Homilies on Genesis — Homily 8
Latin source: Origen, In Genesim homiliae (Rufinus's Latin translation), from the public-domain critical text of W. A. Baehrens, GCS 29 = Origenes Werke VI (Leipzig, 1920). This English translation is released into the public domain.On Abraham's offering of his son Isaac.
[§1] Lend your ears here, you who have drawn near to God, you who believe yourselves to be faithful, and consider more diligently how the faith of the faithful is proved by these things that have been read to us. "And it came to pass," it says, "after these words, God tempted Abraham and said to him: Abraham, Abraham. And he said: here I am." Observe each and every thing that is written. For in each single thing, if someone knows how to dig deep, he will find a treasure, and perhaps even where it is not expected the precious jewels of the mysteries lie hidden. This man was formerly called Abram, and nowhere do we read that God called him by this name or said to him: Abram, Abram. For he could not be called by God by a name that was to be abolished, but he calls him by this name that He Himself had bestowed, and He does not only call him by this name, but even doubles it. And when the other had answered, "here I am," He says to him: "take your most beloved son, whom you love, Isaac, and offer him to me. Go," He says, "into the high land, and there offer him as a burnt offering upon one of the mountains, which I will show you." Why God bestowed this name upon him and called him Abraham, He Himself has interpreted: "because," He says, "I have set you as a father of many nations." God gave him this promise when he had a son, Ishmael, but He promised him that in the son who would be born of Sarah this promise would be fulfilled. He had therefore kindled Abraham's own spirit into love of that son, not only for the sake of posterity, but also by the hope of the promises. But this son, in whom these great and marvelous promises were placed for him—this son, I say, in whom his name was called Abraham—he is commanded to offer as a "burnt offering" to the Lord upon one of the mountains. What do you say to this, O Abraham? What and what sort of thoughts are stirred in your heart? A voice has been uttered by God that would shake and prove your faith. What do you say to this? What do you think? What do you reconsider? Do you suppose you turn over in your heart the thought that, if in Isaac the promise was given to me, but I offer this one as a burnt offering, it remains that that promise is not to be hoped for? Or rather do you think these things and say that it is impossible for Him who promised to lie; whatever it may be, the promise will stand firm? But since I "am the least," I am not able to search out the thoughts of so great a patriarch, nor can I know what thoughts the voice of God, which had gone forth to tempt him, stirred in him, what feeling it brought when he was ordered to slay his only son. But since "the spirit of the prophets is subject to the prophets," Paul the Apostle, who through the spirit had learned, I believe, what mind, what counsel Abraham had carried out, indicated it, saying: "by faith Abraham did not hesitate, when he offered his only son, in whom he had received the promises, considering that God is able to raise him even from the dead." The Apostle therefore has disclosed to us the thoughts of the faithful man, that faith in the resurrection had already then begun to be held in Isaac. Abraham therefore hoped that Isaac would rise again and believed that would come to pass which had not yet been done. How then are they "sons of Abraham" who do not believe as accomplished in Christ what he believed as future in Isaac? Nay rather, that I may speak more openly, Abraham knew that he was prefiguring the image of the future truth; he knew that Christ would be born of his seed, who was both to be offered as the truer victim of the whole world and to rise again from the dead.[§2] But now meanwhile "God was tempting," it says, "Abraham, and He says to him: take your most beloved son, whom you love." For it had not been enough to say "son," but "most beloved" is also added. Let this be so too: why is "whom you love" still added further? But see the weight of the temptation. By dear and sweet appellations repeated again and often, the paternal affections are aroused, so that, with the memory of love awakening, the paternal right hand might be delayed from immolating the son, and the whole warfare of the flesh might fight back against the resolve of the mind. "Take," therefore, He says, "your most beloved son, whom you love, Isaac." Be it so, Lord, that You remind the father of his son; You add also "most beloved," the one You command to be slain. Let this suffice for the father's torment; You add again also "whom you love." Let there be for the parent in this too a threefold torment. What need is there yet that You should also mention "Isaac"? Did Abraham not know that this most beloved son of his, the one whom he loved, was called Isaac? But why is this added at this moment? So that Abraham might recall that You had said to him: "that in Isaac shall your seed be called and that in Isaac shall be your promises." A mention is made also of the name, so that the despair of the promises too, which were made under this name, might come upon him. But all these things, because God was tempting Abraham.
