Homilies on Isaiah — Homily 5 (Isaiah 41:2)
Latin source: Origen's Greek homilies on Isaiah, surviving only in Jerome's Latin translation (c. 380/381), from the reading text of W. A. Baehrens (ed.), Origenes Werke VIII (GCS 33, Leipzig, 1925), pp. 242–289. This English translation is released into the public domain.Concerning what is written: "who raised up righteousness from the east?", and again, otherwise, concerning the "vision".
1. The prophet declares that "righteousness" is a living thing and alive, and we used to think that it had been said by the Apostle alone that Christ is "righteousness and sanctification and redemption and wisdom". But perhaps the Apostle too, instructed by the prophets, knew "righteousness" to be a living being and alive. What is this "righteousness"? "The only-begotten God". But that it did not originate with the Apostle that Christ is "righteousness", and a living and subsisting "righteousness", but rather that, finding it in the prophetic words, he set forth this mystery for us, is certain from the chapter at which our reading has now come to rest. For it says: "Who made righteousness rise up from the east, and called it to his feet?". He "called" "righteousness"; it is plain that it is a living being, if it walks when "called". And the Father "called" Christ, because for our salvation he had made his way to us and had "come down from heaven" to us: "for no one has ascended into heaven except him who came down from heaven, the Son of man". He "called" him "from the east", not from this sensible east, but "from the east" of the true light. Wherefore it is written: "Who made righteousness rise up from the east, and called it to his feet?". The Father "called" the Son — or rather, to speak truly, God called man — he "called righteousness to his feet", that is, the incarnation of his Son. Therefore also "we adore the footstool of his feet", according to what is written: "Adore the footstool of his feet, for it is holy", since indeed the flesh of the Lord takes on the honor of the Godhead. But because the beginning of the reading requires a loftier exposition, let us pray to the highest King, that the word, which had gone away "called", may return to us again, and let us set forth a few things according to our ability.
2. "And it came to pass in the year in which King Uzziah died, that I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up; and the house was full of his glory. And the Seraphim stood round about him, six wings to the one and six wings to the other; and with two they veiled his face, and with two they veiled his feet, and with two they flew. And they cried one to another and said: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Sabaoth, the whole earth is full of his glory", and the rest. But in order that we too may see the "vision" which Isaiah "saw", let us call upon Jesus, who has bestowed eyes upon those who do not see. For even now he can come and bring it about that we may behold with opened eyes the things that have been spoken in the reading of the sacrament; let us promise him that from now on we will no longer make "the body of Christ the body of a harlot", nor do works worthy of mourning. Let each one of us speak these things in his heart to God, and let us pray that his coming may take place 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 that, "taking a coal with the tongs, he may cleanse my lips"; and why do I say "lips"? Isaiah was holy, and therefore only his "lips" were "cleansed", because he had offended only with his "lips", that is, in speech. But I am not such that I can say: "I have 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 have looked upon a woman to lust after her, I have committed adultery with her in my heart". Behold, "unclean" eyes. If "out of my breast there go forth evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, false testimonies", behold, an "unclean" heart. "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the gospel of peace, who bring the gospel of good things!". But I fear that, running toward evil, I have "unclean feet". "I stretch out" my "hands" to God, 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"? Come, Jesus; I have filthy "feet"; for my sake become a servant, "pour your water into your basin", come, "wash my feet". I know that what I say is rash, 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 can say this, who had need only that "his feet be washed"; for he was wholly clean. But I, since I have been washed once, 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 indeed the word of God comes, if it descends to us; for I fear that it may flee from me, that it may even disdain to bless me. The word once fled from the people because of "Achar", one sinner; the word fled, I say, from the people because of one sinner, "Achar the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah", from the "tribe of Judah", who was disobedient to God and therefore was "made anathema". And since now there is a multitude of people because of the preparation-day, and especially on the Lord's day, which is the commemoration of Christ's passion — for the resurrection of the Lord is not celebrated once a year, but always after every eighth day — pray to almighty God, that his word may come to us. Even if you are sinners, pray; God hears sinners. But if you fear that which is said in the Gospel: "we know that God does not hear sinners", do not be afraid, do not believe it: he who said this was "blind". Rather believe him who speaks and does not lie: "even if your sins be as scarlet, I will whiten them as wool; and if you are willing and hear me, you shall eat the good things of the earth". If you are "willing" even now to "hear", let us pray in common to the Lord, that at least now, at the coming of the Word, we may be able to give heed to the prophetic sayings.
