · Song 2:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Song 2:2 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The cedar beams and timbers of the house are the bishops and presbyters of the Church; Christ is the flower of the field (Israel) and the lily of the valleys (the Gentiles).

John 16:15; 1 Cor 11:16; Gal 1:2; Rev 1:4; Ps 80:8, 10 (79:9, 11 LXX); 2 Cor 2:14–15; Song 2:1–2. The opening sentences, lost in the Migne scan, were supplied by the staging from Baehrens; their OCR slips and quotation marks, and a duplicated line, are removed by logged correction. Bishops and presbyters are Origen's application of the beams and timbers.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip; OCR slip and stray mark; OCR slip; word split; OCR slips; OCR slips and quotation marks in the supplied Baehrens text; OCR slips and quotation marks in the supplied Baehrens text; the Migne remnant repeating the last sentence removed; OCR slips, stray marks and a line repeated in the scan): Si ergo »ecclesia domus Dei est*, quia omnia, quae habet pater, iilii snnt, *ecclesia domus* iilii Dci est Frequenter → Si ergo ecclesia domus Dei est, quia omnia quae habet pater filii sunt, ecclesia domus filii Dei est. Frequenter; ut nit ibi; >nos talera consuetudinein non Labenius nequc ecclesiae Deic. Kt iterum scribit >ecclesiis («alatiae* Paulus et loLaunes *septeui ecclesiis". Sunt ergo sive >eeclesia< vel >ecclesiae* *uomu&< sponsi ct sponsae sive animae et >domus- Verbi, in quibus >tignn* sunt *ccdrina<. Legimus esse quasdam »ccdros Dei<, super quas >vinea*, quao »translata est de Aegypto , >extendisse* dicitux >traduces< sive >arbusta< sua, sicut ait in psalmis: »operuit montes umbra cius, efc arbusta eius cedros Deic. Evideoter lgitur per haec quadam in ecclesia >cedri Dei< nominautur. Si Dei . Evidentcr igitur per haec Ecclesia cedri Dei nominatur. → ut ait ibi: nos talem consuetudinem non habemus neque ecclesiae Dei. Et iterum scribit ecclesiis Galatiae Paulus et Iohannes septem ecclesiis. Sunt ergo sive ecclesia vel ecclesiae domus sponsi et sponsae sive animae et domus Verbi, in quibus tigna sunt cedrina. Legimus esse quasdam cedros Dei, super quas vinea, quae translata est de Aegypto, extendisse dicitur traduces sive arbusta sua, sicut ait in psalmis: operuit montes umbra eius, et arbusta eius cedros Dei. Evidenter igitur per haec quaedam in ecclesia cedri Dei nominantur.; aliquos borum validiores → aliquos horum validiores; aulilicium, vel ab imbrium labc → aedificium, vel ab imbrium labe; Secundo autem ’ borum loco → Secundo autem horum loco; in Opcribtls SOlidtlm, θι in doctrina! gl‘alia fragrantem → in operibus solidum, et in doctrinae gratia fragrantem; debere Cap. ll. Vers. Ι, 2. Ego flos campi et lilium ἶ cont-allium : sicut lilium in medio spinarum, ita pro- ί sima mea in medio filiarum. Haec ille qui spon- ’ sns et Verbum et sapientia est. de semetipso cl del sus et Verbum et sapientia est, de semetipso ct de sponsa → debere. Cap. II. Vers. 1, 2. Ego flos campi et lilium convallium: sicut lilium in medio spinarum, ita proxima mea in medio filiarum. Haec ille qui sponsus et Verbum et sapientia est, de semetipso et de sponsa; adhibetnr → adhibetur; propltc- ο tas → prophetas; saxorum el. incultum → saxosum et incultum.

