Origen of Alexandria, On First Principles Preface
All who believe and are certain that grace and truth came through Jesus Christ, and who know that Christ himself is the truth — just as he said, "I am the truth" (John 14:6) — receive the knowledge that moves people to live well and blessedly from nowhere else than Christ's own words and teaching. When we speak of Christ's words, we do not mean only what he taught as a man in the flesh; for Christ was the Word of God in Moses and the prophets long before. Without the Word of God, how could they have prophesied about Christ? To prove this point it would not be hard to show from the divine Scriptures how Moses and the prophets, filled with the Spirit of Christ, spoke and did everything they did — but our aim is to finish this present work with all possible brevity. So I judge that this single testimony from Paul in his letter to the Hebrews is enough: "By faith Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt" (Heb 11:24–26). And even after his assumption into heaven, Paul shows that Christ spoke in him, saying, "Or do you seek proof that Christ is speaking in me?" (2 Cor 13:3).
Since many who profess faith in Christ disagree not only in small and minor matters but also in great and major ones — whether about God, or about the Lord Jesus Christ, or about the Holy Spirit, and not only about these but also about other creatures, that is, about dominions or holy virtues — it seems necessary first to lay down a certain and clear rule concerning each of these, and only then to investigate the rest. Just as, when many among Greeks and barbarians promised the truth, we stopped seeking it among all who asserted it with false opinions, once we believed that the Son of God, Christ, is the truth and convinced ourselves that we must learn it from him — so also now, when many think they hold the mind of Christ and some of them differ from their predecessors, the ecclesiastical preaching that has been preserved through the succession of the apostles and remains in the churches to the present is the only truth to be believed, the one that in nothing disagrees with the ecclesiastical and apostolic tradition.
One must know that the holy apostles, when they preached the faith of Christ, handed down as clearly as possible the things they believed necessary for all believers — even for those who seemed slower in the pursuit of divine knowledge — leaving the reasoning behind their assertions to be investigated by those who would merit the excellent gifts of the Spirit, and especially the grace of speech, wisdom, and knowledge through the Holy Spirit. But about other matters they said only that they exist; they were silent on how or from where they exist. This they did so that the more studious among their successors, lovers of wisdom, might have an exercise in which to show the fruit of their genius — those, namely, who prepared themselves to be worthy and capable of receiving wisdom.
The things that are plainly handed down through apostolic preaching are these. First, that there is one God who created and ordered all things, and who, when nothing existed, brought the universe into being — the God of the first creation and ordering of the world, the God of all the righteous from Adam, Abel, Seth, Enos, Enoch, Noah, Shem, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the twelve patriarchs, Moses, and the prophets. And that this God, in the last days, as he had promised through his prophets, sent the Lord Jesus Christ — first to call Israel, and then also the Gentiles after the unfaithfulness of the people of Israel. This God is just and good, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave the Law, the Prophets, and the Gospels, and who is the God of the apostles and of both the Old and New Testaments.
Then, that Jesus Christ, who came, was born from the Father before all creation. Having served the Father in the ordering of all things — "for through him all things were made" (John 1:3) — in the last times he emptied himself, became man, was incarnate, and, though he was God, remained what he was: God. He assumed a body like our own, differing only in that he was born of a virgin and the Holy Spirit. And because this Jesus Christ was born and suffered in truth, and not in appearance, he truly died this common death; for he truly rose from the dead, and after his resurrection he conversed with his disciples and was taken up.
Then they handed down that the Holy Spirit is associated with the Father and the Son in honor and dignity. Here it is not yet clearly discerned whether he is begotten or unbegotten, or whether he should be reckoned as the Son of God; but these things must be investigated from Holy Scripture and sought out with careful inquiry. Certainly it is preached most clearly in the church that the same Holy Spirit inspired each of the saints, whether prophets or apostles — and that there is not one Spirit in the Old Testament and another in those who were inspired at the advent of Christ.
