Origen of Alexandria — Commentary on Scripture

Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.

Attempt, O hearer, to have your own well and your own spring, so that you too, when you take up a book of the Scriptures, may begin even from your own understanding to bring forth some meaning, and in accordance with those things which you have learned in the church, you too attempt to drink from the fountain of your own abilities. You have the nature of "living water" within you. There are within you perennial veins and streams flowing with rational understanding, if only they have not been filled with earth and rubbish. But get busy to dig out your earth and to clean out the filth, that is, to remove the idleness of your natural bent and to cast out the inactivity of your heart.

Proverbs 7:4

Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:

It is proper that until we reach maturity, virtue of the soul be within us and personal, but when we reach full maturity so that we are capable also of teaching others, let us then no longer enclose virtue within our bosom as a wife but as a sister, let us unite her also with others who wish her. For to those who are perfect the divine Word says, “Say that wisdom is your sister.”

Proverbs 7:20

He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.

In these words, "after many days he will return home," Paul (who in the spirit perceived the plan of the divine economy) refers to the last enemy which is to be destroyed, that is, death. That enemy is the man of wickedness that Solomon will describe as one who took in his hand "a bag of money," that is, humanity. When [humanity] sins again and again, it allows itself to disregard the fear of God. It [only] becomes distressed when the human race is brought to the point of trials. Otherwise, if it never envisioned any fear of God at all, it would have perished in an instant.

Proverbs 8:5-7

O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

Those among us who are ambassadors of Christianity sufficiently declare that they are debtors to Greeks and barbarians, to wise men and fools (for they do not deny their obligation to cure the souls even of foolish persons), in order that as far as possible they may lay aside their ignorance and endeavor to obtain greater prudence, by listening also to the words of Solomon: “O fools, be of an understanding heart,” and “Whoever is the most simple among you, let him turn unto me.” Wisdom exhorts those who are empty of understanding in the words, “Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mixed for you. Forsake folly that you may live, and correct understanding in knowledge.”

Proverbs 8:9

They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.

That which John calls an eternal gospel, which would properly be called a spiritual gospel, clearly presents both the mysteries presented by Christ's words and the things of which his acts were symbols, to those who consider "all things face to face" concerning the Son of God himself. Consistent with these matters, we understand that just as one is a Jew outwardly and circumcised, there being both an outward and inward circumcision, so it is with a Christian and baptism.

Proverbs 8:22 · 4 passages

The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

What must we say of wisdom which “God created as the beginning of his ways for his works”? Her Father rejoiced at her, rejoicing in her manifold spiritual beauty which only spiritual eyes see. Wisdom’s divine heavenly beauty invites the one who contemplates it to love.

If he is an “image of the invisible God,” he is an invisible image, and I would dare to add that as he is a likeness of the Father there is no time when he did not exist.… Let the man who dares to say “There was a time when the Son was not” understand that this is what he will be saying: “Once wisdom did not exist, and word did not exist, and life did not exist.”

But if someone is able to comprehend an incorporeal existence comprised of the various ideas which embrace the principles of the universe, an existence which is living and animate, as it were, he will understand the wisdom of God which precedes all creation, which appropriately says of herself, “God created me the beginning of his ways for his works.” It is because of this creation that the whole creation has also been able to subsist, since it has a share in the divine wisdom according to which it has been created, for according to the prophet David, God made “all things in wisdom.”Many creatures, on the one hand, have come into existence by participation in wisdom, while they do not apprehend her by whom they have been created. Very few, however, comprehend not only the wisdom concerning themselves, but also that concerning many beings, for Christ is all wisdom. But each of the wise participates in Christ to the extent that he has the capacity for wisdom, insofar as Christ is wisdom, just as each one who possesses power has obtained greater power to the extent that he has shared in…

But if someone is able to comprehend an incorporeal existence comprised of the various ideas which embrace the principles of the universe, an existence which is living and animate, as it were, he will understand the wisdom of God which precedes all creation, which appropriately says of herself, “God created me the beginning of his ways for his works.” It is because of this creation that the whole creation has also been able to subsist, since it has a share in the divine wisdom according to which it has been created, for according to the prophet David, God made “all things in wisdom.”Many creatures, on the one hand, have come into existence by participation in wisdom, while they do not apprehend her by whom they have been created. Very few, however, comprehend not only the wisdom concerning themselves, but also that concerning many beings, for Christ is all wisdom.
But each of the wise participates in Christ to the extent that he has the capacity for wisdom, insofar as Christ is wisdom, just as each one who possesses power has obtained greater power to the extent that he has shared in Christ, insofar as Christ is power.

