Origen of Alexandria, On First Principles 4
The descent of the holy fathers into Egypt—that is, into this world—can be seen to have been granted by God’s providence for the illumination of others and the instruction of the human race, so that through them the rest of souls, once enlightened, might be helped. For to these fathers first were entrusted the oracles of God, since this alone is the race that is said to ‘see’ God; for that is what the name Israel means when interpreted. It follows, then, that what is told of the ten plagues striking Egypt so that God’s people might be let go, or of the events in the desert with the people, or of the tabernacle built from the contribution of all the people, or of the priestly garment woven, or of the vessels of ministry—all these, as it is written, contain a shadow and form of the heavenly things. Paul states plainly of them that they ‘serve as a copy and shadow of the heavenly things’ (Hebrews 8:5).
This same law also contains the statutes and ordinances by which one must live in the holy land. Warnings are set for those who transgress the law; likewise, for those who need purification, various kinds of purifications are prescribed, so that through them they may finally arrive at that one purification after which it is no longer permitted to be defiled.
The people themselves are brought to a numbering, yet not all. Childish souls do not yet have the time to be numbered by divine command; neither are those souls numbered that cannot become the head of another but are themselves subject to another as to a head, whom Scripture calls ‘women.’ They certainly are not enrolled in the number God commands; only those called ‘men’ are numbered, thereby showing that the former cannot be counted from outside but are included within those who are called men.
Especially, however, those come to the true numbering who are ready to march out to the battles of Israel, who can fight against those enemies and adversaries that the Son, seated at the right hand of the Father, subjects so that He may ‘destroy every principality and power’. Through the number of His soldiers—those who serve God and do not entangle themselves in worldly affairs—the kingdoms of the adversaries are overthrown. Around them are carried the ‘shields of faith,’ the ‘darts of wisdom’ are brandished, the ‘helmet of the hope of salvation’ shines, and the ‘breastplate of love’ fully guards the heart. Such soldiers, I think, are the ones indicated and prepared for battles of this kind, those who are commanded to be numbered in the divine books by God’s command.
Far more glorious and perfect are those who are said to have their ‘heads’ numbered. Those punished for their sins, whose bodies ‘fell in the desert,’ seem to resemble those who indeed progressed, but could not reach the end of perfection for various reasons: they are said to have ‘murmured,’ ‘worshipped idols,’ ‘committed fornication,’ or to have conceived such thoughts as it was certainly not permitted to conceive.
Nor do I consider empty that sacrament by which some, possessing many flocks and herds, anticipate and seize a place suitable for the pastures and nourishment of their flocks—a place the Israelite first defended with his right hand. When they ask Moses for it, they are separated beyond the streams of the Jordan and cut off from possession of the holy land. The Jordan can be seen to water and inundate thirsting souls and the senses adjacent to them, according to the form of the heavenly things.
Nor does it seem idle that Moses hears from God the things described in the Levitical law, while the people become hearers of Moses in Deuteronomy and learn from him what they could not hear from God. For this reason Deuteronomy is called the second law, because it seems to signify that, with the first law—which seems to have been given through Moses—having ceased, a second legislation is formed, handed down especially by Moses to Jesus, his successor; he is believed to preserve the form of our Savior, whose second law, that is the gospel precepts, brings all things to perfection.
We must consider, though, whether it might indicate something more: just as in Deuteronomy a more evident and manifest legislation is declared than in the earlier writings, so also from the Savior’s advent—which He fulfilled in humility, having taken the form of a servant—a more glorious and clear second advent is indicated ‘in the glory of His Father’. In it the form of Deuteronomy is fulfilled, when in the kingdom of heaven all the saints live by the laws of that eternal gospel; and just as He now fulfilled the law that ‘has a shadow of the good things to come’ by His coming, so through that glorious advent the shadow of this advent will be fulfilled and brought to perfection. For thus the prophet said of Him: ‘The Spirit before our face is Christ the Lord, of whom we said, “In His shadow we shall live among the nations”’, when He will transfer all the saints from the temporal gospel to the ‘eternal gospel’, as John designated in the Apocalypse concerning the ‘eternal gospel’ (Revelation 14:6).