Topics: Church office

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Cant. 3.177 (PG 13:148b–149b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-commentarius-canticum/2-169/#p-3-177). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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3.178PG 13:149b–150b

Sponsus ergo hic in Judaeorum populo flos fuit : sed quoniam neminem ad perfectum adduxit lex, idcirco in illo non potuit Verbum Dei ad florem proficere, et ad perfectionem fructuum pervenire. In ista tamen convalle gentium effectus est lilium. Cuiusmodi autem lilium? Tale sine dubio, quale et ipse in evangeliis dicit quod pater caelestis vestit, et neque Solomon in omni gloria sua indutus est sicut unum ex istis. Fit ergo lilium in hac convalle gentium sponsus in eo, quod vestivit eum pater caelestis tali indumento carnis, quale nec Solomon in omni gloria sua habere potuit. Non enim habuit Solomon absque concupiscentia viri, et concubitu mulieris, immaculatam, et nulli prorsus peccato obnoxiam carnem. Sed et causam cur is qui in campo flos fuerat, voluerit esse in convallibus lilium, videtur ostendere. Cum enim multo tempore flos fuisset in campo, nullum dicit ex ipso campo florem ad imitationem sui ac similitudinem processisse. Ubi vero factus est in convallibus lilium, continuo etiam efficitur proxima ejus imitatione ipsius lilium : ut operae pretium fuerit, quoniam ipse effectus est lilium, ut etiam proxima ejus, id est unaquaeque anima quae ei approximat et exemplum ejus imitationemque sectatur, lilium fiat. Quod ergo ait : Sicut lilium in medio spinarum, ita proxima mea in medio filiarum, accipiemus de Ecclesia gentium dici; quod vel e medio infidelium et non credentium, quasi ex spinis emerserit, vel pro haereticorum circumstrepentium se morsibus in medio spinarum posita dicatur.

The Bridegroom, then, was a flower here among the people of the Jews; but since the law brought no one to perfection, the Word of God could not therefore advance to flower in that people and attain to the perfection of fruit. But in this valley of the Gentiles he became a lily. And what kind of lily? Such, without doubt, as he himself says in the Gospels the heavenly Father clothes, and that not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed like one of these. The Bridegroom, then, becomes a lily in this valley of the Gentiles in that the heavenly Father clothed him with such a garment of flesh as not even Solomon in all his glory could have. For Solomon did not have a flesh that was without the desire of a man and intercourse with a woman, spotless and subject to no sin at all. He also seems to show the reason why he who had been a flower in the field chose to be a lily in the valleys. For though he had been a flower in the field for a long time, he says that no flower came forth from that field in imitation and likeness of him. But when he became a lily in the valleys, at once his near one too is made a lily by imitating him; so that it was worthwhile for him to become a lily, in order that his near one also, that is, every soul that draws near to him and follows his example and imitation, might become a lily. When he says, then, “As a lily among thorns, so is my near one among the daughters,” we shall take it as said of the Church of the Gentiles: either because she emerged from the midst of the unbelieving and those who do not believe, as from thorns; or she may be said to be placed among thorns because of the bites of the heretics clamouring around her.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Heb 7:19 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 6:28 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 6:29 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:13 (echo, medium confidence) · Song 2:2 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Christ, not perfected as a flower under the law, became a lily among the Gentiles, clothed by the Father in sinless flesh, and his Church becomes a lily among thorns.

Heb 7:19; Matt 6:28–29; John 1:14 (echo). The flesh “without the desire of a man” echoes John 1:13 and refers to the virginal conception. The contrast between the law and the Gentile Church is Origen's own reading, translated as written. Several lines lost in the Migne scan were supplied by the staging from Baehrens; their OCR slips and quotation marks are removed by logged correction.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR read Latin as Greek letters; OCR slip; OCR slips; OCR slips and quotation marks in the supplied Baehrens text): Judazorum p0pulo → Judaeorum populo; adduxit les, idcirco → adduxit lex, idcirco; prolicere → proficere; lu ista tamen >conualle- geutiuiu effectus est »lilium<. Cuiusmodi autem >lilium<? Tale sinc dubio, quale et ipse in evangeliis dicit quod >pater caelestis vestit*, et >ueque Solo- inoii in omni gloria sua indutus est sicut unum ex Lstis «. Fit ergo >lilium< ia bac convalle gentia sponsus in eo, quod >vestivit* cuni >pater cae- lestis< tali indumento carnis, quale >nec Solomon in onini gloria sua- habere potuit. Kon enim habuit Soloroon → In ista tamen convalle gentium effectus est lilium. Cuiusmodi autem lilium? Tale sine dubio, quale et ipse in evangeliis dicit quod pater caelestis vestit, et neque Solomon in omni gloria sua indutus est sicut unum ex istis. Fit ergo lilium in hac convalle gentium sponsus in eo, quod vestivit eum pater caelestis tali indumento carnis, quale nec Solomon in omni gloria sua habere potuit. Non enim habuit Solomon; immaculatam, ct nulli → immaculatam, et nulli; continuo etiam eflicitur → continuo etiam efficitur; opera: pretium → operae pretium; efl‘ectus est lilium → effectus est lilium; unaquzequc → unaquaeque; lilium flat. → lilium fiat.; vel ε medio → vel e medio; εχ ερεnis → ex spinis.

