On Prayer 26.3
Summary: Since evil spirits exist even “in the heavenly places,” one solution takes heaven to mean Christ and earth the church, which prays to do the Father's will as Christ did.
Greek text · Koetschau 2:360–361
ζητήσαι δʼ ἄν τις διὰ τὸ „γενηθήτω τὸ θέλημά σου ὡς ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς“ λέγων· πῶς γεγένηται „τὸ θέλημα“ τοῦ θεοῦ „ἐν οὐρανῷ, “ ὅπου ἐστὶ „τὰ πνευματικὰ τῆς πονηρίας, “ διʼ ἃ μεθυσθήσεται „ἡ μάχαιρα“ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ „ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ“; εἰ δὲ οὕτως εὐχόμεθα γενηθῆναι „ἐπὶ“ τῆς „γῆς“ „τὸ θέλημα“ τοῦ θεοῦ, ὥσπερ γίνεται „ἐν οὐρανῷ, “ μή ποτε λεληθότως εὐξώμεθα μένειν „ἐπὶ γῆς“ καὶ τὰ ἐναντία, ὅπου ἀπʼ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ταῦτα ἔρχεται, πολλῶν φαύλων γινομένων „ἐπὶ γῆς“ διὰ τὰ ἡττῶντα „πνευματικὰ τῆς πονηρίας, “ ὄντα „ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις.“ ὁ μὲν οὖν τις ἀλληγορῶν τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ φάσκων αὐτὸν εἶναι τὸν Χριστὸν, γῆν δὲ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν (τίς γὰρ οὕτως (ἄξι)ος „θρόνος“ τοῦ πατρὸς ὡς ὁ Χριστός; ποῖον δὲ „ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν“ τοῦ θεοῦ ὡς ἡ ἐκκλησία;) εὐχερῶς λύσει τὰ ζητούμενα, λέγων εὔχεσθαι δεῖν ἕκαστον τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐκκλησίας οὕτω χωρῆσαι „τὸ“ πατρικὸν „θέλημα, “ ὃν τρόπον Χριστὸς κεχώρηκεν, ὁ ἐλθὼν ποιῆσαι „τὸ θέλημα“ αὐτοῦ τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ πᾶν αὐτὸ τελειώσας· δυνατὸν γὰρ κολληθέντα αὐτῷ „ἓν“ γενέσθαι „πνεῦμα“ σὺν αὐτῷ, διὰ τοῦτο χωροῦντα „τὸ θέλημα, “ ἵνʼ „ὡς“ τετέλεσται „ἐν οὐρανῷ, “ οὕτω τελεσθῇ „καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς“· „ὁ κολλώμενος“ γὰρ „τῷ κυρίῳ“ κατὰ τὸν Παῦλον „ἓν πνεῦμά ἐστι.“ καὶ οἶμαι ὅτι οὐκ εὐκαταφρόνητος ἔσται αὕτη ἡ ἑρμηνεία τῷ ἐπιμελέστερον κατανοοῦντι αὐτήν.
English · Claude translation
But someone might ask, because of “Your will be done as in heaven so also on earth”: how has “the will” of God been done “in heaven,” where there are “the spiritual forces of wickedness,” because of which the “sword” of God will be made drunk even “in heaven”? And if we pray that “the will” of God may be done “on earth” in the same way as it is done “in heaven,” are we not unwittingly praying that the opposite things too may remain “on earth,” since these also come from heaven, many evils being done “on earth” through the “spiritual forces of wickedness” that prevail, which are “in the heavenly places”? Someone who allegorizes heaven and says it is Christ, and earth the church (for who is so worthy a “throne” of the Father as Christ? And what is such a “footstool for the feet” of God as the church?), will easily solve the questions, saying that each member of the church must pray to receive the Father's “will” as Christ has received it, who came to do “the will” of the Father himself and accomplished all of it. For it is possible for one joined to him to become one “spirit” with him, and for that reason to receive “the will,” so that, “as” it has been accomplished “in heaven,” so it may be accomplished “also on earth”; for, according to Paul, “he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit.” And I think this interpretation will not be lightly despised by one who considers it more carefully.
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The quotations and allusions are Eph 6:12, Isa 34:5 (LXX, “my sword has been made drunk in heaven”), Isa 66:1, John 6:38 (John 4:34), and 1 Cor 6:17.
Cite this passage
Origen, Or. 26.3 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-oratione/26/3/).
Plain text
Origen, Or. 26.3 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-oratione/26/3/).
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