3. "It came to pass", he says, "in the year in which King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord of Sabaoth sitting upon a throne high and lifted up". The "vision" is recorded; why is the time of the king signified? Give heed to when the "vision" arose: when "King Uzziah died", Isaiah "saw the Lord of Sabaoth sitting upon a throne high and lifted up". If any of us knows who "Uzziah" was and what he did, he can know what the prophet taught through the Spirit, what the divine word sets forth for us. I will go to the life of "King Uzziah" and inquire from the books of Kingdoms and from the history of Chronicles concerning "Uzziah", and there I see that it is necessary, if it is to come to pass that "I should see the Lord of Sabaoth sitting upon a throne high and lifted up", that "King Uzziah" must "die" for me. This "Uzziah", descending from the seed of David and "reigning" over the people of Judah, as long indeed as "Zechariah, who had understanding" lived — 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 set the temple of God in order, and many were his virtues in religion. But when "Zechariah who had understanding" died, then he did evil. Do you wish to know this evil that he did? He was a king, not a priest (one is the royal order, another the priestly order); he wished to "enter into the temple" and to perform the place of a priest and to do a work which had not been granted to him; he "entered in", forestalling the priests, and took the "vessel of libation". But there entered also the "chief of the priests" who was at that time, "and eighty priests with him"; "the chief of the priests said to him": are you not Uzziah, and not a priest? He violently persisted, "and leprosy went up upon his forehead"; he was cast out as dead, he "went out" of the temple, the Lord led him out. Therefore he became a "leper" because of his transgression of the law. Each one is under a kingdom, whether of "sin" or of righteousness. If "sin reigns" in me, I am one of the kings of Israel who "entered the temple" violently; if I am righteous according to the measure of my progress and do what is right and persevere before the sight of God, righteousness "reigns" in me. But as long as the "leper" lived, Isaiah had "unclean lips"; as long as the wicked man lived, Isaiah could not "see the Lord of Sabaoth" and had "unclean lips"; for he was under a wicked king. But when does he begin to "see the vision" of God? "In the year in which Uzziah died". Things similar to these you will be able to learn also from many scriptures, God granting it. In Exodus something of this kind is written: "and it came to pass after many days, 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, placed under punishments, they did not even have the free faculty of "groaning"; for the king was alive, who commanded them to make "bricks and straw". As long as Pharaoh lived, they did "not groan to God"; when Pharaoh died, then they had the strength to lift up their faces wet with weeping. The wicked king lives in our breast as long as Pharaoh the devil lives. Then we labor at "bricks" and "straw", then we swallow our tears in silence and do the first works of iniquity; but when he has died, at the visitation of the Lord our God, then we "groan to the Lord". Therefore let us pray that the kingdom of "sin, which is in our mortal body", may die. For it says: "sin was dead, but I lived"; and again: "sin revived, but I died". When "Uzziah", who holds the kingdom of "sin", "dies", Pharaoh too "dies". When the most wicked "king dies", I lift my eyes to heaven and God hears my voice, as he did for Abraham and Isaac and Jacob; and "I see the Lord of Sabaoth 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 concerning the good thing, which is contrary to this. This very "Uzziah", as long as "Zechariah who had understanding" lived, "did not sin in the sight of God"; when Zechariah died he turned aside from the Lord, at the time when he was ruling over the people and governing the city. And, reading these things by day and by night and hearing the Lord say: "you ought to have put the money on the table, and I at my coming would have exacted it with interest", let us not gather up "in a napkin the mina" entrusted to us, nor let us "put the money on the table", but let us 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 will pay back what was entrusted "with interest". Amen!