Homilies on Genesis — Homily 9
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 the second promises made to Abraham.
[§1] The further we advance in reading, the more the heap of mysteries is increased for us. And just as, if someone borne in a small boat should enter the sea, so long as he is near land he fears less, but when little by little he has advanced into the deep and, as the waves swell up, has begun either to be lifted on high or, as those same waves gape open, to be carried down into the depths, then indeed a vast dread and terror runs through his mind, that he has entrusted so slight a craft to such immense billows: so too we seem to suffer, who, small in merits and slender in talent, dare to enter so vast an ocean of mysteries. But if, as you pray, the Lord should deign to grant us the favoring breeze of his Holy Spirit, we shall with a favorable course of the word enter the harbor of salvation. Let us see, then, now what these things are that have been read to us. "And the angel of the Lord," it says, "called Abraham a second time from heaven, saying: By myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this word, and have not spared your beloved son for my sake, blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you, and your seed shall be as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered," and the rest. These words require an attentive and intent hearer. For it is something new that it says: "and the angel of the Lord called Abraham a second time from heaven." What it adds, however, is not new. For "blessing I will bless you" had already been said before too, and "multiplying I will multiply you" was promised before, and "your seed shall be as the stars of heaven, and as the sand of the sea" had also been declared earlier. What then is there now that is more, which is cried out from heaven a second time? What new thing is added to the old promises? What greater reward is given in that it says: "because you have done this word," that is, because you offered your son, because you did not spare your only son? I see nothing added; the same things are repeated that had earlier been promised. Will it then seem superfluous to go over the same things more often? On the contrary, it is necessary. For all the things that are done are done in mysteries. If Abraham had lived only "according to the flesh" and had been the father of one people, whom he begot "according to the flesh," one promise would have sufficed. But now, in order to show that he was to be first the father of those who "according to the flesh" are circumcised, at the time of his circumcision there is given to him a promise, which ought to pertain to the people of circumcision. Secondly, because he was to be the father also of those who "are of faith" and who come to the inheritance through the passion of Christ, at the time of Isaac's passion the promise is nonetheless renewed, which ought to pertain to that people which is saved by the passion and resurrection of Christ. And indeed the same things seem to be repeated, but they are far different. For those things which were said earlier and pertain to the earlier people were said on earth. For thus Scripture says: "and he led him out"—out of the tent, that is—"and said to him: look at the stars of heaven, if they can be numbered for their multitude. And he added: so shall your seed be." But where the promise is repeated a second time, it indicates that he spoke to him "from heaven"; and the first promise is given from the earth, the second "from heaven." Does it not here plainly seem to indicate that which the Apostle says: "the first man from the earth, earthy; the second man from heaven, heavenly"? This promise, therefore, which pertains to the faithful people, is made "from heaven," that other one from the earth. In the former there was only speech, here an oath is interposed, which the holy Apostle, writing to the Hebrews, interprets, saying in this manner: "God," he says, "wishing to show to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his purpose, interposed an oath." And again: "men," he says, "swear by one greater than themselves." "But God, since he had no one greater by whom he might swear," "by myself I swear, said the Lord." Not that any necessity of an oath pressed upon God (for who would exact an oath from him?), but, as the Apostle Paul interpreted it, that by this he might "designate the immutability of his purpose to his worshippers." So too elsewhere it is said through the prophet: "the Lord has sworn and he will not repent: you are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." Then, further, in the first promise it does not have set down a cause why the promise was given, only that he led him out and "showed him," it says, "the stars of heaven, and said: so shall your seed be." But now it adds the cause on account of which by an oath it confirms that the promise will be firm. For it says: "because you have done this word and have not spared your son." It shows, therefore, that the promise is firm on account of the offering or passion of the son, evidently indicating that on account of the passion of Christ the promise remains firm for the people from the nations, "which is of the faith of Abraham." And is it only in this that the second things are firmer than the first? In many things of this kind you will find mysteries adumbrated. The first tablets of the law Moses broke in the letter and cast away; the second law he received in the spirit, and the second are firmer than the first. Again, this same man, when he had comprised the whole law in four books, writes Deuteronomy, which is called the second law. Ishmael is first, Isaac second, and in the second a like form of preferment is kept. This too you will find adumbrated in like manner in Esau and Jacob, in Ephraim and Manasseh, and in a thousand others.[§2] Let us now return to ourselves and treat the moral sense point by point. The Apostle says, as we have already mentioned above: "the first man from the earth, earthy; the second man from heaven, heavenly. As is the earthy, such also are the earthy, and as is the heavenly, such also are the heavenly. As we have borne the image of the earthy, let us bear also the image of the heavenly." You see what he shows, that, if you remain in that which is first, which is of the earth, you will be reprobated, unless you change yourself, unless you are converted, unless, having been made "heavenly," you receive "the image of the heavenly." This is the same as what he says elsewhere too: "putting off the old man with his deeds, and putting on the new, who is created according to God." This same thing he writes in another place also: "behold, the old things have passed away, all things have been made new." For this reason, therefore, God renews his promises, that he may show you that you too ought to be renewed. He does not remain in the old things, lest you too remain "the old man"; he speaks these things "from heaven," that you too may receive "the image of the heavenly." For what will it profit you if God renews his promises and you are not renewed? If he speaks "from heaven" and you hear from the earth? What does it profit you if God binds himself