In all these things it suffices for us to conform our understanding to the rule of piety and to think of the Holy Spirit’s words such that our composed speech does not rely on the eloquence of human frailty, but, as it is written: ‘All the glory of the king is within’ (Psalm 45:13), and the treasure of divine meanings is contained and enclosed within the ‘fragile vessel’ of humble letter.
But if anyone seeks a more exact explanation of each point, let him come and hear with us how the apostle Paul, ‘through the Holy Spirit’ who ‘searches even the depths of God,’ scrutinizing the height of divine wisdom and knowledge, yet not prevailing to the end—nor, as I might say, to intimate knowledge—proclaims in desperation and amazement: ‘O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!’ And with the desperation of perfect comprehension he proclaimed this, hear him saying: ‘How inscrutable are His judgments and how unsearchable His ways!’ (Romans 11:33). For he did not say it is difficult to scrutinize the ‘judgments of God,’ but that it is altogether impossible; nor that it is difficult to investigate His ‘ways,’ but that they cannot be investigated.
However much one may advance in scrutiny and profit by more intent study, aided by the grace of God and illuminated in mind, he cannot reach the perfect end of the things sought. Nor does any created mind have the possibility of comprehending them in any way; but as it finds some portion of what is sought, it sees again other things that must be sought; and even if it reaches those, it will perceive much more, again, of what ought to be sought.
Latin
Quae descensio patrum sanctorum in Aegyptum, id est in hune mundum, vider poterit ad inluminationem ceterorum atque ad humani generis instructionem a providentia dei esse concessa, ut per eos ceterae animae inluminatae iuvarentur. “lpsis enim primis concessa sunt eloquia dei”, quoniam solum istud est genus, quod ‘videredicitur ‘deum’; hoc enim Israhelis nomen significat interpraetatum. lam vero consequens est ut secundum haec aptari debeat et interpraetari illud, quod decem plagis Aegyptus verberatur, ut dei populum permittat exire, vel ea, quae in deserto cum populo geruntur, vel quod ex conlatione omnis populi tabernaculum construitur vel indumentum sacerdotale contexitur, vel de vasis ministerii quaecumque dicuntur, quia vere, sicut seriptum est, -umbram- in se formamque ‘“caelestium’ continent. Manifeste enim Paulus ait de illis quia “umbrae et exemplari deserviunt caelestium”. In hac eadem lege nihilominus continetur etiam, quibus legibus quibusque institutionibus in terra sancta vivendum sit. Sed et comminationes positae sunt his, qui praevaricati fuerint legem; neenon et his, qui purificatione indigebant, diversa purificationum genera, velut qui frequentius essent polluendi, traduntur, ut per haec tandem ad illam unam purificationem veniant, post quam pollui ultra non liceat. - Sed et ad numerum populus ipse deducitur, licet non omnes; pueriles namque animae nondum tempus habent ex divino praecepto numerari, sed ne illae quidem animae, quae non possunt fieri alterius caput, sed ipsae subiectae sunt alus velut capiti, quas “mulieres’ scriptura nominavit, quae utique non addueuntur in numerum illum, qui a deo praecipitur, sed ilh soli numerantur, qui viri appellantur, quo seilicet. ostenderetur non eas posse extrinsecus numerari, sed in his, qui viri appellantur, etiam ipsas conpraehendi. Praecipue tamen ad sanebum numerum veniunt hi, qui parati sunt ad lsrahelitiea bella procedere, qui possunt adversum illos hostes inimicosque bellare, quos -sedenti a dextris suis filio subicit patere, ut ‘destruat omnem principatum ae potestatem-”: ut per hos militum suorum numeros, qui deo -militantes non se inplicant negotiis saecularibus. adversarii regna subvertat; a quibus “scuta fidei’ cireumferantur et sapientiae vibrentur, et in quibus ‘spes salutis galea’ coruscet ac “loriea caritatis’ deo plenum muniat peetus. Tales mihi quidam videntur milites indieari et ad huiuscemodi bella praeparari hi, qui in divinis libris per dei