Origen, Homilies on Jeremiah — Homily 6
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] "Lord," he says, "your eyes are toward faithfulness," just as "the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous," for he turns them away from the unrighteous; so too the eyes of the Lord are toward faithfulness, for he turns them away from faithlessness. Therefore it is well said, by one who understands what he is saying in his prayer, "Lord, your eyes are toward faithfulness." Now what is written here is "Lord, your eyes are toward faithfulness." But since "if a man of understanding hears a wise word, he will praise it and add to it," see how many things it is possible to make out of the words "Lord, your eyes are toward faithfulness." Paul says, "But now these three abide: faith, hope, love; and the greatest of these is love." Just as the eyes of the Lord are toward faithfulness, so the eyes of the Lord are toward hope, the eyes of the Lord are toward love. And since there is "a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline," the eyes of the Lord are toward love, and so the eyes of the Lord are toward power, and so the eyes of the Lord are toward self-discipline […] the eyes of the Lord toward righteousness. In this way the eyes of the Lord are upon all the virtues. If, then, you too wish the rays of the spiritual eyes of God to reach as far as you, take up the virtues. And it will be that, just as "Lord, your eyes are toward faithfulness," so "Lord, your eyes" are toward each of the good things you may acquire. And if you become so great that the eyes of the Lord shine upon you, you will say, "The light of your countenance has been marked upon us, O Lord."
[§2] Then let us look at what is said concerning sinners: "You scourged them, and they felt no pain." These perceptible scourges, when applied to living bodies, produce pain in them whether those scourged wish it or not; but the scourges of God are of such a kind that some of those scourged feel pain, while some of those scourged do not feel pain. Let us see whether we can explain what it is to feel pain from God's scourges and what it is not to feel pain, and that those who feel no pain from God's scourges are wretched, whereas those who do feel pain from God's scourges are blessed. For Wisdom says, "Who will set scourges over my thought, and over my lips a seal of prudence, that they may not spare me in my ignorances, and my sins may not destroy me?" Give heed to the "Who will set scourges over my thought?" So then there are scourges that scourge the thought. The scourges of God scourge the thought; for a word that fastens upon the soul and brings it to a sense (synaisthēsis) of the things it has done wrong scourges it; and it scourges the blessed man who feels pain at the scourges, for the things said reach him, and he does not despise the one who rebukes him. But whenever someone is found, so to speak, insensible, it will be said concerning him, "You scourged them, and they felt no pain." For when the same word is spoken by way of rebuke — let us say, so as to reach the mind of one whose conscience is defiled by some sin — if one of the hearers is grieved, so that it is said of him, "You have seen how so-and-so was pierced to the heart," but another of the hearers is not grieved but is insensible to those who rebuke, plainly it will be said of the one who does not even perceive, "You scourged them, and they felt no pain." This is one explanation concerning the "they felt no pain" or "they felt pain"; but let us see whether we have another as well. There occur in bodies certain deadenings and witherings of some parts, and often the deadened members suffer such things, in contrast to the living ones, that when things capable of producing pain are applied to a living member, the one to whom that which causes pain is applied feels pain, but when the things that cause pain are applied to the insensible member, that person does not feel it, whenever there is a deadening about it. If indeed you have seen these things in the body, transfer them to the soul, and see that there is also a certain soul with deadened members, so that it does not perceive from the scourges, even if some painful things are applied. Terrible things are applied, but a certain soul will not perceive them, while another will perceive them. And perhaps the one who does not perceive the pains applied to him grieves more, as it were, over not perceiving than he would over perceiving — praying rather to feel pain if painful things were applied (since this is a sign of his being alive), and being distressed at not perceiving the painful things. Just as this happens in the case of bodies, so I think that in the words "they shall wish that they had been burned up with fire" something of this sort is indicated: namely, when fire is applied to someone and the burning one does not perceive it, they will wish — having grasped the comparison of those who do not perceive their pains and those who do — to perceive at the fire rather than not to perceive. And one might pray, even when that judgment-fire is applied to the sinners, to perceive rather than not to perceive. These things are on account of the words "You scourged them, and they felt no pain."
"You consumed them, and they refused to receive instruction." When God, who exercises providence over all things, performs the purifying works for the salvation of a soul, then as far as it depends on him he has consumed it. And you will understand the words "You consumed them, and they refused to receive instruction" from the example of the one who hands on knowledge and the one who is unwilling to receive the knowledge from the one who hands it on. For let the teacher do everything that is in his power and bring everything to completion for the handing on of knowledge, while the other does not accept what is said; I would say concerning such a one to the teacher, "You consumed this man, and he was unwilling to receive instruction." Whenever, then, all that comes from providence is done toward us, so that we may be consumed and perfected, but we do not accept the things of the providence that draws us toward perfection, it might be said by one who understands, to God, "Lord, you consumed them, and they refused to receive instruction."
[§3] "They made their faces harder than rock." This too you will understand from things more bodily. Of those who sin, some, hearing words of rebuke over their sin, blush and shrink back and give way, when the rebuking word touches them; but others are of such a kind that they are shameless, feeling no shame over the things for which they are rebuked, for the things in which they have sinned. You might therefore say concerning these who feel no shame, "They made their faces harder than rock." If you have understood this in bodily terms, pass over with me in thought to the soul, understanding the "face" concerning which it is said, "but then face to face." And behold a hardened soul, such as was the hardened heart of Pharaoh, so that it stands unyielding against the things announced to it and, as it were, casts off what is said, not being molded according to the things announced. For there you will find that the words fit, "They made their faces harder than rock, and they refused to turn back. And I said, Perhaps they are poor, because they did not wish to know the way of the Lord and the judgment of God. I will go to the great ones and speak to them." Having understood these things concerning those who do not wish to be instructed, who take no notice of God's scourges, he speaks having understood the cause of these things. Poor is their soul. "And I said, Perhaps they are poor, because they were not able, because they did not know the way of the Lord and the judgment of God."
"I will go to the great ones and speak to them." Those who are great in soul are spoken of in praise. For among the Greeks too "greatness" (to hadron) is continually used to name the grandeur of the rational soul. For whenever someone undertakes great matters and has purposes worthy of account and always considers what is fitting — how he may live according to right reason, wishing and looking upon nothing lowly and small — such a one has the greatness and grandeur in his soul. These men, then, since they were poor — the former ones whom the word blamed — did not listen, says the prophet. For this reason they did not listen, because they are poor. "I will go to the great ones and speak to them." And if it is a blessed thing to speak "into the ears of those who hear," it is a blessed thing if one meets with a great and mighty hearer. Therefore, since these things are so spoken, knowing that it is no loss to those who speak, so much as to those who hear, not to accept the things announced, and that it accuses the poverty of their mind and of their understanding, let us beseech to receive from God, as the word increases greatness and grandeur in us in Christ Jesus, that we may be able to hear the sacred and holy words — to whom be the glory and the might unto the ages of ages. Amen.