Selecta in Leviticum

Origen's Selections from Leviticus. And he called Moses. It is called Leviticus because the matters of the priesthood and the sacrifices and all such things as God ordained are contained in this Levitical book. Now the book of Exodus also contains legislation from God; but how the priests were anointed and consecrated, and how the tabernacle was constructed and received its harmonious assembly, and many other things, the book of Leviticus relates. And if it also contains some other matters, that is not surprising, for the title "Leviticus" indicates the more central subject within it.

Of the same author. Those who do not look rightly at the discourse concerning sacrifices either despise it as a cheap piece of legislation, containing nothing worthy of the Creator, or else they impiously condemn the Creator himself as legislating cheap things. But one who has understood what David and the Apostle say—the former saying, "Uncover my eyes, and I will contemplate the wonders from your law," and the latter crying out, "The law is spiritual"—can discern that teachings worthy of God are hidden in these matters.

A man from among you, if he should offer gifts to the Lord. We have observed in many places of the Scriptures that gifts are said of living animals, while sacrifices are said of inanimate things, according to what is said in Genesis: "And God looked upon Abel, and upon his gifts, but upon Cain and upon his sacrifices he did not regard." Moreover, this must also be said: in the case of animate beings, "A man," it says, "from among you, if he should offer gifts"; but in the case of inanimate things, "if a soul." The inanimate is the soul, so that of the irrational only the rational remains, and of the inanimate overcome by fire only the animate remains.

They will pour the blood upon the altar. The altar of offering is called the high place, upon which are the sacrifices of complete burning; and the altar of incense is the inner altar.

The same author. Since the Jews in Egypt took delight in these sacrifices, having become accustomed to them, as also the making of the calf in the wilderness bears witness, God permitted him to offer these, thereby curbing the disorderly impulses of polytheism and of not sacrificing to demons.

If one soul sins involuntarily. Involuntary is whatever evil one does. It should be noted that Scripture calls involuntary ignorance a sin. And the blessed Paul mentions some other things, saying: For the law had a shadow of things to come.

The same author. "If a soul sins involuntarily," it says, "and does not act according to all the commandments of the Lord, it is in its natural state. For there are perhaps some commandments of the Lord which one ought not to fulfill, according to the saying: 'I gave them commandments that are not good.' A soul therefore sins involuntarily when, under the pretext of piety, it observes what is not proper. And it requires a sacrifice for remission—unlike the one who acts deliberately, who does not need a sacrifice, as in the case of the man who became a Jew in order to win over Jews and circumcised Timothy.

That soul which touches any unclean thing, or a corpse. "Corpse," he says, means the man who has died to God, with whom one ought not even to eat; for whoever touches him is unclean. And this is unclean which has been hunted by our adversary the devil. Unclean beasts would be those who, having approached the Word in a bestial manner, have sinned unto death, and have not become worthy to be saved even among beasts, according to the saying, "You will save men and beasts, Lord.

Everyone who touches them will be sanctified. Some read "sanctified" as "defiled," in the sense, I think, not because of the sacrifice, but because of the audacity of the one who touches. For Haggai says: "Whoever touches will be defiled.

The same author. We say that the sacrifices were more a means of sustenance for the priests and a shadow of piety. The profit from sacrificing is twofold: both that honor is offered to God, and that what one sacrifices he would not worship, nor would he suppose it to be God.

And you shall not die. The Word seems to threaten death to priests who drink wine and strong drink whenever they enter the tent. For the bishops who pray on behalf of the people must turn away from drunkenness, not only that from wine, but also that from affairs and human reasonings. It does not forbid this as something improper, but because it knew the intemperance of the Israelites, that whenever they touched it, they went to excess. So that when they enter the holy places, they may have the sober precision of the soul and a fine remembrance of God.

Why did you not eat the sin offering in a holy place? It shows that when the priests do not eat, the sacrifice is incomplete and the sin remains; for it was necessary both to bring in some of the blood and for them to eat.

If today they have brought forward the matters concerning their sin. Since it happened, he says, that those with Nadab and Abiu, having offended God, died, when it was time for them to eat the sin offering of the people, so that what they had sinned might be forgiven, how shall we, who are today convicted in sins, procure forgiveness by eating? For the priest must first expiate for himself.

