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Translated by John Patrick.
Origen Resources OnLine & in Print
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128 Pages
Page 22
14. The Disciples as Scribes.
"Have ye understood all these things? They say, Yea." [5219] Christ Jesus, who knows the things in the hearts of men, [5220] as John also taught concerning Him in the Gospel, puts the question not as one ignorant, but having once for all taken upon Him the nature of man, He uses also all the characteristics of a man of which "asking" is one. And there is nothing to be wondered at in the Saviour doing this, since indeed the God of the universe, bearing with the manners of men as a man beareth with the manners of his son, makes inquiry, as--"Adam, where art thou?" [5221] and, "Where is Abel thy brother?" [5222] But some one with a forced interpretation will say here that the words "have understood" are not to be taken interrogatively but affirmatively; and he will say that the disciples bearing testimony to His affirmation, say, "Yea." Only, whether he is putting a question or making an affirmation, it is necessarily said not "these things" only,--which is demonstrative,--not "all things" only, but "all these things." And here He seems to represent the disciples as having been scribes before the kingdom of heaven; [5223] but to this is opposed what is said in the Acts of the Apostles thus, "Now when they beheld the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled, and they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus." [5224] Some one may inquire in regard to these things--if they were scribes, how are they spoken of in the Acts as unlearned and ignorant men? Or if they were unlearned and ignorant men, how are they very plainly called scribes by the Saviour? And it might be answered to these inquiries that, as a matter of fact, not all the disciples but only Peter and John are described in the Acts as unlearned and ignorant, but that there were more disciples in regard to whom, because they understood all things, it is said, "Every scribe," etc. Or it might be said that every one who has been instructed in the teaching according to the letter of the law is called a scribe, so that those who were unlearned and ignorant and led captive by the letter of the law are spoken of as scribes in a particular sense.
[5219] Matt. xiii. 51.
[5220] John ii. 25.
[5221] Gen. iii. 9.
[5222] Gen. iv. 9.
[5223] Matt. xiii. 52.
[5224] Acts iv. 13.
Reference address : https://ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/fathers/origen/matthew-commentary.asp?pg=22