praeceptum numerari iubentur. Horum vero multo clariores perfectioresque designantur illi, quorum etiam “capilh eapitise dicuntur esse numerati. lll sane, qui puniti sunt pro peccatis, quorum corpora “ceciderunt in deserto’, similitudinem videntur habere eorum, qui profecerant quidem non parum, sed ad finem perfectionis pervenire minime potuerunt diversis ex causis: quod vel “murmurasse- vel ‘idola coluisse- vel ‘fornieati esse- dicuntur vel tale aliquid cogitasse, quale utique non lieeret mente concipere. Sed ne illud quidem sacramento aliquo vacuum puto, quod quidam multa pecora et multa animalia habentes praeveniunt et praeripiunt locum aptum pastibus et nutrimentis pecorum, quem primum omnium Israhehtici bell dextra defenderat. Quem locum a Moyse deposcentes, ultra lordanis fluenta. separantur atque a terrae sanctae possessione secernuntur. Qui lordanes videri potest secundum ‘“caelestium’ formam rigare et inundare animas sitientes et sensus adiacentes sibi. Ubi ne illud quidem otiosum videbitur, quod Moyses quidem audit a deo ea, quae in Levitici lege deseripta sunt, populus vero in Deuteronomio auditor Moyseos efficitur et ab illo discit ea, quae a. deo audire non potuit. Propterea enim velut secunda lex Deuteronomium dicitur, quod nonnullis significare videbitur hoc ipsum, quod, cessante “lege- prima, quae “per Moysen data este videatur secunda legislatio deformari, quae speciahter a Moyseo traditur lesu, successori eius; qui utique formam servare creditur salvatoris nostri, cuius secunda lege, 1d est praeceptis evangelicis, ad perfectum omnia perdueuntur. (25). Sed videndum est ne forte magis illud indicare videatur, quod sieut in Deuteronomio evidentior et manifestior legislatio deelaratur quam in his, quae primo scripta sunt, ita et ab eo adventu salvatoris, quem in humilitate conplevit, eum “formam servi suscepit. clarior ille et gloriosior secundus ‘in gloria patris eius- indicetur adventus, et in illo forma Deuteronomii conpleatur, cum in regno caelorum saneti omnes -aeterni- illius ‘evangelii’ legibus vivent; et sicut nune adveniens ‘“legem’ replevit eam, quae ‘umbram habet futurorum bonorumz, ita et per illum gloriosum adventum inplebitur et ad perfectum perducetur huius adventus umbra. Ita enim dixit propheta de eo: “Spiritus vultus nostri Christus dominus, cuius diximus quia in umbra eius vivemus in gentibus”, cum scilicet ab evangelio temporali dignius omnes sanctos ad ‘aeternum evangelium- transferet, secundum quod lohannes in Apocalypsi de “aeterno evangelio- designavit. (20). Verum in his omnibus sufficiat nobis sensum nostrum regulae pietatis aptare et ita sentire de sancti spiritus verbis, quod non secundum humanae fragilitatis eloquium nitet sermo conpositus, sed sicut scriptum est: “Omnis gloria regis intrinsecus est”, et divinorum sensuum -thesaurus- intra ‘fragile vasculum” vilis litterae continetur inclusus. Porro autem si quis curiosius explanationem singulorum requirat, veniat et nobiscum pariter audiat quomodo Paulus apostolus ‘per spiritum sanetum’, qui ‘perserutatur etiam profunda deis, -altitudinem divinae sapientiae ac scientiae- scrutans nec tamen ad finem et, ut ita dixerim, ad intimam cognitionem praevalens pervenire, desperatione rei et stupore proclamat et dicit: “O altitudo divitiarum sapientiae et scientiae deie. Et qua desperatione perfectae conpraehensionis haec proclamaverit, audi ipsum dicentem: “Quam inscrutabilia sunt iudicia dei, et quam investigabiles viae eius”. Non enim dixit difficile posse scrutari “udicia dei, sed omnino non posse; nec dixit difficile investigari posse ‘vias’ elus, sed non posse investigar. Quantumcumque enim quis in scrutando promoveat et studio intentiore proficiat, gratia quoque dei adiutus sensumque -inluminatus, ad perfectum finem eorum, quae requiruntur, pervenire non poterit. Nec omnis mens, quae creata est, possibile habet ullo genere conpraehendere, sed ut invenerit aliquantulum ex his, quae quaeruntur, iterum videt alia, quae quaerenda sunt; quodsi et ad ipsa pervenerit, multo iterum plura ex illis, quae requiri debeant, pervidebit.