Homilies on Jeremiah 9.0–9.4

Origen · Homilies on Jeremiah · ca. 240 · Caesarea · 5 passages

Greek text: Klostermann, GCS 6 (Greek text: E. Klostermann, Origenes Werke 3 (GCS 6, 1901), digitized by the First Thousand Years of Greek project (Open Greek and Latin), CC BY-SA 4.0).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).

Chapter 9

9.0Klostermann 3:63

Ὁμιλία θ΄. Εἰς τὸ »ὁ λόγος ὁ γενόμενος Πρὸς τὸν Ἱερεμίαν Παρὰ κυρίου λέγων· ἀκούσατε τοὺς λόγους τῆς διαθήκης ταύτης‘ μέχρι τοῦ »ἐπεστράφησαν ἐΠὶ τὰς ἀδικίας τῶν πατέρων. αὐτῶν τῶν Πρότερον«.

Homilia th΄. Eis to »ho logos ho genomenos Pros ton Hieremian Para kyriou legōn; akousate tous logous tēs diathēkēs tautēs‘ mechri tou »epestraphēsan ePi tas adikias tōn paterōn. autōn tōn Proteron«.

Homily 9. On “The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying: Hear the words of this covenant” as far as “They have turned back to the iniquities of their fathers of old.”

Jer 11:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Jer 11:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Jer 11:10 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The title of the ninth homily, on Jer 11:1–10.

The passage is Jer 11:1–10 (LXX).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip): χυρίου → κυρίου; δ. ιαθήκης → διαθήκης.

Cite (SBL): Origen, Hom. Jer. 9.0 (Klostermann 3:63; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ieremiam/9-0/#p-9-0).

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Klostermann, GCS 6; made independently of existing English translations. No public-domain English translation exists; reviewed against the Greek.

9.1Klostermann 3:63–65

Κατὰ μὲν τὴν ἱστορουμένην παρουσίαν τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ίησοῦ Χριστοῦ γέγονεν αὐτοῦ ἡ ἐπιδημία σωματικῶς καθολική τις καὶ ἐπι- λάμψασα ὅλῳ τῷ κόσμῳ, ὅτε »ὁ λόγος σάρξ ἐγένετο καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν«. »ἦν« γὰρ τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινὸν ὃ φωτίζει πάντα ἄν- θρωπον ἐρχόμενον εἰς τὸν κόσμον. ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἡν, καὶ ὁ κόσμος διʼ αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ ὁ κόσμος αὐτὸν οὐκ ἔγνω. εἰς τὰ ἴδια ἠλθεν, καὶ οἱ ἴδιοι αὐτὸν οὐ παρέλαβον«. χρὴ μέντοιγε εἰδέναι ὅτι καὶ πρό- τερον ἐπεδήμει, εἰ καὶ μὴ σωματικῶς, ἐν ἑκάστῳ τῶν ἁγίων, καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἐπιδημίαν αὐτοῦ ταύτην τὴν βλεπομένην πάλιν ἡμῖν ἐπιδημεῖ. καὶ εἰ βούλει τούτων ἀπόδειξιν λαβεῖν, πρόσεχε τῷ ὁ λόγος ὁ γενόμενος πρὸς Ἱερεμίαν παρὰ κυρίου λέγων· ἀκούσατε« καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. τίς γὰρ ἐστιν »ὁ λόγος ὁ γενόμενος παρὰ κυρίου« εἴτε πρὸς Ιερεμίαν εἴτε πρὸς Ἡσαΐαν εἴτε πρὸς Ἰεζεκιὴλ εἴτε πρὸς ὁνδήποτε ἢ ὁ ἐν ἀρχῇ πρὸς τὸν θεόν; ἐγὼ οὐκ οἶδα ἄλλον λόγον κυρίου ἢ τοῦ- τον, περὶ οὗ εἴρηκεν ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς τὸ »ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἠν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος. Καὶ ταῦτα δὲ ἡμᾶς εἰδέναι χρή, ὅτι οὓς μάλιστα ἔστιν ὄνασθαι, πρὸς ἔκαστον ἐπιδημία ἐστὶν τοῦ λόγου. τί γάρ μοι ὄφελος, εἰ ἐπιδεδήμηκεν ὁ λόγος τῷ κόσμῳ, ἐγὼ δὲ αὐτὸν οὐκ ἔχω; ἐκ δὲ τοῦ ἐν- αντίου, εἰ καὶ μηδέπω ὅλῳ τῷ κόσμῳ ἐπιδεδήμηκεν, δὸς δέ με γεγονέναι κατὰ τοὺς προφήτας, ἐγὼ ἔχω τὸν λόγον. καὶ εἴποιμι ἂν ὅτι ὁ Χρι- στὸς γέγονε πρὸς Μωσέα, πρὸς Ὶερεμίαν, πρὸς Ὴσαΐαν, πρὸς ἕκαστον τῶν δικαίων, καὶ τὸ εἰρημένον ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ πρὸς τοὺς μαθητάς. »ίδού, ἐγώ εἰμι μεθʼ ὑμῶν πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας ἕως τῆς συντελείας τοῦ αἰῶνος« ἔργῳ ἐσῴζετο καὶ ἐγίνετο καὶ πρὸ τῆς ἐπιδημίας αὐτοῦ· ἡν γὰρ μετὰ Μωσέως καὶ ἦν μετὰ Ἡσαΐου καὶ μετὰ ἑκάστου τῶν ἁγίων. πῶς δύνανται ἐκεῖνοι λόγον θεοῦ λελαληκέναι τοῦ λόγου τοῦ θεοῦ μὴ ἐπιδημήσαντος αὐτοῖς; ταῦτα δὲ μάλιστα καθʼ ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἐκκλησια- στικοὺς ἀναγκαῖόν ἐστιν γινώσκεσθαι, οἵτινες θέλομεν τὸν αὐτὸν εἶναι θεὸν νόμου καὶ εὐαγγελίου, τὸν αὐτὸν Χριστὸν καὶ τότε καὶ νῦν > εἰς πάντας τοὺς αἰῶνας. ἔσονται δὲ οἱ διακόπτοντες τὴν θεό- τητα τὴν πρεσβυτέραν τῆς ἐπιδημίας τοῦ σωτῆρος, ὅσον ἐπὶ τῇ ἑαυτῶν ὑπολήψει, ἀπὸ τῆς θεότητος τῆς ἐπαγγελλομένης ὑπὸ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. ἡμεῖς δὲ ἕνα οἴδαμεν θεὸν καὶ τότε καὶ νῦν, ἔνα Χριστὸν καὶ τότε καὶ νῦν. ταῦτα διὰ τὸ ὁ λόγος ὁ γενόμενος πρὸς Ἱερεμίαν παρὰ κυρίου λέγων«. Τί οὖν καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀκούσωμεν; »ἀκούσατε τοὺς λόγους τῆς διαθήκης ταύτης, καὶ λαλήσατε πρὸς ἄνδρας Ἰούδα καὶ πρὸς τοὺς κατοι- κοῦντας ἱερουσαλήμ«. ἄνδρες Ἰούδα ἡμεῖς ἐσμεν διὰ τὸν Χριστόν· πρόδηλον γὰρ ὅτι ἐξ Ἰούδα ἀνατέταλκεν ὁ κύριος ἡμῶν«, καὶ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ ἱούδα ἑὰν παραστήσω κατὰ τὴν γραφὴν ἐπὶ τὸν Χριστὸν ἀναφερόμενον, ἄνδρες Ἰούδα οἱ ἀπιστοῦντες τῷ Χριστῷ Ἰουδαῖοι οὐκ ἔσονται, ἀλλʼ ἡμεῖς ὅσοι πιστεύομεν ἐπὶ τὸν Χριστόν. »Ἰούδα, σὲ αἰνέσαισαν οἱ ἀδελφοί σου. αἱ χεῖρές σου ἐπὶ νώτου τῶν ἐχθρῶν σου( »σὲ αἰνέσαισαν«. οὐκ ἐκεῖνον τὸν Ἰούδαν τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ Ἰακὼβ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ ᾔνεσαν. τοῦτον δὲ τὸν Ἰούδαν αἰνέσουσιν οἱ ἀδελφοί, ἐπεί φησιν οὖτος ὁ Ἰούδας· »διηγήσομαι τὸ ὄνομά σου τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μου, ἐν μέσῳ ἐκκλησίας ὑμνήσω σε((. οὐ λέγεται πρὸς ἐκεῖνον τὸν Ἰούδαν. »αἱ χεῖρές σου ἐπὶ νώτου τῶν ἐχθρῶν σου( ποῦ εὑρίσκεται ἐπὶ νώτου τῶν ἐχθρῶν τὰς χεῖρας ἐκεῖνος ὁ Ἰούδας ἐπιτιθείς; ἡ ἱστο- ρία οὑδὲν τοιοῦτον ἀνέγραψεν περὶ αὐτοῦ. ἐὰν δὲ νοήσῃς τὴν ἐπι- δημίαν τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ καταργοῦντος τὸν διάβολον, ἀπεκδυομένου »τὰς ἀρχὰς καὶ τὰς ἐξουσίας« καὶ δειγματίζοντος καὶ θριαμβεύοντος ἐν τῷ ξύλῳ, ὁρᾷς πῶς ἐπὶ τοῦτον τὸν Ίούδαν πεπλήρωται ἡ λέγουσα προφητεία. »αἱ χεῖρές σου ἐπὶ νώτου τῶν ἐχθρῶν σου«. εἰ τοῦθʼ οὕτως ἔχει, λέγει δὲ ὁ λόγος νῦν »πρὸς ἄνδρας Ἰούδα«, πρὸς τίνας ἂν λέγοι ἢ πρὸς τοὺς πιστεύοντας ἐπὶ τὸν Χριστόν, διὰ τὴν φυλὴν Ἰούδα λεγόμενόν πως καὶ Ἰούδαν;