[§3] What after these things? "Go," He says, "into the high land, into one of the mountains that I will show you, and there you shall offer him as a burnt offering." Behold through each detail how the increases of the temptation come about. "Go into the high land." Could not Abraham have been led first with the boy to that high land and set first upon the mountain, whichever the Lord had chosen, and there be told to offer his son? But first he is told that he must offer his son, and then he is ordered to go "into the high land" and to ascend the mountain. To what does this look? So that while he walks, while he makes the journey, he may be torn apart along the whole way by his thoughts, so that here, with the command pressing hard, and there, with the affection for his only son struggling against it, he may be tortured. Therefore for this reason both the journey is enjoined and the ascent of the mountain, so that in all these things the affections and faith, the love of God and the love of the flesh, the pleasure of things present and the expectation of things to come, might receive room for the contest. He is sent therefore "into the high land," and the high land is not enough for the patriarch who is to accomplish so great a work for the Lord, but he is also ordered to ascend the mountain, namely so that, uplifted by faith, he may leave behind the earthly things and climb up to the things above.
[§4] "Abraham therefore rose in the morning, and saddled his she-ass, and cut wood for the burnt offering. And he took his son Isaac and two servants, and came to the place that God had told him, on the third day." Abraham rose in the morning (in that he added "in the morning," he wished perhaps to show that the beginning of light was shining in his heart), saddled his she-ass, prepared the wood, took his son. He does not deliberate, he does not reconsider, he does not share his counsel with any of men, but at once he sets out on the journey. "And he came," it says, "to the place that the Lord had told him, on the third day." I pass over now what sacred meaning "the third day" contains; I look at the wisdom and counsel of the One who was tempting. Was there thus no mountain nearby, since the whole thing was being done among the mountains, but the journey is drawn out over three days, and through the whole three days the paternal heart is tortured by cares that keep coming back, so that through all this space so prolonged the father might gaze upon his son, take food with him, and for so many nights the boy might hang in the embraces of his father, cling to his breast, lie in his lap? See to how great a degree the temptation is heaped up. Yet the third day is always made fitting for sacred mysteries. For when the people had gone out of Egypt, on the third day it offers sacrifice to God, and on the third day it is purified; and the resurrection of the Lord is on the third day; and many other mysteries are enclosed within this day.
[§5] "Abraham," it says, "looking up saw the place from afar and said to his servants: sit here with the she-ass, but I and the boy will go as far as there, and when we have worshipped, we will return to you." He dismisses the servants. For the servants could not ascend with Abraham to the place of the burnt offering, which God had shown. "You," therefore, he says, "sit here, but I and the child will go; and when we have worshipped, we will return to you." Tell me, Abraham, do you truly say to the servants that you will worship and return with the child, or do you deceive? If you speak the truth, then you will not make him a burnt offering. If you deceive, it does not befit so great a patriarch to deceive. What state of mind, then, does this speech indicate in you? I speak the truth, he says, and I offer the boy as a burnt offering. For this reason I both carry the wood with me and return with him to you. For I believe, and this is my faith, that "God is able to raise him even from the dead."
[§6] After these things, "Abraham took," it says, "the wood for the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son, and took the fire in his hands and the sword, and they went together." That Isaac himself carries for himself "the wood for the burnt offering," this is a figure that Christ also "Himself bore the cross for Himself," and yet to carry "the wood for the burnt offering" is the office of the priest. He becomes therefore himself both the victim and the priest. But also that which is added, "and they both went together," refers to this. For when Abraham as one about to sacrifice carried the fire and the knife, Isaac does not go after him, but with him, so that it might be shown that he performs the priesthood equally together with him. What after these things? "Isaac said," it says, "to Abraham his father: Father." And this too, uttered by the son at that moment, is a voice of temptation. For how do you think the son, about to be immolated, shook the father's heart by this voice? And although Abraham was rather rigid for faith's sake, yet he too returns the voice of affection and answered: "what is it, son?" And the other: "behold," he says, "the fire and the wood, where is the sheep for the burnt offering?" To this Abraham answered: "God will Himself provide for Himself a sheep for the burnt offering, son." Abraham's answer, sufficiently careful and cautious, moves me. I know not what he was seeing in the spirit, for he speaks not of the present but of the future: "God will Himself provide for Himself a sheep"; he answered with things future to the son asking about things present. For "the Lord will Himself provide for Himself a sheep" in Christ, because "wisdom itself has built itself a house" and "He Himself humbled Himself even unto death"; and whatever things you read of Christ, you will find done not by necessity but of His own accord.
