Origen · a new plain-English translation from the Greek and Latin
When the prophetic word was being sent to the Jews alone, Jewish kings were set in the title. For example: "The vision that Isaiah son of Amos saw against Judea and against Jerusalem, in the reign of Uzziah and Jotham and Ahaz and Hezekiah"; and I find no one else, apart from the kings of Judea, designated at the time of Isaiah. In some prophets we also read of kings of Israel, as there:
"and in the days of Jeroboam son of Joash, king of Israel." But when the mystery of the gospel was to be preached and the gospel was to be disseminated throughout the whole world, whose herald John was in the desert, and the rule of Tiberius governed the whole world, then it is written that "in the fifteenth year" of his reign "the word of the Lord came to John." And if salvation was to be announced only to those
who were going to believe from among the nations, and Israel was to be entirely excluded, it would have sufficed to say: "In the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea." But because many were also going to believe both from Judea and from Galilee, for that reason these kingdoms too are set in the title, and it says: "with Herod tetrarch of Galilee, and Philip his brother tetrarch of Ituraea and
the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, under the high priests Annas and Caiaphas, the word of the Lord came to John, son of Zechariah, in the desert." Formerly "the word of God came to Jeremiah, son of Hilkiah, who was of the priests," "in the time of" that king of Judah; now "the word" of God comes to John, son of Zechariah,
who never came to the prophets "in the desert," because "more children" were going to believe "of the desolate one than of her who has a husband," for that reason "the word of God came to John, son of Zechariah," [in the desert]. And consider at the same time that it makes better sense if the desert is understood mystically and not according to the simple letter. For whoever
preaches [in a desert place inhabited by no one] does so pointlessly, crying out where no one who hears him is present. The forerunner of Christ, therefore, and "the voice of one crying in the desert," preaches "in the desert" of a soul that has no peace. Not only then, but even now, first "the lamp burning and shining" [comes], and "preaches a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of
sins"; then "the true light" follows, when that very "lamp" says: "he must increase, but I must decrease." The word of God comes "in the desert" and "comes into all the region around the Jordan." What other places ought the Baptist to have gone about, except those near the Jordan, so that whoever wished to do penance might be ready for
the washing of water? Moreover, "Jordan" is interpreted as "one who descends." And the "descending" river, running with a great rush, is the Savior our Lord, God, in whom we are baptized with true water, saving water. Baptism "for the forgiveness" also "of sins" is preached: Come, catechumens, do penance, so that you may obtain baptism "for the forgiveness" of sins.
For the remission of sins: he receives baptism who ceases from sinning. For if anyone who is sinning comes to the washing, no remission of sins is granted to him. Therefore I beg you, do not come to baptism without caution and careful circumspection, but first show "fruits worthy of repentance"! Spend some time in good conduct; keep yourselves clean from
all filth and vices, and then remission of sins will come to you, when you yourselves begin to despise your own sins. Forgive your trespasses, and they will be forgiven you. But this very thing, which is now set down from the old testament, we read written in the prophet Isaiah. For there it is said: "A voice of one shouting in the wilderness: make ready the Lord's road, and level out his pathways." The Lord wishes
to find paths in you, so that, in order that he may enter into your souls and make his journey, you may prepare for him the path of which it is said: "Make his paths straight." "A voice crying in the desert." The voice cries out, "Prepare, prepare the way"; for first the voice reaches the ears, then after the voice—indeed together with
the voice—the word penetrates the hearing. It is in this sense that Christ was announced by John. Let us see, then, what he announces concerning the Word. "Prepare," he says, "the way of the Lord." What way shall we prepare for the Lord? A bodily one? Or can the word of God travel by such a road? Rather, the way must be prepared for the Lord within, and straight and level paths
must be laid out in our heart. This is the way by which the word of God entered, which takes its place within the capacity of the human heart. The heart of man is great and spacious and capacious, provided only it be clean. Do you wish to know its greatness and breadth? See how great a magnitude of divine perceptions it can hold. He himself says: "He has given me true knowledge of the things that are, to know
the structure of the world and the working of the elements, the beginning and the end and the midpoint of the ages, the varieties of times and the changes of months, the cycles of years and the positions of the stars, the natures of living creatures and the ragings of beasts, the violence of spirits and the thoughts of men, the differences of trees and the power of roots." You see that the heart of man is not small, since it can hold such things. And its greatness is to be understood not in bodily size, but in the strength of
its perception, which can hold so great a knowledge of truth. But so that I may lead even simple people to believe, from everyday examples, that the heart of man is great, let us look at what follows. Whatever cities we have passed through, we hold them in the mind, and the character and layout of streets and walls and buildings are turned over in our heart. The road that we have traveled we retain in the picture and description of memory; the sea
that we have sailed we embrace in silent thought. The heart of man, as I have said, is not small, since it can hold such things. But if it is not small, holding such things, then accordingly in it the way of the Lord is prepared and the path made straight, so that the word of God and wisdom may walk in it. Prepare the way for the Lord through good conduct, and smooth the path with excellent works, so that without
...may the word of God walk about in you without any stumbling, and grant you knowledge of its mysteries and its coming: to whom is glory and dominion for ages of ages. Amen.