Required reading
Ante-Nicene Fathers (Vol 4) (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read the letters 'To Origen from Africanus', 'From Origen to Africanus' and 'From Origen to Gregory'.
My summary
Today's readings are a mixed bag.
Firstly we have a letter from Africanus to Origen asking why Origen quotes from the Apocryphal sections of Daniel in another one of Origen's writings.
Then we have a lengthy reply from Origen to Africanus giving his reasons for his use of the Apocrypha, including some suggested allusions to it by the New Testament writers.
Thirdly we read a letter from Origen to Gregory encouraging Gregory to be careful in his study of Scripture and Greek writings.
What grabbed me
I liked Origen's encouragement to Gregory: 'If any one, moreover, consider the words of the prophets with all the zeal and reverence which they deserve, it is certain that, in the perusal and careful examination thus given them, he will feel his mind and senses touched by a divine breath, and will acknowledge that the words which he reads were no human utterances, but the language of God; and from his own emotions he will feel that these books were the composition of no human skill, nor of any mortal eloquence, but, so to speak, of a style that is divine. The splendour of Christ's advent, therefore, illuminating the law of Moses by the light of truth, has taken away that veil which had been placed over the letter (of the law), and has unsealed, for every one who believes upon Him, all the blessings which were concealed by the covering of the word.'
The study of God's word is like no other study.
Next week's reading
Commence Book I of Origen against Celsus by reading Chapters 1 to 27.
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
No comments:
Post a Comment