Origen, Homilies on Jeremiah — Homily 5
Greek source: Origen, Homilies on Jeremiah (Ὁμιλίαι εἰς τὸν Ἰερεμίαν), from the public-domain critical text of Erich Klostermann, GCS 6 = Origenes Werke III (Leipzig, 1901); digital text accessed via the First1KGreek project. This English translation is released into the public domain.
[§1] It is clearly written in the Acts of the apostles that the apostles first went into the synagogue of the Jews, proclaiming to them, as to kinsmen through Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the things written concerning the coming of Jesus Christ. But when, since those men would not receive what was said, it was necessary that there should be other hearers of what was spoken, then, having defended their cause to them, they left them behind; for it is written: "It was necessary that the word of God should be proclaimed to you; but since you judge yourselves unworthy, behold, we turn to the nations." And this thing, though it is clearly stated in the Acts of the apostles, is in effect said in many places also by the prophets. For the Holy Spirit first speaks through the prophets to those of that people, but if ever, after it has said much, it is not heard, it prophesies the word that is proclaimed to the nations.
And this very thing has come about at the beginning of today's reading, since before it there is said, to those of Israel, the words: "Even if you call me Father, yet from me you shall not be turned away. But as a wife plays false against him who is with her, so has the house of Israel played false against me, says the Lord." And when these things concerning Israel had been said first, and the sons of Israel had heard "that they did wrong in their ways and forgot God their holy one," next the Holy Spirit transfers the word to us who are of the nations and says: "Turn back, you turning sons, and I will heal your fractures." For we are the ones filled with fractures — so each might say, even if now he has been cleansed and healed from the fractures — "for we too were once foolish, foolish, going astray, enslaved to lusts and to many and various pleasures, passing our lives in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another; but when the kindness and love toward man of God our Savior appeared, through the washing of regeneration he poured out his mercy upon us." And yet, having once mentioned that apostolic saying, I will try to set it forth more plainly. For he did not say: "we were once foolish, disobedient" (only of the nations); but Paul, the apostle, the one from Israel, the one who "became blameless as regards the righteousness that is in the law," says: "for we too" (those from Israel) "were once disobedient, foolish"; so that not only those of the nations were foolish, nor were those of the nations alone disobedient, nor were those alone sinners, but we also who have been taught the law happened to be such before the coming of Christ. Therefore, after the things spoken to Israel, it is said to us who are of the nations: "Turn back, you turning sons, and I will heal your fractures."
[§2] But someone will say: these things were spoken to Israel, and you are dragging them over onto those of the nations. We wish to show that not after many words, but immediately, wherever he wishes to speak to Israel the things concerning turning back, he adds the name of Israel. In what follows, at any rate, it is said: "If Israel turns back to me, says the Lord, then he shall be turned back; and if he removes his abominations out of his mouth, and stands in awe before my face, and swears, 'The Lord lives,' in truth and in judgment and in righteousness, then the nations shall be blessed in him." The first words, then, were spoken to those of the nations; and then, since, "when the fullness of the nations enters, then all Israel shall be saved," according to what is said by the apostle in the Epistle to the Romans. Notice in what manner God on the one hand exhorts us who are turning to turn back completely, promising that if, "turning," we turn back to him, he will heal our "fractures" through Jesus Christ; and we on the other hand, answering — we who do not delay nor are slow concerning salvation as that Israel was — say: "Here we are, we will be yours." God said: "Turn back, you turning sons, and I will heal your fractures"; and those of the nations say: "We will be servants," we who were not formerly "yours," but belonged to demons, but chanced to be under the opposing powers. For "when the Most High divided the nations," we came to be not your portion, nor a measured cord of your inheritance together with the people of Jacob, but we became the portions of others; yet even we who once became the portions of others, when you have said to us "Turn back, you turning sons, and I will heal your fractures," answer: "Here we are"; for this alone we were awaiting — the call. Not as those men were called and made excuses, do we, being called, make excuses. For we have it in the parables of the Gospel that, when certain men had first been called, "the one said, 'I have married a wife, hold me excused,' and another, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, I am going to test them, hold me excused.'" We, then, who are of the nations, were not called and make excuses in that way. Why? Over what field, that we should be busied about it? Over what wise wife? But over what other thing might we be occupied?
