8. 'The fifth month.' This was the fifth year of the captivity of king
Joachim. In the thirtieth year of Ezekiel's age, and the fifth of the
captivity of Joachim, the prophet is sent to the Jews. The most merciful
Father did not despise the people, nor leave them a long time
unadmonished. It is the fifth year. How much time intervened? Five years
elapsed since they were captives in bondage.]
(The portion between brackets is what I regard as an interpolation.)
[Footnote 55: This word is frequently used for "Diabolum." Thus
in a hymn used in the Roman ritual on Michaelmas-day we read,
"Michaelem in virtute conterentem Zabulum."]
"Immediately the Holy Spirit descends. He opened the heavens, that they
who were oppressed by the yoke of bondage might see those things which
were seen by the prophet. For when he says, The heavens were opened, in
some measure they see with the eyes of their heart what he had seen even
with the eyes of his flesh."
Now the question is, Can this apostrophe to an angel be admitted as
evidence that Origen held, and in his own person acted upon the doctrine
of the Invocation of Angels?
The nature of the present work precludes us from entering at length on
the broad question, how far we can with safety regard the several
writings which now purport to be translations of Origen's compositions,
as on the whole the works of that early Christian writer.
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