Thursday 30 June 2011

Ronald Heine - Origen on Matthew 19:12


Jesus’ saying about eunuchs in Matthew 19:12 is a text that interests scholars of Origen because of Eusebius’ statement that Origen had applied it literally to himself.  Origen discusses this text in a section of his Commentary on Matthew that has been preserved in Greek, as well as in a Latin translation.   This paper first examines what Origen said about this verse.  It then briefly surveys the more important modern scholarly positions that have been taken concerning the trustworthiness of Eusebius’ statement about Origen taking the verse literally.  It concludes by arguing from one of Origen’s statements in his interpretation of the verse that Origen had never understood the verse literally or applied it literally to himself.

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