Origen, ON THE PRINCIPLES (PERI ARCHON - DE PRINCIPIIS), Second Part, Complete

Translated by Frederick Crombie.

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This Part: 128 Pages

Page 102

In this way, also, they claim to understand the words, "The wisdom of the flesh is hostile to God," [2636] not that the flesh really has a soul, or a wisdom of its own. But as we are accustomed to say, by an abuse [2637] of language, that the earth is thirsty, and wishes to drink in water, this use of the word "wishes" is not proper, but catachrestic,--as if we were to say again, that this house wants to be rebuilt, [2638] and many other similar expressions; so also is the wisdom of the flesh to be understood, or the expression, that "the flesh lusteth against the Spirit." They generally connect with these the expression, "The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto Me from the ground." [2639] For what cries unto the Lord is not properly the blood which was shed; but the blood is said improperly to cry out, vengeance being demanded upon him who had shed it. The declaration also of the apostle, "I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind," [2640] they so understand as if he had said, That he who wishes to devote himself to the word of God is, on account of his bodily necessities and habits, which like a sort of law are ingrained in the body, distracted, and divided, and impeded, lest, by devoting himself vigorously to the study of wisdom, he should be enabled to behold the divine mysteries.

[2636] Cf. Rom. viii. 2.

[2637] Abusive = improperly used.

[2638] Recomponi vult.

[2639] Gen. iv. 10.

[2640] Rom. vii. 23.

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