Homilies on Luke — Homily 12 (Luke 2:8–11)
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: that an angel came from heaven and announced the Lord's birth to the shepherds.
My Lord Jesus was born, and an angel came down from heaven announcing his birth. Let us see, therefore, whom he sought out, that he might announce his coming. He did not come to Jerusalem, he did not seek out the scribes and Pharisees, he did not enter the synagogue of the Jews, but he found "shepherds keeping watch over their flocks" and spoke to them: "Today there is born to you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord".
Do you suppose that the word of the Scriptures signifies nothing more divine, but says only this, that an angel came to the shepherds and spoke to them? Hear, you shepherds of the churches, you shepherds of God, that his angel always comes down from heaven and announces to you: "Today there is born to you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord". For indeed the shepherds of the churches, unless that Shepherd has come, will not be able of themselves to guard the flock well: their guardianship is weak, unless Christ pastures and guards along with them. Some while ago it was read in the Apostle: "We are God's fellow workers". The good shepherd, who imitates the good Shepherd, is a fellow worker of God and of Christ; and for this reason he is a good shepherd, because he has with him the best Shepherd feeding the flock together with him. For "God has placed in the Church apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, teachers, all things for the perfecting of the saints".
And let these things indeed be said in a simpler manner. But if one ought to ascend to a more hidden understanding, I would say that there were certain shepherds — angels who governed human affairs — and that, while each one of these was preserving his own charge and, keeping watch by day and by night, could now no longer bear the labor, and was industriously doing this, that he might govern the nations that had been entrusted to him, an angel came, when the Lord was born, and announced to the shepherds that the true Shepherd had arisen. For example, to come to an illustration, there was a certain shepherd of Macedonia; this one had need of the Lord's help; and therefore there appeared to Paul in his sleep a man of Macedonia, "saying: Cross over into Macedonia and help us". But why do I speak of Paul, when it was not to Paul, but to him who was in Paul, that Jesus spoke this? And so the shepherds have need of the presence of Christ. For which reason the angel came down from heaven and said: "Do not be afraid; for behold, I announce to you a great joy". Truly a great joy for those to whom the care of men and of provinces had been entrusted, that Christ had come into the world. The angel who administered the affairs of Egypt received much benefit, after the Lord came down from heaven, so that the Egyptians might become Christians. It profited all those who held the various provinces — for instance, the governor of Macedonia, the governor of Achaia, and of the remaining regions. For it is not right to believe that evil angels are set over the individual provinces, and that good angels do not have those same provinces and regions entrusted to them. But this, which he says concerning the individual provinces, I think ought to be believed generally concerning all men as well. Two angels attend each person, one of righteousness, the other of iniquity. If there have been good thoughts in our heart and righteousness has sprung up in our soul, there is no doubt that the angel of the Lord speaks to us. But if evil thoughts have been busy in our heart, the angel of the devil speaks to us. Just as, therefore, throughout the individual persons there are two angels, so also I think that in the individual provinces there are differing ones, so that there may be both good ones and evil ones. For example, in Ephesus, on account of those who were sinners in that city, the worst angels presided. Again, because there were many believers in it, there was also the angel of the church of the Ephesians, certainly a good one. But this, which we have said of Ephesus, is to be recognized concerning all provinces. Before the coming of the Lord and Savior, those angels could bring little benefit to those entrusted to them, and their efforts were not able to be followed by any effect. And what is the sign that they could benefit their subjects but little? Listen to what we say: When the angel of the Egyptians helped the Egyptians, scarcely one proselyte believed in God; and this came about while the angel administered the Egyptians. Finally, because most of the proselytes from among the Egyptians and Idumeans received the faith of God, for this reason the Scripture says: "You shall not abhor the Egyptian, since you were sojourners in the land of Egypt, and the Idumean, because he is your brother. If children are born to them, in the third generation they shall enter the Church of God". And so it came about that from all the nations some became proselytes, and this very thing while the angels who had the nations as their subjects strove for it. But now the peoples of believers come to the faith of Jesus, and the angels to whom the churches had been entrusted, strengthened by the presence of the Savior, bring in many proselytes, so that assemblies of Christians may be gathered together in all the world. Wherefore, rising up, let us praise the Lord and become, in place of the carnal Israel, the spiritual Israel. Let us bless almighty God in deed, in thought, in word, in Christ Jesus: to whom is glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.