On Prayer 29.9
Summary: Since all life is a trial, we pray not to escape temptation but not to be overcome by it; Christ enters the net of temptation to call his bride out of it.
Greek text · Koetschau 2:385
πᾶς τοίνυν „ὁ βίος, “ καθὼς προείρηται, τοῦ „ἀνθρώπου ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς“ „ἐστι“ „πειρατήριον“· διόπερ εὐχώμεθα ῥυσθῆναι πειρατηρίου. οὐκ ἐν τῷ μὴ πειράζεσθαι (τοῦτο γὰρ ἀμήχανον. μάλιστα τοῖς „ἐπὶ γῆς“) ἀλλὰ ἐν τῷ μὴ ἡττᾶσθαι πειραζομένους. τὸν δὲ ἡττώμενον ἐν τῷ πειράζεσθαι εἰσέρχεσθαι „εἰς“ τὸν „πειρασμὸν, “ ἐνεχόμενον τοῖς δικτύοις αὐτοῦ, ὑπολαμβάνω· εἰς ἅπερ δίκτυα διὰ τοὺς προκατειλημμένους ἐν αὐτοῖς εἰσελθὼν ὁ σωτὴρ, „ἐκκύπτων διὰ τῶν δικτύων“ κατὰ τὸ ἐν τῷ Ἄισματι τῶν ᾀσμάτων εἰρημένον. „ἀποκρίνεται“ τοῖς προκατειλημμένοις ὑπʼ αὐτῶν καὶ εἰσελθοῦσιν „εἰς“ τὸν „πειρασμὸν, “ „καὶ λέγει“ οὖσι νύμφῃ αὐτοῦ· „ἀνάστα, ἐλθὲ ἡ πλησίον μου, καλή μου, περιστερά μου.“ προσθήσω δὲ εἰς τὸ πειρασθῆναι πάντα καιρὸν πειρασμοῦ εἶναι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις καὶ ταῦτα· οὐδὲ ὁ τὸν νόμον τοῦ θεοῦ μελετῶν „ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτὸς“ καὶ ἀσκῶν κατορθῶσαι τὸ εἰρημένον· „στόμα δικαίου μελετήσει σοφίαν“ τοῦ πειράζεσθαι ἀπήλλακται.
English · Claude translation
The whole “life,” then, of “man on earth,” as has been said, “is” “a trial”; therefore let us pray to be delivered from trial, not by not being tempted (for that is impossible, especially for those “on earth”), but by not being overcome when tempted. And I suppose that the one who is overcome when tempted enters “into temptation,” caught in its nets; into which nets the Savior entered for the sake of those previously caught in them, “looking out through the nets,” as is said in the Song of Songs, and “answers” those who have been caught by them and have entered “into temptation,” “and says” to them, who are his bride: “Arise, come, my neighbor, my fair one, my dove.” And I will add also this, to show that every time is a time of temptation for men: not even the one who meditates on the law of God “day and night,” and practices to fulfill the saying, “The mouth of the righteous will meditate wisdom,” has been freed from being tempted.
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The quotations are Job 7:1 (LXX), Song 2:9–10, Ps 1:2, and Ps 37:30 (36:30 LXX).
Cite this passage
Origen, Or. 29.9 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-oratione/29/9/).
Plain text
Origen, Or. 29.9 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-oratione/29/9/).
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