Kata men tēn historoumenēn parousian tou kyriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou gegonen autou hē epidēmia sōmatikōs katholikē tis kai epi- lampsasa holǭ tǭ kosmǭ, hote »ho logos sarx egeneto kai eskēnōsen en hēmin«. »ēn« gar to phōs to alēthinon ho phōtizei panta an- thrōpon erchomenon eis ton kosmon. en tǭ kosmǭ hēn, kai ho kosmos diʼ autou egeneto, kai ho kosmos auton ouk egnō. eis ta idia ēlthen, kai hoi idioi auton ou parelabon«. chrē mentoige eidenai hoti kai pro- teron epedēmei, ei kai mē sōmatikōs, en hekastǭ tōn hagiōn, kai meta tēn epidēmian autou tautēn tēn blepomenēn palin hēmin epidēmei. kai ei boulei toutōn apodeixin labein, proseche tǭ ho logos ho genomenos pros Hieremian para kyriou legōn; akousate« kai ta hexēs. tis gar estin »ho logos ho genomenos para kyriou« eite pros Ieremian eite pros Hēsaïan eite pros Iezekiēl eite pros hondēpote ē ho en archę̄ pros ton theon? egō ouk oida allon logon kyriou ē tou- ton, peri hou eirēken ho euangelistēs to »en archę̄ ēn ho logos, kai ho logos ēn pros ton theon, kai theos ēn ho logos. Kai tauta de hēmas eidenai chrē, hoti hous malista estin onasthai, pros ekaston epidēmia estin tou logou. ti gar moi ophelos, ei epidedēmēken ho logos tǭ kosmǭ, egō de auton ouk echō? ek de tou en- antiou, ei kai mēdepō holǭ tǭ kosmǭ epidedēmēken, dos de me gegonenai kata tous prophētas, egō echō ton logon. kai eipoimi an hoti ho Chri- stos gegone pros Mōsea, pros Ieremian, pros Ēsaïan, pros hekaston tōn dikaiōn, kai to eirēmenon hypʼ autou pros tous mathētas. »idou, egō eimi methʼ hymōn pasas tas hēmeras heōs tēs synteleias tou aiōnos« ergǭ esǭzeto kai egineto kai pro tēs epidēmias autou; hēn gar meta Mōseōs kai ēn meta Hēsaïou kai meta hekastou tōn hagiōn. pōs dynantai ekeinoi logon theou lelalēkenai tou logou tou theou mē epidēmēsantos autois? tauta de malista kathʼ hēmas tous ekklēsia- stikous anankaion estin ginōskesthai, hoitines thelomen ton auton einai theon nomou kai euangeliou, ton auton Christon kai tote kai nyn > eis pantas tous aiōnas. esontai de hoi diakoptontes tēn theo- tēta tēn presbyteran tēs epidēmias tou sōtēros, hoson epi tę̄ heautōn hypolēpsei, apo tēs theotētos tēs epangellomenēs hypo Iēsou Christou. hēmeis de hena oidamen theon kai tote kai nyn, ena Christon kai tote kai nyn. tauta dia to ho logos ho genomenos pros Hieremian para kyriou legōn«. Ti oun kai hēmeis akousōmen? »akousate tous logous tēs diathēkēs tautēs, kai lalēsate pros andras Iouda kai pros tous katoi- kountas hierousalēm«. andres Iouda hēmeis esmen dia ton Christon; prodēlon gar hoti ex Iouda anatetalken ho kyrios hēmōn«, kai to onoma tou hiouda hean parastēsō kata tēn graphēn epi ton Christon anapheromenon, andres Iouda hoi apistountes tǭ Christǭ Ioudaioi ouk esontai, allʼ hēmeis hosoi pisteuomen epi ton Christon. »Iouda, se ainesaisan hoi adelphoi sou. hai cheires sou epi nōtou tōn echthrōn sou( »se ainesaisan«. ouk ekeinon ton Ioudan ton huion tou Iakōb hoi adelphoi autou ę̄nesan. touton de ton Ioudan ainesousin hoi adelphoi, epei phēsin outos ho Ioudas; »diēgēsomai to onoma sou tois adelphois mou, en mesǭ ekklēsias hymnēsō se((. ou legetai pros ekeinon ton Ioudan. »hai cheires sou epi nōtou tōn echthrōn sou( pou heurisketai epi nōtou tōn echthrōn tas cheiras ekeinos ho Ioudas epititheis? hē histo- ria houden toiouton anegrapsen peri autou. ean de noēsę̄s tēn epi- dēmian tou kyriou Iēsou katargountos ton diabolon, apekdyomenou »tas archas kai tas exousias« kai deigmatizontos kai thriambeuontos en tǭ xylǭ, horąs pōs epi touton ton Ioudan peplērōtai hē legousa prophēteia. »hai cheires sou epi nōtou tōn echthrōn sou«. ei touthʼ houtōs echei, legei de ho logos nyn »pros andras Iouda«, pros tinas an legoi ē pros tous pisteuontas epi ton Christon, dia tēn phylēn Iouda legomenon pōs kai Ioudan?

