Now, in the Greek manuscripts of the Catenae, various Greek fragments under the name of Origen are circulated concerning Numbers. We have now for the first time committed most of them to print, although it is uncertain from where the compilers of the Catenae drew them. There is one that seems to have some affinity with a portion of the thirteenth homily.
ORIGENIS SELECTA IN NUMEROS
A *Nihil præter in manna oculi nostri.* "Man" is said, because the Hebrews who first saw the unusual spectacle said to one another in their native tongue: "Man," that is, "What is this?" This they would not have said, if, as certain pagans assert, the nature of these regions had been accustomed to produce such things from time immemorial. And if even now a little of something of this kind descends, it happens for the sake of remembrance.
*Et non ultra adjecerunt.* The words "to prophesy" are missing. "They prophesied no more," he says. For they prophesy once, so that they may not be made equal to Moses, but so that it may be known that they had partaken of the Spirit, and they all prophesied at the same time. For there is one Spirit in Christ, and one power through all.
*Et populus non promovit, quoadusque mundata est Maria.* The tabernacle remained there for seven days for the grace of Mary, lest, in the state in which she was, she might follow.
*Mitte tibi viros*, etc. He orders some to be sent, showing that Palestine is not far off, and that it is easier for the Hebrews to go there than to return to Egypt; and having reproached them for their unbelief, he threatens with a grave in the desert those whose mind remained hardened. For it is better for the impious to die than to live a wandering life.
*Et cognominavit Moyses Ause filium Nave, Jesum.* B It is to be observed that the son of Nave was a type of Christ, who, having liberated the wandering and pitiable people, brought them into heaven, not into a land that devours its inhabitants.
*Profecto non videbunt terram, quam juravi patribus eorum.* It is to be observed that some of those who went out from the land of Egypt entered into the land of promise; for God had not forbidden this, but He slew in the desert only those of them who had gone out from the land of Egypt C who had arrived at the twentieth year or above, and who had fashioned the calf; sparing their kinsmen, the youths who had not yet reached their twentieth year, and much more the infants and little ones, up to the age of puberty.
A Of the same. This is a pattern of the truth. "For unless you turn and become as children, you shall not enter the kingdom."
"Take up the brazen censers." Just as the brazen serpent was a sign of their unbelief, so also were the censers of those around Core, Dathan, and Abiron, which were made as a covering for the altar.
"And to the sons of Levi, behold I have given every tithe in Israel." B It is rightly observed that the firstfruits are attributed to the priests, since the tribe of Levi does not inherit, nor does it receive a portion as the others do. This poverty was caused for the priests whose inheritance were those things dedicated to the altar. The people used to give tithes to the Levites, and the Levites to the priests.
"Are we to bring you water out of this rock?" Since Moses had not glorified God before the people, it was not permitted for him to go further with them. For so as not to have those who worshipped a living man also honor him with divine honors once he had departed, he removed that tomb from the eyes of all.
"Now this assembly will lick up all who are round about us." Note the example taken here: just as the ox licks up the green herbs with its mouth, C so also the holy people, fighting with its lips, having arms through its prayers. And knowing this, Balac, in former wars, seeing [it] clearly happening, wishes that he himself might also fight with the lips, and he calls for Balaam, who possesses the weapons of the opposing power in his lips, namely, curses. For holy angels fight alongside the righteous for the things which are for salvation and good works, while evil demons [fight] alongside the impious, sinful men for the things which are evil and harmful to the salvation of men. The former fight with the weapons of prayers, the latter with the weapons of sorceries.
Of the same. This history is also filled with great utility according to the literal sense. For we learn many things from the history set before us; and [we learn] that it is possible to fight with words, and that great things can be undertaken and brought to a happy end through words; and likewise that the holy fight by the words of prayers, but the impious by the words of sorceries.
