Homilies on Luke — Homily 4 (Luke 1:13–17)
Latin source: Origen's Greek homilies on Luke, surviving only in Jerome's Latin translation (c. 391), from the reading text of M. Rauer (ed.), Origenes Werke IX (GCS 35, Leipzig, 1930). This English translation is released into the public domain.Concerning what is written: "Fear not, Zechariah", up to the place where he says of John: "he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah".
Zechariah, when he had seen the angel, was terrified. For indeed a strange countenance, presenting itself to human sight, disturbs the mind and dismays the spirit. Hence the angel, knowing that this belongs to human nature, first remedies the disturbance, saying: "fear not, Zechariah", and revives the trembling man and gladdens him with new tidings, adding: "your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth shall bear a son, and you shall call his name John; and he shall be to you a joy and an exultation". When some righteous person arises in the world and enters the course of this life, the ministers of his birth rejoice and lift themselves up on high. But when one is born who is destined for an evil life, and is consigned, as if for punishments, to the workhouse, the minister is dismayed and falls down. Do you wish to receive an example of a holy man, whose every fruit lies in praise? Look at Jacob, who begot twelve male children, who all came forth as the people of God and as the patriarchs and princes of that portion: in all these Jacob the father rejoiced, just as now too joy is announced to all concerning the birth of John; and whoever has once, for the benefit of others, descended to the works of begetting children and has willed to bind himself to this ministry, let him beseech God that such a one from among his sons may enter the world, over whose birth he may be the more glad.
It is written, then, of John: "he shall be great in the sight of the Lord". This, which is said—"he shall be great in the sight of the Lord"—shows the greatness of John's soul, which lies open to the eyes of God; and there is something lesser, which is properly beheld in the virtue of the soul. Thus I understand also that which is said in the Gospel: "do not despise one of these least ones", who are in the Church. "Least" there is understood in distinction from the greater. I am not commanded not to despise the one who is great, because he who is great cannot be despised, but it is said to me: "do not despise one of the least". And that you may know that "least" and "little" is not said by chance, but with the reasoning we have set forth, it is written: "whoever shall scandalize one of these least ones".
The "least" one is scandalized; the great one cannot sustain a scandal. There follows concerning John: "and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother's womb". And the birth of John is full of miracle. For just as an Archangel announced the coming of our Lord and Savior, so also an Archangel announces the birth of John. "He shall be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother's womb". The people of the Jews in no way saw our Lord working "signs and wonders" and healing their infirmities; but John, still set in his mother's womb, exults and cannot be contained, and at the coming of the mother of Jesus longs to burst forth from the womb. "For behold", says Elizabeth, "as your greeting was made in my ears, the infant exulted for joy in my womb". John was still in his mother's womb and already he had the Holy Spirit. For that was not the beginning of his substance and nature.
Then Scripture says that "he shall convert very many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God". John converts "very many", but the Lord not many, rather all. This is his work, that he should convert all to God the Father.
"And he shall go before Christ in the spirit and power of Elijah". He does not say: in the soul of Elijah, but: "in the spirit and power of Elijah". There was in Elijah a power and a spirit, as in all the prophets, and, according to the dispensation of the body, in the Lord and Savior himself also, of whom a little later it is said to Mary: "the Holy Spirit shall come upon you and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you". The spirit, therefore, which had been in Elijah, came into John, and the power which was in him appeared in this one also. The former was translated, but the latter was the forerunner of the Lord and died before him, so that, descending also to the lower regions, he might there proclaim his coming.
I think that the mystery of John is fulfilled in the world down to this very day. Whoever is to believe in Christ Jesus, first the spirit and power of John comes to his soul and "prepares for the Lord a perfect people", and in the ruggednesses of the heart makes the ways level and straightens the paths. Not at that time only were the ways prepared and the paths made straight, but down to this very day the spirit and power of John goes before the coming of the Lord and Savior. O the great mysteries of the Lord and of his dispensation! Angels run before Jesus, angels daily either ascend or descend upon the salvation of men in Christ Jesus: to whom is glory and dominion unto the ages of ages. Amen.