Origen of Alexandria — Commentary on Scripture

2 Corinthians 3:3

Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

Now we have not received this longing from God on the condition that it should not or could not ever be satisfied.… So when even in this life men devote themselves with great labor to sacred and religious studies, although they obtain only some small fragments out of the immeasurable treasures of divine knowledge, yet [they gain this advantage, that] they occupy their mind and understanding with these questions and press onward in their eager desire. Moreover they derive much assistance from the fact that by turning their mind to the study and love of truth they render themselves more capable of receiving instruction in the future. For when one wishes to paint a picture, if he first sketches with the faint touch of a light pencil the outlines of the proposed figure and inserts suitable marks to indicate features afterward to be added, this preliminary drawing with its faint outline undoubtedly renders the canvas more prepared to receive the true colors. So it will be with us, if only that faint form and outline is inscribed “on the tablets of our heart” by the pencil of our Lord Jesu…

Now we have not received this longing from God on the condition that it should not or could not ever be satisfied.… So when even in this life men devote themselves with great labor to sacred and religious studies, although they obtain only some small fragments out of the immeasurable treasures of divine knowledge, yet [they gain this advantage, that] they occupy their mind and understanding with these questions and press onward in their eager desire. Moreover they derive much assistance from the fact that by turning their mind to the study and love of truth they render themselves more capable of receiving instruction in the future. For when one wishes to paint a picture, if he first sketches with the faint touch of a light pencil the outlines of the proposed figure and inserts suitable marks to indicate features afterward to be added, this preliminary drawing with its faint outline undoubtedly renders the canvas more prepared to receive the true colors. So it will be with us, if only that faint form and outline is inscribed “on the tablets of our heart” by the pencil of our Lord Jesus Christ.… It is clear, then, that to those who have now in this life a kind of outline of truth and knowledge there shall be added in the future the beauty of the perfect image.

2 Corinthians 3:6 · 2 passages

Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

For even in the Gospels, it is “the letter” that “kills.” Not only in the Old Testament is “the letter that kills” found; there is also in the New Testament “the letter that kills”—that one who does not spiritually perceive what is said. For, if you follow according to the letter that which is said, “Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood,” this “letter kills.” Do you want me to bring out of the gospel for you another “letter” that “kills”? He says, “Let the one who does not have a sword sell his tunic and buy a sword.” Behold, this is the letter of the gospel, but “it kills.” But, if you take it spiritually, it does not kill, but there is in it “a spirit that gives life.” For this reason, receive spiritually what is said either in the law or in the Gospels because “the spiritual one judges all things but that one is not judged by anyone.”

The letter means what is material and the spirit what is intellectual, which we also call spiritual.

2 Corinthians 3:7 · 2 passages

But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:

The apostle briefly indicates the reason that these words that were read to us can be understood or not understood when he says that “the veil of the Old Testament” can “be removed” from the eyes of the one “who has been converted to the Lord.” From this, he wanted it understood that these things are less clear to us to the same degree as our conversion to the Lord is less complete. And for that reason, this must be worked at with all our strength so that, free from secular occupations and mundane deeds, and if possible leaving behind these unnecessary fables of friends, we may apply ourselves to the Word of God and “meditate on his law day and night.” The result will be the conversion of the entire heart. Then we can see the face of Moses, opened and unveiled.

But as the apostle discusses these things with that noble understanding which he employs in other matters, he writes: “But we have the mind of Christ.” He also says: “But if the ministry of death written with letters upon stones was glorious, so that the sons of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance, which is passing away, will not the ministry of the spirit be rather in glory?” And again a little later he says, “And not as Moses placed a veil on his face that the sons of Israel might not steadfastly look at the appearance of his countenance. For their senses were made dull, for up to this present day when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.” Who would not wonder at the magnitude of the mysteries? Who would not greatly fear the sign of a dulled heart? Moses’ face was glorified, but “the sons of Israel” were not able “to look at the appearance of his countenance”; the people of the synagogue were not able “to look.” But if anyone can be superior in conduct and life to the multitude, he can look at the glory of his countenance…

But as the apostle discusses these things with that noble understanding which he employs in other matters, he writes: “But we have the mind of Christ.” He also says: “But if the ministry of death written with letters upon stones was glorious, so that the sons of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance, which is passing away, will not the ministry of the spirit be rather in glory?” And again a little later he says, “And not as Moses placed a veil on his face that the sons of Israel might not steadfastly look at the appearance of his countenance. For their senses were made dull, for up to this present day when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.” Who would not wonder at the magnitude of the mysteries? Who would not greatly fear the sign of a dulled heart? Moses’ face was glorified, but “the sons of Israel” were not able “to look at the appearance of his countenance”; the people of the synagogue were not able “to look.” But if anyone can be superior in conduct and life to the multitude, he can look at the glory of his countenance. For even now, as the apostle says, “The veil is placed on the reading of the Old Testament”.; even now Moses speaks with glorified countenance, but we are not able to look at the glory which is in his countenance. We are not able, therefore, because we are still the populace, and we have no zeal or merit more than the common crowd. But because the holy apostle says, “but that same veil remains in the reading of the Old Testament,” the expressed opinion of such a great apostle would have cut off all hope of understanding for us if he had not added: “But when anyone shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be removed.” He says, therefore, that the cause of the removal of the veil is our turning to the Lord. We should draw the conclusion from this that as long as we read the divine Scriptures without understanding, as long as what has been written is obscure to us and closed, we have not yet turned to the Lord. For if we had turned to the Lord, without doubt the veil would have been removed.

