Angels, Scripture, and the Exegesis of Origen

Abstract

In this paper, I analyze one aspect of Origen of Alexandria’s angelology, namely, his presentation of the ways in which angelic beings engage with Scripture. I demonstrate that for Origen, angels knew scripture intimately due to their participation in the production of that which became Scripture, and as evidenced by their thoroughly scriptural speech and song. I argue that this understanding of the angels lends no little rhetorical force to Origen’s claims that angels are engaged with his own exegetical-homiletical endeavours, and that he himself interprets Scripture “angelically.”