Commentary on the Gospel of John 1.1–1.63

Origen · Commentary on the Gospel of John · ca. 230–248 · Alexandria and Caesarea · 63 passages

Greek text: Preuschen, GCS 10 (Greek text: E. Preuschen, Origenes Werke 4 (GCS 10, 1903), 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). Compare: Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 9 (1896).

Chapter 1

1.1Preuschen 4:3

Ὃν τρόπον οἶμαι ὁ πάλαι »λαὸς« ἐπικληθεὶς »θεοῦ« εἰς φυλὰς διῄρητο δυοκαίδεκα καὶ τὴν ὑπὲρ τὰς λοιπὰς φυλὰς τάξιν λευἱτικήν, καὶ αὐτὴν κατὰ πλείονα τάγματα ἱερατικὰ καὶ λευἱτικὰ τὸ θεῖον θεραπεύουσαν, οὕτως νομίζω κατὰ »τὸν κρυπτὸν τῆς καρδίας ἄνθρωπον« πάντα τὸν Χριστοῦ λαόν, χρηματίζοντα ἐν κρυπτῷ Ἰουδαῖον καὶ ἐν πνεύματι περιτετμημένον, ἔχειν τὰς ἰδιότητας μυστικώτερον τῶν φυλῶν· ὡς ἔστι γυμνότερον ἀπὸ Ἰωάννου ἐκ τῆς Ἀποκαλύψεως μαθεῖν, οὐδὲ τῶν λοιπῶν προφητῶν τοῖς ἀκούειν ἐπισταμένοις τὰ τοιαύτα ἀποσιωπησάντων.

Hon tropon oimai ho palai »laos« epiklētheis »theou« eis phylas dię̄rēto dyokaideka kai tēn hyper tas loipas phylas taxin leuitikēn, kai autēn kata pleiona tagmata hieratika kai leuitika to theion therapeuousan, houtōs nomizō kata »ton krypton tēs kardias anthrōpon« panta ton Christou laon, chrēmatizonta en kryptǭ Ioudaion kai en pneumati peritetmēmenon, echein tas idiotētas mystikōteron tōn phylōn; hōs esti gymnoteron apo Iōannou ek tēs Apokalypseōs mathein, oude tōn loipōn prophētōn tois akouein epistamenois ta toiauta aposiōpēsantōn.

Just as, I think, the people of old who were called “the people of God” was divided into twelve tribes, and, besides the other tribes, into the Levitical order, which itself served the divine in several priestly and Levitical ranks, so I consider that the whole people of Christ, according to “the hidden person of the heart”, being called a Jew in secret and circumcised in spirit, has the characteristics of the tribes in a more mystical way. One can learn this more plainly from John in the Revelation; nor have the other prophets kept silent about such things for those who know how to listen.

1 Pet 3:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 2:29 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Origen compares the tribes and Levites of old Israel with the inner ranks of the people of Christ.

The allusions are 1 Pet 3:4 and Rom 2:29. The work is addressed to Origen's patron Ambrose (see 1.9).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: wrong breathing): οἶμαι ό πάλαι → οἶμαι ὁ πάλαι.

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.1 (Preuschen 4:3; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-1).

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Preuschen, GCS 10 (1903); made independently of existing English translations. ANF 9 covers Books 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 10 and was compared afterwards; the other books were reviewed against the Greek only.

1.2Preuschen 4:3

φησὶ δὲ οὕτως ὁ Ἰωάννης· »Καὶ εἶδον »ἄλλον ἄγγελον ἀναβαίνοντα ἀπὸ ἀνατολῆς ἡλίου, ἔχοντα σφραγῖδα θεοῦ ζῶντος, καὶ ἐκέκραξε φωνῇ μεγάλῃ τοῖς τέσσαρσιν ἀγγέλοις, »οἷς ἐδόθη αὐτοῖς ἀδικῆσαι τὴν γῆν καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν, λέγων· Μὴ »ἀδικήσητε μήτε τὴν γῆν μήτε τὴν θάλασσαν μήτε τὰ δένδρα, ἄχρι »σφραγίσωμεν τοὺς δούλους τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν ἐπὶ τῶν μετώπων αὐτῶν. »καὶ ἤκουσα τὸν ἀριθμὸν τῶν ἐσφραγισμένων, ἑκατὸν τεσσαράκοντα »τέσσαρες χιλιάδες ἐσφραγισμένοι ἐκ πάσης φυλῆς υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ· ἐκ »φυλῆς Ἰούδα δώδεκα χιλιάδες ἐσφραγισμένοι, ἐκ φυλῆς Ρουβὴμ δώδεκα »χιλιάδες.«

phēsi de houtōs ho Iōannēs; »Kai eidon »allon angelon anabainonta apo anatolēs hēliou, echonta sphragida theou zōntos, kai ekekraxe phōnę̄ megalę̄ tois tessarsin angelois, »hois edothē autois adikēsai tēn gēn kai tēn thalassan, legōn; Mē »adikēsēte mēte tēn gēn mēte tēn thalassan mēte ta dendra, achri »sphragisōmen tous doulous tou theou hēmōn epi tōn metōpōn autōn. »kai ēkousa ton arithmon tōn esphragismenōn, hekaton tessarakonta »tessares chiliades esphragismenoi ek pasēs phylēs huiōn Israēl; ek »phylēs Iouda dōdeka chiliades esphragismenoi, ek phylēs Roubēm dōdeka »chiliades.«

John speaks thus: “And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God; and he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was given to harm the earth and the sea, saying: Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we seal the servants of our God on their foreheads. And I heard the number of those sealed, a hundred and forty-four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel: from the tribe of Judah twelve thousand sealed, from the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand.”

Rev 7:2–5 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Origen quotes Revelation on the sealing of the 144,000 from the tribes of Israel.

The quotation is Rev 7:2–5.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: repeated word; OCR: wrong breathing): Καὶ »Καὶ εἶδον → »Καὶ εἶδον; θεοῦ ἠμῶν → θεοῦ ἡμῶν.

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.2 (Preuschen 4:3; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-2).

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1.3Preuschen 4:3–4

καὶ μετὰ τὸ διῃρῆσθαι τὰς λοιπὰς φυλὰς πάρεξ τοῦ Δὰν ἑξῆς μετὰ πλείονα ἐπιφέρει· »Καὶ εί͂δον, καὶ ἰδοὺ τὸ ἀρνίον ἑστὼς »ἐπὶ τὸ ὄρος Σιών, καὶ μετʼ αὐτοῦ αἱ ἑκατὸν τεσσαράκοντα τέσσαρες »χιλιάδες ἔχουσαι τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ ὅνομα τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ »γεγραμμένον ἐπὶ τῶν μετώπων αὐτῶν. καὶ ἤκουσα φωνὴν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὡς φωνὴν ὐδάτων πολλῶν, καὶ ὡς φωνὴν βροντῆς μεγάλης, καὶ ἡ φωνὴ ἣν ἤκουσα ὡς κιθαρῳδῶν κιθαριζόντων ἐν ταῖς κιθάραις »αὐτῶν. καὶ ᾄδουσιν ᾠδὴν καινὴν ἐνώπιον τοῦ θρόνου καὶ »ἐνώπιον τῶν τεσσάρων ζῴων καὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων· καὶ οὐδεὶς »ἐδύνατο μαθεῖν τὴν ᾠδὴν εἰ μὴ αἱ ἑκατὸν τεσσαράκοντα τέσσαρες »χιλιάδες, οἱ ἠγορασμένοι ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς· οὐτοί εἰσιν οἳ μετὰ γυναικῶν οὐκ ἐμολύνθησαν· παρθένοι γάρ εἰσιν· οὗτοι οἱ ἀκολουθοῦντες τῷ »ἀρνίῳ ὅπου ἐὰν ὑπάγη· οὐτοι ἠγοράσθησαν ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀπαρχὴ τῷ θεῷ καὶ τῷ ἀρνίῳ· καὶ ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτῶν οὐχ

kai meta to dię̄rēsthai tas loipas phylas parex tou Dan hexēs meta pleiona epipherei; »Kai eidon, kai idou to arnion hestōs »epi to oros Siōn, kai metʼ autou hai hekaton tessarakonta tessares »chiliades echousai to onoma autou kai to honoma tou patros autou »gegrammenon epi tōn metōpōn autōn. kai ēkousa phōnēn ek tou ouranou hōs phōnēn ydatōn pollōn, kai hōs phōnēn brontēs megalēs, kai hē phōnē hēn ēkousa hōs kitharǭdōn kitharizontōn en tais kitharais »autōn. kai ądousin ǭdēn kainēn enōpion tou thronou kai »enōpion tōn tessarōn zǭōn kai tōn presbyterōn; kai oudeis »edynato mathein tēn ǭdēn ei mē hai hekaton tessarakonta tessares »chiliades, hoi ēgorasmenoi apo tēs gēs; outoi eisin hoi meta gynaikōn ouk emolynthēsan; parthenoi gar eisin; houtoi hoi akolouthountes tǭ »arniǭ hopou ean hypagē; outoi ēgorasthēsan apo tōn anthrōpōn aparchē tǭ theǭ kai tǭ arniǭ; kai en tǭ stomati autōn ouch

And after listing the remaining tribes, except Dan, he adds a little later: “And I looked, and behold, the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him the hundred and forty-four thousand, having his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven like the sound of many waters and like the sound of great thunder; and the voice I heard was like harpists playing on their harps. And they sing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who have been redeemed from the earth. These are those who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are those who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed from among men as firstfruits for God and for the Lamb; and in their mouth no

Rev 14:1–5 (quotation, high confidence) · Rev 7:5–8 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Origen quotes Revelation's vision of the 144,000 virgins with the Lamb on Mount Zion.

The quotation is Rev 14:1–5; Dan is missing from the list in Rev 7:5–8.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: misread letter; OCR: word split across a line and partly lost): καὶ ἐδοὺ τὸ → καὶ ἰδοὺ τὸ; ταῖς κιθά- »αὐτῶν → ταῖς κιθάραις »αὐτῶν.

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.3 (Preuschen 4:3–4; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-3).

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1.4Preuschen 4:4

»εὐρέθη ψεῦδος· ἄμωμοι γάρ εἰσιν.« ὅτι δὲ ταῦτα παρὰ τῷ Ἰωάννῃ περὶ τῶν εἰς Χριστὸν πεπιστευκότων λέγεται, καὶ αὐτῶν ὑπαρχόντων ἀπὸ φυλῶν, κἂν μὴ δοκῇ τὸ σωματικὸν αὐτῶν γένος ἀνατρέχειν ἐπὶ τὸ σπέρμα τῶν πατριαρχῶν, ἔστιν οὔτως ἐπιλογίσασθαι· »Μὴ ἀδική- »σητε, φησί, τὴν γῆν μήτε τὴν θάλασσαν μήτε τὰ δένδρα, ἄχρι σφρα- »γίσωμεν τοὺς δούλους τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν ἐπὶ τῶν μετώπων αὐτῶν. καὶ ἤκουσα τὸν ἀριθμὸν τῶν ἐσφραγισμένων, ἑκατὸν τεσσαράκοντα »τέσσαρες χιλιάδες ἐσφραγισμένων ἐκ πάσης φυλῆς υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ. «

»eurethē pseudos; amōmoi gar eisin.« hoti de tauta para tǭ Iōannę̄ peri tōn eis Christon pepisteukotōn legetai, kai autōn hyparchontōn apo phylōn, kan mē dokę̄ to sōmatikon autōn genos anatrechein epi to sperma tōn patriarchōn, estin outōs epilogisasthai; »Mē adikē- »sēte, phēsi, tēn gēn mēte tēn thalassan mēte ta dendra, achri sphra- »gisōmen tous doulous tou theou hēmōn epi tōn metōpōn autōn. kai ēkousa ton arithmon tōn esphragismenōn, hekaton tessarakonta »tessares chiliades esphragismenōn ek pasēs phylēs huiōn Israēl. «

lie was found; for they are blameless.” That these things are said in John about those who have believed in Christ, and that these too come from the tribes, even if their bodily descent does not seem to go back to the seed of the patriarchs, can be reasoned out thus: “Do not harm,” it says, “the earth or the sea or the trees until we seal the servants of our God on their foreheads. And I heard the number of those sealed, a hundred and forty-four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel.”

Rev 14:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Rev 7:3–4 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Origen argues that the sealed of Revelation are believers in Christ, even if not physically descended from Israel.

The quotations are Rev 14:5 and Rev 7:3–4.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: missing letter and Latin c for final sigma): τέσσρες χιλιάδεc → τέσσαρες χιλιάδες.

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.4 (Preuschen 4:4; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-4).

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1.5Preuschen 4:4

οὐκοῦν οἳ ἐκ πάσης φυλῆς υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ σφραγίζονται ἐπὶ τῶν μετώπων αὐτῶν, ἑκατὸν τεσσαράκοντα τέσσαρές εἰσι χιλιάδες τὸν ἀριθμόν· αἵτινες ἑκατὸν τεσσαράκοντα τέσσαρες χιλιάδες ἐν τοῖς εξῆς παρὰ τῷ Ἰωάννῃ λέγοντα· ἔχειν τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ ἀρνίου καὶ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ γεγραμμένον ἐπὶ τῶν μετώπων αὐτῶν, παρθένοι καὶ μετὰ γυναικῶν οὐ μολυνθέντες.

oukoun hoi ek pasēs phylēs huiōn Israēl sphragizontai epi tōn metōpōn autōn, hekaton tessarakonta tessares eisi chiliades ton arithmon; haitines hekaton tessarakonta tessares chiliades en tois exēs para tǭ Iōannę̄ legonta; echein to onoma tou arniou kai tou patros autou gegrammenon epi tōn metōpōn autōn, parthenoi kai meta gynaikōn ou molynthentes.

Therefore those from every tribe of the sons of Israel who are sealed on their foreheads are a hundred and forty-four thousand in number; and these hundred and forty-four thousand are said in what follows in John to have the name of the Lamb and of his Father written on their foreheads, and to be virgins not defiled with women.

Rev 7:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Rev 14:1–4 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The sealed of Rev 7 and the virgins of Rev 14 are the same 144,000.

The allusions are Rev 7:4 and Rev 14:1, 4.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: misread letter; OCR: repeated word): ζφραγίζονται → σφραγίζονται; τέσσαρες τέσσαρες χιλιάδες → τέσσαρες χιλιάδες; αὐτῶν, αὐτῶν, παρθένοι → αὐτῶν, παρθένοι.

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.5 (Preuschen 4:4; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-5).

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1.6Preuschen 4:4

τίς ἂν οὖν ἄλλη εἴη ἡ σφραγὶς ἡ ἐπὶ τῶν μετώπων ἢ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ ἀρνίου καὶ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ, ἐν ἀμφοτέροις τοῖς τόποις τῶν μετώπων λεγομένων ἔχειν πὴ μὲν τὴν σφραγῖδα πὴ δὲ τὰ γράμματα περιέχοντα τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ ἀρνίου καὶ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ;

tis an oun allē eiē hē sphragis hē epi tōn metōpōn ē to onoma tou arniou kai tou patros autou, en amphoterois tois topois tōn metōpōn legomenōn echein pē men tēn sphragida pē de ta grammata periechonta to onoma tou arniou kai to onoma tou patros autou?

What else, then, would the seal on the foreheads be than the name of the Lamb and of his Father? For in both places the foreheads are said to have, in the one case the seal, in the other the letters containing the name of the Lamb and the name of his Father.

Rev 7:3 (allusion, high confidence) · Rev 14:1 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The seal on the foreheads is the name of the Lamb and of his Father.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: doubled letter): μετώποων → μετώπων.

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.6 (Preuschen 4:4; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-6).

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1.7Preuschen 4:4–5

ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ »ἀπὸ φυλῶν« εἰ οἱ αὐτοί εἰσι τοῖς »παρθένοις«, ὡς προαπεδείξαμεν, σπάνιος δὲ ὁ ἐκ τοῦ κατά σάρκα Ἰσραὴλ πιστεύων, ὡς τάχα τολμῆσαι ἄν τινα εἰπεῖν μὴ συμπληροῦσθαι ἀπὸ τῶν ἐκ τοῦ κατὰ σάρκα Ἰσραὴλ πιστευόντων μηδὲ τὸν τῶν ἑκατὸν τεσσαράκοντα τεσσάρων χιλιάδων ἀριθμόν, δῆλον ὅτι ἐκ τῶν ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν τῷ θείῳ προσερχομένων λόγῳ συνίστανται αἱ ἑκατὸν τεσσαράκοντα τέσσαρες χιλιάδες μετὰ γυναικῶν οὐ μολυνομένων· ὥστε μὴ ἂν ἀποπεσεῖν τῆς ἀληθείας τὸν φάσκοντα ἀπαρχὴν ἑκάστης εἶναι φυλῆς τοὺς παρθένους αὐτῆς.

alla kai hoi »apo phylōn« ei hoi autoi eisi tois »parthenois«, hōs proapedeixamen, spanios de ho ek tou kata sarka Israēl pisteuōn, hōs tacha tolmēsai an tina eipein mē symplērousthai apo tōn ek tou kata sarka Israēl pisteuontōn mēde ton tōn hekaton tessarakonta tessarōn chiliadōn arithmon, dēlon hoti ek tōn apo tōn ethnōn tǭ theiǭ proserchomenōn logǭ synistantai hai hekaton tessarakonta tessares chiliades meta gynaikōn ou molynomenōn; hōste mē an apopesein tēs alētheias ton phaskonta aparchēn hekastēs einai phylēs tous parthenous autēs.

