Origen of Alexandria, On First Principles
Since we are investigating matters of such magnitude, we are not guided by common accusations or the obviousness of what is seen. Instead, we supplement the proof that appears to us for the things being said with testimonies from the writings believed by us to be divine—both the so-called Old Covenant and the so-called New—and we try to strengthen our faith with a word. We have not yet discussed the writings as divine; let us take up a few things about these in brief, setting before us the considerations that move us concerning divine writings for this purpose. And first, before we use the writings themselves and the statements in them, we must grasp the things concerning Moses and Jesus Christ, the lawgiver of the Hebrews and the introducer of the saving doctrines according to Christianity.
Greek
1. Ἐπεὶ (δὲ) περὶ τηλικούτων ἐξετάζοντες πραγμάτων, οὐχ ἀρχούμενοι ταῖς κοιναῖς ἐνγοίαις καὶ τῇ ἐναργείᾳ τῶν βλεπομένων, προσπαραλαμβάνομεν εἰς τὴν φαινομένην ἡμῖν ἀπόδειξιν τῶν λεγομένων μαρτύρια τὰ ἐκ τῶν πεπιστευμένων ἡμῖν εἶναι ϑείων γραφῶν, τῆς τε λεγομένης παλαιᾶς διαϑήκης καὶ τῆς καλουμένης καινῆς, λόγῳ τε πειρώμεθα χρατύνειν ἡμῶν τὴν πίστιν, καὶ οὐδέπω περὶ τῶν γραφῶν ὡς ϑείων διελέχϑημεν᾽ φέρε καὶ περὶ τούτων ὀλίγα ὡς ἐν ἐπιτομῇ διαλάβωμεν, τὰ κινοῦντα ἡμᾶς Oc περὶ ϑείων γραμμάτων εἰς τοῦτο παρατιϑέμενοι. καὶ πρῶτόν γε, (πρὸ) τοῦ ar αὐτῶν τῶν γραμμάτων xoi τῶν ἐν αὐτοῖς δηλουμένων ῥητοῖς χρήσασϑαι, περὶ Μωσέως καὶ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, τοῦ νομοϑέτου τῶν Ἑβραίων καὶ τοῦ εἰσηγητοῦ τῶν χατὰ χριστιανισμὸν σωτηρίων δογμάτων, ταῦτα διαληπτέον.