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Origen · Adnotationes on Exodus §28.30

The High Priest's Shield Protecting Reason and Truth

Passage 3 of 4 · Greek

Summary

Explains why the high priest must carry protective care like a shield in front and behind to prevent evil spirits from wounding his reason and corrupting "Manifestation and Truth."

§28.30Στίχ. λ΄.
Verse 30.
Ἐπειδὴ προσήκει τὸν ἀρχιερέα καὶ ἔμπροσθεν καὶ ὄπισθεν, καθάπερ ἀσπίδα, περιφέρν τὴν προφυλακετικὴν ἐπιμέλειαν, μήπου τις ἐναντία βουλὴ τῶν τῆς πονηρίας πνευμάτων τὸ λογικὸν τρώσειεν, καὶ τὸ δόκιμον τῶν κρίσεων συνταράξῃ, καὶ τὴν δήλωσιν καὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν τῇ ἐπιμιξίᾳ τῆς κακίας ἀποστῆναι ποιήσειεν.
Since it is fitting for the high priest to carry around, both in front and behind, like a shield, protective care, lest some hostile design of the spirits of wickedness should wound his rational part, and throw the soundness of his judgments into confusion, and, by the admixture of evil, make "Manifestation" and "Truth" depart.

Notes

  1. §28.30περιφέρν — The form περιφέρν in the text is likely a scribal error for the present active infinitive περιφέρειν ("to carry around"). It functions as the infinitival complement of the impersonal verb προσήκει, taking τὸν ἀρχιερέα as its accusative subject.
  2. §28.30τὸ λογικόν — Refers to the "rational part" (of the soul/mind), while simultaneously playing on the "breastplate" worn by the high priest, which is translated as λογεῖον or λογικόν in the Septuagint version of Exodus 28.
  3. §28.30τρώσειεν... συνταράξῃ... ποιήσειεν — A mixture of moods following the conjunction of precaution/negative purpose μήπου ("lest"). Although the main verb is in the present tense (προσήκει), which typically requires the subjunctive, the writer coordinates the aorist optatives (τρώσειεν, ποιήσειεν) with the aorist subjunctive (συνταράξῃ).
  4. §28.30τὴν δήλωσιν καὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν — The Septuagint (LXX) translation of the Hebrew "Urim and Thummim" in Exodus 28:30, meaning "Manifestation (or Revelation) and Truth." In this theological context, they represent the spiritual virtues and truth that the high priest must safeguard.

Cite this passage

Origen, Adnotationes on Exodus §28.30. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2042.tlg067.humanitext-grc1:28.30

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