But if those “from the tribes” are the same as the “virgins”, as we have shown, and a believer from Israel according to the flesh is rare, so that one might perhaps venture to say that not even the number of a hundred and forty-four thousand is filled up from the believers of Israel according to the flesh, it is clear that the hundred and forty-four thousand who are not defiled with women are made up of those from the Gentiles who come to the divine word. So one who says that the virgins of each tribe are its firstfruits would not fall from the truth.

Rev 14:4 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Since few Jews believe, the 144,000 virgins must be chiefly Gentile believers, the firstfruits of each tribe.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: numeral misread and repeated): τῶν τεσσράκοντα τεσσαράκοντα τεσσάρων → τῶν ἑκατὸν τεσσαράκοντα τεσσάρων.

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.7 (Preuschen 4:4–5; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-7).

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1.8Preuschen 4:5

καὶ γὰρ φέρεται· »Οὑτοι ἠγοράσθησαν ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀπαρχὴ τῷ θεῷ »καὶ τῷ ἀρνίῳ, καὶ ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτῶν οὐχ εὑρέθη ψεῦδος· ἄμω- »μοι γάρ εἰσιν.« οὐκ ἀγνοητέον δέ, ὅτι ό περὶ τῶν ἑκατὸν τεσσαράκοντα τεσσάρων χιλιάδων παρθένων λόγος ἐπιδέχεται ἀναγωγήν. περιττὸν δὲ νῦν καὶ οὐ κατὰ τὸν προκείμενον λόγον τὸ παρατίθεσθαι λέξεις προφητικὰς ταὐτὸν περὶ τῶν ἐξ ἐθνῶν ἡμᾶς διδασκούσας.

kai gar pheretai; »Houtoi ēgorasthēsan apo tōn anthrōpōn aparchē tǭ theǭ »kai tǭ arniǭ, kai en tǭ stomati autōn ouch heurethē pseudos; amō- »moi gar eisin.« ouk agnoēteon de, hoti o peri tōn hekaton tessarakonta tessarōn chiliadōn parthenōn logos epidechetai anagōgēn. peritton de nyn kai ou kata ton prokeimenon logon to paratithesthai lexeis prophētikas tauton peri tōn ex ethnōn hēmas didaskousas.

For indeed it is written: “These were redeemed from among men as firstfruits for God and for the Lamb, and in their mouth no lie was found; for they are blameless.” We must not fail to recognize that the account of the hundred and forty-four thousand virgins admits a higher sense. But it is superfluous now, and not in keeping with our present subject, to set out prophetic passages that teach us the same thing about those from the Gentiles.

Rev 14:4–5 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The virgins are firstfruits for God, and the passage also has a higher, spiritual sense.

The quotation is Rev 14:4–5. “Higher sense” renders ἀναγωγή (the anagogical sense).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: repeated word): καὶ γὰρ γὰρ φέρεται → καὶ γὰρ φέρεται.

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.8 (Preuschen 4:5; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-8).

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1.9Preuschen 4:5

Τί δὴ πάντα ταῦθʼ ἡμῖν βούλεται; ἐρεῖς ἐντυγχάνων τοῖς Ἀμβρόσιε, ἀληθῶς »θεοῦ ἄνθρωπε,« καὶ »ἐν Χριστῷ· »ἄνθρωπε« καὶ σπεύδων εἶναι »πνευματικός«, οὐκέτι ἄνθρωπος. οἱ μὲν ἀπὸ τῶν φυλῶν δεκάτας καὶ ἀπαρχὰς ἀναφέρουσι τῷ θεῷ διὰ τῶν λευϊτῶν καὶ ἱερέων, οὐ πάντα ἔχοντες ἀπαρχὰς ἢ δεκάτας· οἱ δὲ λευῖται καὶ ἱερεῖς, πάντα δεκάταις καὶ ἀπαρχαῖς χρώμενοι, δεκάτας ἀναφέρουσι τῷ θεῷ διὰ τοῦ ἀρχιερέως, οἶμαι δʼ ὅτι καὶ ἀπαρχάς.

Ti dē panta tauthʼ hēmin bouletai? ereis entynchanōn tois Ambrosie, alēthōs »theou anthrōpe,« kai »en Christǭ; »anthrōpe« kai speudōn einai »pneumatikos«, ouketi anthrōpos. hoi men apo tōn phylōn dekatas kai aparchas anapherousi tǭ theǭ dia tōn leuïtōn kai hiereōn, ou panta echontes aparchas ē dekatas; hoi de leuitai kai hiereis, panta dekatais kai aparchais chrōmenoi, dekatas anapherousi tǭ theǭ dia tou archiereōs, oimai dʼ hoti kai aparchas.

“What, then, is the point of all this for us?” you will say as you read these words, Ambrose, truly a “man of God” and a “man in Christ”, eager to be “spiritual”, no longer merely human. Those from the tribes bring tithes and firstfruits to God through the Levites and priests, though not everything they have is firstfruits or tithes; but the Levites and priests, who live on tithes and firstfruits for everything, bring tithes to God through the high priest, and, I think, firstfruits as well.

1 Tim 6:11 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Cor 12:2 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Cor 3:1–3 (echo, medium confidence) · Num 18:21–28 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Addressing Ambrose, Origen recalls how tithes and firstfruits passed from the tribes through the Levites to the high priest.

Ambrose was Origen's patron, who commissioned the commentary. The phrases echo 1 Tim 6:11, 2 Cor 12:2, and 1 Cor 2:15–3:3; the tithes follow Num 18:21–28.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: repeated word; stray space before the closing quotation mark): Ἀμβρόσιε, Ἀμβρόσιε, → Ἀμβρόσιε,; πε, « → πε,«.

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.9 (Preuschen 4:5; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-9).

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1.10Preuschen 4:5

ἡμῶν δὴ τῶν προσιόντων τοῖς Χριστοῦ μαθήμασιν οἱ μὲν πλεῖστοι, τὰ πολλὰ τῷ βίῳ σχολάζοντες καὶ ὀλίγας πράξεις τῷ θεῷ ἀνατιθέντες, τάχα εἶεν ἂν οἱ ἀπὸ τῶν φυλῶν ὀλίγην πρὸς τοὺς ἱερεῖς ἔχοντες κοινωνίαν καὶ ἐν βραχέσι τὸ θεραπευτικὸν τοῦ θεοῦ τρέφοντες· οἱ δὲ ἀνακείμενοι τῷ θείῳ λόγῳ καὶ πρὸς μόνῃ τῇ θεραπείᾳ τοῦ θεοῦ γινόμενοι γνησίως κατὰ τὴν διαφορὰν τῶν εἰς τοῦτο κινημάτων λευῖται καὶ ἱερεῖς οὐκ ἀτόπως λεχθήσονται.

hēmōn dē tōn prosiontōn tois Christou mathēmasin hoi men pleistoi, ta polla tǭ biǭ scholazontes kai oligas praxeis tǭ theǭ anatithentes, tacha eien an hoi apo tōn phylōn oligēn pros tous hiereis echontes koinōnian kai en brachesi to therapeutikon tou theou trephontes; hoi de anakeimenoi tǭ theiǭ logǭ kai pros monę̄ tę̄ therapeią tou theou ginomenoi gnēsiōs kata tēn diaphoran tōn eis touto kinēmatōn leuitai kai hiereis ouk atopōs lechthēsontai.

Of us who come to the teachings of Christ, most, who give much of their time to ordinary life and dedicate few actions to God, would perhaps be those from the tribes, who have little fellowship with the priests and support the service of God only in small ways. But those devoted to the divine word, and given genuinely to the service of God alone, will not unfittingly be called Levites and priests, according to the difference in their impulses toward it.

Notes and citation

Summary: Ordinary Christians resemble the tribes; those wholly devoted to God's word are like Levites and priests.

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.10 (Preuschen 4:5; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-10).

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1.11Preuschen 4:5

τάχα δὲ οἱ 〈πάντων φέροντες καὶ οἱονεὶ τὰ πρῶτα τῆς καθʼ ἑαυτοῦς γενεᾶς ἔχοντες ἀρχιερεῖς ἔσονται κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Ἀαρών, καὶ οὐ κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδέκ. ἐὰν γάρ τις ἀνθυποφέρῃ πρὸς τοῦτο, νομίζων ἡμᾶς ἀσεβεῖν τὸ τοῦ ἀρχιερέως ὄνομα τάσσοντας ἐπʼ ἀνθρώπων, ἐπεὶ πολλαχοῦ Ἰησοῦς μέγας ἱερεὺς προφητεύεται (ἔχομεν γὰρ »ἀρχιερέα »μέγαν, διεληλυθότα τοὺς οὐρανούς, Ἰησοῦν τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ«), λεκτέον πρὸς αὐτὸν ὅτι ὁ ἀπόστολος ἐπεσημήνατο λέγων τὸν προφήτην εἰρηκέναι περὶ Χριστοῦ· »Σὺ ἱερεὺς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδέκ,« καὶ οὐ κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Ἀαρών. ἀφʼ οὗ καὶ ἡμεῖς λαβόντες φαμὲν κατὰ μὲν τὴν τάξιν Ἀαρὼν ἀνθρώπους δύνα- σθαι εἶναι ἀρχιερεῖς, κατὰ δὲ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδὲκ τὸν χριστὸν τοῦ θεοῦ.

tacha de hoi 〈pantōn pherontes kai hoionei ta prōta tēs kathʼ heautous geneas echontes archiereis esontai kata tēn taxin Aarōn, kai ou kata tēn taxin Melchisedek. ean gar tis anthypopherę̄ pros touto, nomizōn hēmas asebein to tou archiereōs onoma tassontas epʼ anthrōpōn, epei pollachou Iēsous megas hiereus prophēteuetai (echomen gar »archierea »megan, dielēlythota tous ouranous, Iēsoun ton huion tou theou«), lekteon pros auton hoti ho apostolos epesēmēnato legōn ton prophētēn eirēkenai peri Christou; »Sy hiereus eis ton aiōna kata tēn taxin Melchisedek,« kai ou kata tēn taxin Aarōn. aphʼ hou kai hēmeis labontes phamen kata men tēn taxin Aarōn anthrōpous dyna- sthai einai archiereis, kata de tēn taxin Melchisedek ton christon tou theou.

And perhaps those who surpass everyone, and hold, as it were, the first place in their generation, will be high priests according to the order of Aaron, and not according to the order of Melchizedek. For if anyone objects to this, thinking that we are impious in applying the name of high priest to human beings, since Jesus is in many places prophesied as the great priest (for “we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God”), we must say to him that the apostle pointed out that the prophet had said of Christ, “You are a priest for ever according to the order of Melchizedek”, and not according to the order of Aaron. Taking our cue from this, we say that human beings can be high priests according to the order of Aaron, but the Christ of God according to the order of Melchizedek.

Heb 4:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 110:4 (109:4 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 7:11 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The most devoted Christians may be high priests after Aaron's order; Christ alone is priest after Melchizedek's.

The quotations are Heb 4:14 and Ps 110:4 (109:4 LXX), as used in Heb 5:6 and 7:11. The opening words are partly the editor's supplement (marked 〈 in the text); “who surpass everyone” is the probable sense.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: misread letter; OCR: opening parenthesis lost; stray space before the closing quotation mark): προφητεύεται ἔχομεν → προφητεύεται (ἔχομεν; κοὶ οὐ κατὰ → καὶ οὐ κατὰ; έκ, « → έκ,«.

Topics: Christology

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.11 (Preuschen 4:5; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-11).

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1.12Preuschen 4:5–6

πάσης τοίνυν ἡμῖν πράξεως καὶ παντὸς τοῦ βίου, ἐπεὶ σπεύδομεν ἐπὶ τὰ κρείττονα, ἀνακειμένης θεῷ καὶ βουλομένων ἡμῶν ἔχειν πᾶσαν αὐτὴν ἀπαρχὴν τῶν πολλῶν ἀπαρχῶν (εἴ γε μὴ σφαλλόμεθα τοῦτο νομίζοντες), ποίαν ἐχρῆν εἶναι μετὰ τὸ κατὰ τὸ σῶμα κεχωρίσθαι ἡμᾶς ἀλλήλων διαφέρουσαν ἢ τὴν περὶ εὐαγγελίου ἐξέτασιν; καὶ γὰρ τολμητέον εἰπεῖν πασῶν τῶν γραφῶν εἶναι ἀπαρχὴν τὸ εὐαγγέλιον.

pasēs toinyn hēmin praxeōs kai pantos tou biou, epei speudomen epi ta kreittona, anakeimenēs theǭ kai boulomenōn hēmōn echein pasan autēn aparchēn tōn pollōn aparchōn (ei ge mē sphallometha touto nomizontes), poian echrēn einai meta to kata to sōma kechōristhai hēmas allēlōn diapherousan ē tēn peri euangeliou exetasin? kai gar tolmēteon eipein pasōn tōn graphōn einai aparchēn to euangelion.

Since, then, all our action and our whole life, as we press on toward better things, is dedicated to God, and we wish to have the whole of it as firstfruits of many firstfruits (if indeed we are not mistaken in thinking so), what should our chief occupation be, now that we have been separated from one another in body, other than the examination of the Gospel? For we must venture to say that the Gospel is the firstfruits of all the Scriptures.

Notes and citation

Summary: Origen's first work, as a firstfruits offering, must be the study of the Gospel, the firstfruits of Scripture.

“Separated from one another in body” apparently refers to Origen and Ambrose living apart at the time of writing; the sense is uncertain.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: opening parenthesis lost): ἀπαρχῶν εἴ γε → ἀπαρχῶν (εἴ γε.

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.12 (Preuschen 4:5–6; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-12).

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1.13Preuschen 4:6

ἀπαρχὴν οὖν πράξεων, ἐξ οὗ τῇ Ἀλεξανδρείᾳ ἐπιδεδημήκαμεν, τίνα ἄλλην ἢ τὴν εἰς τὴν ἀπαρχὴν τῶν γραφῶν ἐχρῆν γεγονέναι; χρὴ δʼ ἡμᾶς εἰδέναι οὐ ταὐτὸν εἶναι ἀπαρχὴν καὶ πρωτογέννημα· μετὰ γὰρ τοὺς πάντας καρποὺς ἀναφέρεται ἡ ἀπαρχή, πρὸ δὲ πάντων τὸ πρωτογέννημα.

aparchēn oun praxeōn, ex hou tę̄ Alexandreią epidedēmēkamen, tina allēn ē tēn eis tēn aparchēn tōn graphōn echrēn gegonenai? chrē dʼ hēmas eidenai ou tauton einai aparchēn kai prōtogennēma; meta gar tous pantas karpous anapheretai hē aparchē, pro de pantōn to prōtogennēma.

What other firstfruits of our activities, then, since we have been residing in Alexandria, ought there to have been than the work devoted to the firstfruits of the Scriptures? But we must know that firstfruits and first-born produce are not the same thing: the firstfruits are offered after all the crops, but the first-born produce before them all.

Exod 23:19 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Origen distinguishes firstfruits, offered after the harvest, from first-born produce, offered before it.

“Since we have been residing in Alexandria” renders ἐξ οὗ τῇ Ἀλεξανδρείᾳ ἐπιδεδημήκαμεν; the exact reference is uncertain.

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.13 (Preuschen 4:6; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-13).

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1.14Preuschen 4:6

τῶν τοίνυν φερομένων γραφῶν καὶ ἐν πάσαις ἐκκλησίαις θεοῦ πεπιστευμένων εἶναι θείων, οὐκ ἂν ἁμάρτοι τις λέγων πρωτογέννημα μὲν τὸν Μωϋσέως νόμον, ἀπαρχὴν δὲ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον. μετὰ γὰρ τοὺς πάντας τῶν προφητῶν καρποὺς τῶν μέχρι τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ ὁ τέλειος ἐβλάστησε λόγος.

tōn toinyn pheromenōn graphōn kai en pasais ekklēsiais theou pepisteumenōn einai theiōn, ouk an hamartoi tis legōn prōtogennēma men ton Mōÿseōs nomon, aparchēn de to euangelion. meta gar tous pantas tōn prophētōn karpous tōn mechri tou kyriou Iēsou ho teleios eblastēse logos.

