Homilies on Psalms 36–38 — Homily 9 — Psalm 38, Homily II — from "Verumtamen in imagine pertransit homo"
Latin source: Origen's Greek homilies on Psalms 36, 37, and 38, surviving only in Rufinus of Aquileia's Latin translation (c. 401), from the reading text of J.-P. Migne (ed.), Patrologia Graeca 12 (Paris, 1862), cols. 1319–1410 (In Psalmos). This English translation is released into the public domain.On the same psalm, from the passage "Yet man passes through in an image".
1. "Although man walks about in an image". An image is necessarily the image of something. For Holy Scripture too, when it names an image, sometimes indeed defines it and says whose image it is, but sometimes sets down "image" without any qualification. Thus, concerning the Savior, when it says "who is the image", it did not keep silent whose image he is, but added, saying: "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature". And again, when it teaches us about the diverse images, and that each single person bears some image, it says: "As we have borne the image of the earthly, so let us bear the image of the heavenly". With a qualification—either "of the earthly" or "of the heavenly"—it named the image. But elsewhere it speaks without any qualification, just as in this place it says: "Although man walks about in an image". But in the image of what? Of God, or in the image of the earthly, or in the image of the heavenly? How am I to know in this what it is that divine Scripture wishes to teach us, which says without any qualification: "Although man walks about in an image (I know not whose)"? For if indeed it were speaking of the righteous alone, it would without doubt have said: Although man walks about in the image of the heavenly. Or if it were speaking of sinners only, it would surely have said: Man walks about in the image of the earthly. But since it is pronounced generally concerning all mortals—of whom some bear the image of the heavenly, namely all who live according to the law of God, and others bear the image of the earthly, who live according to the flesh—therefore it necessarily kept silent about the specific designation of the image, and set forth a general judgment concerning all men, that every man walks about in an image. It is now for you to examine and search out from each one's faith and works, from his manner of life and deeds, from his thoughts and words, and to consider whether he walks about in the image of the heavenly or in the image of the earthly. If you are merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful, without doubt the image of the heavenly Father is in you. If you do good not only to your friends but even to your enemies, repaying good for evil, just as the heavenly Father "makes his sun to rise upon the good and the evil, and rains upon the just and the unjust", the image of the heavenly is in you. And if you are perfect in all things, as your heavenly Father is perfect, the image of the heavenly is in you. And again, if you are not an imitator of Christ nor of the apostle Paul, who says: "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ", but are an imitator of the works of the devil, who was a murderer from the beginning; and if you are wise in earthly things, and speak earthly things, and your treasure and your heart are on the earth, you bear the image of the earthly. But since we have come upon these places in which discussion has been stirred up concerning the image, it seems necessary to bring forward into the midst also that verse of the psalm in which it is written concerning sinners: "Lord, in your city you will bring their image to nothing". It is established therefore that God brings the image of sinners in his city to nothing; but the image of the righteous he without doubt guards and preserves. This, then, is the image of the earthly, that is, of sinners, which God will bring to nothing in his city; that is, if anyone departs from this world and carries with him the image of the earthly, on account of an image of this kind he will be brought to nothing in that city of God, nor will he obtain a portion among the citizens of that heavenly city, whoever carries back no insignia of the heavenly image.