2 Corinthians 3:15 · 2 passages

But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.

Further, if any one ponders over the prophetic sayings with all the attention and reverence they deserve, it is certain that in the very act of reading and diligently studying them his mind and feelings will be touched by a divine breath. He will recognize that the words he is reading are not human utterances but the language of God; and so he will perceive from his own experience that these books have been composed not by human art or mortal eloquence but, if I may so speak, in a style that is divine. The splendor of Christ’s advent has, therefore, by illuminating the law of Moses with the brightness of the truth, withdrawn the veil which had covered the letter of the law and has disclosed, for everyone who believes in him, all those “good things” which lay concealed within.

The apostle also says, “Even until this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies upon their hearts; but when a man shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” For so long as a man does not attend to the spiritual meaning “a veil lies upon his heart,” in consequence of which veil, in other words his duller understanding, the Scripture itself is said or thought to be veiled. This is the explanation of the veil which is said to have covered the face of Moses when he was speaking to the people, that is, when the law is read in public. But if we turn to the Lord, where also the Word of God is and where the Holy Spirit reveals spiritual knowledge, the veil will be taken away, and we shall then with unveiled face behold in the holy Scriptures the glory of the Lord.

2 Corinthians 3:16 · 3 passages

Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.

Let us beware, therefore, lest not only “when Moses is read” but also when Paul is read “a veil” be “placed over” our “heart.” And clearly, if we hear negligently, if we bring no zeal to learning and understanding, not only are the Scriptures of the Law and Prophets but also of the apostles and Gospels covered for us with a great veil. I fear, however, lest by too much negligence and dullness of heart the divine volumes be not only veiled to us but also sealed, so that “if a book should be put into the hands of a man who cannot read to be read, he would say, ‘I cannot read’; if it should be put into the hands of a man who can read, he would say, ‘It is sealed.’ ”Whence we see that we must not only employ zeal to learn the sacred literature, but also we must pray to the Lord and entreat “day and night” that the lamb “of the tribe of Judah” may come and himself taking “the sealed book” may deign to open it. For it is he who “opening the Scriptures” kindles the hearts of the disciples so that they say, “Was not our heart burning within us when he opened to us the Scriptures?” May he, th…

Let us beware, therefore, lest not only “when Moses is read” but also when Paul is read “a veil” be “placed over” our “heart.” And clearly, if we hear negligently, if we bring no zeal to learning and understanding, not only are the Scriptures of the Law and Prophets but also of the apostles and Gospels covered for us with a great veil. I fear, however, lest by too much negligence and dullness of heart the divine volumes be not only veiled to us but also sealed, so that “if a book should be put into the hands of a man who cannot read to be read, he would say, ‘I cannot read’; if it should be put into the hands of a man who can read, he would say, ‘It is sealed.’ ”Whence we see that we must not only employ zeal to learn the sacred literature, but also we must pray to the Lord and entreat “day and night” that the lamb “of the tribe of Judah” may come and himself taking “the sealed book” may deign to open it. For it is he who “opening the Scriptures” kindles the hearts of the disciples so that they say, “Was not our heart burning within us when he opened to us the Scriptures?” May he, therefore, even now see fit to open to us what it is which he inspired his apostle to say, “But the Lord is a spirit, and where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”.

The Lord himself, the Holy Spirit himself, must be entreated by us to remove every cloud and all darkness which obscures the vision of our hearts, hardened with the stains of sins, in order that we may be able to behold the spiritual and wonderful knowledge of his law.

For thus the apostle said, “If anyone turns to the Lord, the veil will be removed; for where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” Therefore, the Lord himself, the Holy Spirit himself must be entreated by us to remove every cloud and all darkness which obscures the vision of our hearts hardened with the stains of sins in order that we may be able to behold the spiritual and wonderful knowledge of his law, according to him who said, “Take the veil from my eyes and I shall observe the wonders of your law.”32.

2 Corinthians 4:4 · 2 passages

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

For the Son of God is Word and Righteousness. But every sinner is under the tyranny of the prince of this age, since every sinner is made a friend of the present evil age. For he does not hand himself over to the One who gave “himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age” and to deliver us “according to the will of our God and Father,” according to the verse in the letter to the Galatians. And the one who by voluntary sin is under the tyranny of the prince of this age is also ruled by sin. That is why we are commanded by Paul no longer to be subjected to sin that wishes to rule over us. We are so ordered through the following words, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions.”.