Of the Scriptures in circulation, then, and believed in all the churches of God to be divine, one would not be wrong to call the law of Moses the first-born produce, and the Gospel the firstfruits. For after all the fruits of the prophets up to the Lord Jesus, the perfect Word sprang up.

Notes and citation

Summary: The law of Moses is the first-born produce of Scripture, and the Gospel its firstfruits.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: stray accent; OCR: wrong breathing and lost letter): ὰμάρτο τις → ἁμάρτοι τις; πρωτόγέννημα → πρωτογέννημα.

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.14 (Preuschen 4:6; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-14).

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1.15Preuschen 4:6

ΙΙΙ. Ἐὰν δέ τις ἀνθυποφέρῃ διὰ τὴν ἔννοιαν τῆς ἀναπτύξεως τῶν ἀπαρχῶν φάσκων μετὰ τὰ εὐαγγέλια τὰς πράξεις καὶ τὰς ἐπιστολὰς φέρεσθαι τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ κατὰ τοῦτο μὴ ἂν ἔτι σώζεσθαι τὸ προαποδεδομένον περὶ ἀπαρχῆς, τὸ ἀπαρχὴν πάσης γραφῆς εἶναι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον, λεκτέον ἤτοι νοῦν εἶναι σοφῶν ἐν Χριστῷ ὠφελημένων ἐν ταῖς φερομέναις ἐπιστολαῖς, δεομένων, ἵνα πιστεύωνται, μαρτυριῶν τῶν ἐν τοῖς νομικοῖς καὶ προφητικοῖς λόγοις κειμένων· ὥστε σοφὰ μὲν καὶ εὔπιστα λέγειν καὶ σφόδρα ἐπιτετευγμένα τὰ ἀποστολικά, οὐ μὴν παραπλήσια τῷ» Τάδε λέγει κύριος παντοκράτωρ‘.

III. Ean de tis anthypopherę̄ dia tēn ennoian tēs anaptyxeōs tōn aparchōn phaskōn meta ta euangelia tas praxeis kai tas epistolas pheresthai tōn apostolōn kai kata touto mē an eti sōzesthai to proapodedomenon peri aparchēs, to aparchēn pasēs graphēs einai to euangelion, lekteon ētoi noun einai sophōn en Christǭ ōphelēmenōn en tais pheromenais epistolais, deomenōn, hina pisteuōntai, martyriōn tōn en tois nomikois kai prophētikois logois keimenōn; hōste sopha men kai eupista legein kai sphodra epiteteugmena ta apostolika, ou mēn paraplēsia tǭ» Tade legei kyrios pantokratōr‘.

If anyone objects, on the basis of our explanation of firstfruits, saying that the Acts and the letters of the apostles come after the Gospels, and that for this reason what was said above about firstfruits, that the Gospel is the firstfruits of all Scripture, can no longer stand, we must answer either that the letters in circulation contain the mind of men wise in Christ, men who had been helped by it, but who need, in order to be believed, the testimonies found in the words of the law and the prophets; so that the apostolic writings are wise and trustworthy and very well said, yet not comparable to “Thus says the Lord Almighty.”

Zech 1:3 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The apostolic letters are wise and trustworthy but, unlike the prophets' “Thus says the Lord,” they rely on testimony from Scripture.

“Thus says the Lord Almighty” is the prophetic formula (e.g. Zech 1:3). The “either” is answered by the “or” of 1.17.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: repeated word): πιστεύωνται, πιστεύωνται, → πιστεύωνται,.

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.15 (Preuschen 4:6; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-15).

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1.16Preuschen 4:6–7

καὶ κατὰ τοῦτο ἐπίστησον εἰ, ἐπὰν λέγῃ ὁ Παῦλος· »Πᾶσα γραφὴ θεό- »πνευστος καὶ ὠφέλιμος«, ἐμπεριλαμβάνει καὶ τὰ ἑαυτοῦ γράμματα· ἢ οὐ τό τε »Ἐγὼ λέγω, καὶ οὐχ ό κύριος« καὶ τὸ »Ἐν πάσαις ἐκκλη- »σίαις διατάσσομαι« καὶ τὸ »Οἷα ἔπαθον ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ, ἐν Ἰκονίῳ, ἐν »Λύστροις« καὶ τὰ τούτοις παραπλήσια ἐνίοτε ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ γραφέντα τὴν μὲν ἐξουσίαν * * * * ἀποστολικὴν * * *, μὴν τὸ εἰλικρινὲς τῶν ἐκ θείας ἐπιπνοίας λόγων.

kai kata touto epistēson ei, epan legę̄ ho Paulos; »Pasa graphē theo- »pneustos kai ōphelimos«, emperilambanei kai ta heautou grammata; ē ou to te »Egō legō, kai ouch o kyrios« kai to »En pasais ekklē- »siais diatassomai« kai to »Hoia epathon en Antiocheią, en Ikoniǭ, en »Lystrois« kai ta toutois paraplēsia eniote hypʼ autou graphenta tēn men exousian * * * * apostolikēn * * *, mēn to eilikrines tōn ek theias epipnoias logōn.

And in this regard consider whether, when Paul says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and useful,” he includes his own writings as well; or whether “I say, and not the Lord,” and “So I order in all the churches,” and “What I suffered in Antioch, in Iconium, in Lystra,” and similar things he sometimes wrote, have indeed … apostolic authority … but not the purity of words from divine inspiration.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

2 Tim 3:16 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 7:12 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 7:17 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Tim 3:11 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Origen asks whether Paul's personal remarks carry apostolic authority without the full purity of inspired words.

The quotations are 2 Tim 3:16, 1 Cor 7:12, 1 Cor 7:17, and 2 Tim 3:11. The manuscript has gaps here (asterisks in the edition), shown as “…”.

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.16 (Preuschen 4:6–7; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-16).

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1.17Preuschen 4:7

ἢ καὶ τοῦτο παραστατέον ὅτι ἡ παλαιὰ μὲν οὐκ εὐαγγέλιον, οὐ δεικνύουσα » τὸν ἐρχόμενον‘ ἀλλὰ προκηρύσσουσα, πᾶσα δὲ ἡ καινὴ τὸ εὐαγγέλιόν ἐστιν, οὐ μόνον ὁμοίως τῇ ἀρχῇ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου φάσκουσα· » Ἰδοὺ ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ θεοῦ, ὁ αἴρων » τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου«, ἀλλὰ καὶ ποικίλας δοξολογίας περιέχουσα καὶ διδασκαλίας τοῦ διʼ ὃν τὸ εὐαγγέλιον εὐαγγέλιόν ἐστιν.

ē kai touto parastateon hoti hē palaia men ouk euangelion, ou deiknyousa » ton erchomenon‘ alla prokēryssousa, pasa de hē kainē to euangelion estin, ou monon homoiōs tę̄ archę̄ tou euangeliou phaskousa; » Idou ho amnos tou theou, ho airōn » tēn hamartian tou kosmou«, alla kai poikilas doxologias periechousa kai didaskalias tou diʼ hon to euangelion euangelion estin.

Or we must also establish this: that the Old Testament is not gospel, since it does not show “the one who is coming” but proclaims him in advance; whereas the whole New Testament is the gospel, not only because, like the beginning of the Gospel, it says, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,” but also because it contains various praises and teachings of him on whose account the gospel is gospel.

Matt 11:3 (allusion, medium confidence) · John 1:29 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The Old Testament foretells Christ, but the whole New Testament is gospel because it shows and praises him.

The quotations are Matt 11:3 and John 1:29.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: misread letter): ἢ καὶ τούτω παραστατέον → ἢ καὶ τοῦτο παραστατέον.

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.17 (Preuschen 4:7; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-17).

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1.18Preuschen 4:7

ἔτι δὲ εἰ ὁ θεὸς ἔθετο ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ ἀποστόλους καὶ προφήτας καὶ εὐαγγελιστὰς ποιμένας τε καὶ διδασκάλους, ἐπὰν ἐξετάσωμεν τί τὸ ἔργον τοῦ εὐαγγελιστοῦ, ὅτι οὐ πάντως διηγήσασθαι τίνα τρόπον ὁ σωτὴρ τυφλὸν ἀπὸ γενετῆς ἰάσατο, ὀδωδότα νεκρὸν ἀνέστησεν ἤ τι τῶν παραδόξων πεποίηκεν, οὐκ ὀκνήσομεν, χαρακτηριζομένου τοῦ εὐαγγε- λιστοῦ καὶ ἐν προτρεπτικῷ λόγῳ τῷ εἰς πιστοποίησιν τῶν περὶ Ἰησοῦ, εὐαγγέλιόν πως εἰπεῖν τὰ ὑπὸ τῶν ἀποστόλων γεγραμμένα.

eti de ei ho theos etheto en tę̄ ekklēsią apostolous kai prophētas kai euangelistas poimenas te kai didaskalous, epan exetasōmen ti to ergon tou euangelistou, hoti ou pantōs diēgēsasthai tina tropon ho sōtēr typhlon apo genetēs iasato, odōdota nekron anestēsen ē ti tōn paradoxōn pepoiēken, ouk oknēsomen, charaktērizomenou tou euange- listou kai en protreptikǭ logǭ tǭ eis pistopoiēsin tōn peri Iēsou, euangelion pōs eipein ta hypo tōn apostolōn gegrammena.

Further, if God appointed in the church apostles and prophets and evangelists, pastors and teachers, then when we examine what the work of the evangelist is (namely, that it is not only to narrate how the Savior healed a man blind from birth, raised a dead man who already stank, or did some other wonder), we shall not hesitate, since the evangelist is characterized also by exhortation meant to bring people to faith in what concerns Jesus, to say that what the apostles wrote is in a sense gospel.

Eph 4:11 (allusion, high confidence) · John 9:1 (allusion, high confidence) · John 11:39 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Because evangelists also exhort to faith, the apostles' writings can be called gospel.

The allusions are Eph 4:11 (with 1 Cor 12:28), John 9:1–7, and John 11:39.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (editor's apparatus leaked into the digital text): εὐαγγε- Η λιστοῦ → εὐαγγε- λιστοῦ.

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.18 (Preuschen 4:7; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-18).

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1.19Preuschen 4:7

ἀλλʼ ὅσον ἐπὶ τῇ δευτέρᾳ ἀποδόσει, τῷ ἀνθυποφέροντι διὰ τὸ μὴ ἐπιγεγράφθαι τὰς ἐπιστολὰς εὐαγγέλιον ὡς οὐ καλῶς πᾶσαν τὴν καινὴν διαθήκην εὐαγγέλιον ἡμῶν ὀνομασάντων, λεκτέον ὅτι πολλαχοῦ τῶν γραφῶν δύο τινῶν ἢ πλειόνων τῷ αὐτῷ ὀνόματι ὀνομαζομένων κυ- ριώτερον ἐπὶ τοῦ ἑτέρου τῶν λεγομένων κεῖται τὸ ὄνομα· οἷον λέγοντος τοῦ σωτῆρος· Μὴ καλέσητε διδάσκαλον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς« ὁ ἀπόστολός φησι τετάχθαι ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ καὶ διδασκάλους.

allʼ hoson epi tę̄ deuterą apodosei, tǭ anthypopheronti dia to mē epigegraphthai tas epistolas euangelion hōs ou kalōs pasan tēn kainēn diathēkēn euangelion hēmōn onomasantōn, lekteon hoti pollachou tōn graphōn dyo tinōn ē pleionōn tǭ autǭ onomati onomazomenōn ky- riōteron epi tou heterou tōn legomenōn keitai to onoma; hoion legontos tou sōtēros; Mē kalesēte didaskalon epi tēs gēs« ho apostolos phēsi tetachthai en tę̄ ekklēsią kai didaskalous.

But as for the second answer: to one who objects that we did not do well in calling the whole New Testament “gospel”, since the letters are not entitled “gospel”, we must say that in many places in the Scriptures, when two or more things are called by the same name, the name belongs more properly to one of them. For example, although the Savior says, “Do not call anyone teacher on earth,” the apostle says that teachers too have been appointed in the church.

Matt 23:8–10 (quotation, medium confidence) · 1 Cor 12:28 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: A name can apply strictly to one thing and loosely to others, as “teacher” does to Christ and to church teachers.

The quotation is a free form of Matt 23:8–10; the allusion is 1 Cor 12:28.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: misread letters): δεθτἐρᾳ → δευτέρᾳ.

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.19 (Preuschen 4:7; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-19).

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1.20Preuschen 4:7

οὐκ ἔσονται οὖν οὗτοι διδάσκαλοι ὅσον ἐπὶ τῇ ἀκριβείᾳ τῆς τοῦ εὐαγγελίου φωνῆς. οὕτως οὐκ ἔσται εὐαγγέλιον τὸ κατὰ τὰς ἐπιστολὰς πᾶν γράμμα, ὅταν παραβάλληται τῇ διηγήσει τῶν περὶ Ἰησοῦ πράξεων καὶ παθημάτων καὶ λόγων αὐτοῦ. πλὴν ἀπαρχὴ πάσης γραφῆς τὸ εὐαγγέλιον, καὶ πασῶν τῶν κατʼ εὐχὴν ἡμῶν πράξεων ἐσομένων ἀπαρχὴν ποιούμεθα εἰς τὴν ἀπαρχὴν τῶν γραφῶν.

ouk esontai oun houtoi didaskaloi hoson epi tę̄ akribeią tēs tou euangeliou phōnēs. houtōs ouk estai euangelion to kata tas epistolas pan gramma, hotan paraballētai tę̄ diēgēsei tōn peri Iēsou praxeōn kai pathēmatōn kai logōn autou. plēn aparchē pasēs graphēs to euangelion, kai pasōn tōn katʼ euchēn hēmōn praxeōn esomenōn aparchēn poioumetha eis tēn aparchēn tōn graphōn.

These, then, will not be teachers in the strict sense of the Gospel's saying. So too, not every writing in the letters will be gospel when compared with the narrative of Jesus' deeds, sufferings, and words. Nevertheless, the Gospel is the firstfruits of all Scripture, and we offer the firstfruits of all the actions we pray to perform in work on the firstfruits of the Scriptures.

Notes and citation

Summary: The letters are gospel only in a looser sense; the Gospel remains the firstfruits of Scripture.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: misread letter): δοδάσκαλοι → διδάσκαλοι; οὐκ ἔσταο → οὐκ ἔσται.

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.20 (Preuschen 4:7; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-20).

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1.21Preuschen 4:7–8

Ἐγὼ δʼ οἶμαι ὅτι καὶ τεσσάρων ὄντων τῶν εὐαγγελίων οἱονεὶ στοιχείων τῆς πίστεως τῆς ἐκκλησίας (ἐξ ὧν ὡς στοιχείων ὁ πᾶς συνέστηκε κόσμος ἐν Χριστῷ καταλλαγεὶς τῷ θεῷ, καθά φησιν ὁ Παῦλος· »Θεὸς ἦν ἐν Χριστῷ κόσμον καταλλάσσων ἑαυτῷ«· οὑ κόσμου τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἦρεν Ἰησοῦς· περὶ γὰρ τοῦ κόσμου τῆς ἐκκλησίας ὁ λόγος ἐστὶν ὁ γεγραμμένος· » Ἰδοὺ ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ θεοῦ, ὁ αἵρων τὴν » ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου«) ἀπαρχὴν τῶν εὐαγγελίων εἶναι τὸ προστε- ταγμένον ἡμῖν ὑπὸ σοῦ κατὰ δύναμιν ἐρευνῆσαι, τὸ κατὰ Ἰωάννην, τὸν γενεαλογούμενον εἰπὸν καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀγενεαλογήτου ἀρχόμενον.

Egō dʼ oimai hoti kai tessarōn ontōn tōn euangeliōn hoionei stoicheiōn tēs pisteōs tēs ekklēsias (ex hōn hōs stoicheiōn ho pas synestēke kosmos en Christǭ katallageis tǭ theǭ, katha phēsin ho Paulos; »Theos ēn en Christǭ kosmon katallassōn heautǭ«; hou kosmou tēn hamartian ēren Iēsous; peri gar tou kosmou tēs ekklēsias ho logos estin ho gegrammenos; » Idou ho amnos tou theou, ho hairōn tēn » hamartian tou kosmou«) aparchēn tōn euangeliōn einai to proste- tagmenon hēmin hypo sou kata dynamin ereunēsai, to kata Iōannēn, ton genealogoumenon eipon kai apo tou agenealogētou archomenon.