After this, the church preaches that the soul, having its own substance and life, when it departs from this world will be dispensed according to its merits: either to inherit eternal life and blessedness, if its deeds have earned it, or to be handed over to eternal fire and torments, if the guilt of its sins has led it there. And also that there will be a time of the resurrection of the dead, and this body, which now "is sown in corruption, will rise in incorruption, and what is sown in dishonor will rise in glory" (1 Cor 15:42–43). It is also defined in the ecclesiastical preaching that every rational soul has free will and its own volition; and that it has a struggle against the devil and his angels and contrary powers, because they try to burden it with sins, while we, if we live rightly and wisely, strive to strip off that kind of stain. From this it follows that we are not subject to necessity, forced to do either good or evil even against our will; for if we are masters of our own choice, perhaps some powers may attack us toward sin and others help us toward salvation, but we are not compelled by necessity to act rightly or wrongly. That is what those think who make the course and motion of the stars the cause of human actions — not only of those things that fall outside the freedom of choice, but even of those that lie within our own power.
The church's preaching does not clearly distinguish whether the soul is derived from the seed by traducianism, so that its reason or substance is held to be inserted in the bodily seeds themselves, or whether it has another origin — and whether that origin is begotten or unbegotten, or certainly whether it is infused into the body from outside or not. About the devil also, and his angels and contrary powers, the ecclesiastical preaching teaches that they exist, but it has not clearly explained what they are or how they are. Among many, however, the opinion prevails that this devil was an angel who, having apostatized, persuaded very many angels to desert with him — and they are now called his angels.
There is also this in the ecclesiastical preaching: that this world was made and began at a certain time, and that it will be dissolved because of its own corruption. But what was before this world, or what will be after it, has not been made clearly known to many. For no clear sermon on these things is put forward in the ecclesiastical preaching.
Then also, that the Scriptures were written by the Spirit of God and have a sense not only the one that is on the surface, but also another, hidden, sense for very many. For these are the forms that describe certain sacraments and images of divine things. The whole church agrees on this: that the whole Law is spiritual, yet what the Law breathes is not known to all, but only to those to whom the grace of the Holy Spirit is granted in the word of wisdom and knowledge. The term "incorporeal" is unusual and unknown not only among many others, but even in our own Scriptures. If someone should try to bring against us a passage from the little book called The Teaching of Peter, where the Savior seems to say to the disciples, "I am not an incorporeal demon," one must first answer that the book itself is not counted among the ecclesiastical books, and must show that neither is the writing Peter's nor that of anyone else inspired by the Spirit of God. Even if that were granted, the sense indicated there by this saying is not the same as the one exhibited by Greek or Gentile authors when they dispute the incorporeal nature in philosophy. For in that little book — "incorporeal demon" — he said it because that being, whoever it is, does not have a body like our grosser and visible body; but according to the sense of the one who composed that writing, it must be understood that he meant: he does not have the kind of body demons have (which is naturally a certain subtle, almost airy body, and therefore is thought or called incorporeal by many), but he has a solid and tangible body. For in human usage, anything that is not such a body is called incorporeal by simpler or less instructed people — just as if someone called this air we breathe incorporeal, because it is not a body that can be grasped, held, or resisted when pressed.
Still we will inquire whether the very thing that Greek philosophers call "incorporeal" is found in Holy Scripture under another name. How God himself is to be understood must also be investigated: whether he is corporeal and has some deformed shape, or of another nature than bodies — which is certainly not explicitly designated in our preaching. The same must be inquired also about Christ and about the Holy Spirit, and no less about every soul and every rational nature. There is also this in the ecclesiastical preaching: that there are certain angels of God and good powers who serve him for the accomplishment of human salvation; but when they were created, or of what kind, or how they are, is not clearly distinguished. About the sun, moon, and stars, whether they are animate or soulless, nothing is plainly handed down. Therefore we must use such things as elements and foundations, according to the command that says, "Illuminate for yourselves the light of knowledge" (cf. Ps 36:10), so that anyone who wishes may complete a system and a body of doctrine from the reasoning of all these things, and, as we said, may make one coherent whole with clear and necessary assertions, investigating what is true about each thing — either from the examples and affirmations found in Holy Scripture, or from those discovered through investigation of the consequences and their right tenor.