2. But this verse seems to me to contain also another mystery: that the life and manner of living in this world is a kind of imaginary thing and an image, while the future one will not be imaginary but true; and this is what is meant, that each person has an image of virtue, yet does not properly and sincerely live in the virtue itself. Now what we say is of this sort: Wisdom and knowledge are a great part of the virtues; but in the present life, if anyone thinks he has known, he has not yet known as he ought to know, for he who knows, knows in a riddle. Therefore we walk about in an image of knowledge and not in knowledge itself, through which one knows face to face. So likewise we walk about in the image of wisdom, and not yet in wisdom itself, because we do not yet behold the glory of the Lord with unveiled face. The same things I dare to say concerning the righteousness of God, that we walk about in an image of righteousness, and do not yet proceed in that righteousness which is face to face. For human nature, clothed with skin and flesh, set within bones and sinews, will not be able to grasp righteousness itself bare, nor to bear and endure its sincere truth according to the power and strength of its nature. For Christ himself is the nature of the virtues: he himself is the righteousness which did not come to the human race in the fullness of its splendor, because Jesus Christ emptied himself of the form of God, that he might take the form of a servant. And indeed if the discourse of Scripture were speaking of the Jews alone, it would perhaps have said: Although man walks about in a shadow; but because, as I judge, the discourse is about those who are better than were those who lived according to the shadow of the law, therefore it is written: "Although man walks about in an image". This will come more clearly to understanding from the words of the apostle Paul, who designates three kinds of properties in the law, speaking of a shadow and an image and the truth; for he says: "For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, not the very image of the things, can never by the same sacrifices which they offer unceasingly year by year make perfect those who draw near". Therefore the law has a shadow of the good things to come, not the very image of the things, thus showing that the image of the things is other than what is designated by that shadow. And if anyone can perceive that that observance of the Jewish worship, and that temple, did not have an image but a shadow, let him see also that the altar and the goats and the calves that are offered—that all these are a shadow, concerning which it is written: "A shadow upon the earth". But if anyone comes from the shadow to the image of the things, and sees the coming of Christ made in the flesh, let him see him as high priest, offering indeed even now sacrifices to the Father, and hereafter about to offer them; and let him understand that all these are images of spiritual things, and that by bodily services heavenly things are designated. Therefore that is called an image which is received for the present, and which human nature can behold. If you can penetrate the heavens with mind and spirit, and follow Jesus who penetrated the heavens, and now stands before the countenance of God on our behalf, there you will find those good things whose shadow the law had, and whose image Christ showed in the flesh, which have been prepared for the blessed, which neither eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor has it ascended into the heart of man. When you have seen these, you will understand that he who walks about in them, and continues in the desire and longing for them, this one no longer walks about in an image, but already in the truth itself. "Yet man walks about in an image". Let us therefore repeat that discourse which the Apostle spoke, in which he designated two general images, one indeed earthly, but the other heavenly, and let us compare with this the words "Although man walks about in an image"; and let us divide this thing that has been said generally into many kinds, so that when the discourse is divided through each part and examined, what lies hidden within may become clear. Now this is what we say: Every hostile power, and every divine virtue which lends aid to those who desire to obtain salvation—each of these expresses certain images in the soul of those who present themselves by diverse pursuits to be a receptacle of them. For example, as we said above, all men indeed bear either the image of the heavenly or of the earthly, but even within these very things there is much diversity. For instance, every sinner bears the image of the earthly, but not everyone in the same way: the murderer and the liar, or the adulterer and the reviler, or the corrupter of boys and the thief do not equally bear the image of the earthly—although all these bear the image of the earthly, yet there is much difference among them according to the diversity of sin. According to these diversities, then, of the image of the earthly, contemplate also the diversity of the image of the heavenly, and behold Paul bearing the image of the heavenly, and Timothy. And what then? Do we think that the image of the heavenly was in Timothy in the same way as in Paul? Did the image of Paul have nothing more, nothing more excellent beyond the image of Timothy? I judge that, according to that in which Paul preceded Timothy in the merits of his life, in the power of his word, in the greatness of soul of his purpose, so also in him there shone forth a greater and more splendid image of the heavenly—such an image as Christ formed in him, when he spoke in him; and another and, as I judge, far inferior image was formed in him by the one who said: "And the angel who was speaking in me said". And thus, searching through each thing even within yourself, you will find a diversity of image, whether earthly in sinners or heavenly in the saints. Everything, therefore, that is done by us through each hour or moment fashions some image; and therefore we ought to examine our acts through each detail, and to test ourselves in this deed and in that word, whether a heavenly or an earthly image is depicted in our soul. But it will not seem useless to remind you also of this, that many in this world have perished on account of images of evil kings—or rather of tyrants—for this alone, that tyrannical images were found in their possession, and this alone sufficed for their condemnation. Let each one of you therefore now search himself, and review the secret places of his heart, and diligently inquire what images he bears there. If you are found to have there the forms of the devil and the image of Satan, what refuge of life will there be for you, who will have mercy on you, when from the innermost chamber of your heart a tyrannical image will be brought forth? But if you wish that I designate for you images of this kind by their species, hear. Anger is a tyrannical image; avarice, deceit, pride, arrogance, worldly glories, envies, drunkenness, carousings, and things like these. And if you do not more quickly cast these out of your house, if you do not draw off and scrape away from your senses every disguise of this most wicked painting, and wipe off every figment of this poisoned color, these very images will make you perish. This concerning that which is written: "Man walks about in an image".