Of the same. The opposing power never does D a good work, but accomplishes all things in the worst way; and whatever it does which is evil, it is not able to restore [it] to a better state, nor does it have the order of the better. For with the superior power, all things are possible. For our God makes [one] feel pain and again restores [him]; but to do evil has no [such] order, for it is not just according to habit, but [it is] also evil in its very essence.
Of the same. Among men, there are certain divinations practiced, and sacrifices, and certain gifts offered to demons, so that through these things offered, those who wish may divine. And every matter serves as a divination. For it is not a true prediction.
"And the Lord came to him." In truth
a divine power came to Balaam, not summoned by him. It came, therefore, in order to avert the demons called upon by Balaam, and to manage the divine predictions. A And the angel of the Lord arose to oppose him on the way. The angel who opposes Balaam on the way—is this, perhaps, the one concerning whom God said to Moses: "My angel goes before you, protecting you on the way"? "Go with these men." God did not permit Balaam to go to Balak; but since he wished to go, He permits him. He commands him, however, to speak only what is revealed; and the angel, having appeared and terrified him, confirms this. B "Build me seven altars." There are also works performed through another body, both among those who are better and those who are worse. Just as, for instance, the things done in Egypt by Moses and Aaron and the sorcerers. But when compared with the adverse power, the divine power prevails; just as the rod of Moses swallowed the rods of the sorcerers.
The same. Balaam was accustomed to invoke demons with these same sacrifices. For such sacrifices were performed in the world for the demons. Therefore, God demands sacrifices from the first people, so that those which were offered to the demons might be offered to God, and for the most part, they were symbols.
The same. Having become man, the Savior sent His disciples to loose the donkey, that is, from the bonds with which the adverse power had bound it, C the spiritual Balaam. And having loosed it, they brought it to Jesus, and placed upon the donkey garments, that is, the virtues of the Gospel; and sitting upon it, the Savior entered the holy city.
And Balak took Balaam himself to the summit of Phogor. Balak supposed that he could confine Balaam’s art to these places. Therefore, he took him to the summit of Phogor, thinking that he could curse the people of God from there. Now, Phogor is interpreted as "sweetness," or "skin of the mouth," that is, extremity of pleasure, and corruption of speech. From which he attempted D to curse the people of God through Balaam.
The same. There are two summits of virtue and of malice. Moses ascended to the summit of virtue, but Balaam to the summit of malice.
He did not go, as was his custom, to meet omens. Here, Balaam was a symbol of the Gentile people who previously followed omens, seeing that the Lord is not satisfied with them, he ceased. And it is interpreted as "vain people," but "son of Beor" is interpreted...
as "leathern." "Vain" refers to the former state of the nations, while "Beor" refers to those who were in vanity and death, according to the former state, clearly.
"The man who truly sees." I, who was once Balaam, A the "vain people," having opened the interior eyes of my mind, and having seen the spiritual Israel once and the dispensation concerning him, I am deemed worthy of the Holy Spirit. It does not fit the former Balaam—the saying, "The man who truly sees," and what follows—but it fits the present Balaam.
"How good are your houses, Jacob, your tents, Israel." The name Jacob is not that of the inhabitant, but of the house; the name Israel, however, is that of the inhabitant. For the name Jacob is of the bodily matter.
"As shady valleys." Valleys are understood as spiritual ones, those in which the rational trees are flourishing and are very fruitful in active virtue. Paradises are upon the river, understood as being in a place where rational trees are planted, being watered, that is, by the contemplation of things that have come to pass, or by the contemplation of the holy Trinity.
By the same. Those who dwell in tents are those who are traveling, and there is a way outside of this world, which is great, and there are many tents. Those who dwell there are not of B those who are traveling, but of those who are standing.
"As cedars beside the waters." Cedars are understood as souls that are rational, beside the waters, being watered by the knowledge of the truth.
"And he shall rule over many nations." The Lord is he who rules with authority; the slave is he who obeys slavishly. The Lord is he who is called by his own toils and is free from the passion, relying on lordship. The slave is he who is subject to desires and is in need of the oversight of his own lord. But there are many lords; blessed, however, are those who have our Lord Jesus Christ as Lord.
