Abstract

Any cleansing from sin has its source in the sacrifice of Jesus – the Only Priest. The sacrifice is of double nature: carnal and spiritual, offered for people in Jerusalem and, at the same time, for heavenly beings in Heaven. The priestly work of Jesus gives validity to the offerings of the Old Testament, is the source of the power to cleanse form sin conferred on the Church, and it will only come to fulfilment with the cleansing of the worst sinner. Thus, the offerings of the Old Testament had the power to cleanse from sin. That power came to an end upon the death of Jesus. For a Christian, baptism is the fundamental, or even the only way to be cleansed. However, one also has a possibility to be cleansed after being baptised, as here, on earth, it is impossible to avoid sin. Origen recognises the cleansing
power of all the acts of fulfilling the Gospel, particularly deeds of charity. He also mentions the confession of sins (regardless of canonical penance). Many times he points to the cleansing which can be granted to us as a result of listening to the Word of God. The cleansing can be gradual or instant. Origen discusses canonical penance separately, as something exceptional and difficult that is performed only once. That kind of penance is required in the cases of murder or denying one’s faith. However, Origen emphasises the superiority of spiritual penance over the canonical practice. Those who die in sin face eternal fire and punishment which will be very painful and will complete their cleansing. The homiletic teaching of Origen on sin and cleansing does not aim at full consistency, it’s style is, thus, vastly different from that of the Latin Fathers, who were his contemporaries.