^{page 217 note 1} Plato, , The Republic 508A–509C.Google Scholar

^{page 217 note 2} Philo, , On the Contemplative Life 11Google Scholar; Clement, Stromata VII.40.1–2 and The Teacher I.1. Lilla, S., Clement of Alexandria—A Study in Christian Platonism and Gnosticism (Oxford U. Press, 1971), p. 165Google Scholar, finds a link in idea and terminology between Plato, Clement and Philo on the way the soul can turn from the sensible world to the intelligible world.

^{page 217 note 3} Plotinus, , Enneads, Introduction, text and translation by Armstrong, W. H., Volume I (Harvard U. Press, 1966/Loeb edition), p. xxvGoogle Scholar. Crouzel, Henri, ‘Origène et Plotin, élèves d'Ammonios Saccas’, Bulletin de Littérature ecclésiastique (BLE) 57 (1956), p. 205, indicates that both men view the spiritual life as a path to bring man to a contemplation of God.Google Scholar

^{page 217 note 4} Nock, A. D., Conversion: The Old and the New in Religion from Alexander the Great to Augustine of Hippo (Oxford U. Press, 1933), p. 99Google Scholar; and Cumont, F., Oriental Religions in Roman Paganism, tr. Showerman, G. (Dover reprint, 1956), pp. 26–28.Google Scholar

^{page 218 note 1} Grant, R. M., ‘Early Alexandrian Christianity’, Church History 40 (1971), p. 134CrossRefGoogle Scholar, believes that Eusebius's account is apologetical. Nevertheless, he states no evidence to doubt Origen's Christian upbringing, or his contact with unbelievers.

^{page 218 note 2} cf. Nock, op. cit., pp. 7–10.

^{page 219 note 1} Chênevert, J., L'Église dans le commentaire d'Origène sur le Cantique des Cantiques (Paris, 1969), p. 141Google Scholar, believes that Origen's scattered comments defy any ‘systematic’ approach. To support this, he cites Aubin, P., Le problème de la ‘conversion’ (Beauchesne, 1963), p. 137Google Scholar. However, Aubin actually says that a ‘synthèse’ is possible. This is precisely what the framework of the three modes would accomplish. Others would support such an hypothesis. Crouzel, H., ‘Qu'a voulu faire Origène en composant le Traité des Principes?’ BLE 76 (1975), p. 258Google Scholar, indicates that Origen's theology supports synthetic approaches, and Balas, D., ‘The Idea of Participation in the Structure of Origen's Thought’, in Origeniana, ed. Crouzel, H. et al. (Bari, 1975), p. 274Google Scholar, has attempted such a synthesis with the concept of participation.

^{page 219 note 2} de Faye, E., Origène, sa vie, son œuvre, sa pensée, Volume III (Paris, 1928), pp. 203–204Google Scholar, and Koch, Hal, Pronoia und Paideusis (Berlin, 1932), p. 317.Google Scholar

^{page 219 note 3} de Lubac, H., Histoire et esprit (Paris, 1950), pp. 391–392Google Scholar; Crouzel, H., Théologie de l'image de Dieu chez Origène (Paris, 1956), pp. 235–236Google Scholar; and Rius-Camps, J., El dinamismo trinitario en la divinización de los seres racionales según Orígenes (Rome, 1967). p. 478.Google Scholar

^{page 220 note 1} Alcain, José A., Cautiverio y redención del hombre en Orígenes (Bilbao, 1973), p. 87.Google Scholar

^{page 220 note 2} Nock, pp. 204–207.

^{page 220 note 3} See Nock, p. 10 for his general approach. Also, Dodds, E. R., Pagan and Christian in an Age of Anxiety (Norton, 1965), pp. 102 ff.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

^{page 220 note 4} Paul Aubin, op. cit., pp. 137–157.