Topics: Christology, Heresy

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Cant. 3.178 (PG 13:149b–150b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-commentarius-canticum/2-169/#p-3-178). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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3.179PG 13:150b–152b

Quod et magis videbitur verisimile pro eo quod dicit: Ita proxima mea in medio filiarum. Non enim filias appellasset illas animas, quae nunquam omnino venerunt ad credendum. Omnes ergo haeretici primo ad credulitatem veniunt, et post haec ab itinere fidei et dogmatum veritate Dei declinant. Sicut et Joannes apostolus in Epistola sua dicit : Qui a nobis exierunt, sed non erant ex nobis. Nam si fuissent ex nobis, permansissent utique nobiscum. Possumus autem et ad unamquamque animam id referentes, huic quidem animae quae pro simplicitate sui et planitie campus dici potest, florem fieri Verbum Dei, et initia bonorum operum docere. His vero qui profundiora jam quaerunt, et demersiora scrutantur, quasi in convallibus vel pro claritate pudicitiae, vel pro fulgore sapientiae efficitur lilium, ut et ipsi fiant lilia erumpentia de medio spinarum, id est fugientes cogitationes et sollicitudines saeculares quae spinis in Evangelio comparatae sunt. Vers. 3. Sicut arbor mali inter ligna silvae, ita fraternus meus inter medium filiorum. In umbra ejus concupiui et sedi, et fructus ejus dulcis in faucibus meis. Decuit quidem sponsum et de semetipso dicere, quid esset in campo, quid etiam in convallibus; et de sponsa, quae esset qualisve inter ceteras filias haberetur. Sponsam vero ad haec respondentem non conveniebat de semetipsa aliquid dicere, sed allici totam erga admirationem sponsi et ipsius laudibus inhaerere.

This will seem the more likely because he says, “So is my near one among the daughters.” For he would not have called those souls daughters which never came to believe at all. All heretics, then, first come to belief, and afterwards turn aside from the road of faith and from the truth of God's doctrines; as John the apostle too says in his Epistle: “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would surely have remained with us.” We can also refer it to each individual soul: to the soul which, for its simplicity and plainness, can be called a field, the Word of God becomes a flower and teaches the beginnings of good works; but for those who are already seeking deeper things and searching out what lies further down, as in the valleys, he becomes a lily, whether for the brightness of chastity or for the brilliance of wisdom, so that they too may become lilies bursting forth from the midst of thorns, that is, fleeing the worldly thoughts and cares which in the Gospel are compared to thorns. Verse 3: “As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my kinsman in the midst of the sons. In his shade I longed for and sat down, and his fruit was sweet in my throat.” It was fitting for the Bridegroom to speak of himself, what he was in the field and what in the valleys, and of the Bride, who she was and how she was regarded among the other daughters. But it was not fitting for the Bride, replying to this, to say anything about herself, but to be drawn wholly to admiration of the Bridegroom and to cling to his praises.

Song 2:2 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 John 2:19 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 13:22 (allusion, high confidence) · Song 2:3 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The daughters among whom the Bride is a lily are heretics who once believed; for each soul Christ is a flower or a lily according to its progress.

