Clement of Rome : Let us then cling to his blessing, and let us see what are the ways of blessedness. Let us recall the events of old. Why was our father Abraham blessed? Was it not because he performed justice and truth through faith? Isaac, knowing the future in confidence, was willingly led forth as a sacrifice. — 1 CLEMENT 31.1-3 Origen of Alexandria : Let us now return to ourselves and treat the moral sense point by point. The Apostle says, as we have already mentioned above: "the first man from the earth, earthy; the second man from heaven, heavenly. As is the earthy, such also are the earthy, and as is the heavenly, such also are the heavenly. As we have borne the image of the earthy, let us bear also the image of the heavenly." You see what he shows, that, if you remain in that which is first, which is of the earth, you will be reprobated, unless you change yourself, unless you are converted, unless, having been made "heavenly," you receive "the image of the heavenly." This is the same as what he says elsewhere too: "putting off the old man with his deeds, and putting on the new, who is created according to God." This same thing he writes in another place also: "behold, the old things have passed away, all things have been made new." For this reason, therefore, God renews his promises, that he may show you that you too ought to be renewed. He does not remain in the old things, lest you too remain "the old man"; he speaks these things "from heaven," that you too may receive "the image of the heavenly." For what will it profit you if God renews his promises and you are not renewed? If he speaks "from heaven" and you hear from the earth? What does it profit you if God binds himself by an oath and you pass over these things as though hearing a common tale? Why do you not consider that for your sake God embraces even those things which seem least suited to his nature? God is said to swear, so that you, hearing, may be afraid and tremble and, dismayed with fear, may inquire what that great thing is for which God is said to swear. These things, then, are done so that you may become attentive and solicitous, and, hearing that a promise is being prepared for you in the heavens, may be watchful and may seek in what way you may prove yourself worthy of the divine promises. Nevertheless, the Apostle interprets this passage too, saying that: "God promised to Abraham and to his seed. He did not say: and to seeds, as in many, but as in one: and to your seed, who is Christ." Concerning Christ, therefore, it is said: "multiplying I will multiply your seed, and they shall be as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the sand which is on the shore of the sea." Who now needs an exposition to know how the seed of Christ is multiplied, who sees the preaching of the gospel propagated from the ends of the earth "to the ends of the earth," and that there is now scarcely any place which has not received the seed of the word? For this was indeed prefigured also in the beginnings of the world, when it was said to Adam: "increase and multiply." And this very thing the Apostle says is "said in Christ and in the Church." But as to what it said: "as the stars of heaven in multitude," and added: "and as the sand which is on the shore of the sea, innumerable," perhaps indeed someone may say that the figure of the heavenly number suits the people of the Christians, that of the sand of the sea the Jewish people. I, however, think this rather, that each example can be fitted to each people. For in that people too there were many righteous men and prophets, to whom the example of the stars of heaven is deservedly compared; and in our people there are many who "are wise in earthly things" and whose folly "is heavier than the sand of the sea," among whom I think the crowds of the heretics especially are to be reckoned. But let us not even be secure; for so long as any one of us does not lay aside "the image of the earthy" and put on "the image of the heavenly," he is compared to earthly examples. Whence the Apostle too, moved by these things, as I suppose, in the heavenly and earthly bodies forms an image of the resurrection, saying: "one indeed is the glory of the heavenly, but another that of the earthly. And star differs from star in glory; so also shall be the resurrection of the dead." But the Lord too, when he says: "that your light may shine before men, and men, seeing your good works, may glorify your Father, who is in heaven," admonishes of this same thing him who knows how to hear. — HOMILIES ON Genesis 9.2 Origen of Alexandria : It is written in the prophet, speaking in the person of the Lord: "and in the hands of the prophets I was made like." This saying indicates that, although our Lord Jesus Christ is one according to his substance and is nothing other than the Son of God, nevertheless in the figures and forms of the Scriptures he is displayed as varied and diverse. For example, as I recall we set forth in earlier passages that he himself was in the type of Isaac, when he was being offered for a holocaust, yet he himself also held the form of the ram. I say further that he is also displayed in the angel who spoke to Abraham and says to him: "do not lay your hand upon the boy" — since again he says to him: "because you have done this thing, in blessing I will bless you." He is