Reading Scripture: Types and Figures
Origen of Alexandria, Against Celsus 20
Celsus also brings up the warning given to them that, by not obeying the law, they will suffer the same fate as those who were enemies. And before Celsus invokes what he considers opposing passages from Christ's teaching against the law, we must address the points already raised. We say, then, that the law is twofold: one part pertains to the literal wording, the other to the underlying meaning, as some of our predecessors have taught. The part pertaining to the literal wording comes not so much from us as from one of the prophets who, speaking on behalf of God, declared it to be 'judgments not good' and 'commandments not good' (Ezekiel 20:25-26). But the part pertaining to the meaning is said by the same prophet, speaking on behalf of God, to be 'judgments good' and 'commandments good'; for the prophet does not plainly contradict himself in the same passage. Accordingly, Paul also said that the 'letter' kills, which corresponds to the part pertaining to the literal wording, while 'the Spirit' gives life, which corresponds to the part pertaining to the meaning (2 Corinthians 3:7-8). There is, therefore, something analogous to be found in Paul to the supposed contradictions according to the prophet. For just as Ezekiel says, 'I gave them judgments not good and commandments not good, in which they will not live,' and elsewhere, 'I gave them judgments good and commandments good, in which they will live' (Ezekiel 20:25-26), these are equivalent in force; so also Paul, where he wishes to criticize the literal letter of the law, says: 'If the ministry of death, engraved in letters on stone, came in glory, so that the sons of Israel could not gaze at Moses' face because of the glory of his face, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit be attended with even greater glory?' (2 Corinthians 3:7-8). But where he marvels at the law and accepts it, he calls it spiritual, saying, 'We know that the law is spiritual' (Romans 7:14), and he accepts it in the passage: 'So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good' (Romans 7:12).
Greek
Φέρει δ ὁ Κέλσος καὶ τὸ προειρῆσθαι αὐτοῖς μὴ πειθομένοις τῷ νόμῳ τὰ αὐτὰ πείσεσθαι, ἅπερ ἔδρων τοὺς πολεμίους. καὶ πρὶν ἄν τι παρατιθεὶς τούτοις ὁ Κέλσος χρήσηται οἷς νομίζει ἐναντιώμασι πρὸς τὸν νόμον ἀπὸ τῆς Χριστοῦ διδασκαλίας, λεκτέον περὶ τῶν προειρημένων. φαμὲν τοίνυν ὅτι ὁ νόμος διττός ἐστιν, ὁ μέν τις πρὸς ῥητὸν ὁ δὲ πρὸς διάνοιαν, ὡς καὶ τῶν πρὸ ἡμῶν τινες ἐδίδαξαν. καὶ ὁ μὲν πρὸς τὸ ῥητὸν οὐ τοσοῦτον ὑφ᾿ ἡμῶν ὅσον ὑπὸ τοῦ ἔν τινι τῶν προφητῶν λέγοντος θεοῦ εἴρηται εἶναι „δικαιώματα οὐ καλὰ“ καὶ „προστάγματα οὐ καλά“· ὁ δὲ πρὸς διάνοιαν κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν προφήτην ἐκ προσώπου τοῦ θεοῦ λέγεται εἶναι „δικαιώματα καλὰ“ καὶ „προστάγματα καλά“· οὐ γὰρ προφανῶς ἐναντία λέγει ὁ προφήτης ἐν ταὐτῷ. ᾧ ἀκολούθως καὶ ὁ Παῦλος τὸ μὲν „γράμμα“ εἶπεν ἀποκτέννειν, ὅπερ ἴσον ἐστὶ τῷ (πρὸς) τὸ ῥητόν· „τὸ δὲ πνεῦμα“ ζῳοποιεῖν, ὅπερ ἰσοδυναμεῖ τῷ πρὸς διάνοιαν. ἔστι γοῦν παρὰ τῷ Παύλῳ ἀνάλογόν τι εὑρεῖν τοῖς νομισθεῖσιν ἂν ἐναντιώμασι κατὰ τὸν προφήτην. ὡς γὰρ ὅπου μὲν Ἰεζεκιὴλ λέγει· „ἔδωκα αὐτοῖς δικαιώματα οὐ καλὰ καὶ προστάγματα οὐ καλὰ, ἐν οἷς οὐ ζήσονται ἐν αὐτοῖς“ ὅπου δέ· „ἔδωκα αὐτοῖς δικαιώματα καλὰ καὶ προστάγματα καλὰ, ἐν οἷς ζήσονται ἐν αὐτοῖς,“ ἤτοι ἰσοδυναμοῦν γε τούτοις· οὕτω καὶ ὁ Παῦλος, ὅπου μὲν τὸ τοῦ νομικοῦ γράμματος διαβαλεῖν θέλει, φησίν· „εἰ δὲ ἡ διακονία τοῦ θανάτου (ἐν) γράμμασιν ἐντετυπωμένη λίθοις ἐγενήθη ἐν δόξῃ, ὥστε μὴ δύνασθαι ἀτενίσαι τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραὴλ εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον Μωϋσέως διὰ τὴν δόξαν τοῦ προσώπου αὐτοῦ τὴν καταργουμένην, πῶς οὐχὶ μᾶλλον ἡ διακονία τοῦ πνεύματος ἔσται ἐν δόξῃ;“ ὅπου δὲ θαυμάζει τὸν νόμον καὶ ἀποδέχεται, πνευματικὸν αὐτὸν ὀνομάζει λέγων· „οἴδαμεν δὲ ὅτι ὁ νόμος πνευματικός ἐστιν,“ ἀποδέχεται δὲ ἐν τῷ· „ὥστε ὁ μὲν νόμος ἅγιος, καὶ ἡ ἐντολὴ ἁγία καὶ δικαία καὶ ἀγαθή.“