According to the recorded coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, his bodily sojourn was universal and shone upon the whole world, when “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” For “he was the true light, which enlightens every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own did not receive him.” Yet one must know that he also sojourned before, though not bodily, in each of the saints, and after this visible sojourn of his he sojourns among us again. And if you wish to have proof of these things, attend to “The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying: Hear,” and the rest. For who is “the word that came from the Lord,” whether to Jeremiah or to Isaiah or to Ezekiel or to anyone at all, but the one who was in the beginning with God? I know no other word of the Lord than this, of whom the evangelist said: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” And we must know this too: that the Word's sojourn is with each of those who can most benefit. For what benefit is it to me if the Word has come to dwell in the world, but I do not have him? And conversely, even if he has not yet come to dwell in the whole world, suppose I have been like the prophets: I have the Word. And I would say that Christ came to Moses, to Jeremiah, to Isaiah, to each of the righteous; and what he said to the disciples, “Behold, I am with you all the days until the end of the age,” was preserved and came true in deed even before his coming; for he was with Moses, and he was with Isaiah and with each of the saints. How could they have spoken the word of God if the Word of God had not come to dwell with them? These things must above all be known by us who belong to the church, who hold that the God of the law and of the gospel is the same, and that Christ is the same then and now and for all ages. But there will be those who, as far as their own opinion goes, cut off the divinity that was before the Savior's coming from the divinity proclaimed by Jesus Christ. But we know one God both then and now, one Christ both then and now. So much on “The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying.” What, then, are we too to hear? “Hear the words of this covenant, and speak to the men of Judah and to those who dwell in Jerusalem.” We are men of Judah because of Christ; for “it is evident that our Lord has arisen from Judah”; and if I show from Scripture that the name of Judah is referred to Christ, the men of Judah will not be the Jews who do not believe in Christ, but all of us who believe in Christ. “Judah, may your brothers praise you. Your hands shall be on the back of your enemies.” “May they praise you”: his brothers did not praise that Judah, the son of Jacob. But this Judah his brothers will praise, since this Judah says: “I will tell your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing to you.” It is not said to that Judah. “Your hands shall be on the back of your enemies”: where is that Judah found putting his hands on the back of his enemies? The history records nothing of the kind about him. But if you understand the coming of the Lord Jesus, who destroyed the devil, “disarmed the principalities and powers,” made a public example of them, and triumphed over them on the tree, you see how the prophecy that says, “Your hands shall be on the back of your enemies,” has been fulfilled in this Judah. If this is so, and the Word now speaks “to the men of Judah,” to whom would he speak but to those who believe in Christ, who is in some way called Judah because of the tribe of Judah?

John 1:14 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:9 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:10 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:11 (quotation, high confidence) · Jer 11:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Jer 11:2 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 28:20 (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 7:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 49:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 22:22 (21:23 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 2:12 (allusion, medium confidence) · Col 2:15 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The Word who came to Jeremiah is the same Christ who was incarnate, so the God of the law and the gospel is one; the “men of Judah” addressed are Christians, since Christ is the true Judah of Jacob's blessing.

The quotations are John 1:14, 9–11, Jer 11:1–2, John 1:1–2, Matt 28:20, Heb 7:14, Gen 49:8, Ps 22:22 (21:23 LXX; Heb 2:12), and Col 2:15. Those who “cut off” the earlier divinity are the Marcionites and similar groups. Origen's claim that the unbelieving Jews are not “men of Judah” is his own polemical reading, given as he wrote it.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip; repeated word in the digital text; stray letter in the digital text): φωτίξει → φωτίζει; Ἰεξεκιὴλ → Ἰεζεκιὴλ; ἐσᾠξετο → ἐσῴζετο; ἐκεῖνοιξ → ἐκεῖνοι; ἐζ Ἰούδα → ἐξ Ἰούδα; τοὺς τοὺς πιστεύοντας → τοὺς πιστεύοντας.

Topics: Christology, Heresy

Cite (SBL): Origen, Hom. Jer. 9.1 (Klostermann 3:63–65; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ieremiam/9-0/#p-9-1).

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9.2Klostermann 3:65–67

»πρὸς ἄνδρας Ἰούδα« λέγεται ὁ λόγος καὶ πρὸς τοὺς κατοικοῦντας Ἱερουσαλήμ«. αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ ἐκκλησία. ἔστιν Ι γὰρ ἡ πόλις τοῦ θεοῦ ἡ ἐκκλησία, ἡ Ὅρασις τῆς εἰρήνης, ἐν αὐτῇ έστιν] ἡ εἰρήνη ἥν ἤγαγεν ἡμῖν, εἴγε ἐσμὲν τέκνα εἰρήνης, πληθύνεται καὶ ὁρᾶται. »Ἀκούσατε« οὖν τοὺς λόγους τῆς διαθήκης ταύτης, καὶ λαλή- σατε πρὸς ἄνδρας Ἰούδα καὶ τοὺς κατοικοῦντας Ἱερουσαλήμ. καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς αὐτούς· τάδε λέγει κύριος ὁ θεὸς Ἰσραὴλ ἄνθρωπος ὃς οὐκ ἀκούσεται τῶν λόγων τῆς διαθήκης, ἡς ἐνετειλάμην τοῖς πατράσιν ὑμῶν( τίς μάλιστα ἀκούει »τῶν λόγων τῆς διαθήκης ἧς ἐνετείλατο ὁ θεὸς τοῖς πατράσιν«; ἆρά γε οἱ πιστεύοντες ἐπʼ αὐτὸν ἢ οἱ μηδὲ Μωσεῖ πιστεύειν ἀποδεικνύμενοι ἐκ τοῦ μὴ πε- πιστευκέναι ἐπὶ τὸν κύριον; φησὶ γὰρ ὁ σωτὴρ πρὸς ἐκείνους. »εἰ ἐπιστεύετε Μωσεῖ, ἐπιστεύετε ἂν ἐμοί· περὶ γὰρ ἐμοῦ ἐκεῖνος ἔγραψεν. εἰ δὲ τοῖς ἐκείνου γράμμασιν οὐ πιστεύετε, πῶς τοῖς ἐμοῖς ῥήμασι πιστεύσετε«; οὐκοῦν ἐκεῖνοι εἰς Μωσῆν οὐ πεπιστεύκασιν, ἡμεῖς δὲ πιστεύοντες εἰς Χριστὸν πιστεύομεν τῇ διαθήκῃ τῇ διὰ Μωσέως, καὶ πρὸς ἡμᾶς λέγεται, ἵνα μὴ κατάρατοι γενώμεθα· ἐπικατάρατος ὁ ἄν- θρωπος ὅς οὐκ ἀκούσεται τῶν λόγων τῆς διαθήκης, ἧς ἐνετειλάμην τοῖς πατράσιν((. ἐκεῖνοι οὖν ἔχουσιν τὸ ἐπικατάρατοι εἶναι. οὐ γὰρ ἤκουσαν »τῆς διαθήκης, ἧς ἐνετείλατο ὁ θεὸς τοῖς πατράσιν«. »Ἐν ἡμέρᾳ« φησὶν »ᾖ ἀνήγαγον αὐτοὺς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου, ἐκ τῆς καμίνου τῆς σιδηρᾶς«. καὶ ἡμᾶς ἐξήγαγεν ὁ θεὸς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου, ἐκ τῆς καμίνου τῆς σιδηρᾶς«, μάλιστα κατὰ τὸν νοήσαντα τὸ γεγραμμένον ἐν τῇ Ἀποκαλύψει Ἰωάννου, ὅτι ὁ τόπος »ὅπου κύριος αὐ- τῶν ἐσταυρώθη καλεῖται πνευματικῶς Σόδομα καὶ Αἴγυπτος«. εἰ γὰρ »πνευματικῶς καλεῖται Αίγυπτος«, οὐκ ἔστιν δὲ αὕτη ἡ Αἵγυπτος ἡ πνευματικῶς καλουμένη Αἴγυπτος, αἰσθητὴ γάρ, δῆλον ὅτι ἐὰν νοήσῃς τὴν πνευματικῶς καλουμένην Αἴγυπτον καὶ ἐξέλθῃς ἀπʼ αὐτῆς, σὺ εἶ ὁ ἐξελθὼν »ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου καὶ ἐκ τῆς καμίνου τῆς σιδηρᾶς« καὶ λέγεται πρὸς σέ· »ἀκούσατε τῆς φωνῆς μου καὶ ποιήσατε κατὰ πάντα« ταυτα. Εἶτʼ ἐπαγγελία τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστι πρὸς τοὺς ἀκούοντας, ἐὰν ποιήσωσιν ἅ ἐντέταλται, λέγουσα· καὶ ἔσεσθέ μοι εἰς λαὸν κἀγὼ ἔσομαι ὑμῖν εἰς θεόν«. οὐ πᾶς ὁ λέγων [ὁ] λαὸς εἶναι θεοῦ λαὸς ἔστιν ἐκεῖνος οὗν ὁ ἐπαγγειλάμενος εἶναι λαὸς θεοῦ »οὐ λαός μου ὑμεῖς« ἤκουσαν ἐν τῷ »διότι οὐ λαός μου ὑμεῖς«, καὶ ἐρρήθη πρὸς τὸν λαὸν ἐκεῖνον »οὑ λαός μου«, καὶ πάλιν οὗτος ὁ λαὸς ἐκλήθη λαός. »αὐτοὶ« γὰρ »παρεζήλωσάν με ἐπʼ οὐ θεῷ« περὶ ἐκείνων δὲ λέγει), »παρώργισάν με ἐν τοῖς εἰδώλοις αὐτῶν· κἀγὼ παραζηλώσω αὐτοὺς ἐπʼ οὐκ ἔθνει, ἐπʼ ἔθνει ἀσυνέτῳ παροργιῶ αὐτούς«.

