11
lusts, being disciples of the letter alone, are of (the) opinion that the fulfillment of
the promises of the future are to be looked for in bodily pleasure and luxury; and
therefore they especially desire to have again, after the resurrection, such bodily
structures as may never be without the power of eating and drinking...imagining to
themselves that the earthly city of Jerusalem is to be rebuilt, its foundations laid in
precious stones...Moreover they think that the natives of other countries are to be
given them as the ministers of their pleasures...And these views they think to
establish on the authority of the prophets by those promises which are written
regarding Jerusalem...and many other scriptural illustrations are adduced by them,
the meaning of which they do not perceive is to be taken figuratively...
16
These statements by Origen are important on at least two counts. The first has already
been mentioned, in that he describes the view that he opposes. One might question
whether Origens presentation of it might not be colored somewhat by his vociferous
objection. Nevertheless, the picture Origen paints of the chiliasts faith is essentially
accurate: belief in a literal kingdom with attendant physical manifestations of Gods
blessing. These are to be the natural result of the removal of the curse pronounced by God
upon the earth in Genesis 3. It is therefore "the time of universal restoration that God
announced long ago through his holy prophets" (Acts 3:21). But second, and most
importantly, Origen states the basis for the view held, i.e. the literal interpretation of
scripture, especially "those promises which are written regarding Jerusalem." Note that
Origen believes that these "scriptural illustrations are ... to be taken figuratively." So for
Origen, the foundation of the debate is how scripture is to be interpreted. It is as if Origen
believed that to take the descriptions of idyllic conditions literally was to demean them.
This is a seemingly Gnostic perspective that is not consistent with another of Gods
pronouncements in Genesis 1:31, that in all that he has had created, "everything was very
16
James Donaldson and Alexander Roberts, Eds., Ante-Nicene Fathers
(Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994), Vol.4, 297.