From the Homilies on Acts

Fragmentum ex homiliis in Acta apostolorum

Origen of Alexandria · c. 230–250 AD · PG 14

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Scripture on Judas: Spirit, David, and the Savior's voice§1

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1Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit foretold through David's mouth concerning Judas—the psalm in which the things about Judas are written.

Someone might object that it is not the Holy Spirit speaking, since the words are plainly the Savior's: "O God, do not keep silent at my praise; for the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful have opened against me," and so on through "let another take his office."

How then, if the Savior is the speaker, does Peter say that Scripture had to be fulfilled which…

Greek · §1

Fragmentum ex homiliis in Acta apostolorum ΕΚ ΤΩΝ ΩΡΙΓΕΝΟΥΣ ΕΙΣ ΤΑΣ ΠΡΑΞΕΙΣ ΤΩΝ ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΩΝ. Ἐκ τῆς εἰς τὰς Πράξεις ὁμιλίας δʹ. 14.829 Ἔδει πληρωθῆναι τὴν Γραφὴν, ἣν προεῖπε τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον διὰ στόματος ∆αυῒδ περὶ Ἰούδα· 14.832 ἐν ᾧ ψαλμῷ τὰ περὶ τοῦ Ἰούδα γέγραπται. Εἴποι τις ἂν, ὅτι οὐ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον λαλεῖ· σαφῶς γὰρ τοῦ Σωτῆρός εἰσιν οἱ λόγοι λέγοντος· Ὁ Θεὸς, τὴν αἴνεσίν μου μὴ παρασιωπήσης· ὅτι στόμα ἁμαρτωλοῦ, καὶ στόμα δολίου, ἐπ' ἐμὲ ἠνοίχθη· καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς ἕως· Καὶ τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν αὐτοῦ λάβοι ἕτερος. Πῶς οὖν, εἰ ὁ Σωτήρ ἐστιν ὁ ταῦτα λέγων, φησὶν ὁ Πέτρος· Ἔδει πληρωθῆναι τὴν Γραφὴν, ἣν

The Spirit personifies God in the prophets§2

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2…which the Holy Spirit foretold through David's mouth? Perhaps what we are taught here is this: the Holy Spirit uses personification in the prophets.

And if the Spirit personifies God, it is not God who is speaking, but the Holy Spirit…

Greek · §2

προεῖπε τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον διὰ στόματος ∆αυΐδ; Μήποτε οὖν ὃ διδασκόμεθα ἐνταῦθα, τοιοῦτόν ἐστι. Προσωποποιεῖ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἐν τοῖς προφήταις· καὶ ἐὰν προσωποποιήσῃ τὸν Θεὸν, οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ Θεὸς ὁ λαλῶν, ἀλλὰ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον

Speaking from God's person and from Christ's§3

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3…speaks from the person of God; and if the Spirit personifies Christ, it is not Christ who is speaking, but the Holy Spirit speaking from Christ's person. So…

Greek · §3

ἐκ προσώ-που τοῦ Θεοῦ λαλεῖ· καὶ ἐὰν προσωποποιήσῃ τὸν Χριστὸν, οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ λαλῶν, ἀλλὰ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἐκ προσώπου τοῦ Χριστοῦ λαλεῖ. Οὕτω,

Whatever persona, the Holy Spirit is the speaker§4

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4Even when the Spirit personifies the prophet, or that people, or this people, or any other role, it is the Holy Spirit who carries out every personification.

Greek · §4

κἂν προσωποποιήσῃ τὸν προφήτην, ἢ τὸν λαὸν ἐκεῖνον, ἢ τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον, ἢ ὅ τι δήποτε προσωποποιεῖ, τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμά ἐστι τὸ πάντα προσωποποιοῦν.

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