»pros andras Iouda« legetai ho logos kai pros tous katoikountas Hierousalēm«. hautē estin hē ekklēsia. estin I gar hē polis tou theou hē ekklēsia, hē Horasis tēs eirēnēs, en autę̄ estin] hē eirēnē hēn ēgagen hēmin, eige esmen tekna eirēnēs, plēthynetai kai horatai. »Akousate« oun tous logous tēs diathēkēs tautēs, kai lalē- sate pros andras Iouda kai tous katoikountas Hierousalēm. kai ereis pros autous; tade legei kyrios ho theos Israēl anthrōpos hos ouk akousetai tōn logōn tēs diathēkēs, hēs eneteilamēn tois patrasin hymōn( tis malista akouei »tōn logōn tēs diathēkēs hēs eneteilato ho theos tois patrasin«? ara ge hoi pisteuontes epʼ auton ē hoi mēde Mōsei pisteuein apodeiknymenoi ek tou mē pe- pisteukenai epi ton kyrion? phēsi gar ho sōtēr pros ekeinous. »ei episteuete Mōsei, episteuete an emoi; peri gar emou ekeinos egrapsen. ei de tois ekeinou grammasin ou pisteuete, pōs tois emois rhēmasi pisteusete«? oukoun ekeinoi eis Mōsēn ou pepisteukasin, hēmeis de pisteuontes eis Christon pisteuomen tę̄ diathēkę̄ tę̄ dia Mōseōs, kai pros hēmas legetai, hina mē kataratoi genōmetha; epikataratos ho an- thrōpos hos ouk akousetai tōn logōn tēs diathēkēs, hēs eneteilamēn tois patrasin((. ekeinoi oun echousin to epikataratoi einai. ou gar ēkousan »tēs diathēkēs, hēs eneteilato ho theos tois patrasin«. »En hēmerą« phēsin »ę̄ anēgagon autous ek gēs Aigyptou, ek tēs kaminou tēs sidēras«. kai hēmas exēgagen ho theos ek gēs Aigyptou, ek tēs kaminou tēs sidēras«, malista kata ton noēsanta to gegrammenon en tę̄ Apokalypsei Iōannou, hoti ho topos »hopou kyrios au- tōn estaurōthē kaleitai pneumatikōs Sodoma kai Aigyptos«. ei gar »pneumatikōs kaleitai Aigyptos«, ouk estin de hautē hē Haigyptos hē pneumatikōs kaloumenē Aigyptos, aisthētē gar, dēlon hoti ean noēsę̄s tēn pneumatikōs kaloumenēn Aigypton kai exelthę̄s apʼ autēs, sy ei ho exelthōn »ek gēs Aigyptou kai ek tēs kaminou tēs sidēras« kai legetai pros se; »akousate tēs phōnēs mou kai poiēsate kata panta« tauta. Eitʼ epangelia tou theou esti pros tous akouontas, ean poiēsōsin ha entetaltai, legousa; kai esesthe moi eis laon kagō esomai hymin eis theon«. ou pas ho legōn [ho] laos einai theou laos estin ekeinos houn ho epangeilamenos einai laos theou »ou laos mou hymeis« ēkousan en tǭ »dioti ou laos mou hymeis«, kai errēthē pros ton laon ekeinon »hou laos mou«, kai palin houtos ho laos eklēthē laos. »autoi« gar »parezēlōsan me epʼ ou theǭ« peri ekeinōn de legei), »parōrgisan me en tois eidōlois autōn; kagō parazēlōsō autous epʼ ouk ethnei, epʼ ethnei asynetǭ parorgiō autous«.

The word is spoken “to the men of Judah and to those who dwell in Jerusalem.” This is the church. For the church is the city of God, the Vision of Peace; in it is the peace he brought us, which, if we are children of peace, is multiplied and seen. “Hear,” then, “the words of this covenant, and speak to the men of Judah and those who dwell in Jerusalem. And you shall say to them: Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Cursed is the man who will not hear the words of the covenant which I commanded your fathers.” Who most of all hears “the words of the covenant which God commanded the fathers”? Those who believe in him, or those shown not even to believe Moses by not having believed in the Lord? For the Savior says to them: “If you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?” So they have not believed in Moses, but we, believing in Christ, believe the covenant given through Moses, and it is said to us, so that we may not become accursed: “Cursed is the man who will not hear the words of the covenant which I commanded your fathers.” They, then, bear the curse; for they did not hear “the covenant which God commanded the fathers.” “On the day,” he says, “when I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, out of the iron furnace.” God has brought us too out of the land of Egypt, “out of the iron furnace,” especially for one who understands what is written in the Revelation of John, that the place “where their Lord was crucified is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt.” For if it is “spiritually called Egypt,” and this Egypt is not the one spiritually called Egypt, for it is perceptible, clearly, if you understand the Egypt spiritually so called and come out of it, you are the one who has come out “of the land of Egypt and out of the iron furnace,” and to you it is said: “Hear my voice and do according to all” these things. Then there is God's promise to those who hear, if they do what has been commanded, saying, “And you shall be my people, and I will be your God.” Not everyone who says he is the people of God is his people. That people which was promised to be the people of God heard “not my people” in “for you are not my people”; and it was said to that people, “not my people,” and again this people was called a people. For “they made me jealous with what is no god” (he says this about them), “they provoked me with their idols; and I will make them jealous with what is no nation; with a foolish nation I will provoke them.”

Jer 11:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Jer 11:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Jer 11:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 10:6 (echo, low confidence) · John 5:46 (quotation, high confidence) · John 5:47 (quotation, high confidence) · Rev 11:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Hos 1:9 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 32:21 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Jerusalem is the church; Christians, who believe Moses because they believe Christ, hear the covenant and have come out of the spiritual Egypt, while the people once called God's people were told “not my people.”

The quotations are Jer 11:2–5 (LXX), John 5:46–47, Rev 11:8, Hos 1:9, and Deut 32:21. “Vision of Peace” is the traditional interpretation of the name Jerusalem; “children of peace” echoes Luke 10:6. Origen's statements about the Jewish people are his own polemic, given as he wrote them.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip; repeated syllables in the digital text; repeated word in the digital text): Μαὶ πρὸς → καὶ πρὸς; Ἰύδα → Ἰούδα; ἐπιστεύετε ἐπιστεύετε → ἐπιστεύετε; γεγραμμένον μένον → γεγραμμένον; τόπος τόπος → τόπος; οὐκ οὐκ ἔστιν → οὐκ ἔστιν; τὴν τὴν πνευματικῶς → τὴν πνευματικῶς; παρεξήλωσάν → παρεζήλωσάν.

Cite (SBL): Origen, Hom. Jer. 9.2 (Klostermann 3:65–67; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ieremiam/9-0/#p-9-2).

