Origen of Alexandria: Commentary on John, Book I

Origen of Alexandria: Commentary on John, Book I: Text, Translation, and Essays presents and discusses Book I of Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John as a philosophical text. Its target readership therefore includes not only scholars of historical and systematic theology but also historians of philosophy with an interest in early Christian authors, as well as those philosophically interested in Origen's thought. Origen found in the first words of the gospel of John a doctrine of first principle in nuce, centred around the concepts of 'beginning' (arche), 'word' (logos), and 'wisdom' (sophia). In interpreting this biblical text, he therefore drew heavily on a variety of philosophical sources adapting and accommodating them into his own Christian philosophy. The Introduction by the editors contextualizes Origen and his exegetical work within the development of early Christian philosophy drawing attention to the specific issues dealt with in the author's engagement with the scriptural text. A key section of the work is provided in Greek reading text with a new, philosophically nuanced translation by Vito Limone and Pui Him Ip. Subsequently, six chapters deal with philosophical topics central to Origen's argument. His analysis of the term arche (Vito Limone); his view of Christ's demiurgic activity (Alexandra Michalewski); his adoption of the tri-partite division of philosophy (Pui Him Ip); his understanding of the Logoi (George Karamanolis); his interpretation of the term logos (Johannes Zachhuber); and his use of cynic themes (Maren Niehoff).