Fathers

Homilies on Exodus, Homilia IV · §3

Magicians’ mimicry and the limits of Egypt

The magicians can mimic as far as the gnats; beyond that they fail and confess “This is the finger of God”. Demonic power is finite; God’s signs increase. So the church must distinguish flashy imitation from the truth that alone liberates.

Latin

Malefici usque ad scinifes aliquid imitantur; ultra non possunt. Daemonum virtus finita; Dei signa crescunt. Ecclesia discernat imitationes haereticas a veritate.

About this text

Origen’s Homilia IV on Exodus (Rufinus’s Latin). Complete on this page: §§1–8.

English follows Baehrens, Origenes Werke VI (GCS 29, 1920), Rufinus’s Latin of Homilia IV. Heine FOTC 71 was not used as wording. This page is Homilia IV §§1–8 (closeout).

Witnesses

  • Copy-text Baehrens, Origenes Werke VI = GCS 29 (1920) (Latin · Homilia IV §§1–8)

English is newly prepared for study from the stated edition. Open Latin on each section (or the Latin source witness link) for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.