What is the meaning of “the Church is the Gate of Zion”?

Origen considers the Church to be the gate of righteousness through which Jesus Christ enters. The gates of the Church are situated in opposition to the gates of death. Origen says, “Now the gates of Zion may be conceived as opposed to the gates of death, so that there is one gate of death and sin, but the gate of Zion is self-control; which the prophet shows forth saying, ‘This is the gate of the Lord, the righteous shall enter into it’ (Ps. 118:21). And again, there is cowardice which is the gate of death, but manly courage which is the gate of Zion; want of prudence is the gate of death, but its opposite, prudence, is the gate of Zion. But to all the gates of knowledge which are falsely so called (1 Tim 6:20) one gate is opposed, the gate of knowledge which is free from falsehood. But consider if, because of the saying, ‘our wrestling is not against flesh and blood’ (Eph. 6:12) you can say that each power and worldruler of this darkness, and each one of the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places is a gate of Hades and a gate of death.”¹⁰³³