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De Principiis
Origen of Alexandria
Book 1 · Chapter 8 About this work Origen’s systematic exploration of God, Christ, spiritual beings, creation, Scripture, freedom, and restoration, preserved largely through a Latin translation whose handling of the Greek original remains debated.
Author Origen of Alexandria
Date c. AD 220–230
Origin Alexandria
Genre Theological Treatise The title follows common modern usage; the surviving Latin translation complicates reconstruction of Origen’s exact wording.
Chapter VIII.—On the Angels. Section 1 1 . A similar method must be followed in
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treating
of
the
angels
;
nor
are
we
to
suppose
that
it
is
the
result
of
accident
that
a
particular
office
is
assigned
to
a
particular
angel
:
as
to
Raphael
,
e
.
g
.
,
the
work
of
curing
and
healing
;
to
Gabriel
,
the
conduct
of
wars
;
to
Michael
,
the
duty
of
attending
to
the
prayers
and
supplications
of
mortals
.
For
we
are
not
to
imagine
that
they
obtained
these
offices
otherwise
than
by
their
own
merits
,
and
by
the
zeal
and
excellent
qualities
which
they
severally
displayed
before
this
world
was
formed
;
so
that
afterwards
in
the
order
of
archangels
,
this
or
that
office
was
assigned
to
each
one
,
while
others
deserved
to
be
enrolled
in
the
order
of
angels
,
and
to
act
under
this
or
that
archangel
,
or
that
leader
or
head
of
an
order
.
All
of
which
things
were
disposed
,
as
I
have
said
,
not
indiscriminately
and
fortuitously
,
but
by
a
most
appropriate
and
just
decision
of
God
,
who
arranged
them
according
to
deserts
,
in
accordance
with
His
own
approval
and
judgment
:
so
that
to
one
angel
the
Church
of
the
Ephesians
was
to
be
entrusted
;
to
another
,
that
of
the
Smyrnæans
;
one
angel
was
to
be
Peter’s
,
another
Paul’s
;
and
so
on
through
every
one
of
the
little
ones
that
are
in
the
Church
,
for
such
and
such
angels
as
even
daily
behold
the
face
of
God
must
be
assigned
to
each
one
of
them
;
and
there
must
also
be
some
angel
that
encampeth
round
about
them
that
fear
God
.
All
of
which
things
,
assuredly
,
it
is
to
be
believed
,
are
not
performed
by
accident
or
chance
,
or
because
they
(
the
angels
)
were
so
created
,
lest
on
that
view
the
Creator
should
be
accused
of
partiality
;
but
it
is
to
be
believed
that
they
were
conferred
by
God
,
the
just
and
impartial
Ruler
of
all
things
,
agreeably
to
the
merits
and
good
qualities
and
mental
vigour
of
each
individual
spirit
.
Section 2 2 . And now let us say something regarding those who maintain the existence of a diversity of spiritual natures , that we may avoid falling into the silly and impious fables of such as pretend that there is a diversity of spiritual natures both among heavenly existences and human souls , and for that reason allege that they were called into being by different creators ; for while it seems , and is really , absurd that to one and the same Creator should be ascribed the creation of different natures of rational beings , they are nevertheless ignorant of the cause of that diversity . For they say that it seems inconsistent for one and the same Creator , without any existing ground of merit , to confer upon some beings the power of dominion , and to subject others again to authority ; to bestow a principality upon some , and to render others subordinate to rulers . Which opinions indeed , in my judgment , are completely rejected by following out the reasoning explained above , and by which it was shown that the cause of the diversity and variety among these beings is due to their conduct , which has been marked either with greater earnestness or indifference , according to the goodness or badness of their nature , and not to any partiality on the part of the Disposer . But that this may more easily be shown to be the case with heavenly beings , let us borrow an illustration from what either has been done or is done among men , in order that from visible things we may , by way of consequence , behold also things invisible .
Paul and Peter are undoubtedly proved to have been men of a spiritual nature . When , therefore , Paul is found to have acted contrary to religion , in having persecuted the Church of God , and Peter to have committed so grave a sin as , when questioned by the maid - servant , to have asserted with an oath that he did not know who Christ was , how is it possible that these — who , according to those persons of whom we speak , were spiritual beings — should fall into sins of such a nature , especially as they are frequently in the habit of saying that a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruits ? And if a good tree cannot produce evil fruit , and as , according to them , Peter and Paul were sprung from the root of a good tree , how should they be deemed to have brought forth fruits so wicked ? And if they should return the answer which is generally invented , that it was not Paul who persecuted , but some other person , I know not whom , who was in Paul ; and that it was not Peter who uttered the denial , but some other individual in him ; how should Paul say , if he had not sinned , that “ I am not worthy to be called an apostle , because I persecuted the Church of God ? ” Or why did Peter weep most bitterly , if it were another than he who sinned ? From which all their silly assertions will be proved to be baseless .
