This article presents a short summary of the person Origen as a preacher and outlines his homiletic activity. This creates a prerequisite for entry into specific homilies on the book of Exodus (homily IX and XIII), which shows his exegetical skills, allegorical method, and different approaches to the art of updating the biblical text to the audience. The Homilies on Exodus IX and XIII on the tabernacle were popular among the Fathers of the Church, the Jewish authors and the rabbis. This article provides a basic orientation necessary for understanding Origen’s preaching activities and points to the undoubtedly original view in the patristic exegesis on the Mosaic tabernacle. It also shows the interpretative differences between two homilies and points up the caution of the Alexandrian with respect to the audience when he is opening deeper theological themes.
The philosophical concept of apokatastasis means literally restoration of the primal state of things. This concept may be considered in philosophy both in cosmic categories as a reconstitution of the primordial order of cosmos and also in reference to beings, denoting then restoration of their primeval state. A good example of the latter form of the concept apokatastasis gives Stoic and Christian philosophy with reference to human and rational beings. Origen was the first Christian philosopher, who integrated the concept apokatastasis in his thought system. However controversial, the concept did not cease to exist in Christian thought after his death, regardless of the multiple condemnations addressed to it. The Cappadocian Fathers, and especially Gregory of Nyssa, are a good example of thinkers who followed Origen in his eschatological believes. It is especially important that the Cappadocians became very influential in terms of development of philosophy, theology and spirituality of the 4th and later centuries, especially with reference to the Easter Church. Gregory of Nyssa seems to be among Cappadocians the most speculative mind, striving to synthesize and systematize Christian thought. The concept of apokatastasis - universal salvation - was continued on the ground of Christian thought, however it was considerably modified, just as the philosophical-theological background change. Already in the though of Gregory of Nyssa, 100 years after Origen, apokatastasis was significantly altered, since the philosopher form Nyssa. Preexistence combined the soul with its fall, transmigration was one of the elements of divine pedagogy in the thought of Origen. Rejection of preexistence meant a necessity to accept some kind of theory of heritage of the primal sin. Rejection of transmigration led to the conclusion that human being has a very limited time to conversion or to the redefinition of the concept of expiation after death. In such situation in the concept of apokatastasis is seen an idea of amnesty, which goes together with still alive hope for the final, free and universal conversion of rational beings. Somehow the anatomy of the concept of eternal return was changed. A
Catechetical institutions were established even in ancient Christianity. They were so-called theological schools, also called - among others by Eusebius - catechetical schools. They were founded by Christian thinkers, philosophers, who in this way wanted to make a contribution to evangelization. We know that such a school in Rome in the middle of the 2nd century was run by St Justin. However, the schools in Alexandria and the Palestinian Caesarea, and especially Origen's educational and catechetical work in them, are best known. Both the Alexandrian and Caesarean schools raise discussions about their character among scholars. At present the opinion is dominant that not so much a catechetical school expressis verbis should be seen in them, but rather a missionary school for young people of pagan origin sympathizing with Christianity, where a kind of introduction to Christian religion was taught, and the teaching started from the common foundation of Greek philosophy. As such, it taught theological truths, preparing the pupils to pre-baptismal catechesis.
The paper compares the two oldest interpretations of the Gospel pericope about the rich young man, the homily of Clement of Alexandria Quis dives salvetur? and part of Origen’s Commentary on Matthew. The first part of the paper presents three principles of biblical hermeneutics, which are common to both authors, and at the same time highlights the different approaches in practical work with the biblical text, based on the differences in literary genres. It notes that both authors consider a literal interpretation of the word of Jesus insufficient, and therefore pay great attention to the allegorical, respectively other possible interpretations. The second part of the paper proposes seven points of contact in the interpretation of individual verses, which establish the similarity of both texts but also illustrate the differences in approach by their authors.
In Origen's Commentaries on the Song of Songs, Holiness of the Church seems to be above all (if not exclusively) holiness of the 'ecclesiastical souls' purged by their proximity to Christ. Although Origen presents the Church as 'black and comely' bride he does not mean that she would be both holy and sinful, as it is the case in the works of some other Christian interpreters.
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