God, then, has said to us: "Turn back, you turning sons, and I will heal your fractures"; and, seeing our own fractures and the promise concerning healing, we immediately answer and say: "Behold, we will be yours, for you are the Lord our God." Having heard, then, and having said "we will be yours," let us remember that we promised to God, saying to him "we will be yours"; and, having said to him "we will be yours," let us belong to no other, let us not belong to a spirit of anger, nor to a spirit of grief, nor to a spirit of lust, let us not belong to the devil, nor to his angels; but having been called and having said "Behold, we will be yours," let us show by our works that, having promised to become his, we have dedicated ourselves to no other than to him. And we say: "for you are the Lord our God"; for we confess no other god — not the belly, as the gluttons do, "whose god is the belly"; not silver, as the lovers of money do, and greed, which is idolatry; nor do we deify and make a god of any other thing, of the sort the many make gods; but for us the God who is over all things, "the God over all, through all, and in all," is God, and since we are attached to the love toward God — for love glues us to God — we say: "Behold, here we are, we will be yours, for you are the Lord our God."
[§3] Then, having condemned our former evils — when we thought the idols great and lofty things, and worshipped and regarded as wonderful the things we served; but now have condemned them, judging that all those things were false and were nothing — we say, turning back: "Truly the hills were for a lie," we too having condemned our former lofty things and our former wonders. And perhaps, if we exercise some skill, we shall find the difference between the hills and the mountains among the nations, which, having forsaken, those who said "Behold, here we are, we will be yours, for you are the Lord our God" accuse them as false, both the hills and the mountains. What, then, is the difference between the mountains and the hills among the nations, which, having condemned, we say: "Truly the hills were for a lie, and the power of the mountains"? This we say, having condemned our former things. Of the objects of worship among the nations, some are worshipped as gods, and some as heroes. For they themselves confess concerning certain of them that they were formerly men and were deified. They worship Heracles not as a god by birth, but as one changed from a man into a god; they worship Asclepius as one who, from among men, on account of virtue, was changed into a god. But whenever they worship the fathers of these, named gods among them, they worship them not as having changed from men into gods, but, as those men suppose, as being gods from the beginning. Those, then, who are reckoned by the nations to be gods from the beginning will be the mountains and "the power of the mountains," while those reckoned among them now to be gods, but formerly to have been men, these are "the hills."
Having come to know, then, both ranks of the objects of worship, "truly the hills were for a lie, and the power of the mountains." For those who serve them do not suppose that these things are false. On this account they think that the oracles and the cures are true cures, not seeing the difference between all "power and signs and wonders of falsehood, in all deceit of unrighteousness among those who are perishing," and every power of signs and wonders of truth. For the things which Christ Jesus did, these were signs of truth, and, before him, the things which Moses did were a power of truth. But the things which the Egyptians did were indeed signs and wonders, but of falsehood. And so also the things which Simon the magician did after Jesus, so as to lead astray the nation of Samaria and to be reckoned to be a power of God — these too were signs and wonders of falsehood. When, therefore, we condemn those things, we who have condemned them say: "Truly the hills were for a lie, and the power of the mountains."
[§4] Then, since we who are of the nations know that "by the trespass of Israel we received a way of salvation," and that they have been cast outside until our fullness enters, and since we know that if "the fullness of the nations enters, after this all Israel shall be saved," for this reason we say first the words "truly the hills were for a lie, and the power of the mountains," and second, concerning Israel who shall be saved after the fullness of the nations: "yet through the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel." And since we once mentioned the apostolic text which says that "by the trespass by which Israel fell aside, salvation has come to the nations," and that when "the fullness of the nations enters," while Israel remains outside, after the entering fullness of the nations "then all Israel shall be saved," come, let us unfold the matters touching these passages. There was an Israel being saved. The greater part of Israel fell away, but "a remnant according to the election of grace has come to be," concerning which remnant it is mystically said "in Elijah": "I have left for myself seven thousand men, who have not bent the knee to Baal." And, interpreting concerning this remnant, the apostle says: "So then also in the present time a remnant according to the election of grace has come to be." Therefore Israel — even if a remnant being saved — the rest of Israel having been left behind. These two ranks, if you are able, transfer for me also onto those of the nations. For he did not say: when all the nations are saved, then all Israel shall be saved; but "when the fullness of the nations enters, then all Israel shall be saved": not some Israel shall be saved after all the nations, but after "the fullness of the nations." If anyone is able, let him henceforth, just as he found Israel being saved after the fullness of the nations, having passed over by the word, consider when all shall serve — according to what is said — "God under one yoke, and from the ends of Ethiopia sacrifices"; when, as is said in the sixty-seventh Psalm: "Ethiopia shall stretch out her hand before God," and the word gives command to the kingdoms "of the earth," saying: "Sing to the Lord, make music to the God of Jacob."
