Origen, COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW Complete

Translated by John Patrick.

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128 Pages

Page 14

9. Christ the Pearl of Great Price.

Now you will connect with the man seeking goodly pearls the saying, "Seek and ye shall find," [5194] and this--"Every one that seeketh findeth." [5195] For what seek ye? Or what does every one that seeketh find? I venture to answer, pearls and the pearl which he possesses, who has given up all things, and counted them as loss; "for which," says Paul, "I have counted all things but loss that I may win Christ;" [5196] by "all things" meaning the goodly pearls, "that I may win Christ," the one very precious pearl. Precious, then, is a lamp to men in darkness, and there is need of a lamp until the sun rise; and precious also is the glory in the face of Moses, and of the prophets also, I think, and a beautiful sight, by which we are introduced so as to be able to see the glory of Christ, to which the Father bears witness, saying, "This is My beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased." [5197] But "that which hath been made glorious hath not been made glorious in this respect by reason of the glory that surpasseth;" [5198] and there is need to us first of the glory which admits of being done away, for the sake of the glory which surpasseth; as there is need of the knowledge which is in part, which will be done away when that which is perfect comes. [5199]

[5194] Matt. vii. 7.

[5195] Matt. vii. 8.

[5196] Phil. iii. 8.

[5197] Matt. iii. 17.

[5198] 2 Cor. iii. 10.

[5199] 1 Cor. xiii. 9, 10.

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