# Homilies on Isaiah - Author: [Origen](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/authors/origen/) - Latin title: *Homiliae in Isaiam* - Date: ca. 235–250 (approximate) - Source: J.-P. Migne, ed., Patrologiae cursus completus, series Latina, vol. 24 (Paris: Garnier, 1865), cols. 938–973 (Jerome's translation of nine homilies on Isaiah; digital column numbers) (Latin text: Migne, Patrologia Latina, digitized by Open Greek and Latin (patrologia_latina-dev, University of Leipzig), CC BY-SA 4.0) - Translation: Claude, from the original text, unless a passage says otherwise; each passage below gives the translator - Editions and translations: Wilhelm A. Baehrens, Origenes Werke 8, GCS 33 (Leipzig: Hinrichs, 1925) - Work page: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-homiliae-isaiam/ - Passages: 9 ## Homily on Isaiah 1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-homiliae-isaiam/1/#p-1 - Source: PL 24:938a–941a - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Origen reads Uzziah's death as the death of sin's rule in the soul, interprets the two seraphim as the Son and the Holy Spirit covering God's beginning and end, and applies the cleansing of Isaiah's lips to the hearers. ### Latin text Visio i. Et factum est in anno quo mortuus est Ozias rex, vidi Dominum sedentem super solium excelsum. Quandiu Ozias rex vixit, non potuit visionem videire Isaias propheta. Erat enim Ozias peccator, et faciens malignum ante conspectum Domini, et agens adversus voluntatem divinae legis. Ingressus est templum et Sancta sanctorum, et ob hoc lepra perfusus in fronte est, ita ut foras civitatem vadens inter immundos computaretur. Talem igitur principem animae oportet mori, ut visioncm Dei vidcre possimus. Ncque euim frustra scriptum cst ( cap. VI, vers. i): Et factum eat in anno quo mortuus est Ozias rex, vidi Dominum. Unicuique nostrum vivit Ozias sive Pharao, ct non suspiramus Ægyptia opera facientes. Si autem moritur, tunc suspiramus, ut in Exodo scriptum est. Si Ozias vivit, non videmus gloriam Dci; si autem moritur, tunc videmus statim ut moritur Ozias gloriam Dei. tantum boc sit ut regnet in nobis sermo ejus qui dixit: Ego autem constitutus sum rex ab eo, et non regnet ira. Est quidem et peccati rex. Apostolus ita sciens, ait: Non ergo regnet peccatum in mortali vestro corpore. Miserabilis illc homo cui peccatum regnat, qui tali se tradit regi, despiciens regnum Dei, et subjiciens se voluptati. Propierea voluptatis amator, non est amator Dei. Et secundum Apostolum do quibusdam dicitur: Amantes voluptatem magis quam Deum. Et quidem idipsum non de his dictum est, qui omnino sunt infideles, scd de his qui intrinsecus commorantur, voluptatem magis quam Deum amantes, qui habent figurationem pietatis, virtutem autem ejus negantes. Hæc propter mortem rcgis Oziæ, post cujus interitum vidisse se ait visioncm propheta. Quæ cst autem visio? Vidi Dominum sedentem super thronum excelsum et elevatum, etc. Non omnis qui vict Deudi, vidct eum sedentem super thronum excelsum et elevatum. Scio alium prophetam vidissc Dominum, ct vidisse eum super thronum sedentem, sed non excelsum, neque elevatum. Disserens scripturam Daniel, dicit: Throni positi sunt, et non erat excelsus ille thronus. Et: Veniam, III sedeam ad judicandum populum in valle Josaphat. Ergo hic iti valle sedit, et in valle eum judicaturus est, quem cst condemnaturus. AHud autem esi videre euin sedentem super thronum excelsum ct elevatum. Et in Michæa cgreditur, et descendit Deus ". L. ut videat Sodomam, descendit. Descendens, ait, vi debo si secundum clamorem eorum venientem ad me consummaverunt. Igitur Dcus aliquanJo sursum, aliquando deorsum juxta dignitatem videtur nego. Uorum. Vidi ergo Dominum, Isaias ait, sedentem super thronum excelsum et elevatum. Si video Deum ill his qui hic sunt regnantem, non cum video super thronum excelsum et elevatum. Si video cum regnantem coelestibus virtutibus, video eum sedentem super thronum excelsum et elevatum. Quid est quod dicit cœlestibus virtutibus? throni, dominationes, principatus, potestates, vii - tutes cœlestes sunt. Et si video cum, quomodo eis regnet in verbo, vidi Dominum sedentem super thronum excelsum et elevatum. EI plena erat domus gloria ejas. Sursum quoque clevatus est thronus ejus plenaque est domus gloria cjus. Non arbitror, quia plena est domus gforia ejus; hæc quæ in terra est. Domini est terra et plenitudo ejus. Plenitudinem autem gloriæ Dei non invenies in præsenti: aed si quis ædificaverit templum Dco, videbitur gloria Dei, et si servat hoc quod dictum est, plena domus videtur glria Dei. Nescio autem an sic doms gloriacompleatur. Et in Levitico quartum ad praesens pertinet negotium, Deo largiente, repitur in collecta quae sequitur, quia praecepit Dominus quædam fieri ut videatur Domini gloria. Nec unquam apparebit gloria Dei, si non hæc fiant. Cognoscimus autem ila cum lecta fucrinL Vers. i. Et seraphim stabant in circuitu ejus, sex arm ulli, et sex alæ alteri. Duo video seraphim: et unumquodque eorum in semetipso habens lex alas. Deinde dispositio alarum. Et duabus quidem alis vehabant faciem, non propriam, sed Dei; duabus alis velabant pcdes, non proprios, sed Dei; duabus autcin alis volabant. Juxta quod scriptum est, contrarium sibi videtur. Si stabant, volare non poteram. Scriptum vero est: Seraphim duo stabaM' in circuitu ejus, sex alœ uni et sex ala alteri: et duabus quidem velabant faciem, ei duabus velabant pedes, et duabus volabant, et clamabant aller ad alterum. Verum hæc seraphim quae circa Deum sunt, quæ sola cognitione dicunt: Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, propter hoc servant mysterium Trinitatis, quia et ipsasunt sancta. His enim in omnibus quæ sunt, sanctius nihil est. Et nou leviter dicunt alter ad alterum: Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, sed salutarem omnibus confessionem clamore pronuntiant. Quae sem isia duo seraphim? Dominus meus Jesus et Spiritus sanctus. Nec putcs Trinitatis dissidere uaturam, si nominum servantur officia. Operiebant faciem Dei. Exordium enim Dei ignotum est. Sed et pedes. Novissimum enim quod in Deo nostro est non comprehenditur. Sola enim media videntur. Ante ista quae fuerint, nescio; ex iis quæ sunt, intelligo Deum. Post ista quae futura sunt, juxta quod futura sunt, nescio. Quis pronuntiavit ei? dixit Eeclesiastes. Annuntiate mihi priora ct novissima quae crunt, et dicam quoniam dii estis. Hinc et Isaias ait: Priora annuntiate nobis, et ponemus cor no-:trum, et sciemus, et novissima eorum quæ ventura sunt indicate nobis, Quæ ventura sunt, in futurum nuntiate, et dicemus quoniam dii estis. Ex quo si quis dixerit præterita, ct poterit novissima diccre: Deus est: quis erge potest dicere præter seraphim: Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus? Seraphim autem nudaverunt quamdam partem Dei, ut ita ditam, medictatem ejus, et clamabant aliud ad aftud assistentia Deo, atque dicentia: Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus. Stant igitur et moventur, stant cum Deo, moventur demostrantia Deum. Intellige euim quia velant faciem, velant pedes, uon moventur quae velata suut, non velantur quæ volant, et dicunt (vers. 5): Sanctus sanctus, sanctus Dominus Deus Subaoth, plena est omnis terra gloria ejus. Domini mci Jesu Christi nuntiatur adventus, nunc itaque plena est omnis terra gloria ejus. Aut certe necdum plena cst, sed futurum ut impleatur, cum expleta fuerit oratio, qua Patrem nos ipse Dominus jussit orare. Cnm oraveritis, inquiens, dicite: Pater noster qui es in cœlis, sanctificetur nomen tuum.Adveniat regnum tuum. r tat voluntas tua sicut in cælo et in terra Adhucin cœlo voluntas est Patris, in terris needum voluutas ejus expleta est, ut ipse Jesus juxta dispensationem carnis quam induerat, ait: Dedit mihi universam potestatem, utl in cælo et in terra. Nunquid potestatem non haberet in terra is qnt habebat in cælis? et aliquid de mundo acciperet, qui in sua venerat? Sed ut ita crederetur Deus in terra, quomodo credebatur hi cælo, ergo accepit potestatem homo Christus, quati ante non habuit, et usquead praesens necdum habct in terra omnium potestatem. In his quippe qui peccant, needum regnat, sel quando ei dala cat ct horum potestas, cum ci subdita fuerint omnia, tunc complebitur potestas, ct perambulabit subjiciens sibi omnia. Quidam autem necdum volunt subjici ei, verum adhuc inimicis ejus subjiciuntur. Nos pono dietmus: Nonne Deo subjecta erit unirta mea? Apud Deum enim salutare meum. Vers. 2, 3, 4. Et duabus volabant, ei dicebat alter ad alterum: Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth, plena est omnis terra gloria ejus. Et elevatum eat supertiminare a voce qua clamabant, voce Jesu Christi et voce Spiritus sancti. Si aliquis e nobis clamantium audierit vocem Jesu Christi et Spiritus sancti, elevatur superliminare, ct altius fit quam eo tempore cum elevatum est, cumque dictum cst: Attollite portas principes vestras, et elevamini portæ œternales, et introibit rex gloriae. Vers. 4. Et do,..... impleta est fumo. Ex remissione ignis cuncta impleta est domus. Fumus autem vapor ignis est. (vers. 5) Et dixi: 0 miser ego quoniam compunctus IMM, quia cum at homo, et immunda labia habeam! Non possum sentire quare humiliaverit seipsum Isaias. Verum dicit: testimonium enim dat Scriptura, quia ejus mundantur. labia ab uno ex scraphim qui missus est ad auferenda ejus peccata. Unus autem ex seraphim Dominus meus Jesus Christus est, qui ad auferenda peccata nostra a Patre missus est, et dicit: Ecce abstuli iniquitates tuas, ct peccata tua circummundavi. Nee putes naturæ contumeliam, si Filius a Patre mittitur. Denique ut unitatem deitatis in Trinitate cognoscas, solus Christus in praesenti lectione nunc peccata dimittit, et tamen certum est a Trinitate peccata dimitti. Qui euim in uno crediderit, credit in omnibus. Deferatur ergo mihi de altario cœlesti forceps ut tangat labia mea. Ferceps Domini si tetigit labia mea, mundat ca. Et si mundaverit ea, et circumciderit a vitiis, ut nuper diximus, aperiam verbo Dei os mcum, nec ulterius sermo immUndus exiet et ore meo: quia cum sim homo, et immunda labia habcam, in medio quoque populi immunda latia habentis habito. Seraphim quod missum fuit, mundavit labia prophetæ, non mundavit autem hibia populi. Coufessus est enim ipse inunuuda labia se habere, ct in medio populi immunda labia habentis habitare. Sed hoc quod missum est seraphim, non judicavit dignos csse de populo, ut et iliorum labia emundaret, ct idcirco adhuc impie agunt, idcirco adhuc Domino meo Jesu Christo repuguant, adhuc ei maledicunt immundis labiis. Ego autem precor, ut veniens seraphim emundet labia mea. Et regem Dominum Sabaothi vidi oculis meis. CUt non dicamus in præsenti traditionem quamdam Judæorum verisimilem quidem, nec tamen veram, et solutionem ejus qUare non invetiamus Aiunt ideo Isaiam esse sectum a populo, quasi legem prævaricantem, et extra Scripturas annuntiantem. Scriptura enim dicit: Nemo videbit faciem meant, et vivet. Iste vero ait: Vidi Dominum Sabaoth. Moyses, aiunt, non vidit, ct tu vidisti. Et propter hoc cum secuerunt, et condemnaverunt eum lit impium. Non enim sciebant quia duabus alis velaverunt facient Dei seraphim. Vidi Dominum, sed facient non vidit Isaias, nec Moyses vidit. Posteriora vidit, ut scriptum est, Moyses. Verumiamen vl lit Dominum, etsi faciem ejus non vidit. Et hic ergo vidit, licet faciem nou viderit. Male igitnr condemnaverunt prophetam. (vers. 5, 6) Et regem DominumSabaoth vidi oculis meis, et missus est ad me unus de seraphim. Nun est unus Domini mei Jesu Christi adventus quo descendit ad terras: ct ad Isaiam vcnit, et ad Moysen venit, et ad populum venit, ct ad unumquemque prophetarum venit; neque tu liincas: etiam si jam coelo receptus est, iterum veniet. Quia autem et ante præsentiam carnalem ad homines venerit, ipsum accipe testem denuntiantem atque dicentem: Hierusalem, Hierusalem, quæ occidis prophetas, et lapidas eus qui missi sant ad te, quoties vutui colligere filios tuos. Quoties volui. Non dicit, non vidi tc nisi isto adventu: sed dicit, quoties volui. Et per singulos prophetarum convertens se, ego, inquit; eraiu Christus, qui loquebar per prophetas. Dixi, nequc tu timeas, et nunc mittitur Jesus Christus. Non mentitur. Vobiscum sum, ait DominUs, omnes dies usque ad consummationem sœculi. Non mentitur. Ubi duo vel tres collecti sunt in nomine meo, et ego sum in medio eorum. Quoniam igitur præsto est, et assistit Jesus Christus, et paratus est et praecinctus summus sacerdos offerre Patri interpellationes nostras, surgentes per ipsum sacrificia Patri offeramus. Ipse enim propitiatio est pro peccatis nostris, cui est gloria et imperium in sæcula sæculorum. Amcn. ### English translation (Claude) Vision 1. “And it came to pass in the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting upon a high throne.” As long as King Uzziah lived, the prophet Isaiah could not see the vision. For Uzziah was a sinner, doing evil in the sight of the Lord and acting against the will of the divine Law. He entered the temple and the Holy of holies, and for this he was covered with leprosy on his forehead, so that, going outside the city, he was counted among the unclean. Such a ruler of the soul, then, must die, that we may be able to see the vision of God. For not in vain is it written: “And it came to pass in the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord.” In each of us an Uzziah, or a Pharaoh, lives, and we do not groan while we do the works of Egypt. But if he dies, then we groan, as it is written in Exodus. If Uzziah lives, we do not see the glory of God; but if he dies, then, as soon as Uzziah dies, we see the glory of God. Only let it be that the word of him who said, “But I have been set up as king by him,” reigns in us, and that wrath does not reign. There is indeed also a king of sin. The Apostle, knowing this, says: “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body.” Wretched is the man in whom sin reigns, who hands himself over to such a king, despising the kingdom of God and subjecting himself to pleasure. Therefore the lover of pleasure is not a lover of God. And according to the Apostle it is said of some: “lovers of pleasure rather than of God.” And indeed this very thing was said not of those who are altogether unbelievers but of those who dwell within, loving pleasure rather than God, “who have the form of godliness but deny its power.” This on account of the death of King Uzziah, after whose death the prophet says he saw the vision. And what is the vision? “I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up,” and so on. Not everyone who sees God sees him sitting upon a throne high and lifted up. I know that another prophet saw the Lord, and saw him sitting upon a throne, but not high or lifted up. Daniel, setting forth the scripture, says: “Thrones were set,” and that throne was not high. And: “I will come and sit to judge the people in the valley of Jehoshaphat.” Here, then, he sat in a valley, and in a valley he will judge the one whom he is going to condemn. But it is another thing to see him sitting upon a throne high and lifted up. And in Micah God goes forth and comes down … To see Sodom he comes down. Coming down, he says, “I will see whether they have done altogether according to their cry which has come to me.” So God is seen sometimes above, sometimes below, according to the worth of the matters at hand. “I saw the Lord,” then, says Isaiah, “sitting upon a throne high and lifted up.” If I see God reigning over those who are here, I do not see him upon a throne high and lifted up. If I see him reigning over the heavenly powers, I see him sitting upon a throne high and lifted up. What does he mean by heavenly powers? Thrones, dominions, principalities, authorities, powers are heavenly. And if I see him as he reigns over them in the Word, I have seen the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up. “And the house was full of his glory.” His throne too is lifted up on high, and the house is full of his glory. I do not think that this house which is on earth is full of his glory. “The earth is the Lord's, and its fullness.” But you will not find the fullness of God's glory at present; but if anyone builds a temple for God, the glory of God will be seen; and if he keeps what has been said, the house will be seen full of the glory of God. But I do not know whether the house is filled with glory in this way. And in Leviticus, what pertains to the present matter will, God granting, be found in the assembly that follows: that the Lord commanded certain things to be done so that the glory of the Lord might be seen. And the glory of God will never appear if these things are not done. We shall learn them when they have been read. “And seraphim stood around him; six wings to the one, and six wings to the other.” I see two seraphim, each having six wings in itself. Then the arrangement of the wings: “And with two wings they covered the face,” not their own but God's; “with two wings they covered the feet,” not their own but God's; “and with two wings they flew.” According to what is written, it seems self-contradictory: if they stood, they could not fly. But it is written: “Two seraphim stood around him, six wings to the one and six wings to the other; and with two they covered the face, and with two they covered the feet, and with two they flew, and they cried one to the other.” But these seraphim who are around God, who by knowledge alone say, “Holy, holy, holy,” therefore keep the mystery of the Trinity, because they too are holy. For among all things that are, nothing is holier than they. And they do not say lightly one to the other, “Holy, holy, holy,” but proclaim with a cry a confession that saves all. Who are these two seraphim? My Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit. And do not think that the nature of the Trinity is divided if the functions of the names are kept. They covered the face of God, for God's beginning is unknown; and his feet too, for what is last in our God is not grasped. Only the middle things are seen. What was before these things I do not know; from the things that are, I understand God. What will be after these things, according to what they will be, I do not know. “Who has declared it to him?” said Ecclesiastes. “Declare to me the former things and the last things that will be, and I will say that you are gods.” Hence Isaiah too says: “Declare to us the former things, and we will set our heart and know; and show us the last of the things to come. Declare the things to come hereafter, and we will say that you are gods.” From this, if anyone can tell the past and can tell the last things, he is God. Who, then, can say it except the seraphim: “Holy, holy, holy”? But the seraphim have uncovered a certain part of God, so to speak, his middle part, and they cried one to the other, standing by God and saying: “Holy, holy, holy.” So they stand and are moved: they stand with God, they are moved as they reveal God. Understand that they cover the face, they cover the feet; what is covered is not moved, what flies is not covered; and they say: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.” The coming of my Lord Jesus Christ is proclaimed; so now the whole earth is full of his glory. Or perhaps it is not yet full, but it will be filled when the prayer is fulfilled which the Lord himself commanded us to pray to the Father: “When you pray,” he says, “say: Our Father who are in heaven, hallowed be your name; your kingdom come; your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth.” As yet the Father's will is in heaven; on earth his will is not yet fulfilled, as Jesus himself, according to the economy of the flesh which he had put on, says: “He has given me all authority, as in heaven, so on earth.” Did he who had authority in heaven not have authority on earth? And would he receive something from the world who had come to his own? But in order that God might be believed on earth as he was believed in heaven, the man Christ received an authority which he did not have before; and up to the present he does not yet have authority over all on earth. For in those who sin he does not yet reign; but when authority over them too is given him, when all things are subjected to him, then his authority will be complete, and he will go about subjecting all things to himself. Some do not yet wish to be subject to him, but are still subject to his enemies. But let us say: “Shall not my soul be subject to God? For from God is my salvation.” “And with two they flew, and one said to the other: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory. And the lintel was lifted up at the voice with which they cried,” the voice of Jesus Christ and the voice of the Holy Spirit. If any of us hears the voice of Jesus Christ and of the Holy Spirit crying, the lintel is lifted up and becomes higher than at the time when it was lifted up and when it was said: “Lift up your gates, O princes, and be lifted up, eternal gates, and the King of glory shall come in.” “And the house was filled with smoke.” From the sending forth of fire the whole house was filled. Smoke is the vapor of fire. “And I said: O wretched me, for I am pierced, since I am a man and have unclean lips!” I cannot perceive why Isaiah humbled himself. But he speaks the truth; for Scripture bears witness that his lips are cleansed by one of the seraphim who was sent to take away his sins. One of the seraphim is my Lord Jesus Christ, who was sent by the Father to take away our sins, and says: “Behold, I have taken away your iniquities, and purged your sins all around.” And do not think it an insult to his nature if the Son is sent by the Father. Indeed, so that you may recognize the unity of the Godhead in the Trinity, in the present reading Christ alone now forgives sins, and yet it is certain that sins are forgiven by the Trinity. For whoever believes in one believes in all. Let tongs, then, be brought to me from the heavenly altar, to touch my lips. If the Lord's tongs have touched my lips, they cleanse them. And if they have cleansed them and circumcised them from vices, as we said just now, I will open my mouth to the word of God, and no unclean word will come out of my mouth any more; for “being a man and having unclean lips, I dwell also in the midst of a people having unclean lips.” The seraph who was sent cleansed the lips of the prophet, but did not cleanse the lips of the people. For he himself confessed that he had unclean lips and dwelt in the midst of a people having unclean lips. But the seraph who was sent did not judge those of the people worthy to have their lips cleansed too; and therefore they still act impiously, therefore they still fight against my Lord Jesus Christ, still curse him with unclean lips. But I pray that the seraph may come and cleanse my lips. “And I have seen the King, the Lord of hosts, with my eyes.” Let us not pass over at present a certain tradition of the Jews, plausible indeed though not true, and see whether we cannot find its solution. They say that Isaiah was sawn asunder by the people as one who transgressed the Law and proclaimed things beyond the Scriptures. For Scripture says: “No one shall see my face and live.” But this man says: “I saw the Lord of hosts.” “Moses,” they say, “did not see, and you have seen?” And for this they cut him in two and condemned him as impious. For they did not know that the seraphim covered God's face with two wings. “I saw the Lord,” but Isaiah did not see his face, nor did Moses see it. Moses saw his back parts, as it is written. Yet he saw the Lord, though he did not see his face. And so here too he saw, though he did not see the face. Wrongly, then, they condemned the prophet. “And I have seen the King, the Lord of hosts, with my eyes; and one of the seraphim was sent to me.” The coming of my Lord Jesus Christ is not only the one in which he came down to earth: he came to Isaiah, he came to Moses, he came to the people, he came to each of the prophets; and do not fear: even though he has now been received into heaven, he will come again. And that he came to human beings even before his bodily presence, take him himself as witness, declaring and saying: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you, how often I wished to gather your children.” “How often I wished.” He does not say, “I have not seen you except in this coming,” but he says, “How often I wished.” And turning through each of the prophets, he says, “I was the Christ who spoke through the prophets.” I have said it, and do not fear: even now Jesus Christ is sent. He does not lie: “I am with you,” says the Lord, “all days until the consummation of the age.” He does not lie: “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in their midst.” Since, then, Jesus Christ is at hand and stands by us, and the high priest is ready and girded to offer our petitions to the Father, let us rise and through him offer sacrifices to the Father. For he is the propitiation for our sins; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. ### Scripture references - Isa 6:1: quotation, high confidence - Isa 6:2: quotation, high confidence - Isa 6:3: quotation, high confidence - Isa 6:4: quotation, high confidence - Isa 6:5: quotation, high confidence - Isa 6:6: quotation, high confidence - Isa 6:7: quotation, high confidence - 2 Chr 26:19: allusion, high confidence - Exod 2:23: allusion, high confidence - Ps 2:6: quotation, high confidence - Rom 6:12: quotation, high confidence - 2 Tim 3:4: quotation, high confidence - 2 Tim 3:5: quotation, high confidence - Dan 7:9: quotation, high confidence - Joel 3:12: quotation, high confidence - Mic 1:3: allusion, high confidence - Gen 18:21: quotation, high confidence - Col 1:16: allusion, high confidence - Ps 24:1 (23:1 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Isa 41:22: quotation, high confidence - Isa 41:23: quotation, high confidence - Matt 6:9: quotation, high confidence - Matt 6:10: quotation, high confidence - Matt 28:18: quotation, high confidence - John 1:11: allusion, medium confidence - 1 Cor 15:28: allusion, high confidence - Ps 62:1 (61:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 24:7 (23:7 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Exod 33:20: quotation, high confidence - Exod 33:23: allusion, high confidence - Matt 23:37: quotation, high confidence - Matt 28:20: quotation, high confidence - Matt 18:20: quotation, high confidence - 1 John 2:2: quotation, high confidence - Lev 9:6: allusion, medium confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Ascen. Isa. 5.1 (Ascension of Isaiah): allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Origen's homilies on Isaiah survive only in Jerome's Latin translation, translated