These beasts which you shall eat. Wild animals, then, are by no means clean; for all are unclean according to the law which says: "Every animal that goes upon its hands among all the wild beasts shall be unclean for you." But generally speaking, wild beasts would be all the most savage of men, concerning whom the Prophet says: "When they draw near to me to do evil, to eat my flesh," and so forth.

Every cloven-hoofed beast. The cloven-hoofed one is the one who lives piously in this age and, because of the coming age, hastens toward that one; and, as for being cloven-hoofed and having claws, he removes the superfluous and dead things from the hands, that is, from actions, and from the feet, that is, from the way of life. In addition to these things, he also does not set aside the cud, but not only retains the spiritual food but also recalls it and continually meditates upon it.

This law concerns beasts and birds and every soul. It makes a lengthy discourse about the clean and the unclean; first it teaches that the soul is to be holy. For if the natural is such as has become unclean by a command of God, how much more that which arises from a depraved choice and not from a command of God? If one were to consider that of which God is the maker to be unclean, how much more that which is opposed to the will of God and does what He has forbidden?

If a scar occurs on the skin of a man's body, these things are referred to certain blemishes of the soul. And just as in the case of wounds of the body, after treatment, a trace of the affliction sometimes remains in the places, called a scar; in the same way, the soul that has received a wound of sin, even if it obtains healing, sometimes has a kind of scar left behind. And one must also understand the manner of its purification or lack of purification.

For a man or a woman, if a leprous sore occurs in them. It must be observed in which cases it is said of people: "If something occurs in the skin of his body," or "For a man or a woman, if a leprous sore occurs in them," and in which cases it is said: "Flesh, if an ulcer occurs in his skin," or "Flesh, if a burn from fire occurs in his skin. These things are a fracture.

His garments shall be unsewn. By these words it is intimated that one must not conceal sins nor cover them up, the one whose soul is leprous. Just as the garments of a paralytic do not hide his shame, so it is intended that he be exposed to all, not becoming a whitewashed tomb. But to have the mouth covered is to lack the freedom to open the mouth; and to depart from the camp is no longer to dwell with the choirs of the saints.

And they shall slaughter the one bird into an earthenware vessel. The bird is sacrificed into an earthenware vessel, living water having been first placed into it, so that the purification may be accomplished by water and blood, which came forth from the side of the Savior. The cedar wood, he says, is the wood of our salvation. The twisted scarlet was a type of the precious blood, by which the whole world is purified. I think that the hyssop signifies the heat through the Spirit; and the scarlet cord indicates the union of the Word with flesh.

His head and his beard shall be shaved. He shaves his head, according to the more summary and principal doctrines; and his beard, which is a symbol of the man, putting away the sins of the man; and his eyebrows, putting away all pride and, so to speak, haughtiness. And he says these things are symbols that have grown and blossomed upon the soul, called hairs of deadness.

He shall take two unblemished yearling lambs. The word divides the offerings into three: one for the remission of past sins; one, the whole is offered to God; another, the offering is made on behalf of the one being purified for the things done by him. Perhaps also the three tenths of fine flour are taken, so that one of the tenths is mixed with the slaughtered lamb, and the second with the remaining one, and the third with the sheep. Already, then, at the fifth purification he has not coarse meal, but fine flour, which is a symbol of pure bread material, and this kneaded with oil; which, as nourishing light, is taken for the need of light and not of fire completing it. He also has, apart from the oil taken for the mixing of the fine flour, oil which is offered through the priest, being of a cotyle measure. And it seems to me very much to require a priest: "The priest who purifies shall place the man being purified, and these things before the Lord.

