Origen, Commentary on the Gospel of John 6.2.8-10
created: This entry is taken from Commentary on the Gospel of John 6.2.8-10 written by Or
edition published: 2023-06-30-05:00
language: grc; grc
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https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/331

Caesarea Maritima is indirectly attested at Origen, Commentary on the Gospel of John 6.2.8-10. This passage was written ca. 231-233 C.E. possibly in Caesarea Maritima. 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.

(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.

[Ed. Blanc 1970]

(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.

[Trans. J. L. Rife with ref. to Menzies 1899]

Works Cited

[...] 6 2.8-10
[...] 349-350

[Eusebius, Church History 6.23.4-5

Eusebius, Church History 6.8.4-5

Jerome, Apology against Rufinus 2.18

Photius, Library 118.34-42]

[Alexandria

Egypt]

[Dionysius, Bishop of Alexandria

Jesus Christ

John the Evangelist

Origen]

[Christian Bible

Christianity

Education (sacred)

Society and Culture]