here as it stands. The digital text (Migne) has many OCR errors and Migne's verse references; these are translated by sense. The identification of the two seraphim with the Son and the Holy Spirit is Origen's interpretation (later criticized by Jerome); translated as written. The sentence on Leviticus is garbled in the digital text and translated by sense. The Jewish tradition that Isaiah was sawn in two appears also in the Ascension of Isaiah 5 and the Talmud. Quotations and allusions: Isa 6:1–8; 2 Chr 26:16–21; Exod 2:23; Ps 2:6; Rom 6:12; 2 Tim 3:4–5; Dan 7:9; Joel 3:12; Mic 1:3; Gen 18:21; Col 1:16; Ps 24:1; Eccl 6:12 (loosely); Isa 41:22–23; Matt 6:9–10; Matt 28:18; John 1:11; 1 Cor 15:28; Ps 62:1 (Ps 61:2 LXX); Ps 24:7; Exod 33:20, 23; Matt 23:37; Matt 28:20; Matt 18:20; Heb 4:14; 1 John 2:2. Some of the statements on the unity of the Trinity (e.g., on the Son being sent and on forgiveness by the Trinity) may be clarifications added by Jerome. ### Citation (SBL) Origen, Hom. Isa. 1 (PL 24:938a–941a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-homiliae-isaiam/1/#p-1). ## Homily on Isaiah 2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-homiliae-isaiam/1/#p-2 - Source: PL 24:941a–945c - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Origen interprets the sign of Isa 7 as Christ, who descended and ascended, discusses the reading “you shall call” against Matthew's “he shall be called,” and reads the butter and honey as the good words and works Christ eats with us. ### Latin text De eo quod scriplum est: Ecce virgo in utero concipiet, ctc. (cap. vn). I. Quantum ad dictum attici, verccunde fecit Achaz Cum ei fuisset imperatum, ut pcterct signum in profundum aut in excelsum, et rationem reddidit cur petere noluerit. Ait quippe (cap. Vii, vers. 12): Non petam, et uon tentabo Dominum. Est tamen super hoC verbo culpatus. ct dicitur ad eum (vers. 13): Audite nunc, domus David. Nunquid modicum vobis præstare certamen hominibus, et quomodo Domino præstatis certamen? Deinde dicitur haec repromissio (vers. 14): Ideo Dominus ipse dabit vobis signum. Ecce virgo in utero accipiet, et pariet filium, et vocabis nomen ejus Emmanuel. Hæc ex. ponantur, et de reliquis videbimus, indigentes et iii illis gratia Dci ut manifestentur. Jubetur ut pelat signum, non simpliciter, sed sibi ipsi. Sermo qUippe ait (vers. 11): Pete tibi signum a Domino Deo tuo iit profundum aut in excelsum. Propositum est signum Domninus meus Jcsus Christus. Huc enim est signum quod jubetur ut sibi postulet it! profundum aut in excelsum. In profundum quidem, quia qui descendit, ipse est. In excelsum vero, quia qui ascendit super omnes coelos, ipse est. Mihi autem hoc signum propositum Dominus incus Jesus Christus in profundum et in excelsum, nihil prodest, si non mihi liat mysterium de profundo et excelso ejus. Cum cniin ego recepero mysterium de ChrisLo Jcsu, de profundo et excelso, tunc accipiam signum secundum præceptum Domini, et dicotur mihi qUasi habenti in memetipso profundum ct excelsum: Neque dixeris in core tuo: Quis ascendit in cœlum? Hoc est Christum deducere. Aut quis descendit in abyssum? Hoc cat Christum ex mortuis reducere Juxta est verbum tuum vehemens in ord tuo, et in corde tuo. Praecipitur ergo nobis omnihus, ut pctamus nobis hoc signum, ut nobis utile fiat signum quod dat Dominus Deus in profundum ct in excelsum. Si quis autem est qui sciat, et rationabili contemplatione cognoscat hoc quod dictum est, in profundum et in excelsum, non disjunctive esse dictum, significat enim hoc quod utrum que possit. Pete tibi signum « Domino in profundum et in excelsum. Ei in promissione autem dixit Apostolus: Vt cognoscamus quid sit profundum et excelsum, et longitudo, et latitudo. Et dixit Achaz: Non petum. Incredulus fuit. T ixit eniam: Pete tibi ipsi. Populus autem usque hoJie non petit signum, propterea non babet illum, et praebet Domino certamen populus qui non recipit Dominum moum Jesum Christum. Deinde alia se.juitur quæstio. Islo enim dicente: Non petam, neque tentubo Dominum; et æstiante tentationem esse si peleret signum, ait: Audite nunc, domui David Nun I.d no:bis modicum est prœstare certamen hominibus, et quomodo Domino prœstatis certamen? Non præstat autem certamen Domino, ncquc honainibus eum arbitror præstare certamen qui petit signum in profundum aut in excelsum. Certamen quippe Dei est, quomodo salvet hominem.Non præstat igitur C rlamen Domino qui confugii ad salutem. Qui vcro Domino certante ut salvet hominem, fugit a salutite, et procuI recedit a Domino, præstat Domino certamen. Ideo dabit Dominus ipse vobis sigim. Ecce virgo in utero accipiet, et pariet filium, et vocabit nomen ejus Emmanuel. Vcrilas exemplarium prophetæ hujus dicit, vocabis. In Matthæo porro scimus lectitari: Et vocabitur nomen ejus Emmanuel. Non possumus dicere, <;uia oporteat minus aliquid facere de prOpIcIa. Quomodo vero Evangelium hanc habet scripturam? Utrum ab aliquo non in.: telligente, ct ad faciliora currente, quomodo et iti aliis multis factum est; an sic a principio, ut dicat forsitan aliquis editum esse Evangelium; qui vult deliberet. Propheta quidem manifeste habcl, et vocabis nomen ejus Emmanuel. Novi quemdam in exordio scripturarum Evangelii legentem: Et t'ocubis nomen ejus Emmanuel, dixisse intra scipsum: Quid est, vocabis? Quis tocabiL? Achaz. Et quomodo potuit Achaz de Salvatore qui postgenerationcs multas venit, audire: Vocabit nomen ejut Emmanuel; atque ita pro eo quod est, rocabia, scripsisse, vocabitur. Sed vide quia non Achaz dicitur: Et vocabis nomen ejus Emmanuel, sed donni David vide manifeste dictum: Audite nunc, domus David: Nunquid modicum vobis est prœstare certamen hominibus, et quomodo Domino prœstatis certamen? Ideo dabit Dominu. ipse vobis signum. Ecce virgo in utero concipiet, et pariet filium, et vocabis nomen ejut Emmanuel. Sed quando itaque non intelligimus hoc quod dictum est, nihil ex eo minus faciamus, neque ad faciliora curramus, sed exspectemus donec gratia Dei subjiciat nobis per illuminationem scientiæ explanationem quaestonis; aui certe rursum gratia Dci per quem vult illuminet nos, ut non ullra quæramus, sed quaestio nostra solvatur. Si autem temere ad non intellecta prorumpimus, nos ipsos causabimur. Quae est ergo domus David? Si David Christus est, ut frequenter probavi, domus David nos sumus Ecclesia Dei; et dicitur nobis qui Ecclesia sumus, ut non praestemus certamen Deo supra dictam, sed dante Domino si - gnum suscipiamus illud. Nobis, non domui David ista dicuntur. Ef prophetatur, quia si quis est domus David, 'vocabit nomen ejus Emmanuel. In adventu enim Christi sora Ec lesia nostfi de Christo dicit: Nobiscum Deus. His ut dedit gratia Dci cxplanatis, alia jam quæramus ænigmata. Vers. 15. Butyrum et mel manducabit. Quomodo Christus prophetatur butyrum et mel comeslurus? Si hoc fuerit expsitum DominO tribuente, rursus ea quæ sequuntur, aliam nobis ingerent quaestionem. Utinamque omnes faceremus illui quod scriptum es!: Scrutamini Scripturas. Plura ex corporalibus cibis nominata sunt in Scripturis pro escis spiritalibus. Quasi modo nati parvuli rationabile et sine dolo lat desiderate. Ergo tst sine dubio lac rationabile, et oportet nohis istiusmodi lac quaerere. Rursum in Proverbiis de melle scriptum: Mel inveniens comede quod sufficit, ne forte plenus evomas. Num curavit Spiritus sanctus de melle isto quod notum est, ne forte plus comcdamus? Sed sentiens utique Spiritus sanctus mel spiritale ait: Met inveniens comede quod sufficit. Quid autem sentiens Spirhus sanctus praecepit nobis, nt si inveniremus mel, invenibile esi si qui!cm mel, comedamus quod sufficit? Vade, ait, ad apem, ei disce quomodo operatrix HIO Et inveniuntur prophetæ apes l'sse. Fingunt siquidem ceras, et mella conficiunt, et siandi. nti mihi expedit dicere, favicorum scripturæ sint quas reliquerunt. Et volens veni ad Scripturas, et inveni mel. Sed comede mel. Et in Proverbiis rursus dicitur: Bonus est enim favus, ut indulcentur fauces tuœ. Putasne hoc dicit Spiritus sanctus, comedc me! quod in uso est, bonum enim est? Ego non audeo dicere quia de melle corporeo mihi præcipiat Spiritus sanctus, comede mel. EcCe non habeo, aut certe nalurac hujusmodi sum, ut de melle comedere non possim: qua ratione mihi dicit, comede mel, et noli comedere carnes, sed comede, fili, niel, bonum est enim. Si videas apes prophetas, et opus corum mella vel favos, tunc videbis quomodo pro dignitate sancti Spiritus intelligas, comede met, fili, bonum est enim. Si quis meditatur eloquia divina, et nutritur sermonibus Scripturarum, complet mandatum divinum jubens, comede mel, fili; ct faciens quod jussum est, potitur sermone qui sequitur, bonum est enim. Quia honum est hoc mel, quod in Scripturis invenitur. Quod antem dicitur: Vade ad apem, istiusmodi cst. Est quædam, ut ita dicam, apis supcr apcs: et quomodo inter apes rex quidam est qui nominatur esse rex, sic princeps apum Dominus est Jesus Chri.. stus, ad quem mittit me Spiritus sanctus ut comedam mel, bonum cst enim, et favus ejuc ut indulcentur fauces meæ. Et fortc subtiliores litteræ favi erunt, mel vero cst qui in liis cst intellectus. Iste porro qui est natus ex virgine Enunanuel, butyrum et mel manducat, et quaTit ab unoquoque nostrum butyrum manducare. Quomodo a singulis nostrum butyrum quaerit et mel, sermo edocebit. Opera,nostra dulcia, sermones nostri suavissimi et utiles, mella sunt quæ manducat Emmanuel, quæ manducat iste qui natus est de virgine. Si vero sermones nostri amaritudine pleni sunt, ira, animositate, molestia, turpiloquio, vitiis, contentione, dedit in os meum fel, et non comedit ab his sermonibus Salvator. Comedet autem Salvator de sermonibus qui sunt apud homines, si fuerint sermones corum mel. Approbemus hoc de Scripturis: Ecce sto ad ostium, et pulso. Si quis aperuerit mihi ostium, ingrediar ad eum, et coenabo cum illo et ille mecum. Igitur ipse pollicetur se ex nostris cœnaturum nobiscum esse. Certum est autem qu:a et nos cum illo coenamus, si coenemus illum. Comedens quippe de nostris bonis sermonibus, operibus et intellectu, repascit nos suis escis spiritalibus, et divinis, et melioribus. propterea quia hea.tum est suscipcre Salvalorem, apertis ostiis principalis cordis nostri, præparemus ei mella, et omnem coenam ejus; ut ipse nos ducat ad magnam coenam Patris in regno cœlorum, quæ est in Christo Jcsu, cui est gloria et imperium in saecula saeculorum. Amen. ### English translation (Claude) On the text, “Behold, a virgin shall conceive in the womb,” etc. (Isa 7). 1. As far as the words are concerned, Ahaz acted modestly when he was commanded to ask for a sign in the depth or in the height, and he gave a reason why he would not ask. For he says: “I will not ask, and I will not tempt the Lord.” Yet he is blamed for this word, and it is said to him: “Hear now, house of David: Is it a small thing for you to put up a contest with men, and how do you put up a contest with the Lord?” Then this promise is spoken: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall receive in the womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Emmanuel.” Let these things be expounded, and we shall see about the rest, needing the grace of God in them too, that they may be made clear. He is commanded to ask for a sign, not simply, but for himself. For the word says: “Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God, in the depth or in the height.” The sign set forth is my Lord Jesus Christ. For this is the sign which he is commanded to ask for himself in the depth or in the height: in the depth, because it is he who descended; in the height, because it is he who ascended above all the heavens. But this sign set forth to me, my Lord Jesus Christ, in the depth and in the height, profits me nothing unless the mystery of his depth and height comes about for me. For when I receive the mystery of Christ Jesus, of the depth and the height, then I shall receive the sign according to the Lord's command, and it will be said to me as one having in himself the depth and the height: “Do not say in your heart: Who has ascended into heaven? that is, to bring Christ down; or, Who has descended into the abyss? that is, to bring Christ up from the dead. The word is near, very near, in your mouth and in your heart.” It is commanded, then, to all of us to ask this sign for ourselves, so that the sign which the Lord God gives in the depth and in the height may become useful to us. And if there is anyone who knows and recognizes by reasoned contemplation that the words “in the depth and in the height” were not said disjunctively, for it means that it can be both: “Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord, in the depth and in the height.” And in a promise the Apostle said: “that we may know what is the depth and the height and the length and the breadth.” “And Ahaz said: I will not ask.” He was unbelieving; for he said: Ask for yourself. But the people to this day does not ask for the sign; therefore it does not have it, and the people which does not receive my Lord Jesus Christ puts up a contest with the Lord. Then another question follows. For when he says, “I will not ask, and I will not tempt the Lord,” and thinks it a temptation to ask for a sign, it is said: “Hear now, house of David: Is it a small thing for you to put up a contest with men, and how do you put up a contest with the Lord?” But I do not think that one who asks for a sign in the depth or in the height puts up a contest with the Lord, or with men. For God's contest is how to save man. He who flees for refuge to salvation does not put up a contest with the Lord. But he who, while the Lord contends to save man, flees from salvation and withdraws far from the Lord, puts up a contest with the Lord. “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin shall receive in the womb and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel.” The true reading of the copies of this prophet says “you shall call.” In Matthew we know it is read: “And his name shall be called Emmanuel.” We cannot say that anything of the prophecy should be made less. How, then, does the Gospel have this reading? Whether by someone who did not understand and ran to what was easier, as has happened in many other places too; or whether it was so from the beginning, so that someone might perhaps say that the Gospel was issued so: let whoever wishes deliberate. The prophet certainly has plainly, “and you shall call his name Emmanuel.” I know of someone who, reading in the copy of the Gospel writings, “and you shall call his name Emmanuel,” said within himself: “What is ‘you shall call’? Who shall call? Ahaz? And how could Ahaz hear about the Savior, who came many generations later, ‘He shall call his name Emmanuel’?” And so, instead of “you shall call,” he wrote “shall be called.” But see that it is not said to Ahaz, “And you shall call his name Emmanuel,” but see that it is plainly said to the house of David: “Hear now, house of David: Is it a small thing for you to put up a contest with men, and how do you put up a contest with the Lord? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin shall conceive in the womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Emmanuel.” But when we do not understand what has been said, let us not make anything of it less, nor run to what is easier, but let us wait until the grace of God gives us the explanation of the question through the enlightenment of knowledge; or else the grace of God may enlighten us through whom it wills, so that we no longer seek, but our question is solved. But if we rashly break out into things not understood, we shall have ourselves to blame. What, then, is the house of David? If David is Christ, as I have often proved, we, the church of God, are the house of David; and it is said to us who are the church that we should not put up a contest with God, as said above, but receive the sign when the Lord gives it. These things are said to us, not to the house of David. And it is prophesied that, if anyone is the house of David, he shall call his name Emmanuel. For at the coming of Christ our church alone says of Christ: God with us. These things having been explained as the grace of God has granted, let us now seek other riddles. “Butter and honey he shall eat.” How is Christ prophesied as going to eat butter and honey? If this is explained, the Lord granting, the things that follow will again bring us another question. Would that we all did what is written: “Search the Scriptures.” Many things are named in the Scriptures from bodily foods in place of spiritual foods. “As newborn babes, long for the rational milk without guile.” So there is without doubt a rational milk, and we must seek milk of this kind. Again, in Proverbs it is written of honey: “Finding honey, eat what is enough, lest perhaps, being full, you vomit.” Did the Holy Spirit care about this honey which is known, lest perhaps we eat too much? But surely the Holy Spirit, meaning spiritual honey, says: “Finding honey, eat what is enough.” And what does the Holy Spirit mean in commanding us that, if we find honey (it can be found, if indeed it is honey), we should eat what is enough? “Go,” he says, “to the bee, and learn how she is a worker.” And the prophets are found to be bees. For they shape wax and make honey; and, if I may say so, the scriptures they have left are their honeycombs. And willingly I came to the Scriptures and found honey. But eat the honey. And again in Proverbs it is said: “For the honeycomb is good, that your throat may be sweetened.” Do you think the Holy Spirit says this, “Eat the honey that is in use, for it is good”? I do not dare to say that the Holy Spirit commands me concerning bodily honey, “Eat honey.” See, I do not have it, or perhaps I am of such a constitution that I cannot eat honey: on what ground does he say to me, “Eat honey,” and not “Do not eat meat,” but “Eat honey, my son, for it is good”? If you see the prophets as bees and their work as honey or honeycombs, then you will see how you may understand, according to the dignity of the Holy Spirit, “Eat honey, my son, for it is good.” If anyone meditates on the divine oracles and is nourished by the words of the Scriptures, he fulfills the divine command which says, “Eat honey, my son”; and doing what is commanded, he gains the word that follows, “for it is good,” because this honey which is found in the Scriptures is good. And the saying, “Go to the bee,” is of this kind: there is, so to speak, a bee above the bees; and as among bees there is a certain king who is called king, so the prince of bees is the Lord Jesus Christ, to whom the Holy Spirit sends me to eat honey, for it is good, and his honeycomb, that my throat may be sweetened. And perhaps the subtler letters will be the honeycomb, while the honey is the meaning that is in them. Now this Emmanuel, who was born of the virgin, eats butter and honey, and he asks each of us for butter to eat. How he asks butter and honey of each of us, the word will teach. Our sweet works, our most pleasant and useful words, are the honey which Emmanuel eats, which he who was born of the virgin eats. But if our words are full of bitterness, anger, animosity, vexation, foul talk, vices, contention, “he gave gall into my mouth,” and the Savior does not eat of these words. But the Savior will eat of the words that are among men, if their words are honey. Let us prove this from the Scriptures: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone opens the door to me, I will come in to him, and I will dine with him and he with me.” So he himself promises that he will dine with us from what is ours. And it is certain that we too dine with him, if we dine on him. For, eating of our good words, works, and understanding, he feeds us in return with his spiritual, divine, and better foods. Therefore, because it is blessed to receive the Savior, having opened the doors of the ruling part of our heart, let us prepare for him honey and his whole supper, that he may lead us to the great supper of the Father in the kingdom of heaven, which is in Christ Jesus, to whom be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. ### Scripture references - Isa 7:10: quotation, high confidence - Isa 7:11: quotation, high confidence - Isa 7:12: quotation, high confidence - Isa 7:13: quotation, high confidence - Isa 7:14: quotation, high confidence - Isa 7:15: quotation, high confidence - Eph 4:10: allusion, high confidence - Rom 10:6: quotation, high confidence - Rom 10:8: quotation, high confidence - Eph 3:18: quotation, high confidence - Matt 1:23: quotation, high confidence - John 5:39: quotation, high confidence - 1 Pet 2:2: quotation, high confidence - Prov 25:16: quotation, high confidence - Prov 6:8: quotation, medium confidence - Prov 24:13: quotation, high confidence - Ps 69:21 (68:22 LXX): quotation, medium confidence - Rev 3:20: quotation, high confidence - Luke 14:16: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The heading (On the text …) is transmitted with the homily. Origen notes that Isaiah reads “you shall call” where Matthew has “his name shall be called” (Matt 1:23), and declines to decide whether the Gospel text was altered; translated as written. Isa 7:14 is quoted as “receive” and “conceive” in the womb, as in the Latin. The digital text has many OCR errors, translated by sense; the footnote numbers that leaked into the text are removed below. Quotations and allusions: Isa 7:10–15; Eph 4:9–10; Rom 10:6–8; Eph 3:18; Matt 1:23; John 5:39; 1 Pet 2:2; Prov 25:16; Prov 6:8 (LXX addition on the bee); Prov 24:13; Ps 69:21 (Ps 68:22 LXX); Rev 3:20; Luke 14:16. ### Citation (SBL) Origen, Hom. Isa. 2 (PL 24:941a–945c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-homiliae-isaiam/1/#p-2). ## Homily on Isaiah 3 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-homiliae-isaiam/3/#p-3 - Source: PL 24:945c–947d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Origen reads the seven women of Isa 4:1 as the sevenfold Spirit of Isa 11:2, reproached by false wisdom, which rested fully only on Jesus, the shoot of Jesse, whose name they take. ### Latin text De septem mulieribus (cap. IV). Septem mulieres patiuntur opprobrium, et circumeunt quærentes eum recipere, qui possit auferre opprobrium carum. Ipsæ septem mulieres repromittunt ut suum panem manducent, ct vestimentis suis operiantur. Non necesse habent panem ejus, sed nomen ejus qui opprobrium earum possit auferre. Non indigent vestimentis hominis quem assumunt. Meliora habent vestimenta quam potest eis homo praestare. Lautiores habent cibos, quam conditio potest humana largiri. Cujus ergo sint septem mulieres, et quod sit opprobrium earum, dignum est considerare. Septem mulieres una sunt, Spiritus enim Dei sunt. Et est ista una, septem sunt. Spiritus enim Dci est spiritus sapientiae et intellectus, spiritus consilii et virtutis, spiritus scientiae ct pictatis, spiritus timoris Domini. Ista sapicntia patitur opprobrium a multis sapientiis insurgentibus in se. Iste vcrus intellectus sustinet opprobrium ab intellectibus falsis. Istud magnum consilium opprobratur a multis consiliis non bonis. Ista virtus maledicitur a quadam, quae cum non sit virtus, repromittit se esse virtutem. Ista scientia patitur opprobrium a quadam fais! nominis scientia nomen suum subripiente. Ista pietas exprobratur ab eI, quæ cum se dicat esse pietatem, impietas est, et impios instruit. Iste timor patitur opprobrium ab eo qui putatur esse timor. Multi enim pollicentur divinum metum, sed non cum scientia metuunt. Quomodo ergo istæ septem patiuntur opprobrium consideremus. Vide sapientiam sæculi hujus, vide sapientiam principum mundi hujus, quomodo exprobrant sapientiam Christi mei, et quomodo exprobrant sapientiam Judaismi veri, juxta quem nos circumcidimur spiritaliter, isti vero præciduntur. Intellige itaque quomodo sapientia sarculi hujus et principum mundi istius, malcdicunt sa pientiae; et ob hoc quæritur homo qui cum istis septem spiritalibus velut mulieribus sit, ut auferat earum opprobrium. Proprie unus est homo qui auferat carum opprobrium. Quis est iste homo? Jesus qui exivit juxta carnem de radice Jesse factus ex semine David secundum carnem, prœdestinatur Filius Dei in virtute juxta spiritum justificationis I. Exiit quippe virga de radice Jesse. Virga non est primogenitus omnis creaturae, virga non est qui in principio erat apud Deum Deus Verbum, sed virga de radice Jesse, qui juxta carnem natus est. Exiit ergo virga de radice Jesse, et flos de radiec ejus ascendit. Quis est flos et quæ cst radia? Ambo enim in unum idipsum subjacent. Differentia autem est negotiorum. Nam si peccator es, non est tibi flos, neque videbis florcm qui est ex radico Jesse. Venict cnim et ad te virga, quomodo disoipulus virgae et Oloris loquitur. De virga quidem dicit: Quid vultis, in virga veniam ad vos? Dc flore vero: An in charitate Dei et spiritu mansuetudinia? Exiit ergo de radice Jesse virga sapientiæ ei qui suppliciis plectitur, virga ei qui indict increpatione, virga ei qui necesse habet ut arguatur; flos vero ei qui jam cruditus est, et non indiget dura correctione, vet certe non indiget poenis, sed valenti jam florere incipere, et ad perfectum fructum exire. Primum enim flos ostenditur, deinde post florem virga fit et ad fruclum exit. Exiit virga de radice Jesse, et nos de radice ejus ascendet, et requiescent super eum septem mulieres, spiritus Domini, spiritns sapientiæ et intellectus requiescet super eum. Spiritus enim sapientiae non requie.. vit in Moyse, spiritus sapientiae non requievit iu Jrsu Navc, spiritus sapientie non requievit in singulis prophetarum, in Isaia, in Jeremia. 