And he shall come to his own house and announce to the priest. We never say that someone must go to the priest to accuse his own house, as the lawgiver says; but rather, as from a physician, to request a remedy for what has happened. We say, then, that the synagogue of the Jews has become leprous. The person who announces is the chorus of the holy prophets; they announce to the great high priest, that is, before the indignation, the passions of the Jews' folly, not from hatred or enmity, but with reverence for the benefactor, confessing their transgressions while nevertheless begging for mercy. And he called Moses. It is called Levitical because the matters of priesthood, sacrifices, and all such things that God commanded are contained in this Levitical book. The Exodus also contains legislation of God; but how the priests were anointed and consecrated, and how the tabernacle was constructed and received its harmonious assembly, and many other things, the Levitical book recounts. And if it contains some other things, it is not surprising, for the title "Levitical" indicates the more essential subject within it. Of the same author. Those who do not rightly observe the discourse on sacrifices either despise it as trivial legislation, having nothing worthy of the Creator, or impiously condemn the Creator himself as legislating trivialities. But he who understands what David and the Apostle say—the one saying, "Uncover my eyes and I will contemplate the wonders of your law," and the other crying out—

The law is spiritual," and one can discern that the teachings hidden in these things are worthy of God. "A man from among you, if he brings gifts to the Lord." We have observed in many places of the Scriptures that "gifts" are said of animals, while "sacrifices" are said of inanimate things, according to what is said in Genesis: "And God looked upon Abel and upon his gifts, but upon Cain and upon his sacrifices he did not regard." Moreover, this must be said: in the case of animate beings, "A man," it says, "from among you, if he brings gifts"; in the case of inanimate things, "if a soul." The inanimate is the soul, so that of the irrational only the rational remains, and of the inanimate overcome by fire only the animate remains. "They will pour the blood upon the altar." The altar of offering is called the high place upon which sacrifices of complete burning are made; the altar of incense is the inner altar. Of the same. Since the Jews in Egypt, having become accustomed to these sacrifices, rejoiced in them, as the making of the calf in the desert also testifies, God permitted him to bring these, thereby curbing the disorderly impulses of polytheism and of not sacrificing to demons. "If one soul sins unintentionally." Unintentional is whatever one does that is evil. Note that Scripture calls unintentional ignorance a sin. And the blessed Paul mentions some others, saying, "For the law had a shadow of things to come." Of the same.

If a soul sins involuntarily," it says, "and does not act according to all the commandments of the Lord, it is in accordance with nature. For there are perhaps also some commandments of the Lord which one ought not to fulfill, as in: 'I gave them commandments that are not good.' So the soul sins involuntarily when, under the pretext of piety, it observes what is not proper. And it requires a sacrifice for remission; but one who acts deliberately does not require a sacrifice, like the man who became a Jew in order to win Jews and circumcised Timothy. That soul which touches any unclean thing, or a corpse. 'Corpse,' it says, means a man who has died to God, with whom one ought not even to eat; for whoever touches him is unclean. And this is unclean which has been hunted by our adversary the devil. 'Unclean beasts' would be those who have approached the Word in a bestial manner, but have sinned unto death and have not become worthy to be saved even among beasts, according to the saying: 'You will save men and beasts, Lord.' 'Whoever touches them shall be sanctified.' Some interpret 'shall be sanctified' as 'shall be defiled,' not because of the sacrifice, I think, but because of the audacity of the one who touches. For Haggai says: 'Whoever touches shall be defiled.' By the same author. We say that the sacrifices were rather a means of sustenance for the priests and a shadow of piety. And the profit from sacrificing is twofold: both that honor is brought to God, and that what one sacrifices one would not worship, nor would one think it to be God. 'And you shall not die.' The word seems to threaten death to priests who drink wine and strong drink when they enter the tent.

For those who pray on behalf of the people, the bishops must abstain from drunkenness—not only from wine, but also from the drunkenness of affairs and human reasonings. This is not forbidden as something improper, but because he knew the intemperance of the Israelites, that whenever they touched it, they went to excess. So that when they enter the holy places, they may have the sober precision of the soul and a refined remembrance of God. Why did you not eat the sin-offering in a holy place? It shows that if the priests do not eat, the sacrifice is incomplete and the sin remains; for it was necessary both to bring in some of the blood and for them to eat. If today they have brought forward their sin-offerings. Since it happened, he says, that those around Nadab and Abihu, having offended God, died, when it was time for them to eat the sin-offering of the people so that what the people had sinned might be forgiven, how shall we, who today are convicted of sins, procure forgiveness by eating? For the priest must first expiate for himself. These animals which you shall eat. Wild beasts, then, are by no means clean; for all are unclean according to the law which says: "Every animal that goes on its paws among all the beasts shall be unclean to you." And generally, wild beasts would be all the most savage of men, concerning whom the Prophet says: "When they draw near to me to harm me, to eat my flesh," and so forth. Every cloven-hoofed domestic animal.