1 John 2:19; Matt 13:22 (the thorns as worldly cares); Song 2:3. The words “and of the Bride … other daughters,” lost in the Migne scan, are supplied from Baehrens; a line repeated in the scan is removed.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip; OCR slip; words joined; OCR slips; OCR slips and stray marks; footnote marker; footnote marker and OCR slip; garbled line repeated in the scan; stray mark; supplied from Baehrens, GCS 33, where the Migne scan lost the line): dicitzlta proxima → dicit: Ita proxima; Non enim filias anmllasset illas animas- num mmmmm nmninn filias appellasset illas animas, → Non enim filias appellasset illas animas,; ct post haec ab itinere lidei → et post haec ab itinere fidei; Joannes ’ apostolus → Joannes apostolus; erant ea; nobis → erant ex nobis; nobiscum ιο. → nobiscum.; Possumus atttem → Possumus autem; huic quidem anima: qua! pro simplicitate sui et planitie. νει campus → huic quidem animae quae pro simplicitate sui et planitie campus; llis vero → His vero; eflicitur lilium, ut et ipsi tiant → efficitur lilium, ut et ipsi fiant; ligna silvw → ligna silvae; {ructus → fructus; etde retur. → et de sponsa, quae esset qualisve inter ceteras filias haberetur.; (Gl) ad‘hzec → ad haec; inhmrere → inhaerere.

Topics: Heresy

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Cant. 3.179 (PG 13:150b–152b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-commentarius-canticum/2-169/#p-3-179). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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3.180PG 13:152b–157a

Comparat ergo eum arbori mali. Sed ne ex similitudine sermonis simpliciores aliqui arborem mali malam arborem putent et a malitia dictam, dicamus nos arborem meli, Graeco quidem nomine utentes, sed simplicioribus quibusque Latinorum notiore quam mali. Melius est enim ut grammaticos offendamus, quam legentibus scrupulum aliquem iu veritatis explanatione ponamus. Comparat igitur eum arbori meli, sodales vero ejus reliquis arboribus silvae. Sed sponsum ita arbori huic meli similem dicit, ut etiam concupisse se dicat sub umbra ejus sedere, fructumque ejus dulcem sibi effectum in faucibus assereret. Et haec ad adolescentulas loqui videtur, sicut et sponsus locutus est prius ad sodales suos. Sed nunc videamus secundum mysterium, quos dicat sponsa filios inter quos tanquam arborem meli praecellere reliqua silva: ligna asserat sponsum, et vide si possumus secundum ea quae in superioribus de filiabus et spinis dupliciter exposuimus, ita hic etiam filios vel eos qui aliquando fuerunt, et non sunt, vel multitudinem caelestium ministrorum dictos esse intelligere. Ad omnes enim initio pertinet illud quod scriptum est : Ego dixi : Dii estis et filii Excelsi omnes. Sed differentia intercessit per hoc quod ait : Vos autem ut homines moriemini, et sicut unus de principibus cadetis . Sed et illud in hoc respicit : Quoniam quis in nubibus aequabitur Domino ? aut quis assimilabitur ei inter filios Dei? Sicut ergo arbor meli inter reliqua ligna silvae, ita est sponsus inter filios habens fructum qui non solum sapore omnes, sed et odore praecellat, et duos animae sensus, id est gustum et odoratum reficiat. Diversis namque copiis mensam suam nobis praeparat Sapientia, in qua non solum panem vitae apponit, sed et immolat carnes Verbi ; et non solum miscet in cratere suo vinum, sed et mela odorata satis adhibet et dulcia, quae non tantum in ore et labiis suavitatem reddant, sed et interioribus tradita faucibus dulcedinem servent.

She compares him, then, to an apple tree. But lest from the likeness of the word some of the simpler should think the malus (apple tree) a bad tree and named from malice, let us say “melum tree,” using indeed a Greek name, but one better known to the simpler among Latin readers than malus. For it is better to offend the grammarians than to put any stumbling block before readers in the explanation of the truth. She compares him, then, to the melum tree, and his companions to the other trees of the wood. But she says the Bridegroom is so like this melum tree that she even says she longed to sit in its shade, and asserts that its fruit became sweet in her throat. And she seems to speak this to the maidens, as the Bridegroom too spoke earlier to his companions. But now let us see, according to the mystery, who are the sons among whom the Bride asserts that the Bridegroom excels like the melum tree among the other trees of the wood; and see whether, in the same way as we expounded the daughters and the thorns in two ways above, we can understand the sons here also to be so called, either those who once were and are not, or the multitude of heavenly ministers. For to all, in the beginning, belongs what is written: “I said, You are gods, and all sons of the Most High.” But a difference came in through his saying: “But you shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.” And this too looks to the same point: “For who in the clouds shall be equal to the Lord? Or who shall be likened to him among the sons of God?” As, then, the melum tree among the other trees of the wood, so is the Bridegroom among the sons, having fruit which surpasses all not only in taste but also in fragrance, and refreshes two senses of the soul, that is, taste and smell. For with varied abundance Wisdom prepares her table for us, on which she not only sets the bread of life but also sacrifices the flesh of the Word; and she not only mixes her wine in her bowl but also furnishes fragrant and sweet apples, which not only yield sweetness in the mouth and lips but, passed into the inner throat, keep their sweetness.