2. Nee vero quasi blasphemantem inc lapidetis dum velim glorificare Dominum meum Jesum Chrisium: sed sustinentes considerate quQjd dicitqr, ct videbitis quia in nullo eorum requieverit spiritus, non quod ad nullum eorum venerit, sed quod in nullo requieverit. Venit super Moysem, et non crpdidit Moyses post spiritum sapientiæ qui venit ad eum. Audite enim, ait, contumaces: Nunquid ex petra ista educam vobis aquam? Venit super omnes iustos, venit et super Isaiam; sed quid ait? Immunda labia habens; et in medio populi immunda labia habentis, ego habito. Venit spiritus sapien tiæ post illam forcipem, et ignem, venit ad immunda labia habentem, sed non requievit. Ministro quidem eo usus est, nun autem requievit. Tribulatur ad quemcumque vcnerit. hominem. peccat eaim omnis homo, nec est juStus super terram qui faciat bonum, et nou peccet. Nemo mundus a sordibus, neque si una die sit vita ejus; numerati autem menses ejus, Igitur super nullum requiescit. Possumus et de Evangelio probare, quia venit spiritus super multos, et non mansit io cis. Ante paululum lectum est: Non permanebit spiritui meus in hominibus istis in æternum. Non ait, non erit, sed, non permanebit. Unum vidit Joannes solum in auo permansit, et sir gnum boc crat: Super quem videris Spiritum descendentem, et manentem in eo, iste est Filius Dei. Ministravit quidem verbo Pci spiritu descendente: post modicum peccat, post modicum otiosum ver-J bum loquitur: nescio autem si et sine peccato maneat. Putasne praesente spiritu peccare conceditur? Super nullum ergo requievit spiritus Dei secundum quod scriptum est: Exiit rirga de radice Jesse et flos de radice ejus ascendit, et requiescit super eum spiritus Dei, spiritus sapientiæ, spiritus intellectus, spiriritus consilii et virtutis. Propter hoc magoi consiiii est angelus, propter hoc invaluit, et invalescens ascendit, et mirantur eum virtutes ascendentem, et dicunt de eo; Iste est Dominus fortis et potens in ' praelio. Ad. hunc ergo dipam in coelestia ascendentem, vel ad fortitudinem ejus. Et requievit super eum spiritus consiliiet fortitudinis. fortitudo mea, et laus mea Dominus, et factus eat mihi in salutem. Requievit ergo super eum spiritus Dei, spiritus sapientiæ et intelleclus, spiritus consilii et fortitudinis, spiritus sapientæ et pietatis, et implevit eum spiritus timoris Domini. Mulieres igitur quærentesd quem assumant, apprehendent septem unum hominem. Et boc ex priori- HI. pendet, et opportet, prirno cognoscere quando recipiant septem mulieres unum hominem. Cum fortes Hierusalem humiliati fuerint, cum luxerint thecæ eorum ornamenta filiarum Sion, cum derelicta fuerit illa sola, cum elisa fuerit ad terram, tunc apprehendent septem mulieres unum hominem dicentes: Panem nostrum manducabimus, et vestimentis nostris openemur; verumtamen nomen tuum invocetur super noa. Tunc apprehendent et vere tenebunt septem mulieres hominem unum Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum juxta quod intelligitur homo, juxta quod naHts est, juxta quod corpus assumpsit. Apprehendent septem mulieres hominem unum, dicentes: Panem nostrum manducabimus. Multi ambulant homines, et nullum apprehendunt mulieres, nullus eis placet homo. Non enim propter inopiam hominum unum hominem apprehendunt, non propter raritatem bominis qualem voluerunt, talem quæsierunt; unuin solum repererunt hominem quem apprehen derunt, ut dicant ei: Panem nostrum manducabimus, et vestimentis nostris operiemur. Est quidam cibas sapientiae, est quidam cibus similiter intellectus et rer. quorum spirituum. Quis est iste cibus? Non timeo dicere, cibus alius est extra Istos, forte ut meus est eibus sermo Dei, qui ait: Ego sum panis vivens qui de cælo descendi, et vitam do mundo; sic sapientiæ cibus ipse pater. Propter hoc est: Meus cibus est, ut faciam voluntatem ejus qui me misit, ut consummem opus ejus. Nec putandum est aliquo indigere sapientiam et intellectum, caeterosque spiritus, quia alium cibum habeant, cam totius dispensationis unus ait cibus natura Dei. Panem nostrum manducabimus, et vestimentis nostris operiemur. Est quidam Ornatus sapientiae quo decoratur. Ornata est sermone sapientia. Singulae harum - mulierum habent ornamenta. Verumtamen nomen tuum invocetur super nos, aufer opprobrium nostrum. Quod est nomen sapientiæ? Jesus. Quid est: Invocetur nomen tuum super nos? Ego sum sapientia, volo tuo nomine vocari ut ego sapientia dicar Jesus, ut intellectus et consilium magnum et fortitudo, et scientia et pietas et timor Dei nominentur Jesus, ut omnia in omnibus nomen tuum GaL Nomen tuum invocetur super nos, ąufer opprobrium nostrum. Revera abstulit opprobrium Jesus. Idcirco surgentes, oremus Deum qui hunc misit hominem. ut septem mulierum spiritus in eo requiesceret, ut et nobis iste homo tribuat communionem harum mulierum; ut assumentes eas fiamus sapientes, intelligentes in Deo et hominibus, virtu tibus adornantes animam nostram In Christo Jesu, cui est gloria et imperium in saecula sæcutorum. Amen. ### English translation (Claude) On the seven women (Isa 4). Seven women suffer reproach and go about seeking to receive one who can take away their reproach. These seven women promise that they will eat their own bread and be covered with their own clothing. They do not need his bread, but the name of him who can take away their reproach. They do not need the clothing of the man they take; they have better clothing than a man can provide them. They have more splendid food than the human condition can bestow. Whose, then, the seven women are, and what their reproach is, deserves consideration. The seven women are one, for they are the Spirit of God; and this one is seven. For the Spirit of God is the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and godliness, the spirit of the fear of the Lord. This wisdom suffers reproach from many wisdoms rising up against it. This true understanding endures reproach from false understandings. This great counsel is reproached by many counsels that are not good. This strength is cursed by one which, though it is not strength, promises that it is strength. This knowledge suffers reproach from a knowledge falsely so called, which steals its name. This godliness is reproached by one which, though it calls itself godliness, is impiety and instructs the impious. This fear suffers reproach from what is thought to be fear; for many promise the divine fear, but do not fear with knowledge. Let us consider, then, how these seven suffer reproach. See the wisdom of this age, see the wisdom of the rulers of this world, how they reproach the wisdom of my Christ, and how they reproach the wisdom of true Judaism, according to which we are circumcised spiritually, while they are cut off. Understand, then, how the wisdom of this age and of the rulers of this world curse wisdom; and for this reason a man is sought to be with these seven spiritual ones as with women, to take away their reproach. Properly there is one man who takes away their reproach. Who is this man? Jesus, who came forth according to the flesh from the root of Jesse, made of the seed of David according to the flesh, predestined Son of God in power according to the spirit of justification. For a rod came forth from the root of Jesse. The rod is not the firstborn of all creation; the rod is not the God Word who was in the beginning with God; but the rod from the root of Jesse is he who was born according to the flesh. A rod, then, came forth from the root of Jesse, and a flower rose up from his root. Who is the flower, and what is the root? For both lie under one and the same thing; but the difference is in their functions. For if you are a sinner, there is no flower for you, nor will you see the flower which is from the root of Jesse. For the rod will come to you, as the disciple of the rod and the flower says. Of the rod he says: “What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod?” And of the flower: “Or in the love of God and a spirit of gentleness?” A rod of wisdom, then, came forth from the root of Jesse for one who is struck with punishments, a rod for one who needs rebuke, a rod for one who needs to be reproved; but a flower for one who is already instructed and does not need harsh correction, or at least does not need punishments, but is already able to begin to flower and come forth to perfect fruit. For first the flower is shown; then after the flower the rod comes forth to fruit. “A rod came forth from the root of Jesse, and a flower will rise from his root,” and the seven women will rest upon him: “the Spirit of the Lord, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, will rest upon him.” For the spirit of wisdom did not rest on Moses, the spirit of wisdom did not rest on Joshua son of Nun, the spirit of wisdom did not rest on each of the prophets, on Isaiah, on Jeremiah. 2. Do not stone me as a blasphemer when I wish to glorify my Lord Jesus Christ; but bear with me, consider what is said, and you will see that the Spirit did not rest on any of them: not that it did not come to any of them, but that it rested on none. It came upon Moses, and Moses did not believe after the spirit of wisdom had come to him. For he says, “Hear, you rebels: Shall I bring water for you out of this rock?” It came upon all the righteous, it came also upon Isaiah; but what does he say? “Having unclean lips, I dwell in the midst of a people having unclean lips.” The spirit of wisdom came after that tongs and fire; it came to one having unclean lips, but it did not rest. It used him as a minister, but it did not rest. Whatever man it comes to is afflicted; for every man sins, and “there is no righteous man on earth who does good and does not sin.” “No one is clean from filth, even if his life is one day; his months are numbered.” So it rests on no one. We can prove from the Gospel too that the Spirit came upon many and did not remain in them. A little while ago it was read: “My spirit shall not remain in these men for ever.” He does not say, “shall not be,” but, “shall not remain.” John saw one alone in whom it remained; and this was the sign: “He on whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining on him, this is the Son of God.” Someone has ministered to the word of God with the Spirit descending; after a little he sins, after a little he speaks an idle word; and I do not know whether he remains without sin. Do you think it is allowed to sin while the Spirit is present? So the Spirit of God rested on no one, according to what is written: “A rod came forth from the root of Jesse, and a flower rose from his root, and the Spirit of God rests upon him, the spirit of wisdom, the spirit of understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength.” For this reason he is the angel of great counsel; for this reason he prevailed, and, prevailing, ascended, and the powers wonder at him as he ascends, and say of him: “This is the Lord, strong and mighty in battle.” To him, then, as he ascends into heaven, or to his strength, I will say: “And the spirit of counsel and strength rested upon him. My strength and my praise is the Lord, and he has become my salvation.” The Spirit of God, then, rested upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and godliness, and the spirit of the fear of the Lord filled him. The women, then, seeking whom to take, will lay hold of one man, the seven of them. And this depends on what precedes, and we must first learn when the seven women receive one man. When the strong men of Jerusalem have been humbled, when the coffers of the ornaments of the daughters of Zion have mourned, when she has been left alone, when she has been dashed to the ground, then “seven women will lay hold of one man, saying: We will eat our own bread and be clothed with our own clothing; only let your name be called upon us.” Then seven women will lay hold of, and truly hold, one man, Jesus Christ our Lord, insofar as he is understood as man, insofar as he was born, insofar as he took a body. Seven women will lay hold of one man, saying: “We will eat our own bread.” Many men walk about, and the women lay hold of none; no man pleases them. For they do not lay hold of one man for lack of men, nor because a man such as they wanted is rare did they seek such a one; they found one man alone whom they laid hold of, to say to him: “We will eat our own bread and be clothed with our own clothing.” There is a certain food of wisdom; there is likewise a certain food of understanding and of the other spirits. What is this food? I am not afraid to say: the food is not something else outside them. Perhaps, as my food is the word of God, who says, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven and give life to the world,” so the food of wisdom is the Father himself. Hence it is: “My food is to do the will of him who sent me, to finish his work.” Nor must it be thought that wisdom and understanding and the other spirits need anything, because they have another food, since the one food of the whole dispensation is the nature of God. “We will eat our own bread and be clothed with our own clothing.” There is a certain adornment of wisdom by which it is decorated; wisdom is adorned with speech. Each of these women has ornaments. “Only let your name be called upon us; take away our reproach.” What is the name of wisdom? Jesus. What is, “Let your name be called upon us”? I am wisdom; I wish to be called by your name, so that I, wisdom, may be called Jesus; that understanding and great counsel and strength and knowledge and godliness and the fear of God may be named Jesus; that your name may be all in all. “Let your name be called upon us; take away our reproach.” Truly Jesus took away the reproach. Therefore let us rise and pray to God, who sent this man so that the spirit of the seven women might rest on him, that this man may grant us too fellowship with these women; that, taking them, we may become wise and understanding before God and men, adorning our soul with virtues in Christ Jesus, to whom be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. ### Scripture references - Isa 4:1: quotation, high confidence - Isa 11:1: quotation, high confidence - Isa 11:2: quotation, high confidence - Isa 11:3: allusion, high confidence - 1 Tim 6:20: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 2:6: allusion, high confidence - Rom 2:29: allusion, medium confidence - Rom 1:3: quotation, high confidence - Rom 1:4: quotation, high confidence - Col 1:15: allusion, high confidence - John 1:1: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 4:21: quotation, high confidence - John 10:33: allusion, medium confidence - Num 20:10: quotation, high confidence - Isa 6:5: quotation, high confidence - Eccl 7:20: quotation, high confidence - Job 14:4: quotation, high confidence - Job 14:5: quotation, high confidence - Gen 6:3: quotation, high confidence - John 1:33: quotation, high confidence - Isa 9:6: allusion, high confidence - Ps 24:8 (23:8 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Exod 15:2: quotation, high confidence - Isa 3:25: allusion, medium confidence - John 6:51: quotation, high confidence - John 4:34: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 15:28: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The heading (On the seven women) is transmitted with the homily. Origen's claim that the Spirit “rested” on no prophet but only on Christ is his own interpretation of Isa 11:2 and John 1:33; translated as written. The digital text has many OCR errors, translated by sense. Quotations and allusions: Isa 4:1; Isa 11:1–3; 1 Tim 6:20; 1 Cor 2:6; Rom 2:28–29; Rom 1:3–4; Col 1:15; John 1:1–2; 1 Cor 4:21; John 10:31–33; Num 20:10; Isa 6:5–6; Eccl 7:20; Job 14:4–5 (LXX); Gen 6:3; John 1:33; Isa 9:6 (LXX “angel of great counsel”); Ps 24:8; Exod 15:2; Isa 3:16–26; John 6:51; John 4:34; 1 Cor 15:28. ### Citation (SBL) Origen, Hom. Isa. 3 (PL 24:945c–947d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-homiliae-isaiam/3/#p-3). ## Homily on Isaiah 4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-homiliae-isaiam/3/#p-4 - Source: PL 24:947d–951c - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Origen returns to Isaiah's vision: God's beginning and end are hidden, the seraphim proclaim the threefold holiness, God's glory fills the earth through holy lives, and the burning coal from the altar is Christ's purifying word. ### Latin text De visione Dei et seraphim (cap. VI). Impossibile est invenire principium Dei. Principium ortus Dei nusquam comprehendis. Non dieo tu, sed neque aliquis, neque aliud quidquam eorum quæ subsistunt. Solus Salvatoret Spiritus sanctus qui semper fuerunt cum Deo, vident faciem ejus; et forte angeli qui vident jugiter faciem Patris qui est in coelis, vident et principia negotiorum. Sic autem et pedes abscondunt ante homines seraphim. Novissima enim ut sunt, non valent enarrari. Quis annuntiavit de novissimis? ait Scriptura. Quæ videmus (ut tamen concrdatur, quia aliqua vidcmus) mcdia suni.: quæ ante mundum fuerint, ignoramus. Fuerunt porto quædam ante mundum. Quæ post mundum secutura sint, ad certum non apprehendimus. Erunt autem alia post mundum. Ea igitur quæ scripta sunt: In principio fecit Deus cœlum et terram, terra autem ernt invisibilis et incomposita, et tenebœ erant super abyssum, et spiritus Dei ferebatur super equas, apprehenduntur. Mundæ crant aqure istæ, in quibus incubabat spiritus Dei. Sed et tenebra quae super abyssum erant, non sunt ingenitæ. Utrumque enim ex nihilo crcatum est. Audi in Isaia dicentem Dominum: Ego Deus qui construxi lucem, et feci tenebras. Audi sapientiam in Proverbiis praedicantem: Ante omnes abyssos nata sum. Non erant ista ingenita, sed quando, vel quomodo sunt nata, nescio. Velantur enim a seraphim priora operum Dei, id est facies Dci; similiter autem et pedes. Ea quæ post extremum sæculum futura sunt in saecula saeculorum, quis potest exponere? Garrulorum est hominum horum notitiam polliceri, nescicntium quia homo ea tantum potest capere quæ media sunt, et ea quæ post mundum usque ad consummationem in judicio sunt futura, de poenis, de retributione. Et horum quoque multa absconsa sunt nobis, ut propter hoc quidem scriptum sit: MIC Duabus velabant faciem. Non solum autem velabant, sed et contegebant, hi est sic velabant, ut nec modicum videretur priorum, dico autem faciei; neque paululum quid agnosceretur novissimorum, hoc est pedum ejus. Duabus volabant. Aperta sunt media ad contemplandum. Et clamabant alter ad alterum. Non alter ad plures, sed alter aij alterum. Audire ciiim sanctitudinem Mei quae annuntiatur a Salvatore, juxta dignitatem rei nemo potest nisi Spiritus sanctus; quomodo rursum inhabitare sanctimoniam Dci quae annuntiatur a Spiritu sancto, nemo potest nisi solus Salvator. Ob id alter ad alterum clamabant, et dicebant: Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus. Nun eis sufficit semei clamare: Sanctus, neque bis, sed perfectum numerum Trinitatis assumunt, ut multitudinem sanctitatis manifestent Dei. quæ est trinæ sanctitatis repetita communitas, sanctitas Patris, sanctitas unigeniti Filii, et Spiritus sancti. Etenim sanctificans et sanctificati ex uno omnes. Qui sanctificat Salvator est, juxta hoc quod homo est a Deo Patre accipiens sanctitatem. Dicunt itaque: Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus Domitus Deus Sabaolh. Interpretatur Sabaoth, ut Aquila tradidit, Dominus militiarum. Plena eat omnis terra gloria ejus. Olim plena domus erat gloria, nunc vera his qui super terram sunt, a seraphim prophetatur, quia futurum sit ut universam terram gloria Dei mei Christus impleat. In omnibus quippe qui conversationc sua glorificent Deum, gloria Dei est, atque ita universa terra plena est gloria Dei. Olim non omnis terra plena erat gloria 9ci, sed unus angulus terræ, quando dicebatur: Notus in Judœa Deus, in Israel magnum nomen ejus. Gloria Deo, qui misil Filium suam, ut omnis terra plena fieret gloria sua. Sed quid tibi prodest, si terra plena sit propter ecclesias beatorum, qui ubicunque sunt, gloria Dei, tu autem non sis particeps gloriae plenitudinis Dei? Et tu ergo labora, et in cunctis enitere ut sis gloriam Dei quærens, ut inhabitet et inveniat locum in te, et Sas etiam tu cum omni terra in qua est gloria Dei plena, gloria ejus. Quomodo fit pcr singulos nostrum plenitudo gloriæ Dei? Si quæ facio, quae loquor, in gloriam Dui flant, plenus sermo meus et actus fit gjoria Dei. Si et processus, et ingressus meus in gloriam Dei est, si cibus, si potus meus, si omnia quae facio, in gloriam Dei fiant, et ego particeps sum istius dieti: Plena est terra gloria ejus. Cum ergo omnia ista fecero, elevatum est superliminare a voce seraphim, qua clamabant. Beatum est itaque unumquemque nostrum ita laborare ut particeps fiat ostii, et superliminaris ostii, quod juxta intellectum est Christus Dens. Neque enim indecens dictu reor ostium carnem, et snperliminaro verbum nuncu- ' pari. 3.Vers. 4, 5. Elevatum eat superliminare a voce qua clamabant, et domus repleta eat fumo. Fumus iste donum est de gloria Dei. Et dixi: 0 miser ego, qnoniam compunctus sum! Antequam videas visionem, non confiteris te esse miserum, o Isaia? Non ait: quandiu vixit Osias, nique in sensum meum venit quia miser essem. Incipio autem nosse quia miser sum, quando video visionem moriente mihi Osia rege leproso, et dico: 0 miser ego! Nunc incipio et ego confiteri Domino, et dicere de memetipso: 0 miser ego! Quomodo Isaias dicit: 0 miser ego. Proxime autem hpic et Apostolus dicit: Miser ego homo, quis me liberatit, de corpore mortis hujus? Beatumest ergo ut miserum me fatear. Si me humiliavero, et poenitens super peccatis meis flevero, exaudiet me Deus, et dabit mihi liberatorem, et dicam: Gratias Qeo per Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum. Verum ex corde dicamus: Miser ego sum. Unusquisque recordetur causas miseriarum suarum et delicta, et dicamus surgentes ad orationem, memores quidem quasi confitentes, obliti autem quasi jam uon facientes, et dicamus: Miser ego,quoniam. compunctus sum. Non est compunctus antequam videret visionem, antequam Osias moreretur: cum incipit pœnitentiam agere, statim dicit: quoniam compunctus sum. Si quis sine sensu est juxta interiorem hominem, cum peccator sit, non compungitur; sed quasi in exteriora membra lice4 adhibeas slimnlum, non sentit mortuum corpus, eodem modo si adhibeas peccatori verba divina mortificato per peccatum, et uon agenti pœnitentiam, neque mœstus est, neque poenitet, neque Irabet tristitiam operantem confessionem, tristitiam quæ secundum Deum est. Si quis autem vult salva- J'i, et audierit sermones arguentis se, et corripientis, statim dicit: 0 miser ego. Nee sufficit dicere, miser ego; apponendum est ei, quia compunctus sum. Utinamque amplius compungamur! Quanto enim pius compungimur, tanto plus nobis peccatorum vincula laxantur. Propter hoc Achab iio non multuiu utilitatis est consecutus, quia non multum compunetus est; sed compunctus quidem esy semel tautum. Quamobrem dictum est: Vidisti quomodo J compunctus est Achab. Si vero quis talis fuerit ut non cesset compungi, dicit similiter ut Apostolus: Nou sum dignus vocari apostolus propter hoc quod persecutus sum Ecclesiam Dei; ct: Mihi minimo omnium sanctorum data eat ista gratia; et: Fidelis Deus quia Jesus Christus venit in hunc mundum peccatores salvare, quorum primus ego suna. Videsne quia multum compunctus est, et non semel, sed semper scribens, et loquens, et agens compunctus cst? Quomodo et Isaias in præsenti, qui dicit (vers. 5): 0 miser ego sum, compunctus sum, qnia cum sim homo, et immunda labia habeam, et in medio quoque populi immunda labia habendi habitem. Adnotemus et aliud quiddam, quia peccata Isaiæ non in factis, sed tantum in sermonibus erant. Propter quod ait: Quia cum homo sim, et immunda labia haveam. Erat autem et populus immunda labia habens. Non decuit eum accusare populum, et dicere plura peccata in eo esse quam immundorum labiorum. 4. Et regem Dominum Sabaoth vidi oculis meis. Si quando de Deo cogitaverimus, cum adhuc sumus peccatores, et nos dicamus quae nune dicit propheta (vers. 6): Et missus est ad me unus de seraphim. Quam bonus Deus! Quia, inquit, audio contitentem Isaiam; dixit enim: 0 miser ego; quoniam audio poenitentem, ait quippe: Compunctus sum; quia propria delicta pronuntiavit dicens: Quia cum sim homo, et immunda labia habeam, in medio quoque populi immunda labia habentis habitem, et ego adhuc loquente co dico, ecce adsum. Et missus eat ad me unus de seraphim, et in manu sua habebat carbonem. Carbo defertur ad prophetam ut per Ignis ustionem purgentur labia ejus, quai aliquando peccaverant. Quis est iste unus de seraphim? Dominus meus Jesus Christus: iste juxta dispensationem carnis missus est habens in manu sua carbonem, et dicens: Igllem veni mittere super terram, et utinam jam ardeat! Et missus est ad me unus de seraphim, et ist manu ejus habebat carbonem, quem acceperat forcipe de altari. Non quocunque simpliciter et fortuito propheta igne purgatur, sed qui est de altari Dei. Si purgatus non fueris altaris igne, residet tibi ille de quo dictum est; lle a me in ignem œternum gui prœparatus est Zqbulo et angelis ejus. Non est talis ignis de altari. Omnes igni tradendi sunt, sed, non omnes uni igni, alios de altari ignis exspectat, alios ignis qui præparatus est Zabulo et angelis ejus. Tangat ergo labia mentis et animae hostræ sermo corripiens, ut et nos dicamus, et tetigit os meum. Si mundavero os meum, ut nihil otiosum, nihil fatuum, nihil turpe, nihil scurrile (ut omnia semel nominem), nihil eorum quae interdicta sunt loquar, tunc possumus dicere, tetigit os meum. Porro quandiu immunda Iabia habeo, et immundas res gero, propter verba peccati non tangit os meum Ignis de altari, neque mittitur ac me unus de seraphim. Vers. 7. Et dixit: Ecce tetigi labia tua, et abstuli iniquitates tua., et peccata tua circumpurgavi. Mordeat nos sermo divinus, exurat aniinas nostras: dicamus audientes: Nonne cor nostrum ardens erat in nobis? ut suferantur iniquitates nostrae atquc peccata, et mundi effecti mundo ore mundoque corde, et munda tota conscientia gratias agamus omnipotenti Deo, in Christo Jesu, cui cst gloria et imperium in saecula saeculorum. Amen. ### English translation (Claude) On the vision of God and the seraphim (Isa 6). It is impossible to find the beginning of God. You nowhere grasp the beginning of God's origin. I do not say you, but no one, nor anything else among the things that exist. Only the Savior and the Holy Spirit, who have always been with God, see his face; and perhaps the angels, who “always see the face of the Father who is in heaven,” also see the beginnings of things. So too the seraphim hide the feet from human beings; for the last things, as they are, cannot be told. “Who has declared concerning the last things?” says Scripture. The things we see (granting that we do see some things) are the middle things. What was before the world we do not know; yet some things were before the world. What will follow after the world we do not grasp with certainty; yet there will be other things after the world. What is written, then, “In the beginning God made heaven and earth; the earth was invisible and unformed, and darkness was over the abyss, and the Spirit of God was borne over the waters,” is grasped. Those waters were pure, over which the Spirit of God brooded. But the darkness too that was over the abyss is not unbegotten; for both were created from nothing. Hear the Lord saying in Isaiah: “I am God, who formed the light and made darkness.” Hear Wisdom proclaiming in Proverbs: “Before all the abysses I was born.” These were not unbegotten; but when or how they were born, I do not know. For the former things of God's works, that is, the face of God, are veiled by the seraphim; and likewise also the feet. Who can expound the things that will be after the end of the age, for ages of ages? It belongs to chattering men to promise knowledge of these things, not knowing