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Exhortation to Martyrdom

Origen, tr. O’Meara, 1954

1. Part 1: Introduction—Exhortation to Martyrdom

Exhortation to Martyrdom (Εἰς μαρτύριον προτρεπτικός)¹

Weaned from milk, drawn away from the breast—accept tribulation upon tribulation, accept hope upon hope—after a little, after a little—through contempt of lips, through another tongue.²

You, too, my most pious friends in God, Ambrose and Protoctetus,³ according to Isaias are no longer carnal, nor infants in Christ, but rather have advanced in the age of intelligence.⁴ You no longer have need of milk, but of solid food.⁵ Hear then how, since you have been weaned from milk and drawn away from the breast, not a simple tribulation, but tribulation upon tribulation is prophesied for you as for athletes⁶ that have indeed been weaned. He who does not refuse tribulation upon tribulation, but promptly accepts it as a valiant athlete would, accepts also hope upon hope which he will enjoy shortly after the tribulation upon tribulation. This is the meaning of: after a little, after a little.

Even if men who are ignorant of the language of Sacred Scripture contemn, despise, and treat us as mad or impious, we should remind ourselves that the hope upon hope which will be given us after a little will be given us through contempt of lips, through another tongue. Who would not accept tribulation upon tribulation in order forthwith to accept hope upon hope? With Paul he thinks that the sufferings of this time, by means of which we, so to speak, purchase a blessed life hereafter, are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come that shall be revealed in us by God;⁷ and that especially as this light and momentary affliction—called light, and in fact light for such as are not overwhelmed by circumstances—the more it exceeds all bounds, the greater and richer the weight of eternal glory it works for us.⁸ This will be so if to the discomfiture of those who would afflict and, as it were, stifle our souls, we refuse to let our minds dwell upon our troubles and consider not these present evils, but rather the good which will accrue to us from endurance of them and is reserved for them that by the grace of God have struggled lawfully in Christ.⁹ For God multiplies His benefits and grants favours which outweigh what is merited by the toils of combat. And these are such as could not be given by a parsimonious God, but a generous giver who in His wisdom multiplies His graces towards those who through their contempt of this earthen vessel show with all their might that they love Him with their whole soul.¹⁰

I believe that they love God with their whole soul who, because of their great desire to be united with Him, separate and cut off their soul not only from the earthly body but from every kind of body. Without distraction or disturbance they undergo separation from the body of their lowliness¹¹ when through death, as it is held to be, the opportunity offers of putting away the body of this death,¹² and of being heard when praying with the Apostle: Unhappy man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Is there any of them that groan in this tabernacle¹³ because they are burdened with a corruptible body,¹⁴ who would not give thanks to God? First he says: Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Then, seeing that he has been delivered from the body of this death through communion with Him, he will cry out in all piety: Thanks be to God through Christ Jesus, Our Lord!¹⁵ If this seems hard to anyone, then he has not thirsted after the strong living God; nor has he panted after God as the hart panteth after the fountains of water; nor has he said, When shall I come and appear before the face of God? Nor has he reflected within himself as did the prophet whilst it was said to him daily, Where is thy God? He poured out his soul within him, and reproached it for still being disquieted and troubled because of his weakness, saying: I shall go over into the place of the wonderful tabernacle, even to the house of God, with the voice of exultation and praise resounding as of one feasting.¹⁶

I would wish you, then, during the whole of the present trial¹⁷ to remember the great reward prepared in heaven for those who are persecuted and mocked for justice’s sake and the Son of man.¹⁸ Be glad and rejoice and exult, as did the Apostles when they were accounted worthy to suffer reproach for His name!¹⁹ And if it happens that your soul feels some sadness, let the Spirit of Christ in us²⁰ say to that soul that wishes, in so far as it can, to trouble Him also: Why art thou sad, O soul? And why dost thou trouble me? Hope in God, for I will give praise to Him.²¹ O that our soul might not be troubled, but that even before the judgment seats, before the swords ready to behead us, our soul be preserved by the peace of God which surpasseth all understanding,²² and be tranquil in the thought that they that leave the body live with the Lord of all things!²³

But if we are not such that we can always preserve tranquillity, at least we should not allow our anxiety of soul to show itself and become obvious to unbelievers. In this way we can still justify ourselves before God, saying to Him: My God, my soul is troubled within myself.²⁴ Reason, too, invites us to remember the word spoken in Isaias: Fear ye not the reproach of men and be not overcome by their blasphemies.²⁵ God manifestly watches over the movement of the heavens and the stars and over all the animals and plants of all kinds that on the earth and in the sea through His divine art are brought to perfection in birth, development, nourishment, and increase. So it would clearly be absurd for us to close our eyes to this²⁶ and not to look to God, and to have regard rather for men and to fear them—men who will soon die and be delivered up to the punishment which they deserve.

God once said to Abraham, Go forth out of thy country.²⁷ Soon perhaps we may hear it said to us, “Go forth out of every country.” It will be well for us to obey, so that soon we may see the heavens in which is to be had what is called “the kingdom of the heavens.”

You will observe that life is filled with contests and contestants for many virtues. Thus it will appear that many even of those who are not on God’s side²⁸ have fought for temperance; that others have died with fortitude in remaining faithful to their convictions for a common master. Men who are versed in the investigation of the sciences have been concerned about prudence, and men who proposed to live justly have given themselves to justice. And against every virtue is ranged either the wisdom of the flesh or most of the forces from outside. But on the side of piety there fights only the chosen generation, the kingly priesthood, the holy nation, the purchased people.²⁹

When piety meets with opposition, all other men do not even pretend to show that they are ready to die for piety, and that they prefer death and piety to life and impiety. But whoever wishes to belong to the chosen generation obediently listens to God saying at all times to him—even when the atheists (although they may claim to be polytheists³⁰) conspire against him: Thou shalt not have strange Gods before me;³¹ and, The name of strange gods you shall not remember in your hearts, neither shall it be heard out of your mouth.³² Therefore such men believe with the heart unto justice, but with the mouth make confession unto salvation.³³ They realize that they cannot be justified except they believe in God in this way and their heart be so disposed, and that they will not be saved unless their speech correspond to such disposition. They who think that to attain this final goal in Christ it is enough to believe with the heart unto justice, without with the mouth making confession unto salvation, deceive themselves. One might say that it is better to honour God with our lips and have our heart far from Him, than to honour Him in our heart,³⁴ and not confess Him with our mouth unto salvation.

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