^{page 220 note 5} Cadiou, René, Introduction au système d'Origène (Paris, 1932), pp. 108 ff.Google Scholar

^{page 221 note 1} Even though On First Principles is completely extant only in a Latin translation by Rufinus, recent studies have shown that Rufinus was most often faithful to the thought of Origen. See Rist, J. M., ‘The Greek and Latin Texts of the Discussion on Free Will in De principiis, Book III’, Origeniana (1975), p. 111Google Scholar; and Crouzel, H., ‘Comparaisons précises entre les fragments du Peri Archon selon la Philocalie et la traduction de Rufin’, Origeniana (1975), pp. 120–121.Google Scholar

Furthermore, in respect of conversion, Crouzel, , ‘Qu'a voulu faire Origène …?’, BLE 76 (1975), p. 168Google Scholar, says that one of Origen's purposes in On First Principles is the conversion of the philosophers.

^{page 221 note 2} De prin. I.8.1 (V.97.7/excerpt from Antipater of Bostra); II.8.3 (V.156.1–2/excerpt from Justinian); III.1.22 (V.238.9–12/from Philocalia). All references to Origen's works will first indicate the familiar reference found in translations, and then, in parentheses, the volume, page and line of Origen's works in the series entitled Die griechischen christlichen Schriftsteller der ersten drei Jahrhunderte (Leipzig, 1891 ff.). Unless otherwise indicated, all translations are by the author.

^{page 221 note 3} De prin. II.9.6 (V.169.27–170.2); II.9.2 (V.165.17–22).

^{page 221 note 4} De prin. II.6.3 (V.142.2–10) and II.6.5 (V.144.24–145.2) exclude the soul of Jesus. On the question of Jesus' soul, see Eichinger, M., Die Verklärung Christi bei Origenes (Herder, 1969), pp. 89–90.Google Scholar

^{page 221 note 5} De prin. I.8.1 (V.95.14–96.5/from Antipater of Bostra). The falling away is also described in De prin. II.8.3 (V. 158.19–20) as a cooling of affection for God. For a more developed description of the fall in Origen, see Laporte, J., ‘La chute chez Philon et Origène’, in Kyriakon—Festschrift Johannes Quasten (1970), ed. Granfield, P. and Jungmann, J., I, pp. 333–335.Google Scholar

^{page 221 note 6} De prin. III.5.8 (V.279.4–5).

^{page 221 note 7} Dupuis, J., L'esprit de l'homme. Étude sur l'anthropologie religieuse d'Origène (Desclée de Brouwer, 1967), p. 43, characterizes the struggle in two ways: On the one hand, there is the antagonism between the flesh (which is death) and the spirit (which is struggling for life and return). On the other hand, there is a ‘tendency’ of the body toward the spirit, according to a dialectic of progress. The first struggle is more in harmony with this mode of conversion, while the other is analogous to the second and third modes.Google Scholar

^{page 222 note 1} De prin. III.6.3 (V.284.3–10). That all things at the end will resemble the beginning, when God will be all in all, is also affirmed by Holz, H., ‘Über den Begriff des Willens und der Freiheit bei Origenes’, Neue Zeitschrift für systematische Theologie 12 (1970), p. 79, and by Aubin, p. 157.Google Scholar

^{page 222 note 2} De prin. III.1.17–20 (from Philocalia). Éric Junod, in his edition of the text and translation of Philocalia 21–27 (Sources chrétiennes 226, 1976), p. 90, finds that Origen offers different treatments of the question of God's foreknowledge and man's liberty depending often on the context or the biblical text under consideration. Thus, a certain tension remains which is not precisely resolved.

^{page 222 note 3} Homilies on Exodus III.3 (VI.165.21–22); IV.8 (VI.180.9–10). According to Jurado, M. Ruiz, ‘Le Concept de “monde” chez Origène’, BLE 75 (1974), p. 5, there are a number of senses to ‘world’ in Origen. But to quit the ‘world’ means to abandon sin, to purify one's thoughts and deeds. See p. 18.Google Scholar

^{page 222 note 4} Contra Celsum VII.46 (II.198.6–17), tr. Henry Chadwick (Cambridge U. Press, 1953): ‘It is not merely a matter of theory when they distinguish between being and becoming and between what is intelligible and what is visible, and when they associate truth with being and by all possible means avoid the error that is bound up with becoming. They look, as they have learnt, not at the things which are becoming, which are seen and on that account temporal, but at the higher things whether one wishes to call them “being”, or things “invisible” because they are intelligible, or “things which are not seen” because their nature lies outside the realm of sense-perception (aisthësis). It is in this way that the disciples of Jesus look at the things that are becoming, so that they use them as steps to the contemplation of the nature of intelligible things.’