that man can grasp only the middle things, and the things that will be after the world until the consummation in the judgment, concerning punishments and retribution. And many of these too are hidden from us, so that for this reason it is written: “With two they covered the face.” And not only did they veil, but they covered completely, that is, they so veiled that nothing at all of the former things, I mean of the face, was seen, nor was anything of the last things, that is, of his feet, recognized. “With two they flew.” The middle things are open to contemplation. “And they cried one to the other.” Not one to many, but one to the other. For no one can hear, according to the dignity of the matter, the holiness of God which is proclaimed by the Savior except the Holy Spirit; just as, again, no one can receive the holiness of God which is proclaimed by the Holy Spirit except the Savior alone. Therefore they cried one to the other and said: “Holy, holy, holy.” It is not enough for them to cry “Holy” once, nor twice, but they take up the perfect number of the Trinity, to show the abundance of God's holiness, which is the repeated fellowship of a threefold holiness: the holiness of the Father, the holiness of the only-begotten Son, and of the Holy Spirit. For “he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one.” He who sanctifies is the Savior, insofar as he is man receiving holiness from God the Father. So they say: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts.” Sabaoth is translated, as Aquila has rendered it, “Lord of armies.” “The whole earth is full of his glory.” Once the house was full of glory; but now it is prophesied by the seraphim of those who are upon the earth, that it will be that Christ will fill the whole earth with the glory of my God. For in all who glorify God by their way of life there is the glory of God, and so the whole earth is full of the glory of God. Once not the whole earth was full of the glory of God, but one corner of the earth, when it was said: “God is known in Judea; his name is great in Israel.” Glory to God, who sent his Son so that the whole earth might be full of his glory. But what does it profit you if the earth is full, because of the churches of the blessed, who wherever they are are the glory of God, while you are not a sharer in the glory of the fullness of God? You too, then, labor, and strive in all things to seek the glory of God, that it may dwell and find a place in you, and that you too, with the whole earth in which the glory of God is full, may be his glory. How does the fullness of God's glory come about through each of us? If what I do, what I say, is done to the glory of God, my word and deed become full of the glory of God. If my going out and coming in is to the glory of God, if my food, my drink, if all I do is done to the glory of God, I too am a sharer in that saying: “The earth is full of his glory.” When, then, I have done all these things, “the lintel was lifted up at the voice of the seraphim with which they cried.” Blessed, then, is each of us who so labors as to become a sharer of the door and of the lintel of the door, which, in the spiritual sense, is Christ God. For I think it not unfitting to say that the door is called the flesh and the lintel the Word. 3. “The lintel was lifted up at the voice with which they cried, and the house was filled with smoke.” This smoke is a gift from the glory of God. “And I said: O wretched me, for I am pierced!” Before you see the vision, do you not confess that you are wretched, O Isaiah? He does not say it. As long as Uzziah lived, it did not even come into my mind that I was wretched. But I begin to know that I am wretched when I see the vision, when the leprous King Uzziah dies in me, and I say: “O wretched me!” Now I too begin to confess to the Lord and to say of myself: “O wretched me!” As Isaiah says, “O wretched me,” so, close to him, the Apostle too says: “Wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from the body of this death?” It is blessed, then, to confess myself wretched. If I humble myself and weep in repentance over my sins, God will hear me and give me a deliverer, and I will say: “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” But let us say from the heart: “I am wretched.” Let each recall the causes of his miseries and his sins, and as we rise to prayer let us say, remembering them as confessing them, forgetting them as no longer doing them: “Wretched am I, for I am pierced.” He was not pierced before he saw the vision, before Uzziah died; when he begins to repent, he at once says, “for I am pierced.” If someone is without feeling in the inner man, though he is a sinner, he is not pierced; but just as, if you apply a goad to the outer limbs, a dead body does not feel, so, if you apply the divine words to a sinner who has been put to death by sin and does not repent, he is neither sorrowful nor repentant, nor has he the sorrow that works confession, the sorrow that is according to God. But if someone wishes to be saved and hears the words of one who reproves and corrects him, he at once says, “O wretched me.” And it is not enough to say, “Wretched am I”; he must add, “for I am pierced.” Would that we were pierced more! For the more we are pierced, the more the chains of sins are loosened for us. This is why Ahab gained no great benefit, because he was not much pierced; he was pierced only once. Therefore it was said: “Have you seen how Ahab was pierced?” But if someone is such that he does not cease to be pierced, he says, like the Apostle: “I am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God”; and: “To me, the least of all the saints, this grace was given”; and: “Faithful is God, that Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners, of whom I am the first.” Do you see that he was much pierced, and not once, but always, writing, speaking, and acting, he was pierced? Just as Isaiah too at present, who says: “O wretched am I, I am pierced, for being a man and having unclean lips, I dwell also in the midst of a people having unclean lips.” Let us note something else too: Isaiah's sins were not in deeds but only in words. That is why he says: “For being a man and having unclean lips.” But the people too had unclean lips. It was not fitting for him to accuse the people and say that there were more sins in them than those of unclean lips. 4. “And I have seen the King, the Lord of hosts, with my eyes.” If ever we think of God while we are still sinners, let us too say what the prophet now says: “And one of the seraphim was sent to me.” How good God is! “Because,” he says, “I hear Isaiah confessing,” for he said, “O wretched me”; “because I hear him repenting,” for he says, “I am pierced”; “because he has declared his own sins,” saying, “For being a man and having unclean lips, I dwell also in the midst of a people having unclean lips,” “even while he is still speaking I say: Here I am.” “And one of the seraphim was sent to me, and in his hand he had a coal.” A coal is brought to the prophet so that by the burning of fire his lips, which had once sinned, may be purged. Who is this one of the seraphim? My Lord Jesus Christ. He, according to the economy of the flesh, was sent, having a coal in his hand and saying: “I came to cast fire upon the earth, and would that it were already kindled!” “And one of the seraphim was sent to me, and in his hand he had a coal which he had taken with tongs from the altar.” The prophet is purged not with just any chance fire, but with that which is from the altar of God. If you have not been purged by the fire of the altar, there remains for you that fire of which it was said: “Depart from me into the eternal fire, which has been prepared for the devil and his angels.” Such a fire is not from the altar. All must be handed over to fire, but not all to one fire: the fire from the altar awaits some, the fire prepared for the devil and his angels awaits others. Let the word of correction, then, touch the lips of our mind and soul, so that we too may say, “and he touched my mouth.” If I cleanse my mouth, so that I speak nothing idle, nothing foolish, nothing shameful, nothing scurrilous (to name everything at once), nothing of what is forbidden, then we can say, “he touched my mouth.” But as long as I have unclean lips and do unclean things, because of the words of sin the fire from the altar does not touch my mouth, nor is one of the seraphim sent to me. “And he said: Behold, I have touched your lips, and have taken away your iniquities, and purged your sins all around.” Let the divine word bite us, let it burn our souls; let us say as we hear: “Was not our heart burning within us?” so that our iniquities and sins may be taken away, and, made clean, with clean mouth and clean heart and wholly clean conscience, we may give thanks to almighty God in Christ Jesus, to whom be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. ### Scripture references - Matt 18:10: quotation, high confidence - Isa 41:22: allusion, medium confidence - Gen 1:1: quotation, high confidence - Gen 1:2: quotation, high confidence - Isa 45:7: quotation, high confidence - Prov 8:24: quotation, high confidence - Isa 6:2: quotation, high confidence - Isa 6:3: quotation, high confidence - Isa 6:4: quotation, high confidence - Isa 6:5: quotation, high confidence - Isa 6:6: quotation, high confidence - Isa 6:7: quotation, high confidence - Heb 2:11: quotation, high confidence - Ps 76:1 (75:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 10:31: allusion, high confidence - Ps 121:8 (120:8 LXX): allusion, medium confidence - Rom 7:24: quotation, high confidence - Rom 7:25: quotation, high confidence - 2 Cor 7:10: allusion, high confidence - 1 Kgs 21:29: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 15:9: quotation, high confidence - Eph 3:8: quotation, high confidence - 1 Tim 1:15: quotation, high confidence - Isa 58:9: allusion, medium confidence - Luke 12:49: quotation, high confidence - Matt 25:41: quotation, high confidence - Eph 5:4: allusion, medium confidence - Luke 24:32: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The heading (On the vision of God and the seraphim) is transmitted with the homily. The view that the Son and Spirit alone see God's face, and the reading of the seraphim as the Savior and the Holy Spirit, are Origen's; translated as written. The digital text has many OCR errors, translated by sense; a leaked footnote number is removed below. Quotations and allusions: Matt 18:10; Isa 41:22; Gen 1:1–2; Isa 45:7; Prov 8:24; Isa 6:2–7; Heb 2:11; Ps 76:1 (Ps 75:2 LXX); 1 Cor 10:31; Ps 121:8; Rom 7:24–25; 2 Cor 7:10; 1 Kgs 21:29 (LXX “pierced”); 1 Cor 15:9; Eph 3:8; 1 Tim 1:15; Isa 58:9 (65:24); Luke 12:49; Matt 25:41; Eph 5:4; Luke 24:32. ### Citation (SBL) Origen, Hom. Isa. 4 (PL 24:947d–951c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-homiliae-isaiam/3/#p-4). ## Homily on Isaiah 5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-homiliae-isaiam/5/#p-5 - Source: PL 24:951c–955a - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Origen calls Christ the living righteousness of Isa 41:2, then returns to Isaiah's vision, urging his hearers to let the “Uzziah” of sin die within them, as the reign of Pharaoh had to end before Israel could cry to God. ### Latin text De eo quod sci iptum est: Quia elevavit ab oriente justitium (XLI, 2), et de visione iterum aliter (eap. VI). Ait prophetes esse Christum viventem jusunam, et putabamus nos ab Apostolo dictum esse, quia Christus sit justitia, et sanctificatio, et redemptio, et sapientia. Forte autem et Apostolus instructus a prophetis, novit animatam esse justitiam et viventem. Quæ est ista justitia? Unigenitus Dei. Quia autem non ab Apostolo ortum est Christum esse justitiam, et viventem, et subsistentem justitiam, sed invenies et a propheticis sermonitus boc nobis mysterium extibitum, certum et a capitulo in quo nunc lectio conquievit. Quis cnm, inquit, surgere fecit ab orIente justttiam, et vocavit eam ad pedes suos Vocavit justitiam. Manifestum est animatam eam esse si ambulet vocata. Vocavit autem Christum Pater, quo pb nostram salutem ad nos iter faceret, et descenderet de coelo ad nos: Nemo enim ascendit in cœlum nisi qui de coelo descendit Filius hominis. Vocavit eum de oriente: non de isto sensibili, sed de oriente lucis verae. Propter quod scriptum est: Quis exsurgere de oriente fecit justitiam, et vocavit eam ad pedes suos? Pater vocavit Filium, imo ut vere dicamus, Dens hominem vocavit justitiam ad pedes suos, id est incarnationem Filii sui. Idco et adoramus scabellum pedum illius, juxta quod scriptum est: Adorate scabellum pedum ejus, quia sanctum est. Caro siquidem Domini honorem Deitatis assumit. Quia autem principium lectionis altiori indiget expositione, oremus summum Regem ut sermo qui vocatus abierat, ad nos iterum revertatur, ut pauca juxta possibilitatem nostram edisseramus. 11202. Et factum est in anno quo moriMus eat rex Osias: vidi Dominum sedentem supra thronum excelsum, et plena erat domus gloria ejus, et seraphim stabant in circuitu eus, sex ulce uni, et sex alæ alteri; et duabus quidem velabant faciem ejus, et duabus velabant jedes, et duabus volubant, ct clamabant alter ad alterum, et dicebant: Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaotli, plena eat terra gloria ejus, et reliqua. V crum ut et nos videamus visionem quam vidit Isaias, vocemus Jcsum qui non videntibus largitus est oculos. Potest enim etiam nunc venire et facere, ut ea quae in lectione sacramenta dicta sunt, apertis oculis intueamur; repromittamus ei jam nos non ultra facere corpus Christi corpus meretricis, nee tacere opera digna Inctu. Unusquisque nostrum haec corde loquatur ad Deum, et precemur ut adventus ejus etiam nunc fiat. Si euim non advenerit Jesus, ista videre non possumus. Precor ut mittatur etiam ad me seraphim, et comprehenso de forcipe carbone purget labia mea, et quid dico labia mea? Isaias sanctus erat, et idco tantum labia ejus purgata sunt, quia labiis tantum, id cst sermone deliquerat. Ego vcro pon sum talis, ut possim dicere, quod solum immunda labia habeo, sed metuo ne immundum cor habeam, immundos oculos, immundas aures, immundum os. Quandiu in omnibus istis pecco, totus immundus sum. Si videro mulierem ad concupiscendum, jam mœchatus sum eam in. corde meo. Ecce immundos oculos habco. Si de pectore meo exeant cogitationes pessimae, adulteria, fornicationes, falsa testimonia, ecce cor immundum habco. Quam formosi pedes evangelizantium pacem, evangelizantium bona. Ego vero timeo ne currens ad mala immundos pedes habeam. Extendo ad Dominum manus meas. Et forte avertens faciem suam dicit: Si extenderitis manus, avertam faciem meam a vobis. Quis ergo me mundat? Quis lavat pedes meos? Jesu, veni, sordidos habeo pedes, propter me fias servus, mitte aquam tuam in pelvim tuam; veni, lava pedes meos. Et scio temerarium esse quod dico, sed timeo comminationem dicentis: Si non lavero pedes tuos, non habebis partem mecum. Ideo lava pedes meos, ut habeam partem lecum. Sed quid aio, lava pedes meos? Petrus hoc potuit diccre, qui non habuit nocesse, nisi tantum ut pedes ejus lavaren'ur; totus quippe mundus erat. Ego potius cum semel lotus sim, illo indigco baptismatc, dc quo Dominus ait: Ego aliud baptisma habeo baptizari. Cur ista diximus? Præparo et me et audientes ad majora mysteria. Si tamen veniat, si descendat ad nos sermo Dci, timeo cnim ne me fugiat, ne benedictionem quoque meam dedignetur. Fugit quondam sermo populum propter Achar unum peccatorem; fugit, inquam, sermo populum propter unum peccatorem Achar, filium Zambri, filii Zara, ex tribu Juda, qui inobediens fuit Deo, et ideo anathematizatus est. Et quia nunc populi multitudo cst propterParasceven, et maxime in Dominica die, quæ passionis Christi commemoratiix est neque enim resurrectio Domini semel in anno, et non semper post septem dies celebratur), orate Deu,.. omnipotentem, ut veniat ad nos sermo ejus, Etiamsi peccatores estis, orate Dominum. Peccateres exaudit Deus. Quod si limctis illud quod in Evangelio dicitur: Scimus quia peccatores non ex audiat Deus, nolite pertim scere, nolite credere. Caecus crat qui hoc dixit. Magis autemcredite ci qui dicit, et non mentitur: Et si fuerint peccata vestra ut coccinum, ut lanam dealbabo. Et si volueritis, et audieritis me, bona terræ edetis. Si vultis vel nunc audire, oremus in commune Dominum, ut saltem nunc, adveniente Verbo, prophetica verba dicta valeamus advertere. Factum cst, inquit, in anno quo mortuus est Osias rex, vidi Dominum sedentem super thronum excelsum. Visio ascripta est. Cur regis tempus significatuin? Intendite quando oborta sit visio. Cum mortuus est Osias rex. vidit Isaias Dominum Sabaoth sedentem super thronum excelsum. si quis ex nostris novit qui fuert Osias, ct quæ gesserit, ille potest nosse quid docuerit propheta per spiritum, quid exhibeat nobis sermo divinus. Vadam ad vitam Osiæ, et requiram ex Regnorum libris, ct ex Paralipomenon historia de Osia; ibique videbo quia necessarium sit, si futurum sit ut videam Dominum Sabaoth sedentem super thronum excelsum, mihi mori Osiam regem. Iste Osias ex semine David descendens, ct regnans in populo Juda, quandiu quidem vixit Zacharias qui intelligebat (sic enim seriptum est secundo libro Paralipomenon), fecit rectum in conspectu Domini. Nec sufficiens isto, fecit luminaria magna Domino, et composuit templum Dei, ct multae fucrunt in religione ejus virtutes. Quando autem mortuus est Zacharias intelligens, tunc fecit malignum. Quis hic qui fecit malignum? Rex crat, non sacerdos. Alius ordo regius, alius ordo sacerdotalis. Voluit ingredi in templum, et locum agere sacerdotis et facere opus quod non fuerat ci concessum. Introiit præveniens sacerdotes, et assumpsit vas libaminis. Ingressus autem et princeps sacerdotum, qui tempore illo erat, Et octoginta sacerdotes cum co, dixit ad cum princeps sacerdotum: Nonne tu es Osias, et non sacerdos?Violenter perseveravit, ct lepra ascendit in frontem ejus. Projectus est mortuus, egressus est de templo, eduxit cum Dominus. Igitur leprosus factus est propter prævaricationem legis. Unusquisque sub regno Cii, sive peccati sive justitie. Si peccatum mihi regnat, unus sum de regibus Israel, qui templum violenter ingressi sunt. Si juslus sum juxta mensuram profectus mei, et facio rectum, et persevero ante conspectum Dei, regnat mihi justitia. Quandiu vero vixit leprosus, Isaias immunda labia babuit. Quandiu vixit iniquus non potuit Isaias Dominum Sabaoth viderc, et immunda labia tiabuit, sub iniquo quippe rege erat. Quando enim incipit videre visionem Dei? anno quo mortUus est Osias. His similia et de multis scriptis potcris dicere tribuente iVo. In Exodo istiusmodi quiddam scriptum est: Et factum esl post dies aliquot, mortuus eat rex Ægypti, et suspiraverunt filii Israel, et ascendit cla mor eorum ad Deum. Quandiu vixit Pharao, non suspiraverunt filii Isracl, et in pejus positi ne gemendi quidem habuerunt libcram facultatem. Vivobat quippe rex qui imperabat eis et laiercs et paleas facere Quandiu vixit Pharao, non suspiraverunt ad Deum; cum mortuus est Pharao, tunc valuerunt madida Qctibus ora sustollere. Vivit rex malignus in pectorc nostre, quandiu vivit Pbarao Zabulus. Tunc lateres operamur et palcas, tunc lacrymas intra silentium devoramus, et iniquitatis opera prima facimus. Cum autem mortuus fuerit, Domino Deo nos visitante, tunc suspiramus ad Dominum, Idcirco oremums Dominum, ut regnum peccati quod est in mortali uostro corporc, moriatur. Peccatum enim, ait, mortuum eat, ego autem revixi. Et rursum: Peccatum revixit, ego autem mortuus sum. Moriente uno qui potitur regno peccati Osia, moritur ct Pharao. Cum moritur rex pessimus, erigo ad cœlum oculos, et exaudivit vocem meam Deus, quomodo Abraham, et Isaac, et Jacob; et video Dominum Sabaoth sedentem et regnantem super excelsum solium, quem populus non vidit. Nondum cuim Osias mortuus fuerat. Volo quiddam simile interponere bontn rei, qux huic contraria est. Iste ipse Osias, quandiu vixit- Zacharias intelligens, non fecit peccatum in conspectu Dei; moriente Zacharia declinavit a Domino, ubi imperavit populo, et rexit urbem. Hæc diebus et noctibus legentes et audientes Dominum dicentem: Oportuit te mittere pecuniam meam ad mensam, et ego veniens cum usuris eam exegissem, non colligemus in sudario mnam creditam, nec pecuniam mittamus in terram, sed feneremur eam populis. Et cum nos crediderimus Dominicam rationem vobis, erit videndum quomodo credita cum usuris exsolvatis. Quam, etc. Amen. ### English translation (Claude) On the text, “For he raised up righteousness from the east” (Isa 41:2), and again on the vision in another way (Isa 6). The prophet says that Christ is living righteousness; and we thought it had been said by the Apostle that Christ is righteousness and sanctification and redemption and wisdom. But perhaps the Apostle too, instructed by the prophets, knew that righteousness is animate and living. What is this righteousness? The only-begotten of God. That Christ is righteousness, living and subsisting righteousness, did not originate with the Apostle; you will find this mystery set forth for us also by the prophetic words, as is certain also from the passage at which the reading has now come to rest. “Who,” it says, “made righteousness rise from the east and called it to his feet?” He called righteousness. It is plain that it is animate if, when called, it walks. The Father called Christ to make his journey to us for our salvation and to come down from heaven to us; for “no one has ascended into heaven except he who came down from heaven, the Son of Man.” He called him from the east, not this sensible east but the east of the true light. Therefore it is written: “Who made righteousness rise from the east and called it to his feet?” The Father called the Son; or rather, to speak truly, God called the man, righteousness, to his feet, that is, the incarnation of his Son. And so we also worship the footstool of his feet, as it is written: “Worship the footstool of his feet, for it is holy.” For the Lord's flesh takes on the honor of the Godhead. But since the beginning of the reading needs a deeper exposition, let us pray the supreme King that the Word who was called and had gone away may return to us again, so that we may set out a few things according to our ability. 2. “And it came to pass in the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting upon a high throne, and the house was full of his glory, and seraphim stood around him, six wings to the one and six wings to the other; and with two they covered his face, and with two they covered the feet, and with two they flew; and they cried one to the other and said: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts; the earth is full of his glory,” and the rest. But so that we too may see the vision which Isaiah saw, let us call upon Jesus, who granted eyes to those who did not see. For he can come even now and cause us to behold with open eyes the mysteries spoken in the reading. Let us promise him that we will no longer make the body of Christ the body of a harlot, nor do works worthy of mourning. Let each of us say this in his heart to God, and let us pray that his coming may happen even now. For if Jesus does not come, we cannot see these things. I pray that a seraph may be sent to me too, and, taking a coal with the tongs, purge my lips. And why do I say my lips? Isaiah was holy, and therefore only his lips were purged, because he had sinned only with his lips, that is, in speech. But I am not such that I can say that I have only unclean lips; I fear that I have an unclean heart, unclean eyes, unclean ears, an unclean mouth. As long as I sin in all these, I am wholly unclean. If I look at a woman to lust, I have already committed adultery with her in my heart: see, I have unclean eyes. If evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, false witness come out of my breast, see, I have an unclean heart. “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach peace, who preach good things!” But I fear that, running to evil, I have unclean feet. I stretch out my hands to the Lord; and perhaps, turning away his face, he says: “If you stretch out your hands, I will turn my face away from you.” Who, then, cleanses me? Who washes my feet? Jesus, come; I have dirty feet. For my sake become a servant; pour your water into your basin; come, wash my feet. And I know that what I say is bold, but I fear the threat of him who says: “If I do not wash your feet, you will have no part with me.” Therefore wash my feet, that I may have part with you. But why do I say, wash my feet? Peter could say this, who needed nothing except to have his feet washed, for he was wholly clean. I, rather, having once been washed, need that baptism of which the Lord says: “I have another baptism to be baptized with.” Why have we said these things? I am preparing both myself and my hearers for greater mysteries, if only the word of God comes, if it comes down to us; for I fear that it may flee from me, that it may disdain even my blessing. Once the word fled from the people because of one sinner, Achan; the word fled, I say, from the people because of one sinner, Achan son of Zimri, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, who was disobedient to God and therefore was put under the curse. And since there is now a great crowd of people because of the Day of Preparation, and especially on the Lord's day, which commemorates Christ's passion (for the Lord's resurrection is not celebrated once a year, but always, every seven days), pray to almighty God that his word may come to us. Even if you are sinners, pray to the Lord; God hears sinners. And if you fear what is said in the Gospel, “We know that God does not hear sinners,” do not be afraid, do not believe it: it was a blind man who said it. Believe rather him who speaks and does not lie: “And if your sins are like scarlet, I will make them white as wool; and if you are willing and listen to me, you shall eat the good things of the land.” If you are willing to listen even now, let us pray to the Lord together that at least now, as the Word comes, we may be able to attend to the prophetic words spoken. “It came to pass,” it says, “in the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting upon a high throne.” The vision is dated. Why is the king's time indicated? Notice when the vision arose: when King Uzziah died, Isaiah saw the Lord of hosts sitting upon a high throne. If any of us knows who Uzziah was and what he did, he can know what the prophet taught by the Spirit, what the divine word shows us. I will go to the life of Uzziah, and look into the books of Kingdoms and the history of Chronicles concerning Uzziah; and