Chapter XI.
But even this rational light itself ought not to be worshipped by him who beholds and understands the true light, by sharing in which these also are enlightened; nor by him who beholds God, the Father of the true light,--of whom it has been said, "God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all." [4110] Those, indeed, who worship sun, moon, and stars because their light is visible and celestial, would not bow down to a spark of fire or a lamp upon earth, because they see the incomparable superiority of those objects which are deemed worthy of homage to the light of sparks and lamps. So those who understand that God is light, and who have apprehended that the Son of God is "the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world," and who comprehend also how He says, "I am the light of the world," would not rationally offer worship to that which is, as it were, a spark in sun, moon, and stars, in comparison with God, who is light of the true light. Nor is it with a view to depreciate these great works of God's creative power, or to call them, after the fashion of Anaxagoras, "fiery masses," [4111] that we thus speak of sun, and moon, and stars; but because we perceive the inexpressible superiority of the divinity of God, and that of His only-begotten Son, which surpasses all other things. And being persuaded that the sun himself, and moon, and stars pray to the Supreme God through His only-begotten Son, we judge it improper to pray to those beings who themselves offer up prayers (to God), seeing even they themselves would prefer that we should send up our requests to the God to whom they pray, rather than send them downwards to themselves, or apportion our power of prayer [4112] between God and them. [4113] And here I may employ this illustration, as bearing upon this point: Our Lord and Saviour, hearing Himself on one occasion addressed as "Good Master," [4114] referring him who used it to His own Father, said, "Why callest thou Me good? There is none good but one, that is, God the Father." [4115] And since it was in accordance with sound reason that this should be said by the Son of His Father's love, as being the image of the goodness of God, why should not the sun say with greater reason to those that bow down to him, Why do you worship me? "for thou wilt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve;" [4116] for it is He whom I and all who are with me serve and worship. And although one may not be so exalted (as the sun), nevertheless let such an one pray to the Word of God (who is able to heal him), and still more to His Father, who also to the righteous of former times "sent His word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions." [4117]
[4110] Cf. 1 John i. 5.
[4111] mudron diapuron.
[4112] ten euktiken dunamin.
[4113] [See note in Migne's edition of Origen's Works, vol. i. p. 1195; also note supra, p. 262. S.]
[4114] Cf. Matt. xix. 17; cf. Mark x. 18.
[4115] Ibid.
[4116] Cf. Deut. vi. 13.
[4117] Cf. Ps. cvii. 20.
Chapter XII.
God accordingly, in His kindness, condescends to mankind, not in any local sense, but through His providence; [4118] while the Son of God, not only (when on earth), but at all times, is with His own disciples, fulfilling the promise, "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world." [4119] And if a branch cannot bear fruit except it abide in the vine, it is evident that the disciples also of the Word, who are the rational branches of the Word's true vine, cannot produce the fruits of virtue unless they abide in the true vine, the Christ of God, who is with us locally here below upon the earth, and who is with those who cleave to Him in all parts of the world, and is also in all places with those who do not know Him. Another is made manifest by that John who wrote the Gospel, when, speaking in the person of John the Baptist, he said, "There standeth one among you whom ye know not; He it is who cometh after me." [4120] And it is absurd, when He who fills heaven and earth, and who said, "Do I not fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord," [4121] is with us, and near us (for I believe Him when He says, "I am a God nigh at hand, and not afar off, saith the Lord" [4122] ) to seek to pray to sun or moon, or one of the stars, whose influence does not reach the whole of the world. [4123] But, to use the very words of Celsus, let it be granted that "the sun, moon, and stars do foretell rain, and heat, and clouds, and thunders," why, then, if they really do foretell such great things, ought we not rather to do homage to God, whose servant they are in uttering these predictions, and show reverence to Him rather than His prophets? Let them predict, then, the approach of lightnings, and fruits, and all manner of productions, and let all such things be under their administration; yet we shall not on that account worship those who themselves offer worship, as we do not worship even Moses, and those prophets who came from God after him, and who predicted better things than rain, and heat, and clouds, and thunders, and lightnings, and fruits, and all sorts of productions visible to the senses. Nay, even if sun, and moon, and stars were able to prophesy better things than rain, not even then shall we worship them, but the Father of the prophecies which are in them, and the Word of God, their minister. But grant that they are His heralds, and truly messengers of heaven, why, even then ought we not to worship the God whom they only proclaim and announce, rather than those who are the heralds and messengers?
[4118] pronoetikos.
[4119] Matt. xxviii. 20.
[4120] Cf. John i. 26, 27.
[4121] Cf. Jer. xxiii. 24.
[4122] Cf. Jer. xxiii. 23.
[4123] zetein euchesthai to me phthanonti epi ta sumpanta.