^{page 222 note 5} Hom. on Numbers XX.2 (VII.187.34–188.3); Exhortation to Martyrdom IX (I.10.2–6); Contra Celsum III.40 (1.236.21–23).

^{page 223 note 1} Exhort, to Martyrdom XLVII (I.42.29–43.5); Contra Celsum IV.85 (I.356.15–20); and De prin. III.6.1 (V.280.12–14), tr. G. W. Butterworth (Harper, 1966): ‘Man received the honour of God's image in his first creation, whereas the perfection of God's likeness was reserved for him at the consummation. The purpose of this was that man should acquire it for himself by his own earnest efforts to imitate God.’

For a detailed examination of Origen's thoughts on the image of God, see Crouzel's, Théologie de l'image de Dieu chez Origène. Crouzel outlines the process as follows, p. 145Google Scholar: Creation according to the Image, distortion of the image in the fall, progress of Christian life to bring the image again to resemblance, and final transformation in the glorious image of Christ.

^{page 223 note 2} Exhortation to Martyrdom XLVII (I.43.5–8) and Homilies on Genesis I.13 (VI.15.7–8, 11–13).

^{page 224 note 1} Hom. on Joshua I.6 (VII.294.18–21, 22–23); Hom. on Numbers XII.4 (VII.105.15–16); and Contra Celsum VIII.60 (II.276.21–33). Bettencourt, S., Doctrina ascetica Origenis. De ratione animae humanae cum daemonibus (Rome, 1945), p. 5Google Scholar, writes: ‘Corruptio daemonum partim manifestatur eorum tendentia ad ima et sensibilia …’ Crouzel's treatment of the daemons in Virginité et mariage selon Origène (Paris, 1963), pp. 171–181, basically stresses that, according to Origen, evil deeds are not the faults of daemons, but of man's own choices. See p. 178. It is interesting to note that, according to A. D. Nock, op. cit., p. 104, the ability of the Christians to exorcise such demons ‘impressed the popular imagination’.

^{page 224 note 2} Comm. on John I.6 (IV. 11.20–23): ‘But the Gospel, which is the new covenant … illuminates for us the newness of the spirit in the light of knowledge.’ Also, Comm. on Matthew II, Fragment, The Philocalia of Origen, tr. Lewis, George (T. & T. Clark, 1911), p. 43Google Scholar; De Lubac, op. cit., p. 336. Goegler, R., Zur Theologie des biblischen Wortes bei Origenes (Patmos, 1963), p. 285Google Scholar, clarifies the distinction between the Spirit and the Logos in Scripture: ‘The Logos as Image of the Father, mediates for God, but the Spirit provides a free access to the Logos, and carries us toward his higher and deeper mysteries.’ See also Aubin, p. 144.

^{page 224 note 3} Regarding Scripture as a kind of being, with a body, soul, and spirit, see De prin. IV.2.4 (V.313.1–4); Hom. on Leviticus V.1 (VI.334.4–8); and Hom. on Joshua XX.5 (VII.424.13–17).

^{page 224 note 4} Comm. on John II.3 (IV.55.15–20); Contra Celsum VI.17 (II.88.16–21); VI.65 (II.135.18–24); Hom. on Jeremia I.4 (III.3.18–21); Contra Celsum III.61 (I.255.14–17); De prin. IV.2.4 (V.313.3–4 from the Philocalia); and Hom. on Exodus I.5 (VI. 151.4–6).

^{page 225 note 1} Contra Celsum IV.18 (I.287.13–25); Comm. on Matthew XII.31 (X.138.6–11); and Hom. on Genesis VII.1 (VI.71.1–13).

^{page 225 note 2} Contra Celsum VI.67 (II.137.18–21), tr. Henry Chadwick: ‘The true Light, because he is living, knows to whom it will be right to show the radiance, and to whom only light, not showing his brilliance because of the weakness still inherent in the man's eyes.’ De prin. I.2.7 (V.37.14–16); Comm. on John II.15 (IV.71.34–72.4); and Hom. on Leviticus IX.6 (VI.428.19–28).

