Homilies on Genesis — Homily 11
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 fact that Abraham took Keturah as his wife and that Isaac dwelt at the well of vision.
[§1] The holy Apostle always furnishes us with occasions for spiritual understanding and, though few, nevertheless shows to the diligent the necessary indications by which it may be recognized in all things that "the law is spiritual." He himself, then, in discussing Abraham and Sarah, says in a certain place: "He was not weakened in faith," he says, "when he considered his own body, now dead, since he was nearly a hundred years old, and the dead womb of Sarah." This man, therefore, whom he says was of a dead body at the number of a hundred years and who begot Isaac more by the power of faith than by the fruitfulness of his body, Scripture now reports to have taken a wife named Keturah and to have begotten from her very many sons, though he seems to have been nearly a hundred and thirty-seven years old. For his wife Sarah is written to have been ten years younger than he, and she, having died in her one hundred and twenty-seventh year, indicates that Abraham was over a hundred and thirty-seven years old when he took Keturah as his wife. What then? Are we to suppose that in so great a Patriarch the incitements of the flesh flourished throughout that same span of time? And shall he who is long since said to be dead as to his natural motions now be thought revived unto lust? Or, as we have already often said, do the marriages of the Patriarchs signify something mystical and sacred? Just as does that man too who said concerning wisdom: "This one I resolved to bring home to myself as a wife." Perhaps, then, already at that time Abraham too thought of something similar and, although he was wise, yet by this very fact he knew that of wisdom there is no end, nor does old age impose a limit upon learning. For he who is accustomed to obtain a marriage in that manner which we indicated above concerning him — that is, he who is wont to have virtue in his marriage — when can he cease from a marriage of this kind? For the falling asleep of Sarah is to be understood as the consummation of virtue. But he who is of consummated and perfect virtue must always be engaged in some learning; and this learning the divine word calls his wife. According to this, I think that in the law the celibate and the barren man lies under a curse; for it says: "Cursed is he who has not left seed in Israel." But if these words are thought to be spoken of carnal seed, all the virgins of the church will seem to be placed under a curse. And why do I speak of the church's virgins? John himself, than whom "there was none greater among those born of women," and very many others of the saints left no seed according to the flesh, since they are reported not even to have entered into marriages. But it is certain that they left spiritual seed and spiritual sons and that each had wisdom as his wife, just as Paul too begot sons through the gospel. So then, the old man Abraham, of a body now dead, took Keturah as his wife. I think, according to the reasoning which we set forth above, that a wife is better taken then, when the body is dead, when the members are mortified. For there is a greater capacity for wisdom in our senses when "the mortification of Christ is carried about in our" mortal "body." Finally, Keturah, whom the aged Abraham now obtains in marriage, is interpreted as thymiama, which is incense or a good odor. For he too used to say, as Paul said, that "we are the good odor of Christ." But let us see how anyone is made "the good odor of Christ." Sin is a foul-smelling thing. Indeed, sinners are compared to swine, who wallow in their sins as in foul dung. And David, in the person of the penitent sinner, says: "My scars have rotted and been eaten away."[§2] If, therefore, there is anyone of you in whom there is now no odor of sin, but the odor of righteousness, the sweetness of mercy, if anyone by praying "without ceasing" always offers incense to the Lord and says: "Let my prayer be directed as incense in your sight, the lifting up of my hands an evening sacrifice," this man has taken Keturah as his wife. Thus, therefore, I think it more worthy to interpret the marriages of old men, thus beautifully do I regard the marriages of the patriarchs entered into in their last and now-failing age, thus I reckon their necessary begetting of sons is to be counted. For to such marriages and to offspring of this kind, not the young so much as the old are suited. For the more a man is wearied in the flesh, the more he will be robust in the virtue of the soul and more fit for the embraces of wisdom. So too that just man in the Scriptures, Elkanah, is reported to have had two wives at once, of whom one was called Peninnah, the other Hannah, that is, 'conversion' and 'grace.' And first indeed he is said to have received sons from Peninnah, that is, from conversion, and afterward from Hannah, who is grace. For Scripture figuratively designates the progress of the saints through marriages. Hence you too can, if you wish, become the husband of marriages of this kind, and, for example, if you gladly practice hospitality, you will seem to have taken this as your wife. If to her you add care for the poor, you will seem to have obtained a second wife. And if you join to yourself patience and gentleness and the other virtues, you will seem to have taken as many wives as the virtues in which you rejoice. Hence, then, it is that Scripture records that some of the Patriarchs had several wives at once, others took other wives when the former had died; so that this may be figuratively indicated, that certain men can exercise several virtues at once, while others do not begin those that follow before they have brought the former to perfection. Hence, finally, Solomon is reported to have had several wives at once, to whom the Lord had said: "There has not been a wise man like you before you, and after you there shall not be." Because, therefore, the Lord had given him a multitude of prudence, "like the sand of the sea," that he might judge his people "in wisdom," therefore he was able to exercise several virtues at once. Indeed, besides what we are taught from the law of God, if we also touch upon some of those branches of learning which seem to be outside, in the world — for example, as is the learning of letters or of the grammatical art, as is geometrical instruction or the theory of numbers or even the discipline of dialectic — and if we bring all these things, sought from outside, to our institutions and adopt them into the confirmation of our law, then we shall seem either to have taken foreign women in marriage or even "concubines." And if by disputing, discoursing, and refuting our opponents concerning marriages of this kind we are able to convert some to the faith, and if, overcoming them by their own reasonings and arts, we persuade them to take up the true philosophy of Christ and the true piety of God, then out of dialectic or rhetoric we shall seem to have begotten sons as though from some foreign woman or concubine. Therefore, from such marriages, or from begetting sons of this kind through old age, no one is excluded; rather, this chaste offspring is more befitting to mature age. Just as now too Abraham, advanced in years and, as Scripture says, "old and full of days," takes Keturah as his wife. But not even this ought to escape us from the things that are reported through the history, namely what and of what kind are the generations that are propagated from her. For if we remember these, we shall more easily be able to recognize the things that are said in the scriptures about various nations; for example, as when it is said that Moses took as his wife the daughter of Jethro the priest of Midian, who Midian is found to be the son of Keturah and Abraham. We recognize, then, that the wife of Moses was of the seed of Abraham and was not a foreigner. But also when "the queen of Kedar" is written of, it must nonetheless be known that Kedar too descends from that very race of Keturah and of Abraham. But also in the generations of Ishmael you will find similar things. If you examine these diligently, you will discover in them very many histories that lie hidden from the rest. But let us for the present defer these to another time and hasten to the things that are recited in what follows.
