Homilies on Luke — Homily 38 (Luke 19:41–45)
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: "But when he had drawn near, he saw the city and wept over it", up to the place where it says: "he cast out all who sold doves".
When our Lord and Savior had drawn near to Jerusalem, seeing it he wept and said: "if you too had known, even in this your day, the things that are for your peace; but now they are hidden from your eyes: for the days shall come upon you, and your enemies shall surround you with a rampart". What is said here are mysteries, and we hope, if God opens them, that what lies hidden can be laid open. First, then, we must consider his weeping. All the beatitudes that Jesus spoke in the Gospel he confirms by his own example, and what he taught he proves by his own testimony. "Blessed", he says, "are the meek". Like to this is what he says of himself: "Learn from me", he says, "for I am meek". "Blessed are the peacemakers". And who else is so much a peacemaker as my Lord Jesus, who "is our peace", who "loosed the enmity" and "destroyed it in his own flesh"? "Blessed are they who suffer persecution for righteousness' sake". No one so suffered persecution for righteousness' sake as the Lord Jesus, who was crucified for our sins. All the beatitudes, therefore, the Lord shows forth in himself; and to this likeness belongs also that which he had said: "blessed are they that weep" — he himself wept, that he might lay the foundations of this beatitude too. And he wept over Jerusalem, "saying: if you too had known, even in this your day, the things that are for your peace; but now they are hidden from your eyes", and the rest, up to the place where it says: "because you have not known the time of your visitation". Let one of the hearers say: What is said here is plain, and has been fulfilled in deed concerning Jerusalem: for the Roman army surrounded it and laid it waste even to utter destruction, and the time will come when a stone shall not be left upon a stone upon it. I do not deny that that Jerusalem too was destroyed because of the crimes of its inhabitants; but I ask whether perhaps this weeping pertains also to this our Jerusalem. For we are the Jerusalem that is wept over, we who seem to ourselves to have the greater vision. For if, after the mysteries of truth, after the word of the Gospel, after the teaching of the Church and after the vision of the sacraments of God, someone among us should sin, he will be lamented and wept over. For no Gentile is wept over, but only he who was of Jerusalem and has ceased to be so. And this our Jerusalem is wept over, because after sins "enemies surround" it — namely the hostile powers, the wicked spirits — and cast "a rampart" around about it and besiege it "and leave not a stone upon a stone", especially if, after much continence, after some years of chastity, someone should be overcome and, enticed by the blandishments of the flesh, should lose the endurance of purity. If you have committed fornication, "they will not leave a stone upon a stone in you". For he says in another place: "I will not remember his former righteous deeds; in his sin, in which he shall be caught, in that very sin will I judge him". This, then, is the Jerusalem that is wept over. After this it is said: "he entered into the temple", and, when he had entered, "he cast out those who were selling doves". He did not cast out those who buy; for he who buys, possesses what he has bought. Those Jesus cast out of his Father's temple who sell and throw away what they had, after the likeness of that prodigal son who received his substance from his father and lost it all in excessive drinking. If, therefore, anyone sells, he is cast out, especially if he was selling "doves". Why did he name no other birds but doves? This animal is simple and comely. I fear lest this same fault be found in us also. For if the things that have been revealed and entrusted to me by the Holy Spirit, that I might bring them forth to the multitude, I should sell for a price and not teach without wage, what else do I do but sell doves, that is, the Holy Spirit? And when I have sold him, I am cast out of the temple of God. Wherefore let us ask the Lord that we may all rather buy than sell. For if we do not sell, we shall know and understand our salvation; otherwise the enemies will surround our city. And if once the hostile army has encircled us, we shall not deserve the tears of the Lord. Let us therefore rise up at dawn and beseech God that we may at least be able to eat the crumbs that fall from his table. The scripture marvels that the queen of Sheba came "from the ends of the earth, to hear the wisdom of Solomon"; and she, when she had seen the banquet and the furnishing and the ministries of his house, was astonished and was wholly in wonder. If we do not gladly embrace such great riches of our Lord, such furnishing of the word and abundance of teachings, if we do not eat the "bread of life", if we do not feed on the flesh of Jesus and drink his blood, if we despise the feasts of our Savior, we ought to know that God has both "kindness and severity"; and of these we ought rather to pray for his kindness, in Christ Jesus our Lord: to whom is glory and dominion unto the ages of ages. Amen.