Song 2:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 82:6 (81:6 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 82:7 (81:7 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 89:6 (88:7 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Prov 9:2 (allusion, high confidence) · John 6:35 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Rufinus explains his word for the apple tree; the Bridegroom excels the 'sons', fallen or heavenly, as the apple tree excels the trees of the wood.

The remark on malus and melum (from Greek μῆλον) is the Latin translator's, Rufinus's, not Origen's. Ps 82:6–7 (81:6–7 LXX); Ps 89:6 (88:7 LXX); Prov 9:1–2; John 6:35. The words lost in the Migne scan (“of the Most High. But”, “the other trees of the wood, so is the Bridegroom”, “in which she not only sets the bread of life, but”) are supplied from Baehrens.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (Migne's footnote leaked into the text; lost words supplied from Baehrens, GCS 33, where the Migne scan lost the line; OCR slip; OCR slips; page number leaked into the text; OCR slips; supplied from Baehrens, GCS 33, where the Migne scan lost the line; supplied from Baehrens, GCS 33, where the Migne scan lost the line; OCR slips; word split): arborem 71 mali malum arhon m putent ct a malitia → arborem mali malam arborem putent et a malitia; Comparat igitur cum arbori → Comparat igitur eum arbori; arboribus silvte → arboribus silvae; utetiam concupisse sc dicat → ut etiam concupisse se dicat; efi‘ectum → effectum; qua: in superioribus → quae in superioribus; filii omnes “. seu difi'erentia in- . tercessit → filii Excelsi omnes. Sed differentia intercessit; Vos autent → Vos autem; filios Dei “2 Sicut ergo arbor meli inter reliquos filios, habens → filios Dei? Sicut ergo arbor meli inter reliqua ligna silvae, ita est sponsus inter filios habens; sapore mnnes,.setl et → sapore omnes, sed et; duos anima: sensus → duos animae sensus; prmparat Sap‘en- “ Psal. Lxxxu, Luxu, molat carnes → praeparat Sapientia, in qua non solum panem vitae apponit, sed et immolat carnes; crate re suo → cratere suo.

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Cant. 3.180 (PG 13:152b–157a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-commentarius-canticum/2-169/#p-3-180). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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3.181PG 13:157a–152c

Possumus autem ligna silvae accipere eos angelos qui uniuscujusque haereseos auctores fautoresque visi sunt exstitisse. Ita ut videatur Ecclesia comparans suavitatem doctrinae Christi ad asperitatem hzereticorum dogmatum, ac sterilem infructuosamque doctrinam, dicere : mela quidem suavia et dulcia esse dogmata ecclesiastica, quae in Christi Ecclesia praedicantur; ligna vero silvae esse ca quae a diversis haereticis affirmantur. Et de istis videbitur infructuosis lignis silvae dici , quod in Evangeliis scriptum est: Ecce jam securis ad radicem arboris posita est. Omnis ergo arbor qua? non facit fructum bonum excidetur, et in ignem mittetur. Fraternus ergo sponsae est, ut arbor meli Ecclesia sponsi; caeteri vero haeresiarchae, tanquam infructuosa ligna silvae, divino judicio ut Securi excidendi et in ignem mittendi. Igitur in hujus meli umbra concupiscit sponsa residere, vel Ecclesia, ut diximus, in protectione Filii Dei, vel anima refugiens omnes reliquas doctrinas, et adhaerens uni soli Verbo Dei, cujus etiam dulcem habeat in faucibus fructum, meditando scilicet indesinenter legem Dei, et semper eam velut mundum animal ruminando. Verum de appellatione umbrae istius sub qua sedere concupisse se dicit Ecclesia , non puto absurdum, si ea quae invenire possumus in Scripturis divinis, proferamus in medium, ut quae sit umbra meli hujus dignius et divinius agnoscatur.