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9.3Klostermann 3:67–68

γεγόναμεν οὖν ἡμεῖς τῷ θεῷ εἰς λαόν, καὶ >ἡ δικαιοσύνη τοῦ θεοῦ τῷ λαῷ τῷ < τῷ ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν. οὗτος γὰρ ὁ λαὸς τίκτεται ἀθρόως, καὶ ἐν τῷ προφήτῃ δὲ εἴρηται. »εἰ ἐτέχθη ἔθνος εἶς ἅπαξ«. ἐτέχθη δὲ ἔθνος εἰς ἅπαξ, ὅτε ἐπιδεδήμηκεν ὁ σωτὴρ καὶ ἐπίστευσαν ἐν μιᾷ ἡμέρᾳ χιλιάδες πέντε καὶ προσετέθησαν ἄλλῃ ἡμέρᾳ χιλιάδες τρεῖς. καὶ ἔστιν ἰδεῖν ὅλον λαὸν τικτόμενον λόγῳ θεοῦ καὶ άθρόως τίκτουσαν τὴν στεῖραν, τὴν πρότερον οὐ τεκοῦσαν, πρὸς ἣν λέγεται. »εὐφράνθητι στεῖρα ἡ οὐ τίκτουσα, ῥῆξον καὶ βόησον ὴ οὐκ ώδίνουσα, ὅτι πολλὰ τὰ τέκνα τῆς ἐρήμου μᾶλλον ἢ τῆς ἐχούσης τὸν ἄνδρα(. ἔρημος μὲν ἡ ἐκκλησία· νόμου, ἔρημος αὔτη θεοῦ ἡν. ἔχουσα δὲ ἄνδρα τὸν νόμον ἐκείνη ἡ συναγωγὴ λέλεκται. Τί οὖν μοι ἐπαγγέλλεται ὀ θεός; »ἔσεσθέ μοι εἰς λαὸν κἀγὼ ἔσομαι ὑμῖν εἰς θεόν((. οὐκ ἔστιν πάντων θεὸς ἀλλʼ ἢ ἐκείνων οἷς χαρίζεται ἑαυτόν, ὅσπερ ἐχαρίσατο ἑαυτὸν τῷ πατριάρχῃ ἐκείνῳ ᾧ Ι εἶπεν. »ἐγὼ θεὸς σός«, καὶ πάλιν ἄλλῳ »ἐγὼ ἔσομαί σου θεός«, καὶ περὶ ἑτέρων »ἔσομαι αὐτῶν θεός(. πότε οὖν ἄρα ἡμεῖς ἐπιτυγχάνομεν, ὁ καθʼ ἕκαστον λέγω, εἰς τὸ τὸν θεὸν εἶναι ἡμῶν θεόν; εἰ δὲ θέλεις μαθεῖν, τίνων ἐστὶν ὁ θεὸς καὶ τίνι χαρίζεται τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἐπίκλησιν, ἐγὼ φησὶν θεὸς Ἀβραάμ, θεὸς Ἰσαάκ, θεὸς. καὶ διηγούμενος τὸ τοιοῦτον ὁ σωτήρ φησιν· »ὁ θεὸς οὐκ ἔστιν νεκρῶν ἀλλὰ ζώντων«. τίς ὁ νεκρός; ὁ ἀμαρτωλός, ὁ μὴ ἔχων τὸν εἰπόντα. ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ, ὁ ἔχων νεκρὰ ἔργα, ὁ μηδέπω μετανοήσας ἀπὸ νεκρῶν ἔργων, περὶ ὧν φησιν ὁ ἀπόστολος. »μὴ πάλιν θεμέλιον καταβαλλό- μενοι μετανοίας ἀπὸ νεκρῶν ἔργων«. εἰ τοίνυν »ὁ θεὸς οὐκ ἔστιν νεκρῶν θεὸς ἀλλὰ ζώντων«, καὶ οἵδαμεν τίς ἐστιν ὁ ζῶν, ὅτι ὁ πολιτευόμενος κατὰ Χριστὸν καὶ μένων μετʼ αὐτοῦ, εἰ βουλόμεθα ἵνα ἡμῶν ᾖ ὁ θεός, ἀποταξώμεθα τοῖς ἔργοις τῆς νεκρότητος, ἵνα τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν αὐτοῦ πληρώσῃ τὴν λέγουσαν· »καὶ ἐγὼ ἔσομαι ὑμῖν εἰς θεόν, ὅπως στήσω τὸν ὅρκον μου ὅν ὤμοσα τοῖς πατράσιν ὑμῶν, τοῦ δοῦναι αὐτοῖς γῆν ῥέουσαν γάλα καὶ μέλι«. τήρει γὰρ ὅτι λέγει· »στήσω τὸν ὅρκον μου ὃν ὤμοσα τοῖς πατράσιν ὑμῶν, τοῦ δοῦναι αὐτοῖς γῆν ῥέουσαν γάλα καὶ μέλι«, ὡς μηδέπω δεδωκὼς αὐτοῖς τὴν »γῆν τὴν ῥέουσαν γάλα καὶ μέλι«. αὕτη γὰρ οὐκ ἔστιν ἡ γῆ, ἣν λατο ὁ θεὸς »ῥέουσαν γάλα καὶ μέλι«, ἀλλʼ ἔστιν ἐκείνη, περὶ ἧς ἐδίδασκεν ὁ σωτὴρ λέγων· μακάριοι οἱ πραεῖς, ὅτι αὐτοὶ κληρονομήσουσι τὴν γην«.

gegonamen oun hēmeis tǭ theǭ eis laon, kai >hē dikaiosynē tou theou tǭ laǭ tǭ < tǭ apo tōn ethnōn. houtos gar ho laos tiktetai athroōs, kai en tǭ prophētę̄ de eirētai. »ei etechthē ethnos eis hapax«. etechthē de ethnos eis hapax, hote epidedēmēken ho sōtēr kai episteusan en mią hēmerą chiliades pente kai prosetethēsan allę̄ hēmerą chiliades treis. kai estin idein holon laon tiktomenon logǭ theou kai athroōs tiktousan tēn steiran, tēn proteron ou tekousan, pros hēn legetai. »euphranthēti steira hē ou tiktousa, rhēxon kai boēson ē ouk ōdinousa, hoti polla ta tekna tēs erēmou mallon ē tēs echousēs ton andra(. erēmos men hē ekklēsia; nomou, erēmos autē theou hēn. echousa de andra ton nomon ekeinē hē synagōgē lelektai. Ti oun moi epangelletai o theos? »esesthe moi eis laon kagō esomai hymin eis theon((. ouk estin pantōn theos allʼ ē ekeinōn hois charizetai heauton, hosper echarisato heauton tǭ patriarchę̄ ekeinǭ hǭ I eipen. »egō theos sos«, kai palin allǭ »egō esomai sou theos«, kai peri heterōn »esomai autōn theos(. pote oun ara hēmeis epitynchanomen, ho kathʼ hekaston legō, eis to ton theon einai hēmōn theon? ei de theleis mathein, tinōn estin ho theos kai tini charizetai tēn heautou epiklēsin, egō phēsin theos Abraam, theos Isaak, theos. kai diēgoumenos to toiouton ho sōtēr phēsin; »ho theos ouk estin nekrōn alla zōntōn«. tis ho nekros? ho amartōlos, ho mē echōn ton eiponta. egō eimi hē, ho echōn nekra erga, ho mēdepō metanoēsas apo nekrōn ergōn, peri hōn phēsin ho apostolos. »mē palin themelion kataballo- menoi metanoias apo nekrōn ergōn«. ei toinyn »ho theos ouk estin nekrōn theos alla zōntōn«, kai hoidamen tis estin ho zōn, hoti ho politeuomenos kata Christon kai menōn metʼ autou, ei boulometha hina hēmōn ę̄ ho theos, apotaxōmetha tois ergois tēs nekrotētos, hina tēn epangelian autou plērōsę̄ tēn legousan; »kai egō esomai hymin eis theon, hopōs stēsō ton horkon mou hon ōmosa tois patrasin hymōn, tou dounai autois gēn rheousan gala kai meli«. tērei gar hoti legei; »stēsō ton horkon mou hon ōmosa tois patrasin hymōn, tou dounai autois gēn rheousan gala kai meli«, hōs mēdepō dedōkōs autois tēn »gēn tēn rheousan gala kai meli«. hautē gar ouk estin hē gē, hēn lato ho theos »rheousan gala kai meli«, allʼ estin ekeinē, peri hēs edidasken ho sōtēr legōn; makarioi hoi praeis, hoti autoi klēronomēsousi tēn gēn«.

