Origen, a Son of Leonides the Martyr, Greatly Tormented at Alexandria

In our account of baptism in the third century, with special reference to the year 231, we have spoken of the views of Origen and shown that he has left us very excellent and wholesome teachings about baptism upon faith; and also that in his teaching he opposed the swearing of oaths, war, compulsory celibacy, the literal view of the Lord's Supper, those who taught something and did not practice it themselves, the antichrist, and so on.

We have likewise shown there that some very strange things were charged against him as his views; from these, however, the chief ancient writers, as well as later authors, have cleared him. All of this may be examined at the place indicated, and considered with Christian discretion. This we leave to the judgment of the discerning. We will therefore go on to tell of his martyrdom, and how much he had to suffer for the name of the Lord Jesus.

From the very beginning of his knowledge he placed himself in great danger of being arrested or put to death for the testimony of the Son of God. For when he was only seventeen years old, and his father, whom he dearly loved, had been arrested for the Christian religion and had nothing to expect but death (as we have noted for the year 202), he not only comforted him by letter, but, as other writers state, wanted to follow him into prison, indeed even to death; and he would have done it, if his mother had not prevented it by withholding or taking away his clothes. Introduction, folio 38, column 2, from Euseb. [n205-2]

Besides this, he often exposed himself to danger for the Christian martyrs, because of his extraordinary love for them. He would take his stand near the tribunal, where the arrested Christians were making their last defense, or were to receive their sentence of death, and when they were growing weak he would strengthen and encourage them; he went with them to death, even to the place of execution; he gave them the last kiss of peace, as a friendly and brotherly farewell; so that he would often have lost his life, if God had not preserved him in a remarkable and miraculous way. Soldiers who were hired for the purpose by the enemies of the truth lay in ambush for his person and for the house in which he lived, in order to arrest or kill him; so that because of the fierce persecution he could stay no longer in Alexandria, the place where he had been brought up; and this all the more, because the believers there, since he was so well known, could no longer hide him.

His beloved disciples, whom he had faithfully taught the ways of God, had nearly all been put to death for the name of Jesus Christ. Among them were Plutarch, Heraclides, Hero, the two godly men called Serenus, Rhais, Marcella, and others, whom we have mentioned in the years 203 and 204.

It may therefore be considered a miracle that Origenes lived so long in the midst of deadly persecutions, namely, from his seventh to his seventieth year, which is more than fifty years.

But at last sufferings beyond measure came upon him. He was thrown into the deepest prison, his neck loaded with iron chains, his feet put in the stocks and stretched so that four holes were between them.* There he was tortured with fire and various other means of torment; but he bore it all with the utmost patience. Nevertheless, it appears from ancient writers that he was not put to death by sentence of court, but, as Epiphanius writes, was banished to Cesarea Statonis; and that at last, having moved to Tyre, he died and was buried there, under Gallus and Valusianus. Compare the account of A. Mell., 1st book, folio 57, columns 1, 2, under the name Leonides, but especially folio 77, columns 3, 4, under the name Origen, from Euseb., book 6, chapter 2. Hieron. Apol. Rufin. Suid. in Origene. Epiphan. de Mensuris. Hieron. Catal. in Origene. Also, Euseb., book 6. [n205-3] Also, P. J. Twisck, 3rd book, for the year 231, page 61, columns 1, 2, from Georgius Wicelius. Also, Introduction, folio 38, column 2. Also, Joh. Gys., folio 18, column 3, about Leonides.

There are some who accuse Origen of apostasy; but various excellent authors have cleared him of this charge, though in matters of knowledge he had his weaknesses and failings.

Eusebius Pamphilius of Cesarea praises his virtue beyond measure, saying that Origen wanted to have no communion with Paulus Antiochenus, because that man was tainted with error. Of Origen it was said: [n205-1] "This is he who lives as he teaches, and teaches as he lives. He sold his books of heathen philosophy, on condition that four pence a day should be given him for his daily needs, so that he would not be a burden to anyone. He set all his disciples an example of poverty, that they should give up whatever they possessed; and so he was loved by everyone, because he quarreled with no one about temporal goods, except that some were dissatisfied because he refused to accept what they offered to give him for the support of his body." Eusebius further says: "It is said that for many years he went barefoot, using neither wine nor anything of the kind, but only the bare necessities of life, until a disease in the chest, which endangered his life, forced him to it." Book 6, chapters 1, 2, 3. Also, Baudart. in Apophthegm. Christian., book 3, page 100.

In refutation of those who accused Origen of apostasy, A. Mellinus writes (though he does not wish to defend his misconceptions or errors, as he calls them): "If this account of the apostasy of Origen were true, Porphyrius, who wrote at this time against the Christians, and was especially bitter against Origen, would very probably have mentioned it in his writings; and this the more so, since he dared to accuse Ammonius, Origen's teacher, of apostasy unjustly: how much more, then, would he have exerted himself against Origen, if Origen had really apostatized; whereas he acknowledges that Origen lived as a Christian to the end." A little further on he writes: "As regards his Christian life and steadfast confession of the name of Christ, we have no reason to call it in question, since even his enemies give him a good testimony in this respect." Abr. Mell., 1st book, folio 78, column 1, from Porphyry.