And I think that, since there are four Gospels, as it were the elements of the church's faith (the elements of which the whole world, reconciled to God in Christ, is composed, as Paul says, “God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself”, the world whose sin Jesus took away; for the written saying is about the world of the church: “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world”), the firstfruits of the Gospels is the one you have instructed us to search out as far as we are able, the Gospel according to John, which speaks of the one whose genealogy is traced and yet begins from the one without genealogy.

2 Cor 5:19 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:29 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Of the four Gospels, the elements of the church's faith, John's is the firstfruits, beginning from the Word who has no genealogy.

The quotations are 2 Cor 5:19 and John 1:29. The opening parenthesis and ὧν are restored (see corrections).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: parenthesis and relative pronoun lost): ἐκκλησίας ἐξ ὡς στοιχείων → ἐκκλησίας (ἐξ ὧν ὡς στοιχείων.

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.21 (Preuschen 4:7–8; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-21).

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1.22Preuschen 4:8

Ματθαῖος μὲν γὰρ τοῖς προσδοκῶσι τὸν ἐξ Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Δαβὶδ Ἑβραίοις γράφων· » Βίβλος, φησί, γενέσεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, υἱοῦ Δαβίδ, υἱοῦ » Ἀβραάμ «, καὶ Μάρκος, εἰδὼς ὃ γράφει. » ἀρχὴν « διηγεῖται » τοῦ εὐαγγε- » λίου «, τάχα εὑρισκόντων ἡμῶν τὸ τέλος αὐτοῦ παρὰ τῷ Ἰωάννῃ * * * * τὸν » ἐν ἀρχῇ λόγον, θεὸν λόγον. ἀλλὰ καὶ Λουκᾶς * * * * * ἀλλά γε τηρεῖ τῷ ἐπὶ τὸ στῆθος ἀναπεσόντι τοῦ Ἰησοῦ τοὺς μείζονας καὶ τελειοτέρους περ Ἰησοῦ λόγους· οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἐκείνων ἀκράτως ἐφανέρωσεν αὐτοῦ τὴν θεότητα ὡς Ἰωάννης, παραστήσας αὐτὸν λέγοντα· » Ἐγώ εἰμι τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου « » Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ὁδὸς καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια καὶ ἡ ζωή «· » Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἀνάστασις « » Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ θύρα «· » Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ποι- » μὴν ὁ καλός «· καὶ ἐν τῇ Ἀποκαλύψει » Ἐγώ εἰμι τὸ Α καὶ τὸ Ω, ἡ » ἀρχὴ καὶ τὸ τέλος,

Matthaios men gar tois prosdokōsi ton ex Abraam kai Dabid Hebraiois graphōn; » Biblos, phēsi, geneseōs Iēsou Christou, huiou Dabid, huiou » Abraam «, kai Markos, eidōs ho graphei. » archēn « diēgeitai » tou euange- » liou «, tacha heuriskontōn hēmōn to telos autou para tǭ Iōannę̄ * * * * ton » en archę̄ logon, theon logon. alla kai Loukas * * * * * alla ge tērei tǭ epi to stēthos anapesonti tou Iēsou tous meizonas kai teleioterous per Iēsou logous; oudeis gar ekeinōn akratōs ephanerōsen autou tēn theotēta hōs Iōannēs, parastēsas auton legonta; » Egō eimi to phōs tou kosmou « » Egō eimi hē hodos kai hē alētheia kai hē zōē «; » Egō eimi hē anastasis « » Egō eimi hē thyra «; » Egō eimi ho poi- » mēn ho kalos «; kai en tę̄ Apokalypsei » Egō eimi to A kai to Ō, hē » archē kai to telos,

For Matthew, writing for the Hebrews who were expecting the son of Abraham and David, says, “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham”; and Mark, knowing what he is writing, narrates “the beginning of the gospel”, perhaps because we find its end in John … the Word who was “in the beginning”, God the Word. And Luke too … but he keeps for the one who reclined on Jesus' breast the greater and more perfect words about Jesus. For none of them revealed his divinity so purely as John, who presents him saying, “I am the light of the world”, “I am the way and the truth and the life”, “I am the resurrection”, “I am the door”, “I am the good shepherd”, and in the Revelation, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end,

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Matt 1:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Mark 1:1 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:1 (quotation, high confidence) · John 13:25 (allusion, high confidence) · John 8:12 (quotation, high confidence) · John 14:6 (quotation, high confidence) · John 11:25 (quotation, high confidence) · John 10:9 (quotation, high confidence) · John 10:11 (quotation, high confidence) · Rev 22:13 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Matthew and Mark begin with Christ's human descent and the gospel's beginning; John most clearly reveals his divinity.

The quotations are Matt 1:1, Mark 1:1, John 1:1, John 8:12, 14:6, 11:25, 10:9, 10:11, and Rev 22:13 (with 21:6); the allusion is John 13:25. The manuscript has gaps here, shown as “…”.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: lost letter; OCR: misread letter; editor's apparatus leaked into the digital text (manuscript folio number)): τοῦ εὐγγε- → τοῦ εὐαγγε-; μείζονας 114r καὶ → μείζονας καὶ; Ἐγώ εἰυι → Ἐγώ εἰμι; κοὶ ἐν τῇ → καὶ ἐν τῇ.

Topics: Christology, Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.22 (Preuschen 4:8; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-22).

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1.23Preuschen 4:8–9

ὁ πρῶτος καὶ ὁ ἔσχατος « τολμητέον τοίνυν εἰπεῖν ἀπαρχὴν μὲν πασῶν γραφῶν εἶναι τὰ εὐαγγέλια, τῶν δὲ εὐαγγελίων ἀπαρχὴν τὸ κατὰ Ἰωάννην, οὗ τὸν νοῦν οὐδεὶς δύναται λαβεῖν μὴ ἀναπεσὼν ἐπὶ τὸ στῆθος Ἰησοῦ μηδὲ λαβὼν ἀπὸ Ἰησοῦ τὴν Μαρίαν γινομένην καὶ αὐτοῦ μητέρα. καὶ τηλικοῦτον δὲ γενέσθαι δεῖ τὸν ἐσόμενον ἄλλον Ἰωάννην, ὥστε οἱονεὶ τὸν Ἰωάννην δειχθῆναι ὄντα Ἰησοῦν ὑπὸ Ἰησοῦ. εἰ γὰρ οὐδεὶς υἱὸς Μαρίας κατὰ τοὺς ὑγιῶς περὶ αὐτῆς δοξάζοντας ἢ Ἰησοῦς, φησὶ δὲ Ἰησοῦς τῇ μητρί· » Ἴδε ὁ » υἱός σου« καὶ οὐχί » Ἴδὲ καὶ οὗτος υἱός σου « ἴσον εἴρηκε τῷ » Ἴδε » οὑτός ἐστιν Ἰησοῦς ὃν ἐγέννησας «. καὶ γὰρ πᾶς ὁ τετελειωμένος » ζῇ » οὐκέτι «, ἀλλʼ ἐν » ζῇ Χριστός «, καὶ ἐπεὶ » ζῇ « ἐν αὐτῷ » Χρι- » στός «, λέγεται περὶ αὐτοῦ τῇ Μαρίᾳ· » Ἴδε ὁ υἱός σου « ὁ χριστός.

ho prōtos kai ho eschatos « tolmēteon toinyn eipein aparchēn men pasōn graphōn einai ta euangelia, tōn de euangeliōn aparchēn to kata Iōannēn, hou ton noun oudeis dynatai labein mē anapesōn epi to stēthos Iēsou mēde labōn apo Iēsou tēn Marian ginomenēn kai autou mētera. kai tēlikouton de genesthai dei ton esomenon allon Iōannēn, hōste hoionei ton Iōannēn deichthēnai onta Iēsoun hypo Iēsou. ei gar oudeis huios Marias kata tous hygiōs peri autēs doxazontas ē Iēsous, phēsi de Iēsous tę̄ mētri; » Ide ho » huios sou« kai ouchi » Ide kai houtos huios sou « ison eirēke tǭ » Ide » houtos estin Iēsous hon egennēsas «. kai gar pas ho teteleiōmenos » zę̄ » ouketi «, allʼ en » zę̄ Christos «, kai epei » zę̄ « en autǭ » Chri- » stos «, legetai peri autou tę̄ Marią; » Ide ho huios sou « ho christos.

the first and the last.” We must venture, then, to say that the Gospels are the firstfruits of all the Scriptures, and that the Gospel according to John is the firstfruits of the Gospels. No one can grasp its meaning who has not reclined on Jesus' breast and received from Jesus Mary, to be his mother too. And the one who is to be another John must become so great that, as it were, John is shown by Jesus to be Jesus. For if, according to those who think soundly about her, Mary had no son but Jesus, and Jesus says to his mother, “Behold your son,” and not “Behold, this one too is your son,” he has said the equivalent of “Behold, this is Jesus, whom you bore.” For everyone who has been made perfect “no longer lives”, but “Christ lives” in him; and since “Christ lives” in him, it is said of him to Mary, “Behold your son”: the Christ.

Rev 22:13 (quotation, high confidence) · John 13:25 (allusion, high confidence) · John 19:26–27 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 2:20 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: John's Gospel is the firstfruits of the Gospels; to understand it one must, like John, receive Mary as mother and have Christ living in oneself.

The quotations are Rev 22:13, John 19:26–27, and Gal 2:20; the allusion is John 13:25. Origen assumes that Mary had no other children.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: lost letters; OCR: repeated word fragment): εὐαγγελίων λίων → εὐαγγελίων; τὴν ρίαν γινομένην → τὴν Μαρίαν γινομένην.

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.23 (Preuschen 4:8–9; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-23).

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1.24Preuschen 4:9

ἡλίκου τοίνυν νοῦ ἡμῖν δεῖ, ἵνα τὸν ἐν τοῖς ὀστρακίνοις τῆς εὐτελοῦς λέξεως θησαυροῖς ἐναποκείμενον λόγον, τοῦ ὑπὸ πάντων τῶν ἐντυγχανόντων ἀναγινωσκομένου γράμματος καὶ ὑπὸ πάντων τῶν παρεχόντων τὰς σωματικὰς ἀκοὰς ἀκουομένου αἰσθητοῦ διὰ φωνῆς λόγου ἐκλαβεῖν κατʼ δυνηθῶμεν, τί δεῖ καὶ λέγειν; τὸν γὰρ μέλλοντα ταῦτα ἀκριβῶς καταλαμβάνειν μετὰ ἀληθείας εἰπεῖν δεῖ· » Ἡμεῖς δὲ νοῦν Χριστοῦ ἔχομεν, ἵνα εἰδῶμεν τὰ ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ χαρισ- » θέντα ἡμῖν. «

hēlikou toinyn nou hēmin dei, hina ton en tois ostrakinois tēs eutelous lexeōs thēsaurois enapokeimenon logon, tou hypo pantōn tōn entynchanontōn anaginōskomenou grammatos kai hypo pantōn tōn parechontōn tas sōmatikas akoas akouomenou aisthētou dia phōnēs logou eklabein katʼ dynēthōmen, ti dei kai legein? ton gar mellonta tauta akribōs katalambanein meta alētheias eipein dei; » Hēmeis de noun Christou echomen, hina eidōmen ta hypo tou theou charis- » thenta hēmin. «

How great a mind, then, do we need to be able to draw out, as it deserves, the meaning stored up in the earthen treasures of humble diction, in the letter read by all who come upon it and heard as a word perceptible through the voice by all who lend their bodily ears! What need is there even to say it? For one who is to grasp these things exactly must say in truth, “But we have the mind of Christ, that we may know the things freely given to us by God.”

2 Cor 4:7 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 2:16 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 2:12 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Understanding the Gospel's hidden meaning requires the mind of Christ.

The allusion is 2 Cor 4:7; the quotation combines 1 Cor 2:16 and 2:12. A word appears lost after κατʼ (probably “worthily”); “as it deserves” gives the likely sense.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: misread letter; OCR: repeated word): ἀναγιγωσκομένου → ἀναγινωσκομένου; φωνῆς λόφου → φωνῆς λόγου; δυνηθῶμεν, δυνηθῶμεν, → δυνηθῶμεν,; εἰπεῖν όεἶ → εἰπεῖν δεῖ.

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.24 (Preuschen 4:9; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-24).

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1.25Preuschen 4:9

Ἔστι δὲ προσαχθῆναι ἀπὸ τῶν ὑπὸ Παύλου λεγομένων περὶ τοῦ πᾶσαν τὴν καινὴν εἶναι τὰ εὐαγγέλια, ὅταν που γράφῃ· » Κατὰ τὸ » εὐαγγέλιόν μου «· ἐν γράμμασι γὰρ Παύλου οὐκ ἔχομεν βιβλίον εὐαγγέλιον συνήθως καλούμενον, ἀλλὰ πᾶν, ὃ ἐκήρυσσε καὶ ἔλεγε, τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ἠν. ἃ δὲ ἐκήρυσσε καὶ ἔλεγε, ταῦτα καὶ ἔγραφε· καὶ ἃ ἔγραφεν ἄρα εὐαγγέλιον ἦν.

Esti de prosachthēnai apo tōn hypo Paulou legomenōn peri tou pasan tēn kainēn einai ta euangelia, hotan pou graphę̄; » Kata to » euangelion mou «; en grammasi gar Paulou ouk echomen biblion euangelion synēthōs kaloumenon, alla pan, ho ekērysse kai elege, to euangelion ēn. ha de ekērysse kai elege, tauta kai egraphe; kai ha egraphen ara euangelion ēn.

One may also adduce, for the view that the whole New Testament is the Gospels, what Paul says when he writes somewhere, “According to my gospel.” For in Paul's writings we have no book commonly called a gospel; rather, everything he preached and said was the gospel. And what he preached and said, he also wrote; so what he wrote was gospel.

Rom 2:16 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Paul's “my gospel” shows that everything he preached and wrote was gospel.

The quotation is Rom 2:16 (also Rom 16:25).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: lost breathing and accent): Εστι δὲ προσαχθῆναι → Ἔστι δὲ προσαχθῆναι.

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.25 (Preuschen 4:9; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-25).

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1.26Preuschen 4:9

εἰ δὲ τὰ Παύλου εὐαγγέλιον ἦν, ἀκόλουθον λέγειν ὅτι καὶ τὰ Πέτρου εὐαγγέλιον ἦν καὶ ἁπαξαπλῶς τὰ συνιστάντα τὴν Χριστοῦ ἐπιδημίαν καὶ κατασκευάζοντα τὴν παρουσίαν αὐτοῦ ἐμποιοῦντά τε αὐτὴν ταῖς ψυχαῖς τῶν βουλομένων παραδέξασθαι τὸν ἑστῶτα ἐπὶ τὴν θύραν καὶ κρούοντα καὶ εἰσελθεῖν βουλόμενον εἰς τὰς ψυχὰς λόγον θεοῦ.

ei de ta Paulou euangelion ēn, akolouthon legein hoti kai ta Petrou euangelion ēn kai hapaxaplōs ta synistanta tēn Christou epidēmian kai kataskeuazonta tēn parousian autou empoiounta te autēn tais psychais tōn boulomenōn paradexasthai ton hestōta epi tēn thyran kai krouonta kai eiselthein boulomenon eis tas psychas logon theou.

And if Paul's writings were gospel, it follows that Peter's too were gospel, and, in a word, whatever sets forth Christ's sojourn, prepares for his coming, and produces it in the souls of those who are willing to receive the Word of God, who stands at the door and knocks and wishes to enter their souls.

Rev 3:20 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Whatever makes Christ present in souls, as Paul's and Peter's writings do, is gospel.

The allusion is Rev 3:20.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: misread letter): τὰ Πούλου → τὰ Παύλου.

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.26 (Preuschen 4:9; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-26).

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1.27Preuschen 4:9

Τί δὲ βούλεται δηλοῦν ἡ » εὐαγγέλιον « προσηγορία, καὶ διὰ τί ταύτην ἔχει τὴν ἐπιγραφὴν ταῦτα τὰ βιβλία, ἤδη καιρὸς ἐξετάσαι. ἔστι τοίνυν τὸ εὐαγγέλιον λόγος περιέχων ἀπαγγελίαν πραγμάτων κατὰ τὸ εὔλογον διὰ τὸ ὠφελεῖν εὐφραινόντων τὸν ἀκούοντα, ἐπὰν παραδέξηται τὸ ἀπαγγελλόμενον· οὐδὲν δʼ ἧττον ὁ τοιοῦτος λόγος εὐαγγέλιόν ἐστιν, ἂν καὶ πρὸς τὴν σχέσιν τοῦ ἀκούοντος ἐξετάζηται. ἢ εὐαγγέλιόν ἐστι λόγος περιέχων ἀγαθοῦ τῷ πιστεύοντι παρουσίαν ἢ λόγος ἐπαγγελλόμενος παρεῖναι ἀγαθὸν τὸ προσδοκώμενον.