3. There follows: "He treasures up, and knows not for whom he gathers these things". For it was necessary to inquire what those things are that are treasured up while it is unknown for whom they are gathered, and what those things are that are gathered while it is not unknown for whom they remain. There follows: "And now what is my expectation? Is it not the Lord?" As Christ is our wisdom, and Christ is righteousness, according to what is written: "Who was made wisdom for us from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption"; so also our expectation, that is, our patience, is Christ. Therefore let not the wise man glory in wisdom, nor the strong in his strength, because we have all things in Christ. And now therefore what is my expectation, that is, my patience? The Lord. "And my substance is from you". If I have a substance of spiritual riches, it is from God; "for God breathed into the face of man the breath of life, and man was made into a living soul".
4. "From all my iniquities deliver me". He necessarily added "from all", so that of course no iniquity may hold and constrain us. But let us consider how God delivers from iniquities. If, repenting for our evil deeds, we turn to God, God, receiving our conversion from us, grants absolution of iniquities according to the measure of the conversion. For to whom more is remitted, loves more; and therefore it is said of that woman that "much was remitted to her, because she loved much". According to the measure of the repentance, then, the quantity of remission is regulated; let us not deceive ourselves, thinking that these things are dispensed by no rules, by no judgments. For I think that he who has fulfilled all righteousnesses washes away all iniquities; but he who has worked few, or some part of righteousness, dissolves some part of his iniquities; and he who has borne perfect and entire repentance for all his evils, so that he now offers a pure heart to God, this one washes away at once every stain of his sins; but if he has repented in part, he has also in part now merited absolution. Knowing these things, then, and that God delivers some indeed from all their iniquities, while he frees others from some iniquities, the prophet, confident, I think, that he had done those things by which he would be worthy to be delivered from all iniquities, says boldly to the Lord: "From all my iniquities deliver me".
5. "You have made me a reproach to the foolish". As long as we have sins, it is necessary that we be reproached by the foolish one and our accuser, the devil; and if our sins are found not to be blotted out, but written in us by the pen of the devil, through these very things which we have done the enemy will reproach us. For just as all good things are said to be written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, so all evil things are written down with the ink and pen of the devil. On account of which our Lord and Savior blotted out the handwriting of our sins, which was written against us with the devil's endorsement, just as he had also foretold before through the prophet who said: "Behold, I blot out your iniquities like a cloud, and your sins like a mist, and I will no longer remember them". Therefore, that we may not be reproached by the foolish one, let us turn ourselves away from all our iniquities, lest, censuring in us the stains of sins—that is, the insignia of his own will—he reproach us and say: Behold, this man was called a Christian, and was sealed with the sign of Christ on his forehead, but he bore my wills and my handwritings in his heart. Behold, this man who renounced me and my works in baptism has again inserted himself into my works and obeyed my laws. Freed therefore from all iniquities, let us take care that on the day of judgment we do not succumb to reproaches of this kind from the foolish devil.
6. "I was struck dumb and did not open my mouth, because it is you who did it". This too we have already expounded above, when we treated that verse which says: "While the sinner stands against me, I was struck dumb and was humbled and kept silence from good things". For it is good that at the time when weapons—whether of disparagements, or of insults, or of reproaches—are hurled against us, we should remember this verse which says: "I was struck dumb and did not open my mouth, because it is you who did it". This indeed seems to need inquiry: what is it that he said, "It is you who did it", and yet did not add what he did. But the very order teaches us, since it describes as a kind of contest between us and the sinner who stands against us; and that it indicates that God did this very thing, that is, that for the sake of our exercise and progress God made these struggles. Therefore for this reason I will remember, that you made these struggles and you prepared for us these exercises of patience. For when he provoked me to wrath, when he assailed me with insults, that I might not overstep the bounds of patience and utter from my lips some word that would not please you, "I was struck dumb and did not open my mouth". But if I am able to accomplish something greater according to the precepts of Paul, I will not only be struck dumb and not open my mouth, but even when I am cursed, I will bless, and when I am blasphemed, I will entreat.