Latin
Omnes qui eredunt et certi sunt quod gratia et veritas per lesum Christum facta sit, et Christum esse veritatem norunt, secundum quod ipse dixit: “Ego sum veritas”, scientiam quae provocat homines ad bene beateque vivendum non aliunde quam ab ipsis Christi verbis doetrinaque suscipiunt. Christi autem verbis dieimus non his solum, quae homo factus atque in carne positus docuit; et prius namque Christus dei verbum in Moyse atque in prophetis erat. Nam sine verbo dei quomodo poterant prophetare de Christo? Ad cuius rei probationem non esset difficile ex divinis seripturis ostendere, quomodo vel Moyses vel prophetae spiritu Christi repleti vel locuti sunt vel gesserunt omnia quae gesserunt, nisi studii nobis esset, praesens hoc opus omni qua possumus brevitate suecingere. Unde sufficere aestimo uno hoc Pauli testimonio debere nos uti ex epistula, quam ad Hebraeos scribit, in qua ita ait: “Fide magnus factus Moyses negavit se dici filium filiae Pharaonis, magis eligens afflietari cum populo dei quam temporalem habere peccati iueunditatem, maiores divitias aestimans Aegyptiorum thesauris inproperium Christi”. Sed et post adsumptionem eius in caelos quod in apostolis suis loeutus sit, hoc modo indicat Paulus: “Aut numquid probamentum quaeritis eius, qui in me loquitur Christus?” 2. Quoniam ergo multi ex his, qui Christo se credere profitentur, non solum in parvis et minimis discordant, verum etiam in magnis et maximis, id est vel de deo vel de ipso domino lesu Christo vel de spiritu sancto, non solum autem de his, sed et de alus creaturis, id est vel de dominationibus vel de virtutibus sanctis: propter hoc necessarium videtur prius de his singulis certam lineam manifestamque regulam ponere, tum deinde etiam de ceteris quaerere. Sicut enim, multis apud Graecos et barbaros pollicentibus veritatem, desivimus apud omnes eam quaerere, qui eam falsis opinionibus asserebant, posteaquam eredidimus fihum esse dei Christum et ab ipso nobis hane discendam esse persuasimus: ita eum multi sint, qui se putant sentire quae Christi sunt, et nonnulh eorum diversa a prioribus sentiant, servetur vero ecclesiastica praedicatio per successionis ordinem ab apostolis tradita et usque ad praesens in ecclesiis permanens, illa sola credenda est veritas, quae in nullo ab ecclesiastica et apostolica traditione discordat. 3. Illud autem scire oportet, quoniam sancti apostoli fidem Christi praedieantes de quibusdam quidem, quaecumque necessaria crediderunt, p omnibus eredentibus, etiam his, qui pigriores erga inquisitionem divinae scientiae videbantur, manifestissime tradiderunt, rationem seilicet assertioms eorum relinquentes ab his inquirendam, qui spiritus dona excellentia mererentur et praecipue sermonis, sapientiae et scientiae gratiam per ipsum sanctum spiritum percepissent; de aliis vero dixerunt quidem quia sint, quomodo autem aut unde sint, siluerunt, profecto ut studiosiores quique ex posteris suis, qui amatores essent sapientiae, exercitium habere possent, in quo ingenii sui fructum ostenderent, hi videlicet, qui dignos se et capaces ad recipiendam sapientiam praepararent. 