"AS WE BEGIN TO SPEAK ABOUT THE ARK which was constructed by Noah at God's command, let us see first of all what is related about it literally, and, proposing the questions which many are in the habit of presenting, let us search out also their solutions from the traditions which have been handed down to us by the forefathers. When we have laid foundations of this kind, we can ascend from the historical account to the mystical and allegorical understanding of the spiritual meaning and, if these contain anything secret, we can explain it as the Lord reveals knowledge of his word to us. First, therefore, let us set forth these words which have been written. "And the Lord said to Noah," the text says, "the critical moment! of every man has come before me, since the earth is filled with iniquity by them; and behold, I shall destroy them and the earth. Make, therefore, yourself an ark of squared planks; you shall make nests in the ark, and you shall cover it with pitch within and without. And thus you shall make the ark: the length of the ark three hundred cubits and the breadth fifty cubits and its height thirty cubits, you shall assemble and make the ark, and you shall finish it on top to a cubit. And you shall make a door in the side of the ark. You shall make two lower decks in it and three upper decks." And after a few words the text says, "And Noah did everything which the Lord God commanded him, thus he did it." In the first place, therefore, we ask what sort of appearance and form we should understand of the ark. I think, to the extent that it is manifest from these things which are described, rising with four angles from the bottom, and the same having been drawn together gradually all the way to the top, it has been brought together into the space of one cubit. For thus it is related that at its bases three hundred cubits are laid down in length, fifty in breadth, and thirty are raised in height, but they are brought together to a narrow peak so that its breadth and length are a cubit.
But now on the inside indeed are placed those two decks, that is, comprising a double dwelling, which are called its lower decks. But the triple decks are above, as if we should say, constructed with three upper rooms. Now these separations of dwelling places appear to have been made for this reason, that the diverse kinds of animals or beasts could be separated more easily in individual rooms and whatever animals are tame and less active could be divided from the wild beasts. Those separations of dwellings, therefore, are called nests. But the planks are said to have been squared. This was both so one piece could be fitted to the other more easily, and so the total assault of the waters might be held back when the flood overflowed, since it was protected, the joint having been coated with pitch within and without. It has indeed been handed down to us, and not without probability, that the lower parts, which we said above were built double, which also separately are called double-decked, the upper parts which are called triple-decked excepted, were made double for this reason: since all the animals spent a whole year in the ark, and of course, it was necessary that food be provided that whole year and not only food, but also that places be prepared for wastes so that neither the animals themselves, nor especially the men, be plagued by the stench of excrement. They hand down, therefore, that the lower region itself, which is at the bottom, was given over and set aside for necessities of this kind.
But the region above and contiguous to this one was alloted to storing food. And indeed it seemed necessary that animals be brought in from without for those beasts whose nature it was to feed on flesh, that feeding on their flesh they might be able to preserve their life for the sake of renewing offspring, but other provisions would be stored up for other animals, which their natural use demands. They hand down, therefore, that the lower parts which are called double-decked were set aside for these uses, but the upper parts were alloted as a dwelling place for the beasts or animals, in which the lower areas indeed were given as a dwelling place for wild beasts and fierce beasts or serpents, but the places contiguous to these in the upper areas were stables for domesticated animals.
But above all, the abode for men was located at the highest point, since it is they who excel all in both honor and reason, so that just as man, by means of his reason and wisdom, is said to have dominion over all things which are on the earth, so also he might be higher in place and above all the animals which were gathered in the ark. But they also hand down that the door which is said to have been made in the side was at that place so that it might have the lower areas, which the text called double-decked, below it and the upper areas, which the text called triple-decked, may be called upper from the location of the door and all the animals brought in thence might be separated with the appropriate distinction to their own places whatever they were, as we said above. But the protection of the door itself is no longer performed by human methods. For how, after it is closed and there was no human outside the ark, could the door be coated with pitch on the outside, unless it was without doubt the work of divine power lest the waters gain entrance by an access which a human hand might not secure? For this reason, therefore, Scripture, although it had said about all other things, that Noah made the ark and brought in the animals and his sons and their wives, did not say of the door that Noah closed the door of the ark, but Scripture says that "The Lord God closed the door of the ark from without, and so the flood occurred."6 It should be observed, however, that after the flood Noah is not said to have opened the door, but the "window," when he sent forth "a raven to see whether the water had ceased upon the earth."
But that Noah brought the food into the ark for all the animals or beasts which entered with him, hear from these words which the Lord speaks to Noah: "Take to yourself," the text says, "from all the foods which are eaten and you shall gather it to yourself, and it shall be for you and them to eat."B But that Noah did those things which the Lord commanded him, hear Scripture saying: "And Noah did," Scripture says, "everything which the Lord God commanded him, thus he did It". Certainly since Scripture related nothing about the places which we said were set apart for the excrement of the animals, but tradition preserves some things, it will appear opportune that silence has been maintained on this about which reason may sufficiently teach of its importance. And because it could less worthily be fitted to a spiritual meaning, rightly, therefore, Scripture, which rather fits its narratives to allegorical meanings, was silent about this. Nevertheless, to the degree that the narrative concerns the force of the rains and the flood, no form could be given to the ark so fitting and suitable, so that, from the top, as if from a kind of roof brought to a narrow point, it might diffuse the fall of the rains, and continuing with stability four-cornered deep in the waters, the ark could neither be tipped nor sunk by the rush of the winds nor the pitching of the waves nor the restlessness of the animals which were within.
2. But although all these things were composed with such great skill, some people present questions, and especially ApelIes, who was a disciple indeed of Marcion, but was the inventor of another heresy greater than that one which he took up from his teacher.1o He, therefore, wishes to show that the writings of Moses contained nothing in themselves of the divine wisdom and nothing of the work of the Holy Spirit. With this intention he exaggerates sayings of this kind, and says that in no way was it possible to receive, in so brief a space, so many kinds of animals and their foods, which would be sufficient for a whole year. For when "two by two"ll from the unclean animals, that is, two males and two females-for this is what the repeated word signifies-but "seven by seven"12 from the clean animals, which is seven pairs, are said to have been led into the ark, how, he asks, could it happen that that space which is recorded could receive, at the least, four elephants alone? And after he opposes each species in this manner, he adds above all to these words: "It is evident, therefore, that the story is invented; but if it is, it is evident that this Scripture is not from God." But against these words we bring to the knowledge of our audience things which we learned from men who were skilled and versed in the traditions of the Hebrews and from our old teachers. The forefathers used to say, therefore, that Moses who, as Scripture testifies about him, was "instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians," reckoned the number of cubits in this passage according to the art of geometry in which the Egyptians especially are skillful. For with geometricians, according to that computation which they call the second power, one cubit of a solid and square is considered as six if it is derived in general, or as three hundred if singly. If this computation, at least, be observed, spaces of such great length and breadth will be discovered in the measure of this ark that they could truly receive the whole world's offspring to restore it, and the revived seedbed of all living beings. Let these things be said, as much as pertains to the historical account, against those who endeavor to impugn the Scriptures of the Old Testament as containing certain things which are impossible and irrational..."
Origen, Homily on Genesis, 2,
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