The Ideal Lawgiver Moses, through God’s providence, became king and lawgiver and high priest and prophet. But to command what should be done and forbid what should not be done is the peculiar function of law; so that it follows at once that the king is a living law and the law a just king. But a king and lawgiver ought to have under his purview not only human but […]
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Philo: On the Life of Moses
Friend of God For, since God judged him worthy to appear as a partner of His own possessions, He gave into his hands the whole world as a portion well fitted for His heir. Therefore, each element obeyed him as its master, changed its natural properties and submitted to his command, and this perhaps is no wonder. For if, as the proverb says, what belongs to friends is common, and […]
Read moreClement Of Alexandria: Creation
God’s resting is not, then, as some conceive, that God ceased from doing. For, being good, if He should ever cease from doing good, then would He cease from being God, which it is sacrilege even to say. The resting is, therefore, the ordering that the order of created things should be preserved inviolate, and that each of the creatures should cease from the ancient disorder. For the creations on […]
Read moreOrigen: Feasts Of The Christian Life
We ourselves are accustomed to observe certain days, as for example the Lord’s day, the Preparation, the Passover, or Pentecost. To the perfect Christian, who is ever in his thoughts, words, and deeds serving his natural Lord, God the Word, all his days are the Lord’s, and he is always keeping the Lord’s day. He also who is unceasingly preparing himself for the true life, and abstaining from the pleasures […]
Read moreOrigen: What Is Worship
Altar, Statue, and Temple We regard the spirit of every good man as an altar from which arises an incense which is truly and spiritually sweet-smelling, namely, the prayers ascending from a pure conscience. Therefore it is said by John in the Revelation, “The odours are the prayers of saints;” and by the Psalmist, “Let my prayer come up before Thee as incense.” And the statues and gifts which are fit […]
Read moreOrigen: Immortality and Incarnation
Immortality of the Body Jesus Christ Himself, who is the Lord and Creator of the soul, is said to be the clothing of the saints, “Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ.”(Rom.13;14) As Christ, then, is the clothing of the soul, so is the soul said to be the clothing of the body, seeing it is an ornament to it, covering and concealing its mortal nature…a soul possessing in itself […]
Read moreOrigen: The Origin and End of Man
The Masterpiece of God When one would paint an image, he were first with a light pencil to trace out the outlines of the coming picture, and prepare marks for the reception of the features that are to be afterwards added, this preliminary sketch in outline is found to prepare the way for the laying on of the true colours of the painting; so, in a measure, an outline and […]
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