4. Species vero eorum, quae per praedicationem apostolicam manifeste traduntur, istae sunt. Primo, quod unus est deus, qui omnia creavit atque composuit, quique, cum nihil esset, esse fecit universa, deus a prima creatura et conditione mundi, omnium iustorum deus, Adam Abel Seth Enos Enoch No? Sem Abraham Isaac lacob duodecim patriarcharum Moysei et prophetarum; et quod hie deus in novissimis diebus, sicut per prophetas suos ante promiserat, misit dominum lesum Christum, primo quidem vocaturum Israhel, secundo vero etiam gentes post perfidiam populi Israhel. Hie deus iustus et bonus, pater domini nostri lesu Christi, legem et prophetas et evangelia ipse dedit, qui et apostolorum deus est et veteris ac novi testamenti. Tum deinde quia Christus lesus, ipse qui venit, ante omnem creaturam natus ex patre est. Qui cum in omnium conditione patri ministrasset, “per ipsum” namque “omnia facta sunt”, novissimis temporibus se ipsum exinaniens homo factus est, incarnatus est, cum deus esset, et homo factus mansit quod erat, deus. Corpus assumsit nostro corpori simile, eo solo differens, quod natum ex virgine et spiritu sancto est. Et quoniam hie lesus Christus natus et passus est in veritate, et non per phantasiam, communem hanc mortem vere mortuus; vere enim et a mortuis resurrexit et post resurrectionem conversatus cum diseipulis suis assumtus est. Tum deinde honore ac dignitate patri ac filio sociatum tradiderunt spiritum sanctum. In hoe non iam manifeste discernitur, utrum natus aut innatus, vel filius etiam ipse dei habendus sit, neene; sed inquirenda iam ista pro viribus sunt de sancta scriptura et sagaci perquisitione investiganda. Sane quod iste spiritus sanctus unumquemque sanctorum vel prophetarum vel apostolorum inspiraverit, et non alius spiritus in veteribus, alius vero in his, qui in adventu Christi inspirati sunt, fuerit, manifestissime in ecclesia praedicatur. 9. Post haec iam quod anima substantiam vitamque habens propriam, cum ex hoe mundo discesserit, pro suis meritis dispensabitur, sive vitae aeternae ac beatitudinis hereditate potitura, si hoc ei sua gesta praestiterint, sive igni aeterno ac supplieus mancipanda, si in hoc eam scelerum culpa detorserit; sed et quia erit tempus resurrectionis mortuorum, eum corpus hoc, quod nune “in corruptione seminatur, surget in incorruptionec, et quod “seminatur in ignominia, surget in gloria”. Est et illud definitum in eeclesiastica praedicatione, omnem animam rationabilem esse liberi arbitru et voluntatis; esse quoque ei certamen adversum diabolum et angelos eius contrariasque virtutes, ex eo quod ili peccatis eam onerare contendant, nos vero si recte consulteque vivamus, ab huiuscemodi labe exuere nos conemur. Unde et consequens est intellegere, non nos necessitati esse subiectos, ut omni modo, etiamsi nolimus, vel mala vel bona agere cogamur. Si enim nostri arbitri! sumus, inpugnare nos fortasse possint aliquae virtutes ad peccatum et aliae iuvare ad salutem, non tamen necessitate cogimur vel recte agere vel male; quod fieri arbitrantur hi, qui stellarum cursum et motus causam dieunt humanorum esse gestorum, non solum eorum, quae extra arbitrii accidunt libertatem, sed et eorum, quae in nostra sunt posita potestate. De anima vero utrum ex seminis traduce ducatur, ita ut ratio ipsius vel substantia inserta ipsis corporalibus seminibus habeatur, an vero aliud habeat initium, et hoc ipsum initium si genitum est aut non genitum, vel certe si extrinsecus corpori inditur, necne: non satis manifesta praedicatione distinguitur. 6. De diabolo quoque et angelis eius contrarüsque virtutibus ecelesiastica praedicatio docuit quoniam sint quidem haec, quae autem sint vel quomodo sint, non satis clare exposuit. Apud plurimos tamen ista habetur opinio, quod angelus fuerit iste diabolus, et apostata effectus quam plurimos angelorum secum declinare persuaserit, qui et nune usque angel ipsius nuncupantur. 