^{page 225 note 3} De prin. III.1 (from Philocalia); Contra Celsum VIII.15 (II.233.15–18); and Hom. on Numbers XXVII.1. Früchtel, E., ‘Zur Interpretation der Freiheits-problematik im Johanneskommentar des Origenes’, Zeitschrift für Religions- und Geistesgeschichte 26 (1974), pp. 315–317CrossRefGoogle Scholar, considers that co-operation and free decision are necessary to preserve the individual self. But in the greater process, the created will ‘acts in a kind of twilight-state in that it seems to represent a mere moment inwardly of an absolute process’. See Holz, op. cit., p. 84. Sometimes, however, God uses threats and even the demons to jolt man to reason. See De prin. III.3.5 (V.262.4–8); Contra Celsum II.76 (I.198.6–10); and Hom. on Numbers XIII.7 (VII. 118.1–4).

^{page 225 note 4} Hom. on Leviticus IX.6 (VI.428.23–26).

^{page 225 note 5} Vogt, H., Das Kirchverständnis des Origenes (Böhlau, 1974), p. 271, writes: ‘The Church finds everything which it seeks in Scripture. The Holy Scriptures, on the other hand, are written for the purpose of the edification of the Church.’Google Scholar

^{page 225 note 6} Comm. on Song of Songs II.8 (VIII.157.13–16): ‘ It seems to me that the Church is not called the spouse simply from the advent of the saviour, but even from the beginning of the human race and the constitution of the world itself … even before the constitution of the world.’ See Vogt, pp. 205, 207. He disagrees with Bardy, G., La Théologie de l'Église de saint Irénée au concile de Nicée (Paris, 1947), p. 146, who claimed the earthly church was a model of the heavenly.Google Scholar

^{page 226 note 1} Contra Celsum VI.48 (II. 120.1–5).

^{page 226 note 2} ibid.; Comm. on Matthew XII. 10 (X.86.1–12); Hom. on Leviticus IV.4 (VI.319.10–22).

^{page 226 note 3} Contra Celsum VI.2 (II.71.26–72.3; 72.8–11).

^{page 226 note 4} Homilies on Jeremia XIV.18 (III.124.17–125.6); Contra Celsum IV.99 (I.373.8–13). Dupuis, op. cit., p. 210: ‘The return to the primitive state is, for Origen, the precise meaning of “apokatastasis”.’ See also Daniélou, Jean, Origen, tr. Mitchell, W. (New York, 1955), p. 288.Google Scholar

^{page 226 note 5} Comm. on John VI.59 (IV. 167.24–25): ‘The Church, whose adornment is Christ, the first light of the world, is the adornment of the world.’ Vogt, pp. 338–339: “The history of the Church continues until all peoples have the possibility of conversion.’ Nock, pp. 192, 208 and 210 points out that the emphasis on community is a more accurate description of the early Christian way of life than a group of isolated persons trying to imitate Jesus.

^{page 226 note 6} Hom. on Joshua III.5 (VII.307.9).

^{page 227 note 1} Hom. on Numbers XI.4 (VII.83.22–27; 84.3–6); De prin. III.2.4 (V.251.12–19); Contra Celsum V.4. Origen's angelology is fully described in Daniélou, pp. 220–245; Bettencourt, pp. 12–34; and Blanc, Cécile, ‘L'angélologie d'Origène’, Studia Patristica XIV (1976), pp. 79–109.Google Scholar

^{page 227 note 2} De prin. III.2.5 (V.254.1–7); Hom. on Numbers XI.5 (VII.86.5–8); and Comm. on Matthew X.2 (X.3.1–5).

^{page 227 note 3} Comm. on Matthew XIV.21 (X.336.7–11).

^{page 227 note 4} Comm. on the Song of Songs II.3 (VIII.133.18–22); Contra Celsum V.4.

^{page 227 note 5} cf. Crouzel, Théologie de l'image …, p. 211.

^{page 228 note 1} M. Borret, in his introduction to the text and translation of Contra Celsum (Sources chrétiennes 227, 1976), Tome 5, p. 208, points out that the moral superiority of the Christians is one of the most prominent elements in Origen's defense. Aubin also, p. 153, states that conversion has a strongly ethical character in Contra Celsum.