[§3] "And it came to pass," it says, "after Abraham died, the Lord blessed Isaac his son, and he dwelt at the well of vision." Concerning the death of Abraham, what more must we say than what the word of the Lord in the gospels contains, saying: "But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read how he says in the bush: The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob? Now God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. For all those live." Let us too, therefore, choose a death of this kind, as the Apostle also says, that "we may die to sin, but live to God." For such is the death of Abraham to be understood, which so widened his bosom that all the saints who come from the four quarters of the earth are "carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom." But let us now see how, after his death, "the Lord blessed Isaac his son," and what that blessing is. "The Lord blessed Isaac," it says, "and he dwelt at the well of vision." This is the whole blessing with which the Lord blessed Isaac, that he should dwell "at the well of vision." To those who understand, this is a great blessing. Would that the Lord might grant this blessing to me too, that I might deserve to dwell "at the well of vision." Who can know and understand what is the vision "which Isaiah the son of Amos saw"? Who can know what is the vision of Nahum? Who can understand what that vision contains which Jacob saw in Bethel, when he was going into Mesopotamia, where he said: "This is the house of God and the gate of heaven"? And if anyone is able to know and understand each and every vision, whether those that are in the law or those that are in the prophets, he dwells "at the well of vision." But consider this too more carefully, that Isaac deserved to receive so great a blessing from the Lord, that he should dwell "at the well of vision"; but we — when shall we be able to deserve enough, if perchance we might be able to have a passage through "the well of vision"? He deserved to remain and to dwell in vision, while we, but a little illuminated through the mercy of God, can scarcely perceive or surmise anything about any single vision. If nevertheless I am able to perceive some one understanding concerning the visions of God, I shall seem to have made one day "at the well of vision." But if I am able to attain something not only according to the letter but also according to the spirit, I shall seem to have made two days "at the well of vision." And if I touch upon the moral sense, I shall have made three days. Or certainly, even if I cannot understand everything, yet I sit beside the divine scriptures and "meditate on the law of God day and night," and I never at all cease from inquiring, discussing, treating, and certainly, what is greatest, from praying to God and asking understanding from him "who teaches man knowledge," then I too shall seem to dwell "at the well of vision." But if I neglect it and neither exercise myself at home in the word of God nor frequently enter the church to hear the word — as I see some among you do, who come to church only on solemn days — those who are of this kind do not dwell "at the well of vision." But I fear that perhaps those who are so negligent, even when they come to church, neither drink of the well of life nor are refreshed, but are occupied with the concerns of their heart and the thoughts which they carry with them, and depart nonetheless still thirsting from the wells of the scriptures. Hasten, therefore, and take sufficient care that this blessing of the Lord may come to you, by which you may be able to dwell "at the well of vision," that the Lord may open your eyes and you may see "the well of vision" and receive from it "living water," which may become in you "a fountain of water springing up into eternal life." But if anyone comes rarely to church, rarely draws from the fountains of the scriptures, and, departing at once and occupied with other business, lets go what he hears, this man does not dwell "at the well of vision." Do you wish me to show you who it is that never withdraws from the well of vision? The Apostle Paul, who used to say: "But we all, with unveiled face, behold the glory of the Lord." And you too, therefore, if you always search the prophetic visions, if you always inquire, always desire to learn, meditate on these things, remain in them, you too receive a blessing from the Lord and dwell "at the well of vision." For to you too the Lord Jesus will appear "on the way" and will open the scriptures to you, so that you may say: "Was not our heart burning within us, when he opened the scriptures to us?" But he appears to those who think about him and meditate upon him and are occupied "in his law day and night." "To him be glory and dominion unto the ages of ages. Amen."