Origen, COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, Part II, Complete

Translated by John Patrick.

Origen Resources OnLine & in Print

This Part: 115 Pages

Page 100

17. Union of Christ and the Church.

But since the Apostle understands the words, "And they twain shall be one flesh," [6176] of Christ and the church, [6177] we must say that Christ keeping the saying, "What God hath joined together let not man put asunder," [6178] did not put away His former wife, so to speak--that is, the former synagogue--for any other cause than that that wife committed fornication, being made an adulteress by the evil one, and along with him plotted against her husband and slew Him, saying, "Away with such a fellow from the earth, crucify Him, crucify Him." [6179] It was she therefore who herself revolted, rather than her husband who put her away and dismissed her; wherefore, reproaching her for falling away from him, it says in Isaiah, "Of what kind is the bill of your mother's divorcement, with which I sent her away?" [6180] And He who at the beginning created Him "who is in the form of God" after the image, made Him male, and the church female, granting to both oneness after the image. And, for the sake of the church, the Lord--the husband--left the Father whom He saw when He was "in the form of God," [6181] left also His mother, as He was the very son of the Jerusalem which is above, and was joined to His wife who had fallen down here, and these two here became one flesh.

[6176] Matt. xix. 5.

[6177] Eph. v. 31, 32.

[6178] Matt. xix. 6.

[6179] John xix. 6, 15; Luke xxiii. 18.

[6180] Isa. l. 1.

[6181] Phil. ii. 6.

Previous Page / First / Next Page of Origen - COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

Origen Home Page ||| More Church Fathers

Elpenor's Free Greek Lessons

Reference address : https://www.ellopos.net/Elpenor/greek-texts/fathers/origen/matthew-commentary-2.asp?pg=100