Ancient Christian Writers: 26 - Origen: The Song of Songs - Commentary and Homilies

Ancient Christian Writers #26

by Origen, R.P. Lawson (Translator)

Il Commento Al cantico dei cantici di Origene, pervenutoci solo in parte e nella traduzione latina di Rufino, è non soltanto uno dei capolavori letterari e teologici della mistica cristiana antica, ma anzi uno degli scritti fondativi della teologia mistica e della spiritualità cristiana di tutti i tempi. Quel dramma d'amore che lo sposo e la sposa si cantano null'altro e di cui il Cantico è il più alto racconto che la tradizione giudeo-cristiana mai abbia avuto si rivela essere la cerimonia in cui si celebrano le nozze mistiche del divino Figlio e della Chiesa tutta, o dell'anima. Il cantico risulta essere, dell'analisi di origine, un monumentale, architettonico affresco della vita dell'anima, anzi spettacolo tragico in cui si susseguono le alterne vicende dell'anima: la sua eterna origine in Dio, la sua caduta, il desiderio del Figlio e il suo finale ritorno a lui. Primo volume della collana "Theánthropos" - testi E studi sulle cristianesimo antico, che accoglie i testi fondamentali della spiritualità cristiana dei primi secoli e i più recenti, significativi studi critici su di essa.

Genres: Religion, Theology, Spirituality, Christianity, Mysticism, Christian, Philosophy

386 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1957

About the author

Origen of Alexandria (c. 184 – c. 253), also known as Origen Adamantius, was an early Christian scholar, ascetic, and theologian who was born and spent the first half of his career in Alexandria. He was a prolific writer who wrote roughly 2,000 treatises in multiple branches of theology, including textual criticism, biblical exegesis and biblical hermeneutics, homiletics, and spirituality. He was one of the most influential figures in early Christian theology, apologetics, and asceticism. He has been described as "the greatest genius the early church ever produced".

Reviews

[Ted · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I think Origen's commentary on The Song of Songs is one of the most significant writings from the Patristic era, I personally don't find it an interesting read because for me you have to be willing to constantly suspend judgment and just go wherever Origen goes with his thinking. It strikes me he is quite humble in his attitude toward his own interpretation and frequently offers alternative interpretations to his comments, and he offers up his writing to the judgment of the readers and admits at times he might be wrong or that he is offering his best interpretation though he realizes it may be inadequate. But he also builds upon each of his previous statements and so if you don't accept some of his premises you end up not being willing to follow his line of thinking. He is masterful in his knowledge of the Scriptures. What is so significant about this commentary is that I do believe it exactly is the Song of Songs which confronted the Patristic writers and saved them from becoming biblical literalists. Right in the Scriptures is this erotic love song (or love drama as Origen reads it) which due to their moralism made the Fathers uncomfortable and pushed them to look for a non-literal reading of the text. They couldn't read this text as they might have wanted to read the Bible. This text then gave them the inspiration to look more deeply into each of the books of the Bible for the hidden or spiritual meaning which God placed there as they realized The Song wasn't exceptional in this way but rather pointed out that all of the Scriptures needed to be read with layers of meaning in mind with the literal reading often being the least important. Read the Gospels and you see the Apostles could not understand the parables of Jesus and had to ask for explanations of them - the parables and poetry and prophecies of the Bible do not have self-evident meanings and must be interpreted and explained. This the Fathers came to realize was true of the entire corpus of scriptural texts. The Song of Songs revealed this to the early church. The commentaries on the Song of Songs was their effort to rescue a text they could see was plainly erotic and they were convinced that could not have been God's intention, but in figuring out how to read the Song as Scripture (it has a hidden or spiritual meaning) they gained insight in how to read all of Scripture. It is all about Christ and must be read through that lens.

[Ephrem Arcement · Rating 5 out of 5]

The brilliant mind of Origen dazzles in his highly original interpretation of the Song of Songs and paves a way for Christian mysticism in the process.

[Travis Johnston · Rating 3 out of 5]

Still just as lost on this read.

[John Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just can't come around to Origen's way of reading the Bible. His "surface" reading of passages, in this case the Song of Songs, is far too simplistic, and his "meaning" reading is far too symbolic. For him, all the Bible must be reframed from the lens of Christ--there is no real meaning of any passage unless Christ. So reading Christ symbolically into the Song of Songs doesn't just give it new or added meaning but gives the song its only meaning. What?

Even with his surface reading, which he always has the generosity to provide, doesn't lend credence to the obvious nature of the song: a poem. Origen tries to reduce and simplify it into a story that needs to make sense. For example, if in one verse the bridegroom is inside the house, and then the next verse he's leaping over hills, Origen thinks it necessary to explain how and why the bridegroom may have exited the house and how it could be said he is leaping over hills. He also needs to explain who is talking all the time, and why. Origen's spiritual, symbolic meaning, as well, needs to have a consistent story to it. I mean, it's a poem. It's an actual song. Do poems and songs need to make sense in the way Origen tries to make sense of it? Absolutely not.

I also think we lose quite a bit when we trample over the original and intended meanings of a text. Is it interesting, perhaps useful and inspiring, to ask what these verses (or any verses) might mean if we look at them from a purely symbolic and Christ-centered view? Yes, of course. Absolutely. But those readings shouldn't precede and negate any others. Yet that seems to be exactly what Origen intends.

[Santiago González · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es una de las obras más influyentes de la historia. Como muchos otros genios se pasa de rosca a veces pero se nota que es la obra de un hombre inteligentísimo y genial.
Brutal como tenía toda la biblia memorizada para hacer conexiones y también cómo a menudo está comprometido estaba por trazar el sentido literal de esta obra tan alegórica (aunque de forma algo distinta a los métodos actuales) .

[Robert Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am extremely sad that Origen's full commentary and series of homiles on Song of Songs. I'm even more sad that almost nothing exists in Greek except for fragments in Procopius and others. I really appreciate this translation by Lawson. It is clear and has very helpful endnotes.

[Kerstin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting from a historical perspective. But I thought it was hard to read and didn't love it. Interesting at moments. Odd at others.