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Translated by John Patrick.
Origen Resources OnLine & in Print
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128 Pages
Page 49
3. The Exposition of Details Continued. The Sitting Down on the Grass. The Division into Companies.
We have spoken these things because of the words, "They that did eat were five thousand men, beside children and women," [5354] which is an ambiguous expression; for either those who ate were five thousand men, and among those who ate there was no child or woman; or the men only were five thousand, the children and the women not being reckoned. Some, then, as we have said by anticipation, have so understood the passage that neither children nor women were present, when the increase and multiplication of the five loaves and the two fishes took place. But some one might say that, while many ate and according to their desert and capacity participated in the loaves of blessing, some worthy to be numbered, corresponding to the men of twenty years old who are numbered in the Book of Numbers, [5355] were Israelitish men, but others who were not worthy of such account and numbering were children and women. Moreover, interpret with me allegorically the children in accordance with the passage, "I could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, as unto babes in Christ;" [5356] and the women in accordance with the saying, "I wish to present you all as a pure virgin to Christ;" [5357] and the men according to the saying, "When I am become a man I have put away childish things." [5358] Let us not pass by without exposition the words, "He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass, and He look the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, He blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes. And they did all eat." [5359] For what is meant by the words, "And He commanded all the multitudes to sit down on the grass?" And what are we to understand in the passage worthy of the command of Jesus?
[5354] Matt. xiv. 21.
[5355] Num. i. 3.
[5356] 1 Cor. iii. 1.
[5357] 2 Cor. xi. 2.
[5358] 1 Cor. xiii. 11.
[5359] Matt. xiv. 19, 20.
Reference address : https://www.ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/fathers/origen/matthew-commentary.asp?pg=49