Ti de bouletai dēloun hē » euangelion « prosēgoria, kai dia ti tautēn echei tēn epigraphēn tauta ta biblia, ēdē kairos exetasai. esti toinyn to euangelion logos periechōn apangelian pragmatōn kata to eulogon dia to ōphelein euphrainontōn ton akouonta, epan paradexētai to apangellomenon; ouden dʼ hētton ho toioutos logos euangelion estin, an kai pros tēn schesin tou akouontos exetazētai. ē euangelion esti logos periechōn agathou tǭ pisteuonti parousian ē logos epangellomenos pareinai agathon to prosdokōmenon.

It is now time to examine what the name “gospel” means, and why these books bear this title. The gospel, then, is a word containing a report of things that, with good reason, gladden the hearer, because they benefit him once he accepts what is reported; and such a word is no less a gospel if it is also considered in relation to the disposition of the hearer. Or a gospel is a word containing the presence of a good thing for the one who believes, or a word announcing that the good thing expected is present.

Notes and citation

Summary: Origen defines a gospel as good news that gladdens and benefits those who accept it.

Origen plays on εὐαγγέλιον, literally “good news” or “good message”.

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.27 (Preuschen 4:9; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-27).

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1.28Preuschen 4:9–10

πάντες δὲ οἱ προειρημένοι ἡμῖν ὅροι ἐφαρμόζουσι τοῖς ἐπιγραφομένοις εὐαγγελίοις. ἕκαστον γὰρ εὐαγγέλιον, σύστημα ἀπαγγελλομένων ὠφελίμων τῷ πιστεύοντι καὶ μὴ παρεκδεξαμένῳ τυγχάνον ὠφέλειαν ἐμποιοῦν, κατὰ τὸ εὐφραίνει, διδάσκον τὴν διʼ ἀνθρώπους τοῦ πρω- » τοτόκου πάσης κτίσεως « Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ σωτήριον αὐτοῖς ἐπιδημίαν. ἀλλὰ καὶ ὅτι λόγος ἐστὶν ἕκαστον εὐαγγέλιον διδάσκων τὴν τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ πατρὸς ἐν υἱῷ τοῖς βουλομένοις παραδέξασθαι ἐπιδημίαν, παντὶ τῷ πιστεύοντι σαφές.

pantes de hoi proeirēmenoi hēmin horoi epharmozousi tois epigraphomenois euangeliois. hekaston gar euangelion, systēma apangellomenōn ōphelimōn tǭ pisteuonti kai mē parekdexamenǭ tynchanon ōpheleian empoioun, kata to euphrainei, didaskon tēn diʼ anthrōpous tou prō- » totokou pasēs ktiseōs « Christou Iēsou sōtērion autois epidēmian. alla kai hoti logos estin hekaston euangelion didaskōn tēn tou agathou patros en huiǭ tois boulomenois paradexasthai epidēmian, panti tǭ pisteuonti saphes.

All the definitions we have given fit the books entitled Gospels. For each Gospel, being a collection of reports beneficial to one who believes and does not misinterpret them, produces benefit and thus gladdens, since it teaches the saving sojourn among human beings, for their sake, of Christ Jesus, “the firstborn of all creation”. And it is plain to every believer that each Gospel is a word teaching the sojourn of the good Father in the Son among those willing to receive him.

Col 1:15 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The Gospels fit the definition, for they announce the saving coming of Christ and of the Father in him.

The quotation is Col 1:15.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: repeated word; OCR: repeated word fragment): εὐαγγελίοις. λίοις. → εὐαγγελίοις.; εὐφραίνει, εὐφραίνει, → εὐφραίνει,; ἀγαθοῦ θοῦ πατρὸς → ἀγαθοῦ πατρὸς.

Topics: Christology

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.28 (Preuschen 4:9–10; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-28).

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1.29Preuschen 4:10

ὅτι δὲ καὶ ἀγαθὸν ἐπαγγέλλεται διὰ τῶν βιβλίων τούτων τὸ προσδοκηθέν, οὐκ ἀσαφές. σχεδὸν γὰρ ὁ βαπτιστὴς Ἰωάννης τὴν παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ λαβὼν φωνήν φησι πέμψας τῷ Ἰησοῦ· » Σὺ εἶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος, ἢ ἕτερον προσδοκῶμεν;« προσδοκώμενον γὰρ ἀγαθὸν τῷ λαῷ ὁ χριστὸς ἦν, περὶ οὗ κηρυσσόντων τῶν προ- φητῶν μέχρι καὶ τῶν τυχόντων πάντες εἰς αὐτὸν ἔσχον οἱ ὑπὸ νόμον καὶ προφήτας τὰς ἐλπίδας, ὡς μαρτυρεῖ ἡ Σαμαρεῖτις λέγουσα· » Οἶδα ὅτι Μεσσίας ἔρχεται, ὁ λεγόμενος » Χριστός «· ὅταν ἔλθῃ ἐκεῖνος, » ἀπαγγελεῖ ἡμῖν ἅπαντα.«

hoti de kai agathon epangelletai dia tōn bibliōn toutōn to prosdokēthen, ouk asaphes. schedon gar ho baptistēs Iōannēs tēn pantos tou laou labōn phōnēn phēsi pempsas tǭ Iēsou; » Sy ei ho erchomenos, ē heteron prosdokōmen?« prosdokōmenon gar agathon tǭ laǭ ho christos ēn, peri hou kēryssontōn tōn pro- phētōn mechri kai tōn tychontōn pantes eis auton eschon hoi hypo nomon kai prophētas tas elpidas, hōs martyrei hē Samareitis legousa; » Oida hoti Messias erchetai, ho legomenos » Christos «; hotan elthę̄ ekeinos, » apangelei hēmin hapanta.«

That the good thing expected is also announced through these books is not unclear. For John the Baptist, taking up, as it were, the voice of the whole people, says when he sends to Jesus, “Are you the one who is coming, or are we to expect another?” For the Christ was the good thing expected by the people. The prophets proclaimed him, and all who were under the law and the prophets, down to the humblest, placed their hopes in him, as the Samaritan woman testifies when she says, “I know that the Messiah is coming, who is called Christ; when he comes, he will tell us all things.”

Matt 11:3 (quotation, high confidence) · John 4:25 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The Gospels announce the long-expected good: the Christ for whom John the Baptist and the Samaritan woman waited.

The quotations are Matt 11:3 (Luke 7:19) and John 4:25.

Topics: Christology

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.29 (Preuschen 4:10; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-29).

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1.30Preuschen 4:10

ἀλλὰ καὶ Σίμων καὶ Κλεόπας, ὁμιλοῦντες » πρὸς ἀλλήλους περὶ πάντων τῶν συμβεβηκότων« τῷ Ἰησοῦ, αὐτῷ τῷ χριστῷ ἀναστάντι οὐδέπω γινώσκοντες ἐγηγέρθαι αὐτὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν φασί· » Σὺ μόνος παροικεῖς έν Ἱερουσαλήμ, καὶ οὐκ ἔγνως τὰ γενόμενα » ἐν αὐτῇ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ταύταις; « εἰπόντος δὲ » Ποῖα;« ἀποκρίνονται· » Τὰ περὶ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Ναζαρηνοῦ, ὃς ἐγένετο ἀνὴρ προφήτης δυνατὸς »εν ἔργῳ καὶ λόγῳ ἐναντίον τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ· ὅπως τε » παρέδωκαν αὐτὸν οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες ἡμῶν εἰς κρίμα θανά- » του καὶ ἐσταύρωσαν αὐτόν. ἡμεῖς δὲ ἠλπίζομεν ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ » μέλλων λυτροῦσθαι τὸν Ἰσραήλ.

alla kai Simōn kai Kleopas, homilountes » pros allēlous peri pantōn tōn symbebēkotōn« tǭ Iēsou, autǭ tǭ christǭ anastanti oudepō ginōskontes egēgerthai auton ek nekrōn phasi; » Sy monos paroikeis en Hierousalēm, kai ouk egnōs ta genomena » en autę̄ en tais hēmerais tautais? « eipontos de » Poia?« apokrinontai; » Ta peri Iēsou tou Nazarēnou, hos egeneto anēr prophētēs dynatos »en ergǭ kai logǭ enantion tou theou kai pantos tou laou; hopōs te » paredōkan auton hoi archiereis kai hoi archontes hēmōn eis krima thana- » tou kai estaurōsan auton. hēmeis de ēlpizomen hoti autos estin ho » mellōn lytrousthai ton Israēl.

Simon and Cleopas too, talking “with one another about all the things that had happened” to Jesus, say to the risen Christ himself, not yet knowing that he had been raised from the dead, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” When he said, “What things?”, they answer: “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.”

Luke 24:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 24:18–21 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The disciples on the road to Emmaus had hoped that Jesus was the expected redeemer of Israel.

The quotations are Luke 24:14 and 24:18–21. Origen names Cleopas's unnamed companion Simon.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: lost letter): τὸν Ἰσραή. → τὸν Ἰσραήλ..

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.30 (Preuschen 4:10; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-30).

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1.31Preuschen 4:10

« πρὸς τούτοις Ἀνδρέας ὁ ἀδελφὸς Σίμωνος Πέτρου εὑρὼν τὸν ἀδελφὸν τὸν ἴδιον Σίμωνα λέγει· » Εὑρή- » καμεν τὸν Μεσσίαν, ὅ ἐστι μεθερμηνευόμενον Χριστός«. καὶ μετ ὀλίγα ὁ Φίλιππος εὑρὼν τὸν Ναθαναὴλ λέγει αὐτῷ· » Ὃν ἔγραψεν » Μωϋσῆς ἐν τῷ νόμῳ καὶ οἱ προφῆται εὑρήκαμεν, τὸν Ἰησοῦν τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ τὸν ἀπὸ Ναζαρέθ. «

« pros toutois Andreas ho adelphos Simōnos Petrou heurōn ton adelphon ton idion Simōna legei; » Heurē- » kamen ton Messian, ho esti methermēneuomenon Christos«. kai met oliga ho Philippos heurōn ton Nathanaēl legei autǭ; » Hon egrapsen » Mōÿsēs en tǭ nomǭ kai hoi prophētai heurēkamen, ton Iēsoun ton huion tou Iōsēph ton apo Nazareth. «

Besides these, Andrew the brother of Simon Peter, finding his own brother Simon, says, “We have found the Messiah, which translated is Christ.” And shortly afterward Philip, finding Nathanael, says to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the law and the prophets wrote, Jesus the son of Joseph, from Nazareth.”

John 1:41 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:45 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Andrew and Philip announce that they have found the expected Messiah.

The quotations are John 1:41 and 1:45.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: misread letters; OCR: misread word): Μωσϋσῆς → Μωϋσῆς; τὸν Ἰωσὴφ τοῦ Ἰφσὴφ → τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ.

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.31 (Preuschen 4:10; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-31).

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1.32Preuschen 4:10–11

Δόξαι δʼ ἄν τις ἐνίστασθαι τῷ πρώτῳ ὅρῳ, ἐπεὶ καὶ τὰ μὴ ἐπιγεγραμμένα εὐαγγέλια ὑποπίπτει αὐτῷ· ὁ γὰρ νόμος καὶ οἱ προ- φῆται >λόγοι< πιστεύονται εἶναι περιέχοντες ἀπαγγελίαν κατὰ τὸ εὔλογον διὰ τὸ ὠφελεῖν εὐφραινόντων τοὺς ἀκούοντας, ἐπὰν >παραδέξωνται τὰ <.

Doxai dʼ an tis enistasthai tǭ prōtǭ horǭ, epei kai ta mē epigegrammena euangelia hypopiptei autǭ; ho gar nomos kai hoi pro- phētai >logoi< pisteuontai einai periechontes apangelian kata to eulogon dia to ōphelein euphrainontōn tous akouontas, epan >paradexōntai ta <.

But someone might seem to object to the first definition, since writings not entitled gospels also fall under it. For the law and the prophets are believed to be words containing a report of things that, with good reason, gladden the hearers because they benefit them, once they accept what is reported.

Notes and citation

Summary: Objection: the law and the prophets would also fit the first definition of a gospel.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: misread word (compare the definition in 1.27)): εὔλογον τὸ τὸ ὠφελεῖν → εὔλογον διὰ τὸ ὠφελεῖν.

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.32 (Preuschen 4:10–11; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-32).

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1.33Preuschen 4:11

λεχθείη δʼ ἂν πρὸς τοῦτο ὅτι πρὸ τῆς Χριστοῦ ἐπιδημίας ὁ νόμος καὶ οἱ προφῆται, ἅτε μηδέπω ἐληλυθότος τοῦ τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς μυστήρια σαφηνίζοντος, οὐκ εἶχον τὸ ἐπάγγελμα τοῦ περὶ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου ὅρου· ὁ δὲ σωτὴρ ἐπιδημήσας καὶ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον σωματοποιηθῆναι θελήσας τῷ εὐαγγελιῳ πάντα ὡσεὶ εὐαγγέλιον πεποίηκεν.

lechtheiē dʼ an pros touto hoti pro tēs Christou epidēmias ho nomos kai hoi prophētai, hate mēdepō elēlythotos tou ta en autois mystēria saphēnizontos, ouk eichon to epangelma tou peri tou euangeliou horou; ho de sōtēr epidēmēsas kai to euangelion sōmatopoiēthēnai thelēsas tǭ euangeliǭ panta hōsei euangelion pepoiēken.

To this it might be said that before Christ's sojourn the law and the prophets, since the one who would make clear the mysteries in them had not yet come, did not have the promise contained in the definition of the gospel. But the Savior, having come to dwell among us and having willed that the gospel be given a body, made all things, as it were, gospel by the gospel.

Notes and citation

Summary: Before Christ the law and prophets were not yet gospel; his coming made all Scripture gospel.

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.33 (Preuschen 4:11; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-33).

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1.34Preuschen 4:11

καὶ οὐκ ἂν ἀπὸ σκοποῦ χρησαίμην τῷ παραδείγματι τοῦ » Μικρὰ ζύμη ὅλον τὸ φύραμα ζυμοῖ. « ὅτι * * * * * * * υἱοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων τῇ θειότητι αὐτοῦ, περιελὼν τὸ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ καὶ προφήταις κάλυμμα, πάντων τὸ θεῖον ἀπέδειξε, φανερῶς παραστήσας τοῖς βουληθεῖσι τῆς σοφίας αὐτοῦ γενέσθαι μαθηταῖς, τίνα τὰ ἀληθινὰ τοῦ Μωϋσέως νόμου, ὧν » ὑποδείγματι καὶ σκιᾷ« ἐλάτρευον οἱ πάλαι, καὶ τίς ἡ ἀλήθεια τῶν ἐν ταῖς ἱστορίαις πραγ- μάτων, ἅτινα »τυπικῶς συνέβαινεν ἐκείνοις, ἐγράφη δὲ« ἡμᾶς, εἰς οὓς τὰ τέλη τῶν αἰώνων κατήντησεν.

kai ouk an apo skopou chrēsaimēn tǭ paradeigmati tou » Mikra zymē holon to phyrama zymoi. « hoti * * * * * * * huious tōn anthrōpōn tę̄ theiotēti autou, perielōn to en tǭ nomǭ kai prophētais kalymma, pantōn to theion apedeixe, phanerōs parastēsas tois boulētheisi tēs sophias autou genesthai mathētais, tina ta alēthina tou Mōÿseōs nomou, hōn » hypodeigmati kai skią« elatreuon hoi palai, kai tis hē alētheia tōn en tais historiais prag- matōn, hatina »typikōs synebainen ekeinois, egraphē de« hēmas, eis hous ta telē tōn aiōnōn katēntēsen.

And I would not be off the mark to use the example of “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” For … the sons of men by his divinity, taking away the veil in the law and the prophets, he showed the divine character of them all, clearly presenting to those who wished to become disciples of his wisdom what the true realities of the law of Moses are, of which those of old served “a copy and shadow”, and what the truth is of the events in the histories, which “happened to them as types, but were written for us, on whom the ends of the ages have come.”

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

1 Cor 5:6 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 3:14–16 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 8:5 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 10:11 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Like leaven, Christ's coming revealed the true, spiritual meaning of the law and the histories.

