Selecta in Jesum Nave

Origen's Selections on Jesus Nave. You, and all this people, he promised to give to those who keep the law what he had previously stated; not to Jesus Nave. For the Israelites, not having kept it, did not receive, as the following shows.

Every place on which you set foot. The inhabitants of Ai resisted because of the lawlessness of Achar. And otherwise: That when God delivered the nations into their hands, they did not utterly destroy them, and they became a thorn to them.

And they entered the house of a woman who was a prostitute, by name Rahab. The spies entrust their own safety to a prostitute; and this is quite fitting. For it is shown from what the prostitute says that she alone is faithful and fears God; and therefore through her the family is saved.

Of the same. Rahab is interpreted as "broadening," being a symbol of the Church from the Gentiles, which says: "The place is narrow for me; make room for me that I may dwell.

Of the same. She is saved not only by the greeting, but primarily by her faith and her disposition toward God.

And she hid them in the flax-straw. She hid them with the stalks of the flax-straw which she had on the roof, preparing to work the byssus for them as being worthy of the high-priestly garment. For the flax-straw produces the byssus from which the priestly garment is made.

And she let them down through the window. It should be known that her house was on the wall. The new things are akin to the old; for it is similar to the case of Paul, when they let him down in a basket through the wall.

Of the same author. The Apostle was saved a second time from his enemies in a similar manner, as he says in his Second Epistle to the Corinthians: "And I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and I escaped." Again in the Acts: "They were also watching the gates day and night, in order to kill him; but his disciples took him by night and let him down from the wall, lowering him in a basket.

And they remained there three days. Not that the journey was of three days—for the Jordan is very near Jericho—but because of the thorough examination of the spies. "For," it says, "the pursuers searched all the roads, and did not find them.

Forty thousand light-armed troops. It should be noted that the number four, whether of units, of hundreds, or of any greater quantity, is used in connection with affliction.

Make for yourself stone knives from a rock of adamant. It must be investigated why those born in the desert were not circumcised, or why a man who gathered wood on the Sabbath by the command of God in the time of Moses was stoned to death. Such a great multitude remained uncircumcised in the desert and was not blamed, although God declared that the soul which is not circumcised on the eighth day should be utterly destroyed, but he did not define this for those who transgress the Sabbath. Now it is already evident from this itself that circumcision and the Sabbath are not good in themselves, but were useful for a time. It must be known that through circumcision he wished to be recognized by means of a sign, and that those who were not believers should appear as irrational sheep with a brand, so that even if they wander, they may easily be found; thus he wished the Jews, when mingling with the nations, to be recognizable by circumcision. And proof of this is that they were circumcised in Egypt, but in the desert, since they were alone and separated from the Egyptians and from the other nations in Palestine, they remained uncircumcised. But when they crossed the Jordan and were about to be among the nations, they were again commanded to be circumcised. Therefore he said a second time that they were not circumcised as eight-day-olds, but already as adults, and some even approaching old age. The stone knife signifies for us the Lord, who gave us the spiritual circumcision, that of the mind and heart. For this reason the Apostle also spoke to us of the circumcision of Christ, not in the stripping away of our flesh.

I, the commander-in-chief of the Lord's host, have now arrived. It must be remembered that when they made the golden calf, God says to Moses, "Lead this people up, for I will not go up with you because the people are stiff-necked. And behold, I will send my angel before you. So take heed to yourself, and do not disobey." And Moses says to him, "If you do not go up with us, do not lead me away from here." And having said this, he persuaded him; and he was with the people until the death of Moses. After his death, he appears and speaks with Joshua son of Nun. After the leadership of the people is then handed over to the disciple of Moses, he entrusts him to the commander-in-chief Michael. This one was the ruler of the people, as appears in Daniel, where another angel speaks.

Going and blowing trumpets. These trumpets are a symbol of those on the last day. "For the Lord Himself," he says, "will descend from heaven with a command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God." And the encircling of the city for six days by the priests would be a sign that throughout the six days of the present age the saints are to trumpet and proclaim remission of sins to those who wish to repent.

And Joshua said to the sons of Israel, "Shout." The shout, however, is likely to be a doxology of words and a voice of praise to God, contending against the error of the Jerichuntians, and prevailing in the paradoxical victory full of wonder.

Thus Ozan did. From this it is shown that it is not Joshua the son of Nun, but someone else many generations later who wrote these things. And this is true when understood, but not contrary to what we have previously said. For Joshua wrote the events that happened in his time, or were revealed, just as Moses wrote the things of his own time. But after these things, when the temple had already been built by the wise Solomon, and the people had declined into great impiety, and God had abandoned the temple desolate, so that the Deuteronomy was found with difficulty, cast aside as it happened; for this reason, when the people underwent the Babylonian captivity, Ezra, being most learned in the law and reciting from memory the entire Old Testament, wrote the law and certain other things that had happened and been revealed. These things were spoken long ago, but happened after these events. Such, I suppose, is also the matter we have now mentioned.

