Origen’s De Principiis Book 4
Origen Adamantius, born around A.D. 185 in Alexandria to Christian parents, grew up learning Greek literature and, by his father Leonides’ prescription, memorized the Scriptures daily. At seventeen Leonides was martyred and were it not for his mother’s intervention Origen would have joined him. With the family property taken by the government, Origen provided for his mother and six brothers by teaching grammar and rhetoric. Due to his literary ability and the love which he showed to the martyrs, the Bishop in Alexandria appointed Origen at eighteen as master in the Catechetical School.
Through his life Origen spent much time devoted to scripture, living as an ascetic, and instructing others in Christianity. His was a speculative mind, and not being satisfied with the plain meaning of Scripture he approached the Holy Word with a spiritual and allegorical lens. At some point he became friends with a wealthy individual, Ambrosias, who provided Origen with the funds and scribes to produce and distribute what became over six thousand works. Because of the proliferation of his writings, his many students, and his success in bringing heretics back into the fold of God, Origen remains perhaps the most influential theologian of the pre-Nicene period.
Origen’s life was not without controversy. At one point, while a layman, he expounded the Scriptures to church leadership, angering Demetrius, Bishop of the Church in Alexandria. Another time he was given official office in the Church while passing through Palestine. This once again angered Dimetrius who, with the support of Church leadership and possibly due to the heterodox nature of some of Origen’s speculative views, excommunicated him from fellowship with the Church in Alexandria. He retired to Caesarea where he continued to write and teach until being imprisoned and tortured in 249 due to an outbreak of persecution. This weakened his body and he died several years later at 70 years of age.
This episode contains book four of Origen’s De Principiis, a collection of writings that explores the principles of Christian faith and practice, and attempts to develop a self-consistent understanding of the world. In this final book Origen elaborates on the hermeneutic he applies when reading the Bible. He argues that the text of Scripture is not merely historical, nor ought it to be interpreted only in the literal sense. Rather, he asserts that in many cases there exists a spiritual meaning that is much deeper than the literal sense of the passage. In stating this, Origen produces many proofs from the Old Testament, interpreting as allegory historical passages such as the relationship between Isaac and Ishmael and the creation narrative. In doing so, he carries forward and extends the methodology Paul uses when interpreting Scripture, though perhaps to a degree that goes beyond what Paul employed.
And now, please enjoy this rendition of Origen’s De Principiis, book four.
If you would like to read more of the writings of the Early Christian Fathers, please visit ccel.org to view the full collection.
