Humanitext Reader

Origen · Scholia on Matthew §12.14-12.15

The Plot of the Pharisees and the Withdrawal of Jesus

Passage 5 of 13 · Greek

Summary

The commentary explains the Pharisees' plot to destroy Jesus and His withdrawal to restrain their malice, during which He healed all, demonstrating His all-powerful strength and humility.

§12.14Στιχ. ιδ΄.
Verse 14.
Οἱ δὲ Φαρισαῖοι συμβού λιον ἕλαβον κατʼ αὐτοῦ ἐξαλθόντες, ὅπως αὐτόν ἀπολέσωσιν. Ὅσῳ τις ἐγγίζει τῷ Ἰησοῦ, συμβούλιον οὐ λαμβάνει.
"Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him." The more one draws near to Jesus, the less one takes counsel for evil.
Οὐ γὰρ ἐγγίζει τῷ Ἰησοῦ ἡ συμβουλὴ τῶν κακῶν.
For the counsel of the wicked does not draw near to Jesus.
Ὅτε δέ τις τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἔρχεται ἔξω, συμβούλιον λαμβάνει τοῦ ἀπολέσαι τὸ φῶς, τὴν ὁδὸν τὴν ἀγαθὴν, τὴν ζωὴν, τὸν θησαυρὸν, τὸν μαρτυρήσαντα τὴν ἀγάπην, τὴν εἰρήνην.
But when one goes out away from Jesus, he takes counsel to destroy the light, the good way, the life, the treasure, the one who bore witness to love, and the peace.
Τοῦτον ἄν τις ἀπολέσῃ, υἱὸς ἀπωλείας καλεῖται.
If anyone should lose this one, he is called a son of perdition.
§12.15Στιχ. ιε΄.
Verse 15.
Ὁ δέ Ἰησοῦς, γνοὺς ἀπεχώρησεν. Οὐκ ἔδει γὰρ αὐτὸν μένειν μετὰ τῶν υἱῶν τῆς ἀπωλείας.
"But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence." For it was not fitting for Him to remain with the sons of perdition.
Ἐκεῖνοι ἀπώλεσαν, ἡμεῖς, μὴ ζητήσαντες, εὕρομεν.
They lost Him, but we, without seeking Him, found Him.
Εὑρέθην γὰρ, φησὶ, τοῖς ἐμέ μὴ ζητοῦσιν· ἐμφανὴς ἐγενόμην τοῖς ἐμέ μὴ ἐπερωτῶσιν. Αὐτὸς γὰρ ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὰ πρόβατα τὰ ἀπολωλότα αὐτοὶ δὲ ἐπελάθοντο τοῦ ἰδίου ποιμένος.
For He says, "I was found by those who did not seek me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for me." For He Himself came to the lost sheep, but they forgot their own shepherd.
Ἀναχωρεῖ, οὐ δεδιὼς τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν, ἀλλὰ τὴν κακίαν σναστέλλων· καὶ ἵνα μή τις οἰηθῇ διὰ δειλίαν αὐτὸν ἀποκεχωρηκέναι, πάντας οὖν ἐθεράπευσε, τὴν παναλκῆ αὐτοῦ ἐνδεικνύμενος δύναμιν.
He withdraws, not fearing the plot, but restraining their wickedness; and lest anyone should think that He had withdrawn out of cowardice, He therefore healed them all, displaying His all-powerful strength.
Πλὴν ὑποστέλλει μὴ δημοσιεύεσθαι, ὡς ἐπιεικὴς καὶ ἀκενόδοξος.
Nevertheless, He charges them not to make Him known, as one who is gentle and free from vainglory.

Notes

  1. §12.14τοῦ ἀπολέσαι — A genitive infinitive, acting either as an appositional or defining genitive modifying the noun συμβούλιον (counsel, plan) or expressing purpose ('in order to destroy'). It takes the subsequent accusatives (τὸ φῶς, etc., signifying Christ) as its objects.
  2. §12.15ἀπώλεσαν — Used intransitively or with an implied object, meaning that the Pharisees 'lost' or 'tried to destroy' Christ. This stands in sharp contrast with the following clause ἡμεῖς εὕρομεν ('we found').
  3. §12.15συστέλλων — The reading σναστέλλων in the Greek text is a scribal error for συστέλλων. It is a present active participle in the nominative case, modifying the subject (Jesus) and explaining His intention in withdrawing, meaning 'restraining' or 'curbing' their malice.
  4. §12.15μὴ δημοσιεύεσθαι — A passive infinitive acting as the object of the verb ὑποστέλλει (used here in the sense of 'enjoining' or 'ordering'), meaning 'not to be made public.'

Cite this passage

Origen, Scholia on Matthew §12.14-12.15. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2042.tlg077.humanitext-grc1:12.14-12.15

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