Origen · a new plain-English translation from the Greek and Latin
Whoever teaches the word of the gospel does not announce one thing, but many things. For this is what scripture indicates when it says: "and exhorting, he announced many other things as well." And so John also preached to the people "other things" that are not written; but consider how great were the things that are written. He announced Christ, pointed him out, preached the baptism of the Holy Spirit; he taught tax collectors salvation, soldiers discipline, the threshing floor
to be cleansed, trees to be cut down, and the rest that the gospel's history relates. Besides these things, then, which are written, he is shown to have announced other things as well that are not written, in what is said: "and exhorting, he announced many other things to the people." And just as it is reported in the gospel according to John concerning Christ, that he spoke many other things as well, "which are not written in
this book," "which, if they were written, I do not think the world itself could hold the books that would have to be written": so understand also in the present passage, that perhaps Luke, because certain greater things were being announced by John than ought to be entrusted to writing, was unwilling to state them by name, but only indicated that they were said, and therefore said: "and exhorting, he announced many other
things to the people." Let us marvel at John, indeed from these things that follow as well, especially that "among those born of women no one was greater than John the Baptist," and that he rose, deservedly, to so great a reputation for virtue that by many he "was thought to be the Christ." But this is far more marvelous: Herod the tetrarch held royal power and was able to kill him, had he wished, whenever he wished;
and although he had committed an unjust act, contrary to the law of Moses, in taking his brother's wife, who had a daughter by her former husband, he did not fear him, did not show partiality, did not consider — as I said — his royal power, did not dread destruction — for he knew, even if he were not a prophet, that if provoked the man could kill him — knowing all these things, then, with prophetic
freedom he rebuked Herod and denounced the incestuous marriage, and for this he was shut up "in prison," not anxious about death, not about the uncertain judgment of the judge, but in his chains he thought about Christ, whom he had announced. And because he himself could not go to him, he sends his disciples to inquire: "Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?"
Notice that he taught "even in prison." For how else did he have disciples there, and for what reason did they remain there continually, except that even in prison he performed the office of a teacher and instructed them with divine words? Among these things, when a question arose about Jesus, he sends one of his disciples and asks: "Are you the one who
is to come, or are we to wait for another?" The disciples return and report to their teacher what the Savior had ordered to be reported: armed with these words, John confidently goes to his death in battle and gladly has his head cut off, strengthened by the voice of the Lord himself that he whom he believed was truly the Son of God. This concerning John and his freedom, and concerning Herod's madness, who to his many crimes added this as well, that
would first shut John up in prison and afterward behead him. But since the Lord was baptized and the heavens were opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him, and a voice thundered out of heaven, declaring, “Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased,” it must be said that at the baptism of Jesus heaven was unlocked, and for the dispensation of the forgiveness of sins — not his own,
who had committed no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth — but that the heavens were opened for the sake of the whole world, and the Holy Spirit descended, so that, after the Lord had ascended on high leading captivity captive, he might bestow on us the Spirit who had come to him, and whom indeed he also gave at the time of his resurrection, saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit;
whosesoever sins you forgive, they are forgiven them; and whosesoever sins you retain, they are retained.” Now the Holy Spirit descended upon the Savior in the form of a dove, a gentle bird, innocent and simple. Hence we too are commanded to imitate the innocence of doves. Such is the Holy Spirit: pure, winged, and rising to the heights. For this reason, praying, we say, “Who will give me wings like a dove, that I may fly away
and be at rest?” — that is, who will give me the wings of the Holy Spirit? And in another place the prophetic word promises, “If you sleep in the midst of the lots, the wings of the dove are covered with silver, and her back is in the greenness of gold.” For if we rest in the midst of the lots of the old and new testament, there will be given to us the silvered wings of the dove,
that is, the words of God, and her hindparts in the brightness of gold and the greenness of grace, so that our understanding may be filled with the perceptions of the Holy Spirit — that is, so that our word and mind may be filled by his coming, and we may speak nothing and understand nothing except what he suggests, and all sanctification, whether in the heart, or in words and in deed,
may come from the Holy Spirit in Christ Jesus, to whom is glory and dominion for ages of ages. Amen.