The Good of Evils

In talking of the meanings of good and evil Origen gets himself if a tight spot. On the one hand, he doesn't want to say that things such as famine, pain, and death are good things, but on the other he will say that these things cannot be wholly evil. For men have through the evils of torture and death become martyrs, and through fasting and self mortification many have been said to improve on their souls. In addition, things such as wealth and prosperity which most would say are good things can lead to evil. For Origen, God creates evils and temptations in order to strengthen those that follow him. Good things such as wealth and worldly fortunes when they are prioritized over things such as virtue and goodness become evil and must be renounced.