COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS BOOKS 1–5
Translated by
THOMAS P. SCHECK
THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA PRESS
Washington, D.C.
THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA PRESS
All rights reserved
library of congress cataloging-in-publication data
Origen.
[Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans. Book 1–5. English]
Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans. Books 1–5/Origen; translated by Thomas P. Scheck.
p. cm.—(The fathers of the church; v. 103)
Translated from Rufinus’ Latin translation of the original Greek.
Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and indexes.
isbn 0-8132-0103-9 (alk. paper)
1. Bible. N.T. Romans—Commentaries—Early works to 1800. I. Scheck, Thomas P., 1964– II. Title. III. Series.
BR60.F3 0675
[BS2665]
270 s—dc21
[227/.10
2001028018
THE FATHERS OF THE CHURCH
A NEW TRANSLATION
VOLUME 103
EDITORIAL BOARD
Thomas P. Halton
The Catholic University of America
Editorial Director
Elizabeth Clark | Robert D. Sider |
Duke University | Dickinson College |
Joseph T. Lienhard | Michael Slusser |
Fordham University | Duquesne University |
Frank A. C. Mantello | Cynthia White |
The Catholic University of America | The University of Arizona |
Kathleen McVey | Robin Darling Young |
Princeton Theological Seminary | The Catholic University of America |
David J. McGonagle
Director
The Catholic University of America Press
FORMER EDITORIAL DIRECTORS
Ludwig Schopp, Roy J. Deferrari, Bernard M. Peebles, Hermigild Dressler, O.F.M.
Cornelia Horn, Joel Kalvesmaki
Staff Editors
COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS
General
ACW Ancient Christian Writers. New York: Newman Press, 1946–.
AGLB Vetus Latina: Die Reste der altlateinischen Bibel. Aus der Geschichte der Lateinischen Bibel. Freiburg: Herder, 1957.
ANF Ante Nicene Fathers. 1890. Reprint, Grand Rapids, Mich.: Erdmanns, 1994.
BAGD A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 5th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1979.
CCL Corpus Christianorum, Series Latina. Turnhout: Brepols, 1954–.
ChH Church History. Chicago: American Society of Church History, 1932–.
CWE Collected Works of Erasmus. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1974–.
DCB A Dictionary of Christian Biography. Ed. W. Smith and H. Wace. London: J. Murray, 1887.
FC Fontes Christiani. Freiburg: Heider, 1991–.
FOTC The Fathers of the Church. Washington, D.C.: The Catholic University of America Press, 1947–.
GCS Die griechischen christlichen Schriftsteller der ersten drei Jahrhunderte. Leipzig: J. C. Hinrichs, 1897–1949. Berlin: Akademie-Verlag, 1953–.
JThS Journal of Theological Studies. London, 1899–.
LCC The Library of Christian Classics. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1953–66.
LCL Loeb Classical Library. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press. London: W. Heinemann, 1899–.
L&S A Latin ...
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About Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, Books 1–5Origen of Alexandria’s Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans is the oldest extant commentary on Romans (ca. 246). This volume presents the first English translation of the commentary, covering his exegesis of Rom 1:1 to 6:11. One of his longest and most mature works, it is the only commentary of Origen available in a coherent form from beginning to end. The work was originally composed in Greek in Caesarea, but only fragments of the archetype have survived. Fortunately, Origen’s admirer Rufinus of Aquileia translated the work into Latin (ca. 406). Origen’s exegesis predates the controversy between Augustine and Pelagius by 170 years; thus it offers a striking perspective on Romans. Opposition to Gnostic interpretations of Paul is an important characteristic of the commentary. Above all Origen defends the Church against the “doctrine of natures”—the belief that all human beings are born with unalterable natures, either good or evil, and thus bound for either salvation or damnation, and that their conduct during this life cannot alter their destiny. Origen successfully refutes this teaching, showing that freedom of will always abides in rational beings. Provoked by Marcion’s repudiation of the Old Testament, Origen emphasizes the harmony between Gospel and Law. He highlights as one of Paul’s main themes in Romans the transfer of religion from Judaism to Christianity, from the letter to the spirit, in terms both of salvation history and of the transformation of the individual. Origen claims that the key to unlocking Romans is understanding Paul’s use of homonyms—identical expressions such as law, Jew, circumcision, death, etc., with divergent meanings. |
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