called the sheep or the lamb that is sacrificed at the Passover, and he himself is signified as the shepherd of the sheep; and the high priest who offers the sacrifice is nonetheless described as he himself. — HOMILIES ON Genesis 14.1 Origen of Alexandria : But that Christ is the seed of Abraham and the son of Abraham, if you wish to learn it more plainly from the words of Scripture, hear how it is written in the gospel: "the book," it says, "of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham." In this, then, that word also is fulfilled which it says: "your seed shall take by inheritance the cities of the adversaries." How did Christ take "by inheritance the cities of the adversaries"? By this, without doubt, that "into all the earth went out the sound" of the Apostles, and "into the ends of the world their words." Whence also those angels were stirred to wrath who held each single nation under their power. "For when the Most High divided the nations according to the number of the angels of God, then his portion became Jacob and the cord of his inheritance Israel." For Christ, to whom the Father had said: "ask of me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance, and for your possession the ends of the earth," driving those angels out of the power and dominion which they had over the nations, provoked them to wrath. And therefore it says that "the kings of the earth stood up and the princes were gathered together in one against the Lord and against his Christ." Therefore they oppose us too and stir up struggles and contests against us. Hence too the Apostle of Christ: "the wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers and the rulers of this world." Therefore we must be watchful and act carefully, because "our adversary as a roaring lion goes about, seeking whom he may devour." If we do not resist him "strong in faith," he will call us back again into captivity. And if this should happen to us, we shall render ungrateful the work of him who "fixed to his cross the principalities and powers, triumphing over them in himself with confidence" and who came "to release the captives unto remission." Rather, then, following the faith of Christ, "who triumphed over them," let us break asunder their bonds, by which they had bound us to their power. But the bonds by which they bind us are our passions and vices, in which we are entangled so long, until "we crucify our flesh with its vices and concupiscences," and thus at last "break asunder their bonds and cast their yoke from us." Therefore the seed of Abraham has occupied "the cities of the adversaries," that is, the seed of the word, which is the preaching of the gospel and the faith of Christ. But I say: did the Lord use iniquity in order to snatch the nations from the power of the adversaries and to recall them to his own faith and dominion? By no means. For Israel was once "the portion of the Lord," but they made Israel to sin against his God, and on account of their sins God said to them: "behold, you have been sold off by your sins, and on account of your sins you have been scattered under the whole heaven." But again he says to them: "if your dispersion be from the end of heaven unto the end thereof, from there I will gather you, says the Lord." Because, therefore, the first "princes of this world" had invaded "the portion of the Lord," the "good shepherd" had need, leaving the ninety and nine on high, to descend to the earth and to seek the one sheep which had perished, and, having found it and carried it back on his shoulders, to recall it to the heavenly sheepfold of perfection. But what does it profit me, if the seed of Abraham, "which is Christ," possess "by inheritance the cities of the adversaries" and possess not my city? if in my city, that is in my soul, which is "the city of the great king," neither his laws nor his ordinances be kept? What does it profit me that he has subjected the whole world and possesses the cities of the adversaries, if he does not conquer his adversaries in me also, if he does not destroy "the law which is in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and leading me captive in the law of sin"? So, then, let each one of us take pains that in his own soul and in his own body Christ may conquer the adversaries and, subjecting them and "triumphing" over them, may possess the city of his own soul also. For in this way we shall be made part of his portion, of the better part, which is "as the stars of heaven in brightness," so that we too may be able to receive the blessing of Abraham through Christ our Lord, "to whom is glory and dominion unto the ages of ages. Amen." — HOMILIES ON Genesis 9.3 Origen of Alexandria : To be able to find [these treasures], we need the help of God who alone can "break in pieces the doors of bronze" by which they are shut up and hidden and who "cuts asunder the bars of iron" and the bolts by which access was prohibited for attaining all the truths that were written and hidden in Genesis. [These truths are] concerning the different kinds of souls, concerning the seeds and generations that either pertain directly to Israel or are separated much further from his offspring. — ON FIRST PRINCIPLES 3.11 Tertullian : Rightly then is he blessed because he was faithful; and rightly was he faithful because he was patient. — ON PATIENCE 6.2