From Edward N. Haas:

Re: Gospel of Matthew linked to bloody trail of self-mutilations (June 13): The most famous case by far of self mutilation in response to Scripture goes back to around 185 to 254 AD. Those years mark the approximate life span of one of history’s most famous literary defenders of Christian teaching. His name was Origen Adamantius. He castrated himself in an attempt to avoid sexual sin, but then later denounced his action as morally wrong. Private interpretation of sacred writings is always a risky business.