Origen of Alexandria — Commentary on Scripture

Ezekiel 1:1

It was not enough for one heaven to be opened; a greater number was opened, so that the angels descended not from one, but from all the heavens on those who were to be saved.

HOMILIES ON EZEKIEL 1:7

Ezekiel 1:3

If you want to understand that this word is said about the Savior, do not hold back. The allegory has its own meaning as well, in this way: the Word of God comes to us as he who was born of the virgin, that is, man; as the Word who lives always in the Father.

HOMILIES ON EZEKIEL 1:10

Ezekiel 1:4

When you have been purified by the sweeping wind, to the extent that it has swept away every evil from you and everything of evil character in your soul, then you will begin to benefit from the great cloud that envelopes the sweeping wind.

HOMILIES ON EZEKIEL 1:12

Ezekiel 1:5

The cherubim are interpreted as the fullness of knowledge. Whoever is full of skill becomes a cherub that God drives.

HOMILIES ON EZEKIEL 1:15

Ezekiel 1:16

If you consider the way in which the universe moves in different and contrary ways, whether you think it is in error or whether you think it is of a different nature from us, you see the meaning of “a wheel within a wheel.” But as far as all that is concerned, the God of the whole universe directs everything and makes everything to move where he wills, in Christ Jesus, to whom be glory and dominion for ever and ever.

HOMILIES ON EZEKIEL 1:16

Ezekiel 1:28

It is clear … that Ezekiel saw the cherubim and their course, and the firmament above them and the one seated on the throne. What could be more glorious and exalted than these things?

COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 6:23

Ezekiel 2:6

Are there not revilings in Ezekiel directed against the people, when the Lord says, “you dwell among scorpions”?

AGAINST CELSUS 2:76

Ezekiel 2:10

I take it to be similar in the case of the book mentioned by Ezekiel, in which had been written lamentation, mourning and woe. The whole book contains the “woe” of those perishing, and the “mourning” of those being saved and the “lamentation” of those in between. John, too, who eats one roll on which there is writing on the back and the front, considered the whole Scripture as one book, which is thought to be sweet at the start, when one chews it, but bitter in the perception of each of those who come to know it.

COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 5:7

Ezekiel 10:4

The prophet did not see the throne but the likeness of the throne, just as he said earlier that he did not see the glory of the Lord but the likeness of the glory of the Lord.

EXCERPTS ON EZEKIEL 10

Ezekiel 11:19-20

Now this is what is said by those who wish to prove by the authority of Scripture that nothing lies within our own power. We shall reply to them that these words must not be understood in that sense but as follows. It is as if an uneducated and uninstructed person becoming conscious of the disgrace of his condition, whether by being stirred at the exhortation of another or by a desire to rival those who are wise, should entrust himself to one by whom he is confident that he can be carefully trained and competently instructed. If then he, who had formerly hardened himself in ignorance, entrusts himself, as we have said, with full purpose of mind to a master and promises to obey him in everything, the master, on seeing clearly his purpose and determination, will on his part undertake to take away from him his lack of education and to implant in him education, not promising, however, to do this if the disciple withholds his assent and co-operation but only if he offers and pledges himself to entire obedience.

ON FIRST PRINCIPLES 3:1.15

Ezekiel 11:19-20

This might lead one to suppose that it was God who gave the power to walk in his commandments and to keep his judgments, if it was he who removed the stony heart, which hindered them from keeping the commandments, and who implanted in them the better and more sensitive one, which is here called a heart of flesh.

ON FIRST PRINCIPLES 3:1.7

Ezekiel 13:1

There is no kind of sin about which Scripture is silent and about which it does not teach its readers.

HOMILIES ON EZEKIEL 2:1

Ezekiel 13:2

If the Word of God accuses me, I will try to be converted.

HOMILIES ON EZEKIEL 2:2

Ezekiel 13:2

If anyone reading the gospel fits its proper sense to the gospel without understanding that the Lord speaks, he is a false prophet speaking according to his own heart in the gospel.

HOMILIES ON EZEKIEL 2:2

Ezekiel 13:2

The word of the present can agree with those who teach in the church, as long as they do not teach other than what the truth demands.

HOMILIES ON EZEKIEL 2:2

Ezekiel 13:2

If I find in Moses and the prophets the thought of Christ, I speak not according to my own heart but from the Holy Spirit.

HOMILIES ON EZEKIEL 2:2

Ezekiel 13:2

False prophets are teachers of the church whose words or life do not properly accord with the doctrine that they preach.

HOMILIES ON EZEKIEL 2:1

Ezekiel 13:3

In the same way that a saint prays with the Spirit and prays with understanding and sings with the spirit and sings with understanding, so the false prophet prophesies according to his own heart and follows not the Spirit of God but his own spirit.

HOMILIES ON EZEKIEL 2:3

Ezekiel 13:4

The fox is an animal good for nothing, sly, wild, ferocious.

HOMILIES ON EZEKIEL 2:4

Ezekiel 13:6

All that they want is false, and they can never see the truth. Take an example. To read the Scripture and to hear something other than what is written is to have an untruthful picture of Scripture; but to hear Scripture and interpret it in accordance with the truth, that is to see the truth.

HOMILIES ON EZEKIEL 2:5