^{page 228 note 2} Contra Celsum IV.64 (I.334.34–335.5), tr. H. Chadwick: ‘Although the nature of some particular individual man is one and the same, things are not always the same where the mind, his reason (logos) and actions (praxis) are concerned. At one time he may not even have the capacity for reason, while at another time his reason is vitiated by evil, and this varies in its extent either more or less; and sometimes he may have been converted to live virtuously and is making more or less progress, and at times reaches perfection and comes to virtue (aretē) itself by more or less contemplation (theōria).’ Note particularly the use Origen makes of ‘more or less’ in his description of the human condition.

^{page 228 note 3} Crouzel, , Origène et la ‘connaissance mystique’ (Bruges, 1961), pp. 375–376Google Scholar, notes that there are two general uses of theōria by Origen, namely, as the act itself which is separate from praxis, and as the activity resulting from it. The first type is more indicative of the third mode of conversion. Dupuis, p. 163, note 9, confirms that praxis and theōria work together. One does not precede the other. But Crouzel also writes, p. 437: ‘L'action est déterminée par la theōria de ce qui est à faire’, which is the basic intent seen in this mode.

^{page 228 note 4} Comm. on John VI.19 (IV.127.29–32).

^{page 229 note 1} For example, Contra Celsum VI.4 (II.73.17–21); IV.26 (I.295.16–25). Cf. M. Harl, Origène et la fonction révélatrice du Verbe incarné (Paris, 1958), p. 314 and 316. Harl writes, p. 317: ‘Despite their beautiful statements about God, the Greek philosophers have stayed by their practices, in the same impiety as their contemporaries.’

^{page 229 note 2} Contra Celsum VII.66 (II.215.18–20, 22–23); VII.63 (II.213.24–27); and Comm. on Matthew XI.15 (X.59.3–6). Crouzel, , Origène et la philosophie (Aubier, 1956); pp. 100–101Google Scholar, affirms that it is the intention of the philosophers, not their acts, which is at the basis of Origen's critique.

^{page 229 note 3} Contra Celsum VI.2 (II.71.26–72.3; 72.8–11). Cf. Crouzel, Origène et la philosophie, p. 133 and Daniélou, pp. 103–104, on the importance of the divine gift in the efficacy of conversion.

^{page 230 note 1} Contra Celsum VI.4 (II.74.3–5). Origen concedes in Contra Celsum IV.30 (I.300.26–31) that certain philosophers may have known God, but they misused the inspiration.

^{page 230 note 2} Origen cites in many passages the sluggish ways of the soul and its tedious progress. For example, see Comm. on Matthew XI.5 (X.41.33–42.3); XI.6 (X.43. 25–29); Comm. on John VI.58 (IV. 166.19–23); Hom. on Numbers X.1 (VII.70.22–28), and Contra Celsum VIII.54–56. On the endless antagonism of this process, see Dupuis, pp. 47–48.

^{page 230 note 3} See, for example, Contra Celsum VI.4 (II.74.3–6).

^{page 230 note 4} Contra Celsum VI.3 (II.73.12–14) and Contra Celsum VI.5 (II.74.22–24). See Plato, Epistle VII, 341C.

^{page 230 note 5} Hom. on Jeremia IV. 1; V.10–11; Hom. on Genesis I.7; Hom. on Numbers XXVII. 3–4; and Hom. on Joshua X.1, 3. Aubin, p. 148, also notes this emphasis by Origen.

^{page 231 note 1} Comm. on Matthew X.9 (X.10. 31–11.2); XI.14 (X.56.15–23); De prin. III.1.15 (V.222.7–17/from the Philocalia); Hom. on Joshua VIII.7 (VII.344.2 ff.). On the role of the teacher, see Vogt, pp. 58–70. He concludes, p. 69: ‘The teacher instructs in the way of the holy life, and transmits the right order of life; he drives away and kills the enemy powers.’ Cf. also Daniélou, p. 47.

^{page 231 note 2} von Balthasar, H. Urs, Parole et mystère chez Origène (Paris, 1957), pp. 26, 35 affirms this.Google Scholar

^{page 231 note 3} Comm. on John II.26 (IV.84.1–6).

