Origen of Alexandria

In his own words on Zechariah

• Zechariah 1:3

  All who see are not equally enlightened by Christ, but individuals are enlightened according to the measure in which they are able to receive the power of light. And just as the eyes of our body are not equally enlightened by the sun, but to the extent that one shall have ascended to higher places and contemplated its risings with a gaze from a higher vantage point, to such an extent will he perceive more of both its splendor and heat. So also to the extent that our mind shall have approached Christ in a more exalted and lofty manner and shall have presented itself nearer the splendor of his light, to such an extent will it be made to shine more magnificently and clearly in his light. [This] also he himself says through the prophet: " 'Draw near to me, and I shall draw near to you,' says the Lord," And again he says, "I am God who draws near, and not a God afar off."

  HOMILIES ON GENESIS 1:7

• Zechariah 3:3

  Every soul that has been clothed with a human body has its own stain. But Jesus was stained through his own will, because he had taken on a human body for our salvation. Listen to the prophet Zechariah. He says, "Jesus was clothed with stained garments." Zechariah says this to refute those who deny that our Lord had a human body but say that his body was made of heavenly and spiritual substance. They say this body was made of heavenly matter or, they falsely assert, of sidereal matter, or of some other more sublime and spiritual nature. Let them explain how a spiritual body could be stained, or how they interpret the passage we quoted: "Jesus was clothed with stained garments." If this difficulty drives them to assume that the "stained garment" means the spiritual body, then they should be consistent and say this, that what is said in the prophecies has been fulfilled, that is, "an animal body is sown, a spiritual body rises." Do we thus rise soiled and stained? It is an impiety even to think this, especially when one knows what Scripture says: "The body is sown in corruption but will rise in incorruption; it is sown in weakness but will rise in strength; our animal body is sown, but a spiritual body will rise."Thus it was fitting that those offerings that, according to the law, customarily cleanse stain should be made. They were made for our Lord and Savior, who had been "clothed with stained garments" and had taken on an earthly body. Christian brothers often ask a question. The passage from Scripture read today encourages me to treat it again. Little children are baptized "for the remission of sins." Whose sins are they? When did they sin? Or how can this explanation of the baptismal washing be maintained in the case of small children, except according to the interpretation we spoke of a little earlier? "No man is clean of stain, not even if his life upon the earth had lasted but a single day." Through the mystery of baptism, the stains of birth are put aside. For this reason, even small children are baptized. For "unless a man be born again of water and spirit, he will not be able to enter into the kingdom of heaven."

  HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 14:4-5

• Zechariah 4:7

  On account of the height of the kingdom he calls Babylon a "mountain" which was "ruined" from idolatry and unjust works, through which it "destroyed" the others. And it also was the city on high because of the river nearby from which some stairs went up to the city, the city being in two parts and lying close to the river on each bank, with the walls also of the city being very high. And it mentioned a "hand," the avenging power, the same power of his which destroyed something made from "rocks" for security and for watch. And due to the fire having "obliterated" its "stones," they were useless, as there was not a stone to be put together for a firm building. And for the analogical meaning, the devil is named a "mountain," as in the book of Zechariah: "Who are you, a great mountain before the face of Zerubbabel?" And concerning the one who has the "deaf and dumb" demon, the Savior said, "If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain: 'Move away,' and it will move away." Thus the devil is a "mountain" which is "ruined" from his own evil and which "destroys" everyone to the extent they have their mind on what is earthly.

  FRAGMENTS ON JEREMIAH 41

• Zechariah 5:1

  "They sank in the depth like a stone." Why "did they sink in the depth like a stone"? Because they were not the kind of "stones which sons of Abraham could be raised up" but the kind which love the depth and desire the liquid element, that is, who seize the bitter and fluid desire of present things. Whence it is said of these: "They sank like lead in very deep water." They are serious sinners. For iniquity is also shown "to sit upon a talent of lead," as Zechariah the prophet says: "I saw a woman sitting upon a talent of lead, and I said, 'Who is this?' And he answered, 'Iniquity.' " Hence it is, therefore, that the unjust "sank in the depth, like lead in very deep water."

  HOMILIES ON EXODUS 6:4

• Zechariah 6:12

  Nor was there night in Peter when he confessed, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God," when the heavenly Father revealed it to him, but there was night in him too at the moment of his denial. And in the present instance, moreover, when Judas received the morsel [and] went out immediately, night was present in him at the same time he went out, for the man whose name is "Sunrise" was not present with him because he left "the Sun of justice" behind when he went out. And Judas, who was filled with darkness, pursued Jesus; but the darkness and the one who had taken it up did not apprehend the light that was pursued. Wherefore also, when he said as word of justification, "I have sinned because I betrayed just blood" and "went and hanged himself," Satan, who was in him, led him to the noose and hung him, at which time the devil also touched his soul. For Judas was not such that the Lord could say to the devil on his behalf what he said on Job's behalf, "But touch not his soul."

  COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 32:315-17

• Zechariah 13:7

  If there is anyone who, when he reads Moses, murmurs against him, and the law which has been written according to the letter is displeasing to him because it seems incoherent in many things, Moses shows him the rock, which is Christ, and leads him to it that he may drink from it and quench his thirst. But this rock will not give water unless it has been struck; when it has been struck it brings forth streams. For after Christ had been struck and crucified, he brought forth the streams of New Testament. This is why it was said of him, "I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered." He had to be struck, therefore, for unless he had been struck and unless "water and blood had gone out from side," we all would suffer "thirst for the word of God." This therefore is what the apostle also understood when he said, "They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of the spiritual rock which followed, but the rock was Christ." But note that God said to Moses in this place, "Go before the people, and take with you men advanced in years, that is, the elders of the people." Moses alone does not lead the people to the waters of the rock, but only the elders of the people with him. For the law alone does not announce Christ, but also the prophets and patriarchs and all "those advanced in years."

  HOMILIES ON EXODUS 11:2