So we have become a people to God, and “the righteousness of God” has come to the people from the nations. For this people is born all at once, and it is said in the prophet too: “Was a nation born at once?” And a nation was born at once when the Savior came, and on one day five thousand believed, and on another day three thousand were added. And one may see a whole people born by the word of God, and the barren woman, who had not borne before, giving birth all at once, to whom it is said: “Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and shout, you who are not in labor; for many are the children of the desolate, more than of her who has a husband.” The church was desolate of the law; she was desolate of God. But that synagogue is said to have had the law as husband. What, then, does God promise me? “You shall be my people, and I will be your God.” He is not the God of all, but of those to whom he gives himself, as he gave himself to that patriarch to whom he said, “I am your God,” and again to another, “I will be your God,” and about others, “I will be their God.” When, then, do we attain, I mean each one of us, to having God as our God? If you wish to learn whose God he is and to whom he grants his name, he says, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob.” And explaining this, the Savior says: “God is not the God of the dead but of the living.” Who is the dead? The sinner, the one who does not have him who said, “I am the life,” the one who has dead works, who has not yet repented of dead works, of which the apostle says, “not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works.” If, then, “God is not the God of the dead but of the living,” and we know who is living, that it is the one who lives according to Christ and remains with him, if we wish God to be ours, let us renounce the works of deadness, so that he may fulfill his promise that says: “And I will be your God, that I may establish my oath which I swore to your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey.” For observe that he says, “that I may establish my oath which I swore to your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey,” as though he had not yet given them “the land flowing with milk and honey.” For this is not the land which God promised “flowing with milk and honey,” but it is the one about which the Savior taught, saying: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”

Rom 3:21 (allusion, low confidence) · Isa 66:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 4:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 2:41 (allusion, high confidence) · Isa 54:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 4:27 (allusion, medium confidence) · Jer 11:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Jer 11:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 17:7 (allusion, medium confidence) · Gen 28:13 (allusion, medium confidence) · Exod 3:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 22:32 (quotation, high confidence) · John 11:25 (allusion, medium confidence) · Heb 6:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 5:5 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The church, born all at once from the Gentiles, is God's new people; God is the God only of the living, those who have turned from dead works, and the promised land is the one Christ promised to the meek.

The quotations are Rom 3:21–22 (loosely), Isa 66:8, Acts 4:4 with 2:41, Isa 54:1 (Gal 4:27), Jer 11:4–5, Gen 17:7–8 and 28:13 (to the patriarchs), Exod 3:6, Matt 22:32, John 11:25 (“I am the life”; the digital text has only “I am …”), and Heb 6:1. The last quotation is Matt 5:5. The verb “promised” is partly lost in the digital text.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip): χαρίξεται → χαρίζεται; Ἀρβαάμ → Ἀβραάμ; ξώντων → ζώντων; ἕνα ἡμῶν ᾖ → ἵνα ἡμῶν ᾖ.

Topics: Eschatology

Cite (SBL): Origen, Hom. Jer. 9.3 (Klostermann 3:67–68; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ieremiam/9-0/#p-9-3).

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9.4Klostermann 3:68–71

Εἶτα πρὸς τὰ προειρημένα ὑπὸ τοῦ κυρίου ἀποκρίνεται ὁ προ- φήτης, πρὸς τὸ »ἐπικατάρατος ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὃς οὐκ ἀκούσεται τῶν λόγων τῆς διαθήκης ταύτης«, καί φησι· »καὶ ἀπεκρίθην καὶ εἶπα. γένοιτο, κύριε«. τί »γένοιτο, κύριε«; ἐπικατάρατος ὃς οὐκ ἐμμενεῖ τοῖς λόγοις τῆς διαθήκης ταύτης. »καὶ εἶπεν κύριος πρός με· ἀνά- γνωθι τοὺς λόγους τούτους ἐν πόλεσιν Ἰούδα καὶ ἔξωθεν Ἱερουσαλήμ«. καὶ τοῖς ἔξω ἀναγινώσκομεν τοὺς λόγους τοῦ θεοῦ προσκαλούμενοι αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ σωτηρίαν. »ἀκούσατε τοὺς λόγους τῆς ταύτης καὶ ποιήσατε αὐτούς. καὶ οὐκ ἐποίησαν. καὶ εἶπεν κύριος πρός με· εὑρέθη σύνδεσμος ἐν ἀνδράσιν Ἰούδα καὶ ἐν τοῖς κατοικοῦ- σιν Ἱερουσαλήμ«. ἡ μέλλομεν μετανοεῖν ἐπὶ τοῖς εἰρημένοις ἁμαρτή- μασι περὶ ἀνδρῶν Ἰούδα, εἰδότες ὅτι ἐσμὲν οἱ ἄνδρες Ἰούδα, Ἰούδα, τὸν Χριστὸν Ἰούδα προφητευθέντα καὶ λεχθέντα; μήποτε γὰρ ἐπεὶ ἐν ἡμῖν εἰσιν ἁμαρτωλοί τινες καὶ παρὰ τὸν ὀρθὸν λόγον πράττοντες, διὰ τοῦτο λέγει ὁ προφήτης· »εὑρέθη σύνδεσμος έν ἀνδράσιν Ἰούδα καὶ ἐν τοῖς κατοικοῦσιν Ἱερουσαλήμ«. ὅταν γὰρ εὑρεθῇ ἔν τισι χρηματίζουσιν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐκκλησίας σύνδεσμος ἀδικίας καὶ σύνδεσμος τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων, ὥστʼ ἂν ἐφαρμόσαι αὐτοῖς τὸ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἁμαρτωλοῦ τὸ »σειραῖς δὲ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ ἁμαρτιῶν ἕκαστος σφίγγεται«, λέγοι ἂν ὁ θεός· »εὑρέθη σύνδεσμος ἐν ἀνδράσιν Ἰούδα( ἀλλὰ μὴ εὑρεθείη σύνδεσμος ἐν ἡμῖν. πῶς δὲ οὐχ εὑρίσκεται σύνδεσμος ἐν ἡμῖν, εἰ καὶ μέχρι τοῦ δεῦρό ἐστιν σύνδεσμος ἔν τισιν; »λῦε πάντα σύνδεσμον ἀδικίας, διάλυε στραγγαλιὰς βιαίων συναλλαγμάτων, πᾶσαν συγγραφὴν ἄδικον διάσπα. διάθρυπτε πεινῶντι τὸν ἄρτον σου«. »Εὑρέθη« οὖν »σύνδεσμος ἐν ἀνδράσιν Ἰούδα καὶ ἐν τοῖς κατοικοῦσιν Ιερουσαλήμ. ἐπεστράφησαν ἐπὶ τὰς ἀδικίας τῶν πατέρων αὐτῶν τῶν πρότερον«. »ἐπεστράφησαν ἐπὶ τὰς ἀδικίας«. τίνων; οὐ λέγει ἁπλῶς τῶν πατέρων. τίς ἡ προσθήκη; »ἐπεστράφησαν ἐπὶ τὰς ἀδικίας | τῶν πατέρων αὐτῶν τῶν πρότερον«; ἐλέγομεν ταῦτα λέγεσθαι πρὸς ἡμᾶς καὶ τοὺς ἐν ἡμῖν ἁμαρτάνοντας. πῶς οὖν οἱ ἐν ἡμῖν ἁμαρτάνοντες ἐπεστράφησαν οὐκ ἐπὶ τὰς ἀδικίας τῶν πατέρων«, ἀλλὰ »τῶν πατέρων αὐτῶν τῶν πρότερον«; μήποτε οὖν διττοί εἰσιν οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν, καὶ ἔστιν μὲν ἐν ἡμῖν εἶδος πατέρων τὸ χεῖρον· πρὶν πιστεῦσαι γὰρ υἱοὶ ἦμεν φέρʼ εἰπεῖν τοῦ διαβόλου, ὡς δείκνυσιν ὁ λόγος ὁ εὐαγγελικὸς λέγων· »ὑμεῖς ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς τοῦ διαβόλου ἐστέ«, ὅτε δὲ πεπιστεύκαμεν, γεγόναμεν υἱοὶ θεοῦ. ἐπὰν οὐν ἁμαρτάνωμεν, ἐπιστρέφομεν ἐπὶ τὰς ἀδικίας οὐχ ἁπαξαπλῶς τῶν πατέρων, ἀλλὰ τῶν πρότερον πατέρων. εἰς δὲ τὸ παραστῆσαι ὅτι διττοὶ ἡμῶν εἰσιν οἱ πατέρες, χρήσομαι ῥητοῖς ἀπὸ τοῦ τεσσαρακοστοῦ τετάρτου Ψαλμοῦ οὕτως ἔχουσιν· »ἄκουσον, θύγατερ, καὶ ἴδε καὶ κλῖνον τὸ οὖς σου, καὶ ἐπιλάθου τοῦ λαοῦ σου καὶ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ πατρός σου«. πατὴρ λέγει· »ἐπιλάθου τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ πατρός σου«· ὡς γὰρ πατὴρ λέγει· ἄκουσον, θύγατερ«. οὐκοῦν διττοὶ οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν εἰσιν. ἀλλὰ »ἐπιλάθου τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ πατρός σου« τοῦ προτέρου. ἐὰν ἐπιλαθόμενός σου τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ προτέρου πάλιν ἐπιστρέψῃς ἐπὶ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα, σὺ πεποίηκας τὰ λεγόμενα ἐνθάδε ἁμαρτήματα. »Ἐπεστράφησαν ἐπὶ τὰς ἀδικίας τῶν πατέρων αὐτῶν τῶν πρότερον«. ἔλεγον ὅτι καὶ ὁ διάβολος πρότερον ἦν ἡμῶν πατήρ, πρὶν γένηται ἡμῶν ὁ θεὸς πατήρ, εἴγε καὶ νῦν οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῶν ὁ διάβολος πατήρ· ὅπερ παραστήσομεν καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰωάννου καθολικῆς ἐπιστολῆς, ἐν ᾗ γέγραπται· »πᾶς ὁ ποιῶν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐκ τοῦ διαβόλου γεγέννηται«. εἰ »πᾶς ὁ ποιῶν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐκ τοῦ διαβόλου γεγέννηται«, οἱονεὶ τοσαυτάκις ἐκ τοῦ διαβόλου γεγεννήμεθα ὁσάκις ἁμαρτάνομεν. ταλαίπωρος οὖν οὗτός ἐστιν, ὃς ἀεὶ γεννᾶται ἐκ τοῦ διαβόλου, ὥσπερ πάλιν μακάριος ὁ ἀεὶ γεννώμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ. οὐ γὰρ ἅπαξ ἐρῶ τὸν δίκαιον γεγεννῆσθαι ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ, ἀλλʼ ἀεὶ γεννᾶσθαι καθʼ ἑκάστην πρᾶξιν ἀγαθήν, ἐν ᾗ γεννᾷ τὸν δίκαιον ὁ θεός. ἐὰν οὖν ἐπιστήσω σε ἐπὶ τοῦ σωτῆρος, ὅτι οὐχὶ ἐγέννησεν ὁ πατὴρ τὸν υἱὸν καὶ ἀπέλυσεν αὐτὸν ὁ πατὴρ ἀπὸ τῆς γενέσεως αὐτοῦ, ἀλλʼ ἀεὶ γεννᾷ αὐτόν, παραστήσω καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ δικαίου παραπλήσιον. ἴδωμεν δὲ τίς ἡμῶν ἐστιν ὁ σωτήρ. »ἀπαύγασμα δόξης«. τὸ ἀπαύγασμα τῆς δόξης οὐχὶ ἅπαξ γεγέννηται καὶ οὐχὶ γεννᾶται· ἀλλὰ ὅσον ἐστὶν τὸ φῶς ποιητικὸν τοῦ ἀπαυγάσματος, ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον γεννᾶται τὸ ἀπαύγασμα τῆς δόξης τοῦ θεοῦ. ὁ σωτὴρ ἡμῶν σοφία ἐστὶν τοῦ θεοῦ. ἔστιν δὲ ἡ σοφία »ἀπαύγασμα φωτὸς ἀιδίου«. εἰ οὖν ὁ σωτὴρ ἀεὶ γεννᾶται, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο λέγει· »πρὸ δὲ πάντων βουνῶν γεννᾷ με« οὐχὶ δέ· πρὸ δὲ πάντων βουνῶν γεγέννηκέν με, ἀλλά· »πρὸ πάντων βουνῶν γεννᾷ με«), καὶ ἀεὶ γεννᾶται ὁ σωτὴρ ὑπὸ τοῦ πατρός, οὕτως καὶ σὺ ἐὰν ἔχῃς τὸ τῆς υἱοθεσίας πνεῦμα, ἀεὶ γεννᾷ σε ἐν αὐτῷ ὁ θεὸς καθʼ ἕκαστον ἔργον, καθʼ ἕκαστον διανόημα, καὶ γεννώμενος οὕτως γίνῃ ἀεὶ γεννώμενος υἱὸς θεοῦ έν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ· ᾧ ἐστιν ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