^{page 231 note 4} Comm. on John I.25 (IV.31.11–14); Hom. on Genesis I.5 (VI.7.16–19); and I.7 (VI.9.2–3). See Vogt, pp. 209, 216; Harl, p. 337; and Cadiou, p. 87. On the meaning of illumination, see Rahner, Hugo, ‘Mysterium Lunae. Ein Beitrag zur Kirchentheologie der Vaterzeit’, Zeitschrift für katholische Theologie 63 (1939), p. 335.Google Scholar

^{page 231 note 5} Comm. on the Song of Songs III.13 (VIII.218.28–219.1). Moral excellence is linked both to action and to a ‘higher knowledge’. See Crouzel, , Connaissance, pp. 428–430 and 434Google Scholar. The practice of virtue, according to Aubin, p. 146, is a sign that conversion is occurring. The link between virtue and a higher knowledge becomes more important in our discussion of the relation between the mode of conduct and the mode of spirit in the final section of the paper.

^{page 232 note 1} Comm. on John II.19 (IV.76.25–29); II.23 (IV.80.25–28); II.25 (IV.81.33–82.2); II.36 (IV.95.9–12); VI.22 (IV.123.30–133.2), etc.

^{page 232 note 2} Comm. on John VI.6 (IV.115.16–19): ‘Christ is found in every saint, and many christs, who are imitators of him, and formed according to him who is the image of God, arise through the one Christ.’ See also Hom. on Leviticus IV.3 (VI.318.8–12); XII.4 (VI.462.1–4); Comm. on Matthew, ser. 1 (XI.1.12–17); ser. 73 (XI.174.7–11); and Comm. on the Song of Songs III.11 (VIII.178.15–19), and De prin. IV.4.4 (V.354.26–355.9). Cf. Crouzel, Théologie de l'image …, p. 224.

^{page 232 note 3} Hom. on Jeremia IX.4 (III.70.24–26): ‘If the saviour is constantly generated (gennao) by the Father, so also God generates you, if you possess the Spirit of adoption, through each work and thought in the Saviour.’ Exh. to Martyr. XII (I.11.23–13.5). Crouzel, , Théologie de l'image …, pp. 88–89Google Scholar and note 68 comments on this passage: ‘As the Devil generates the sinner through each of his sins, God gives existence to the just according to each of his good actions. And that continual generation of the just is an analogue to the generation of Christ by his Father.’

^{page 232 note 4} Comm. on Matthew XII.24 (X.124.22–125.1).

^{page 232 note 5} Contra Celsum VI.48 (II. 120.1–5).

^{page 232 note 6} Hom. on Leviticus VII.2 (VI.379.5–8): ‘For he wishes to dwell in this body of this Church and in these members of his people as a soul, so that all motions and all works would occur according to his will.’ See Crouzel, Virginité …, p. 16, and Aubin, p. 146.

^{page 233 note 1} Comm. on Matthew XII.24 (X.124.22–125.1).

^{page 233 note 2} cf. Chênevert p. 228.

^{page 233 note 3} Comm. on the Song of Songs, Prologue (VIII. 70.12–17): ‘And because “God is charity”, and the Son, who is “from God”, is charity, he asks something similar to his own in us, so that we might unite this charity, which is in Christ Jesus, “to God”, who is “charity”.’

^{page 233 note 4} Crouzel, , Connaissance, p. 429Google Scholar

^{page 234 note 1} Rius-Camps, , El dinamismo trinitario …, pp. 23–24Google Scholar, has defined grace in Origen as that quality which indicates how much we come to God without our own effort or merit. Also, Crouzel, , Connaissance, p. 113Google Scholar. In the other modes, we have seen how there is a co-operation between man and God through the power of the Logos. In this mode, however, man's power of logos is not as important. ‘Grace’ implies something which occurs outside of man's control or effort.

^{page 235 note 1} Dupuis, p. 174, notes two different aspects of the spiritual life: the progress toward a higher knowledge, and the constant moral battle for holiness. In the conversion process, the turning toward a higher knowledge is ‘conversion to spirit’, while the struggle for holiness, which Dupuis notes is marked by a moral dimension and a concern with practice (p. 172), is more in harmony with the mode of conduct. For conversion as the permanent course of the spiritual life, see Aubin, pp. 149, 151.

