Homilies on Numbers — Homily 1
Latin source: Origen, In Numeros homiliae (Rufinus's Latin translation), from the public-domain critical text of W. A. Baehrens, GCS 30 = Origenes Werke VII (Leipzig, 1921). This English translation is released into the public domain.[§1] Not all are worthy of the divine numbers, but those who ought to be included within the number of God are marked out by certain definite prerogatives. And this book, which is entitled Numbers, contains a clear indication of this matter. In it we are told that, by the command of God, neither are women brought into the number — being obstructed, no doubt, by the impediment of feminine weakness — nor any of the slaves, inasmuch as they are degenerate in life and character. But not even any of the Egyptians who had mingled with them is numbered, precisely because they were foreigners and barbarians; but the Israelites alone are numbered, and not even all of these, but those from twenty years old and upward. Nor is only the observance of age maintained, but it is asked whether one also displays a strength fit for war; for it is prescribed by the word of God that everyone be numbered "who goes forth in the might of Israel." Therefore not age alone, but might too, is required in an Israelite. Boyish age is not numbered, nor is it reckoned fit for the divine reckonings, unless perhaps they be firstborn or descend from a priestly or Levitical stock; these alone among the boys are brought to the number. But of the women none whatever is brought forward. And what is the meaning of this? Can these things be empty of mysteries, and is the Holy Spirit, who dictated that these things be written, to be believed to have taken care of this alone, that we might know who were then numbered in that people and who remained without number? And what profit will be given from this to those who are eager to be instructed in the sacred volumes? For what does it benefit to have learned these things? Or what is contributed to the soul for its salvation, if it should know that some part of the people was numbered in the desert, while another part was left unnumbered? But if, following Paul's judgment, we believe the law to be spiritual and hear the things it contains spiritually, an immense profit to the soul will appear in the things that are written. For the present reading teaches me that, if I transcend the folly of boyish age, if I cease to be a child in understanding and, having become a man, lay aside the things that are a child's — if, I say, I become a young man, and such a young man as may conquer the evil one — I shall appear fit for those of whom it is written, "all who go forth in the might of Israel," and I shall be reckoned worthy of the divine numbers. But so long as there is in any of us either a boyish and slippery understanding, or a feminine and slack sluggishness, or so long as we bear Egyptian and barbarous morals, we do not deserve to be held before God in the holy and consecrated number. For in Solomon those who perish are said to be without number; but all who are saved are numbered. And do you wish me to show you that the number of the saints is kept before God? Hear how David says of the heavenly stars indeed: "who numbers the multitude of the stars, and calls them all by their names." But the Savior not only set his chosen disciples under a number, but says that even the hairs of their head are numbered; for he says, "but the very hairs of your head are numbered." In which surely he was not saying that those hairs are numbered which are wont either to be shorn off with iron and cast away, or to fall off and perish with the passage of time; but those hairs of the head are numbered before God which were in the Nazirites, in whom dwelt the power of the Holy Spirit for laying low the foreigners. Therefore the virtues of the mind and the multitude of the senses, which were brought forth from the ruling part of the mind as from the head of the Apostles, he called the hairs of the head. But we have come to these things by a certain digression; now let us return to our subject.
[§2] "And the Lord spoke," it says, "to Moses in the desert of Sinai" — all those things, namely, which above we summed up in a compact narration, where it is commanded that everyone be numbered "from twenty years old and upward who goes forth in the might of Israel." If, therefore, anyone goes forth in might, he himself is numbered, and not in any might whatever, that is, not in the might of the Egyptians nor of the Assyrians nor of the Greeks, but in the might of Israel, he himself is numbered before God. For there is a might of the mind which the philosophers of the Greeks teach; but this does not pertain to the number of God, for it is exercised not for God but for human glory. There is also a might of the Assyrians or the Chaldeans, which is proclaimed in the studies of astrology; but this is not the Israelite might, and therefore it does not pertain to God. There is also a might of the Egyptians in that which they call secret wisdom, but this is not joined to the reckoning of God. Before God the Israelite might alone is numbered, that is, that might which is taught by God, which is learned through the divine Scriptures, which is handed down through the Gospel and Apostolic faith. And therefore he says that they alone are to be numbered who advance in the might of Israel. But let us also consider this, why the people is not numbered immediately, as soon as it has gone out of Egypt; for Pharaoh was still pursuing. But neither when, crossing the Red Sea, it came into the desert, is it said to be numbered; for they had not yet been tempted, not yet been attacked by the enemy. They contend against Amalek and conquer, but not even then are they numbered; for one victory does not suffice for one striving toward perfection. They receive manna as food and draw the drink of water from the following rock, but neither then are they numbered; for in them those things which are reckoned fit for the numbers had not yet grown up. The tabernacle of testimony is constructed, but not even in this does the time for numbering the people arrive. The law is given through Moses, the custom of sacrifices is handed down, the rite of purifications is taught, the laws and sacraments of sanctifications are established, and then, by the command of God, the people is brought to the number. Inscribe these things, O hearer, in your heart twofold and threefold. See how many things you must pass through, how many endure, by how many advances, how many temptations, how many battles you must fight and conquer, that you may be able to belong to the divine number, that you may be held in some reckoning before God, that you may be deemed worthy to be counted among the holy tribes, that you may be able to be visited and, through God's priests, Aaron and Moses, to be enrolled in the censuses of the numbers. First you must take up the law of God, the law of the Holy Spirit; sacrifices must be offered, purifications completed, all things performed which the law of the spirit teaches, that you may at last be able to belong to the Israelite number.