7. Est praeterea et illud in eeclesiastiea praedicatione, quod mundus iste factus sit et a certo tempore coeperit et sit pro 1psa sui corruptione solvendus. Quid tamen ante hunc mundum fuerit, aut quid post mundum erit, jam non pro manifesto multis innotuit. Non enim evidens de his in ecclesiastica praedicatione sermo profertur. 8. Tum deinde quod per spiritum dei seripturae conscriptae sint et sensum habeant non eum solum, qui in manifesto est, sed et alium quendam latentem quam plurimos. Formae enim sunt haec quae descripta sunt sacramentorum quorundam et divinarum rerum imagines. De quo totius eeclesiae una sententia est, esse quidem omnem legem spiritalem, non tamen ea, quae spirat lex, esse omnibus nota nisi his solis, quibus gratia spiritus sancti in verbo sapientiae ac scientiae condonatur. Appellatio autem (id est incorporei) non solum apud multos alios, verum etiam apud nostras scripturas inusitata est et incognita. Si vero quis velt nobis proferre ex illo libello, qui Petri Doctrina appellatur, ubi salvator videtur ad discipulos dieere: “Non sum daemonium incorporeum”, primo respondendum est ei quoniam liber ipse inter libros eeclesiasticos non habetur, et ostendendum quia neque Petri est ipsa scriptura neque alterius cuiusquam, qui spiritu dei fuerit inspiratus. Quod etiamsi ipsum concederetur, non idem sensus inibi ex isto sermone indicatur, qui a graecis vel gentilibus auctoribus ostenditur, eum de incorporea natura a philosophis disputatur. In hoc enim libello -incorporeum daemonium: dixit pro eo, quod ipse ille quicumque est habitus vel eircumscriptio daemoniei corporis non est similis huie nostro crassiori et visibili corpori; sed secundum sensum eius, qui composuit illam scripturam, intellegendum est quod dixit, id est non se habere tale corpus quale habent daemones (quod est naturaliter subtile quoddam et velut aura tenue, et propter hoe vel putatur a multis vel dicitur incorporeum), sed habere se corpus solidum et palpabile. In consuetudine vero hominum omne, quod tale non fuerit, incorporeum a simplicioribus vel imperitioribus nominatur; velut si quis aérem istum quo fruimur incorporeum dieat, quoniam quidem non est tale corpus, ut conprehendi ac teneri possit urgentique resistere. 9. Quaeremus tamen si vel alio nomine res ipsa, quam graeci philosophi (id est ineorporeum) dicunt, in sanctis scripturis invenitur. Deus quoque ipse quomodo intellegi debeat requirendum est, corporeus et secundum aliquem habitum deformatus, an alterius naturae quam corpora sunt, quod utique in praedicatione nostra manifeste non designatur. Eadem quoque etiam de Christo et de saneto spiritu requirenda sunt, sed et de omni anima atque omni rationabili natura nihilominus requirendum est. Est etiam illud in eeclesiastica praedicatione, esse angelos dei quosdam et virtutes bonas, qui ei ministrant ad salutem hominum con- "^" summandam; sed quando isti creati sint, vel quales, aut quomodo sint, non satis in manifesto distinguitur. De sole autem et luna et stellis, utrum animantia sint an sine anima, manifeste non traditur. Oportet igitur velut elementis ac fundamentis huiusmodi uti secundum mandatum, quod dicit: “Inluminate vobis lumen scientiae”, omnem qui eupit seriem quandam et corpus ex horum omnium ratione perficere, ut manifestis et necessarüs assertionibus de singulis quibusque quid sit in vero rimetur, et unum, ut diximus, corpus efficiat exemplis et affirmationibus, vel his, quas in sanctis scripturis invenerit, vel quas ex consequentiae ipsius indagine ac recti tenore reppererit.