Eita pros ta proeirēmena hypo tou kyriou apokrinetai ho pro- phētēs, pros to »epikataratos ho anthrōpos hos ouk akousetai tōn logōn tēs diathēkēs tautēs«, kai phēsi; »kai apekrithēn kai eipa. genoito, kyrie«. ti »genoito, kyrie«? epikataratos hos ouk emmenei tois logois tēs diathēkēs tautēs. »kai eipen kyrios pros me; ana- gnōthi tous logous toutous en polesin Iouda kai exōthen Hierousalēm«. kai tois exō anaginōskomen tous logous tou theou proskaloumenoi autous epi sōtērian. »akousate tous logous tēs tautēs kai poiēsate autous. kai ouk epoiēsan. kai eipen kyrios pros me; heurethē syndesmos en andrasin Iouda kai en tois katoikou- sin Hierousalēm«. hē mellomen metanoein epi tois eirēmenois hamartē- masi peri andrōn Iouda, eidotes hoti esmen hoi andres Iouda, Iouda, ton Christon Iouda prophēteuthenta kai lechthenta? mēpote gar epei en hēmin eisin hamartōloi tines kai para ton orthon logon prattontes, dia touto legei ho prophētēs; »heurethē syndesmos en andrasin Iouda kai en tois katoikousin Hierousalēm«. hotan gar heurethę̄ en tisi chrēmatizousin apo tēs ekklēsias syndesmos adikias kai syndesmos tōn hamartēmatōn, hōstʼ an epharmosai autois to epi tou hamartōlou to »seirais de tōn heautou hamartiōn hekastos sphingetai«, legoi an ho theos; »heurethē syndesmos en andrasin Iouda( alla mē heuretheiē syndesmos en hēmin. pōs de ouch heurisketai syndesmos en hēmin, ei kai mechri tou deuro estin syndesmos en tisin? »lye panta syndesmon adikias, dialye strangalias biaiōn synallagmatōn, pasan syngraphēn adikon diaspa. diathrypte peinōnti ton arton sou«. »Heurethē« oun »syndesmos en andrasin Iouda kai en tois katoikousin Ierousalēm. epestraphēsan epi tas adikias tōn paterōn autōn tōn proteron«. »epestraphēsan epi tas adikias«. tinōn? ou legei haplōs tōn paterōn. tis hē prosthēkē? »epestraphēsan epi tas adikias | tōn paterōn autōn tōn proteron«? elegomen tauta legesthai pros hēmas kai tous en hēmin hamartanontas. pōs oun hoi en hēmin hamartanontes epestraphēsan ouk epi tas adikias tōn paterōn«, alla »tōn paterōn autōn tōn proteron«? mēpote oun dittoi eisin hoi pateres hēmōn, kai estin men en hēmin eidos paterōn to cheiron; prin pisteusai gar huioi ēmen pherʼ eipein tou diabolou, hōs deiknysin ho logos ho euangelikos legōn; »hymeis ek tou patros tou diabolou este«, hote de pepisteukamen, gegonamen huioi theou. epan oun hamartanōmen, epistrephomen epi tas adikias ouch hapaxaplōs tōn paterōn, alla tōn proteron paterōn. eis de to parastēsai hoti dittoi hēmōn eisin hoi pateres, chrēsomai rhētois apo tou tessarakostou tetartou Psalmou houtōs echousin; »akouson, thygater, kai ide kai klinon to ous sou, kai epilathou tou laou sou kai tou oikou tou patros sou«. patēr legei; »epilathou tou oikou tou patros sou«; hōs gar patēr legei; akouson, thygater«. oukoun dittoi hoi pateres hēmōn eisin. alla »epilathou tou oikou tou patros sou« tou proterou. ean epilathomenos sou tou oikou tou proterou palin epistrepsę̄s epi ta hamartēmata, sy pepoiēkas ta legomena enthade hamartēmata. »Epestraphēsan epi tas adikias tōn paterōn autōn tōn proteron«. elegon hoti kai ho diabolos proteron ēn hēmōn patēr, prin genētai hēmōn ho theos patēr, eige kai nyn ouk estin hēmōn ho diabolos patēr; hoper parastēsomen kai apo tēs Iōannou katholikēs epistolēs, en hę̄ gegraptai; »pas ho poiōn tēn hamartian ek tou diabolou gegennētai«. ei »pas ho poiōn tēn hamartian ek tou diabolou gegennētai«, hoionei tosautakis ek tou diabolou gegennēmetha hosakis hamartanomen. talaipōros oun houtos estin, hos aei gennatai ek tou diabolou, hōsper palin makarios ho aei gennōmenos hypo tou theou. ou gar hapax erō ton dikaion gegennēsthai hypo tou theou, allʼ aei gennasthai kathʼ hekastēn praxin agathēn, en hę̄ genną ton dikaion ho theos. ean oun epistēsō se epi tou sōtēros, hoti ouchi egennēsen ho patēr ton huion kai apelysen auton ho patēr apo tēs geneseōs autou, allʼ aei genną auton, parastēsō kai epi tou dikaiou paraplēsion. idōmen de tis hēmōn estin ho sōtēr. »apaugasma doxēs«. to apaugasma tēs doxēs ouchi hapax gegennētai kai ouchi gennatai; alla hoson estin to phōs poiētikon tou apaugasmatos, epi tosouton gennatai to apaugasma tēs doxēs tou theou. ho sōtēr hēmōn sophia estin tou theou. estin de hē sophia »apaugasma phōtos aidiou«. ei oun ho sōtēr aei gennatai, kai dia touto legei; »pro de pantōn bounōn genną me« ouchi de; pro de pantōn bounōn gegennēken me, alla; »pro pantōn bounōn genną me«), kai aei gennatai ho sōtēr hypo tou patros, houtōs kai sy ean echę̄s to tēs huiothesias pneuma, aei genną se en autǭ ho theos kathʼ hekaston ergon, kathʼ hekaston dianoēma, kai gennōmenos houtōs ginę̄ aei gennōmenos huios theou en Christǭ Iēsou; hǭ estin hē doxa kai to kratos eis tous aiōnas tōn aiōnōn. Amēn.

