Origen, ON THE PRINCIPLES (PERI ARCHON - DE PRINCIPIIS), Third Part, Complete

Translated by Frederick Crombie.

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Page 30

5. And what are we to say regarding the prophecies of Christ in the Psalms, there being a certain ode with the superscription "For the Beloved," [2829] whose" tongue" is said to be the "pen of a ready writer, who is fairer than the sons of men," since "grace was poured on His lips?" For a proof that grace was poured on His lips is this, that although the period of His teaching was short--for He taught somewhere about a year and a few months--the world has been filled with his teaching, and with the worship of God (established) through Him. For there arose "in His days righteousness and abundance of peace," [2830] which abides until the consummation, which has been called the taking away of the moon; and He continues "ruling from sea to sea, and from the rivers to the ends of the earth." [2831] And to the house of David has been given a sign: for the Virgin bore, and was pregnant, [2832] and brought forth a son, and His name is Emmanuel, which is, "God with us;" and as the same prophet says, the prediction has been fulfilled, "God (is) with us; know it, O nations, and be overcome; ye who are strong, be vanquished:" [2833] for we of the heathen have been overcome and vanquished, we who have been taken by the grace of His teaching. The place also of His birth has been foretold in (the prophecies of) Micah: "For thou, Bethlehem," he says, "land of Judah, art by no means the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of thee shall come forth a Ruler, who shall rule My people Israel." [2834] And according to Daniel, seventy weeks were fulfilled until (the coming of) Christ the Ruler. [2835] And He came, who, according to Job, [2836] has subdued the great fish, [2837] and has given power to His true disciples to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and all the power of the enemy, [2838] without sustaining any injury from them. And let one notice also the universal advent of the apostles sent by Jesus to announce the Gospel, and he will see both that the undertaking was beyond human power, and that the commandment came from God. And if we examine how men, on hearing new doctrines, and strange words, yielded themselves up to these teachers, being overcome, amid the very desire to plot against them, by a divine power that watched over these (teachers), we shall not be incredulous as to whether they also wrought miracles, God bearing witness to their words both by signs, and wonders, and divers miracles.

[2829] Ps. xlv. 1, 2.

[2830] Cf. Ps. lxxii. 7.

[2831] Ps. lxxii. 8.

[2832] eteke kai en gastri esche, kai eteken huion.

[2833] Cf. Isa. viii. 8, 9.

[2834] Cf. Mic. v. 2 with Matt. ii. 6.

[2835] Cf. Dan. ix. 25.

[2836] Cf. Job xl. and xli.

[2837] to mega ketos.

[2838] Cf. Luke x. 19.

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