Homilies on Numbers: Ancient Christian Texts [ACT]

Origen was the most important theologians of the pre-Nicene church. He was raised as a Christian by his father, who thoroughly schooled him in the Scriptures and in Greek Literature, and who would later become a martyr during Severus' persecution. Origen also greatly desired martyrdom, and it inspired within him a fearless dedication to the Christian life and to the church. Noted for his outstanding character and vast knowledge by Pagans and by Christians alike, he is one the church's greatest catechists, most prolific authors, and, unfortunately, on the church's most enigmatic figures.

In the latter part of his life, according to Eusebius (who was partial to Origen), he was accused of 'ecclesiastical irregularities' concerning his alleged teaching that the devil would, in the end, be saved and for a alleged self-inflicted castration. However, as is noted in the Introduction, there is no certainty about Oriegn's alleged self-castration (and probably never will be), and Origen refuted the possibility of the devil being saved in the very same letter from which the accusation arose! .

These petty controversies led to Origen's marginalization and if they had not arisen, there is little doubt Origen would have been canonized. Furthermore, this positive status would have been even more certain had he succumb to the tortures of the Emperor Decius. Yet, he escaped and became only a 'confessor'. Ironically, and perhaps tragically his escape indirectly contributed along with his detractors to his devalued status, role and influence in the early church and most probably to the destruction of the majority of his writings.

It is an extreme travesty that the neither the church, nor history has been to Origen or his writings.. Many of them are lost, and no doubt they are lost as a direct result of the condemnation he received at the 5th Ecumenical Council in 553. While some of the titles are known such as the Hexapla, they only survive in fragments. This only complicates Origen's status even more as those of his works that do survive often seem to be arguing controversial positions for which we have no broader context, and no way of gaining a further understanding of his thinking. Thus, though his extant writing reveal much, Origen in many ways will always remain an enigmatic figure.

Origen's surviving writing consists mainly of Homilies and resoundingly proves his strong connection to the church of his day 'as a priest, catechist, and pastor of souls.' Consequently, the chief value of these Homilies is the windows they give to see into the life of the 3rd Century Church.

The Homilies are the oldest surviving collection of Christian sermons, and as they are sermons directly constructed to address the world of their time, give to us not only the context of the 3rd Century Church, but illuminate the way the church thought, how they read Scripture and how in every way Jesus Christ and his resurrection stood at the center of their theology.

The text of Origen's Homilies on Numbers comes to us through one of history's most important scribes, Rufinus of Aquileia. Responsible for brining some of Christianity's most ancient texts into Latin, Rufinus' work also, without question, saved many from consignment to oblivion.

This is likely the case with many of Origen's extant works. Rufinus was faithful devotee of Origen and preserved his works. Yet, Rufinus was himself embattled with the great St. Jerome who made an 'irresponsible and malevolent defamation' of Rufinus and so damaged his character that only now has Rufinus' reputation been restored.