there I shall see that it is necessary, if I am to see the Lord of hosts sitting upon a high throne, that King Uzziah die in me. This Uzziah, descended from the seed of David and reigning over the people of Judah, as long as Zechariah lived, who had understanding (for so it is written in the second book of Chronicles), did what was right in the sight of the Lord. And not content with this, he made great lights for the Lord and adorned the temple of God, and there were many virtues in his piety. But when Zechariah, the man of understanding, died, then he did evil. Who is this who did evil? He was a king, not a priest. The royal order is one thing, the priestly order another. He wished to enter the temple and take the place of a priest and do a work that had not been granted him. He went in ahead of the priests and took the vessel of libation. But when the chief priest of that time came in, and eighty priests with him, the chief priest said to him: “Are you not Uzziah, and not a priest?” He persisted violently, and leprosy rose up on his forehead. He was cast out as dead, he went out of the temple; the Lord drove him out. So he became leprous because of the transgression of the Law. Each one is under someone's rule, either of sin or of righteousness. If sin reigns in me, I am one of the kings of Israel who violently entered the temple. If I am righteous according to the measure of my progress, and do what is right, and persevere in the sight of God, righteousness reigns in me. As long as the leper lived, Isaiah had unclean lips. As long as the wicked man lived, Isaiah could not see the Lord of hosts, and had unclean lips, for he was under a wicked king. When does he begin to see the vision of God? In the year that Uzziah died. You will be able to say similar things from many writings, God granting. In Exodus something of this kind is written: “And it came to pass after some days that the king of Egypt died, and the children of Israel groaned, and their cry went up to God.” As long as Pharaoh lived, the children of Israel did not groan, and, set in a worse state, they did not even have the freedom to groan. For the king lived who ordered them to make bricks and straw. As long as Pharaoh lived, they did not groan to God; when Pharaoh died, then they were able to lift up faces wet with tears. The wicked king lives in our breast as long as Pharaoh, the devil, lives. Then we make bricks and straw, then we swallow our tears in silence and do the works of iniquity first. But when he has died, when the Lord God visits us, then we groan to the Lord. So let us pray to the Lord that the reign of sin which is in our mortal body may die. For he says, “Sin died, but I came to life.” And again: “Sin came to life, and I died.” When the one who holds the reign of sin, Uzziah, dies, Pharaoh too dies. When the worst king dies, I lift up my eyes to heaven, and God has heard my voice, as he heard Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I see the Lord of hosts sitting and reigning upon a high throne, whom the people did not see; for Uzziah had not yet died. I wish to insert something similar for good, which is the opposite of this. This same Uzziah, as long as Zechariah the man of understanding lived, did not sin in the sight of God; when Zechariah died, he turned away from the Lord, where he ruled the people and governed the city. Reading these things day and night, and hearing the Lord saying, “You ought to have put my money on the table, and coming I would have required it with interest,” let us not gather the entrusted mina in a napkin nor put the money into the ground, but lend it out to the peoples. And when we have entrusted the Lord's account to you, it will have to be seen how you pay back what was entrusted with interest. To whom, etc. Amen. ### Scripture references - Isa 41:2: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 1:30: allusion, high confidence - John 3:13: quotation, high confidence - Ps 99:5 (98:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Isa 6:1: quotation, high confidence - Isa 6:2: quotation, high confidence - Isa 6:3: quotation, high confidence - Isa 6:6: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 6:15: allusion, high confidence - Matt 5:28: allusion, high confidence - Matt 15:19: allusion, high confidence - Rom 10:15: quotation, high confidence - Isa 1:15: quotation, high confidence - John 13:8: quotation, high confidence - John 13:10: allusion, high confidence - Luke 12:50: quotation, high confidence - Josh 7:1: allusion, high confidence - John 9:31: quotation, high confidence - Isa 1:18: quotation, high confidence - Isa 1:19: quotation, high confidence - 2 Chr 26:5: allusion, high confidence - 2 Chr 26:16: allusion, high confidence - 2 Chr 26:18: quotation, high confidence - 2 Chr 26:19: allusion, high confidence - Exod 2:23: quotation, high confidence - Exod 5:7: allusion, medium confidence - Rom 6:12: allusion, high confidence - Rom 7:9: quotation, high confidence - Luke 19:23: allusion, high confidence - Matt 25:27: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The heading is transmitted with the homily. The remark that the crowd is large “because of the Day of Preparation” (Parasceve) and the Lord's day suggests the homily was preached at Easter time; the parenthesis on the weekly celebration of the resurrection is translated as written. The digital text has many OCR errors and leaked footnote numbers (removed below), translated by sense; the homily ends with an abbreviated doxology (“Quam, etc.”). Quotations and allusions: Isa 41:2; 1 Cor 1:30; John 3:13; Ps 99:5 (Ps 98:5 LXX); Isa 6:1–7; 1 Cor 6:15; Matt 5:28; Matt 15:19; Rom 10:15 (Isa 52:7); Isa 1:15; John 13:5–10; Luke 12:50; Josh 7:1–26; John 9:31; Isa 1:18–19; 2 Chr 26:3–21; Exod 2:23; Exod 5:7; Rom 6:12; Rom 7:9; Luke 19:20–23; Matt 25:27. ### Citation (SBL) Origen, Hom. Isa. 5 (PL 24:951c–955a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-homiliae-isaiam/5/#p-5). ## Homily on Isaiah 6 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-homiliae-isaiam/6/#p-6 - Source: PL 24:955a–963c - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Comparing Isaiah's readiness with Moses' refusal, Origen teaches that church office is service, explains the spiritual meaning of the foot-washing, and expounds the fat heart, heavy ears, and closed eyes of Isa 6:9–10. ### Latin text De eo quod scriptum est: Quem mittam, el quis ibit nobis, etc., usque ad eum locum in quo aiL, et convertuntur, et sanem eoa cap. vi;. I. Videns Isaias Dominum Sabaotb sedentem su per thronum excelsum et elcvatum, videns autem et seraphim circumstantia cum, et rcmissam peccatorum accipiens per eum ignem, qui allatus de altario labia ejus contactu purgavit, ait se audisse vocem Domini non rmperantis, sed excitantis atque dicentis (vers. 8, 9); Quem mittam, et quis ibit ad populum ipsum? Dcinde dicit se respondisse Domino: Ecce sum ego, mitte me. Factus autem in hoc loco, et scrutans ea quae scripta sunt, invenio aliud fecisse Moysen, aliud Isaiam, Moyses enim electus ad eductionem populi de terra Ægypti, ait: Provide alium quem mittus, etiam videtur contradicere Deo. Isaias vero non electus, sed audiens: Quem mittam, et quis ibii? Ecce, inquit, ego sum, mille me. Dignum est ergo spiritalibus spiriialia comparare, et requirere quis e duobus melius fecerit: Moysesne, qui postquam electus est, recusavit; an Isaias qui ne electus quidem ipse obtulit ut mineretur ad populum. Nescio enim si potest quis eam contrarietam negotiorum quae in utroque videtur, intendens, dicere quia id ipsum fecerit Moyses, qnod Isaias. Ego audacter feci comparans duos sanctos et beatos viros, et decernens, et dicens verccundius Moysen fecisse quam Isaiam. Moyses quippe magnitudiucm considerabat, praeesse populo ad educendum cum de terra Ægypti, et repugnare Ægyptiorum iucantationibus et maleficiis. Propter hoc ait: Provide alium quem mittas. Iste autem non exspectans audire qpid ei juberetur ut diceret, ac si electus fuisset: Ecce, inquit, sum ego, mitte me. Unde quia iguoraos quid ei jubcretur ut diceret, ac si electus fuisset: Ecce, ait, ego sum, mitte me; hæc jubetur ut dicat quæ erant inoptata dicenti. Annon erat inoptabile statim jussum prophetizare, a maledictionibus incipere dicentem (vers. 9,10): Aure audietis, et non intelligetis, ei videntes cernctis, et non ridebitis: incrassatum est enim cor populi hujus, et reliqua. Forte ergo, si tamcn audenter expedit dicere, Lemeritatis et audaciae mercedem consecutus est, ut ea jubeatur dicere quæ prophetizare nolebat. Qu'a autem comparavimus isaiam et Moysen, componamus ct aliam proximam comparationem Isaiæ et Jonæ. Ille mittitur prædicare eversionem Ninivitis post tres 4ies, et piget cuw proficisci nolentem causa malorum civitatis. Iste vero non exspetans quid ei imperaretur ut diceret, ait: Ecce ego sum, mitte mo. Bonum est non prosilire ad eas quae a De 0 sunt dignitates et principatus, et ministeria Ecclesiæ, sed imitari Moysen, et dicere cum eo: Provide alium quem mittas. Neque < nim ad principatum Ecclesiæ venit qui salvari, vult, et si præest, sed ad, servtutem Ecclesi, si oportet dicere et de Evangelio: Principes quidem gentium dominantur eis, et qui potestatem habent in illis magistratus vocantur. Non sic autem erit in vobis; ne c enim domnautur principes in vobis, sed qui vult vestrum esse major, erit omnium minimus. Qui vult esse primus, erit omnium novissimus. Qui vocatur ergo ad episcopatum, non ad principatum jocatur, sed ad servitutem totius Ecclesiæ. Si. vis credere de Scripturis, quia ia Ecclesia servus sit omnium qui praeest, suadeat tibi ipse Salvator ei Dominus, qui talis tantusque factus est in medio discipulorum, non quasi discumbens, sed quasi ministrans. Accipiens enim linteum postquam exutus est vestimentis, præcinxit se, et mijtens aquam in pelvim cœpit lavare pedea discipulorum, et detergere linteo quo erat præcinctus. Et dopens quales pporleat esse principes tanquam servos, ait: Vos vocatis me Magistrum et Dominum, et bene dicitis, sum etenim. Si ergo Dominus et Magister vester lavi vobis pedes, et vos debetis alterutrum lavare pedes. In servitutem igitur vocatur Ecclesiae princeps, ut possit ex servitute ista ire ad solium caeleste, sicut scriptum est: Sedebitis super thronos duodecim, judicantes duodecim tribus lsrael I. Audi vero et Paulum tam præclarum virum dicentem, quia sercvus fuerit omnium credentium. Ego sum, ait, minimus apostolorum; non sum dignus vocari apostolus, quia persecutus sum Ecclesiam Dei a. Porro si hoc non videtur approhare servitutem ejus, sed tantum humilitatem, audi eum dicentem: Facti sumus parvuli in mtdio vestrum, quasi. nutrix foveat filios suos, cum possemus graves esse, ut Christi apostoli. lnutatores ergo nos esse exedit humilium ipsius Doutini sermonum atque factorum, et apostoliejus et facere quod fajctum est a Moyse, ut etiam si vocatur aliquis ad principatum dicat: rore alium quem mittas. Deo dicit: Non sum dignus ante heri et nudiustertius. Exilis vocis sum, et tardilinguis. Et quia Deo dixit humiliter: Exilis vocis sum, et tardilinguis, audit a Deo: Quis dedit os homini, et quis fecit surdum et mutum, videntem et cæcum? Nonne ego Dominus Deus? Crede Deo, consecra te ei. Licet subtilis vpcis sis tardaeque linguae, trade te sermoni Dei. Dices postca: Os meum aperui et attraxi spiritum Hæc quidem propter hoc quod ait Isaias: Ecce sum ego, mitte me. Faciamus autem ex parte et cum eo. Voluit euim cum accepisset jam gratiam a Deo, non in vacuum eam accipere, sed uti ea ad necessaria. Videns scraphim, videns Dominum Sabaoth sedentem super thronum excelsum ct clevatum, dixit (vers. 5): 0 miser ego, quoniam compunctus sum, quia cum homo sim, et immunda labia habeam, in medio quoque populi labia immunda habentis habitem, regem Do minum Sabaoth vidi oculis meis. Hoc dicens, et miserum se faciens, meretur auxilium, suscipiente Deo humilitatem ejus. Quod cst istud auxilium? (Vers, G, 7) Missus est, ait, ad me unus de seraphim, et habebat in forcipe carbonem, quem attulerat de altari, et tetigit labia me et dixit: Ecce abstuli iniquitates tuas et peccata tua circumpurgavi. Consecutus. est beneficium, muudus effectus, ct remissionem accipiens peccatorum. Cum audisset: Quem mittam ad populuni, et quis ibit nobis? non propter priorem conscientiam ausus fuit dicere I Ecce ego, mitte me, sed. ubi audicrat: Ecce abstuli iniquitates tuus. Igitur quia sancti compunguntur, et requiritur intet Moysen et Isaiam, satisfaciamus pro Moyse, et cHam pro Isaia, dantes et cis de Scripturis sortem suam. Moyses Ron accepit remissionem peccatorum, III dict'ret quasi jam conscius sc mundatum, Mitte me, propter quod ait: Provide alium quem mittas, habebat enim in conscientia inter fectionem Ægyptii; forte autem ut homo sciebat, se et quaedam alia habere peccata. proptcrra rccusat. Islo autem non quasi natura justus postulat ministerium, sed quasi gratiam consecutus. Sic ct Moyses si similem gratiam percepisset. aud ssetque: Ecce abstuli iniquitates tuas; et hOC: Circummundavi peccata tua, nunquam forte dixisset: Provide alium quem mittas. Habet ergo aliquid rationis, et Moyses recusaus, et Isalas dicens: Ecce ego sum. mitte me. 3Sed videamus ea etiam quae præcipit Dominus ut populo diceret: Vade, et dic populo: Aure audietis,et non intelligetis, et videntes cernetis, et non videbitis. Incrassatum est enim cor popu i hujus, et auribus graviter audierunt, et oculos clauserunt, nequando videant oculis, et auribus audiant, et corde intelligant, et convertantur, et salvem eos; biforiam sciens sermonis auditionem, et duplicem noscons constitutionem, hoc cat ahud corum corporale, aliud spiritale, aut ad populum prophetizans de his quae in adventu Christi futura erant, quia esse tempus quando audirent, et non intelligerent ca. Si quidcm cum audirent Dominum meum Jesum Christum, vocem tantum dictorum audiere, non sensum. Et boc ex eo manifestum est, quia foris a4 populum in parabolis loquebatur; discipulis autem secreto dissolvebat eas. Prophetat autem quo evenit: Aure audietis, et non intelligelis. Porro qnod de adventu Domini hoc sit populo prophelatum, pse Salvator dicit: Bene prophetavit de vobis Isaias inquiens: Aure audietis, et non intelligetis. Ccncedamus ergo quia sermones Dornini populus auscultans nos poterit nosse quae dicta sint. Videamus autem quid sit hoc quod scquitur: Et videntes videbitis, et non scietis. Non si quis vidit ea quæ Salvator faciebat, statim videns potuit intelligere cur facta sint. Veluti (cxemplum assumamus) lavit pedes discipulorum: et videbant quidem bene quomodo Iuvabat pedes Magister discipulis; vidcbant autem et alii qui crant præsentes, sed id tantum quod fiebat, non etiam cur fiebat. Similitudo quippe erat lavatio pedum, qua lavit Verbum Dei pedes discipulorum. Idcirco ait Salvator ad recusantem Pctrum, et dicentem: Non lavabis pedes meos. Quid ait? Quod ego facio, tu nescis modo, scies autem postea '. Quid autem facis modo? dicit Petrus. Video te lavantem pedes nostros, et pelvim positam, linteo te praecinctum, et servientem nobis, et detergentem pedes nostros. Verum quia non erat hoc negotium corporale, sed spiritale, Salvator nudatus mittit spiritalem aquam in pelvim secundum ScriPturas, et lavat pedes discipulorum suorum, ut cum mundi fuerint, ascendant ad dicentem: Ego sum via; et non pleni pulvere, quem excutere voluit super indignos, et non suscipientes pacem, necque dignos eorum qua dicebantur. Et quia hoc crat quoa significabatur, ideo ait: Quod ego facio, tu nescis modo, scies antem postea11. Erat autem hoc quod et reliquis dictum est: Quia vos vocatis me Magistrum et Dominum, et bene dicitis. Sum etenim. Si igitur ego Dominus et Magister lavi pedes vestros, et von debetis invicem lavare It. Ergo hoc dicit ut episcopus miltens aquam in pelvim, et exutus vestibvus suis, et praecinctus linteo me extendente lavet pedes meos? Siquidem vos, inquit, debetis invicem iavare pedes vestros. Si hoc est quod dicitur, nenio vestrum mandatum servabit. Nemo enim quibuscunque venientibus assumens linteum diaconus vel presbyter, sive episcopus lavat pedes. Sed si intelligas ea quæ scripta sunt, qui vere hcati sunt episcopi servientes Ecclesiæ, mittunt aquam de Scripturis in pelvim animæ, quod est secundum Scripturas, ct tentant pedum discipulorum sordes lavare, et eluere, et projicere. Et sic custodiunt episcopi mandatum imitantes Jesum, sic et presbyteri. Utinam et ego accipiam nunc aquam quæ possit animae vestrae pedes lavare, et unusquisque vestrum dicat cum fuerit lotus: Lavi pedes meos, quo. modo inquinabo illos "? Hoc enim sponsa dicit in Canticis canticorum, non ostendens corporcos pedes lotos, sed pedes non offendentes. De quibus dicit Salomon: Pes tuus noh offendat. De quibus et in Psalmis scriptum est: Mei autem pene moli sunt pedes. Verum et quae constituuntur vidua in Ecclesiis: Si sanctorum, inquit, pedes lavit16. Si autem vis apertius audire quomodo vidua lavat sanctorum pedes, audi Paulum in alio loco constituentem viduis, et dicentem: Bene docentes ut pudicas efficiant adolescentulas, lavantes sordes pedum juvencularum. Et istae viduae dignæ sunt ecclesiastico honore, quaecunque sanctorum pedes lavant sermone spiritalis doctrinæ, sanctorum vero non masculorum, sed mulierum. Docere enim mulcerent non permittit, neque principari viro. Vultesse mulicres bene docentes, ut ad castitatem suadeant non ado. lescentes, sed adolcseentulas; indecens quippe est, ut mulier magistra viri fiat; sed ut castitatem suadeant adolescentulis, et amare viros et liberos suos. Discamus ergo lavare pedes discipulorum. Ista propter hoc dicta sunt: Videntes videbitis, et non scietis. Quoniam si quid fiebat a Salvatore, ab his quidem qui non intelligebant, videbatur juxta corpus, non vidchatur juxta rationem; ab his vero qui intelligebant, videbatur quidem juxta oculos, videbatur autem et juxta intellectum; ita ut non compleretur super beate videntes, hoc quod dictum est: Videntes videbitis, et non scietis, sed super peccatorcs. Sed et cuncta Evangeliorum oremus videntes dupliciter videre, quomodo facta sint juxta corpus, quando Salvator noster venit ad terras. Etenim similitudo erat, et typus futurorum unumquodque quod fiebat in corpore. Veluti nescio quis a nativitate cæcus visuM recuperavit: vere autem cæcus iste a nativitate erat gentilium populus, cui Salvator reddidit visum, saliva sua ungens oculos ejus, et mittens ad Siloam, quod interpretatur missus. Mittebat quippe eos quos spiritu unxit tit crederent, ad Siloam, id est ad apostolos a magistros, propter quod scriptum est de Siloa, quia interpretatur missus. Ei quotiescunque incipimus ab Jesu visitari, ut recipiamus animae oculos, mittit nos ad Siloam, hoc est missus. Et unusquisque ergo nostrum quando legit ea quae in Evangeliis facta sunt, orct ne etiam in se compleatur: Videntes videbitis, et non scietis. Si autem, ut existimant simpliciores, illa quæ facta sunt non propter nos, sed propter se tantum facta sunt, et non crant exempla alterius rei. etonant quem hoc quod dictum est: Videntes videbitis, et non scietis, habeat sensujn. Nam si non ea quæ videbantur habebant aliquem sensum secretum, ut cum carnalibus oculis etiam spiritaliter inspicerentur, nunquam dixisset: Videntes videbitis, et non scietis. Ad approbalioncm autem horum et alterius scripti de Evangelio testimonium profercmus, quod juxta eos qui tantum litteram sequuntur, mendaclum cst. Dicit Salvator et Dominus noster ad discipulos in Evangelio secundum Joannem: Si credideritiS, non solum quæ ego facio facielis; sed et majora horum facielis. Vidcamus ergo si majora aliqua fecerint discipnli. Quid majus cst quam mortuum suscitare? Quis non dico nostrum, sed apostolorum mortuum suscitavit? Refert historia qula Paulus Eutychum resuscitaverit a mortuis, ct Petrus Tabitham quæ interpretatur Dorcas. ista autem et alia istiusmodi inveniri possunt: ubi sunt majora? Sed et caecos Salvator fecit rursum videre, et quod majus est, eos qui sic nati fuerunt. Exhibeant quos caecos ab utero manibus apostolorum curatos aspexerint. Et alia infinita potest de Evangdiis invenire qui quærit, quia neque apostoJi his majora fecerint, ireque corum successores. Verum sermo Scripturas tale quiddam locutus est: liis quae ego feci corporalibus, vos majora facietis. Ego feci resurgere ex mortuis corporaliter, vos resurgere facietis ex mortuis spiritaliter. Ego cæcis sensibile hoc lumen infudi, vos spiritalem lucem non videntibus dabitis. Usquc ad hanc autem diem h.cc majora signa a corporalibus quae fecit Jesus, ego vidco fieri per fidelissimos discipulos Jesu. Annon cæci nunc vident, et claudi ambulant, et leprosi mundantur, et reliqua fiunt? Si is qui heri obcæcatus est accedens ad idolum quasi a1 Deum, hodie invocet Deum vivum pristina derelinquens, nonne vidct? Annon qui heri claudus erat proper peccatum, nunc propter discipulorum doctrinam iter vcrum edoctus stabili graditur pede? Qui heri aridam habebat manum, et otiosam ad benefaciendum, hodie recipiens manom babet cam viventem? Si videris aliquem pollutum, et lepram in anima habentem subito poenitere, ac doctrinae sermone compunctum, non te pigeat diccre, quia majus sit hunc spiritaliter leprosum, quam quemdam carnaliter fuisse purgatum. Et haec quidem largius proludit oratio, cupidis ostendere quid sit Loc quod dictum est: Et videntes videbitis, et non intelligetis. Quæ autem causa cst audientem non intelligere, et videntem non videre? Incrassatum est, inquit, cor populi hujus, Siquidem necessarium est intelligi et hoc undc sit, non eadcm est corporalis et spiritalis pinguedo, neqae cadem est corporalis tenuitas, ct spiritalis. Etenim quod corporaliter crassum est, in carne fit, et nihil mihi noctl cor carneum si incrassetur, neque prodest a languore, vel a quacunque causa attenuetur. Tale autem existimo fieri cor carneum eorum qui formidine continentur. Quomodo enim tuti tabescunt ab ægrotatione, sic aiunt et crassitudinem, et quidquid pingue est circa cor eorum extenuari. Quid ergo mihi nocet si corporale cor meum incrassetur? Esto vero et attenuari cor mcum, quid mihi ex isto prodest? Sed cor nuncupativo cum corporeo corde vocabulo animæ nostrae principale nominatur, ut manifestum est ex eo quod in Evangebo dicitur: Bcati mundo corde. Neque eniin hi mundo corde sunt, qui sanguinem, vel quodcunque materiae corporalis intrinsecus non habent. Sed dictum est: Beati mundo corde, pro eo quod est, beati qui mundum habent principale animæ. Principale nominatur pro corde. Quoniam igitur principale animae nostrae quod esse dicitur in corde corporeo,sive mundum estcor nostrum, sive immundum; immundum quidem quando cogitationes pessi - mae egrediuntur ex eo, hpmicidia, adulteria, furfa, falsum testimonium, blasphemiæ; mandunt autem quando cogitationes sancte, et intellectus divini, et mens pura; propter hoc arbitrandum est attenua tum quidem esse dictum, atteuatum a sancto Spiritu ejus qui salvatur: incrassatum autem et praefocatum a malitia ejus qui peccat. Dicitur enim de sancto Spiritu qui est secundum sapientiam, quia sit multifarius, tenuis, mobilis25, et quia justus accipiat hunc subtilem spiritum. Differt quippe hic spiritus ab omnibus spiritibus intellectualibus, mundis, sabtilibus. Est ergo principale cordis tenue quidem quad spiritale est: pingue autem quod ex corporalis materiæ vitio concretum est, plenum cogitationibus corporalibus, quæ sunt in reprehensione. Sic dicitur: Incrassatum est cor populi hujus. Intellige ex eo incrassatum esse cor, quia r:ihil sit in eo praeter humanas et carnaks sullicitudines. Quomodo enim materia corporis pinguis cst, eodem modo etiam corporci intellectus et cogitationes. Ex quo cum duo posita sint, incrassari cor ex sæcularibus curis, et attenuari ex sollicitudine spiritali, cum quis cogitat ea quæ Domini sunt, p ojiciens pinguedinem ex corde, ct sciens quia si incrassatum fuerit cor ejus, neque accipiat sermones Dei, neque videat salutis sacramenta: dcponamus et nos crassitudiucm, et assumamus cam quae dicta est tcnuitatem, ut et nus di camus quomodo Prophetes: Sitivit in te anima mea, quam multipliciter tibi caro mea. In terra deserta, i;; aia et inaquosa, sic in sancto apparui tibi: non quasi sanctus fuerim naturaliter, sed si carnis p. udcutia tabescit, et si prudentia carnis extabuerit, tunc in sancto apparcbo ei. Hæe in explanationero ejus quod dicium cst: Incrassatum est cor populi hujus. Sequitur autem: Et auribus suis graviter audierunt. Nihil mihi nocet si graviter audiam corporaliter, neque ista mihi causa fit ut non audiam sermones Dei. Quomodo enim nihil mihi nocet cæcitas corporalis, si nIUn fuerit obcæcata anima mea: sic neque levitas, neque gravitudo auditionis corporalis impedit quidquam mihi. Est alia quædam gravitudo auditionis, quæ noceat animæ hominis. Quæ est ista gravitudo, quæ est in auditionem animæ? Peccatum, secundum Scripturas, grave est. Propter quod sentiens quis peccata sua, dicit: Quasi onus grave grarQlæ aunt super me. Et quia gravis est iniquitas, propter hoc super talentum plumbi sedet, ut in Zacharia scriptum est. Æg yptii autem non quoniam gravia habebant corpora submersi sunt quasi plumbum in aqua vehementi 29, sed quia animæ eorum all talentum plumbi, super quod sedebat iniquitas, aggravatæ erant: propter quod submersi suut tanquam plumbum in aqua vehementi. Gravitudo ergo aurium a peccato at; et levitas a jusLiLia. Quid est quod fadat audituni non graviter audire, sed leviter? Pennæ verbi, pennæ virtutis. Etenim pennae verbi multum levitatis afferunt. Quis dabit mihi pelula. sicut columbæ, et requiescam? Hoc dicit Prophetes non orans ut corporalis pennas accipiat tolumbæ, seJ pennas cohnuhæ Spiritus sancti. Dicit autem rursus Salomon de divite: Componet autem sibi pennas quomodo aquila, et convertitur in domo cius gui præest illi. Si accipiamus igitur pennas, leviter audicmus. Si autem peccaverimus, et negligentes fuerimus circa alas, et defluxerint pennæ nostræ, gravabimur, et graviter audiemus. Auribus ergo suis peccatores graviter audierunt. Omnes quidem Judæi, qui tunC audierunt Salvatorem, graviter eum audierunt, ideo non crediderunt. Usque hodie autem quotquot audientes Scripturas, non audiunt sermonem spiritaliter, qui levis est, sed litteram quæ est gravis ct occidens, graviter audiunt. Atque ita dupliciter auditur Scriptura. Ab co qui non intelligit quae dicuntur, graviter auditur; ab eo vero qui intelligit eam, non solum auditur non graviter, sed potius acute. Uude et qui fit intelligens, fit auditor. Est ct aliud autem quod prophetatur de ponuto Judæorum, et de omnibus noLis, si peccavrrimus. Et oculos suos clauserunt, nequando videant oculi., et auribus audiant et corde intelligant. Eorum qui non vident, quidam caeci sunt, et propter cæcitatem non vident; quidam in tenebriS sunt, et propterea uon vident. Alii autem neque in tenebris sunt, neque cæci sunt,sed quia claudunt oculus, non vident. Et scit bas differentias, quae principales coriis nostri sunt, Scriptura divina. Dicit enim Salvator Iti. qui sunt in vinculis, exite; et Ina qui iii tenebris, ut eia revelelur; et sedentibus in regione et umbra mortis, lux orta eat eia. Isti non viderunt ideo, quia fuerunt in tenebris, dunec oriretur eis lux. Surdi, audite, et cæci, aspicite. Et idco isti nou viderunt ante, quia naturaliter caeci erant. Qui vero extra ista sunt, quiclue ad comparationem cæcorum et cotum qui in tenebris sunt, multo pejores sunt: ii suut qui ideo non vident, quia oculos sponte clauserant. Hoc autem ita esse tit asseruimus, Salvator mihi testimonio erit, dicens: aSi cæci essetis, non haberetis peccatum; nunc autem dicitis quia videmus, peccatum vestrum manet. Et bene ait, dicili. quia videmus, vere enuM dicit quia videant, et habeant possibilitatem videndi, sed claudentes oculos uon vident. Et si quando videris ingeniosam ad intelligendum animam et velocem, et alacrem, non meditantem eloquia Dei, cognosce quia non propter cæcitatem non videt ea quæ continentur in Scripturis, non ob id quia in tenebris sit, sed quia claudit oculos. Si ergo audieris Scripturam divinam dicentem Lis qui claudunt oculos, aperi oculos tuos, et recta vide; aperi oculos ab eo quod clauseras, tuuc poteris videre recta, et considerare lumen veritatis. Et accusat quidem eos de quibus quæritur, cur oculos claudant IIC videant. Non autem et hoc dicit, quia non expediat aliquando et claudere animæ oculos. Expedit enim, sicut manifestum fecit Isaias, dicens in his quæ sequuntur: Quis annuntiavit vobis locum æternum? Qui ambulat in justitia, et loquitur veram ream et rectam, obturans aures ut non audiat judicium sanguinis, et claudens oculos III non videat iniquitatem. Si futurum est ut apcriens oculos animæ audiam et sentiam turpiloquia, melius est claudere auditus, quam audire quæ noceant. Quando ergb claudam? Quando mala dicuntur, ut neque intelligam ca. Quando videnda sunt eloquia Dei? Quando convertimur, ct sanat nos Deus, mittens verbum quOd sanat eos qui volunt curari in Christo Jcsu, cui est gloria et imperium in sæcula sæculorum. Amen. ### English translation (Claude) On the text, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” etc., up to the place where it says, “and they turn, and I heal them” (Isa 6). 