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Translated by John Patrick.
Origen Resources OnLine & in Print
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This Part: 115 Pages
Page 94
But perhaps some other one, attending with over-curious spirit to the word "finished," which is assigned to things of a more mystical order, just as we say that some one delivered to those who were under his control mysteries and rites of "perfecting" [6147] not in a praiseworthy fashion, and another delivered the mysteries of God to those who are worthy, and rites of "perfecting" proportionate to such mysteries, might say that having initiated them, he made a rite of "perfecting," by which "perfecting" the words were shown to be powerful, so that the gospel of Jesus was preached in the whole world, and by virtue of the divine "perfecting" gained the mastery of every soul which the Father draws to the Son, according to what is said by the Saviour, "No one comes to Me except the Father which has sent Me draw him." [6148] Wherefore also "the word" of those who by the grace of God are ambassadors of the gospel, "and their preaching, is not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit of power," [6149] to those for whom the words of the doctrine of Jesus were finished. You will therefore observe how often it is said, "He finished," and of what things it is said, and you will take as an illustration that which is said in regard to the beatitudes, and the whole of the discourse to which is subjoined, "And it came to pass when Jesus had finished these words, all the multitudes were astonished at His teaching." [6150] But now the saying, "Jesus finished these words," is referred also immediately to the very mystical parable according to which the kingdom of heaven is likened unto a king, but also beyond this parable to the sections which were written before it.
[6147] teletas. Origen's play on the words etelesen and telete cannot be fully reproduced in English. The word telete, in reference to the mysteries, meant the rite, or participation in the rite, by which one became perfect; and in later Christian usage it was applied to the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper. See Suicer.
[6148] John vi. 44.
[6149] 1 Cor. ii. 4. pneumatos dunameos. The omission of the kai is strange; for in the Contra Celsum (i. 2) Origen characterises the argument from prophecy as "the demonstration of the Spirit" and the argument from miracles as "the demonstration of power."
[6150] Matt. vii. 28.
Reference address : https://www.ellopos.net/Elpenor/greek-texts/fathers/origen/matthew-commentary-2.asp?pg=94