by an oath and you pass over these things as though hearing a common tale? Why do you not consider that for your sake God embraces even those things which seem least suited to his nature? God is said to swear, so that you, hearing, may be afraid and tremble and, dismayed with fear, may inquire what that great thing is for which God is said to swear. These things, then, are done so that you may become attentive and solicitous, and, hearing that a promise is being prepared for you in the heavens, may be watchful and may seek in what way you may prove yourself worthy of the divine promises. Nevertheless, the Apostle interprets this passage too, saying that: "God promised to Abraham and to his seed. He did not say: and to seeds, as in many, but as in one: and to your seed, who is Christ." Concerning Christ, therefore, it is said: "multiplying I will multiply your seed, and they shall be as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the sand which is on the shore of the sea." Who now needs an exposition to know how the seed of Christ is multiplied, who sees the preaching of the gospel propagated from the ends of the earth "to the ends of the earth," and that there is now scarcely any place which has not received the seed of the word? For this was indeed prefigured also in the beginnings of the world, when it was said to Adam: "increase and multiply." And this very thing the Apostle says is "said in Christ and in the Church." But as to what it said: "as the stars of heaven in multitude," and added: "and as the sand which is on the shore of the sea, innumerable," perhaps indeed someone may say that the figure of the heavenly number suits the people of the Christians, that of the sand of the sea the Jewish people. I, however, think this rather, that each example can be fitted to each people. For in that people too there were many righteous men and prophets, to whom the example of the stars of heaven is deservedly compared; and in our people there are many who "are wise in earthly things" and whose folly "is heavier than the sand of the sea," among whom I think the crowds of the heretics especially are to be reckoned. But let us not even be secure; for so long as any one of us does not lay aside "the image of the earthy" and put on "the image of the heavenly," he is compared to earthly examples. Whence the Apostle too, moved by these things, as I suppose, in the heavenly and earthly bodies forms an image of the resurrection, saying: "one indeed is the glory of the heavenly, but another that of the earthly. And star differs from star in glory; so also shall be the resurrection of the dead." But the Lord too, when he says: "that your light may shine before men, and men, seeing your good works, may glorify your Father, who is in heaven," admonishes of this same thing him who knows how to hear.
[§3] But that Christ is the seed of Abraham and the son of Abraham, if you wish to learn it more plainly from the words of Scripture, hear how it is written in the gospel: "the book," it says, "of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham." In this, then, that word also is fulfilled which it says: "your seed shall take by inheritance the cities of the adversaries." How did Christ take "by inheritance the cities of the adversaries"? By this, without doubt, that "into all the earth went out the sound" of the Apostles, and "into the ends of the world their words." Whence also those angels were stirred to wrath who held each single nation under their power. "For when the Most High divided the nations according to the number of the angels of God, then his portion became Jacob and the cord of his inheritance Israel." For Christ, to whom the Father had said: "ask of me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance, and for your possession the ends of the earth," driving those angels out of the power and dominion which they had over the nations, provoked them to wrath. And therefore it says that "the kings of the earth stood up and the princes were gathered together in one against the Lord and against his Christ." Therefore they oppose us too and stir up struggles and contests against us. Hence too the Apostle of Christ: "the wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers and the rulers of this world." Therefore we must be watchful and act carefully, because "our adversary as a roaring lion goes about, seeking whom he may devour." If we do not resist him "strong in faith," he will call us back again into captivity. And if this should happen to us, we shall render ungrateful the work of him who "fixed to his cross the principalities and powers, triumphing over them in himself with confidence" and who came "to release the captives unto remission." Rather, then, following the faith of Christ, "who triumphed over them," let us break asunder their bonds, by which they had bound us to their power. But the bonds by which they bind us are our passions and vices, in which we are entangled so long, until "we crucify our flesh with its vices and concupiscences," and thus at last "break asunder their bonds and cast their yoke from us." Therefore the seed of Abraham has occupied "the cities of the adversaries," that is, the seed of the word, which is the preaching of the gospel and the faith of Christ. But I say: did the Lord use iniquity in order to snatch the nations from the power of the adversaries and to recall them to his own faith and dominion? By no means. For Israel was once "the portion of the Lord," but they made Israel to sin against his God, and on account of their sins God said to them: "behold, you have been sold off by your sins, and on account of your sins you have been scattered under the whole heaven." But again he says to them: "if your dispersion be from the end of heaven unto the end thereof, from there I will gather you, says the Lord." Because, therefore, the first "princes of this world" had invaded "the portion of the Lord," the "good shepherd" had need, leaving the ninety and nine on high, to descend to the earth and to seek the one sheep which had perished, and, having found it and carried it back on his shoulders, to recall it to the heavenly sheepfold of perfection. But what does it profit me, if the seed of Abraham, "which is Christ," possess "by inheritance the cities of the adversaries" and possess not my city? if in my city, that is in my soul, which is "the city of the great king," neither his laws nor his ordinances be kept? What does it profit me that he has subjected the whole world and possesses the cities of the adversaries, if he does not conquer his adversaries in me also, if he does not destroy "the law which is in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and leading me captive in the law of sin"? So, then, let each one of us take pains that in his own soul and in his own body Christ may conquer the adversaries and, subjecting them and "triumphing" over them, may possess the city of his own soul also. For in this way we shall be made part of his portion, of the better part, which is "as the stars of heaven in brightness," so that we too may be able to receive the blessing of Abraham through Christ our Lord, "to whom is glory and dominion unto the ages of ages. Amen."