Section 3 3 . According to our view , there is no rational creature which is not capable both of good and evil . But it does not follow , that because we say there is no nature which may not admit evil , we therefore maintain that every nature has admitted evil , i . e . , has become wicked . As we may say that the nature of every man admits of his being a sailor , but it does not follow from that , that every man will become so ; or , again , it is possible for every one to learn grammar or medicine , but it is not therefore proved that every man is either a physician or a grammarian ; so , if we say that there is no nature which may not admit evil , it is not necessarily indicated that it has done so . For , in our view , not even the devil himself was incapable of good ; but although capable of admitting good , he did not therefore also desire it , or make any effort after virtue . For , as we are taught by those quotations which we adduced from the prophets , there was once a time when he was good , when he walked in the paradise of God between the cherubim . As he , then , possessed the power either of receiving good or evil , but fell away from a virtuous course , and turned to evil with all the powers of his mind , so also other creatures , as having a capacity for either condition , in the exercise of the freedom of their will , flee from evil , and cleave to good . There is no nature , then , which may not admit of good or evil , except the nature of God — the fountain of all good things — and of Christ ; for it is wisdom , and wisdom assuredly cannot admit folly ; and it is righteousness , and righteousness will never certainly admit of unrighteousness ; and it is the Word , or Reason , which certainly cannot be made irrational ; nay , it is also the light , and it is certain that the darkness does not receive the light . In like manner , also , the nature of the Holy Spirit , being holy , does not admit of pollution ; for it is holy by nature , or essential being . If there is any other nature which is holy , it possesses this property of being made holy by the reception or inspiration of the Holy Spirit , not having it by nature , but as an accidental quality , for which reason it may be lost , in consequence of being accidental . So also a man may possess an accidental righteousness , from which it is possible for him to fall away . Even the wisdom which a man has is still accidental , although it be within our own power to become wise , if we devote ourselves to wisdom with the zeal and effort of our life ; and if we always pursue the study of it , we may always be participators of wisdom : and that result will follow either in a greater or less degree , according to the desert of our life or the amount of our zeal . For the goodness of God , as is worthy of Him , incites and attracts all to that blissful end , where all pain , and sadness , and sorrow fall away and disappear .
Section 4 4 . I am of opinion , then , so far as appears to me , that the preceding discussion has sufficiently proved that it is neither from want of discrimination , nor from any accidental cause , either that the “ principalities ” hold their dominion , or the other orders of spirits have obtained their respective offices ; but that they have received the steps of their rank on account of their merits , although it is not our privilege to know or inquire what those acts of theirs were , by which they earned a place in any particular order . It is sufficient only to know this much , in order to demonstrate the impartiality and righteousness of God , that , conformably with the declaration of the Apostle Paul , “ there is no acceptance of persons with Him , ” who rather disposes everything according to the deserts and moral progress of each individual . So , then , the angelic office does not exist except as a consequence of their desert ; nor do “ powers ” exercise power except in virtue of their moral progress ; nor do those which are called “ seats , ” i . e . , the powers of judging and ruling , administer their powers unless by merit ; nor do “ dominions ” rule undeservedly , for that great and distinguished order of rational creatures among celestial existences is arranged in a glorious variety of offices . And the same view is to be entertained of those opposing influences which have given themselves up to such places and offices , that they derive the property by which they are made “ principalities , ” or “ powers , ” or rulers of the darkness of the world , or spirits of wickedness , or malignant spirits , or unclean demons , not from their essential nature , nor from their being so created , but have obtained these degrees in evil in proportion to their conduct , and the progress which they made in wickedness . And that is a second order of rational creatures , who have devoted themselves to wickedness in so headlong a course , that they are unwilling rather than unable to recall themselves ; the thirst for evil being already a passion , and imparting to them pleasure . But the third order of rational creatures is that of those who are judged fit by God to replenish the human race , i . e . , the souls of men , assumed in consequence of their moral progress into the order of angels ; of whom we see some assumed into the number : those , viz . , who have been made the sons of God , or the children of the resurrection , or who have abandoned the darkness , and have loved the light , and have been made children of the light ; or those who , proving victorious in every struggle , and being made men of peace , have been the sons of peace , and the sons of God ; or those who , mortifying their members on the earth , and , rising above not only their corporeal nature , but even the uncertain and fragile movements of the soul itself , have united themselves to the Lord , being made altogether spiritual , that they may be for ever one spirit with Him , discerning along with Him each individual thing , until they arrive at a condition of perfect spirituality , and discern all things by their perfect illumination in all holiness through the word and wisdom of God , and are themselves altogether undistinguishable by any one .
We think that those views are by no means to be admitted , which some are wont unnecessarily to advance and maintain , viz . , that souls descend to such a pitch of abasement that they forget their rational nature and dignity , and sink into the condition of irrational animals , either large or small ; and in support of these assertions they generally quote some pretended statements of Scripture , such as , that a beast , to which a woman has unnaturally prostituted herself , shall be deemed equally guilty with the woman , and shall be ordered to be stoned ; or that a bull which strikes with its horn , shall be put to death in the same way ; or even the speaking of Balaam’s ass , when God opened its mouth , and the dumb beast of burden , answering with human voice , reproved the madness of the prophet . All of which assertions we not only do not receive , but , as being contrary to our belief , we refute and reject . After the refutation and rejection of such perverse opinions , we shall show , at the proper time and place , how those passages which they quote from the sacred Scriptures ought to be understood .