"And his kingdom shall be exalted as Gog." Kingdom is interpreted as "gifts." According to one meaning, the gifts are the graces of the Holy Spirit; according to another, "He who is on the roof, let him not descend C into his house." So, the kingdom is of such kind.
"God brought him out of Egypt." And the Savior, according to "Out of Egypt I called my son," and Israel. The one he casts out, the other he calls.
By the same. The prophecy concerning the coming of the Lord into Egypt signified the deportation of our Savior Jesus Christ together with his parents, which was to take place. Egypt also is compared here to this world.
"As the glory of a unicorn is to him." A unicorn is interpreted as... D
And Peor is interpreted as "sweetness" or "skin of the mouth," that is, the extremity of voluptuousness and the death of the word. From which Balaam tried to curse the people of God. By the same. There are two peaks, that is, of extreme virtue and of wickedness; and Moses ascended to the peak of virtue, but Balaam to the peak of wickedness. "He did not go according to his custom to meet the omens." This Balaam is a symbol of the people out of the nations who followed omens formerly, but having known that it is insatiable to the Lord, he did not add to it; but indeed it is also interpreted as "vain people," and "son of Beor" is interpreted as "leathern." "Vain" was according to the former state of the nations, but "Beor" clearly refers to those who were in vanity and in death according to their former state.
"The man who truly sees." I, who was once Balaam, the "vain people," having opened the interior eyes of my mind and having seen the spiritual Israel at times, and the dispensation concerning him, I am deemed worthy of the Holy Spirit. It does not fit the former Balaam—the saying, "The man who truly sees," and what follows—but it fits the present Balaam.
"How good are your houses, Jacob, your tents, Israel."
spiritual sense is Christ, according to that which follows. For from one Jesus Christ many are made Christs. Some say that even the stag is a unicorn.
He shall devour the nations of his enemies 60. Of Christ he speaks: though we were once among his enemies. Christ, therefore, shall devour us—namely, the substantial virtue which consumes us, according to that which is said: "My food is to do the will of him who sent me."
And he shall exhaust their fatness 62. Then, he says, when he shall transform the fleshly condition into a spiritual one through actual change.
They who bless you are blessed 63. By this he denotes two persons: those who believe in Christ and those who do not. And after a few words: In these, therefore, is overturned both the attempt of those who are opposed to Israel and the sorcery of the magical art.
And the people were profaned to commit fornication 64. The intention of the Hebrews to commit fornication and to worship Beelphegor was the prophet's. Wherefore Moses says: "These were to the children of Israel, according to the word of Balaam, to cause them to depart and to despise the word of the Lord because of Beelphegor 65."
And there shall be for you the border towards Liba 66. From the river of Egypt unto the river Euphrates he promised to Abraham. Why, then, did he not give it to them? For the Book of Numbers indicates that a smaller part was given. But I think that he would have given it, if they had been faithful in accordance with the one who received the promises. And this is with good reason. For often he has not brought upon [them] the evils that he threatened, for they repented, as in the case of the Ninevites.
Nevertheless, of the people of their father shall be wives 67. This is, therefore, God's command, that besides the tribes of Judah and Levi, it is not permitted for one tribe to be joined by marriage to another, so that what is appropriate for the Savior, "King and Priest according to the order of Melchizedek," may not appear unusual.
ORIGEN'S HOMILIES ON THE BOOK OF NUMBERS
PROLOGUE OF RUFINUS THE TRANSLATOR TO URSACIUS [(47)]
I shall speak in words to you, brother, oh most beatific martyr, [and] most beloved helper. For I remember that I promised that if there were anything said by the elder Adamantius on the Law of Moses, I would collect it and translate it into the Latin language for your perusal. But to fulfill the promise was not untimely for you, though it was untimely and troublesome for us. For what [is it] in that place: with the style there are tales woven, where it is hostile, where it is city and country...