CMP Review 2024-04-07

“We say some things on our own, by ourselves, where there is no power that inspires us to speak,” wrote Origen of Alexandria in the 3rd century. “But there are other things that we say when some power prompts us (as it were), dictating what we say, even if we do not fall completely into a trance and lose full possession of our own faculties, but seem to understand what we say. Now, it is possible for us, while we understand what we say on our own, not to understand the meaning of the words that are spoken.”

How could a person not understand the meaning of the words that he speaks? When could such a thing happen?

According to St. Augustine, it can happen when one holds a sacred office. He cites the Apostle John as his authority, who “attributes this power to the divine sacramental fact [of being] the high priest.”

And so Origen continues: “This is what happened in the case of Caiaphas the high priest. He did not speak on his own, by himself, nor did he understand the meaning of what he said, since it was a prophecy that was spoken.”

The prophecy was recorded in John 11:51–52. The high priest did not understand its meaning, but Charlotte Mason did. Read or hear her convicting and inspiring poem “What do We?” here.

@artmiddlekauff