Fragmenta ex commentariis in Ezechielem

Origen’s Fragments on Ezekiel.

Cod. 221 a. Chap. XXX. 25. The arms of Pharaoh are the wickedness in the commission of sin, and the pride of the flesh in doctrines of impiety; these arms God, being good, breaks. Pharaoh is a symbol of the devil, the ruler of sin among men. The Lord breaks the arm of sinners, that they may not be able to take hold of a sword.

Cod. f. 229 a. XXXII. 6. And this especially demonstrates the allegory of Scripture: Pharaoh, in a bodily sense, would not water the earth from his excrements, but the dung-like discharge of the Adversary waters the earthly things.

Cod. f. 222 b. XXXII. 23. The Hebrew has "in the length of a pit"; for the word "iarech," when pronounced with a rough breathing in the Hebrew tongue, signifies both "thigh" and "length"; and this word, in relation to the synagogue, has the extension; therefore he calls the depth of the burial a "pit," and the extent of the burial "length.

4. Cod. f. 232 b. XLIV. 1. The son of man Ezekiel describes many gates, and concerning each he has related something; but now he relates to those who have ears concerning the gate of the saints that looks toward the east, concerning which it is written that this gate will be closed, and so forth. —Not only because the Lord God of Israel passes through the gate is it closed, but also because the leader sits at that gate to eat before the Lord along the way of Ailam, which is interpreted as the porch of the gate. —A gate is closed, the mysteries of God that are not closed. —Knowledge has a key, as the Lord says to the legal experts; therefore a gate is closed to some men; for the things within the gate are what the eye has not seen and the ear has not heard, and so forth. —Similar to this gate in meaning is also what is written in the book of Isaiah, a sealed book; you will find this same book more clearly also in the Apocalypse of John, and the things written about it, and how the one from the tribe of Judah opened these things, and alone; for until our Lord Jesus Christ came, the law, the prophetic word, was closed; and a covering was over these things, the stone of petrification, which Jacob removed from the well; for in many places Scripture has opened the meaning concerning this gate. 1. Cod. 221 a. Cap. XXX. 25. The arms of Pharaoh are wickedness in the action of sin, and in the doctrines of impiety the pride of the flesh; which arms God breaks as good; Pharaoh is a symbol of the devil, of the ruler of sin among men.

The Lord breaks the arm of the sinners, that they may not be able to take hold of a sword. 1. Cod. 221 a. Chapter 30.25. The arms of Pharaoh are wickedness in the action of sin, and in the doctrines of impiety the pride of the flesh; which arms God breaks as good; Pharaoh is a symbol of the devil, of the ruler of sin among men. —The Lord breaks the arm of the sinners, that they may not be able to take hold of a sword. 2. Cod. f. 229 a. Chapter 32.6. And this especially shows the allegory of the Scripture; indeed, Pharaoh could not physically water the earth from his excrements, but the foul excrement of the adversary waters the earthly things.

3. Codex folio 222b. Ezekiel 32:23. The Hebrew has “in the length of a pit”; for the word yarekh, when pronounced with a rough breathing in the Hebrew language, signifies both “thigh” and “length”; and its application to the synagogue has the extension; therefore he calls the depth of the burial a pit, and the extension of the burial a length. 2. Codex folio 229a. Ezekiel 32:6. And this especially shows the allegory of the Scripture; for Pharaoh would not physically water the earth from his excrements, but the vile excretion of the adversary waters the earthly things. 3. Codex folio 222b. Ezekiel 32:23. The Hebrew has “in the length of a pit”; for the word yarekh, when pronounced with a rough breathing in the Hebrew language, signifies both “thigh” and “length”; and its application to the synagogue has the extension; therefore he calls the depth of the burial a pit, and the extension of the burial a length. 4. Codex folio 232b. Ezekiel 44:1. The son of man, Ezekiel, describes many gates, and concerning each he related something; but now he relates to those who have ears concerning the gate of the saints which faces east; concerning which it is written that this gate will be closed, and so forth. —Not only because the Lord God of Israel passes through the gate is it closed, but also because the ruler sits at that gate to eat before the Lord along the way of Ailam, which is interpreted as the porch of the gate. —A closed gate is the mysteries of God which are not closed. —Knowledge has a key, as the Lord says to the lawyers; therefore a gate is closed to men; for the things within the gate are what the eye has not seen and the ear has not heard, and so forth.

Similar to this gate in meaning is also what is written in Isaiah about a sealed book; you will find this same book more clearly in the Apocalypse of John, and what is written about it, and how the one from the tribe of Judah opened these things, and alone; for until our Lord Jesus Christ came, the law, the prophetic word, was closed; and a covering was over these things, the stone of petrification, which Jacob removed from the well; for in many places Scripture has opened the meaning concerning this gate. 4. Codex folio 232b. XLIV. 1. The son of man Ezekiel describes many gates, and concerning each he related something; but now he relates to those who have ears, concerning the gate of the saints that faces east; concerning which it is written that this gate will be closed, and so forth. —Not only that the Lord God of Israel passes through the gate, is it closed, but also that the ruler sits at that gate to eat before the Lord along the way of Ailam, which is interpreted as the porch of the gate. —A closed gate is the mysteries of God that are not closed. —Knowledge has a key, as the Lord says to the legal experts; therefore a gate is closed to men; for the things within the gate are what the eye has not seen and the ear has not heard, and so forth. —Similar to this gate in meaning is also what is written in Isaiah about a sealed book; you will find this same book more clearly in the Apocalypse of John, and what is written about it.

and how the one from the tribe of Judah opened these things, and alone until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ the law was sealed, the prophetic word; and a covering was upon these things, the stone of hardness, which Jacob removed from the well; for in many places Scripture opened the meaning concerning this gate.