The writings of Origen, Vol. 1 (of 2) — John Shaqi
The writings of Origen, Vol. 1 (of 2)Origen
Religion
The writings of Origen, Vol. 1 (of 2)
Origen
Apologetics -- History -- Early church, ca. 30-600; Celsus (Platonic philosopher), active 180; Theology -- History -- Early Church, ca. 30-600
For they who worshipped in Jerusalem worshipped God
neither in truth nor in spirit, being in subjection to the shadow or
image of heavenly things; and such also was the case with those who
worshipped on Mount Gerizim.
5. Having refuted, then, as well as we could, every notion which might
suggest that we were to think of God as in any degree corporeal, we go
on to say that, according to strict truth, God is incomprehensible, and
incapable of being measured.[30] For whatever be the knowledge which we
are able to obtain of God, either by perception or reflection, we must
of necessity believe that He is by many degrees far better than what we
perceive Him to be. For, as if we were to see any one unable to bear a
spark of light, or the flame of a very small lamp, and were desirous to
acquaint such a one, whose vision could not admit a greater degree of
light than what we have stated, with the brightness and splendour of the
sun, would it not be necessary to tell him that the splendour of the sun
was unspeakably and incalculably better and more glorious than all this
light which he saw? So our understanding, when shut in by the fetters of
flesh and blood, and rendered, on account of its participation in such
material substances, duller and more obtuse, although, in comparison
with our bodily nature, it is esteemed to be far superior, yet, in its
efforts to examine and behold incorporeal things, scarcely holds the
place of a spark or lamp. But among all intelligent, that is,
incorporeal beings, what is so superior to all others—so unspeakably and
incalculably superior—as God, whose nature cannot be grasped or seen by
the power of any human understanding, even the purest and brightest?
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