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Origen ca.
A. D. 185 - ca. 254
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 The
Text of I Corinthians in the Writings of Origen (New
Testament in the Greek Fathers, No. 4)
by Darrell
D. Hannah. This book reconstructs as much of Origen's
text of 1 Corinthians as is possible by collecting all the
citations, allusions and adaptations of the epistle from
Origen's works. The analysis of these variant readings
demonstrates that Origen's text is closely related to that of
the Alexandrian witnesses, especially codices Vaticanus,
Sinaiticus, and Ephraemi. Origen demonstrably gave little if any
preference to the so called "primary Alexandrians"
over the "secondary Alexandrians" and, further, his
text is a great deal closer to the Byzantine text-type than to
the Western text-type. This Byzantine element of Origen's text,
the author argues, most probably arises from those readings
which the Byzantine text-type shares with the Alexandrian. In
addition to its other contributions, Hannah's painstaking work
suggests that scholars need to re-examine the widespread use of
the sub-categories "primary" and "secondary"
Alexandrians..
 Click
here to learn more about this book
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From the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Excerpt:
Origen, one of the most distinguished of the Fathers
of the early Church, was born, probably at Alexandria, about 182; and
died at Caesarea not later than 251. His full name was apparently
Origenes Adamantius; and he received from his father, Leonides, thorough
instruction in the Bible and in elementary studies. But in 202 the
outbreak of the persecution of Septimius Severus robbed Origen of his
father, whom he sought to follow in martyrdom, being prevented only by a
ruse of his mother. The death of Leonides left the family of nine
impoverished, their property being confiscated. Origen, however, was
taken under the protection of a woman of wealth and standing; but as her
household already included a heretic named Paul, the strictly orthodox
Origen seems to have remained with her but a short time. Since his
father's teaching enabled him also to give elementary instruction, he
revived, in 203, the catechetical school at, whose last teacher,
Clement, was apparently driven out by the persecution. But the
persecution still raged, and the young teacher unceasingly visited the
prisoners, attended the courts, and comforted the condemned, himself
preserved from harm as if by a miracle. His fame and the number of his
pupils increased rapidly, so that Demetrius, bishop of Alexandria, made
him restrict himself to instruction in Christian doctrine alone. Origen,
to be entirely independent, sold his library for a sum which netted him
a daily income of 4 obols (about twelve cents) on which he lived by
exercising the utmost frugality...
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Excerpt:
Origen is generally considered the greatest theologian
and biblical scholar of the early Eastern church. He was probably born
in Egypt, perhaps in Alexandria, to a Christian family. His father
Leonides had given him an excellent literary education. His father died
in the persecution of 202, and he himself narrowly escaped the same
fate. At the age of 18, Origen was appointed to succeed Clement of
Alexandria as head of the catechetical school of Alexandria, where he
had been a student...
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From the Gnostic Society Library
Excerpt:
THE first book of our answer to the treatise of Celsus,
entitled A True Discourse, which con-eluded with the representation of
the Jew addressing Jesus, having now extended to a sufficient length, we
intend the present part as a reply to the charges brought by him against
those who have been converted from Judaism to Christianity. And we call
attention, in the first place, to this special question, viz., why
Celsus, when he had once resolved upon the introduction of individuals
upon the stage of his book, did not represent the Jew as addressing the
converts from heathenism rather than those from Judaism, seeing that his
discourse, if directed to us, would have appeared more likely to produce
an impression. But probably this claimant to universal knowledge does
not know what is appropriate in the matter of such representations; and
therefore let us proceed to consider what he has to say to the converts
from Judaism. He asserts that "they have forsaken the law of their
fathers, in consequence of their minds being led captive by Jesus; that
they have been most ridiculously deceived, and that they have become
deserters to another name and to another mode of life." Here he has
not observed that the Jewish converts have not deserted the law of their
fathers, inasmuch as they live according to its prescriptions, receiving
their very name from the poverty of the law, according to the literal
acceptation of the word; for Ebion signifies "poor" among the
Jews, and those Jews who have received Jesus as Christ are called by the
name of Ebionites...
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From Universalism: The Prevailing Doctrine Of The
Christian Church During Its First Five Hundred Years by J. W. Hanson, D.
D. 1899
Excerpt:
Origen Adamantius was born of Christian parents, in
Alexandria, A.D. 185. He was early taught the Christian religion, and
when a mere boy could recite long passages of Scripture from memory.
During the persecution by Septimus Severus, A.D. 202, his father,
Leonides, was imprisoned, and the son wrote to him not to deny Christ
out of tenderness for his family, and was only prevented from
surrendering himself to voluntary martyrdom by his mother, who hid his
clothes. Leonides died a martyr. In the year 203, then but eighteen
years of age, Origen was appointed to the presidency of the theological
school in Alexandria, a position left vacant by the flight of Clement
from heathen persecution. He made himself proficient in the various
branches of learning, traveled in the Orient and acquired the Hebrew
language for the purpose of translating the Scriptures. His fame
extended in all directions. He won eminent heathens to Christianity, and
his instructions were sought by people of all lands. He renounced all
but the barest necessities of life, rarely eating flesh, never drinking
wine, slept on the naked floor, and devoted the greater part of the
night to prayer and study. Eusebius says that he would not live upon the
bounty of those who would have been glad to maintain him while he was at
work for the world's good, and so he disposed of his valuable library to
one who would allow him the daily pittance of four obols; and rigidly
acted on our Lord's precept not to have "two coats, or wear shoes,
and to have no anxiety for the morrow."...
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Translated by William A. Curtis
A unique translation from the original Greek of the
second century spiritual master Origen, developed and handed down by a renown
Scottish scholar and made available nearly one hundred years later on this
Web site in memory of Dr. Charles Ashanin whose last days were devoted to
this project.
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Origen: Online Texts
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