The neoplatonism of Origen

The Origen(185-254 b.Ch), Christian writer, may suffered was influenced from the indirect doctrine of Plato a his book Against Celsius he defends the Christian religion and doctrine, but some step is very translation of Plato: “How more evident, how more beauty these false widow of gods…”; it is can seems a step without importance, but it is a step of Plato, when he speaks about the cave and the widows, in the Republic, he tells that the some imprisoned is tide in a cave and they can look alone a wall where are projected alone widows, hence the imprisons can know alone the widows of knowledge; this myth is more famous of Plato and, evidently, Origen has had this influence, because he speaks about the widows of pagan gods; further Origen continuing his discourse: “…it is take the conviction that the word has an admirable order, and hence to worship, unique creator of a word that is unique that concords and is in harmony to itself in every parts…” it is an effect of the ideas word of Plato. Other step truly Platonic is the following: “The letter kills, and the spirit given the life, where with the letter we must consider the earth subsistence and with spirit those intellectual”. It is the typical reference to Plato because the earth things are alone a poor representation of the word of ideas. Other step: “But f we turn to Lord, where the word of God and where the Saint Spirit manifests spiritual knowledge, hence the vail that hide the eyes we can look the glory of Lord…”, it is a reference to Plato. Other step is more subtle that precedent, but likewise Platonic, regard  to description of Johannes, that has said: “John said in fact that God is light and in him isn’t dark”, and the following words of Origen are meaningful: “if we consider these words through superficially, and consider alone the literal sense…”, it is other influence from Plato, because the literal sense of Origen we can tie directly to the material word of Plato that is alone a poor reflex of the ideas word. Other step instead evidences the affinity of Origen to Empedocles, because the Christian said: “…is a fifth nature of bodies beyond the fourth elements…”, it is Empedocles and his theory about the formation of everything for junction of earth, water, fire and air. Other concept although subtly hided it the following: “God that is principle of everything, we can’t believe composed, otherwise they would be anterior to same principle the elements whose are composted everything…”, it is the Socratic logic, certainly, but Plato is in the think that the common thing that we have every day is projection from the word of ideas, that is vulgar representations of the ideas, that are material on the word; hence believe that the composition of everything is the outcome of these principles, divine principles is erred; it is the Platonic philosophy, that sees alone the material thing but no absolutely the ideal image of the word of ideas. Other step is purely Platonic: “…they(who think that the intellectual nature is accidental) want not understand the intelligence has an affinity to God, whose it is intellectual image; and for this it can know something of divine nature, above all is it is purified and separated from material nature”; it is the representation of Platonic nature of the word of ideas.

Alessandro Lusana