Commentary on the Gospel According to John, Books 1-10

by Origen, Ronald E. Heine (Translator)

Origen composed at least thirty-two books of a commentary on the Gospel according to John, at the request of St. Ambrose of Milan. Of these, only nine books are extant in almost complete form, although we have selections of others persevered in other collections of the works of Origen. The commentary proceeds verse by verse, and is particularly notable for its emphasis on the spiritual meaning of the Gospel. This volume contains books 1,2,6, and 10, and fragments of books 4 and 5. Origen's main interest is the allegorical interpretation of the Gospel according to John, which makes this an important work in the study of Origen's mystical thought. A secondary interest is the refutation of Valentinian gnosticism. According to Eusebius, Ambrose had been a Valentinian before his conversion by Origen, and Origen refers to the Gnostic writer Heracleon regularly throughout the commentary in order to refute his views. Although the refutation of Heracleon may have been a stimulus for the composition of this work, Origen moved beyond this goal in order to present a commentary on the Gospel which would appeal to the growing number of educated Christians who wanted a scientific exegesis. The author's writing covers a wide range of historical, theological, philosophical and etymological topics, all focused on this Gospel of "spiritual food." "We might dare to say," Origen says as he begins his commentary, "that the Gospels are the first-fruits of all Scriptures, but that the first-fruits of the Gospels is that according to John. How great must be our understanding, that we may be able to understand in a worthy manner the word which is stored up in the earthen treasures of paltry language." The Spirit-led exegete can thus draw out of the words and symbols a higher level of insight. This "spiritual gospel" is the reality of which Christ's acts were symbols; it is the secrets hidden in the mysteries of Christ's words.

Genres: Christianity, Religion, Theology, Biblical Studies

320 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2000

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

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not read by many today. Interesting to see what issues and disputes existed at the time when this book was written compared to what theologians say today. Origen believed Matthew was the first gospel, whereas Mark is generally considered first today. He believed Hebrews was written by Paul, although modern critics believe the author is unknown. He quotes from Paul’s letters as if they were scripture, even though they weren’t accepted as scripture until much later.

[w gall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though Origen was prodigious in his scholarship, many of his suppositions were rejected by councils of Church Fathers in the following centuries. In this commentary, he attempts, by means of his allegorical methods, to interpret key portions of the initial two chapters of the Gospel of John in terms of the wider context of all the Holy Scriptures. Such things cannot be determined by one man's reasonings, however erudite he may be. He may be excused on account of the fact that he lived during the times of intense Roman persecution of the Church, before the times of relative peace when Church councils focused on the various controversial theological and christological beliefs that pertain to crucial issues that relate to salvation and came to conclusions about them. His commentary has led me to think more deeply about the scriptural passages he addressed.

[Christian Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

The intersection of Greek and Christian thought for Origen is evident in this commentary. The beauty of how he articulates the eternal Logos is something that has impacted Christian theology, often times without theologians knowing it, to this day. While not always agreeable, his allegorical interpretation of the first chapters of the Gospel bring helpful insight into understand the fullness of the Scriptures and the prophecies about the Messiah. This work is helpful personally as it shows the connection between Old and New Testament, specially with John the Baptist.