[§7] "They both went on therefore and came to the place that God had told him." Moses, when he had come to the place that God showed him, is not permitted to ascend, but before that it is said to him: "loose the strap of the sandal from your feet." To Abraham none of these things is said, nor to Isaac, but they ascend and do not put off their sandals. In which perhaps this is the reason: that Moses, although he was "great," yet was coming from Egypt, and there were certain bonds of mortality knotted to his feet. But Abraham and Isaac have none of these things, but come to the place; Abraham builds the altar, lays the wood upon the altar, binds the boy, prepares himself to slay him. Many of you are fathers in the Church of God, who hear these things. Do you suppose that some one of you acquires from the very narration of the history so much constancy, so much strength of soul, that, when perchance a son is lost by the common death owed to all, even if he be an only son, even if he be beloved, he may bring Abraham to himself as an example and set his greatness of soul before his eyes? And indeed that greatness of soul is not demanded of you, that you yourself should bind your son, yourself constrain him, yourself prepare the sword, yourself slay your only son. All these ministries are not required of you. Be at least constant in your resolve and mind, and fixed in faith offer your son to God with joy. Be the priest of your son's soul; but it does not befit a priest immolating to God to weep. Do you wish to see that this is demanded of you? In the Gospel the Lord says: "if you were sons of Abraham, you would surely do the works of Abraham." Behold, this is the work of Abraham. Do the works that Abraham did, but not with sadness; "for God loves a cheerful giver." But if you too shall be so ready toward God, it will be said to you also: "ascend into the high land and to the mountain that I will show you; and there offer me your son." Not in the depths of the earth nor "in the valley of weeping," but on the high and lofty mountains "offer your son." Show that faith in God is stronger than the affection of the flesh. For Abraham loved, it says, Isaac his son, but he preferred to the love of the flesh the love of God, and he was found not in the bowels of the flesh, but "in the bowels of Christ," that is, in the bowels of the Word of God and of truth and of wisdom.
[§8] "And Abraham stretched out," it says, "his hand to take the sword, and to slay his son. And the angel of the Lord called him from heaven, and said: Abraham, Abraham. And he said: here I am. And He said: do not lay your hand upon the boy, neither do to him anything. For now I have known that you fear God." In this saying it is wont to be objected to us that God says He has now come to know that Abraham fears God, as though He had been ignorant before. God knew, and it did not lie hidden from Him, seeing that He "knows all things before they come to pass," but these things are written for your sake, because you too indeed have believed God, but unless you fulfill "the works of faith," unless you obey in all the commandments even the more difficult ones, unless you offer the sacrifice and show that you prefer neither father nor mother nor sons to God, you will not be recognized as fearing God, nor will it be said of you: "for now I have known that you fear God." And yet it must be considered that the angel is reported to have spoken these things to Abraham, and that in what follows this angel is evidently shown to be the Lord. Whence I think that, just as among us men He "was found in appearance as a man," so also among the angels He was found in appearance as an angel. And following His example the angels in heaven rejoice "over one sinner doing penance" and glory in the progress of men. For they themselves hold as it were the charge of our souls, to whom, "while we are yet little ones," we are committed as to "guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father." They themselves therefore now say of the progress of each one of us: "for now I have known that you fear God." For the sake of example, I have the resolve of martyrdom—from this the angel will not be able to say to me: "for now I have known that you fear God"; for to God alone is the resolve of the mind known. But if I shall have come to the contests, brought forth "the good confession," and steadfastly undergone all the things that are inflicted, then the angel can say, as though confirming and strengthening me: "now I have known that you fear God." But let these things be said to Abraham, and let him be pronounced to fear God. Why? Because he did not spare his son. But let us compare these things with the Apostle's words, where he says of God: "who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all." See God contending with men in magnificent generosity: Abraham offered to God a mortal son who was not to die; God delivered up His immortal Son to death for men. What shall we say to these things? "What shall we render to the Lord for all the things that He has rendered to us?" God the Father for our sake "did not spare His own Son." Which of you, do you suppose, will ever hear the voice of the angel saying: "now I have known that you fear God, because you did not spare your son" or your daughter or your wife, or you did not spare money or the honors of the world and the ambitions of the world, but despised all things and "counted all things as dung, that you might gain Christ," "sold all things, and gave to the poor, and followed the word of God"? Which of you, do you suppose, will hear from the angels a voice of this kind? Meanwhile Abraham hears this voice, and it is said to him: "because you did not spare your beloved son for my sake."