[§5] Therefore we who are of the nations say, concerning ourselves, repenting over the false things which we thought to be true: "Truly the hills were for a lie, and the power of the mountains"; and concerning Israel who shall be saved after us: "yet through the Lord our God is the salvation of the house of Israel." Then, confessing concerning the sins in which both our fathers came to be and we ourselves, worshipping idols, we say: "But shame has consumed the toils of our fathers from their youth, their sheep and their oxen, their sons and their daughters." "Shame has consumed the toils of our fathers," and the rest of what is said. If, then, the wretched toil and the false work of the fathers is to be consumed, shame must come about; for before shame the toil of the fathers is not consumed, and the things brought in after. On this account let us consider the differences of those who sin. There are those who sin and are not ashamed nor feel any shame over their sins, nor blush. Such are those who have become past feeling and have given themselves over to all licentiousness and all uncleanness. For look at those of the nations, in what manner they at times recount their fornications and their adulteries as though they were deeds of valor, not even ashamed to confess that they have done such things, and they do not call them sins. Insofar as they are not ashamed, their toils are not consumed. Their sins are not consumed. It is the beginning of good things that a man be ashamed of the things of which he was not ashamed. On this account I do not think that a curse is being spoken in the prophets in the words "Let all who hate Zion be put to shame and turned back." For he prays that those who are without perception of the works of shame may come to a sense of it, so that, being ashamed, they may be able to consume their toils and their sins.
[§6] And the irrational motions of the fathers he called "sheep" and "calves." For not all irrational things are praiseworthy; but there are certain irrational things that are blameworthy, such as the sheep of the fathers who have sinned; and there are certain irrational things that are praiseworthy, as: "My sheep hear my voice." These too were sheep, to which we have reason analogous, having the good shepherd in our souls. For whenever the Savior says, "I am the good shepherd," I do not hear it only as all hear it, that he is a shepherd of those who believe (for this too is sound and true), but also in my own soul I ought to have Christ within me, within me the good shepherd, shepherding the irrational motions within me, so that they may no longer go out to pasture at random, but, being led by the shepherd, these things which once chanced to be alien to him may become his own. On this account now, if the shepherd is in me, he rules over my senses; they are no longer under an alien mind, or under Pharaoh, or under Nebuchadnezzar, but under the good shepherd.
[§7] "Shame," then, "has consumed the toils of our fathers from their youth, their sheep and their oxen." There is something in us that farms us, whether farming us badly — to speak of the "badly" as concerning the one farming — or farming well. If, then, it farms badly, it is a toil of the fathers being consumed by their shame; but if it farms well, it is not a toil of the fathers; rather it is a toil from which the firstfruits are brought up upon the altar of God. "Their sons and their daughters," these say. Whose sons and daughters, save "the fathers'," are consumed by their shame, and the daughters? Often we have said that the offspring of the soul, that the thoughts are sons, and the works and the deeds done through the body are daughters. Since, then, there are certain wretched thoughts, such as those of the nations thought, and there are also wretched works, on this account sons and daughters are consumed from those who have made them, so that shame may arise in them concerning the things sinned. But may it not be ours to make sons and daughters that need consuming by shame.
[§8] After these things, these who make confession say: "We have lain down in our shame"; and after this they say: "and our dishonor has covered us over." Concerning the veil that lies upon the face of those who do not turn back to the Lord it has often been said by us. Because of this veil, "if Moses is read," the sinner does not understand him; for "a veil lies upon his heart." Because of this veil, if the old covenant is read, the hearer will not understand. Because of this veil the Gospel too is veiled to those who are perishing. We were saying, then, concerning the veil, that the shame is the veil. For insofar as we have "the works of shame," it is clear that we have the veil, according to what is said somewhere in the forty-third Psalm: "and the shame of my face has covered me." I set forth that he who does not have works of shame does not have a veil; such was Paul, saying: "But we all, with unveiled face, behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord." Paul, then, has an unveiled face; for he does not have works of shame. He who is not as Paul has a veiled face. As, then, there "the shame of my face has covered me" is said in the forty-third Psalm, in the same manner it is said here: "our dishonor has covered us over." Insofar as we work works of dishonor, we have a veil lying upon our heart. If we wish to lay aside the veil that is from dishonor, let us arrive at the works of honor and let us understand that saying of the Savior, "that all may honor the Son even as they honor the Father," and let us understand also that which is said by the apostle: "Through the transgression of the law you dishonor God. The righteous man, as he honors the Father, honors the Son." The dishonor, whenever I dishonor the Son — that very dishonor by which I dishonor the Father or the Son — becomes a covering of my face, and I say: "and our dishonor has covered us over." On this account, having understood the veil that lies upon us from the works of shame, from the deeds of dishonor, let us take away the veil. It is in our power for the veil to be taken away; it belongs to no other. For "when Moses turned back to the Lord, the veil was taken away." Do you see how Moses is sometimes taken also as representing the people? Insofar as he did not turn back to the Lord, being a symbol of the people that does not turn back to the Lord, he had a veil lying upon his face; but when he turned back to the Lord, becoming a symbol of those who turn back to the Lord, then "the veil was taken away." And it is not that God commanded him: put on the veil (for the Lord did not say to Moses, put on the veil), but Moses, seeing that the people could not look upon his glory, then put "the veil upon his face," and did not wait for God to say, take off the veil, "when he turned back to the Lord."