1. Isaiah, having seen the Lord of hosts sitting upon a throne high and lifted up, and having seen also the seraphim standing around him, and having received forgiveness of sins through the fire which, brought from the altar, purged his lips by its touch, says that he heard the voice of the Lord, not commanding but rousing and saying: “Whom shall I send, and who will go to this people?” Then he says he answered the Lord: “Here am I, send me.” Placed at this passage, and searching what is written, I find that Moses did one thing and Isaiah another. For Moses, chosen to lead the people out of the land of Egypt, says, “Provide another whom you may send,” and even seems to contradict God. But Isaiah, not chosen, but hearing, “Whom shall I send, and who will go?” says, “Here am I, send me.” It is fitting, then, to compare spiritual things with spiritual and to ask which of the two did better: Moses, who after he was chosen refused, or Isaiah, who, not even chosen, offered himself to minister to the people. For I do not know whether anyone, attending to the contrast of the matters that appears in each, can say that Moses did the same as Isaiah. I have boldly compared two holy and blessed men, and judged and said that Moses acted more modestly than Isaiah. For Moses considered the greatness of the task: to lead the people in bringing them out of the land of Egypt, and to fight against the enchantments and sorceries of the Egyptians. Therefore he says: “Provide another whom you may send.” But this man, not waiting to hear what he would be ordered to say, as if he had been chosen, says: “Here am I, send me.” Hence, because, not knowing what he would be ordered to say, as if he had been chosen, he said, “Here am I, send me,” he is ordered to say things undesirable to the speaker. Was it not undesirable, on being ordered at once to prophesy, to begin with curses, saying: “With the ear you will hear and not understand, and seeing you will look and not see; for the heart of this people has grown fat,” and the rest? Perhaps, then, if it may be said boldly, he received the wages of rashness and boldness, in being ordered to say things he did not wish to prophesy. And since we have compared Isaiah and Moses, let us set up another comparison close to it, of Isaiah and Jonah. The one is sent to preach the overthrow of the Ninevites after three days, and he is unwilling, not wishing to set out because of the evils of the city. The other, not waiting for what he would be ordered to say, says: “Here am I, send me.” It is good not to leap forward to the dignities and offices and ministries of the church that are from God, but to imitate Moses and say with him: “Provide another whom you may send.” For whoever wishes to be saved, even if he presides, comes not to rule over the church but to serve the church, if we must also cite the Gospel: “The rulers of the nations lord it over them, and those who have authority over them are called magistrates. But it shall not be so among you; for rulers shall not lord it among you, but whoever wishes to be greater among you shall be the least of all; whoever wishes to be first shall be last of all.” Whoever is called to the episcopate, then, is called not to rule but to the service of the whole church. If you wish to believe from the Scriptures that in the church the one who presides is the servant of all, let the Savior and Lord himself persuade you, who became, great and such as he was, in the midst of his disciples, not as one reclining but as one serving. For, taking a towel after he had taken off his garments, he girded himself, and, pouring water into a basin, began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded. And teaching what kind of servants the rulers ought to be, he says: “You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If, then, your Lord and Teacher has washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.” The ruler of the church, then, is called to service, so that from this service he may go to the heavenly throne, as it is written: “You will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” Hear also Paul, so illustrious a man, saying that he was the servant of all believers: “I am the least of the apostles,” he says; “I am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” And if this seems to prove not his service but only his humility, hear him saying: “We became little ones in your midst, as a nurse cherishes her children, though we could have been burdensome as apostles of Christ.” It is fitting, then, that we be imitators of the humble words and deeds of the Lord himself and of his apostles, and do what Moses did, so that even if someone is called to rule, he may say: “Provide another whom you may send.” He says to God: “I am not worthy since yesterday and the day before; I am thin of voice and slow of tongue.” And because he said humbly to God, “I am thin of voice and slow of tongue,” he hears from God: “Who gave man a mouth, and who made the deaf and the mute, the seeing and the blind? Is it not I, the Lord God?” Believe God, consecrate yourself to him. Though you are thin of voice and slow of tongue, hand yourself over to the word of God. You will say afterward: “I opened my mouth and drew in the Spirit.” These things are said because of Isaiah's saying, “Here am I, send me.” But let us also take his side in part. For when he had already received grace from God, he wished not to receive it in vain but to use it for what was needed. Seeing the seraphim, seeing the Lord of hosts sitting upon a throne high and lifted up, he said: “O wretched me, for I am pierced; for being a man and having unclean lips, I dwell also in the midst of a people having unclean lips; I have seen the King, the Lord of hosts, with my eyes.” Saying this and making himself wretched, he deserves help, God receiving his humility. What is this help? “One of the seraphim was sent to me,” he says, “and he had in the tongs a coal which he had brought from the altar, and he touched my lips and said: Behold, I have taken away your iniquities and purged your sins all around.” He obtained the benefit, was made clean, and received forgiveness of sins. When he heard, “Whom shall I send to the people, and who will go for us?” he did not dare to say, “Here am I, send me,” on account of his earlier conscience, but when he had heard, “Behold, I have taken away your iniquities.” So, since the saints are pierced, and the question is raised between Moses and Isaiah, let us give satisfaction for Moses and also for Isaiah, giving them their share from the Scriptures. Moses did not receive forgiveness of sins, so as to say, as one already aware that he was cleansed, “Send me”; that is why he says, “Provide another whom you may send”; for he had on his conscience the killing of the Egyptian; and perhaps, as a man, he knew he had certain other sins too; therefore he refuses. But this man asks for the ministry not as righteous by nature but as one who had obtained grace. So too Moses, if he had received a similar grace and heard, “Behold, I have taken away your iniquities,” and this, “I have purged your sins all around,” would perhaps never have said, “Provide another whom you may send.” Both Moses in refusing and Isaiah in saying, “Here am I, send me,” have some reason, then. 3. But let us see also what the Lord commands him to say to the people: “Go and say to the people: With the ear you will hear and not understand, and seeing you will look and not see. For the heart of this people has grown fat, and with their ears they have heard heavily, and they have closed their eyes, lest at any time they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I save them.” He knows that hearing a word is twofold, and recognizes a double state, that is, one of them bodily, the other spiritual; or else he prophesies to the people concerning what would happen at the coming of Christ: that there would be a time when they would hear and not understand. For when they heard my Lord Jesus Christ, they heard only the sound of what was said, not the sense. And this is clear from the fact that outside he spoke to the people in parables, but explained them to the disciples in private. And he prophesies what came to pass: “With the ear you will hear and not understand.” That this was prophesied to the people about the Lord's coming, the Savior himself says: “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying: With the ear you will hear and not understand.” Let us grant, then, that the people listening to the Lord's words could not know what was said. But let us see what follows: “And seeing you will see and not know.” Not if someone saw what the Savior was doing could he at once, seeing it, understand why it was done. For example (let us take an example), he washed the disciples' feet; and they saw clearly how the Teacher washed the disciples' feet; others who were present saw too, but only what was being done, not why it was being done. For the washing of feet, by which the Word of God washed the disciples' feet, was a figure. Therefore the Savior says to Peter, who refused and said, “You shall not wash my feet” — what does he say? “What I am doing you do not know now, but you will know afterward.” “But what are you doing now?” says Peter. “I see you washing our feet, and the basin set out, you girded with a towel and serving us, and wiping our feet.” But because this was not a bodily matter but a spiritual one, the Savior, stripped, pours spiritual water into the basin, according to the Scriptures, and washes his disciples' feet, so that, when they are clean, they may go up to him who says, “I am the way,” and not full of dust, which he wished them to shake off against the unworthy, who do not receive peace and are not worthy of what was said. And because this was what was signified, he says: “What I am doing you do not know now, but you will know afterward.” And this was what was said to the rest too: “You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If, then, I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's.” Does he say this, then, so that a bishop, pouring water into a basin, taking off his garments and girding himself with a towel while I stretch out my feet, should wash my feet? Since, he says, “you ought to wash one another's feet.” If this is what is said, none of you will keep the commandment. For no one, deacon or presbyter or bishop, takes a towel and washes the feet of whoever comes. But if you understand what is written, those truly blessed bishops who serve the church pour water from the Scriptures into the basin of the soul, which is according to the Scriptures, and try to wash and rinse and cast off the dirt of the disciples' feet. And so bishops keep the commandment, imitating Jesus; and so do presbyters. Would that I too may now receive water that can wash the feet of your soul, and that each of you, when he has been washed, may say: “I have washed my feet; how shall I soil them?” For the bride says this in the Song of Songs, not showing bodily feet washed but feet that do not stumble. Of them Solomon says: “Let your foot not stumble.” And of them it is written in the Psalms: “But my feet had almost been moved.” And of the widows who are enrolled in the churches: “if she has washed the feet of the saints.” If you wish to hear more plainly how a widow washes the feet of the saints, hear Paul in another place giving rules for widows and saying: “teaching well, so that they may make the young women chaste,” washing the dirt from the feet of the young women. And those widows are worthy of the church's honor who wash the feet of the saints with the word of spiritual teaching, of saints who are not men but women. For he does not permit a woman to teach, nor to rule over a man. He wants women to teach well, so that they may persuade not young men but young women to chastity; for it is unfitting that a woman become a man's teacher; but rather that they persuade the young women to chastity, and to love their husbands and children. Let us learn, then, to wash the disciples' feet. These things have been said because of the saying, “Seeing you will see and not know.” For if anything was done by the Savior, by those who did not understand it was seen according to the body, not according to its meaning; but by those who understood it was seen both with the eyes and with the understanding; so that the saying, “Seeing you will see and not know,” was fulfilled not on those who see blessedly but on sinners. And let us pray that, seeing all the things in the Gospels, we may see them doubly: how they were done according to the body when our Savior came to earth. For each thing done in the body was a figure and type of things to come. For instance, a certain man blind from birth recovered his sight; but truly this man blind from birth was the people of the Gentiles, to whom the Savior restored sight, anointing his eyes with his saliva and sending him to Siloam, which is interpreted “Sent.” For he sent those whom he anointed with the Spirit to believe, to Siloam, that is, to the apostles as teachers, for which reason it is written of Siloam that it is interpreted “Sent.” And whenever we begin to be visited by Jesus, so as to recover the eyes of the soul, he sends us to Siloam, that is, “Sent.” So let each of us, when he reads what was done in the Gospels, pray that “Seeing you will see and not know” may not be fulfilled in him. But if, as the simpler suppose, the things that were done were done not for our sake but only for their own, and were not examples of something else, let them explain what sense the saying, “Seeing you will see and not know,” has. For if the things that were seen did not have some hidden sense, so that they might be looked upon spiritually as well as with bodily eyes, he would never have said, “Seeing you will see and not know.” To prove these things we shall bring forward the testimony of another passage from the Gospel, which, according to those who follow only the letter, is false. The Savior and our Lord says to the disciples in the Gospel according to John: “If you believe, you will do not only the things I do, but you will do greater things than these.” Let us see, then, whether the disciples did any greater things. What is greater than raising the dead? Who, I do not say of us, but of the apostles, raised the dead? History relates that Paul raised Eutychus from the dead, and Peter Tabitha, which is interpreted Dorcas. These and others of the kind can be found: where are the greater things? The Savior also made the blind see again, and, what is greater, those born so. Let them produce those blind from the womb whom they have seen healed by the hands of the apostles. And whoever seeks can find countless other things from the Gospels which neither the apostles nor their successors did greater than these. But the word of the Scriptures said something like this: “Than these bodily things that I have done, you will do greater. I raised from the dead bodily; you will raise from the dead spiritually. I poured this sensible light into the blind; you will give spiritual light to those who do not see.” And to this day I see these signs, greater than the bodily ones that Jesus did, being done through the most faithful disciples of Jesus. Do not the blind now see, and the lame walk, and the lepers are cleansed, and the rest come about? If someone who yesterday was blinded, approaching an idol as if to God, today calls on the living God, leaving his former ways, does he not see? Does not he who yesterday was lame because of sin, now, through the disciples' teaching, taught the true way, walk with a firm foot? He who yesterday had a withered hand, idle for doing good, today, receiving his hand, has it living. If you see someone defiled, having leprosy in his soul, suddenly repent, pierced by the word of teaching, do not be ashamed to say that it is greater that this spiritual leper has been cleansed than that someone was once cleansed in the flesh. And this discourse has played this prelude rather at length, wishing to show what is the saying, “And seeing you will see and not understand.” And what is the cause of hearing and not understanding, of seeing and not seeing? “The heart of this people,” it says, “has grown fat.” Since it is necessary to understand where this comes from too: bodily and spiritual fatness are not the same, nor are bodily and spiritual thinness the same. For what is fat in the body comes about in the flesh, and a fleshly heart does me no harm if it grows fat, nor does it profit me if it grows thin from illness or any other cause. I think the fleshly heart of those who are held by fear becomes such. For as all waste away from sickness, so they say the fatness and whatever is fat around their heart grows thin. What harm, then, does it do me if my bodily heart grows fat? Grant that my heart grows thin: what profit to me from that? But the ruling part of our soul is named by the same word as the bodily heart, as is clear from what is said in the Gospel: “Blessed are the pure in heart.” For those are not pure in heart who have no blood or any bodily matter within; but it was said, “Blessed are the pure in heart,” for “Blessed are those who have a pure ruling part of the soul.” The ruling part is named for the heart. Since, then, the ruling part of our soul is said to be in the bodily heart, our heart is either clean or unclean: unclean when evil thoughts come out of it, murders, adulteries, thefts, false witness, blasphemies; clean when there are holy thoughts and divine understanding and a pure mind. For this reason it must be judged that the heart of the one who is saved is said to be made thin, made thin by the Holy Spirit, and the heart of the one who sins is made fat and choked by malice. For it is said of the Holy Spirit who is in wisdom that he is manifold, subtle, mobile, and that the righteous receives this subtle spirit. For this spirit differs from all intelligent, pure, subtle spirits. The ruling part of the heart, then, is thin when it is spiritual, but fat when it is thickened by the fault of bodily matter, full of bodily thoughts which deserve blame. So it is said: “The heart of this people has grown fat.” Understand that the heart has grown fat because there is nothing in it but human and carnal anxieties. For as the matter of the body is fat, so also are bodily understandings and thoughts. Since, then, two things have been set down, that the heart grows fat from worldly cares and grows thin from spiritual care, when someone thinks of the things of the Lord, casting fatness from his heart, and knowing that if his heart grows fat he will neither receive the words of God nor see the mysteries of salvation: let us too lay aside fatness and take up the thinness spoken of, so that we too may say as the prophet: “My soul has thirsted for you; how manifoldly my flesh for you! In a desert land, pathless and waterless, so in the sanctuary I have appeared to you”: not as though I were holy by nature, but if the prudence of the flesh wastes away, and if the prudence of the flesh has wasted away, then I shall appear to him in the sanctuary. This in explanation of the saying, “The heart of this people has grown fat.” It follows: “And with their ears they have heard heavily.” It does me no harm if I hear heavily in body, nor is this a cause for me not to hear the words of God. For as bodily blindness does me no harm if my soul has not been blinded, so neither lightness nor heaviness of bodily hearing hinders me at all. There is another heaviness of hearing which harms a person's soul. What is this heaviness that is in the hearing of the soul? Sin, according to the Scriptures, is heavy. Therefore one who feels his sins says: “As a heavy burden they have weighed upon me.” And because iniquity is heavy, it sits upon a talent of lead, as is written in Zechariah. And the Egyptians were not sunk like lead in the mighty water because they had heavy bodies, but because their souls were weighed down by the talent of lead on which iniquity sat; therefore they sank like lead in the mighty water. Heaviness of the ears, then, is from sin, and lightness from righteousness. What makes the hearing hear not heavily but lightly? The wings of the Word, the wings of virtue. For the wings of the Word bring much lightness. “Who will give me wings like a dove, and I will fly and be at rest?” The prophet says this, praying not to receive the bodily wings of a dove, but the wings of the dove, the Holy Spirit. And again Solomon says of the rich man: “He will make himself wings like an eagle and return to the house of him who rules over him.” If, then, we receive wings, we shall hear lightly. But if we sin and are negligent about our wings, and our feathers fall out, we shall be weighed down and hear heavily. With their ears, then, sinners have heard heavily. All the Jews who then heard the Savior heard him heavily; therefore they did not believe. And to this day all who, hearing the Scriptures, do not hear the word spiritually, which is light, but the letter, which is heavy and kills, hear heavily. And so Scripture is heard in two ways: by one who does not understand what is said it is heard heavily; by one who understands it, it is heard not only not heavily but rather sharply. Hence also one who becomes understanding becomes a hearer. And there is something else prophesied of the people of the Jews, and of all of us, if we sin: “And they have closed their eyes, lest at any time their eyes see, and they hear with their ears and understand with their heart.” Of those who do not see, some are blind and do not see because of blindness; some are in darkness and therefore do not see. But others are neither in darkness nor blind, but do not see because they close their eyes. And divine Scripture knows these differences, which belong to the ruling part of our heart. For the Savior says to those who are in chains, “Come out”; and to those who are in darkness, that it may be revealed to them; and “to those sitting in the region and shadow of death, a light has dawned.” These did not see because they were in darkness until the light dawned on them. “You deaf, hear, and you blind, look.” And these did not see before because they were naturally blind. But those who are outside these, and who, compared with the blind and with those in darkness, are much worse, are those who do not see because they have closed their eyes of their own accord. That this is as we have asserted, the Savior will be my witness, saying: “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see’; your sin remains.” And well he says, “you say, ‘We see’”; for truly he says that they see and have the possibility of seeing, but closing their eyes they do not see. And whenever you see a soul that is clever at understanding, quick and eager, not meditating on the words of God, know that it does not see what is contained in the Scriptures not because of blindness, nor because it is in darkness, but because it closes its eyes. If, then, you hear divine Scripture saying to those who close their eyes, “Open your eyes and see what is right,” open your eyes from what you had closed, and then you will be able to see what is right and consider the light of truth. And it accuses those of whom it complains for closing their eyes so as not to see. But it does not say this, that it is never good to close the eyes of the soul. For it is good, as Isaiah has made plain, saying in what follows: “Who will declare to you the eternal place? He who walks in righteousness and speaks the true and right way, stopping his ears so as not to hear the judgment of blood, and shutting his eyes so as not to see iniquity.” If, by opening the eyes of the soul, I am going to hear and perceive foul talk, it is better to close my hearing than to hear what harms. When, then, shall I close it? When evil things are spoken, so that I do not even understand them. When are the words of God to be seen? When we turn and God heals us, sending the word that heals those who wish to be cured in Christ Jesus, to whom be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. ### Scripture references - Isa 6:8: quotation, high confidence - Isa 6:9: quotation, high confidence - Isa 6:10: quotation, high confidence - Exod 4:13: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 2:13: allusion, high confidence - Jonah 1:3: allusion, high confidence - Matt 20:25: quotation, high confidence - Matt 20:27: quotation, high confidence - Luke 22:27: allusion, high confidence - John 13:4: allusion, high confidence - John 13:5: allusion, high confidence - John 13:7: quotation, high confidence - John 13:8: quotation, high confidence - John 13:13: quotation, high confidence - John 13:14: quotation, high confidence - Matt 19:28: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 15:9: quotation, high confidence - 1 Thess 2:7: quotation, high confidence - Exod 4:10: quotation, high confidence - Exod 4:11: quotation, high confidence - Ps 119:131 (118:131 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Isa 6:5: quotation, high confidence - Isa 6:6: quotation, high confidence - Isa 6:7: quotation, high confidence - Exod 2:12: allusion, high confidence - Matt 13:34: allusion, high confidence - Matt 13:14: quotation, high confidence - John 14:6: quotation, high confidence - Matt 10:14: allusion, high confidence - Song 5:3: quotation, high confidence - Prov 3:23: quotation, high confidence - Ps 73:2 (72:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 Tim 5:10: quotation, high confidence - Titus 2:4: quotation, high confidence - 1 Tim 2:12: allusion, high confidence - John 9:6: allusion, high confidence - John 9:7: allusion, high confidence - John 14:12: quotation, high confidence - Acts 20:10: allusion, high confidence - Acts 9:40: allusion, high confidence - Matt 11:5: allusion, high confidence - Matt 5:8: quotation, high confidence - Matt 15:19: allusion, high confidence - Ps 63:1 (62:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 63:2 (62:3 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 38:4 (37:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Zech 5:7: allusion, high confidence - Exod 15:10: allusion, high confidence - Ps 55:6 (54:7 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Prov 23:5: quotation, medium confidence - 2 Cor 3:6: allusion, high confidence - Isa 49:9: quotation, high confidence - Isa 9:2: quotation, high confidence - Matt 4:16: quotation, medium confidence - Isa 42:18: quotation, high confidence - John 9:41: quotation, high confidence - Isa 33:14: quotation, high confidence - Isa 33:15: quotation, high confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Wis 7:22 (Wisdom of Solomon): allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - The heading is transmitted with the homily. Origen's statements that only widows may teach, and only young women, since Paul does not permit a woman to teach or rule over a man (1 Tim 2:12), are translated as written. The homily refers to the custom of foot-washing and to the various ranks of clergy (deacon, presbyter, bishop). The digital text has many OCR errors, translated by sense. Quotations and allusions: Isa 6:1–10; Exod 4:13; 1 Cor 2:13; Jonah 1:2–3, 3:4; Matt 20:25–27 (Luke 22:25–27); John 13:4–17; Luke 22:27; Matt 19:28; 1 Cor 15:9; 1 Thess 2:7; Exod 4:10–11; Ps 119:131 (Ps 118:131 LXX); Exod 2:12; Matt 13:10–15, 34; Matt 13:14; John 14:6; Matt 10:14; Song 5:3; Prov 3:23; Ps 73:2 (Ps 72:2 LXX); 1 Tim 5:10; Titus 2:3–5; 1 Tim 2:12; John 9:1–7; John 14:12; Acts 20:9–12; Acts 9:36–41; Matt 11:5; Matt 5:8; Matt 15:19; Wis 7:22 (a book outside the 66); Ps 63:1–2 (Ps 62:2–3 LXX); Ps 38:4; Zech 5:7; Exod 15:10; Ps 55:6; Prov 23:5 (LXX); 2 Cor 3:6; Isa 49:9; Isa 9:2 (Matt 4:16); Isa 42:18; John 9:41; Isa 33:13–15 (LXX). ### Citation (SBL) Origen, Hom. Isa. 6 (PL 24:955a–963c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-homiliae-isaiam/6/#p-6). ## Homily on Isaiah 7 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-homiliae-isaiam/7/#p-7 - Source: PL 24:963c–969a - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Origen expounds Isa 8:18–20: all believers are Christ's little children, even the prophets and apostles knew only in part, and Christians must not seek ventriloquists and demons, or teachers who speak from the belly, but the Law and the Word made flesh. ### Latin text De eo quod scriptum est: Ecce ego et pueri, etc.(cap. VIII). Da sapienti occasionem, et sapientior erit, dicit sermo divinus. Occasionem autem acCeperunt sacratissimi apostuli all intellectum propheticorum sermonum. Oremus Deum ut accipiamus sapicn- Ham, et possimus fieri sapientiores pcr occasionem apostolorum ad prophetas exponcudos. Apostolus recordans hujus dicti (vers. 18): Ecce ego et pueri quos Deus dedit mihi; dciude infert, Ct edisserit: Quia ergo pueri communicaverunt sanguini et carlli, et ipse proxime eus factus est qui participantur eorum: fit per mortem destruat eunt gui imperium habet mortis, hoc est Zabulon, ct eruat cos quicunque metu,tortis ill sempiternam vitam rei erant servitutis'a. Igitur quia pueri partiCipes effecti sum sanguinis et carnis, et Salvator noster communicavit carui atque sanguini. Alienum enim erat a natura et divinitate ejus, sanguinem ct carnem suscipere: propter nos autem ca quæ sibi crant aliena suscepit, ut domesticos sUM faceret qui fueramus alieni per peccatum. Et quidem Apostolus sic exposuit, dicens: Quia ergo pueri communicaverunt sanguini et carni, et ipse proxime eos factus est qui participantur eorum. Ego autem dicam, quoniam quomodo et pueri communicaverunt sanguini et carni, et ipse proxime eos factus est qui participantur corum: sie quia pueri non possunt fortiores audire sermones, debent enim ut pueri audire sermones Dei, propter hoc factus iri sanguine puerorum causa qui comunicaverunt carni et sanguini, quasi parvulis loquens, loquitur non divina et ineffabilla, sed quæcunque capere possunt parvuli. Parvuli autem omnes homines sunt, si cos comparas ad perfectionem Verbi: licet Moysen nomines, licct unum dixeris de prophetis, licet Joannem, quo major in natis mulierum nono fuit; licet ad apostolos vemas; Petrum, cui portæ inferi non invalescent, vel Paulum qui raptus est usque ad tertium cœlum, ct audivit indicibilia verba, non deponis corum gloriam, dicens, quia et iPsi in cis quæ intellexerunt comparatione eorum quæ non intellexerunt, parvulorum discplinis eruditi sunt, quæ hominibus traduntur. Dicit ergo Salvator non dc his quos Paulus in Christo parvulos nuncupat, et asserit tacte potandos, et non forti cibo, sed de omnibus simul hominibus: Ecce ego et parvuli mei quos mihi dedit Deus. Verum quomodo III pueris alii sunt aliis alacriores, et ea qai cis sunt tradita velocius consequuntur: sic, inquam, shnilell) ingeniosis pueris factum Moysen et prophetas, sed et Domini nostri Jesu Christi apostolos. Propterea sentientes semetipsos qui etiamsi profecerint, puerorum profecerint profecti, dixerunt: Ex parte cognoscimus, et ex parte prophetamus. Nee enim adhuc vertatis negotia, sed umbras negoliornn) conspiciehant, lice plenam lucem, sed obscuram iluagiucln.!dcoquc repetebant, dicentes: Videmus nunc per speculum et in œnigmate, tunc autem facie ad faciem. Quis ergo haec legens ct intelligens inflabitur et crigcLul. super scientiam, seu supcr quodcunque donorum? Etenim cuncta quae ad pueros devenerunt, multo interiora sunt his quæ reposita sunt viris. Debent ergo non elevari et superbire ii qui videntur inter pueros acrioris ingenii ct velocioris. istos autem pueros homines dicit omnes, quos et Salvator dcmonstrabat: Ecce, inquiens, ego, et pueri mei quos mihi dedit Deas. Donum accepit et Salvator a Deo. Nemo enim venit ad eum, si non qui misit eum, attraxerit venientem ad Salvatorem, sicut in Evangelio quod secundum Joannem est didicinlus. Et quomam accepit donum a Patre cos qui credunt, incirco propheta de cis ait: Ecoe ego et paeri quos mihi dedit Deus. Nec putandus est non habuisse qui accepit, cum adhuc habeat ipse qui dederit. Deinde in reliquis prophetat Salvator in propheta, dicens futurum esse ut cum acceperit pucros, signa ct prodigia fiant in IsraeL Habel autem ita: Et crunt signa "t prodigia in Israel a Domino Sabaoth, qai habitat in monte Sion. Qui enim habitat in speculatorio, et in omni anima potest codspicere veritatem, iste facit signa et prodigia per Salvatorem, ct post Salvatorem, per apostolos: et ubicunque invenitur aMima apta ministerio signofam et prodigiorum Dci, sive juxta spiritatem curationem, sive sensibiliter exhortando eos qui veniunt ad fidem, non est otiosus Deus, qui tunc fecit signa et prodigia, etiam nunc onerari ea. Et si dixerint ad toa, quœrite ventriloquos et eos qui de terra clamant, qui inania loquuntur, qui de ventre clamant, MOM gentes ad Deum suum requirunt, gui exquirunt de viventibus mortuos. Attendite quoniam obscure dicta sunt, ct debet sensus, Deo ipso largiente ct revela te, cohæreresuperioribus. Docet ergo nos ut non simus aliorum sermonum discipuli, nisi cœlestium et bonorum. Sunt enim quidam luquentium et pollicentium doctrinam veram, qui non loquuntur cœlestia, sed terrena. Qui eit ex tetra, de terra loquitur; gai de cœ/o venit, super o nes est, et quod vidit et audivit, testificatur. Si quis, ait, pueris qui in rue credunt, dixerit: Quærite ventriloquos, et tos qui de terra clamant, qui inania laquuntur, qui de ventre clamant, veluti quærite dæmonia: ab una enim specie daemonis ventriloqui τροπιϰω̄ς omnia dæmonia nuncupavit. Si dixerint robis, quarite ventriloquos,, hoc est, quærite a dæmonibus sive divinationem, sive veritatem, sive sacratam contemplationem, respondete cis quæ dico. Quæ sunt quae cos docet? in sequentibus dicit. Et sunt quidam qui mittunt vox, magis autem catechumenos, quantum in iNsis est ad ventriloqnos. Qui enim volunt vos ire ad idola, de quibus scriptum est: Et omnes dii gentium dæmonia, volunt vos ire non solum ad ventriloquos, sed ad omnem speciem dæmonum. Verumtamen Deus noSter qui in coelo et in terra universa facit, evellat nos a dæmonibus, ct familiares sibi faciat per Salvatorem nostrum Jesum Christum. Videte ergo nequando decipiatur alicujus ex vobis anima, ut adhuc ambigat et dubitet, cum audierit illum et illum hominem, in illo idolo dæmon curavit illum languorem, illud et illud divinavit. ista omnia idola sunt dæmonum, et hominum non cognoscentium veritatem. Ascendite animo ad Deum qui est omnium treator, ct comparate pietatem istam omni quae annuntiatur esse pietas, lice est pietas, et videte quia Tos beati csLis. Quis enim similis tibi, popule salvate a Domino? Et: Beata gens cujus Dominus Deus ejus, populus quem elegit in habitationem sibi. Beata quippe gens fuit quondam Judæorum, sed perdidit beatitudinem, et ejecta est de loco suo, quia cum qui missus est et testimonium habuit Patris, non solum per legem et prophetas, verum ct in signis et prodigiis, insidians interfecit. Вeatitudo ergo transmigravit ad nos Jesu Christi discipulos, et credimus in eo inconcusse et firme viventes juxta quod docti sumus. Et si dixerint ad vos: Quærite ventriloquos, et eoa gui de terra clamant. Quia inania, loquuntur, vaniloquos nominavit. Omnis sermo qui dicitur aut vacuus est, aut plenus veritate. Vacuus est sermo omnis qui mendax est. Plenus est autem veritate qui habet scientiam Dei universorum, et doret ut credamus Deo pollicenti regna cœlorum sanctis suis. Vide ergo quid dicant dui non fuerunt vaniloqui, neque vacui unquam apparuerunt in conspectu Domini. Nos omnes ex plenitudine ejus accepimus. Qui vaniloqui sunt, nun habent hoc ex plenitudine, sed omnes vacui sunt veritate, vacui sunt virtute, vacuisunt Christo. Sidixerint vobis: Quærite eos qui de terra clamant, qui inania loquuntur, qui de ventre clamant. Volo dicere et causam quare hoc potissimum dæmonium ventriloquorum nunc assumpserit sermo, ut dicai: Si dixerint ad vos, quæriteventriloquos. Invenies omnes qui repromittum, nec habent veritatem, ventri suo servientes, et quodammodo propter voluptatem ejus et abundantiam cuncta facere. Non solum autem gentiles, Sed et cos, qui cum repromittant in Christo religionem, hæretici sunt; et non tautum illos, sed etiam in nobis qui ecclesiastici sumus, invenies aliquem pro saturitate ventris cuncta serere, ut honoretur, et accipiat munera qnae in Ecclesia deferuntur. Iste talis de ventre loquitur et fons sermonum ejus in venIre consistit. Nonenim fons sermonum ejus de corde bono fluit, uon de bonis eogitauonibus. non de sancto Spiritu. Si quis ergo aliquando se docere pronliuit, observate utrum sermoncs ejus de ventre valeant principium, annon. Propositionem autem quæ mihi dici potest, ipse interponam, ne forte quis ex vobis a quoquam eam audiens existimet aut Scripturam sibi esse contrariam, aut uos inspexisse quomodo oportcat approbare sermOnem III cus accusatorium qui de ventre clamant. Quæ cst ergo propositio i Si quis, ait, credit in me, flumina de ventre ejus fluent, fons aquæ salientis in vitam æternam. Dicat itaque aliquis de bis proponunt. Si Salvator quirepromittit hunc esse de ventre fontem aquae salientis in vitam aeternam, de Justo egreditur, et justus deventre clamat. Si quidem fons aquae quem Deus repromittit, in ventre ejus est.Seddicendum est ne orte duoshabeamus ventres, et alius sit corporalis, alius spiritalis, quOmodo reliquæ partes quae videntur in corpore nominari, veluti sunt oculi, verum alii corporis, alii animæ. Si enim dicitur de aculis: Mandatum Domini lucidum, illuminans oculus, non puto hoc referendum ad oculus corporales. Et si dicitur: Qui habet aurea audielldi, audiat, ron est putandum hoc did de corporis auribus,.sed de animæ, quas habent qui mundi sunt in auditu ariimae. Sed ei si dicitur inrepromissionem: Pes tuus MUM offendet, uon est arbitrandum de corpons pede. Est enim quidam pes cordis ingrediens ad cum qui dixit: Ego sum via. Sic igitur simiis veniri corporali venter est animæ, de quo loquitur justus: A timore tuo, Domine, in ventre concepimus, et parturivimus, et peperimus spiritumsalutis tuæ, quam fecisti super terram. Quicunque autem plenum habent ventrem vanis serulollihus, qui de ter ra sunt, habent ventrem de terra subsistentem, de quo scriptum est: Deus autem et istam et hæc destruet. Sancti ergo ventrem Labent, in quo a timore Domim et conceperunt, et plenus est venter corum fontibus aquæ salientis in vitam æternam. De isto ventre ait ille: Aurea et venter meus quasi uter plenus mUlto ac ligatus. Haec euim dixit nou de corporali ventre: nec enim venter cjus corporalis poenus crat divinorum et his proximorum vina anigato in utrem. Ista in solutionem propositionis. Nunc ad hoc quod coepimus revertamur. Si ergo dixerint ad VOl: Quærite ventriloquos, et eos qui de terra clamant, non gens ad Deum sicum III hæc cis respondete. Deficienter autem dicitur: Hæc eis respondete, non gem ad Deum suum exquirilur. Unaquaeque gens, si quaerit Jovem, ad proprium Deum refert quod quaesivit. Haec eis respondete. Vos autem Israelitae habentes Dcum verum qui est super omnia, cum quæritis, nolite ventriloquos quærere, Heque de terra clamantes, neque vaniloquos, sed proprium Deum. Qui quærum de viventibus mortuos. Mortui enim sunt dæmones privati "cra vita, quæ dicit: Ego sum vita. Nolite ergo mortuos sciscitari devivis negotiis. Legem euim suscepistis. 0 vos quibus persuaderi non potuit, ut quæreretis ista de ventriloquis, et de terra clamalltibus vanis sermonibus sermonem vcritatis et lcgem, suscipicntes eam in adjutorium legis vestræ, nUcndile. In lege vestra scribitur: Non sequaris idola; juxta legem facientes non attendatis ventriloquis, noque his qui de terra clamant. Legem enim in adjutorium dedit, ut dicanl, uoti cst sicut verbum istud, pro quo noM eat munera dare. Qui enim assumpsit legem, et novit quia lex in adjutonum est, et præcipue spiritalis, quae interdicit a ventriloquis et auguriis quærere; hic cum intelleserit legem, debct admirans cam dicere, nullum verbum ita mundum apud Graecos et barbaros, quale est verbum legis. Ab omni enim verbo, ab universa doctrina veritatem pollicente differt lex, quae a Deo nobis data est. Legem enim iu adjutorium dedit, ut dicant, non sicut verbum istud. Quid est quod non cst sicut verbum istud? Multa sum verba, sed uon sicut verbum istud. Nullum enim verbum post verbum Moysi, post verbum prophetarum, multo autem amplius post verbum Jcsu Christi ct apostolorum ejus. Vide si non clamant sensus Dci quod dictum cst: Legem enim in adjutorium dedit, ut dicant qui acceperunt leem in adjutorium, noa cst ut verbum istud quod locu!us est Moyses in lere lata per angelos in manu mediatoris. Multo autem dignius potest hoc Eccl sia dicere, non est sicut verbum istud quod caru factum est, quod habitavit in noLis, cujus videmus gloriam, non sicut Moyses velamine obtectam, sed gloriam tanquam Unigeniti a Patre, pleni gratiæ et veritatis. Non cst sicut Verbum istud quod snscepit Ecclesia, in quo credit, per quod et salvabitur, Verbum quod in principio erat apud Deum Dcus Verbum, cui gloria et imperium in sarcula sæculorum. Amen. ### English translation (Claude) On the text, “Behold, I and the children,” etc. (Isa 8). “Give a wise man an occasion, and he will be wiser,” says the divine word. And the most holy apostles received an occasion for understanding the prophetic words. Let us pray to God that we may receive wisdom and be able to become wiser through the occasion given by the apostles for expounding the prophets. The Apostle, recalling this saying, “Behold, I and the children whom God has given me,” then adds and explains: “Since, then, the children shared in blood and flesh, he too likewise became a partaker of the same, that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to slavery into eternal life.” So, since the children have become partakers of blood and flesh, our Savior too shared in flesh and blood. For it was foreign to his nature and divinity to take on blood and flesh; but for our sake he took on what was foreign to him, so as to make members of his household us who had been foreigners through sin. And indeed the Apostle expounded it thus, saying: “Since, then, the children shared in blood and flesh, he too likewise became a partaker of the same.” But I will say that, as the children shared in blood and flesh and he too likewise became a partaker of the same, so, since the children cannot hear stronger words (for as children they must hear the words of God), for this reason he came in blood for the sake of the children who shared in flesh and blood, and, speaking as to little ones, he speaks not divine and ineffable things but whatever little ones can grasp. And all human beings are little ones, if you compare them with the perfection of the Word: though you name Moses, though you speak of one of the prophets, though of John, than whom none was greater among those born of women; though you come to the apostles, Peter, against whom the gates of hell will not prevail, or Paul, who was caught up to the third heaven and heard unspeakable words: you do not lower their glory if you say that they too, in what they understood compared with what they did not understand, were taught with the lessons of little ones, which are handed down to human beings. So the Savior speaks, not of those whom Paul calls little ones in Christ and declares must be given milk to drink and not solid food, but of all human beings together: “Behold, I and my little ones whom God has given me.” But just as among children some are quicker than others and grasp more swiftly what is handed down to them, so, I say, Moses and the prophets, and the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ too, became like clever children. Therefore, perceiving that even if they had made progress they had made the progress of children, they said: “We know in part and we prophesy in part.” For they did not yet behold the realities of the truth but the shadows of the realities, not the full light but an obscure image. And so they repeated, saying: “We see now through a mirror and in a riddle, but then face to face.” Who, then, reading and understanding this, will be puffed up and exalted over knowledge or over any gift? For all that has come to the children is far inferior to what is stored up for grown men. Those, then, who seem to be of sharper and quicker wit among the children ought not to be lifted up and proud. He calls all human beings these children, whom the Savior too pointed out, saying: “Behold, I and my children whom God has given me.” The Savior too received a gift from God. For no one comes to him unless he who sent him draws the one who comes to the Savior, as we have learned in the Gospel according to John. And since he received from the Father as a gift those who believe, the prophet says of them: “Behold, I and the children whom God has given me.” Nor must it be thought that he who received did not have them, while he who gave still has them. Then, in the rest, the Savior prophesies in the prophet, saying that it will be that, when he has received the children, signs and wonders will occur in Israel. It runs thus: “And they will be signs and wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion.” For he who dwells in the watchtower and can behold the truth in every soul does signs and wonders through the Savior, and after the Savior through the apostles; and wherever a soul is found fit for the ministry of God's signs and wonders, whether by spiritual healing or by sensibly exhorting those who come to faith, God is not idle, who then did signs and wonders and even now works them. “And if they say to you, Seek the ventriloquists and those who cry from the earth, who speak empty things, who cry from the belly: will not nations seek their own god? Who seek the dead on behalf of the living?” Notice that these things are said obscurely, and the sense must, God himself granting and revealing it, be joined to what precedes. It teaches us, then, not to be disciples of other words except heavenly and good ones. For there are some who speak and promise true teaching who do not speak heavenly things but earthly. “He who is from the earth speaks of the earth; he who comes from heaven is above all, and what he has seen and heard he testifies.” “If anyone,” he says, “says to the children who believe in me, Seek the ventriloquists and those who cry from the earth, who speak empty things, who cry from the belly,” as if to say, seek demons (for from one kind of demon, the ventriloquist, he has figuratively named all demons): “If they say to you, Seek the ventriloquists,” that is, seek from demons either divination or truth or sacred contemplation, answer them what I say. What does he teach them? He says in what follows. And there are some who send you, and still more the catechumens, as far as is in them, to the ventriloquists. For those who wish you to go to idols, of which it is written, “And all the gods of the nations are demons,” wish you to go not only to ventriloquists but to every kind of demon. But may our God, who does all things in heaven and on earth, tear us away from the demons and make us his own through our Savior Jesus Christ. See, then, that no one's soul among you is ever deceived, so as still to waver and doubt when he hears that in such and such an idol a demon has cured such and such a man's illness, has divined this and that. All these idols belong to demons and to men who do not know the truth. Rise up in mind to God, who is the creator of all, and compare this godliness with every one that is proclaimed to be godliness, though it is not godliness, and see that you are blessed. “For who is like you, O people saved by the Lord?” And: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his dwelling.” For once the nation of the Jews was blessed, but it lost its blessedness and was cast out of its place, because it laid snares for and killed him who was sent and had the testimony of the Father, not only through the Law and the prophets but also in signs and wonders. Blessedness, then, has passed over to us, the disciples of Jesus Christ, and we believe in him, living unshaken and firm according to what we have been taught. “And if they say to you: Seek the ventriloquists and those who cry from the earth.” Because they speak empty things, he has named them speakers of vanity. Every word that is spoken is either empty or full of truth. Every word that is a lie is empty. But that word is full of truth which has the knowledge of the God of all and teaches us to believe God, who promises the kingdom of heaven to his saints. See, then, what those say who were not speakers of vanity, nor ever appeared empty in the sight of the Lord: “We have all received of his fullness.” Those who are speakers of vanity do not have this from fullness, but are all empty of truth, empty of virtue, empty of Christ. “If they say to you: Seek those who cry from the earth, who speak empty things, who cry from the belly.” I wish to state also the reason why the word has now taken up especially this demon of the ventriloquists, so as to say, “If they say to you, Seek the ventriloquists.” You will find that all who make promises and do not have the truth serve their own belly and in a way do everything for its pleasure and abundance. Not only pagans, but also those who, while promising religion in Christ, are heretics; and not only them, but among us too, who belong to the church, you will find someone sowing everything for the filling of his belly, so as to be honored and to receive the gifts that are brought in the church. Such a one speaks from the belly, and the source of his words lies in the belly. For the source of his words does not flow from a good heart, not from good thoughts, not from the Holy Spirit. So if anyone ever promises to teach, observe whether his words have their beginning in the belly or not. But I will myself put in the objection that can be made to me, lest perhaps one of you, hearing it from someone, should think either that Scripture contradicts itself or that we have not considered how one should prove the word accusing those who cry from the belly. What, then, is the objection? “If anyone,” he says, “believes in me, rivers will flow from his belly, a spring of water leaping up to eternal life.” Let someone, then, say from these things: “If the Savior promises that this spring of water leaping up to eternal life is from the belly, it comes out of the righteous man, and the righteous man cries from the belly, since the spring of water which God promises is in his belly.” But it must be said that perhaps we have two bellies, one bodily and the other spiritual, just as the other parts which seem to be named in the body, such as the eyes: but some are of the body, others of the soul. For if it is said of eyes, “The commandment of the Lord is bright, enlightening the eyes,” I do not think this should be referred to the bodily eyes. And if it is said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear,” it must not be thought that this is said of the body's ears, but of the soul's, which those have who are pure in the soul's hearing. And if it is said in a promise, “Your foot will not stumble,” it must not be thought to be of the body's foot. For there