Double-hoofed is the one who piously conducts himself in this age and, because of the coming age, hastens toward that one. And to be double-hoofed and to have claws, to cut away the superfluous and dead from the hands—that is, from actions—and from the feet—that is, from the path. In addition to these things, also to ruminate, not only storing away spiritual food but also recalling it and constantly meditating upon it. This is the law concerning beasts and birds and every soul. He makes a lengthy discourse about clean and unclean; first he teaches that the soul is to be holy. For if the natural is such as has become unclean by a command of God, how much more that which comes from a depraved choice and not from a command of God? If one were to consider that of which God is the maker to be unclean, how much more that which is contrary to the will of God and does what he has forbidden? "If a man has a scar on the skin of his body." These things are referred to certain blemishes of the soul. And just as in the case of wounds of the body, after healing, a trace of what the places have suffered sometimes remains in the so-called scar, in the same way the soul that has received a wound of sin, even if it obtains healing, sometimes has a kind of scar left behind. And one must also know the manner of its purification or lack of purification. "A man or a woman, if a leprous eruption appears on them." It must be observed in which cases it is said of people: "If someone has on the skin of his body," or "A man or a woman, if a leprous eruption appears on them.

Concerning those for whom it is said, "Flesh, if a wound occurs in its skin," or "Flesh, if a burn from fire occurs in its skin. These are a fracture. His garments shall be loosened." Through these it is intimated that one must not conceal sins and cover them up, the one whose soul is leprous. Just as the garments of the paralyzed man do not cover his shame, so it wishes that one be exposed to all, not becoming a whitewashed tomb. But to have the mouth covered is not to have the freedom to open the mouth; and to depart from the camp is no longer to associate oneself with the choirs of the saints. And they will slaughter the one bird into an earthenware vessel. The bird is sacrificed into an earthenware vessel, living water having been placed into it beforehand, so that the purification occurs with water and blood, which came forth from the side of the Savior. And he speaks of the cedar wood as the wood of our salvation. And the twisted scarlet was a type of the precious blood, through which the whole world is purified. And I think the hyssop signifies the heat through the spirit; and the scarlet cord indicates the union of the Word with flesh. His head and his beard shall be shaved. He shaves his head, concerning the more capital and principal doctrines; and concerning the beard, which is a symbol of the man, laying aside the sins of the man; and concerning the eyebrows.

all arrogance, and, so to speak, the raising of the eyebrow, putting it aside. And these, he says, are a symbol of things that have grown and blossomed in the soul, called hairs of deadness. He shall take two unblemished yearling lambs. The discourse divides the things offered into three: one is the release of past sins; one is that the whole is offered to God; another is that which is offered on behalf of the one being purified from the things done by him. Perhaps also the three tenths of fine flour are taken, so that one of the tenths is mixed with the slaughtered lamb, and the second with the remaining one, and the third with the sheep. Now already in the fifth purification he has not ordinary flour, but fine flour, which is a symbol of pure bread material, and this kneaded with oil; which, as nourishing light, is taken for the need of light and not of fire completing it. And it has, apart from the oil taken for the kneading of the fine flour, oil that is offered through the priest, being of a measure of a cotyle. And it seems to me very much to need a priest: "The priest who purifies shall place the man being purified, and these things before the Lord." And he shall go to his house, and announce to the priest. And we never say that one must go to the priest to accuse his own house, the lawgiver to say; but rather as from a physician to ask for a remedy for what has happened. We say, then, that the synagogue of the Jews has become leprous. And the person of the one announcing is the chorus of the holy prophets.

who also are reported to the great high priest, that is, before the indignation, the passions of the Jews' madness, not from hatred nor from enmity, but with reverence toward the benefactor, while confessing their transgressions, yet nevertheless entreating to be pitied.