[§9] This, then, was written so that you too, who put the veil upon your face through the works of dishonor and the works of shame, might yourself also work the taking away of the veil. If you turn back to the Lord, then you take away the veil, and you will no longer say the words "our dishonor has covered us over." For instance, anger lying upon our soul against someone lies as a veil upon our face. On this account, if we wish, while praying, to say, "The light of your face has been marked upon us, O Lord," let us take away the veil and let us do that apostolic thing, "I wish, then, that the men pray in every place, lifting up holy hands without anger and disputings." If we take away the anger, we have taken away the veil; if we take away all the passions. But insofar as these things are in our mind, in our reasoning, there lies upon the inner face, upon our ruling faculty, the veil and the dishonor, so that we do not behold the glory of God shining. It is not God who hides his glory from us, but we, putting the veil that comes from wickedness upon the ruling faculty.
[§10] "Because before our God we have sinned, we and our fathers." Would that we too might say, as these do according to the prophet's impersonation: "We have sinned." "We have sinned" is not the same as "we are sinning"; for he who is still in sin, let him not say "we have sinned," but he who has previously sinned, and has strictly repented, let him say "we have sinned," as also in Daniel there is written a confession of those who no longer sin, saying: "We have sinned, we have done iniquity," and in the Psalms: "Remember not our ancient iniquities," says the prophet. Let us too, then, confess our sins — would that they were not of yesterday, would that they were not of three days ago, but would that, making confession, we might confess concerning sins committed fifteen years before, by having no more sin after those things for fifteen years. But if we sinned yesterday, we are not yet trustworthy in confessing concerning our sins; nor is there room for these sins of ours to be wiped out. "Because we have sinned, we and our fathers, from our youth until this day." Let those first things be said, in another vein, for teaching concerning the best manner of confession; but these are an accusation of sinning from long ago. "From youth," he says, "until this day, and we have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God"; we have sinned, and we have not obeyed until the present. Then, having turned back and having a beginning of turning, they say: "We have sinned, and we have not obeyed." For not at the very moment of wishing to obey do we already immediately obey; for there is still need of time — just as with wounds, toward healing, so also with the turning, toward turning completely and purely back to God.
[§11] Upon these things God says concerning Israel: "If Israel turns back to me, says the Lord, then he shall be turned back"; that is, if he turns completely, then he shall be turned back with a turning — not if he as it were begins to turn. Then he says: "and if he removes his abominations out of his mouth, and stands in awe before my face, and swears, 'The Lord lives,' in truth and in judgment and in righteousness, then the nations shall be blessed in him." If they do these things, "the nations shall be blessed in him." But what are these things they are to do, so that the nations may be blessed in him? "If he removes his abominations out of his mouth." And what is it to remove the abominations out of the mouth? Whatever we speak badly are abominations in our mouth. Let us therefore remove the abominations out of our mouth, taking away slanders, vain words, idle words that are going to cause us to be accused "in the day of judgment; for by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned." If, then, we wish that the words "and the nations shall be blessed in him, and in him they shall praise God in Jerusalem" should meet us, let us do the things said from the beginning. And which first? To remove "the abominations out of our mouth." Next is also the "you shall stand in awe before my face." As the second thing let us do this, not simply that we may stand in awe; for perhaps there is an awe that comes about, but not from the face of God. Those, at any rate, who fear without knowledge, but set themselves to fear, do not stand in awe from the face of God; but as many as stand in awe with knowledge, by ever beholding and picturing to themselves "the face of God that comes upon those who do evil things, to cut off from the earth the memory of them," these are the ones who stand in awe from the face of God.
