When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. (1 Cor 5:4-5)
For this reason, we too should bear it patiently when we are handed over to vengeance by God. The apostle [Paul] handed over someone from the assembly of the church to the devil for the destruction of his flesh; and he handed him over for the destruction of his flesh in order to preserve the spirit of the one who was handed over, not in order to destroy the one who was handed over. Hence, Scripture says, “to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.” Moreover the sinner is handed over to torments so that he may receive punishments for the present, and after suffering pain for his sins he may obtain relief in the future, and it may be possible to say about him, “He received his ills in his life.”* So then, if anyone, after being tormented with punishments in accordance with the curse in which God has placed sinners, prefers to flee from the punishments and to send to Egypt so as to procure help—and to Pharaoh, from whom God liberated his people—then “he does not go straight; he will not be saved.”† If, however, one patiently endures the curse and punishments … and in torment brings to completion the time [required for] his sins—just as that man did who according to the epistles of the apostle was tormented so that his spirit would be saved in the day of judgment—he will obtain a very good end.
* Cf. Luke 16:25
† See Ezekiel 17:15. Origen is saying that the sinner will not be saved from God’s punishment by fleeing to the world for help.
For this reason, we too should bear it patiently when we are handed over to vengeance by God. The apostle [Paul] handed over someone from the assembly of the church to the devil for the destruction of his flesh; and he handed him over for the destruction of his flesh in order to preserve the spirit of the one who was handed over, not in order to destroy the one who was handed over. Hence, Scripture says, “to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.” Moreover the sinner is handed over to torments so that he may receive punishments for the present, and after suffering pain for his sins he may obtain relief in the future, and it may be possible to say about him, “He received his ills in his life.”* So then, if anyone, after being tormented with punishments in accordance with the curse in which God has placed sinners, prefers to flee from the punishments and to send to Egypt so as to procure help—and to Pharaoh, from whom God liberated his people—then “he does not go straight; he will not be saved.”† If, however, one patiently endures the curse and punishments … and in torment brings to completion the time [required for] his sins—just as that man did who according to the epistles of the apostle was tormented so that his spirit would be saved in the day of judgment—he will obtain a very good end.
Origen of Alexandria: Exegetical Works on Ezekiel, 12.3.3
* Cf. Luke 16:25
† See Ezekiel 17:15. Origen is saying that the sinner will not be saved from God’s punishment by fleeing to the world for help.
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