7. "Remove your plagues from me; from the strength of your hand I have fainted". What the Latin translators rendered "plagues," in the Greek codices is written "scourges," so that it is: "Remove your scourges from me". This one seems, of course, to say when he is set as it were under the correction of scourges, when, like a man, he is corrected for his sins, or scourged that he may be amended. Just as that also is understood by very many which is written: "Son, do not grow weary of the discipline of God, nor faint when you are rebuked by him. For whom God loves, he corrects, and scourges every son whom he receives". Whenever, therefore, anyone is rebuked with corrections of this kind, he seems fittingly to say: "Remove your scourges from me. From the strength of your hand I have fainted". But that also seems fittingly to be applied which is written: "In rebukes on account of iniquity you have corrected"—or "instructed"—"a man". But I know also other scourges by which we are more vehemently tormented, namely those which wisdom describes through the prophet (for indeed I call it a prophet): "Who will set scourges over my thought, and the correction of wisdom over my heart, that my ignorances which I have committed may not be spared, and that my sins may not be passed over?" Do you see how it prays that its heart be scourged for its sins, and that its thoughts be beaten? Whenever, therefore, you see yourself after sin afflicted and tormented in heart, and accused by your own thoughts; whenever you see yourself marked by your conscience, and scourged by its lashes, presume for yourself the hope of amendment and salvation. For the way of conversion is nearer to you than to those who do not even perceive that they have sinned, nor are grieved over their misdeeds, nor suffer the scourges of conscience. You therefore, if you see yourself scourged and tormented in your thoughts, and attending to the hope of salvation as near at hand, say concerning those who have indeed sinned in like manner, yet do not likewise repent for their misdeeds, that they "are not among the labors of men, and shall not be scourged with men; therefore pride has taken hold of them". You therefore, if you are tormented and afflicted in your heart, say to the Lord: "Many indeed are the scourges of sinners, but mercy shall surround those who hope in the Lord". We have shown, then, that scourges are prepared for men in two ways: either perceptibly from without, when we are scourged either by illnesses, or by losses, or by diverse kinds of afflictions; or also when, from the recollection of a misdeed, we are bored through in heart by the goads of an urging conscience. To both, then, it is fitting to say: "Remove your plagues from me". But perhaps someone says: Granted that for these torments which are inflicted from without a prayer of this kind seems suitable, which begs that the torments cease—but will it seem to hinder also the goad of the heart and the regard of the mind? Measure is sought in all things; much more in scourges is measure very suitable. For if they are beyond measure, even those things which are good will harm you. And what shall I say about scourges? "Finding honey", says Solomon, "eat as much as suffices, lest perhaps, being sated, you vomit it up". But if in honey measure is useful, how much more rightly will it be sought and preserved in scourges? On account of which the Apostle too, fearing excessive scourges of the heart of the one who had transgressed and was grieving excessively, said: "Lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up by too great sorrow".
