Origen, Commentary on the Gospel of John 6.2.8-10
https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/331
Context
Among Origen’s vast output is his Commentary on the Gospel of
John. This enormous work, which originally filled more than 30 volumes but of
which only parts survive, is a systematic and erudite exegesis that in part refuted the
Valentinian-Gnostic interpretation by Heracleon, replete with mysticism and allegoresis.
This important passage attests to pivotal events in Origen’s career. He began writing
the Commentary at his homebase in Alexandria, where his wealthy associate
Ambrose encouraged and supported his writing, including the provision of secretaries. As
a growing intellectual luminary and popular teacher, Origen’s theology came under harsh
criticism from the bishop Demetrios. Consequently Origen, in 231 C.E., moved from
Alexandria to Caesarea in Palestine, where the bishops Theoctistus and Alexander
ordained him to preach and teach, but not without controversy. Here Origen describes the
travails surrounding his move and the hiatus in his work on the
Commentary metaphorically, evoking the Exodus, delivery from storms,
and failed attacks.
Text
(8) Καὶ μέχρι γε τοῦ πέμπτου τόμου, εἰ καὶ ὁ κατὰ τὴν Ἀλεξανδρείαν
χειμὼν ἀντιπράττειν ἐδόκει, τὰ διδόμενα ὑπηγορεύσαμεν, ἐπιτιμῶντος τοῖς ἀνέμοις καὶ τοῖς
κύμασι τῆς θαλάσσης τοῦ Ἰησοῦ· καὶ ἕκτου δὲ ἐπὶ ποσὸν προεληλυθότες ἐξειλκύσθημεν ἀπὸ
γῆς Αἰγύπτου, ῥυσαμένου ἡμᾶς τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ἐξαγαγόντος τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ἀπ’ αὐτῆς. (9)
Ἔπειτα τοῦ ἐχθροῦ πικρότατα ἡμῶν καταστρατευσαμένου διὰ τῶν καινῶν αὐτοῦ γραμμάτων τῶν
ἀληθῶς ἐχθρῶν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ καὶ πάντας τοὺς ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ ἀνέμους τῆς πονηρίας καθ’ ἡμῶν
ἐγείραντος, στῆναι μᾶλλόν με πρὸς τὸν ἀγῶνα παρεκάλει ὁ λόγος καὶ τηρῆσαι τὸ ἡγεμονικόν,
μήποτε μοχθηροὶ λογισμοὶ ἐξισχύσωσι τὸν χειμῶνα καὶ τῇ ψυχῇ μου ἐπεισαγαγεῖν, ἤπερ
ἀκαίρως, πρὶν γαλήνην τὴν διάνοιαν λαβεῖν, συνάπτειν τὰ ἑξῆς τῆς γραφῆς· καὶ οἱ συνήθεις
δὲ ταχυγράφοι μὴ παρόντες τοῦ ἔχεσθαι τῶν ὑπαγορεύσεων ἐκώλυον. (10) Νῦν δ’ ὅτε τὰ καθ’
ἡμῶν πεπυρωμένα πολλὰ σβεννύντος θεοῦ βέλη ἤμβλυνται καὶ ἐνεθισθεῖσα ἡμῶν ἡ ψυχὴ τοῖς
συμβεβηκόσι διὰ τὸν οὐράνιον λόγον φέρειν ῥᾷον βιάζεται τὰς γεγενημένας ἐπιβουλάς,
ὡσπερεὶ ποσῆς εὐδίας λαβόμενοι οὐκέτι ὑπερτιθέμενοι ὑπαγορεύειν τὰ ἀκόλουθα βουλόμεθα,
θεὸν διδάσκαλον ὑπηχοῦντα ἐν τῷ ἀδύτῳ τῆς ψυχῆς ἡμῶν παρεῖναι εὐχόμενοι, ἵνα τέλος λάβῃ
ἡ τῆς διηγήσεως τοῦ κατὰ Ἰωάννην εὐαγγελίου οἰκοδομή.
1
Textual Note
Ed. Blanc 1970Translation
(8) I composed the
material given me as far as the fifth volume (of the Commentary) even
though the storm in Alexandria seemed to work against me, just as Jesus rebuked the
winds and the waves of the sea. After I had moved on to part of the sixth (volume), I
was brought out of Egypt by God delivering me, He who led His people forth from there.
(9) Then, when the enemy assailed me with all bitterness in his new writings, so truly
hostile to the Gospel, and stirred up against me all the winds of wickedness in Egypt,
reason called me instead to stand fast for the conflict and to preserve my guiding
principle, so that evil counsels should never gain the strength to bring the storm also
into my soul, or even to compose the next part (of the Commentary) at the
wrong time, before my mind had returned to calm. Moreover, the absence of my usual
scribes prevented me from adhering to my practice of dictation. (10) But now that the
many flaming arrows shot at me are blunted by God as he extinguishes them, and (now
that) my soul, which had grown used to such occurrences, is compelled through the
heavenly Word to withstand more easily the plots that have arisen, I wish, as though
instilled with a certain tranquillity, to continue writing without further delay. I pray
that God will be with me and utter his teachings in the inner chamber of my soul, so
that the building I have begun—the interpretation of the Gospel of
John—may be finished.
2
Translation Note
Trans. J. L. Rife with ref. to Menzies 1899Works Cited
- 1 Origen, Origene: Commentaire sur Saint Jean 2 (Livres VI et X), ed. Cécile Blanc, repr. 2008, Sources chrétiennes 157 (Paris: Éditions du Cerf, 1970), bk: 6, ch: 2.8-10.
- 2 Origen, Origen’s Commentary on the Gospel of John, in The Gospel of Peter, The Diatessaron of Tatian, The Apocalypse of Peter, The Visio Pauli, The Apocalypses of the Virgin and Sedrach, The Testament of Abrtaham, The Acts of Xanthippe and Polyxena, The Narrative of Zosimus, The Apology of Aristides, The Epistles of Clement (Complete Text), Origen’s Commentary on John, Books I-X, and Commentary on Matthew, Books I, II, and X-XIV, trans. Allan Menzies, 5th ed., vol. 9, 10 vols., The Ante-Nicene Fathers : Translations of the Writings of the Fathers down to A.D. 325. Original Supplement to the American Edition (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1926), 297–408, p: 349-350.
How to Cite This Entry
Joseph L. Rife, “Origen, Commentary on the Gospel of John 6.2.8-10,” in Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia, entry published June 30, 2023, https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/331.
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Bibliography:
Joseph L. Rife, “Origen, Commentary on the Gospel of John 6.2.8-10.” In Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia, edited by Joseph L. Rife., edited by Joseph L. Rife. Caesarea City and Port Exploration Project, 2023. Entry published June 30, 2023. https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/331.About this Entry
Entry Title: Origen, Commentary on the Gospel of John 6.2.8-10
Authorial and Editorial Responsibility:
- Joseph L. Rife, general editor, Vanderbilt University
- Joseph L. Rife, editor, Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia
- David A. Michelson, Daniel L. Schwartz, and William L. Potter, technical editor, “Origen, Commentary on the Gospel of John 6.2.8-10”
- Joseph L. Rife, entry contributor, “Origen, Commentary on the Gospel of John 6.2.8-10”
Additional Credit:
- TEI encoding by William L. Potter
- Electronic text added by Joseph L. Rife
- Testimonia identified by Joseph L. Rife