Pillaging the Egyptians — Redeeming Truth Wherever It Is Found
In the Exodus story, as the Israelites prepare to leave Egypt, they are told to ask their neighbors for gold, silver, and clothing. Strangely, the Egyptians give freely, and the people of Israel carry this wealth into the wilderness (Exodus 12:35–36).
Origen, an early Christian theologian, saw more than history in this moment. He understood it as a spiritual principle: God’s people are invited to “pillage the Egyptians”—to take what is true, good, and beautiful, even from outside their own tradition, and dedicate it to God.
This is not about compromise. It is about transformation.
The Israelites did not leave Egypt empty-handed. What they carried, they later used to build the tabernacle—the dwelling place of God. In the same way, Christians today are not called to isolate themselves from all outside influence, but to discern and redeem what aligns with truth.
This has deep implications for how we engage other Christian traditions.
Many believers inherit a particular way of practicing faith and remain within it. That can be a gift. But no single tradition fully captures the depth of God. The wider Church holds treasures we often overlook.
The Christian mystics, for example, teach us to encounter God in silence, not just in words. They invite us beyond information into transformation—into a lived awareness of God’s presence. Their writings challenge a faith that is only intellectual or external, reminding us that God meets us in the hidden places of the soul.
To “pillage the Egyptians” today might mean receiving these gifts—learning to sit in silence, to pray contemplatively, to embrace mystery without needing to control it.
But discernment matters. Not everything we encounter should be carried forward. The same gold used to build the tabernacle was later used to form the golden calf. The difference lies in whether what we receive leads us toward God or away from Him.
Origen’s insight calls us to maturity: to recognize truth wherever it appears, test it, and offer it back to God in worship.
Faith is not meant to be narrow or guarded. It is meant to be alive, enriched by the wisdom of the whole Body of Christ.
Reflective Questions:
Where might God be inviting you to discover truth outside your usual spiritual habits?
Do you tend to reject unfamiliar expressions of faith too quickly? Why?
What practices or insights could deepen your relationship with God if you embraced them?
How can you discern whether something is drawing you closer to God or away from Him?
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