The quotations are 1 Cor 5:6 (Gal 5:9), Heb 8:5, and 1 Cor 10:11; the veil is 2 Cor 3:14–16. The manuscript has a gap here, shown as “…”.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: repeated word): ἐγράφη ἐγράφη δὲ« → ἐγράφη δὲ«.

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.34 (Preuschen 4:11; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-34).

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1.35Preuschen 4:11

πᾶς γοῦν ᾧ Χριστὸς ἐπιδεδήμηκεν οὔτε ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις οὔτε ἐν τῷ τῶν Σαμαρειτῶν ὄρει προσκυνεῖ τῷ θεῷ, ἀλλὰ μαθὼν ὅτι »πνεῦμα ὁ θεός«, πνευματικῶς λατρεύων αὐτῷ »πνεύματι καὶ ἀληθείᾳ« οὐκέτι δὲ τυπικῶς προσκυ- νεῖ τὸν τῶν ὅλων πατέρα καὶ δημιουργόν.

pas goun hǭ Christos epidedēmēken oute en Hierosolymois oute en tǭ tōn Samareitōn orei proskynei tǭ theǭ, alla mathōn hoti »pneuma ho theos«, pneumatikōs latreuōn autǭ »pneumati kai alētheią« ouketi de typikōs prosky- nei ton tōn holōn patera kai dēmiourgon.

At any rate, everyone to whom Christ has come worships God neither in Jerusalem nor on the mountain of the Samaritans, but, having learned that “God is spirit”, serves him spiritually, “in spirit and truth”, and no longer worships the Father and Maker of all things in types.

John 4:21–24 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Those to whom Christ has come worship God in spirit and truth, not in types.

The allusion and quotations are John 4:21–24.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: repeated word for the article): οὔτε ἐν οὔτε τῶν → οὔτε ἐν τῷ τῶν.

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.35 (Preuschen 4:11; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-35).

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1.36Preuschen 4:11

οὐκοῦν πρὸ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, ὃ γέγονε διὰ τὴν Χριστοῦ ἐπιδημίαν, οὐδὲν τῶν πάλαι εὐαγγέλιον ἦν. τὸ δὲ εὐαγγέλιον, ὅπερ ἐστὶ διαθήκη καινή, ἀποστῆσαν ἡμᾶς παλαιότητος τοῦ γράμματος τὴν μηδέποτε παλαιουμένην καινότητα τοῦ πνεύματος, οἰκείαν τῆς καινῆς διαθήκης τυγχάνουσαν, ἐν πάσαις ἀνακειμένην γραφαῖς τῷ φωτὶ τῆς γνώσεως ἀνέλαμψεν. ἐχρῆν δὲ τὸ ποιητικὸν τοῦ καὶ ἐν τῇ παλαιᾷ διαθήκῃ νομιζομένου εὐαγγελίου εὐαγγέλιον ἐξαιρέτως καλεῖσθαι »εὐαγγέλιον«.

oukoun pro tou euangeliou, ho gegone dia tēn Christou epidēmian, ouden tōn palai euangelion ēn. to de euangelion, hoper esti diathēkē kainē, apostēsan hēmas palaiotētos tou grammatos tēn mēdepote palaioumenēn kainotēta tou pneumatos, oikeian tēs kainēs diathēkēs tynchanousan, en pasais anakeimenēn graphais tǭ phōti tēs gnōseōs anelampsen. echrēn de to poiētikon tou kai en tę̄ palaią diathēkę̄ nomizomenou euangeliou euangelion exairetōs kaleisthai »euangelion«.

Therefore, before the gospel that came about through Christ's sojourn, none of the things of old was gospel. But the gospel, which is the new covenant, having removed us from the oldness of the letter, has made shine with the light of knowledge the never-aging newness of the Spirit, which belongs to the new covenant and was laid up in all the Scriptures. And it was fitting that the gospel which makes what is thought to be gospel even in the old covenant into gospel should be called “gospel” in a special sense.

Rom 7:6 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Cor 3:6 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Cor 4:6 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The gospel of the new covenant brings out the Spirit's newness hidden in all the Scriptures.

The allusions are Rom 7:6, 2 Cor 3:6, and 2 Cor 4:6.

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.36 (Preuschen 4:11; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-36).

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1.37Preuschen 4:11–12

Πλὴν οὐκ ἀγνοητέον Χριστοῦ ἐπιδημίαν καὶ πρὸ τῆς κατὰ σῶμα ἐπιδημίας τὴν νοητὴν γεγονέναι τοῖς τελειοτέροις καὶ οὐ νηπίοις οὐδὲ ὑπὸ παιδαγωγοὺς« καὶ »ἐπιτρόπους« ἔτι τυγχάνουσιν, οἷς τὸ νοητὸν τοῦ χρόνου πλήρωμα ἐνέστη, ὥσπερ τοῖς πατριάρχαις καὶ Μωϋσεῖ τῷ θεράποντι καὶ τοῖς τεθεαμένοις Χριστοῦ τὴν δόξαν προφήταις.

Plēn ouk agnoēteon Christou epidēmian kai pro tēs kata sōma epidēmias tēn noētēn gegonenai tois teleioterois kai ou nēpiois oude hypo paidagōgous« kai »epitropous« eti tynchanousin, hois to noēton tou chronou plērōma enestē, hōsper tois patriarchais kai Mōÿsei tǭ theraponti kai tois tetheamenois Christou tēn doxan prophētais.

Still, we must not fail to recognize that even before his bodily sojourn Christ came in a spiritual way to the more perfect, who were no longer infants nor under “tutors” and “guardians”, and for whom the spiritual fullness of time had arrived: for example, to the patriarchs, to Moses the servant, and to the prophets who beheld Christ's glory.

Gal 4:1–4 (allusion, high confidence) · Num 12:7 (allusion, medium confidence) · John 12:41 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Even before the incarnation Christ came spiritually to the patriarchs, Moses, and the prophets.

The allusions are Gal 3:24–4:4, Num 12:7 (Heb 3:5), and John 12:41. “In a spiritual way” renders νοητή (perceived by the mind).

Topics: Christology

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.37 (Preuschen 4:11–12; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-37).

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1.38Preuschen 4:12

ὥσπερ δὲ πρὸ τῆς ἐμφανοῦς καὶ κατὰ σῶμα ἐπιδημίας ἐπεδήμησε τοῖς τελείοις, οὕτω καὶ μετὰ τὴν κεκηρυγμένην παρουσίαν τοῖς ἔτι νηπίοις, ἅτε »ὑπὸ ἐπιτρόπους‘ τυγχάνουσι »καὶ οἰκονόμους« καὶ μηδέπω ἐπὶ τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ χρόνου ἐφθακόσιν· οἱς οἱ πρόδρομοι Χριστοῦ ἐπιδεδημήκασι, παισὶ ψυχαῖς ἁρμόζοντες λόγοι, εὐλόγως ἂν κληθέντες »παιδαγωγοί«· αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ υἱὸς ὁ δεδοξασμένος θεὸς λόγος« οὐδέπω, περιμένων τὴν δέουσαν γενέσθαι προπαρασκευὴν τοῖς μέλλουσι χωρεῖν αὐτοῦ τὴν θεότητα ἀνθρώποις θεοῦ.

hōsper de pro tēs emphanous kai kata sōma epidēmias epedēmēse tois teleiois, houtō kai meta tēn kekērygmenēn parousian tois eti nēpiois, hate »hypo epitropous‘ tynchanousi »kai oikonomous« kai mēdepō epi to plērōma tou chronou ephthakosin; hois hoi prodromoi Christou epidedēmēkasi, paisi psychais harmozontes logoi, eulogōs an klēthentes »paidagōgoi«; autos de ho huios ho dedoxasmenos theos logos« oudepō, perimenōn tēn deousan genesthai proparaskeuēn tois mellousi chōrein autou tēn theotēta anthrōpois theou.

And just as, before his visible and bodily sojourn, he came to the perfect, so also after the coming that has been proclaimed, to those who are still infants, being “under guardians and stewards” and not yet having reached the fullness of time, the forerunners of Christ have come: words suited to souls that are still children, who might reasonably be called “tutors”. But the Son himself, the glorified God the Word, has not yet come to them, waiting for the necessary preparation to take place in the men of God who are to receive his divinity.

Gal 4:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Gal 3:24 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Those still spiritually infant receive only Christ's forerunners, not yet the Word himself.

The allusions are Gal 4:2 and 3:24.

Topics: Christology

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.38 (Preuschen 4:12; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-38).

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1.39Preuschen 4:12

καὶ τοῦτο δὲ εἰδέναι ἐχρῆν, ὅτι ὥσπερ ἔστι »νόμος σκιὰν« περιέχων »τῶν μελ- »λόντων ἀγαθῶν« ὑπὸ τοῦ κατὰ ἀλήθειαν καταγγελλομένου νόμου δηλουμένων, οὕτω καὶ εὐαγγέλιον σκιὰν μυστηρίων Χριστοῦ διδάσκει τὸ νομιζόμενον ὑπὸ πάντων τῶν ἐντυγχανόντων νοεῖσθαι.

kai touto de eidenai echrēn, hoti hōsper esti »nomos skian« periechōn »tōn mel- »lontōn agathōn« hypo tou kata alētheian katangellomenou nomou dēloumenōn, houtō kai euangelion skian mystēriōn Christou didaskei to nomizomenon hypo pantōn tōn entynchanontōn noeisthai.

This too one ought to know: that just as there is a “law containing a shadow of the good things to come”, which are made plain by the law proclaimed according to truth, so also the gospel which all its readers think they understand teaches a shadow of the mysteries of Christ.

Heb 10:1 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: As the law was a shadow of good things to come, the gospel read literally is a shadow of Christ's mysteries.

The quotation is Heb 10:1.

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.39 (Preuschen 4:12; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-39).

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1.40Preuschen 4:12

ὃ δέ φησιν Ἰωάννης »εὐαγγέλιον αἰώνιον«, οἰκείως ἂν λεχθησόμενον πνευματικόν, σαφῶς παρίστησι τοῖς νοοῦσιν » τὰ πάντα ἐνώπιον« περὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τὰ παριστάμενα μυστήρια ὑπὸ τῶν λόγων αὐτοῦ τά τε πράγματα, ὧν αἰνίγματα ἠσαν αἱ πράξεις αὐτοῦ. τούτοις δὲ ἀκόλουθόν ἐστιν ἐκλαμβάνειν ὅτι ὃν τρόπον ἐν φανερῷ Ἰουδαῖός τίς ἐστι καὶ περ * * * * * καὶ ἄλλη ἐν κρυπτῷ, οὕτω χριστιανὸς καὶ βάπτισμα.

ho de phēsin Iōannēs »euangelion aiōnion«, oikeiōs an lechthēsomenon pneumatikon, saphōs paristēsi tois noousin » ta panta enōpion« peri autou tou huiou tou theou kai ta paristamena mystēria hypo tōn logōn autou ta te pragmata, hōn ainigmata ēsan hai praxeis autou. toutois de akolouthon estin eklambanein hoti hon tropon en phanerǭ Ioudaios tis esti kai per * * * * * kai allē en kryptǭ, houtō christianos kai baptisma.

But what John calls “the eternal gospel”, which might properly be called the spiritual gospel, clearly presents to those who understand “all things plainly” concerning the Son of God himself: both the mysteries presented by his words and the realities of which his deeds were riddles. It follows from this that, just as one is a Jew outwardly, and … and another in secret, so it is with the Christian and with baptism.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Rev 14:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Prov 8:9 (echo, medium confidence) · Rom 2:28–29 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The eternal, spiritual gospel reveals the realities behind Christ's words and deeds; there is an outward and a hidden Christianity.

The quotation is Rev 14:6; “all things plainly” echoes Prov 8:9 LXX; the contrast of outward and hidden Jew is Rom 2:28–29. The manuscript has a gap here, shown as “…”.

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.40 (Preuschen 4:12; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-40).

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1.41Preuschen 4:12

καὶ Παῦλος μὲν καὶ Πέτρος, ἐν φανερῷ πρό- τερον ὄντες Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ περιτετμημένοι, ὕστερον καὶ ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ τοιοῦτοι τυγχάνειν ἀπὸ Ἰησοῦ εἰλήφασι, τὸ ἐν φανερῷ εἶναι Ἰουδαῖοι διὰ τὴν τῶν πολλῶν σωτηρίαν κατʼ οἰκονομίαν οὐ μόνον λόγοις ὁμολογοῦντες ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ ἔργων δεικνύντες. τὸ δʼ αὐτὸ καὶ περὶ τοῦ χριστιανισμοῦ αὐτῶν λεκτέον.

kai Paulos men kai Petros, en phanerǭ pro- teron ontes Ioudaioi kai peritetmēmenoi, hysteron kai en tǭ kryptǭ toioutoi tynchanein apo Iēsou eilēphasi, to en phanerǭ einai Ioudaioi dia tēn tōn pollōn sōtērian katʼ oikonomian ou monon logois homologountes alla kai dia ergōn deiknyntes. to dʼ auto kai peri tou christianismou autōn lekteon.

Paul and Peter, who were at first Jews outwardly and circumcised, afterward received from Jesus to be such in secret as well; and being Jews outwardly, by a wise accommodation for the salvation of many, they not only acknowledged in words but also showed by deeds. The same must be said of their Christianity.

Notes and citation

Summary: Paul and Peter became inward Jews through Jesus, yet kept outward Jewish practice to save others.

“By a wise accommodation” renders κατʼ οἰκονομίαν.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: Latin letter and stray period): ἀλλà καὶ διὰ. ἔργων → ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ ἔργων.

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.41 (Preuschen 4:12; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-41).

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1.42Preuschen 4:12–13

καὶ ὥσπερ οὔκ ἐστιν ὠφελῆσαι δυνατὸν Παῦλον τοὺς κατὰ σάρκα Ἰουδαίους, ἐὰν μή, ὅτε ὁ λόγος αἱρεῖ, περιτέμῃ τὸν Τιμόθεον, καί, ὅτε εὔλογόν ἐστι, ξυράμενον καὶ προσφορὰν ποιήσαντα καὶ ἁπαξαπλῶς τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις Ἰουδαῖον γενόμενον, ἵνα τοὺς Ἰουδαίους κερδήσῃ, οὕτως τὸν ἐκκείμενον εἰς πολ- λῶν ὠφέλειαν οὔκ ἐστι διὰ τοῦ ἐν κρυπτῷ χριστιανισμοῦ μόνον δυνατὸν τοὺς στοιχειουμένους ἐν τῷ φανερῷ χριστιανισμῷ βελτιῶσαι καὶ προαγαγεῖν ἐπὶ τὰ κρείττονα καὶ ἀνωτέρω.

kai hōsper ouk estin ōphelēsai dynaton Paulon tous kata sarka Ioudaious, ean mē, hote ho logos hairei, peritemę̄ ton Timotheon, kai, hote eulogon esti, xyramenon kai prosphoran poiēsanta kai hapaxaplōs tois Ioudaiois Ioudaion genomenon, hina tous Ioudaious kerdēsę̄, houtōs ton ekkeimenon eis pol- lōn ōpheleian ouk esti dia tou en kryptǭ christianismou monon dynaton tous stoicheioumenous en tǭ phanerǭ christianismǭ beltiōsai kai proagagein epi ta kreittona kai anōterō.

And just as Paul could not benefit the Jews according to the flesh unless, when reason required it, he circumcised Timothy, and when it was reasonable, shaved his head and made an offering, and in a word became a Jew to the Jews in order to win Jews, so one who is set to benefit many cannot, by hidden Christianity alone, improve those who are being taught the elements in outward Christianity, and lead them on to what is better and higher.

Acts 16:3 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 21:23–26 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 9:20 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Like Paul among the Jews, a teacher must use outward Christianity to lead beginners on to higher things.

The allusions are Acts 16:3, Acts 18:18 and 21:23–26, and 1 Cor 9:20.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: lost letter; OCR: misread letters): ἁπαξαπῶς → ἁπαξαπλῶς; παροαγαγεῖν → προαγαγεῖν.

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.42 (Preuschen 4:12–13; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-42).