[§3] I discern still something further of mystery in this book of Numbers. For the reckoning of the tribes and the distinction of ranks, the fellowship of families and the whole ordering of the camps, discloses to me the tokens of vast sacraments, since the Apostle Paul sprinkles upon us the seeds of spiritual understanding. And come now, let us see what all this reckoning of numbers, what this diversity of ranks, contains of mystical understanding. Our expectation of the resurrection of the dead is certain, when those who live, who are left, "shall not go before, at the coming of Christ, those who have fallen asleep, but joined and associated together with them shall be caught up in the clouds to meet Christ in the air" — deserting, that is, the corruption of this earthly place and the dwellings of death, whether all are to remain in the air, as Paul declares, or some also are to be transferred to paradise or to whatever other places out of the many mansions which are with the Father. But the diversity of the translation and of the glory will without doubt be granted according to the merits and deeds of each one, and each will be in that rank which the merits of his deeds have conferred upon him, just as the same Paul also attests, saying of those who rise, "but each in his own order." Hence, therefore, it will come about in the resurrection that each is enrolled, by spiritual tokens, either in the tribe of Reuben — for this very reason, no doubt, that in his morals or deeds or life he had something similar and akin to Reuben himself. But another in the tribe of Simeon, perhaps for his obedience. Another in the tribe of Levi — one, I believe, who presided well over the priesthood, or who, ministering well, acquired for himself a good standing. Another in the tribe of Judah — I do not doubt that this is he who bore a kingly spirit and ruled well the people that is within him, namely the senses of the mind and the thoughts of the heart. But also to each single tribe each one will be associated according to those things which, in his deeds or in his morals, he had akin to any one of them. There will therefore be certain ranks of this kind in the resurrection of the dead, as the Apostle designates; the type and figure of which ranks seems to me to be preformed in this book. But also the fact that the position and the order of the encampment is described by a certain association of the tribes and connection of the camps pertains without doubt to some state in the resurrection of the dead. That three tribes are said to be placed to the east and three to the west, three also toward the sea and the three last toward the north — which is called the harsh wind — but also that the tribe of Judah, which is royal, is stationed to the east, from which our Lord arose, I do not think is idle, and that Issachar is joined to it and Zebulun, and that into four parts this triple number is arranged, which, although they have differing qualities of their positions, are nevertheless all contained within the number of the Trinity, and that through all these four parts the same Trinity is always gathered into one number — for this reason, no doubt, that under the one name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit are reckoned all who, coming from the four parts of the world, call upon the name of the Lord, reclining with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of God. Let these things be indicated by us in a general way for those who wish briefly to grasp the mystical contents of this whole sacred volume, so that from these, having taken the occasion of spiritual understanding, each one may pursue in the rest a similar inquiry, or even, if to anyone God reveals more, a higher and loftier one. For I truly judge myself unequal to expounding the mysteries which this book of Numbers contains; but far more inferior to those which the volume of Deuteronomy includes. And therefore we must hasten to arrive at Jesus — not that son of Nun, but Jesus Christ. Yet first, using Moses as a tutor and laying down with him the rudiments of infancy, let us so tend toward the perfection of Christ. For Moses did not put down many wars; but Jesus checked indeed all wars, and gave peace to all, so that it is written that "the land rested from wars." The land of promise, the land of inheritance, the land which flows with milk and honey, is distributed by Jesus. For "blessed are the meek, for they" through Jesus "shall inherit the land." But you will find that types and images of this very distribution went before; for it is not idle that to some the land is divided beyond the Jordan, to others within the Jordan, and to some first, to others second, and to some even third, and thus in order the inheritance of the land is divided, where each one may rest under his own fig tree and under his own vine, and there be no more anyone to terrify him. All which things, foresignified by magnificent mysteries, the Lord Jesus himself, on the day of his coming, no longer through a glass and in a riddle, but face to face in truth, will fulfill for each one, according as he himself knows the merits of the individuals — he who is the knower of the heart, to whom be glory and dominion for ages of ages. Amen.