Luke 1:1–2: many undertook; the Church keeps four
On Luke 1:1 — Since many undertook to set out a narrative of the things fulfilled among us — Origen hears a fitting apology: for a human to write Gods teaching is an oversized attempt. As Israel once had true and false prophets sorted by discernment of spirits, so many wished to write Gospels, yet approved bankers did not take every coin. Undertook may quietly blame those who rushed to record without the gift. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John wrote moved by the Spirit; Egyptian, Twelve, and Basilides gospels were mere undertakings. The Church prefers only the four.
Fulfilled, not merely believed, marks what cannot be broken. Matters strikes down those who say the Saviors deeds were only appearance. Luke received the story as eyewitnesses and servants of the Word handed it down from the beginning.
Greek
Στίχ. ά. Ἐπειδὴ πολλοὶ ἐπεχείρησαν ανατάδασθαι διήγησιν περὶ τῶν πεπληρορσορημένων ἡμῖν πραγμάτων. Ἐπειδὴ ὑπέρογκον ἦν τὸ ἐπιχείρημα, ἄνθρωπον ὄντα, Θεοῦ διδασκαλίαν καὶ ῥήματα συγγράφειν, εἰκότως ἀπολογεῖται ἐν τῷ προοιμίῳ. Ὥσπερ δὲ ἐν τῷ πάλαι λαῷ πολλοὶ προφητείαν ἐπηγγέλλοντο, ἀλλὰ τούτων τινὲς μὲν ἦσαν ψευδοπροφῆται, τινὲς δὲ ἀληθῶς προφῆται· καὶ ἦν χάρισμα διάκρισις πνευμάτων, ἀφʼ οὗ χαρίσματος ἐκρίνετο ὁ ἀληθὴς προφήτης καὶ ὁ ψευδοπροφήτης· οὕτω καὶ νῦν ἐν τῇ καινῇ διαθήκῃ, τὰ Εὐαγγέλια πολλοὶ ἠθέλησαν γράψαι. Ἀλλʼ οἱ δόκιμοι τραπεζῖται οὐ πάντα ἔκριναν, ἀλλά τινα ἐξ αὐτῶν ἐξελέξαντο. Τάχα δὲ καὶ τὸ, ἐπεχείρησαν, λεληθυῖαν ἔχει κατηγορίαν τῶν προπετῶς καὶ χωρὶς χαρίσματος ἐλθόντων ἐπὶ τὴν ἀναγραφὴν τῶν Εὐαγγελίων. Ματθαῖος γὰρ οὐκ ἐπεχείρησεν, ἀλλʼ ἔγραψεν ἐξ ἁγίου κινούμενος Πνεύματος· ὁμοίως καὶ Μάρκος, καὶ Ἰωάννης παραπλησίως, καὶ Λουκᾶς. Τὸ μέντοι ἐπιγεγραμμένον κατὰ Αἰγυπτίους Εὐαγγέλιον, καὶ τὸ ἐπιγεγραμμένον τῶν δώδεκα, οἱ συγγράψαντες ἐπεχείρησαν. Ἤδη δὲ ἐτόλμησε καὶ Βασιλείδης συγγράψαι κατὰ Βασιλείδην Εὐαγγέλιον. Πολλοὶ μὲν οὖν ἐπεχείρησαν· ἀλλὰ τὰ τέσσαρα μόνα προκρίνει ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ Ἐκκλησία. Οὐχ ἁπλῶς δὲ εἶπε πεπιστευμένων, ἀλλὰ πεπληροφορημένων, τὸ ἀπαράβατον τοῖς λεγομένοις μαρτυρῶν. Πραγμάτων δὲ εἶπεν, ἀναιρῶν τὴν αἵρεσιν τῶν κατὰ φαντασίαν λεγόντων τὰ διὰ τοῦ Σωτῆρος γεγονέναι. Καθὼς παρέδοσαν ἡμῖν οἱ ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς αὐτόπται καὶ ὑπηρέται γενόμενοι τοῦ Λόγου.
About this text
Origen Gospel catena and scholia fragments (Greek).
English follows First1KGreek TEI. Modern copyright reconstructions were not used as wording. NT fragments SERIES CLOSEOUT.
Witnesses
- Copy-text First1KGreek TEI tlg2042.tlg006 — John catena (Greek)
- Copy-text First1KGreek TEI tlg2042.tlg017 — Luke catena (Greek)
- Copy-text First1KGreek TEI tlg2042.tlg077 — Matthew scholia (Greek)
- Copy-text First1KGreek TEI tlg2042.tlg078 — Luke scholia (Greek)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.