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Translated by Allan Menzies.
Origen Resources OnLine & in Print
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128 Pages
Page 24
As, then, life came into being in the Word, so the Word in the arche. Consider, however, if we are at liberty to take this meaning of arche for our text: "In the beginning was the Word," so as to obtain the meaning that all things came into being according to wisdom and according to the models of the system which are present in his thoughts. For I consider that as a house or a ship is built and fashioned in accordance with the sketches of the builder or designer, the house or the ship having their beginning (arche) in the sketches and reckonings in his mind, so all things came into being in accordance with the designs of what was to be, clearly laid down by God in wisdom. And we should add that having created, so to speak, ensouled [4548] wisdom, He left her to hand over, from the types which were in her, to things existing and to matter, the actual emergence of them, their moulding and their forms. [4549] But I consider, if it be permitted to say this, that the beginning (arche) of real existence was the Son of God, saying: [4550] "I am the beginning and the end, the A and the O, the first and the last." We must, however, remember that He is not the arche in respect of every name which is applied to Him. For how can He be the beginning in respect of His being life, when life came in the Word, and the Word is manifestly the arche of life? It is also tolerably evident that He cannot be the arche in respect of His being the first-born from the dead. And if we go through all His titles carefully we find that He is the arche only in respect of His being wisdom. Not even as the Word is He the arche, for the Word was in the arche. And so one might venture to say that wisdom is anterior to all the thoughts that are expressed in the titles of the first-born of every creature.
[4548] Opp. to embodied.
[4549] Mr. Brooke, T. & S. I. iv. p. 15, discusses this corrupt passage and suggests an improved text which would yield the sense, that wisdom was to give to things and matter, "it might be rash to say bluntly their essences, but their moulding and their forms."
[4550] Apoc. xxii. 13.
Reference address : https://ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/fathers/origen/john-commentary.asp?pg=24