We can also take the trees of the wood to be those angels who appear to have been the authors and promoters of each heresy; so that the Church, comparing the sweetness of Christ's teaching with the harshness of the heretics' doctrines and their barren and fruitless teaching, seems to say that the church's doctrines, which are preached in the Church of Christ, are sweet and pleasant apples, but that the things asserted by the various heretics are trees of the wood. And of these fruitless trees of the wood will seem to be said what is written in the Gospels: “Behold, the axe is already laid to the root of the tree; every tree, then, that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and cast into the fire.” The kinsman of the Bride, then, is like the melum tree in the Bridegroom's Church; but the other heresiarchs are like fruitless trees of the wood, to be cut down by divine judgement as by an axe and cast into the fire. In the shade of this melum tree, then, the Bride longs to sit: either the Church, as we said, under the protection of the Son of God; or the soul that flees all other teachings and clings to the one Word of God alone, whose fruit too she has sweet in her throat, by meditating unceasingly, that is, on the law of God and always chewing it over like a clean animal. But concerning the name of this shade under which the Church says she longed to sit, I think it not absurd to bring forward what we can find in the divine Scriptures, so that what the shade of this apple tree is may be recognized more worthily and more divinely.

Matt 3:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 1:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Lev 11:3 (allusion, medium confidence) · Song 2:3 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The trees of the wood are the angels behind the heresies and their barren doctrines; the Church and the soul rest in the shade of the Son of God.

Matt 3:10; Ps 1:2; Lev 11:3 and Deut 14:6 (clean animals chew the cud). The sentence on the kinsman and the melum tree is awkward in Migne's text (Baehrens: “in the Church of Christ”); translated by sense.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip; footnote marker; words joined): iulructuosamque → infructuosamque; przcdieantur → praedicantur; afiirmantur → affirmantur; inlruetuosis → infructuosis; scriptum est {Ecce → scriptum est: Ecce; mittetur ”. → mittetur.; haeresiarcbze → haeresiarchae; silvai. divino → silvae, divino; l’ructum → fructum; Verumde → Verum de.

Topics: Heresy

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Cant. 3.181 (PG 13:157a–152c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-commentarius-canticum/2-169/#p-3-181). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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3.182PG 13:152c–153b

Ait Jeremias in Lamentationibus : Spiritus vultus nostri Christus Dominus comprehensus est in corruptionibus nostris, cui diximus: In umbra ejus vivemus in gentibus . Vides ergo quomodo Spiritu sancto propheta permotus vitam de umbra Christi praeberi gentibus dicit; et quomodo non vitam nobis praebeat ejus umbra, cum et in conceptu corporis illius ad Mariam dicatur : Spiritus sanctus veniet et virtus Altissimi obumbrabit tibi? Si ergo obumbratio fuit Altissimi in conceptu corporis ejus, merito umbra ejus vitam gentibus dabit. Et merito sponsa ejus Ecclesia sub meli umbra sedere concupiscit, sine dubio ut vitae, quae est in ejus umbra, particeps fiat. Reliquorum vero lignorum silvae umbra talis est, ut qui sederit sub ipsa, sedere videatur in regione umbrae mortis. Sed adhuc ut magis ac magis planior reddatur locus qui habetur in manibus, requiramus quomodo Apostolus dicat legem umbram habere futurorum bonorum, et omnia quae vel de diebus festis, vel sabbatis, vel neomeniis scripta sunt, umbram esse memoret futurorum bonorum, in his scilicet quae secundum litteram gerebantur; et quomodo omnem veterum culturam exemplar et umbram pronuntiet esse coelestium. Quod utique si ita est, ostenduntur sub umbra legis sedisse omnes quicunque sub lege erant, et umbram magis verae legis habebant. Nos autem alieni sumus ab umbra eorum, quoniam non sumus sub lege, sed sub gratia. Sed quamvis non simus sub umbra illa quam legis littera faciebat, sumus tamen sub umbra meliore. In umbra enim Christi vivimus inter gentes. Et est profectus quidam de umbra legis venire ad umbram Christi; ut quia Christus est vita, et veritas, et via, efficiamur primo in umbra viae, et in umbra vitae, et in umbra veritatis, ut comprehendamus ex parte, et in speculo ac in aenigmate, ut post haec, si incedamus per hanc viam, quae est Christus, pervenire possimus in hoc, ut facie ad faciem comprehendamus ea quae prius quasi in umbra et in aenigmate videramus. Non enim quis poterit ad illa quae vera sunt et perfecta pervenire, nisi prius desideraverit et concupierit in hac umbra residere.