^{page 235 note 2} For a developed account of the ‘spirit’ in man and the corresponding texts, see Dupuis, p. 38, and pp. 126–159, and Boada, J., ‘El pneuma en Origenes’, Estudios eclesiásticos 46 (1971), pp. 484–500.Google Scholar

^{page 235 note 3} Comm. on Matthew XII.14 (X.96.33–97.1): ‘For I think that for each virtue of knowledge, some mystery of wisdom which corresponds to the level of virtue is opened up to the one who has lived according to virtue.’ On Prayer I.1 (II.297.15–18), tr. J. O'Meara (The Newman Press, 1954): ‘And who will deny that it is impossible for man to search out “the things that are in heaven”? Yet this impossibility becomes possible through the overflowing grace of God.’ On the necessity of grace for this level, see Rius-Camps, p. 379.

^{page 235 note 4} Dupuis, p. 164, affirms: ‘The action and the “connaissance” do not represent, to speak correctly, successive steps of the spiritual revolution; they are, according to degree, complementary aspects.” When, how and to whom God will bestow grace remains, however, a mystery, according to De prin. III.5.8 (V.279.4–15).

^{page 235 note 5} Contra Celsum II.2 (I.128.12–22), tr. Henry Chadwick: ‘The ultimate reality was that which the Holy Spirit was to teach them.’

^{page 236 note 1} Comm. on John VI.6 (IV.114.34–115.4). Scripture text from John 1.17. On the necessary position of Christ, see Crouzel, Connaissance, p. 335.

^{page 236 note 2} Comm. on the Song of Songs, Prologue 3 (VIII.78.10–19).

^{page 236 note 3} Hom. on Joshua III.2 (VII.303.18–25); Contra Celsum II.2 (I.128.12–22); II.44 (I.166.20–22); II.47 (I.169.1–3); IV.99 (I.373.14–21); Comm. on John VI.6 (IV.114.28–30); and Hom. on Numbers XVI.8 (VII. 150.27–31).

^{page 236 note 4} See, for example, the works by De Lubac, Histoire et esprit, pp. 191–194; Crouzel, Origène et la ‘connaissance mystique’; Harl, , Origène et la fonction révélatrice du Verbe incarné, p. 342Google Scholar; Rius-Camps, , El dinamismo trinitario …, pp. 349–354Google Scholar; Dupuis, , L'esprit de l'homme’ …, pp. 161–171Google Scholar; Lieske, A., Die Theologie der Logosmystik bei Origenes (Münster, 1938)Google Scholar; Bardy, G., ‘Origène’, in the Dictionnaire de théologie catholique XI, 1489–1565Google Scholar; and Völker, W., Das Volkommenheitsideal des Origenes (Tübingen, 1931).Google Scholar

^{page 237 note 1} Comm. on John VI.19 (IV. 128.25–27). See Dupuis, p. 171, note 44.

^{page 237 note 2} Hom. on Joshua XIII.4 (VII.374.20–24): ‘Let us at last be capable of achieving the inheritance of the holy land, partaking in the lot of the Israelites, so that, after destroying and diminishing all the enemies among us, not one will remain from them who breathes in us; but the spirit of Christ alone will breathe in us through our works, our words, and our understanding of spiritual things, according to the teaching of Jesus Christ …’ Christ governs the irrational and rules the ‘senses’ (aisthêsis) in Hom. on Jeremia V.6 (III.36.18–23, 25–26).

^{page 237 note 3} Hom. on Joshua XXIV.3 (VII.451.4–11); Comm. on Matthew X.14 (X.17.28–31); and Comm. on John II.16 (IV.73.14–18).

^{page 237 note 4} Contra Celsum VI.39 (II.43.22–44.2), tr. H. Chadwick: ‘We say that this Logos dwelt in the soul of Jesus and was united with it in a closer union than that of any other soul …’ On the union of Jesus with the Logos, see Hom. on Genesis VIII.9 (VI.84.23–28) and Contra Celsum II.9 (I.136.30–32). On Christ's power to convert, see Harl, pp. 210 and 330–331. Harl writes, p. 201, that Origen frequently stresses the flesh as a ‘veil’ which conceals the divinity of the Word, and concludes, p. 204: ‘The consequence of Origen's ideas on Christ is this: The Word made flesh is the Revealer to the degree he ceases, for us, to be flesh.’

