God as light lights the mind, not the body’s sun-work
That settled, what should we think of God called light, in whom is no darkness? Does he light bodily eyes, or the mind’s eyes of which the prophet says, “Lighten my eyes, lest I sleep in death”?
It is obvious we should not make God do the sun’s job while leaving another to light the eyes of those who will not sleep unto death. God lights the mind of those he judges worthy of his own illumination.
Greek
Τούτων οὕτως ἐχόντων ἄξιον ἰδεῖν τί ἁρμόζει νοεῖν περὶ θεοῦ λεγομένου φῶς, ἐν ᾧ οὐδεμία ἐστὶ σκοτία. σωματικοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ὁ θεὸς φωτίζων φῶς ἐστιν ἢ τοὺς νοητούς, περὶ ὧν ὁ προφήτης φησί · Φώτισον τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς μου, μήποτε ὑπνώσω εἰς θάνατον;
νομίζω δὲ πρόδηλον εἶναι ὅτι οὐκ ἂν τοῦ ἡλίου ἔργον ποιεῖν λέγοιμεν τὸν θεόν, ἑτέρῳ παραχωροῦντα φωτίζειν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς τῶν μὴ ὑπνωσόντων εἰς θάνατον. οὐκοῦν φωτίζει ὁ θεὸς τὸν νοῦν ὧν κρίνει ἀξίους εἶναι τοῦ οἰκείου φωτισμοῦ.
About this text
Origen’s Commentary on John, Book 13 (later tomoi). Complete on this page: §§1–64.
English follows Preuschen, Origenes Werke IV (GCS 10, 1903). Heine FOTC was not used as wording. This page is Book 13 §§1–64 of the later books (13, 19, 20, 28, 32).
Witnesses
- Copy-text Preuschen, Origenes Werke IV = GCS 10 (1903) (Greek · Book 13 §§1–64)
English is newly prepared for study from the stated edition. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.