[§9] "And Abraham looking up," it says, "with his eyes saw, and behold, a ram was held by its horns in the thicket Sabech." We said, I think, in what preceded that Isaac bore the figure of Christ, but the ram here too nonetheless seems to bear the figure of Christ. But how each fits Christ, both Isaac, who was not slain, and the ram, who was slain, is worth knowing. Christ is "the Word of God," but "the Word was made flesh." One thing therefore in Christ is from the things above, the other taken from human nature and from the virginal womb. Christ therefore suffers, but in the flesh; and He endured death, but it was the flesh, of which this ram is the figure; just as John also said: "behold, the Lamb of God, behold, He who takes away the sin of the world." But the Word remained "in incorruption," which is Christ according to the spirit, of whom Isaac is the image. Therefore He Himself is both victim and high priest. For according to the spirit He offers the victim to the Father, according to the flesh He Himself is offered on the altar of the cross, because, just as it was said of Him, "behold, the Lamb of God, behold, He who takes away the sin of the world," so it was said of Him: "you are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." "The ram therefore is held by its horns in the thicket Sabech."
[§10] "And he took," it says, "the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of Isaac his son, and Abraham called the name of that place: the Lord has seen." To those who know how to hear these things, the way of spiritual understanding is opened plainly. For all the things that were done arrive at a vision; for it is said that "the Lord has seen." But the vision, which "the Lord has seen," is in the spirit, so that you too may see these things that are written in the spirit and, just as in God there is nothing corporeal, so also you may perceive nothing corporeal in all these things, but in the spirit may you too beget a son Isaac, when you shall have begun to have "the fruit of the spirit, joy, peace." Yet you will only then beget that son if, as it is written of Sarah that "the things of women had ceased for Sarah" and then she bore Isaac, so also the things of women may cease in your soul, so that you may have nothing any longer womanly and effeminate in your soul, but may "act manfully" and manfully "gird up your loins," if your breast be "fortified with the breastplate of righteousness," if you be girded with the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit. If therefore the things of women cease to be done in your soul, you beget a son from your spouse, from virtue and wisdom, joy and gladness. And you beget joy if you "count it all joy when you fall into various temptations" and offer that joy in sacrifice to God. For when you have come to God with joy, He again renders back to you what you have offered, and says to you: "again you shall see me, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no one shall take from you." Thus therefore what you have offered to God, you will receive multiplied. Something of this kind, though under another figure, is reported in the Gospels, when in a parable it is said that someone received a mina, that he might trade with it and seek money for the master of the household. But if you bring five multiplied into ten, they are given to you yourself, they are granted to you. For hear what He says: "take," He says, "the mina from this one and give it to him who has ten minas." Thus therefore we seem indeed to trade for the Lord, but the profits of the trade fall to us; and we seem to offer victims to the Lord, but the things we offer are given back to us. For God needs nothing, but wills us to be rich, and desires our progress in each and every thing. This figure is shown to us also in those things that were done concerning Job. For he too lost all things for God's sake, since he was rich. But because he bore well the contests of patience and in all the things that he suffered was magnanimous and said: "the Lord gave, the Lord has taken away; as it has pleased the Lord, so has it been done, blessed be the name of the Lord," see at the last what is written of him: "he received," it says, "double all the things that he had lost." You see what it is to lose something for God, that is, to receive it multiplied for yourself. But the Gospels promise you something even greater; they promise you "a hundredfold," and moreover also "eternal life" in Christ Jesus our Lord, "to whom is glory and dominion unto the ages of ages. Amen."