Then the prophet answers what the Lord said before, “Cursed is the man who will not hear the words of this covenant,” and says: “And I answered and said: So be it, Lord.” What is “So be it, Lord”? Cursed is he who will not abide by the words of this covenant. “And the Lord said to me: Read these words in the cities of Judah and outside Jerusalem.” We too read the words of God to those outside, calling them to salvation. “Hear the words of this covenant and do them. And they did not do them. And the Lord said to me: A conspiracy has been found among the men of Judah and among those who dwell in Jerusalem.” Or are we to repent for the sins mentioned concerning the men of Judah, knowing that we are the men of Judah because of Christ, who was prophesied and called Judah? For perhaps, since there are some sinners among us, acting against right reason, that is why the prophet says: “A conspiracy has been found among the men of Judah and among those who dwell in Jerusalem.” For when a bond of injustice and a bond of sins is found in some who bear the name of the church, so that what is said of the sinner fits them, “each is bound fast by the cords of his own sins,” God might say, “A conspiracy has been found among the men of Judah.” But may no bond be found among us! And how will no bond be found among us, if up to now there is a bond in some? “Loose every bond of injustice, undo the knots of violent contracts, tear up every unjust agreement; break your bread for the hungry.” “A conspiracy,” then, “has been found among the men of Judah and among those who dwell in Jerusalem. They have turned back to the iniquities of their fathers of old.” “They have turned back to the iniquities” of whom? He does not say simply “of the fathers.” What is the addition? “They have turned back to the iniquities of their fathers of old.” We were saying that these things are said to us and to those among us who sin. How, then, have those among us who sin turned back not “to the iniquities of the fathers,” but “of their fathers of old”? Perhaps our fathers are twofold, and there is in us a worse kind of fathers; for before we believed we were sons, let us say, of the devil, as the word of the Gospel shows, saying, “You are of your father the devil”; but when we believed we became sons of God. So when we sin, we turn back to the iniquities not simply of the fathers, but of the former fathers. To show that our fathers are twofold, I will use sayings from the forty-fourth Psalm, which run thus: “Hear, O daughter, and see, and incline your ear, and forget your people and your father's house.” A father says, “Forget your father's house”; for it is as a father that he says, “Hear, O daughter.” So our fathers are twofold. But “forget your father's house,” the former one. If, having forgotten your former house, you turn back again to the sins, you have committed the sins spoken of here. “They have turned back to the iniquities of their fathers of old.” I was saying that the devil too was formerly our father, before God became our father, if indeed the devil is not our father even now; which we will show from the catholic epistle of John too, in which it is written: “Everyone who commits sin is born of the devil.” If “everyone who commits sin is born of the devil,” we are born of the devil, as it were, as many times as we sin. Wretched, then, is he who is always being born of the devil, just as blessed, again, is he who is always being born of God. For I will not say that the righteous man has been born of God once, but that he is always being born, in each good deed in which God begets the righteous man. If, then, I point out to you in the case of the Savior that the Father did not beget the Son and release him from his begetting, but always begets him, I will show something similar in the case of the righteous man too. Let us see who our Savior is: “the radiance of glory.” The radiance of glory has not been begotten once and then no longer begotten; but as long as the light produces the radiance, so long is the radiance of God's glory begotten. Our Savior is the wisdom of God; and wisdom is “the radiance of eternal light.” If, then, the Savior is always begotten, and so he says, “Before all the hills he begets me” (not “before all the hills he has begotten me,” but “before all the hills he begets me”), and the Savior is always begotten by the Father, so you too, if you have the spirit of adoption, God always begets you in him, in each deed, in each thought; and being so begotten you become a son of God always being begotten in Christ Jesus, to whom be the glory and the power for ages of ages. Amen.

Jer 11:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Jer 11:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Jer 11:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Jer 11:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Jer 11:9 (quotation, high confidence) · Jer 11:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Prov 5:22 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 58:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 58:7 (quotation, high confidence) · John 8:44 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 45:10 (44:11 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 1 John 3:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 1:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Prov 8:25 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 8:15 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Christians who sin return to their former father, the devil, for whoever sins is born of him; but as the Father always begets the Son, so God always begets the righteous as his sons in every good deed.

The quotations are Jer 11:3, 5–10 (LXX), Prov 5:22, Isa 58:6–7, John 8:44, Ps 45:10 (44:11 LXX; Origen cites the LXX number), 1 John 3:8 (loosely), Heb 1:3, Wis 7:26, Prov 8:25 (LXX), and Rom 8:15. The passage states Origen's teaching on the eternal generation of the Son.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip; missing space in the digital text; repeated word in the digital text; repeated words in the digital text): τῆς τῆς διαθήκης → τῆς διαθήκης; ἔν τισιχρηματίζουσιν → ἔν τισι χρηματίζουσιν; καὶ καὶ τοὺς → καὶ τοὺς; ἔδε καὶ κλῖνον → ἴδε καὶ κλῖνον; τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ οἴκου] → τοῦ οἴκου.

Extrabiblical texts: Wis 7:26 (Wisdom of Solomon [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; quotation)

Topics: Christology

Cite (SBL): Origen, Hom. Jer. 9.4 (Klostermann 3:68–71; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ieremiam/9-0/#p-9-4).

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