Jeremiah says in Lamentations: “The spirit of our face, Christ the Lord, was taken in our corruptions, of whom we said: In his shadow we shall live among the nations.” You see, then, how the prophet, moved by the Holy Spirit, says that life is given to the nations from the shadow of Christ; and how should his shadow not give us life, when even at the conception of his body it is said to Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you”? If, then, there was an overshadowing by the Most High at the conception of his body, rightly will his shadow give life to the nations. And rightly does his Bride the Church long to sit under the shade of the apple tree: doubtless that she may become a partaker of the life that is in his shade. But the shade of the other trees of the wood is such that whoever sits under it seems to be sitting in the region of the shadow of death. But to make the passage before us plainer and plainer still, let us inquire how the Apostle says that the law has a shadow of good things to come, and says that all that was written about feast days or sabbaths or new moons is a shadow of good things to come, namely in those things which were performed according to the letter; and how he declares that all the worship of the ancients is a copy and shadow of heavenly things. If this is so, all who were under the law are shown to have sat under the shadow of the law, and to have had the shadow rather than the true law. But we are strangers to their shadow, since we are not under law but under grace. Yet although we are not under that shadow which the letter of the law made, we are nevertheless under a better shadow. For we live in the shadow of Christ among the nations. And it is a kind of progress to come from the shadow of the law to the shadow of Christ: so that, since Christ is the life and the truth and the way, we may first come to be in the shadow of the way, and in the shadow of the life, and in the shadow of the truth, and may comprehend in part, and in a mirror and in an enigma; so that afterwards, if we walk along this way which is Christ, we may be able to attain to comprehending face to face the things we had earlier seen as in a shadow and in an enigma. For no one will be able to come to the things that are true and perfect unless he has first desired and longed to sit in this shade.

Lam 4:20 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 1:35 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 4:16 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 10:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Col 2:16 (allusion, high confidence) · Col 2:17 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 8:5 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 6:14 (quotation, high confidence) · John 14:6 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 13:12 (allusion, high confidence) · Song 2:3 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The shade of the apple tree is the life-giving shadow of Christ, better than the shadow of the law and a step toward seeing face to face.

Lam 4:20 (as in the Greek version); Luke 1:35; Matt 4:16 (Isa 9:2); Heb 10:1; Col 2:16–17; Heb 8:5; Rom 6:14; John 14:6; 1 Cor 13:12. Umbra is rendered “shade” for the tree and “shadow” elsewhere. The words “moved by the Holy Spirit … from the shadow of Christ,” replaced in the Migne scan by footnote debris, are supplied from Baehrens.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (Migne's footnote leaked into the text; lost words supplied from Baehrens, GCS 33, where the Migne scan lost the line; OCR slip; OCR slip and footnote marker; OCR slips and stray mark; footnote marker; words joined): Spiritu Thren. tv, 20. esseesset; super; tino sepe; , praeberi → Spiritu sancto propheta permotus vitam de umbra Christi praeberi; obumbrabit tibi ‘5? → obumbrabit tibi?; quae estin ejus → quae est in ejus; vidcatur → videatur; futurorum honorum "’ , → futurorum bonorum,; coelestinn → coelestium; verte legis → verae legis; Nos autent → Nos autem; non uinus sub → non simus sub; smnus tamen → sumus tamen; proiectus quidam → profectus quidam; ut quis christus est vita → ut quia Christus est vita; efficiamur ο prinio in mnbra viae → efficiamur primo in umbra viae; spcculo → speculo; hanc riam → hanc viam; utfacie → ut facie; perlecta → perfecta.