But if anyone dares to attribute corruption of substance to what was made according to the image and likeness of God, in my opinion he extends the charge of impiety also to the Son of God himself, since he is also called in Scripture “the image of God.” At least the one who holds the opinion will certainly find fault with the authority of Scripture, which says that humanity was made after the image of God. And the traces of the divine image are clearly recognized not through the likeness of the body, which undergoes corruption, but through the intelligence of the soul, its righteousness, temperance, courage, wisdom, discipline, and through the entire chorus of virtues that are present in God by substance and can be in humankind through effort and the imitation of God. The Lord points this out in the Gospel when He says, “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful” and “Be perfect, as your Father is perfect.” Consequently, it is quite clear that in God all these virtues can never enter or leave, but they are acquired by us little by little and one by one.

2 Corinthians 4:7

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

But just as divine providence is not proved to be a fiction, particularly for those who are convinced of its existence, because its workings and arrangements are beyond the comprehension of human minds, so neither will the divine inspiration of holy Scripture, which extends through its entire body, be supposed to be nonexistent because the weakness of our understanding cannot discover the deep and hidden thoughts in every sentence. For the treasure of divine wisdom is concealed in vessels of poor and humble words, as the apostle points out when he says: “We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the greatness of the divine power may shine forth the more,” when no taint of human eloquence is mingled with the truth of the doctrines.

2 Corinthians 4:8 · 2 passages

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

For God delivers us from afflictions not when we are no longer in affliction (… Paul says “we are afflicted in every way,” as though there were never a time when we were not afflicted), but when in our affliction we are not crushed because of God’s help. “To be afflicted,” according to a colloquial usage of the Hebrews, has the meaning of a critical circumstance that happens to us without our free choice, while “to be crushed” implies our free choice and that it has been conquered by affliction and given into its power. And so Paul is right when he says, “We are afflicted in every way but not crushed.”

And unless we understand something that has escaped the notice of the many concerning praying not to enter into temptation, it is time to say that the apostles sometimes prayed and were not heard. How many thousand sufferings did they experience throughout their lifetimes with far greater labors, with far more beatings, with countless imprisonments, and often near death? Paul on his own received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one, was beaten with rods three times, was stoned once, was shipwrecked three times, was adrift at sea a night and a day. He was in every way afflicted, perplexed, persecuted and struck down.

2 Corinthians 4:17

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

It was not a light, momentary affliction to everyone, but it was to Paul and to people like him, because they had the perfect loving affection of God in Christ Jesus through the Holy Spirit poured into their hearts.

2 Corinthians 5:1

For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

In regard to our bodily nature we must understand that there is not one body which we now use in lowliness and corruption and weakness and a different one which we are to use hereafter in incorruption and power and glory, but that this same body, having cast off the weaknesses of its present existence, will be transformed into a thing of glory and made spiritual. The result is that what was a vessel of dishonor shall itself be purified and become a vessel of honor and a habitation of blessedness. And we must believe that our body remains in this condition forever unchangeably by the will of the Creator. We are made certain of this fact by the statement of the apostle Paul in which he says, “We have a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”

2 Corinthians 5:8

We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

I pray that our souls may never be disquieted, and even more that in the presence of the tribunals and of the naked swords drawn against our necks they may be guarded by the peace of God, which passes all understanding, and may be quieted when they consider that those who are foreigners from the body are at home with the Lord of all.

2 Corinthians 5:10

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Why do we ourselves not believe that we all will stand “before the judgment seat of Christ so that each one may obtain the things proper to the body according to what he has done, whether good or evil”? If we would believe these things entirely, there would be applied to us what was written, “Redemption of a man’s soul is his wealth.” But how can we either know or believe or understand these things when we indeed do not come together to hear them? For who of you, when the Scriptures are read, really pays attention? God through the prophet threatens indeed in great anger, “I will send famine upon the earth; not a famine of bread or the thirst of water but a famine of hearing the word of God.” But now God has not sent “a famine” upon his church nor “a thirst to hear the word of God.” For we have “living bread which came down from heaven.” We have “living water springing up into eternal life.” Why in this time of fruitfulness do we destroy ourselves by famine and thirst? It is the mark of a lazy and lingering soul to suffer want in all this abundance.

2 Corinthians 6:8

By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;

If we have lived a life deserving “good repute” and have been spoken well of, now let us also bear up under “ill repute” from the ungodly. Still more, if we have been admired as “true” by those who love truth, now let us laugh at being called “imposters.” During the many dangers from which we have been delivered many said that we were “well known” by God; now let the one who wishes call us “unknown,” when we are probably better known. Thus, in bearing what has happened to us we are “punished” and yet “not killed,” and though “rejoicing,” we resemble those who are “sorrowful.”