8. "In rebukes for iniquity you have instructed a man, and you have made his soul waste away like a spider". The soul that sins becomes grosser. For such is the nature of sin, on account of which it is written: "The heart of this people has been made gross". But just as sin makes gross, so on the contrary virtue renders the soul subtle, and—if I may wring out, as it were, a novelty of wording—it wipes away and destroys everything corporeal in it, and renders it more purely incorporeal. But that the soul of the sinner grows gross, and, so to speak, becomes fleshly, is indicated by that which is written: "My spirit shall not remain in these men, because they are flesh". Without doubt he names as "flesh" the grosser and sinful souls. If, then, the soul grows gross, so that it becomes flesh, he teaches what remedy God prepares: "In rebukes", he says, "for iniquity you have instructed a man, and you have made his soul waste away like a spider". It is therefore the work of God to make waste away and consume whatever is of the grosser matter by which the soul is surrounded, that he may thin down and file away the prudence of the flesh, and thus at last recall the soul to a subtle understanding of heavenly and invisible things. Certain such things we find designated no less under a mystery in the prophet Ezekiel, when flesh is said to be put into a cauldron, or pot, and cooked, and it is said that they are cooked and have wasted away, or the flesh is boiled down and the broth is boiled off. These things are written in these very words, because the cauldrons or pots, kindled with flames, will receive us—into which we will be cast, we who have made our souls fleshly, or gross—if we do not first, while we are in this world, arrive through repentance at making our flesh waste away, and reducing the grossness of our soul to the subtlety of a spider. If we go forth still fleshly from here, we will be sent into those pots which are kindled with wood, or hay, or stubble, that is, with our works which we have laid upon the foundation of Christ. Such is that, as I suppose, which Jeremiah says: "I saw", he says, "a cauldron or pot burning, and its face from the face of the north". Or again when he saw a rod of nut-wood. Let us therefore inquire concerning this saying, why he showed at the same time a rod and a pot kindled with fire: so that, if indeed you accept discipline through the rod and are amended, you may have no need of the kindled pot; but if you remain undisciplined and are not amended by the rod—that is, by the word of correction, either confuted or repenting, and corrected by such a rod as Paul speaks of: "What do you wish—that I come to you with a rod, or in the love of a spirit and of gentleness?"—if, then, you are not amended by such a rod, you will be sent into the pot, and the pot will be kindled. For this reason, then, Jeremiah saw both at the same time, both the rod and the kindled pot, so that, fearing both, we may see the one from the other. This concerning that which is written: "You have made his soul waste away like a spider".
9. If, then, we turn the discourse back to the nature of that animal, from that aspect by which it unfolds a most subtle work which the eye can scarcely comprehend, the exposition which we explained above will seem apt. But if anyone refers it to that which Isaiah writes in his book, that "they have woven the web of a spider", it is to be taken otherwise: that all the things which the sinner weaves and does, you may know to be as nothing as those things which the spider weaves, though they seem varied and composed, though arranged with a certain exquisite art. How much did those rich men who were before us weave, who gathered riches by various arts and cunning devices, who sought magistracies, honors, consulships with diverse ambition—all these wove the webs of a spider. For as vain, as frivolous as is the weaving of the spider, so were all the things they did, and therefore their souls have been made to waste away like the spider's. "Yet every man is vanity". This we have already explained in the passages above.
10. "Hear my prayer, O God, and my supplication; give ear to my tears". It is fitting once again to offer prayer to God even with tears, and to be moved from the innermost recesses into supplication of the Lord, so that the mind, believing in the judgment to come, may review the recollection of its misdeeds not without tears and lamentation. Who, dissolved into tears, says to the Lord: "I pour out my prayer in your sight"? "Give ear, therefore, to my tears, and be not silent", he says, "from me"—that is, while I pray be not silent. But what then? While I am still speaking, say: Behold, I am here.
11. "For I am a sojourner with you, and a pilgrim, as all my fathers". Because I am a pilgrim, I am necessarily also a sojourner, for I am not as you are. For you alone are eternal, and we, as far as is found, have a beginning. But I, if I be made worthy to be with you, am nevertheless a sojourner and a pilgrim with you; because all my fathers too were sojourners and pilgrims with you; and Abraham is a pilgrim with you, because he did not always exist, but then began to exist when you willed, and so Isaac and Jacob and all the righteous.
12. "Give me remission that I may be refreshed before I depart, and shall be no more, for I am a sojourner": as long as I am with you, so long I am; but if I go forth from you, I have lost even this very thing that I am, and I shall be as one who is not. Thus for this reason he says concerning sinners: "And they shall be as those who are not". And elsewhere: "Who called the things that are not". "Give me remission that I may be refreshed before I depart, and shall be no more". It must be known, nevertheless, that it is within us either to be or not to be. As long as we cleave to God and are joined to him who truly is, we too are. But if we depart from him and do not cleave to our God, we fall by vice into the contrary. Not, therefore, through this is the substantial destruction of the soul designated, but it is said "not to be" when it does not remain in him who truly and always is, from whom he himself is. Therefore for this reason the prophetic word too exhorts us, saying: "After the Lord our God we shall go, and to him we shall cleave". But let us ourselves also say: "My soul has cleaved after you", in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom is honor and glory unto the ages of ages. Amen.