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Translated by John Patrick.
128 Pages
Page 72
And do not suppose that Paul said that he was truly God; for just as the belly, though it is not the god of those who prize pleasure too highly, being lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, is said by Paul to be their god, [5459] so the prince of this world, in regard to whom the Saviour says, "Now has the prince of this world been judged," [5460] though he is not God, is said to be the god of those who do not wish to receive the spirit of adoption, in order that they may become sons of that world, and sons of the resurrection from the dead, [5461] and who, on this account, abide in the sonship of this world. I have deemed it necessary to introduce these matters, even though they may have been spoken by way of digression, because of the saying, "They are blind guides of the blind." [5462] Who are such? The Pharisees, whose minds the god of this world hath blinded as they are unbelieving, because they have not believed in Jesus Christ; and he hath blinded them so that the "light of the Gospel of the glory of God in the face of Christ should not dawn upon them." [5463] But not only must we avoid being guided by those blind ones who are conscious that they are in need of guides, because they have not yet received the power of vision of themselves; but even in the case of all who profess to guide us in sound doctrine, we must hear with care, and apply a sound judgment to what is said, lest being guided according to the ignorance of those who are blind, and do not see the things that concern sound doctrine, we ourselves may appear to be blind because we do not see the sense of the Scriptures, so that both he who guides and he who is guided will fall into the ditch of which we have spoken before.
[5459] Phil. iii. 19.
[5460] John xvi. 11.
[5461] Cf. Luke xx. 36.
[5462] Matt. xv. 14.
[5463] 2 Cor. iv. 4.
Reference address : https://www.ellopos.net/Elpenor/greek-texts/fathers/origen/matthew-commentary.asp?pg=72