Even today I am strong, as when Moses sent me. So in both respects the saint is strong. For he is strong in both old and new mysteries. This is what it means to be strong in the time of Moses and in the time of Joshua. To you, and to all this people, he promised to give what was previously stated—not to Joshua the son of Nun. For the Israelites, not having kept the law, did not receive, as the following shows. Every place upon which you set foot. The inhabitants of Ai resisted because of the lawlessness of Achan. And otherwise: although God delivered the nations into their hands, they did not destroy them, and they became a thorn to them. And they entered the house of a harlot woman named Rahab. The spies entrust their own safety to a harlot—and quite reasonably. For it is shown from what the harlot says that she alone is faithful and God-fearing; therefore through her the family is saved. By the same author. Rahab is interpreted as "broadness," being a symbol of the Church from the nations, saying, "The place is narrow for me; make room for me to dwell." By the same author. She is saved not merely by the welcome, but primarily by her faith and her disposition toward God. And she hid them in the flax. She hid them among the stalks of flax which she had on the roof, preparing to work the linen for them, as they were worthy of the high priestly garment. For the flax produces the linen from which the priestly garment is made. And she let them down through the window. Note that her house was in the wall. The new things are akin to the old.

It is similar to what happened with Paul, when they let him down in a basket through the wall. The same author. The Apostle was saved a second time from his enemies in a similar manner, as he says in his Second Epistle to the Corinthians: "And I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and I escaped." Again in the Acts: "And they were watching the gates day and night, in order to kill him; but his disciples took him by night and let him down from the wall, lowering him in a basket." And they remained there three days. Not that the journey was three days long—for the Jordan is very near Jericho—but because of the thorough search for the spies. "For," it says, "the pursuers searched all the roads, and did not find them." "Forty thousand light-armed troops. Note that the number four, whether of units, hundreds, or any larger number, is used for affliction. Make yourself stone knives from a rock of adamant. It must be inquired why those born in the desert were not circumcised; or why, in the time of Moses, by command of God, a man who gathered wood on the Sabbath was stoned to death. Such a great multitude remained uncircumcised in the desert and was not blamed, even though God declared that the soul not circumcised on the eighth day should be destroyed, but concerning those who transgressed the Sabbath, he did not ordain this.

Now it is quite clear from this very point that circumcision and the Sabbath are not good in themselves, but were useful for a time. It should be known that for the sake of a sign, God wished to be recognized through circumcision, and that those who had not fallen away from faith might be evident, like irrational sheep marked with a brand, so that even if one should go astray, he may easily be found. Thus, when the Jews mingled with the Gentiles, God wished them to be recognizable by circumcision. A proof of this is that in Egypt they were circumcised, but in the desert, since they were alone and separated from the Egyptians and the other nations of Palestine, they remained uncircumcised. But when they were about to cross the Jordan and be among the nations, they were again commanded to be circumcised. For this reason he said a second time that they were not circumcised as eight-day-olds, but already as grown men, and some even approaching old age. The stone knife signifies to us the Lord, who gave us the spiritual circumcision, that of the mind and heart. For this reason the Apostle also spoke to us of the circumcision of Christ, not in the stripping away of our flesh. I am the commander-in-chief of the Lord’s army; I have now arrived. It must be remembered that when they made the golden calf, God says to Moses, “Lead this people up; I will not go up with you because the people are stiff-necked. And behold, I will send my angel before you. So take heed to yourself, and do not disobey.” And Moses says to him, “If you do not go up with us, do not lead me away from here.” And having said this, he persuaded him; and he was with the people until the death of Moses.

After his death, he appears and converses with Jesus son of Nun. After the leadership of the people is transferred to the disciple of Moses, he then hands him over to the commander-in-chief Michael. This one was the ruler of the people, as appears in Daniel, where another angel says, "Going and blowing trumpets." These trumpets are a symbol of those on the last day. "For the Lord himself," he says, "will descend from heaven with a command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God." And the circling of the city by the priests for six days would be a sign that throughout the six days of the present age the saints are to trumpet and proclaim remission of sins to those who wish to repent. And Jesus said to the sons of Israel, "Shout." The shout, however, is likely to be a doxology of words and a voice of praise to God, contending against the error of the Jerichoites, and prevailing in the paradoxical victory full of wonder. Thus did Ozan. From this it is shown that it was not Jesus son of Nun, but someone else many generations later who wrote these things. And while this is true when understood, it is not contrary to what we have said before. For Jesus wrote the events that happened in his time, or revelations, just as Moses wrote the events of his own time.

After these things, when the temple had already been built by the wise Solomon, and the people had inclined toward great impiety, and God had abandoned the temple desolate, so that the Deuteronomy was found with difficulty, cast aside as it happened; for this reason the people underwent the Babylonian captivity, and Esdras, being most learned in the law and reciting from memory the entire Old Testament, wrote down the law and certain other things that had occurred and been revealed. These things were foretold long ago, and after these things they came to pass. Such, then, is also the matter we have now recalled. "Still today I am strong, as when Moses sent me." Therefore the holy man is strong in both respects. For he is strong in ancient mysteries and in new ones. This is what it means to be strong in the time of Moses and in the time of Jesus.