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1.43Preuschen 4:13

διόπερ ἀναγκαῖον πνευματικῶς καὶ σωματικῶς χριστιανίζειν· καὶ ὅπου μὲν χρὴ τὸ σωματικὸν κηρύσσειν εὐαγγέλιον, φάσκοντα »μηδὲν εἰδέναι« ἐν σαρκίνοις »ἢ Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν καὶ τοῦτον ἐσταυρωμένον«, τοῦτο ποιητέον· ἐπὰν δὲ εὑρεθῶσι κατηρτισμένοι τῷ πνεῦματι καὶ καρποφοροῦντες ἐν αὐτῷ ἐρῶντές τε τῆς οὐρανίου σοφίας, μεταδοτέον αὐτοῖς τοῦ λόγου ἐπανελθόντος ἀπὸ τοῦ σεσαρκῶσθαι ἐφʼ ὃ »ἠν έν ἀρχῇ πρὸς »τὸν θεόν«.

dioper anankaion pneumatikōs kai sōmatikōs christianizein; kai hopou men chrē to sōmatikon kēryssein euangelion, phaskonta »mēden eidenai« en sarkinois »ē Iēsoun Christon kai touton estaurōmenon«, touto poiēteon; epan de heurethōsi katērtismenoi tǭ pneumati kai karpophorountes en autǭ erōntes te tēs ouraniou sophias, metadoteon autois tou logou epanelthontos apo tou sesarkōsthai ephʼ ho »ēn en archę̄ pros »ton theon«.

Therefore it is necessary to be a Christian both spiritually and bodily. Where one must preach the bodily gospel, saying among those who are fleshly that one “knows nothing except Jesus Christ and him crucified”, this must be done. But when people are found fully trained in the Spirit, bearing fruit in it, and in love with the heavenly wisdom, one must give them a share in the Word, who returns from having become flesh to what “he was in the beginning with God”.

1 Cor 2:2 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 3:1 (allusion, medium confidence) · John 1:1–2 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Beginners need the bodily gospel of Christ crucified; the mature should be taught the Word as he was with God.

The quotations are 1 Cor 2:2 and John 1:1–2; “fleshly” echoes 1 Cor 3:1.

Topics: Christology

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.43 (Preuschen 4:13; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-43).

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1.44Preuschen 4:13

Ταῦτα δὲ ἐξετάζοντες περὶ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου οὐ μάτην εἰρηκέναι ἡγούμεθα, οἱονεὶ αἰσθητὸν εὐαγγέλιον νοητοῦ καὶ πνευματικοῦ τῇ ἐπινοίᾳ διακρίνοντες.

Tauta de exetazontes peri tou euangeliou ou matēn eirēkenai hēgoumetha, hoionei aisthēton euangelion noētou kai pneumatikou tę̄ epinoią diakrinontes.

In examining these matters concerning the gospel, we do not think we have spoken in vain, since we distinguish in thought, as it were, a perceptible gospel from an intelligible and spiritual one.

Notes and citation

Summary: Origen distinguishes a perceptible gospel from a spiritual one.

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.44 (Preuschen 4:13; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-44).

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1.45Preuschen 4:13

καὶ γὰρ νῦν πρόκειται τὸ αἰσθητὸν εὐαγγέλιον μεταλαβεῖν εἰς πνευματικόν· τίς γὰρ ἡ διήγησις τοῦ αἰσθη- τοῦ, εἰ μὴ μεταλαμβάνοιτο εἰς πνευματικόν; ἤτοι οὐδεμία ἢ ὀλίγη καὶ τῶν τυχόντων ἀπὸ τῆς λέξεως αὑτοὺς πεπεικότων λαμβάνειν τὰ δηλούμενα.

kai gar nyn prokeitai to aisthēton euangelion metalabein eis pneumatikon; tis gar hē diēgēsis tou aisthē- tou, ei mē metalambanoito eis pneumatikon? ētoi oudemia ē oligē kai tōn tychontōn apo tēs lexeōs hautous pepeikotōn lambanein ta dēloumena.

For our present task is to transform the perceptible gospel into the spiritual one. For what is the narrative of the perceptible gospel, if it is not transformed into the spiritual? Either nothing, or little, and something belonging to ordinary people who have persuaded themselves that they take in from the wording what is meant.

Notes and citation

Summary: The task of the commentary is to draw the spiritual gospel out of the literal one.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: misread letter): λέζεως → λέξεως.

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.45 (Preuschen 4:13; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-45).

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1.46Preuschen 4:13

ἀλλὰ πᾶς ἀγὼν ἡμῖν ἐνέστηκε πειρωμένοις εἰς τὰ βάθη τοῦ εὐαγγελικοῦ νοῦ φθάσαι καὶ ἐρευνῆσαι τὴν ἐν αὐτῷ γυμνὴν τύπων ἀλήθειαν.

alla pas agōn hēmin enestēke peirōmenois eis ta bathē tou euangelikou nou phthasai kai ereunēsai tēn en autǭ gymnēn typōn alētheian.

But our whole struggle is to try to reach the depths of the meaning of the gospel and to search out the truth in it, stripped of types.

Notes and citation

Summary: The aim is to reach the deep meaning of the gospel, free of types.

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.46 (Preuschen 4:13; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-46).

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1.47Preuschen 4:13

τῶν δὴ εὐαγγελιζομένων ἐν ἀγαθῶν ἀπαγγελίᾳ νοουμένων, οἱ μὲν ἀπόστολοι τὸν Ἰησοῦν εὐαγγελίζονται· λέγονται μέντοι ὡς ἀγαθὸν καὶ τὴν ἀνάστασιν εὐαγγελίζεσθαι, καὶ αὐτήν πως οὐσαν Ἰησοῦν· Ἰησοῦς γάρ φησιν· »Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἀνάστασις«· Ἰησοῦς δὲ τὰ τοῖς ἁγίοις ἀποκείμενα εὐαγγελίζεται τοῖς πτωχοῖς, παρακαλῶν αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τὰς θείας ἐπαγγελίας.

tōn dē euangelizomenōn en agathōn apangelią nooumenōn, hoi men apostoloi ton Iēsoun euangelizontai; legontai mentoi hōs agathon kai tēn anastasin euangelizesthai, kai autēn pōs ousan Iēsoun; Iēsous gar phēsin; »Egō eimi hē anastasis«; Iēsous de ta tois hagiois apokeimena euangelizetai tois ptōchois, parakalōn autous epi tas theias epangelias.

Since, then, what is announced as gospel is understood as an announcement of good things, the apostles announce Jesus as good news. They are also said to announce the resurrection as good news, and the resurrection is in a sense Jesus himself; for Jesus says, “I am the resurrection.” And Jesus announces to the poor the things laid up for the saints, calling them to the divine promises.

John 11:25 (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 17:18 (allusion, medium confidence) · Luke 4:18 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The apostles announce Jesus, who is himself the resurrection; Jesus announces good things to the poor.

The quotation is John 11:25; the allusions are Acts 17:18 and Luke 4:18.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: repeated word fragment): εὐαγγελιζομένων μένων → εὐαγγελιζομένων.

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.47 (Preuschen 4:13; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-47).

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1.48Preuschen 4:13

καὶ μαρτυροῦσιν αἱ θεῖαι γραφαὶ τοῖς ὑπὸ τῶν ἀποστόλων εὐαγγελισμοῖς καὶ τῷ ὑπὸ τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν, ὁ μὲν Δαβὶδ περὶ τῶν ἀποστόλων, τάχα δὲ καὶ εὐαγγελιστῶν λέγων· »Κύριος δώσει »ῥῆμα τοῖς εὐαγγελιζομένοις δυνάμει πολλῇ· ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν δυνάμεων »τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ«, ἅμα καὶ διδάσκων ὅτι οὐ σύνθεσις λόγου καὶ προφορὰ φωνῶν καὶ ἠσκημένη καλλιλεξία ἀνύει πρὸς τὸ πείθειν, ἀλλὰ δυνάμεως θείας ἐπιχορηγία διόπερ καὶ ο Παῦλός πού φησι·

kai martyrousin hai theiai graphai tois hypo tōn apostolōn euangelismois kai tǭ hypo tou sōtēros hēmōn, ho men Dabid peri tōn apostolōn, tacha de kai euangelistōn legōn; »Kyrios dōsei »rhēma tois euangelizomenois dynamei pollę̄; ho basileus tōn dynameōn »tou agapētou«, hama kai didaskōn hoti ou synthesis logou kai prophora phōnōn kai ēskēmenē kallilexia anyei pros to peithein, alla dynameōs theias epichorēgia dioper kai o Paulos pou phēsi;

And the divine Scriptures bear witness to the good news announced by the apostles and to that announced by our Savior. David speaks of the apostles, and perhaps also of the evangelists: “The Lord will give a word to those who announce good news with great power; the King of the powers of the beloved”, teaching at the same time that it is not the composition of speech, the delivery of words, or practised elegance of style that succeeds in persuading, but the supply of divine power. That is why Paul too says somewhere:

Ps 68:11–12 (67:12-Ps LXX) (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Psalm 68 shows that preaching persuades by God's power, not by eloquence.

The quotation is Ps 68:11–12 (67:12–13 LXX).

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.48 (Preuschen 4:13; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-48).

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1.49Preuschen 4:13

»Γνώσομαι οὐ τὸν »λόγον τῶν πεφυσιωμένων, ἀλλὰ τὴν δύναμιν· οὐ γὰρ ἐν λόγῳ ἡ »βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ ἀλλʼ ἐν δυνάμει« καὶ ἐν ἄλλοις· »Καὶ ὁ λόγος μου »καὶ τὸ κήρυγμά μου οὐκ έν πειθοῖς σοφίας λόγοις ἀλλʼ ἐν ἀποδείξει πνεύματος καὶ δυνάμεως«.

»Gnōsomai ou ton »logon tōn pephysiōmenōn, alla tēn dynamin; ou gar en logǭ hē »basileia tou theou allʼ en dynamei« kai en allois; »Kai ho logos mou »kai to kērygma mou ouk en peithois sophias logois allʼ en apodeixei pneumatos kai dynameōs«.

“I will find out not the talk of those who are puffed up but their power; for the kingdom of God is not in talk but in power”; and elsewhere: “My speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.”

1 Cor 4:19–20 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 2:4 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Paul says the kingdom of God is in power, not in words.

The quotations are 1 Cor 4:19–20 and 1 Cor 2:4.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: misread letter): περυσιωμένων → πεφυσιωμένων.

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.49 (Preuschen 4:13; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-49).

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1.50Preuschen 4:13–14

ταύτῃ τῇ δυνάμει μαρτυροῦντες ὁ Σίμων καὶ ὁ Κλεόπας φασίν· »Οὐχὶ ἡ καρδία ἡμῶν καιομένη ἠν ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ, »ὡς διήνοιγεν ἡμῖν τὰς γραφάς;« οἱ δὲ ἀπόστολοι (ἐπεὶ καὶ ποσότης ἐστὶ δυνάμεως ἐπιχορηγουμένης ὑπὸ θεοῦ διαφέρουσα τοῖς λέγουσιν, εἶχον κατὰ τὸ παρὰ τῷ Δαβὶδ λεγόμενον· »Κύριος δώσει ῥῆμα τοῖς »εὐαγγελιζομένοις δυνάμει πολλῇ«, πολλὴν δύναμιν), Ἡσαΐας δὲ φάσκων·

tautę̄ tę̄ dynamei martyrountes ho Simōn kai ho Kleopas phasin; »Ouchi hē kardia hēmōn kaiomenē ēn en tę̄ hodǭ, »hōs diēnoigen hēmin tas graphas?« hoi de apostoloi (epei kai posotēs esti dynameōs epichorēgoumenēs hypo theou diapherousa tois legousin, eichon kata to para tǭ Dabid legomenon; »Kyrios dōsei rhēma tois »euangelizomenois dynamei pollę̄«, pollēn dynamin), Hēsaïas de phaskōn;

Bearing witness to this power, Simon and Cleopas say, “Was not our heart burning on the road, as he opened the Scriptures to us?” And the apostles (since the amount of power supplied by God differs among those who speak) had, according to what David says, “The Lord will give a word to those who announce good news with great power”, great power. And Isaiah, saying:

Luke 24:32 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 68:11 (67:12 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The Emmaus disciples felt this power; the apostles received it in great measure.

The quotations are Luke 24:32 and Ps 68:11 (67:12 LXX).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: opening parenthesis lost): οἱ δὲ ἀπόστολοι, ἐπεὶ → οἱ δὲ ἀπόστολοι (ἐπεὶ.

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.50 (Preuschen 4:13–14; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-50).

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1.51Preuschen 4:14

»Ὡς ὡραῖοι οἱ πόδες τῶν εὐαγγελιζομένων ἀγαθά«, τὸ ὡραῖον καὶ έν καιρῷ γινόμενον τῶν ἀποστόλων ὁδευόντων τὸν εἰπόντα· »Ἐγώ »εἰμι ἡ ὁδός« κήρυγμα νοήσας ἐπαινεῖ »πόδας« τοὺς διὰ τῆς νοητῆς ὁδοῦ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ βαδίζοντας διά τε τῆς θύρας εἰσιόντας πρὸς τὸν θεόν. »ἀγαθὰ« δὲ εὐαγγελίζονται οὗτοι, ὧν εἰσιν οἱ πόδες, τὸν Ἰησοῦν.

»Hōs hōraioi hoi podes tōn euangelizomenōn agatha«, to hōraion kai en kairǭ ginomenon tōn apostolōn hodeuontōn ton eiponta; »Egō »eimi hē hodos« kērygma noēsas epainei »podas« tous dia tēs noētēs hodou Christou Iēsou badizontas dia te tēs thyras eisiontas pros ton theon. »agatha« de euangelizontai houtoi, hōn eisin hoi podes, ton Iēsoun.

“How beautiful are the feet of those who announce good things”, understanding the preaching of the apostles, who walked the way of him who said, “I am the way”, as beautiful and timely, praises the “feet” that travel by the spiritual way, Christ Jesus, and enter to God through the door. And those whose feet these are announce “good things”: Jesus.

Isa 52:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 10:15 (quotation, high confidence) · John 14:6 (quotation, high confidence) · John 10:9 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The beautiful feet of Isaiah are the apostles walking in Christ the Way and announcing Jesus.

The quotations are Isa 52:7 (as in Rom 10:15) and John 14:6; the door is John 10:9. Origen plays on ὡραῖος, “beautiful” and “timely”.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: misread letter; OCR: repeated word): διά τε τῆς θέρας → διά τε τῆς θύρας; οὗτοι, ὧν ὧν εἰσιν → οὗτοι, ὧν εἰσιν.

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.51 (Preuschen 4:14; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-51).

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1.52Preuschen 4:14

Καὶ μὴ θαυμάσῃ τις, εἰ πληθυντικῷ ὀνόματι τῷ τῶν ἀγαθῶν τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐξειλήφαμεν εὐαγγελίζεσθαι. ἐκλαβόντες γὰρ τὰ πράγματα καθʼ ὧν τὰ ὀνόματα κεῖται, ἃ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ ὀνομάζεται, συνήσομεν πῶς πολλὰ ἀγαθά ἐστιν ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ὃν εὐαγγελίζονται οὑτοι, ὧν ὡραῖοί εἰσιν οἱ πόδες. ἓν μὲν γὰρ ἀγαθὸν ζωή, Ἰησοῦς δὲ ζωή.

Kai mē thaumasę̄ tis, ei plēthyntikǭ onomati tǭ tōn agathōn ton Iēsoun exeilēphamen euangelizesthai. eklabontes gar ta pragmata kathʼ hōn ta onomata keitai, ha ho huios tou theou onomazetai, synēsomen pōs polla agatha estin ho Iēsous, hon euangelizontai houtoi, hōn hōraioi eisin hoi podes. hen men gar agathon zōē, Iēsous de zōē.

And let no one be surprised that we have taken the plural noun “good things” to mean that Jesus is announced. For when we consider the realities to which the names by which the Son of God is called refer, we shall understand how Jesus, whom those with beautiful feet announce, is many good things. One good thing is life, and Jesus is life.

John 14:6 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Jesus is many good things at once, as his many titles show; he is life.

The allusion is John 11:25 and 14:6.

Topics: Christology

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.52 (Preuschen 4:14; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-52).

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1.53Preuschen 4:14

καὶ ἕτερον ἀγαθὸν »φῶς τοῦ κόσμου«, »φῶς« τυγχάνον »ἀληθινὸν« καὶ »φῶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων«· ἅπερ πάντα ὁ υἱὸς εἶναι λέγεται τοῦ θεοῦ. καὶ ἄλλο ἀγαθὸν κατʼ ἐπίνοιαν παρὰ τὴν ζωὴν καὶ τὸ φῶς ἡ ἀλήθεια καὶ τέταρτον παρὰ ταῦτα ἡ ἐπὶ ταύτην φέρουσα ὁδός· ἅπερ πάντα ὁ σωτὴρ ἡμῶν διδάσκει ἑαυτὸν εἶναι λέγων· »Εγώ εἰμι ἡ ὁδὸς »καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια καὶ ἡ ζωή«.

kai heteron agathon »phōs tou kosmou«, »phōs« tynchanon »alēthinon« kai »phōs tōn anthrōpōn«; haper panta ho huios einai legetai tou theou. kai allo agathon katʼ epinoian para tēn zōēn kai to phōs hē alētheia kai tetarton para tauta hē epi tautēn pherousa hodos; haper panta ho sōtēr hēmōn didaskei heauton einai legōn; »Egō eimi hē hodos »kai hē alētheia kai hē zōē«.