is a certain foot of the heart which walks to him who said, “I am the way.” So, then, like the bodily belly there is a belly of the soul, of which the righteous man speaks: “From fear of you, Lord, we have conceived in the belly and been in labor and brought forth the spirit of your salvation, which you have made upon the earth.” But all who have a belly full of empty words, who are from the earth, have a belly that subsists from the earth, of which it is written: “But God will destroy both it and these.” The saints, then, have a belly in which they have conceived from the fear of the Lord, and their belly is full of springs of water leaping up to eternal life. Of this belly that man says: “And my belly is like a wineskin full of new wine and bound up.” For he said this not of the bodily belly; for his bodily belly was not full of divine things and of wine like them bound in a skin. These things in solution of the objection. Now let us return to what we began. “If, then, they say to you: Seek the ventriloquists and those who cry from the earth, will not nations seek their own god?” Answer them this. It is said elliptically: “Answer them this: Does not a nation seek its own god?” Each nation, if it seeks Jupiter, refers what it sought to its own god. Answer them this: “But you Israelites, who have the true God who is over all, when you seek, do not seek the ventriloquists, nor those who cry from the earth, nor the speakers of vanity, but your own God.” “Who seek the dead on behalf of the living.” For the demons are dead, deprived of the true life, which says, “I am the life.” Do not, then, consult the dead about the affairs of the living. “For you have received the Law.” O you who could not be persuaded to seek these things from ventriloquists and those who cry from the earth with empty words, attend to the word of truth and the Law, receiving it as a help to your Law. In your Law it is written, “Do not follow idols”; doing according to the Law, do not attend to ventriloquists nor to those who cry from the earth. “For he gave the Law as a help, that they might say: It is not like this word, for which there is no giving of gifts.” For he who has taken up the Law and knows that the Law is for help, and especially the spiritual Law, which forbids inquiring of ventriloquists and auguries, when he has understood the Law, must say in admiration of it that no word among Greeks and barbarians is so pure as the word of the Law. For the Law that has been given us by God differs from every word, from every teaching that promises truth. “For he gave the Law as a help, that they might say: Not like this word.” What is “not like this word”? There are many words, but not like this word. For there is no word after the word of Moses, after the word of the prophets, and much more after the word of Jesus Christ and his apostles. See whether the sense of God does not cry out in what is said: “For he gave the Law as a help, that those who received the Law as a help might say: It is not like this word,” which Moses spoke in the Law given through angels by the hand of a mediator. But much more worthily can the church say this: “It is not like this Word, which became flesh, which dwelt among us, whose glory we see, not covered with a veil like that of Moses, but glory as of the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” It is not like this Word, which the church has received, in which it believes, and through which it will be saved, the Word which in the beginning was with God, God the Word, to whom be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. ### Scripture references - Prov 9:9: quotation, high confidence - Isa 8:18: quotation, high confidence - Isa 8:19: quotation, high confidence - Isa 8:20: quotation, high confidence - Heb 2:13: quotation, high confidence - Heb 2:14: quotation, high confidence - Heb 2:15: quotation, high confidence - Eph 2:19: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 11:11: allusion, high confidence - Matt 16:18: allusion, high confidence - 2 Cor 12:2: allusion, high confidence - 2 Cor 12:4: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 3:2: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 13:9: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 13:12: quotation, high confidence - Heb 10:1: allusion, medium confidence - John 6:44: allusion, high confidence - John 3:31: quotation, high confidence - John 3:32: quotation, high confidence - Ps 96:5 (95:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 135:6 (134:6 LXX): allusion, medium confidence - Deut 33:29: quotation, high confidence - Ps 33:12 (32:12 LXX): quotation, high confidence - John 1:16: quotation, high confidence - Rom 16:18: allusion, medium confidence - John 7:38: quotation, high confidence - John 4:14: quotation, high confidence - Ps 19:8 (18:9 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Matt 11:15: quotation, high confidence - Prov 3:23: quotation, high confidence - John 14:6: quotation, high confidence - Isa 26:18: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 6:13: quotation, high confidence - Job 32:19: quotation, high confidence - John 11:25: allusion, medium confidence - Gal 3:19: allusion, high confidence - John 1:14: quotation, high confidence - 2 Cor 3:13: allusion, high confidence - John 1:1: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The heading is transmitted with the homily. The remarks on the Jews losing their blessedness are Origen's; translated as written. Isa 8:19–20 is quoted in the LXX form (“ventriloquists”; “he gave the Law as a help”). The digital text has many OCR errors and leaked footnote numbers (removed below), translated by sense. Quotations and allusions: Prov 9:9; Isa 8:18–20; Heb 2:13–15; Eph 2:19; Matt 11:11; Matt 16:18; 2 Cor 12:2–4; 1 Cor 3:1–2; 1 Cor 13:9, 12; Heb 10:1; John 6:44; John 3:31–32; Ps 96:5 (Ps 95:5 LXX); Ps 135:6; Deut 33:29; Ps 33:12 (Ps 32:12 LXX); John 1:16; Rom 16:18; John 7:38 with 4:14; Ps 19:8; Matt 11:15; Prov 3:23; John 14:6; Isa 26:18 (LXX); 1 Cor 6:13; Job 32:19; John 11:25; Gal 3:19; John 1:14; 2 Cor 3:13; John 1:1. ### Citation (SBL) Origen, Hom. Isa. 7 (PL 24:963c–969a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-homiliae-isaiam/7/#p-7). ## Homily on Isaiah 8 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-homiliae-isaiam/7/#p-8 - Source: PL 24:969a–971a - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Origen reads the idols of Jerusalem and Samaria as the hidden idols of sin in church members and heretics, and the boastful king of Assyria as the devil, whom Christians resist by standing firm on Christ the rock. ### Latin text De eo quod scriptum est: Ululate sculptilia in Hie-rusalem et in Samnrin, usque ad cum lecum in quo ait: Et commovebo civitates quæ habitantur (cap. X). I. Olim quidem quando peccavit populus prior, excidit a religione, ct sculptilia fabricatus est Judas in Hierusalem, et is qui Israel vocabatur in Samaria. Si autem et nunc aliquis consideret ex multitudine eorum qui colliguntur peccatores, non pigebit cum dicere, quod unusquisque Deum faciens quod existimat esse bonum, et serviens peccato, maledictus est faciens sculptile, et conflans opus manuum artiticis et ponens ilIud in absconso. In absconso quippe cordis mulsa facimus idola si peccmus. Unde sermo nos edocet pœnitentiam agere, et utulare super sculptilibus, et idolis quæ sunt in Hierusalem et Samaria. Et si quidem nos peccemus, qui essc ele Ecclesia capimus, in Hierusalem facimus sculptilia. Si vero ii qui extra Ecclesiam constituti sunt quomodo hæretici peccaverint, faciunt idola in Samaria. Vcrurntamcn omnes omnipotens Deus juxta suam bon talem ad pœnitentiam provocat, dicens (vers. 10): Ulu/ate sculptilia ill Hierusalem et in Samaria. Quemadmodum etenim feci Samariae ct manu factis ejus, ita faciam Hicrusalem et idolis ejus. Comminatur quaecunque fecit Samaritanis, et his qui de Ecclesia sunt. Cum autem consummaverit Deus omnia faciens in monte Sion, et in Hierusalem, inducet auper sensum magnum principem Assyriorum, et super altitudinem gloriæ oculorum ejus. Docemur quid futurum sit Inimico nostro et Zabulo, quero sensum quemdam magnum nunc propheta nuncupavit. Quomodo enim serpens sapientior erat omnibus bestiis quae sunt super te: ram, et filii sæculi hujus sapientiores super filios lucis in generatione sua sunt, et dispensator iniquitatis sapienter fecit secundum sapientiam non bonam, eodem modo iste qui figuraliter princeps Assyliorum dicitur, magnus est sensus, et est mirari magnitudinem sensus ejus: in quo abusus cst ad in. srtuendos sapientes mundi istius, qui cum omni verisimilitudine, cunctaque virtute falsitatem srctarum suarum componentes exhibent. Gum ergo omnia fccerit Deus in monte Sion, ct in nicrusalem, et reddiderit ca quae justis repromissa sunt, tunc inducet supra sensum magnum principem Assyriorum,et super altitudinem gloriæ oculorum ejus. Alta cum sapientem sermo novit, et exordium ruinæ ejus ab inflatione cœpisse. Unde et si inflat. fuerimus, in judicium incidemus diaboli, in quo incidit ipse Zabulus. Videamus autem et inflationem ejus quanta sit, ut eam caveamus, et non permittamus eum sbper nos vera dicere. Quid igitur dicit (yrs. 13)? Viribus faciam, et sapientiam intellectus ouferam, fines gentium. Existimat fortitudine sua uod vult in nobis se posse perficere. Et revera si vincamur, et post haec verba peccemus, si post ecclesiam rursum in circum, cl ad cquorum cursus, et ad conventum gentilium camus, quid aliud fit, quam superatos nos possidet? Et quid dixit Zabulus, viribu. faciam? Consequitur in nobis peccatoribus. quod minatus est. Sed et si fornicemur post castitatcm longi temporis, post sanctimoniam mullam, quid aliud fit quam vera locutus probatur super nos, qui dixit: Viribus faciam? Quid autem ct ałiud repromittat iste magniloquax iLtueamur. Et sapientiam intellectus auferam, fines gelltium. Sapienliam nescio quam polliccLur, de qua et propheta loquitur: Alienigena quædam sapientia eat in eis. Est enim aliqua extranea a veritate sapientia quam disperdet Deus. Hanc iste habens existimat se esse sapientenl. et dicit: Sapientiam intellectus au feram, fines gentium, et vires eorum drpasrar. Pervenit enim ad omnes gentes operatio ejus, sud Salvator in Omnes gentes mittens sermone suos, eruit eos, qui a Zabulo in cunctis gentibus captivi i tenebantur. Et vires eorum depascar. Minatur se vires nastras prædatum iri, et tradere adversus nos mili tantibus. Et revera est videre cum quibusdam hoc facientem. Quando enim quis vincitur a Zabulo, et traditur dæmonibus spiritibus pessimis, virtutibus contrariis, quid aliud factum est quam is dixErat: Et vires eorum depascar? Accipiens nostras veres depastus eat nos. Et commovebo civitates quæ inhabitalztur. Et hoc Zabulus comminatur, inhabitari cernit civitates Ecclesias Dei in Christo omno constructas, has commoturum esse se personat. Et frequenter quidem concussit civitates inhabitatas persecutionibus, frequenter concussit scandalis. Scd nos tentemus fundamentum habentcs super petram tales fieri, ut iste qui dicit: Commovebo civitates quæ inhabitantur, nos movcre non valeat per procellas suas, neque per spiritus adversos. Verum ad omnia quæ acciderint stabiles perseveremus, utpote habentes ædificium super pctram Jcsum Christum, cui cst Gloria ct imperium in saecula sæculorum. Amen. ### English translation (Claude) On the text, “Howl, you carved images in Jerusalem and in Samaria,” up to the place where it says, “And I will shake the cities that are inhabited” (Isa 10). 1. Once, when the former people sinned, it fell away from religion, and Judah made carved images in Jerusalem, and he who was called Israel in Samaria. But if even now someone considers the multitude of those who are gathered together as sinners, he will not be ashamed to say that each one who makes as god what he thinks good, and serves sin, is cursed for making a carved image and casting the work of a craftsman's hands and setting it in a hidden place. For in the hidden place of the heart we make many idols if we sin. Hence the word teaches us to repent and to howl over the carved images and idols that are in Jerusalem and Samaria. And if we sin who are reckoned to be of the church, we make carved images in Jerusalem. But if those who are placed outside the church, like the heretics, have sinned, they make idols in Samaria. Yet almighty God, according to his goodness, calls all to repentance, saying: “Howl, you carved images in Jerusalem and in Samaria. For as I did to Samaria and her handiworks, so I will do to Jerusalem and her idols.” He threatens whatever he did to the Samaritans to those also who are of the church. “But when God has finished doing all things on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, he will bring upon the great mind, the ruler of the Assyrians, and upon the height of the glory of his eyes.” We are taught what will befall our enemy, the devil, whom the prophet has now called a certain great mind. For as the serpent was wiser than all the beasts that are upon the earth, and the children of this age are wiser than the children of light in their generation, and the steward of iniquity acted wisely according to a wisdom that is not good, so this one, who is figuratively called the ruler of the Assyrians, is a great mind, and one may wonder at the greatness of his mind, which he has abused to instruct the wise of this world, who with all plausibility and every power set forth and display the falsehood of their sects. When, then, God has done all things on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and has rendered what was promised to the righteous, then “he will bring upon the great mind, the ruler of the Assyrians, and upon the height of the glory of his eyes.” The word knows him as wise in lofty things, and that the beginning of his ruin began with being puffed up. Hence, if we too are puffed up, we shall fall into the judgment of the devil, into which the devil himself fell. But let us see how great his being puffed up is, so that we may beware of it and not allow him to speak truly about us. What, then, does he say? “By strength I will do it, and by the wisdom of understanding I will remove the boundaries of the nations.” He thinks that by his strength he can accomplish in us what he wishes. And truly, if we are conquered and sin after these words, if after the church we go again to the circus and the horse races and the gathering of the pagans, what else happens but that he possesses us as conquered? And what did the devil say? “By strength I will do it.” He achieves in us sinners what he threatened. And if we commit sexual immorality after long chastity, after much holiness, what else happens than that he who said, “By strength I will do it,” is proved to have spoken truly about us? But let us look at what else this boaster promises: “And by the wisdom of understanding I will remove the boundaries of the nations.” He promises some wisdom or other, of which the prophet also speaks: “There is a foreign wisdom in them.” For there is a certain wisdom foreign to the truth, which God will destroy. Having this, he thinks himself wise and says: “By the wisdom of understanding I will remove the boundaries of the nations, and I will plunder their strength.” For his working has reached all nations; but the Savior, sending his word to all nations, has rescued those who were held captive by the devil in all nations. “And I will plunder their strength.” He threatens to plunder our strength and hand it over to those who fight against us. And truly one can see him doing this with some. For when someone is conquered by the devil and handed over to demons, to the worst spirits, to the opposing powers, what else has happened than what he had said, “And I will plunder their strength”? Taking our strength, he has plundered us. “And I will shake the cities that are inhabited.” This too the devil threatens. He sees the cities inhabited, the churches of God built in Christ everywhere; he declares that he will shake them. And often indeed he has shaken the inhabited cities by persecutions, often he has shaken them by scandals. But let us, having our foundation on the rock, try to become such that he who says, “I will shake the cities that are inhabited,” cannot move us by his storms or by adverse spirits. But in all that happens let us persevere steadfast, as having our building on the rock, Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. ### Scripture references - Isa 10:10: quotation, high confidence - Isa 10:11: quotation, high confidence - Isa 10:12: quotation, high confidence - Isa 10:13: quotation, high confidence - Isa 10:14: quotation, high confidence - Deut 27:15: allusion, high confidence - Gen 3:1: allusion, high confidence - Luke 16:8: allusion, high confidence - 1 Tim 3:6: allusion, high confidence - Isa 2:6: quotation, medium confidence - 1 Cor 1:19: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 7:24: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 10:4: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The heading is transmitted with the homily. The Latin “great mind” (sensus magnus) renders the LXX of Isa 10:12. The reference to Christians who go from church to the circus and horse races is Origen's. Quotations and allusions: Isa 10:10–14; Deut 27:15; Gen 3:1; Luke 16:8; 1 Tim 3:6; Isa 2:6 (LXX “foreign”); 1 Cor 1:19; Matt 7:24–25; 1 Cor 10:4. ### Citation (SBL) Origen, Hom. Isa. 8 (PL 24:969a–971a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-homiliae-isaiam/7/#p-8). ## Homily on Isaiah 9 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-homiliae-isaiam/7/#p-9 - Source: PL 24:971a–973c - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Origen returns to Isaiah's commission, reports a Hebrew teacher's view that the prophet grew reluctant after hearing his grim message, and explains the fat heart as one choked by worldly cares; the homily breaks off unfinished. ### Latin text De eo quod scriptum est: Et audivi vocem Domini dicentis: Quem mittam, ei quis ibit ad populum istum? Et transgrediens modica pervenit usque ad locum in quo scribitur: Pete tibi signum a Dumino tuo in profundum aut in excelsum (cap. VI et VII). Cap. vi, vers. 8, 9. Et audivi vocem Domini dicentis, quem mittam, et quis ibit ad populum istum? Ei dixi: Ecce ego sum, mitle me. Et ait: Vade, et dic populo huic: Aure audietis, et non intelligetis, et reliqua. De eo qui nunc lectus est Isaiæ prophetæ sermone, oremus Deum, ut nobis gratiam largiatur, ut digna prophetico spiritu valeamus exponere. Et audivi, inquit, vocem Domini dicentis: Quem mitlam? Postquam purgatus est labiis propheta, paratus suscepit ministerium Domini, et dicit: Ego sum, mitte me. Sed ut paratior esset ad hoc, meminerat vocisMoysis.Nam et ille eadem utens voce, mitte me, princeps populi, judexque factus et famulus Dei nuncupatus est. Audivi autem quemdam Hebraeum exponentem hunc locum, atque dicentem, quia libenter quidem prophetes et paratus prophetiam suscepit ad populum, ignorans quae essent ei dicenda. Porro audiens tristia quae essent pepulo nuntianda, hoc est aure audietis, et non intelligetis, etc., in sequentibus pigrior fit: dicente ei voce Dei: Clama, respondit ei, et dicit: Quid clamabo? Arbitror autem haec prophetari de Sal- Talore, quia futurum erat ut audientes non audirent, et videntes non viderent. Manifestius porro fiet quod dicitur, si consideremus paululum locum istum: Cernentes aspicietis, et non videbitis. Istiusmodi est. Videbant quidem videre tunc caecos respicientes, rationem autem visionis ignorabant. Audiebant parabolas quas dissolvebat secreto discipulis. Salvator. Ipsi vero non audiebant, nescientes quae dicebantur, propter hoc testificanseos dixit: Qui habet aures audiendi, audiat IV. Nec enim privati crant his auribus, ut non audirent, sed interiores corum aures gravatae erant ad audiendum. Propter hoc prædicateis, et per prophetam futura praefatur, dicens (vers. 9,10): Aureaudietis, et non intelligelis, et cernentes aspicietis, et non videbitis. Intra satum est euim cor populi hujus. Quid sit hoc quod dicitur: Incrassatum eat cor populi hujus, inspiciamus. Omnibus qui in praesentis vitæ curis versantur, cor incrassatum est: haud aliter eis qui in saecularibus morantur, incrassatum est cor, quam si a spinis enccenlur. Idcirco pinguescit cor, et non potest tenuioris spiritus suscipere notiones. Fugiamus ergo a talibus curis, ut attenuatum cor nostrum Dco acceptabile fiat. Fugiamus terrena negotia. Ista sunt enim quibus cor incrassatur. Propter hoc sermo subtilis erat, ut in Exodo scribitur de eo quod ait: Quicunque fuerint propter tenuitatem cordis ejusmodi, isti Deum videbunt. Talibus enim oculis Deus videtur. Tria sunt qua. dicuntur: Incrassatum enim est cor populi hujus, et auribus suis graviter audierunt, et oculos suos clauserunt. Possunt autem et aliter mauifestius intelligi quae hoc dicuntur in loco. Multi enim putant inspicientes creaturas, et mundum istum contemplantes, videre se ea. Et quid dico bominum? Ecce volucres, et quadrupedia vident solem et lunam. et uitiversum simul caelum cum stellarum choro, sed rationes eorum non intelligunt, soli vero justi et sancti per sapientiae Dei rationem comprehendentes inspiciunt ea. Ideo in VIII psal. David dicil: Quoniam videbo cœlos tuos, opera digitorum tuorum, lunam et steltas quæ tu fundasti. Quid enim nunc propheta non videt caelum et lunam? Sed hoc quod ait, ridebo, si consideremus, poterimus intelligere. ### English translation (Claude) On the text, “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying: Whom shall I send, and who will go to this people?” and passing over a little, it comes as far as the place where it is written, “Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God, in the depth or in the height” (Isa 6 and 7). “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying: Whom shall I send, and who will go to this people? And I said: Here am I, send me. And he said: Go, and say to this people: With the ear you will hear and not understand,” and the rest. Concerning the word of the prophet Isaiah that has now been read, let us pray to God to grant us grace, that we may be able to expound things worthy of the prophetic Spirit. “And I heard,” he says, “the voice of the Lord saying: Whom shall I send?” After the prophet's lips were purged, he readily took up the Lord's ministry and says: “Here am I, send me.” But so that he might be readier for this, he remembered the voice of Moses. For he too, using the same words, “send me,” became leader of the people and judge and was called the servant of God. Now I heard a certain Hebrew expounding this passage and saying that the prophet willingly and readily took up the prophecy to the people, not knowing what he would have to say. But hearing the sad things that would have to be announced to the people, that is, “With the ear you will hear and not understand,” and so on, he became more sluggish in what follows: when the voice of God said to him, “Cry,” he answered him and said, “What shall I cry?” But I think these things are prophesied about the Savior: that it would come about that those who heard would not hear and those who saw would not see. What is said will become clearer if we consider this passage a little: “Looking you will look and not see.” It is of this kind. They saw the blind looking up then and seeing, but they did not know the meaning of the sight. They heard the parables which the Savior explained privately to the disciples. But they did not hear, not knowing what was said; therefore, bearing witness to them, he said: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” For they were not deprived of these ears so as not to hear, but their inner ears were heavy for hearing. Therefore he foretells to them, and through the prophet foretells the future, saying: “With the ear you will hear and not understand, and looking you will look and not see. For the heart of this people has grown fat.” Let us examine what is meant by, “The heart of this people has grown fat.” In all who are occupied with the cares of the present life the heart has grown fat: in those who dwell in worldly things the heart has grown fat, just as if they were choked by thorns. For this reason the heart grows fat and cannot receive the notions of a subtler spirit. Let us flee from such cares, then, so that our heart, made thin, may become acceptable to God. Let us flee earthly business; for these are the things by which the heart grows fat. For this reason his speech was thin, as is written in Exodus of the one who says this; and whoever are of this kind because of the thinness of their heart will see God. For God is seen with such eyes. Three things are said: “For the heart of this people has grown fat, and with their ears they have heard heavily, and they have closed their eyes.” But what is said in this passage can also be understood in another, plainer way. For many think, when they look at the creatures and contemplate this world, that they see them. And why do I speak of human beings? See, birds and four-footed beasts see the sun and the moon and the whole heaven together with the choir of the stars, but they do not understand their meanings; only the righteous and holy, grasping them through the reason of God's wisdom, behold them. Therefore in Psalm 8 David says: “For I will see your heavens, the works of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have founded.” For did the prophet not see the heaven and the moon now? But if we consider his saying, “I will see,” we shall be able to understand. ### Scripture references - Isa 6:8: quotation, high confidence - Isa 6:9: quotation, high confidence - Isa 6:10: quotation, high confidence - Isa 7:11: quotation, high confidence - Exod 4:13: allusion, medium confidence - Isa 40:6: quotation, high confidence - Matt 13:13: allusion, high confidence - Matt 11:15: quotation, high confidence - Matt 13:22: allusion, high confidence - Ps 8:3 (8:4 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Exod 4:10: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 5:8: echo, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The heading is transmitted with the homily, which breaks off in the middle of the exposition; the rest is lost. Origen reports the interpretation of a Hebrew teacher. The reference to Exodus is to Moses' “thin” (slow) speech (Exod 4:10, Old Latin); “they will see God” echoes Matt 5:8. The digital text has many OCR errors, translated by sense. Quotations and allusions: Isa 6:8–10; Isa 7:11; Exod 4:13; Isa 40:6; Matt 13:13–15; Matt 11:15; Matt 13:22; Ps 8:3 (Ps 8:4 in the Hebrew and LXX). ### Citation (SBL) Origen, Hom. Isa. 9 (PL 24:971a–973c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-homiliae-isaiam/7/#p-9).