Origen · a new plain-English translation from the Greek and Latin
On what is written: "But the child grew and was strengthened," down to the place where it says: "This is the first registration, which took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria." In the holy scriptures "to grow" is spoken of in two ways: one, where human will accomplishes nothing; the other, spiritually, where the cause of growing consists in human effort. Concerning this second kind, then, which we have set down,
that is, the spiritual kind, the evangelist now narrates: "But the child grew and was strengthened." What he says amounts to this: he grew, and did not remain at the same measure at which he had begun, but the spirit in him was always growing, and through each hour and moment he was receiving increases of spirit. And not only did increases of spirit follow. There is that which God commands: "Grow and multiply,"
which they take simply and according to the letter — how they are able to explain it, I do not know. Granted that "multiply" refers to number, so that, as they become more numerous than they were before, multiplication has its place; but what follows, "grow," is in our power. For what man would not wish to add to his own stature, that he might become taller? Why then is it commanded that this be done
— for it is foolish, indeed, to command what the one you command is unable to do — and we are commanded to grow, surely what is commanded is something we are able to do. Do you wish to know how "grow" is to be understood? Listen to what Isaac did, of whom it is said: "Isaac advanced and became greater, until he became great, even exceedingly great." His will was always stretching itself toward better things,
and as his soul also grew along with it, not only did his frame increase, but his sense and mind advanced, and his memory exercised itself, so that it might store up more in its treasury and hold it more firmly. And it came about in this way, that he who had cultivated all his virtues in the field of the soul fulfilled the command given: "Wherefore." For this reason John also, while still a little child, grew and
was multiplied; but it is most difficult, and exceedingly rare among mortals, for a little child to grow in spirit. "But the child grew and was strengthened in spirit." It is one thing to grow, another to "be strengthened." Human nature is weak, and in order to become stronger it needs divine help. We read: "the flesh is weak." By what help, then, is it to be strengthened? By the spirit, surely; "for the spirit is willing,
but the flesh is weak." He who wishes to become stronger ought to be strengthened by nothing other than the spirit. Many are strengthened in the flesh, made vigorous in body; but the athlete of God must be made vigorous in spirit, and when he has been thus strengthened, he will crush the wisdom of the flesh, and, having been made spiritual, will subject the body to the rule of the soul. Let us not think, then, that a simple history has been written concerning John, one that has nothing
to do with us in what is said: "he grew and was strengthened" — but rather for our imitation, so that, multiplied according to that meaning we have spoken of, we may receive increases. "And he was in the deserts until the day of his showing to Israel." I said recently that even John's conception had something astonishing about it, when "the infant leaped" in the womb and, though not yet born, recognized his Lord,
and the birth was a miracle no less than the conception, since Zechariah's prophesying speech turns to him as though he were listening, saying: 'And you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High.' Fittingly, then, he who had been so conceived and born did not wait to be nourished by his father and mother 'until the day of his manifestation to Israel,' but withdrew, fleeing the tumult of cities, the crowds of people, the vices
of cities, and went away into the deserts, where the air is purer, the sky more open, and God more familiar, so that, since the mystery of baptism and the time for preaching had not yet come, he might devote himself to prayers and converse with angels, call upon the Lord, and hear him answering and saying: 'Behold.' For just as 'Moses spoke and God answered him,' I think that John spoke
in the desert, and the Lord answered him. This I judge, moved by a sure reasoning drawn from the Scriptures. For if 'among those born of women there was no one greater than John the Baptist,' and God answered Moses, then he consequently answered John as well, who was greater than Moses — who was nourished in the wilderness, whose birth the same Archangel who announced the Lord's also announced, whose father, who
did not believe that he would be born, was struck mute. John, therefore, 'was in the desert' in a manner both new and beyond human custom, as Matthew likewise records: 'his food was locusts and wild honey.' For since he was the minister of the first coming of the Savior and spoke only of the dispensation of the Lord's flesh, and his prophecy sang beforehand of him who had been born of
the virgin, he did not have domestic honey strained by human care, but 'wild honey,' and a winged creature that was his own — a winged creature not large, not lifting itself on high, but a small winged creature that scarcely rises from the ground and leaps rather than flies. What more need be said? It is most plainly stated that 'locusts' were his food, a small and clean animal. Consider,
then, dearest brothers, that he who had been born in a new way was also nourished in a new way. After this the Scripture adds: 'It came to pass in those days that an edict went out from Caesar Augustus, that the whole world should be registered. This was the first registration, under Cyrinus, governor of Syria.' Someone might say: Evangelist, how does this narrative benefit me, that a registration of the whole world under
Caesar Augustus took place, and that among all, 'Joseph too, with Mary betrothed to him and pregnant,' entered his name in the census, and that, before the registration was completed, Jesus was born? To one who considers it more carefully, a certain mystery seems to be signified: that Christ too had to be registered in the enrollment of the whole world, so that, being written down along with everyone, he might sanctify everyone, and, being entered into the census along with the world, might offer to the world communion
with himself, so that after this registration he might also register, from the world, together with himself, 'in the book of the living,' so that whoever believed in him might afterward be 'written in heaven' with his saints: to whom be glory and dominion for ages of ages. Amen.