Another good thing is “the light of the world”, being the “true” light and “the light of men”: all of which the Son of God is said to be. And another good thing, distinct in concept from life and light, is truth; and a fourth besides these is the way that leads to it. Our Savior teaches that he is all these, saying, “I am the way and the truth and the life.”

John 8:12 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:9 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:4 (quotation, high confidence) · John 14:6 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Christ is light, truth, the way, and life.

The quotations are John 8:12, 1:9, 1:4, and 14:6. “Distinct in concept” renders κατʼ ἐπίνοιαν: Christ's titles as distinct aspects (ἐπίνοιαι) of one subject.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: misread letter): καὶ ἕτεπον ἀγαθὸν → καὶ ἕτερον ἀγαθὸν.

Topics: Christology

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.53 (Preuschen 4:14; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-53).

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1.54Preuschen 4:14

πῶς δὲ οὐκ ἀγαθὸν τὸ ἀποτιναξάμενον τὸν χοῦν καὶ τὴν νεκρότητα· ἀναστῆναι, τούτου τυγχάνοντα ἀπὸ τοῦ κυρίου καθὸ ἀνάστασίς ἐστιν, ὃς καί φησιν· »Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἀνάστασις«; ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ θύρα, διʼ ἧς τις εἰς τὴν ἄκραν εἰσέρχεται μακαριότητα, ἀγαθόν· ὁ δὲ χριστός φησιν· »Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ θύρα«.

pōs de ouk agathon to apotinaxamenon ton choun kai tēn nekrotēta; anastēnai, toutou tynchanonta apo tou kyriou katho anastasis estin, hos kai phēsin; »Egō eimi hē anastasis«? alla kai hē thyra, diʼ hēs tis eis tēn akran eiserchetai makariotēta, agathon; ho de christos phēsin; »Egō eimi hē thyra«.

And how is it not a good thing to shake off the dust and deadness and to rise again, obtaining this from the Lord inasmuch as he is the resurrection, who also says, “I am the resurrection”? And the door, too, through which one enters into the highest blessedness, is a good thing; and Christ says, “I am the door.”

John 11:25 (quotation, high confidence) · John 10:9 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 52:2 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Christ is the resurrection and the door to blessedness.

The quotations are John 11:25 and 10:9; the dust echoes Isa 52:2.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: lost letter): ἀποτινξάμενον → ἀποτιναξάμενον.

Topics: Christology

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.54 (Preuschen 4:14; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-54).

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1.55Preuschen 4:14

τί δὲ δεῖ περὶ σοφίας λέγειν, ἣν »ἔκτισεν ὁ θεὸς ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ εἰς ἔργα αὐτοῦ«, ᾗ προσέχαιρεν ὁ πατὴρ αὐτῆς, ἐνευφραινόμενος τῷ πολυποικίλῳ νοητῷ κάλλει αὐτῆς ὑπὸ νοητῶν ὀφθαλμῶν μόνων βλεπομένῳ καὶ εἰς ἔρωτα τὸν τὸ θεῖον κάλλος κατανοοῦντα οὐράνιον προκαλουμένῳ; ἀγαθὸν γὰρ ἡ σοφία τοῦ θεοῦ, ὅπερ μετὰ τῶν προειρημένων εὐαγγελίζονται ὧν »ὡραῖοι οἱ πόδες«.

ti de dei peri sophias legein, hēn »ektisen ho theos archēn hodōn autou eis erga autou«, hę̄ prosechairen ho patēr autēs, eneuphrainomenos tǭ polypoikilǭ noētǭ kallei autēs hypo noētōn ophthalmōn monōn blepomenǭ kai eis erōta ton to theion kallos katanoounta ouranion prokaloumenǭ? agathon gar hē sophia tou theou, hoper meta tōn proeirēmenōn euangelizontai hōn »hōraioi hoi podes«.

And what need is there to speak of wisdom, which “God created as the beginning of his ways for his works”, in which her Father rejoiced, delighting in her richly varied spiritual beauty, seen by spiritual eyes alone and summoning to heavenly love the one who contemplates the divine beauty? For the wisdom of God is a good thing, which, together with those already mentioned, is announced by those whose “feet are beautiful”.

Prov 8:22 (quotation, high confidence) · Prov 8:30 (allusion, medium confidence) · Isa 52:7 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Christ is the Wisdom of God in whom the Father delights.

The quotations are Prov 8:22 LXX and Isa 52:7; the Father's delight echoes Prov 8:30.

Topics: Christology

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.55 (Preuschen 4:14; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-55).

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1.56Preuschen 4:14–15

ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ δύναμις τοῦ θεοῦ ἤδη ὄγδοον ἡμῖν ἀγαθὸν καταλέγεται, ἥτις ἐστὶν ὁ χριστός.

alla kai hē dynamis tou theou ēdē ogdoon hēmin agathon katalegetai, hētis estin ho christos.

And the power of God is now listed by us as an eighth good thing, which is Christ.

1 Cor 1:24 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Christ is the power of God.

The allusion is 1 Cor 1:24.

Topics: Christology

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.56 (Preuschen 4:14–15; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-56).

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1.57Preuschen 4:15

οὐ σιωπητέον δὲ οὐδὲ τὸν μετὰ τὸν πατέρα τῶν ὅλων θεὸν λόγον· οὐδενὸς γὰρ ἔλαττον ἀγαθοῦ καὶ τοῦτο τὸ ἀγαθόν. μακάριοι μὲν οὖν οἱ χωρήσαντες ταῦτα τὰ ἀγαθὰ καὶ παραδεξάμενοι ἀπὸ τῶν ὡραίων τοὺς πόδας καὶ εὐαγγελιζομένων αὐτά.

ou siōpēteon de oude ton meta ton patera tōn holōn theon logon; oudenos gar elatton agathou kai touto to agathon. makarioi men oun hoi chōrēsantes tauta ta agatha kai paradexamenoi apo tōn hōraiōn tous podas kai euangelizomenōn auta.

Nor must we keep silent about God the Word, who is after the Father of all things; for this good is less than no other good. Blessed, then, are those who have made room for these good things and received them from those whose feet are beautiful and who announce them.

John 1:1 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Christ is God the Word, second after the Father; blessed are those who receive these good things.

The allusion is John 1:1. Origen calls the Word “God” but places him “after” the Father, in keeping with his subordinationist theology.

Topics: Christology, Trinity

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.57 (Preuschen 4:15; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-57).

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1.58Preuschen 4:15

Πλὴν κἂν Κορίνθιός τις ὤν, κρίνοντος Παύλου μηδὲν εἰδέναι παρʼ αὐτῷ ἢ Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν καὶ τοῦτον ἐσταυρωμένον«, τὸν διʼ ἡμᾶς ἅνθρωπον μανθάνων παραδέξηται, »ἐν ἀρχῇ« τῶν ἀγαθῶν γίνεται, ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου Ἰησοῦ »ἄνθρωπος« γινόμενος »θεοῦ« καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ θανάτου αὐτοῦ ἀποθνήσκων τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ· καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος »ὃ ἀπέ- »θανε, τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ ἀπέθανεν ἐφάπαξ«.

Plēn kan Korinthios tis ōn, krinontos Paulou mēden eidenai parʼ autǭ ē Iēsoun Christon kai touton estaurōmenon«, ton diʼ hēmas hanthrōpon manthanōn paradexētai, »en archę̄« tōn agathōn ginetai, hypo tou anthrōpou Iēsou »anthrōpos« ginomenos »theou« kai apo tou thanatou autou apothnēskōn tę̄ hamartią; kai gar ekeinos »ho ape- »thane, tę̄ hamartią apethanen ephapax«.

Yet even if someone is a Corinthian, when Paul judges it right to know nothing among him “except Jesus Christ and him crucified”, and learns and receives the one who became man for our sake, he comes to be “in the beginning” of the good things: through the man Jesus he becomes a “man of God”, and through his death he dies to sin. For “the death he died, he died to sin once for all.”

1 Cor 2:2 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Tim 6:11 (allusion, medium confidence) · Rom 6:10 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Even the beginner who knows only Christ crucified begins to share his good things, dying to sin with him.

The quotations are 1 Cor 2:2 and Rom 6:10; “man of God” is 1 Tim 6:11.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: misread letter): ἀποθνήσκων τῇ ὁμαρτίᾳ → ἀποθνήσκων τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ.

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.58 (Preuschen 4:15; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-58).

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1.59Preuschen 4:15

ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς ζωῆς αὐτοῦ, ἐπεὶ Ἰησοῦς »ὃ ζῇ, ζῇ τῷ θεῷ«, πᾶς ὁ σύμμορφος γενόμενος τῆς ἀναστάσεως αὐτοῦ λαμβάνει τὸ ζῆν τῷ θεῷ. τίς δὲ διστάζει, εἰ αὐτοδικαιοσύνη ἀγαθόν ἐστι καὶ αὐτοαγιασμὸς καὶ αὐτοαπολύτρωσις; ἅπερ καὶ αὐτὰ οἱ Ἰησοῦν εὐαγγελιζόμενοι εὐαγγελίζονται, λέγοντες αὐτὸν γεγονέναι ἡμῖν δικαιοσύνην ἀπὸ θεοῦ καὶ ἁγιασμὸν καὶ ἀπολύτρωσιν.

apo de tēs zōēs autou, epei Iēsous »ho zę̄, zę̄ tǭ theǭ«, pas ho symmorphos genomenos tēs anastaseōs autou lambanei to zēn tǭ theǭ. tis de distazei, ei autodikaiosynē agathon esti kai autoagiasmos kai autoapolytrōsis? haper kai auta hoi Iēsoun euangelizomenoi euangelizontai, legontes auton gegonenai hēmin dikaiosynēn apo theou kai hagiasmon kai apolytrōsin.

And from his life, since Jesus, “the life he lives, he lives to God”, everyone who has been conformed to his resurrection receives the power to live to God. And who doubts that righteousness itself is a good thing, and sanctification itself, and redemption itself? These too are what those who announce Jesus announce, saying that he has become for us righteousness from God, and sanctification, and redemption.

Rom 6:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 6:5 (echo, medium confidence) · 1 Cor 1:30 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Christ is life to God, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption for believers.

The quotations are Rom 6:10 and 1 Cor 1:30; conformity to the resurrection echoes Phil 3:10 and Rom 6:5.

Topics: Christology

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.59 (Preuschen 4:15; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-59).

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1.60Preuschen 4:15

Παρέσται δὲ ἀπὸ τούτων τῶν γεγραμμένων περὶ αὐτοῦ δυσεξαριθμήτων παριστάντα πῶς πλῆθος ἀγαθῶν εστὶν Ἰησοῦς, ἀπὸ τῶν δυσεξαριθμήτων καὶ γεγραμμένων] καταστοχάζεσθαι τῶν ὑπαρχόντων μὲν ἐν αὐτῷ, εἰς ὃν »εὐδόκησεν« ἅπαν τὸ πλήρωμα τῆς θεότητος κατοικῆσαι »σωματικῶς«, οὐ μὴν ὑπὸ γραμμάτων κεχωρημένων.

Parestai de apo toutōn tōn gegrammenōn peri autou dysexarithmētōn paristanta pōs plēthos agathōn estin Iēsous, apo tōn dysexarithmētōn kai gegrammenōn] katastochazesthai tōn hyparchontōn men en autǭ, eis hon »eudokēsen« hapan to plērōma tēs theotētos katoikēsai »sōmatikōs«, ou mēn hypo grammatōn kechōrēmenōn.

From the almost countless things written about him, one can see how Jesus is a multitude of good things, and from them one can conjecture those that are indeed in him, in whom all the fullness of the Godhead was “pleased” to dwell “bodily”, but which cannot be contained in writings.

Col 1:19 (allusion, high confidence) · Col 2:9 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Jesus is a multitude of good things, more than can be written, for the fullness of the Godhead dwells in him.

The allusions are Col 1:19 and 2:9. The sentence is repetitive in the digital text; the sense is clear.

Topics: Christology

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.60 (Preuschen 4:15; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-60).

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1.61Preuschen 4:15

καὶ τί λέγω »ὑπὸ γραμμάτων«, ὅτε καὶ περὶ ὅλου τοῦ κόσμου φησὶν ὁ Ιωάννης ὅτι »Οὐδὲ αὐτὸν οἶμαι τὸν κόσμον χωρῆσαι τὰ γραφόμενα »βιβλία«;

kai ti legō »hypo grammatōn«, hote kai peri holou tou kosmou phēsin ho Iōannēs hoti »Oude auton oimai ton kosmon chōrēsai ta graphomena »biblia«?

And why do I say “in writings”, when John says of the whole world, “I suppose that not even the world itself could contain the books that would be written”?

John 21:25 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: John says the world could not contain the books that would be written about Jesus.

The quotation is John 21:25.

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.61 (Preuschen 4:15; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-61).

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1.62Preuschen 4:15

Ταὐτὸν οὖν ἐστιν εἰπεῖν ὅτι οἱ ἀπόστολοι τὸν σωτῆρα εὐαγγελίζονται, καὶ τὰ ἀγαθὰ εὐαγγελίζονται. οὑτος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ πατρὸς τὸ ἀγαθὰ εἶναι λαβών, ἵνα ἕκαστος ὃ χωρεῖ ἢ ἃ χωρεῖ διὰ Ἰησοῦ λαβὼν ἐν ἀγαθοῖς τυγχάνῃ.

Tauton oun estin eipein hoti hoi apostoloi ton sōtēra euangelizontai, kai ta agatha euangelizontai. houtos gar estin ho apo tou agathou patros to agatha einai labōn, hina hekastos ho chōrei ē ha chōrei dia Iēsou labōn en agathois tynchanę̄.

It is the same, then, to say that the apostles announce the Savior and that they announce the good things. For he is the one who received from the good Father to be the good things, so that each person, receiving through Jesus the good thing or things he has room for, may be among good things.

Notes and citation

Summary: Announcing the Savior is announcing the good things, for he received from the Father to be them.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: Latin capital letter inside Greek word): τυΓχάνῃ → τυγχάνῃ.

Topics: Christology

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.62 (Preuschen 4:15; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-62).

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1.63Preuschen 4:15–16

οὐχ οἷοί τε δὲ ἦσαν οἱ ἀπόστολοι, ὧν »ὡραῖοι οἱ πόδες«, καὶ οἱ τούτων ζηλωταὶ εὐαγγελίζεσθαι τὰ ἀγαθά, μὴ πρότερον Ἰησοῦ αὐτοῖς αὐτὰ εὐαγγελισαμένου, ὡς ὁ Ἡσαΐας φησίν· »Αὐτὸς ὁ λαλῶν πάρειμι· ὡς ὥρα ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρέων, ὡς πόδες »εὐαγγελιζομένου ἀκοὴν εἰρήνης, ὡς εὐαγγελιζόμενος ἀγαθά, ὅτι ἀκου- »στὴν ποιήσω τὴν σωτηρίαν σου λέγων Σιών· Βασιλεύσει σου ὁ θεός«.

ouch hoioi te de ēsan hoi apostoloi, hōn »hōraioi hoi podes«, kai hoi toutōn zēlōtai euangelizesthai ta agatha, mē proteron Iēsou autois auta euangelisamenou, hōs ho Hēsaïas phēsin; »Autos ho lalōn pareimi; hōs hōra epi tōn oreōn, hōs podes »euangelizomenou akoēn eirēnēs, hōs euangelizomenos agatha, hoti akou- »stēn poiēsō tēn sōtērian sou legōn Siōn; Basileusei sou ho theos«.

But the apostles, whose “feet are beautiful”, and those who imitate them, could not announce the good things unless Jesus had first announced them to them, as Isaiah says: “I myself who speak am here, like springtime on the mountains, like the feet of one who announces news of peace, like one who announces good things; for I will make your salvation heard, saying, Zion, your God shall reign.”

Isa 52:6–7 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The apostles could preach good things only because Christ first announced them to them.

The quotation is Isa 52:6–7 LXX.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: lost letter; OCR: repeated word and wrong accent): οὐχ οἷοί τε δὲ δὲ ἠσαν → οὐχ οἷοί τε δὲ ἦσαν; εὐαγγειζομένου → εὐαγγελιζομένου.

Cite (SBL): Origen, Comm. Jo. 1.63 (Preuschen 4:15–16; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-ioannem/1-1/#p-1-63).

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