[§12] "If he removes his abominations out of his mouth, and stands in awe before my face, and swears, 'The Lord lives,' in truth and in judgment and in righteousness." Let us look at ourselves who swear, in what manner we swear not in judgment but without judgment, so that our oaths come about by custom rather than by judgment. We are carried away, at any rate, and, reproving this, the word says: "and if he swears, 'The Lord lives,' in truth and in judgment and in righteousness." We know that it was said in the Gospel by the Lord to the disciples: "But I say to you, do not swear at all"; but let us look also at this text; and, if God grants it, both will be examined together. For perhaps one must first swear "in truth and in judgment and in righteousness," so that after this, having advanced, one may become worthy of not swearing at all, but of having a "yes" that needs no witnesses that this is so, and of having his "no" that needs no witnesses that it is truly "no." "And he swears," then, "'The Lord lives,' in truth." In the one who swears I first seek that there be no falsehood, but the truth, so that he may swear with truth; but we wretches even swear falsely. But let it be "with truth" — not even so does the oath come about well, but "in judgment." For grant that I swear by custom: I do not swear "in judgment." If one must take up, for such an oath, the God of the universe, and his Christ, over this matter, how great must the matter be, that I should set my knees and swear? In view of unbelief arising in some concerning my word, tending it as a physician, I might perhaps do this at some time; but if I should swear at random, if I should swear thus, I would sin.
"If," then, "he swears, 'The Lord lives,' with truth and in judgment" — not without judgment — "and in righteousness" — not unrighteously — "then the nations shall be blessed in him." He united both, those of the nations and Israel. He spoke concerning the nations, he spoke also concerning Israel.
[§13] He adds: "And the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him they shall give praise to God in Jerusalem. For thus says the Lord to the men of Judah and to those who dwell in Jerusalem." He has spoken to those from the nations, he has spoken also to those from Israel, and he now speaks to those from Judah. I remember the figurative interpretations spoken earlier concerning Judah and those who dwell in Jerusalem. For we too dwell in Jerusalem, if God grants it. Since "where the treasure is, there also is the heart," if we lay up treasure in heaven, we also have our heart in the Jerusalem above, concerning which the apostle says: "But the Jerusalem above is free, which is our mother, as it is written," and what follows.
"Thus," then, "says the Lord to the men of Judah and to those who dwell in Jerusalem: Break up for yourselves fresh ground, and do not sow among thorns." This saying is spoken above all to those who teach, that they should not first entrust the things they say to their hearers before they have made fresh ground in their souls. For when, having "put their hand to the plow," they have made fresh ground in the souls, then, since these hear according to "the good and fair land," when they sow, they do not sow among thorns. But if, before the plow and before making fresh ground in the ruling faculty of the hearers, someone takes the holy seeds—the word about the Father, the word about the Son, the word about the Holy Spirit, the word about the resurrection, the word about punishment, the word about rest, the word about the law, the word about the prophets, and in a word about each of the things written—and sows them, he transgresses the commandment that says, first, "Break up for yourselves fresh ground," and second, "and do not sow among thorns."
But one of the hearers will say: I do not teach, I am not subject to this commandment. Then you too, become a farmer of yourself, and do not sow among thorns, but make fresh ground of the field for me, which God of all has entrusted to you. Consider the field, see where the thorns are, where are "the cares of this life and the deceit of riches" and love of pleasure. And having considered the thorns in your soul, seek the rational plow, concerning which Jesus says: "No one who has put his hand to the plow and turned back is fit for the kingdom of God." Having sought it and found it, having gathered from the Scriptures the working oxen that are clean, plow and break up the ground anew, and, so that it may no longer be old, make it new: "having put off the old man with his deeds and having put on the new man who is renewed unto knowledge," you will make fresh ground for yourself; and if you make the fresh ground, take seeds from those who teach, take seeds from the law, take from the prophets, from the writings of the gospel, from the apostolic words; and having taken these seeds, sow your soul through memory and meditation. These will seem to spring up of themselves; but in truth it is not they that will spring up after the memory of them, but God will make them grow: "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth." And if anyone has been able to consider the Scriptures, this man has made fresh ground, and having made fresh ground he has sown not among thorns. These seeds are ordered by God not to become an ear of grain suddenly, but, as in the Gospel according to Mark, "first the blade, then the ear, then it becomes ripe." When it becomes ripe for harvest, those who are sent out for the harvest will come; when it becomes ripe for harvest, they will come, to whom the word says: "Lift up your eyes and behold the fields, for they are already white for harvest." He says to us, then: "Break up for yourselves fresh ground, and do not sow among thorns." But if, before you have cleansed your soul, while you still have thorns, you approach one who teaches—whether one who is able, or one reputed to be so—or even ask for lessons and spiritual seeds, you transgress the commandment that says: "Do not sow among thorns."