First we must know this, that in Christ there is one nature, his deity, because he is the only-begotten Son of the Father, and another human nature, which in very recent times he took upon him to fulfill the divine purpose.… He is called “wisdom,” as Solomon said.… He is also called “firstborn,” as the apostle Paul says: “who is the firstborn of all creation.” The firstborn is not, however, by nature a different being from wisdom but is one and the same. Finally, the apostle Paul says, “Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”

Proverbs 8:25

Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:

Let us consider [that] our Savior is a “reflection of glory.” The reflection of glory has not been begotten just once and no longer begotten. But just as the light is an agent of reflection, in such a way the reflection of the glory of God is begotten. Our Savior is the wisdom of God. But the wisdom is the reflection of everlasting light. If then the Savior is always begotten—because of this he also says, “Before all the hills he begets me” (and not “Before all the hills he has begotten me,” but “Before all of the hills he begets me”)—and the Savior is always begotten by the Father, and likewise also if you have the Spirit of adoption, God always begets you in him according to each work, according to each thought. And may one so begotten always be a begotten son of God in Christ Jesus, “to whom is the glory and the power for the ages of ages. Amen.”

Proverbs 8:30-31

Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;

We can therefore imagine no moment whatever when that power was not engaged in acts of well-doing. Whence it follows that there always existed [in God’s wisdom] objects for this well-doing, namely, God’s works or creatures, and that God, in the power of his providence, was always dispensing his blessings among them by doing them good in accordance with their condition and deserts. It follows plainly from this, that at no time whatever was God not creator, nor benefactor, nor providence.…God the Father always existed, and he always had an only-begotten Son, who at the same time, according to the explanation we have given above, is called wisdom. This is that wisdom in whom God delighted when the world was finished, in order that we might understand from this that God ever rejoices. In this wisdom, therefore, who ever existed with the Father, the creation was always present in form and outline, and there was never a time when the prefiguration of those things which hereafter were to be did not exist in wisdom.

Proverbs 9:2-5

She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table.

“Wisdom has prepared her table, she has slain her victims, she has mingled her wine in the bowl and cries with a loud voice, Turn in to me and eat the bread which I have prepared for you, and drink the wine which I have mingled for you.” The mind, when nourished by this food of wisdom to a whole and perfect state, as man was made in the beginning, will be restored to the “image and likeness” of God. [Thus], even though a man may have departed out of this life insufficiently instructed but with a record of acceptable works, he can be instructed in that Jerusalem, the city of the saints. That is, he can be taught and informed and fashioned into a “living stone,” a “stone precious and elect,” because he has borne with courage and endurance the trials of life and the struggles after piety. There, too, he will come to a truer and clearer knowledge of the saying already uttered here, that “man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.”

Proverbs 10:19

In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.

How can teaching accomplish anything without a multitude of words, understood in the simpler sense, since even wisdom herself declares to the perishing, “I stretched out words, and you did not heed.” Paul appears to have continued teaching from early morning till midnight, when indeed Eutychus, overcome with deep sleep, fell down and troubled the audience since they thought he was dead.If, then, the statement is true, “In a multitude of words you will not escape sin,” and it is also true that Solomon did not sin when he recited the many words about the subjects mentioned earlier, nor did Paul when he extended his teaching until midnight, one must inquire what the multitude of words is, and from there make a transition to see what the many books are. The complete Word of God which was in the beginning with God is not a multitude of words, for it is not words. It is a single Word consisting of several ideas, each of which is a part of the whole Word.… Consequently, according to this understanding, we would say that he who utters anything hostile to religion is loquacious, but he who sp…

