Theological Themes in Origen’s First Homily on Psalm 76 (77) and Their Subsequent Reception

Abstract

The collection of Origen’s presumably last works, the 29 homilies on the Psalms, was recently discovered and published in 2015. In the homily on Psa 76:1-9, we can find threads of the theology of spirituality intertwined with more systematic speculations. The sanctifying action of the Logos comes here to the fore. God-Logos enables the Christian to sacrifice himself fully with his mind, tongue and all his senses. The Word, which has been living for ages in the womb of the Father, educates the human word, liable to agitation, to silence. Origen looks for a cure in afflictions. He finds it in the image of hands outstretched to God and in constant reminding of Him. The Psalmist ponders “the ancient days” and “the eonic years” and asks if God can reject man forever (Psa 76:6–8). In his commentary, Origen seems to refer to his speculations from much earlier years, known from the work On First Principles, in which he expressed views on the preexistence of rational beings, preceding the present world, and the multiple transformation of worlds. Are these speculative threads still present in his last work? The article tries to explain Origen’s statements and understand them properly.

Keywords

• Origen
• Psalm 77 (76)
• God–Logos
• patristic exegesis
• preexistence of souls
• apocatastasis