Origen on the Homiletic Exegete as Physician of the Soul

Abstract

In this paper, I examine a selection of Origen’s homilies in which he comments on the healing or medicinal properties of scripture, followed by an analysis of passages in which he discusses the role of the exegete in the healing process. I argue that the analogy of the healing physician helps Origen make the case that the ideal exegete is one who has had both the appropriate training in the discipline and, accordingly, the knowledge concerning when and how to apply said training for the sake of healing the sinful souls of his audience members. These general claims of Origen concerning the role of the exegete provide us with insight concerning his self-understanding as one such exegete-physician. Accordingly, I attend to the rhetorical use to which Origen put the metaphor of the physician as he worked to present himself as an authoritative, well-trained interpreter.