Commentary On The Epistle To The Romans, Books 6–10 (The Fathers of the Church)

by Origen

Publisher:

Catholic University of America

, 2002

Overview

This volume completes the first English translation of Rufinus’s Latin version of Origen of Alexandria’s Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans and contains Origen’s detailed exegesis of Romans 6:12–16:27. Origen’s much neglected Commentary, which stands out in splendid isolation at the fountainhead of Greek and Latin exegesis, is now completely accessible to English readers.

In Books 6–10, Origen carries through to completion his program, begun in Books 1–5, of defending human freedom and of opposing the natural predestinarian doctrine of the sects founded by the Gnostic heretics Marcion, Valentinus, and Basilides. These schools relied heavily on texts from Paul, interpreted in isolation from the rest of Scripture, not only to deny free will but to support the doctrine that salvation is determined by the nature one receives at birth, whether good or evil. In contrast Origen clarifies passages in Romans by citations from Paul’s other letters, from the Gospels, and from the Old Testament. He attempts to construct a coherent and unified “biblical theology.” Origen views human beings as chosen or rejected by God deservedly; everyone has it within his own power whether he becomes a servant of God or of sin, a vessel of wrath or of mercy.

Whether one sympathizes with Origen’s interpretations or finds them infuriating, it is difficult not to admire his concordance-like mind at work as he tackles the apostle Paul’s greatest epistle. Readers will find interesting and thought-provoking discussions of all the important theological themes and terms of Romans: faith, hope, love, works, justification, election, law, Israel, Gentiles, Church, sin, death, flesh, body, glory, etc. The importance of these discussions is magnified by the fact that they stand alone in their detail and breadth and stem from the Church’s most important theologian of the third century. Moreover, because Origen’s work was productive in subsequent centuries in Rufinus’s Latin translation, the Commentary is of outstanding importance for the history of New Testament exegesis.

Contents

Top Highlights

“Just as the former died for the ungodly—for this is what Paul himself makes known when he says, ‘For at the time when we were still weak, Christ died for the ungodly’¹⁶¹—in contrast the Holy Spirit intercedes now not for the ungodly but ‘for the saints.’ And he intercedes not according to the flesh but ‘according to God,’ but Christ is said to have died not according to God, but according to the flesh.¹⁶² And for this reason it is said that the Spirit offers intercession for the saints not with words but with groanings, and not with ordinary groanings, but unutterable ones. For, how is it possible to describe in words what the Spirit of God says to God, since now and then not even our spirit can explain in speech what it feels and understands?” (Pages 82–83)

“A person speaks of things that Christ has not accomplished through him if anyone should speak and teach about self-control when he himself is not self-controlled; or if anyone speaks about sobriety or about justice or about giving away wealth and despising material resources for the kingdom of God and, in the one who is teaching these things, Christ has accomplished none of these things. And therefore, the Apostle offers himself as a model and says that what he speaks and preaches to others is what Christ has first fulfilled through himself.” (Page 281)

“‘The spirit is ready but the flesh is weak.’¹⁵² So then our weakness is a consequence of the weakness of our flesh. For it is the [flesh] that lusts against the spirit;¹⁵³ and as long as the [flesh] pours forth its lusts, it impedes the purity of the spirit and it clouds the sincerity of prayer. But when the Spirit of God sees our spirit exerting itself in the struggle against the flesh and cleaving to him, he lends a hand and helps its weakness.” (Page 81)

Product Details

• Title: Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, Books 6–10
• Author: Origen
• Series: The Fathers of the Church
• Volume: 104
• Publisher: Catholic University of America
• Print Publication Date: 2002
• Logos Release Date: 2014
• Pages: 340
• Era: era:ante-nicene
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subject: Bible. N.T. Romans › Commentaries--Early works to 1800
• ISBNs: 0813201047, 9780813201047
• Resource ID: LLS:CMMPSTLRMNSBKS6
• Resource Type: Bible Commentary
• Metadata Last Updated: 2024-03-25T19:25:14Z

About Origen

Origen of Alexandria (ca. 182–ca. 251) was a Christian scholar and presbyter in the third century. He is thought to have been born at Alexandria, and died at Caesarea.