ORIGEN CALLS THE SON "...A ( CREATURE )..."

GREEK TEXT: “...φέρε δὴ οὖν αὐτὰς τὰς αὐτοῦ λέξεις παραθησόμεθα ἐκ τοῦ πρώτου ψαλμοῦ <μετὰ> καὶ τῶν ἐν αὐτῷ θεωριῶν, [καὶ] ὧν ἐδογμάτισεν, αὐτοῖς τοῖς λόγοις, ἵνα μή τινες εἴπωσι τὰ κατ' αὐτοῦ ὑφ' ἡμῶν λεγόμενα σεσυκοφαντῆσθαι. καὶ οὐχ ὅτι πάντως μόνον ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ ψαλμῷ ἐξέπεσε τῆς ἀληθείας, ἀλλὰ ὡς πολλάκις εἶπον, καὶ ἐν ἑκάστῃ ἐξηγήσει. διὰ δὲ τὸν ὄγκον τῆς αὐτοῦ πραγματείας ἀπὸ τοῦ προειρημένου ψαλμοῦ συλλέξαντες ἐνταυθοῖ, ἀπὸ [τῆς] μιᾶς ἢ δύο ἢ τριῶν λέξεων τὸ πᾶν τῆς περὶ τὴν πίστιν μοχθηρίας αὐτοῦ ἀποκαλύψωμεν κατ' αὐτῶν τε εἰπεῖν ἀναγκαίως ἐπιμελησώμεθα. καὶ ἔστιν εὐθὺς ἑκάστης λέξεως τὸ ἐδάφιον οὕτως, ὅπως γνῴης, ὦ φιλόκαλε ἀκροατά, ὅτι φανερώτατα τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ κτίσμα ἐδογμάτισε, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς περὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ τόλμης γνῷς ὅτι τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον κτίσμα κτίσματος εἰσηγήσατο. ἀπ' ἀρχῆς οὖν ἀναλέξωμεν τὸν ψαλμόν, ἕως αὐτῆς τῆς λέξεως, ὡς αὐτὸς Ὠριγένης ἔφη· Τῶν Ὠριγένους εἰς τὸν <α> ψαλμὸν ἀρχή ... ἐξιχνεύσαμεν δὲ τὸ γεγραμμένον, οὐ καταφρονοῦντες τοῦ «ὅτε λέγεις περὶ θεοῦ, κρίνῃ ὑπὸ θεοῦ» καλῶς εἰρημένου, καὶ τοῦ «περὶ θεοῦ καὶ τἀληθῆ λέγειν κίνδυνος οὐ μικρός». ἀξιοῦμεν τοίνυν, ἐπεὶ μηδὲν χωρὶς θεοῦ καλὸν εἶναι δύναται καὶ μάλιστα νόησις γραφῶν θεοπνεύστων, ὅπως τῷ θεῷ καὶ πατρὶ τῶν ὅλων διὰ τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν καὶ ἀρχιερέως γενητοῦ θεοῦ προσιὼν αἰτήσῃς δοθῆναι ἡμῖν πρῶτον καλῶς ζητεῖν, ἐπεὶ κεῖται τοῖς ζητοῦσιν ἐπαγγελία τοῦ εὑρίσκειν· τάχα οὐδὲ τὴν ἀρχὴν εἰς ζητοῦντας λογιζομένων παρὰ θεῷ τῷ οὐχ ὁδῷ ἐπὶ τοῦτο προϊόντων. Ἕως ὧδε τὰ ἀπὸ Ὠριγένους [8.] Ἀρχὴ δέ μοι λέγειν πρὸς τὸν κομπώδη καὶ δοκήσει σοφὸν καὶ ἐρευνητὴν τῶν ἀνερευνήτων καὶ ἐκβιβαστὴν τῶν ἐπουρανίων τουτονί, τὸν φλυαρίας ἐμπλήσαντα τὸν βίον, ὡς καὶ ὁ κρείττων ἡμῶν κατ' αὐτοῦ εἴρηκε, πρῶτον περὶ γενητοῦ θεοῦ. καὶ ὅτι μὲν ὁμολεξίαι τε καὶ ὁμωνυμίαι πολλαὶ ἐν τῷ βίῳ εἰσίν, παντί τῳ δῆλόν ἐστιν. καὶ εἰ μὲν ὑπὸ ἄλλου ἡ λέξις ἐλέγετο, ἦν εἰπεῖν ὅτι κατὰ ὀρθὴν διάνοιαν καὶ τοῦτο εἴρηται· ὁπότε δὲ ἐν πολλοῖς τόποις εὕραμεν αὐτὸν κακῶς τὸν μονογενῆ θεὸν ἀπαλλοτριοῦντα τῆς τοῦ πατρὸς θεότητός τε καὶ οὐσίας, ὁμοῦ δὲ καὶ τὸ ἅγιον πνεῦμα, τούτου χάριν τῷ γενητὸν θεὸν εἰρηκέναι αὐτὸν σαφές ἐστιν ὅτι κτιστὸν ὁρίζεται. Ὡς γάρ τινες ἡμᾶς βούλονται σοφίζεσθαι καὶ λέγειν ἴσον τὸ γενητὸν εἶναι τῷ γεννητῷ, οὐ παραδεκτέον <τοῦτο>· * [δὲ] ἐπὶ θεοῦ λέγειν ἀλλ' ἢ ἐπὶ τὰ κτίσματα μόνον. ἕτερον γάρ ἐστι γενητὸν καὶ ἕτερόν ἐστι γεννητόν. εἰς τὸ γοῦν παρ' αὐτῷ ῥηθὲν κτιστὸν ἤτοι γενητὸν θεόν, πρῶτον ἐρωτῶμεν...” - (SECTION IV. 5:9; [Κατὰ Ὠριγένους τοῦ καὶ Ἀδαμαντίου <μδ>, τῆς δὲ ἀκολουθίας <ξδ>] The Panarion of Epiphanius of Salamis MPG.)