[§14] And next to this it is said: "Be circumcised to your God, circumcise the foreskin of your heart." "Be circumcised to your God"—of necessity is added "to your God." You will understand this from the perceptible example: they are circumcised, I mean according to the perceptible sense, not only those of the circumcision according to the law of Moses, but also many others. Among the Egyptians the priests of the idols are circumcised, but that circumcision is a circumcision to idols and is not a circumcision made to God; whereas that of the Jews was perhaps, but at all events then, made to God. If, then, the word says, "Be circumcised to your God," having understood the literal sense, pass over also to the figurative interpretation, so that you may find how, among those circumcised figuratively (so that perhaps some of them might say, "We are the circumcision"), some are circumcised to God, while others are indeed circumcised, but not to God. For there are indeed other words besides the word of truth, besides the word of the Church. They circumcise the manners and the heart, so to speak they bring to sober-mindedness, those who philosophize; they bring to sober-mindedness, those from the heresies, and a circumcision comes about for them. But it is indeed a circumcision, yet not to God; for among them a circumcision comes about by a false word. But when, according to the ecclesiastical rule, according to the purpose of sound teaching, you are one who shares in the common life, you are not only circumcised, but you are circumcised "to God."
"Be circumcised," then, to your God, and circumcise the foreskin of your heart." Who does not pass over these words as though they were plain? Yet there is a certain foreskin of the heart, and this must be circumcised. He who has examined the word precisely, seeking such things in this passage, will inquire: the foreskin is born with us, the circumcision is acquired, and what has come from birth, this the circumcision removes. If, then, the word commands the removal of "the foreskin of the heart," there must be something born together with the heart, which it calls a foreskin, which must be removed, so that one may be circumcised as to "the foreskin of the heart." If anyone understands "we were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest," if anyone understands "the body of our lowliness" in which we were born, if anyone understands "no one is clean from filth, not even if his life be but a single day; and his months are numbered," he will see in what manner we were born with the uncleanness and foreskin of our heart.
[§15] But that it may be spoken by the simpler example that is able to bring you to see "the foreskin of the heart," I will set forth that in the first age false opinions altogether arise in the soul; for it is not possible for a man from the beginning to receive true and pure doctrines. But the divine word made provision beforehand for history and for the writing according to the letter, so that it might nourish the one born according to the flesh to Abraham in the words that are according to the flesh first, and that the one from the slave-girl might become first, in order that after him could be born the son of "the free woman" and the one through the promise. If it be understood why this was included, the foreskin of the heart can be understood as coming before the circumcision. There is need, then, for us to receive the word that purifies the doctrines and removes all the things that have arisen in us according to false opinion. This, then, is to put away the foreskin of our heart; for if the heart is that which has in us the ruling faculty, where the thoughts are, whence "the reasonings come forth" that are evil, he who removes the evil reasonings removes "the foreskin of the heart"; he who puts away the false opinion has circumcised "the foreskin of his heart" and becomes "a man of Judah and one dwelling in Jerusalem," being circumcised. But if anyone does not put away "the foreskin of his heart," let us see what the word threatens against him: "Lest," he says, "my wrath go forth like fire and be kindled, and there be none to quench it." The wrath of the Lord goes forth, then, like fire upon those not circumcised to God, upon those who have not put away "the foreskin of their heart," "and there shall be none to quench it, because of the wickedness of their doings." That fire has for its fuel the wickedness of our doings. Where there is no wickedness of doings, the fire has nowhere to feed. And that the fuel of that fire is the wickedness of the doings, hear the prophet saying: "and there shall be none to quench it, because of the wickedness of your doings."
"Declare it in Judah, and let it be heard in Jerusalem; say, declare, signal with a trumpet upon the earth, and cry aloud." These things, he says, which are announced, say in Judah, to those from the tribe of Judah of Christ; "for it is evident that our Savior arose out of Judah."