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Translated from the Greek original by Frederick Crombie.
Origen Resources OnLine & in Print
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This Part: 128 Pages
Page 16
And hence Paul, too, when speaking of the resurrection, says: "And there are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead." [4104] It was not therefore consonant to reason that those who had been taught sublimely [4105] to ascend above all created things, and to hope for the enjoyment of the most glorious rewards with God on account of their virtuous lives, and who had heard the words, "Ye are the light of the world," [4106] and, "Let your light so shine before men, that they, seeing your good works, may glorify your Father who is in heaven," [4107] and who possessed through practice this brilliant and unfading wisdom, or who had secured even the "very reflection of everlasting light," [4108] should be so impressed with the (mere) visible light of sun, and moon, and stars, that, on account of that sensible light of theirs, they should deem themselves (although possessed of so great a rational light of knowledge, and of the true light, and the light of the world, and the light of men) to be somehow inferior to them, and to bow down to them; seeing they ought to be worshipped, if they are to receive worship at all, not for the sake of the sensible light which is admired by the multitude, but because of the rational and true light, if indeed the stars in heaven are rational and virtuous beings, and have been illuminated with the light of knowledge by that wisdom which is the "reflection of everlasting light." For that sensible light of theirs is the work of the Creator of all things, while that rational light is derived perhaps from the principle of free-will within them. [4109]
[4104] Cf. 1 Cor. xv. 40-42.
[4105] megalophuos.
[4106] Matt. v. 14.
[4107] Cf. Matt. v. 16.
[4108] Cf. Origen, de Principiis, i. c. vii.
[4109] ek tou en autois autexousiou eleluthos.
Reference address : https://ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/fathers/origen/contra-celsum-3.asp?pg=16
