Chapter XL.
But as he asserts that "the Mosaic narrative most impiously represents God as in a state of weakness from the very commencement (of things), and as unable to gain over (to obedience) even one single man whom He Himself had formed," we say in answer that the objection [3869] is much the same as if one were to find fault with the existence of evil, which God has not been able to prevent even in the case of a single individual, so that one man might be found from the very beginning of things who was born into the world untainted by sin. For as those whose business it is to defend the doctrine of providence do so by means of arguments which are not to be despised, [3870] so also the subjects of Adam and his son will be philosophically dealt with by those who are aware that in the Hebrew language Adam signifies man; and that in those parts of the narrative which appear to refer to Adam as an individual, Moses is discoursing upon the nature of man in general. [3871] For "in Adam" (as the Scripture [3872] says) "all die," and were condemned in the likeness of Adam's transgression, the word of God asserting this not so much of one particular individual as of the whole human race. For in the connected series of statements which appears to apply as to one particular individual, the curse pronounced upon Adam is regarded as common to all (the members of the race), and what was spoken with reference to the woman is spoken of every woman without exception. [3873] And the expulsion of the man and woman from paradise, and their being clothed with tunics of skins (which God, because of the transgression of men, made for those who had sinned), contain a certain secret and mystical doctrine (far transcending that of Plato) of the souls losing its wings, [3874] and being borne downwards to earth, until it can lay hold of some stable resting-place.
[3869] to legomenon.
[3870] eukataphroneton.
[3871] phusiologei Mouses ta peri tou anthropou phuseos.
[3872] Cf. 1 Cor. xv. 22 with Rom. v. 14.
[3873] ouk esti kath' hes ou legetai.
[3874] pterorrhuouses. This is a correction for pterophuouses, the textual reading in the Benedictine and Spencer's edd.
Chapter XLI.
After this he continues as follows: "They speak, in the next place, of a deluge, and of a monstrous [3875] ark, having within it all things, and of a dove and a crow [3876] as messengers, falsifying and recklessly altering [3877] the story of Deucalion; not expecting, I suppose, that these things would come to light, but imagining that they were inventing stories merely for young children." Now in these remarks observe the hostility--so unbecoming a philosopher--displayed by this man towards this very ancient Jewish narrative. For, not being able to say anything against the history of the deluge, and not perceiving what he might have urged against the ark and its dimensions,--viz., that, according to the general opinion, which accepted the statements that it was three hundred cubits in length, and fifty in breadth, and thirty in height, it was impossible to maintain that it contained (all) the animals that were upon the earth, fourteen specimens of every clean and four of every unclean beast,--he merely termed it "monstrous, containing all things within it." Now wherein was its "monstrous" character, seeing it is related to have been a hundred years in building, and to have had the three hundred cubits of its length and the fifty of its breadth contracted, until the thirty cubits of its height terminated in a top one cubit long and one cubit broad? Why should we not rather admire a structure which resembled an extensive city, if its measurements be taken to mean what they are capable of meaning, [3878] so that it was nine myriads of cubits long in the base, and two thousand five hundred in breadth? [3879] And why should we not admire the design evinced in having it so compactly built, and rendered capable of sustaining a tempest which caused a deluge? For it was not daubed with pitch, or any material of that kind, but was securely coated with bitumen. And is it not a subject of admiration, that by the providential arrangement of God, the elements of all the races were brought into it, that the earth might receive again the seeds of all living things, while God made use of a most righteous man to be the progenitor of those who were to be born after the deluge?
[3875] allokoton.
[3876] korone.
[3877] paracharattontes kai rhadiourgountes.
[3878] to dunamei legesthai ta metra.
[3879] [This question, which is little short of astounding, illustrates the marvellous reach and play of Origen's fancy at times. See note supra, p. 262. S.]