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Why did Origen regard the spiritual meaning of Scripture as its highest sense?

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Origen regarded the spiritual meaning of Scripture as its highest sense because he viewed the biblical text as a vessel for divine truth, where the inward spirit is veiled beneath the literal surface of law, history, myth, and parable.1

For Origen, the material body of Scripture serves as a means of discipline, and the commentator’s essential task is to penetrate this allegory to discover the soul and spirit within. This approach reflects his broader theological system, which emphasizes a scale of spiritual apprehension; just as redemption restores fallen souls from matter to spirit and from image to reality, the interpretation of Scripture is a process of moving beyond the literal "letter" to perceive its existential reference for the individual Christian.1

While Origen distinguished between literal, moral, and spiritual senses, he maintained that the spiritual—or allegorical—sense was the highest, as it allowed the educated believer to uncover deep philosophical and mystical truths. This method of exegesis was considered a gift of grace, intended for those who are spiritually worthy to ascend the ladder of mystical understanding.21