Commentary on the Gospel of John, Books 1-10

Book 5

BOOK 5 What Is the Multitude of Words and the Many Books? And, That All Inspired Scripture Is One Bookl (In the Preface) INCE YOU ARE NOT CONTENT to have assumed at present the task of God's overseers in relation to us, and you think it proper that while we are absent we devote most of our time to you and to what we owe you,2 to avoid the toil and circumvent the danger announced by God to those who have devoted themselves to writing on divine subjects , I might take the advice of Scripture to decline to make many books. For Solomon says in Ecclesiastes, "My son, beware of making many books; there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh."3 For if the text before us did not have some meaning which is hidden and still unclear to us, we would have blatantly transgressed the command, because we have not been careful to avoid making many books. (Then, after saying that he has completed foor volumes on a few words of the gospel, he adds:) (2) Now so far as the literal sense is concerned, two meanings can be derived from the command, "My son, beware of making many books."4 One is that one ought not own many books; the other that one ought not compose many books. And if it is not the first, it is by all means the second; but if it is the second, it is by no means the former.5 But either way 1. The fragment is preserved in Harl and De Lange, SC 302.284-298 (Philocalia, 5). 2. These remarks are addressed to Ambrose, Origen's patron, who urged him to compose a commentary on John's Gospel. Cf. Comm. In. 1.9. 3. Cf. Eccl 12.12. 4. Ibid. 5. This statement resembles the fourth and fifth inference schemata of Chrysippus. See EP 4.519. 160 COMMENTARY ON JOHN, BOOK 5 161 we will appear to learn that we ought not make more books. We could take our stand on what has now occurred to us and send you the saying as an excuse and, having prepared a case from the fact that not even the saints had time for the composition of many books, we could cease dictating the books which are to be sent to you in accordance with the agreements which we made with one another for the future. You, perhaps , struck by the text, might yield to us for the future. But since we must examine the Scripture conscientiously, not hastily crediting ourselves with having grasped the meaning because we have understood the text in its literal sense, I do not dare not present the defense for myself which occurs to me, which you might use against me if I were to break our agreements . We must address this issue in the first place because history seems to support the literal meaning. None of the saints has produced numerous compositions and set out his understanding in many books. And when I come to the composition of more books, my accuser will say that such a great man as Moses left only five books. (From Eusebius, Church History 6.25.7-10) (And in the fifth volume of the Commentaries on the Gospel according to John the same man says these things about the apostles.) (3) Paul, who was made a competent minister of the new covenant, not in the letter, but in the spirit,6 who completed preaching the gospel from Jerusalem, as far as Illyricum,' did not even write to all the churches which he taught. But even to those to which he wrote, he sent few lines. And Peter, on whom the Church of Christ is built, against which the gates of Hades shall not prevail,8 has left behind one letter which is accepted. Perhaps there is also a second, but it is doubted. Why must I speak of John who leaned on Jesus' breast, who has left one Gospel while confessing that he could compose 6. Cf. 2 Cor 3.6. 8. Cf. Mt 16.18. 7. Cf. Rom 15.19. 162 ORIGEN so many that the world could not contain them?9 He also wrote the Apocalypse after he was commanded to be silent and not to record the sounds of the seven thunders,lo and an epistle of very...