Origen of Alexandria’s Appraisal of the Mosaic Law

In this paper I will evaluate the reception of Mosaic Law (hereafter just Law) by Origen of Alexandria (c. 185 – c. 254 C.E.). Within in the polemics against “Christian heretics” and Judaism, Origen ascribed an important place to the Law preferring allegorical interpretation to the “heretical” and “Judaizing” approaches to the law, which included both rejection and literal interpretation.  Origen of Alexandria treated the Mosaic law on the one hand as relatively lower in value to Christian message while at the same time defending its divine origin and limited but continuing relevance. Ronald Heine has recently argued for the need to examine the development of Origen’s thought as he shifted his base from Alexandria to Caesarea (Heine, Ronald. Origen: Scholarship In The Service of The Church (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2010), vii – viii). While a chronological evolution is apparent in Origen’s thought, I will argue that there is a great deal of continuity in Origen’s view of the Law between the Alexandrian and Caesarean period.

Due to his belief that Christ is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets, Origen held that the Mosaic Law diminished in its value. Yet Origen’s belief in the unity of Scripture, expressed most forcefully in his refutation of Marcion and others who rejected the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) forced Origen to treat the Mosaic Law positively. This balancing act captures the early Christian ambiguity regarding Mosaic Law.

I will place Origen’s attitude towards Mosaic Law within the coherent theological vision of Origen. Origen positive views of the Mosaic Law are based on his conviction of the unity of scripture, divine origin of Mosaic Law, covenant, the place of the Law in God’s plan of salvation, the place of Jews in that plan. Origen’s more negative views of the Mosaic Law derive from his understanding of different types of law, relationship between Christ and the Law, and identity of the church in relation to Israel.

            Additionally, this entire project is framed within the question of Jewish-Christian relations and how Christian attitudes to the Mosaic Law affect those relations. Much of the scholarly conversation in the past fifty years have centered on anti-Judaism in New Testament texts. And while the Adversus Judaeos literature and general views towards Judaism in early Christianity has also received considerable attention, there has been relatively little focus on early Christian attitude to Mosaic Law and impact of such views on Jewish-Christian relations. Given the influence of Origen on subsequent Eastern Orthodox theology, this study will make an important contribution to Eastern Orthodox – Jewish dialogue.