^{page 237 note 5} Comm. on John I.17 (IV.22.19–22); I.18 (IV.23.2–5). Crouzel, , in Théologie de l'image …, p. 228Google Scholar, writes: ‘It shows that the imitation of the Logos or the formation according to him designates not only a conformation which stands extrinsically, but that the likeness of Christ is a veritable presence of Christ in us.’

^{page 237 note 6} De prin. I.3.6 (V.57.10–11), tr. G. Butterworth: ‘Christ is in the heart of all men, in virtue of his being the Word or Reason, by sharing in which men are rational.’

^{page 237 note 7} Contra Celsum IV.3 (I.275.29–276.2); Comm. on John I.33 (IV.43.13–15); and I.34 (IV.43.30–44.3).

^{page 237 note 8} Comm. on John II.16 (IV.73.14–18); II.26 (IV.83.25–84.2); and De prin. IV. 1.2 (V.296.3–5/from the Philocalia).

^{page 238 note 1} De prin. IV.4.9 (V.363.1–3), tr. G. Butterworth: ‘We must acknowledge a diversity of participation in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, varying in proportion to the earnestness of the soul and the capacity of the mind.’ See D. Balas, op. cit., pp. 270–272 on Origen's notion of participation. See also Crouzel, , Connaissance, pp. 508–509Google Scholar. I might add that the activity of participation describes the divine role in conversion.

^{page 238 note 2} De prin. I.3.8 (V.61.5–11, 20–62.5) indicates the higher gift of wisdom given through the sanctification of the Holy Spirit. Rius-Camps, pp. 22 ff., notes that participation in the Holy Spirit also renews one for participation in the Son and Father in a higher sense.

^{page 238 note 3} Hom. on Numbers VIII.1 (VII.52.21–24). Aubin, p. 145, points out that metanoia is necessary before epistrophê. It would seem more accurate, however, to say that repentance occurs simultaneously with epistrophê, so that repentance is a part of the conversion process.

^{page 238 note 4} Comm. on Matthew XII.24 (X. 124.22–25.1): ‘I am persuaded that every practice of the perfect one is a witness to Jesus Christ, and that abstinence from every sin is a denial of oneself which leads one after Christ.’ Comm. on Matthew XIII. 18 (X.227.11–21, 27–31) indicates that the Holy Spirit is the example of humility for us.

^{page 239 note 1} Hom. on Joshua III.2 (VII.303.18–23): ‘Although penitence and conversion from evil to good may be preached through the Lord and Saviour, and remission of sins may be given to all those who believe, and all things which seem to tend toward the perfection of the decade may be accomplished, nevertheless, the perfection of all good things consists in this: if after all these things, one can merit to receive the grace of the Holy Spirit.’ Cf. Dupuis, p. 225.

^{page 239 note 2} Hom. on Exodus VII.8 (VI.215.6–14); Hom. on Genesis I.6 (VI.7.11–21); Hom. on Leviticus VI.6 (VI.369.21–370.10); and Hom. on Numbers XXVI.7 (VII.254.11–16). According to Vogt, p. 281, Origen elevates the preaching of the Word over the sacraments as converting agents. For Origen's views on the sacraments, see Daniélou, pp. 52–72.

^{page 239 note 3} Hom. on Jeremia IV.6 (III.29.22–30) and Hom. on Leviticus VI.6 (VI.370.4–10). See Goegler, op. cit., pp. 284–285; Aubin, p. 147; and Harl, p. 278.

^{page 239 note 4} De prin. IV.2.7 (V.319.1–3/from the Philocalia); Comm. on Matthew X.14 (X.17.18–20); De prin. IV.2.9 (V.321.11–15/from the Philocalia); Hom. on Genesis XI.3 (VI. 105.13–24); and On Prayer XXV.1 (II.357.8–13), tr. by J. O'Meara: ‘And by the kingdom of God, I believe, is meant the happy enthronement of reason and the rule of wise counsels; and by the kingdom of Christ, the saving words that reach those who hear, and the accomplished works of justice and the other virtues. For the Son of God is Word and Justice.’ See Crouzel, , Connaissance, p. 323, and Dupuis, p. 165.Google Scholar