Humanitext Reader

Origen · Scholia on Matthew §11.11-11.12

Christ as the Lesser One in the Kingdom of Heaven

Passage 4 of 13 · Greek

Summary

An exegesis on Matthew 11:11-12, presenting a theological interpretation that "he that is less" refers to Christ Himself, and explaining the proper phrasing of the verse and the true nature of the kingdom of heaven.

§11.11Στιχ. ια΄.
Verse 11.
Ὁ δὲ μικρότερος ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν μείζων αὐτοῦ ἐστιν. §11.12Στιχ. ιβ΄.
"But he that is less in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." Verse 12.
Ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν ἡμερῶν Ἰωάννου τοῦ Βαπτιστοῦ ἕως ἄρτι ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν βιάζεται, καὶ βιασταὶ ἁρπάζουαιν αὐτήν. Φαμὲν τὸ μικρότερον περὶ αὐτοῦ λέγειν τοῦ Χρισποῦ· μικρότερον δὲ κατὰ τὴν δόκησιν τῶν ἀκουόντων.
"And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force." We say that the phrase "he that is less" is spoken concerning Christ Himself; and "less" indeed according to the opinion of those who heard Him.
Τὸ δὲ, ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν, δηλοῖ ἐν τοῖς πνευματικοῖς, καὶ ἐν τοῖς κατʼ οὐρανὸν ἅπασι καὶ θεῖκοῖς μείζονα ὑπάρχειν ἐκείνου τὸν Χριστόν.
And the phrase "in the kingdom of heaven" shows that Christ is greater than he in spiritual matters, and in all heavenly and divine things.
Οὕτως δὲ ἀναγνωσόμεθα, ὅτι, Μικρότερος· εἶτα, μικρὸν διαλιπόντες, ἐποίσομεν τὸ, Ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν μείζων αὐτοῦ ἐστιν. Ἡ δὲ βασιλεία α. ν οὐρανῶν αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς, προτρεπόμενος πάντας εἰς μετάνοιαν, καὶ ἕλκων εἰς ἑαυτὸν διὰ τῆς χάριτος.
And we shall read it thus: "He that is less"; then, pausing a little, we shall add: "in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." And the "kingdom of heaven" is Christ Himself, who exhorts all to repentance and draws them to Himself through grace.

Notes

  1. §11.12Φαμὲν τὸ μικρότερον περὶ αὐτοῦ λέγειν τοῦ Χρισποῦ — An accusative with infinitive construction introduced by the verb `φαμέν`. The substantivized neuter `τὸ μικρότερον` ("the lesser [expression]") functions as the subject accusative of the infinitive `λέγειν`, which is used here in a passive or middle/intransitive sense ("to be said of" or "to refer to"). `περὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Χρισποῦ` ("concerning Christ Himself"; the text reads `Χρισποῦ` as a typo) is its complement.
  2. §11.12Οὕτως δὲ ἀναγνωσόμεθα, ὅτι, Μικρότερος· εἶτα, μικρὸν διαλιπόντες, ἐποίσομεν τὸ, Ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν μείζων αὐτοῦ ἐστιν. — An exegetical instruction on the punctuation (diastole) of Matthew 11:11. Rather than reading the phrase continuously as "the least in the kingdom of heaven," the author directs the reader to pause (`μικρὸν διαλιπόντες`) right after `Μικρότερος` ("the lesser one," referring to Christ who came after John on earth), and then add the clause "in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."

Cite this passage

Origen, Scholia on Matthew §11.11-11.12. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2042.tlg077.humanitext-grc1:11.11-11.12

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