Origen of Alexandria

In his own words on Titus

• Titus 1:9

  When Paul describes the character of those who are called bishops and portrays what sort of a man a bishop ought to be, he instructs that he should be a teacher. He must be "able also to refute the adversaries," that by his wisdom he may restrain those who speak vainly and deceive souls. He prefers for the episcopate a man once married rather than one twice married, and a man unblamable rather than blameable, and a sober man rather than one not of this character, and a prudent man rather than one imprudent, and an orderly man rather than one even slightly disorderly. In the same way he most wishes that the one who is to be selected as bishop should be a teacher and capable of "refuting adversaries."

  AGAINST CELSUS 3.48

• Titus 1:14

  Let us see, however, what sort of rule of interpretation the apostle Paul taught us about these matters. Writing to the Corinthians he says in a certain passage, "For we know that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all were baptized in Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food and all drank the same spiritual drink. And they drank of the spiritual rock which followed them, and the rock was Christ." Do you see how much Paul's teaching differs from the literal meaning? What the Jews supposed to be a crossing of the sea, Paul calls a baptism. What they supposed to be a cloud, Paul asserts is the Holy Spirit.… What then are we to do who received such instructions about interpretation from Paul, a teacher of the church? Does it not seem right that we apply this kind of rule which was delivered to us in a similar way in other passages? Or as some wish, forsaking these things which such a great apostle taught, should we turn again to "Jewish fables"?

  HOMILIES ON EXODUS 5.1

• Titus 1:14

  But the apostles, who were about to say, "If you are circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing," and who were also about to say, "Let no one judge you in food, or in drink, or in participation of a feast day, or in new moons, or sabbaths, which are shadows of what will be," they are prohibited from having two tunics so that they might inwardly and completely repudiate observances of this kind according to the letter of the law and not concern the disciples "with Jewish myths" and "place a yoke on them which neither they nor their fathers would have been able to bear." But one is sufficient for them, and this one "inward." For they do not want this tunic of the law that is external but that which comes from above. For Jesus permits them to have one, and that one is "interior."

  HOMILIES ON LEVITICUS 6.3

• Titus 2:3

  Therefore, he wants those for whom "the Lord is their portion" to be sober, to fast, to be vigilant at all times, but especially when they are present at the altar to pray to the Lord and to offer sacrifices in his presence. These commands preserve their force. They ought to be maintained in strict observance. The apostle confirms these as laws of the new covenant. In the same way, setting up the rules of life for the priests or the chief priests to this, he tells them that they ought not to be enslaved "to much wine" but to be "sober." Sobriety is the mother of virtues, drunkenness the mother of vices.

  HOMILIES ON LEVITICUS 7.1

• Titus 3:3

  Paul, the apostle from Israel, came to us as one "blameless according to the justice in the law." Yet he says "we ourselves," those from Israel, "were then deceitful, foolish." So not only those from the pagan nations were "deceitful," nor only sinners, but we "also," who have been taught by the law, were such before the coming of Christ.

  HOMILIES ON JEREMIAH 5.1