How can teaching accomplish anything without a multitude of words, understood in the simpler sense, since even wisdom herself declares to the perishing, “I stretched out words, and you did not heed.” Paul appears to have continued teaching from early morning till midnight, when indeed Eutychus, overcome with deep sleep, fell down and troubled the audience since they thought he was dead.If, then, the statement is true, “In a multitude of words you will not escape sin,” and it is also true that Solomon did not sin when he recited the many words about the subjects mentioned earlier, nor did Paul when he extended his teaching until midnight, one must inquire what the multitude of words is, and from there make a transition to see what the many books are.
The complete Word of God which was in the beginning with God is not a multitude of words, for it is not words. It is a single Word consisting of several ideas, each of which is a part of the whole Word.…
Consequently, according to this understanding, we would say that he who utters anything hostile to religion is loquacious, but he who speaks the things of truth, even if he says everything so as to leave out nothing, always speaks the one Word. The saints are not loquacious, since they cling to the goal which accords with the one Word.

Proverbs 13:8

The ransom of a man's life are his riches: but the poor heareth not rebuke.

And what use is it to recount how many, because of their failure to manage properly their material riches, have received the same punishment as the rich man in the Gospel? Or how many, because they bore poverty ignobly with behavior more lowly and base than was proper among saints, have fallen away from their heavenly hope? Even those who are midway between these extremes of riches and poverty are not by their moderate estateable to escape sinning.

Proverbs 13:25 · 2 passages

The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul: but the belly of the wicked shall want.

We must consider the food promised in the law as the food of the soul, which is to satisfy not both parts of a person’s nature but the soul only. And the words of the gospel, although probably containing a deeper meaning, may yet be taken in their more simple and obvious sense, as teaching us not to be disturbed with anxieties about our food and clothing, but, while living in plainness, and desiring only what is needful, to put our trust in the providence of God.

If you take [this verse] according to the literal sense that “when the just person eats he will fill his soul but the souls of the impious will be in poverty,” it will appear false. For the souls of the impious take food with eagerness and strive after “satiety,” but the just meanwhile are hungry. Finally, Paul was just, and he said, “Up to this hour we are hungry, and thirsty, and naked, and we are beaten with fists.” And again he says, “In hunger and thirst, in many fastings.” And how does Solomon say, “when the just eats he will satisfy his soul”? But if you consider how “the just person” always and “without interruption” eats from “the living bread” and fills his soul and satisfies it with heavenly food which is the Word of God and his wisdom, you will find how the just person “eats his bread in abundance” from the blessing of God.

Proverbs 15:17

Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

Better is the hospitality of vegetables served with friendship and grace than a fatted calf served with enmity. Often we accept simpler, more frugal hospitality offered in good conscience—as guests at the table of those who are unable to furnish us with more—in preference to elevated words “lifted up against the knowledge of God” and proclaiming with ample plausibility a sentiment alien to the Father of our Lord Jesus who has given the law and the prophets.

Proverbs 15:26

The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD: but the words of the pure are pleasant words.

If every evil word is an abomination to the Lord your God, how great an abomination must be supposed the evil word of denial and the evil word of publicly proclaiming another god and the evil oath by the fortune of people, something that has no existence.

Proverbs 15:32

He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.

We are not harsh toward the impenitent. They are wicked to themselves, for those that spurn instruction hate themselves. Yet even in such cases we should seek in every way that healing come to those who are so completely perverted as not even to be conscious of their own ills and drunk with a drunkenness more fatal than that from wine, the drunkenness that comes from the darkness of evil.

Proverbs 17:21

He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy.

God is called “father” and God’s love to humankind “mother,” which was the cause of the divine incarnation and his suffering for our sake. Although God is our Father, he does not rejoice in an adopted son who is uneducated in divine wisdom and knowledge and who is committed to wickedness and evil. But a reasonable son gladdens his mother, that is, God’s love toward humankind. It is she who presents us to God the Father as undernourished children, longing for solid spiritual food. That is done in order that his son, Jesus Christ, who became like our brother, could make us full citizens [of his kingdom] both in word and in deed. Also, our mother is the church who was betrothed to God the Father through the Holy Spirit. Eternally, she begets sons and daughters for him. And those who learned divine wisdom and knowledge gladden both God our Father and his church, our mother. But she grieves and laments over those uninstructed who do not want to repent and be saved but prefer to persevere in wickedness.