Topics: Christology

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Cant. 3.182 (PG 13:152c–153b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-commentarius-canticum/2-169/#p-3-182). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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3.183PG 13:153b–171a

Sed et Job omnem hominum vitam dicit esse umbram super terram : credo pro eo quod anima in hac vita velamento huius crassi corporis obumbratur. Omnes ergo qui in hac vita sunt, necesse est in umbra quadam esse. Sed alii quidem sunt sedentes in regione umbrae mortis, hi profecto qui non credunt Christo. Ecclesia vero cum fiducia dicit : In umbra sponsi concupivi et sedi; quamvis certe fuerit tempus quo potuerit quis sub umbra legis residens defendi a duritia ardoris et aestus. Sed transiit illud tempus, veniendum est nunc ad arboris meli umbram; et quamvis diversa quis utatur umbra, videtur tamen omnis anima, donec in praesenti vita est , umbram habere necessariam, propter illum credo ardorem solis, qui cum exortus fuerit, continuo semen quod non alta radice demersum est, arescit ac deperit. Sed hunc ardorem tenuiter quidem legis umbra propellit : Christi vero umbra in qua nunc in gentibus vivimus, id est incarnationis ejus fides, avertet penitus et exstinguet. Ille enim qui adurebat ambulantes sub umbra legis, tempore passionis Christi, sicut fulgur visus est cecidisse de caelo, quamvis etiam ejus umbrae tempus in fine saeculi compleatur, quia, sicut diximus, post consummationem saeculi jam non per speculum, nec in aenigmate , sed facie ad faciem videbimus veritatem.

Job too says that the whole life of men is a shadow upon the earth: I believe because the soul in this life is overshadowed by the veil of this gross body. All, then, who are in this life must be in some shadow. But some are sitting in the region of the shadow of death, namely those who do not believe in Christ; whereas the Church says with confidence, “In the shade of the Bridegroom I longed for and sat down,” although there was certainly a time when one sitting under the shadow of the law could be protected from the harshness of the burning heat. But that time has passed; now one must come to the shade of the apple tree. And though one may use different shades, every soul nevertheless, so long as it is in the present life, seems to need shade, on account, I believe, of that heat of the sun which, when it has risen, at once withers and destroys the seed that has not sunk deep roots. This heat the shadow of the law wards off thinly; but the shadow of Christ, in which we now live among the nations, that is, faith in his incarnation, will turn it away completely and extinguish it. For he who scorched those walking under the shadow of the law was seen at the time of Christ's passion to fall from heaven like lightning; though the time even of his shade will be fulfilled at the end of the age, since, as we said, after the consummation of the age we shall see the truth no longer through a mirror nor in an enigma, but face to face.

Job 8:9 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 4:16 (allusion, high confidence) · Song 2:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 13:6 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 10:18 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 13:12 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: All in this life are under some shadow; the shadow of the law gave little protection, but faith in Christ's incarnation shelters fully until we see face to face.

Job 8:9; Matt 4:16; Song 2:3; Matt 13:5–6; Luke 10:18; 1 Cor 13:12. The words “to need shade, on account, I believe, of that heat”, lost in the Migne scan, are supplied from Baehrens.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip; OCR slip and footnote marker; OCR slip; words joined; OCR slips; stray mark; supplied from Baehrens, GCS 33, where the Migne scan lost the line): onmem → omnem; anima'in hac → anima in hac; umbra: mortis → umbrae mortis; nou credunt → non credunt; concupirist sedi → concupivi et sedi; dutitiaardoris → duritia ardoris; umbram solis, qui cum exortus → umbram habere necessariam, propter illum credo ardorem solis, qui cum exortus; fides. avertet penitus et exstinguct. llle → fides, avertet penitus et exstinguet. Ille; de cmlo → de caelo; ad fatiem videbimus veritatem if. → ad faciem videbimus veritatem..

Topics: Christology

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Cant. 3.183 (PG 13:153b–171a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-commentarius-canticum/2-169/#p-3-183). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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