Fragments on the New Testament · §6 · Origen of Alexandria

Luke catena: teaching, passion path

Click or tap any sentence to jump there. The side buttons skip a paragraph.

But since prudence is a virtue… break …the Lord prepared the heavens. fragmentary

Greek

Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἀρετὴν εἶναι τὴν φρόνησιν expl. οὐρανοὺς ἡτοίμασεν ὁ κύριος.

About this text

Origen's notes on John, Luke and Matthew: the Word who was in the beginning, the Baptist, the Passion, and why the Church keeps only four Gospels.

Origen of Alexandria (c. 185–c. 254) wrote these exegetical comments on the Gospels of John, Matthew, and Luke. They survive as excerpts preserved in later catena and scholia collections, not as complete commentaries. Origen was one of the most prolific and influential early Christian theologians, and his biblical interpretation shaped later Christian thought even after parts of his teaching were condemned.

The occasion for these fragments is the loss of most of Origen's original exegetical works. What remains comes through later compilers who gathered his comments into catena manuscripts and scholia.

Origen quotes and argues against opponents who say the Word began at the incarnation, and he defends the four Gospels as the Church's approved accounts against many attempted Gospels, including one by Basilides.

Datec. 230–250 AD (fragment tradition)

English follows First1KGreek digital text. Modern copyright reconstructions were not used as wording.

Printed text used

Translated from First1KGreek digital text tlg2042.tlg006 — John catena (Greek)
Translated from First1KGreek digital text tlg2042.tlg017 — Luke catena (Greek)
Translated from First1KGreek digital text tlg2042.tlg077 — Matthew scholia (Greek)
Translated from First1KGreek digital text tlg2042.tlg078 — Luke scholia (Greek)

We have not yet re-checked this work against its source. We made this study translation with AI help. No scholar has yet certified it as faithful and complete. Open Greek on any section to see the source text. It is not a critical edition.

Report a mistake