Origen’s theology of the passover is based primarily on his exegesis of Exodus 12. However, it is not based exclusively, and, as we shall see, perhaps not even decisively, on Exodus 12. For what he does here is fully consistent with his general principles of biblical interpretation. He is indeed interested in the letter of the biblical text or, as in this case, the “history” of the Exodus, but primarily because it is a key to
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