EPIPHANIUS-ON-ORIGEN (c. 310 to 403 C.E.): “...Well then, I shall quote his own words from the First Psalm[30] his doctrinal speculations in it --- word for word, so that no one may call ( my attack on him ) vexatious … (11) And here, at once, is the text of every word, to show you, scholarly hearer, THAT ORIGEN PLAINLY HELD THAT THE SON OF GOD IS [Gk., κτίσμα ] ( A CREATURE ), and also show you, from his impudence about the Son, THAT HE TAUGHT THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A CREATURE OF A CREATURE. (12) Let us take a part of the Psalm, from the beginning until the actual expression [in question], in Origen's own words. … (7.4) “Now since without God there can be no good thing, especially an understanding of the inspired scriptures, I ASK YOU TO APPROACH THE GOD AND FATHER OF ALL ( THROUGH ) OUR SAVIOUR AND HIGH PRIEST, THE ORIGINATED [Gk., γενητὸν θεὸν ] GOD, AND PRAY that he will grant me, first, to seek as I ought. For there is a promise of finding for those who seek ; [but] it may be that there is no promise at all for seekers if God deems them to be proceeding by a road that does not lead to finding.” (8.1) And first I need to disscuss the term, ( γενητὸν θεὸν ) “originated God,” with this braggart with his illusory wisdom, the searcher out of the un-searchable and exhibitor of the heavenly realms, who, as a greater man than I has said, has filled the world with non-sense. (2) And anyone can see that there are many equivalents and synonyms. (3) If the term were used by someone else, one might say that this too had been said with right intent. But since I HAVE FOUND MANY INSTANCES that Origen wrongly distingushes between [Gk., τὸν μονογενῆ θεὸν ] the Only-begotten God and the Father's Godhead and essense – and the same with the Holy Spirit – IT IS PLAIN THAT BY SAYING [Gk., γενητὸν θεὸν ] “ORIGINATED GOD” HE IS PRONOUNCING HIM [Gk., κτιστὸν ] ( A CREATURE ). (8.4) For though some would like to outwit me and say that “originated” is the same thing as “begotten,” < this > is not admissible. < The later may be said only of God, but the former[*] > may not be said of God, but only of ( CREATURES ). “Orignated” is one thing, “begotten” another...” - (Page 136-137; SECTION IV. 5:9; The Panarion of Epiphanius of Salamis, Volume 2 By Frank Williams.)

[FOOTNOTE 30]: Eusebius mentions this commentary at H. E. 6.25.1.

EPIPHANIUS (ca. 310 to 403 C.E.): "Whereas we have observed, that in many places he describes the only-begotten God, as not of the same Divinity or Substance with the Father, as also the Holy Spirit. On this account, when he says he is a MADE God, tis plain he determines, that he is A CREATED BEING." - (Haeres LXIV. 4. Page 531; William Whiston Primative Christianity Revived Vol 4 Page 154)

(ORIGEN OF ALEXANDRIA): “...and Origen's calling our Saviour elswhere expresly ( γενητὸν Θεὸν )...” - (Page 154. Comment. in Psal. I. Tom. I. p. 38 [As quoted in William Whistons 'Primitive Christianity Revived' Vol., 4.)