|
HOME | GREEK LANGUAGE | LIBRARIES | BLOG | HELP | SEARCH | FREEWARE | BOOKSTORE |
|
|
Translated by Frederick Crombie.
Origen Resources OnLine & in Print
|
This Part: 66 Pages
Page 12
13. Now a "spiritual" interpretation is of this nature: when one is able to point out what are the heavenly things of which these serve as the patterns and shadow, who are Jews "according to the flesh," and of what things future the law contains a shadow, and any other expressions of this kind that may be found in holy Scripture; or when it is a subject of inquiry, what is that wisdom hidden in a mystery which "God ordained before the world for our glory, which none of the princes of this world knew;" [2761] or the meaning of the apostle's language, when, employing certain illustrations from Exodus or Numbers, he says: "These things happened to them in a figure, [2762] and they are written on our account, on whom the ends of the ages have come." [2763] Now, an opportunity is afforded us of understanding of what those things which happened to them were figures, when he adds: "And they drank of that spiritual Rock which followed them, and that Rock was Christ." [2764] In another Epistle also, when referring to the tabernacle, he mentions the direction which was given to Moses: "Thou shalt make (all things) according to the pattern which was showed thee in the mount." [2765] And writing to the Galatians, and upbraiding certain indi- viduals who seem to themselves to read the law, and yet without understanding it, because of their ignorance of the fact that an allegorical meaning underlies what is written, he says to them in a certain tone of rebuke: "Tell me, ye who desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons; the one by a bond-maid, the other by a free woman. But he who was of the bond-woman was born according to the flesh; but he of the free woman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants." [2766]
[2761] Cf. 1 Cor. ii. 7.
[2762] In figura. Greek (text. recept.) tupoi. Lachmann reads tupikos.
[2763] 1 Cor. x. 11.
[2764] 1 Cor. x. 4.
[2765] Cf. Ex. xxv. 40 and Heb. viii. 5.
[2766] Gal. iv. 21-24.
Reference address : https://www.ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/fathers/origen/principles.asp?pg=12
