Letter Against Celsus - Origen - Book III
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Translated by the Rev. Frederick Crombie, D.D.
Text edited by Rev. Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson and
first published by T&T Clark in Edinburgh in 1867. Additional
introductionary material and notes provided for the American
edition by A. Cleveland Coxe, 1886.
Book III
Chapter I.
In the first book of our answer to the work of Celsus, who had boastfully
entitled the treatise which he had composed against us A True Discourse, we
have gone through, as you enjoined, my faithful Ambrosius, to the best of
our ability, his preface, and the parts immediately following it, testing
each one of his assertions as we went along, until we finished with the
tirade [3184] of this Jew of his, feigned. to have been delivered against
Jesus. And in the second book we met, as we best could, all the charges
contained in the invective [3185] of the said Jew, which were levelled at us
who are believers in God through Christ; and now we enter upon this third
division of our discourse, in which our object is to refute the allegations
which he makes in his own person.
He gives it as his opinion, that "the controversy between Jews and
Christians is a most foolish one," and asserts that "the discussions which
we have with each other regarding Christ differ in no respect from what is
called in the proverb, 'a fight about the shadow of an ass;' " [3186] and
thinks that "there is nothing of importance [3187] in the investigations of
the Jews and Christians: for both believe that it was predicted by the
Divine Spirit that one was to come as a Saviour to the human race, but do
not yet agree on the point whether the person predicted has actually come or
not." For we Christians, indeed, have believed in Jesus, as He who came
according to the predictions of the prophets. But the majority of the Jews
are so far from believing in Him, that those of them who lived at the time
of His coming conspired against Him; and those of the present day, approving
of what the Jews of former times dared to do against Him, speak evil of Him,
asserting that it was by means of sorcery [3188] that he passed himself off
for Him who was predicted by the prophets as the One who was to come, and
who was called, agreeably to the traditions of the Jews, [3189] the Christ.
Chapter II.
But let Celsus, and those who assent to his charges, tell us whether it is
at all like "an ass's shadow," that the Jewish prophets should have
predicted the birth-place of Him who was to be the ruler of those who had
lived righteous lives, and who are called the "heritage" of God; [3190] and
that Emmanuel should be conceived by a virgin; and that such signs and
wonders should be performed by Him who was the subject of prophecy; and that
His word should have such speedy course, that the voice of His apostles
should go forth into all the earth; and that He should undergo certain
sufferings after His condemnation by the Jews; and that He should rise again
from the dead. For was it by chance [3191] that the prophets made these
announcements, with no persuasion of the truth in their minds, [3192] moving
them not only to speak, but to deem their announcements worthy of being
committed to writing? And did so great a nation as that of the Jews, who had
long ago received a country of their own wherein to dwell, recognise certain
men as prophets, and reject others as utterers of false predictions, without
any conviction of the soundness of the distinction? [3193] And was there
no motive which induced them to class with the books of Moses, which were
held as sacred, the words of those persons who were afterwards deemed to be
prophets? And can those who charge the Jews and Christians with folly, show
us how the Jewish nation could have continued to subsist, had there existed
among them no promise of the knowledge of future events? and how, while each
of the surrounding nations believed, agreeably to their ancient
institutions, that they received oracles and predictions from those whom
they accounted gods, this people alone, who were taught to view with
contempt all those who were considered gods by the heathen, as not being
gods, but demons, according to the declaration of the prophets, "For all the
gods of the nations are demons," [3194] had among them no one who
professed to be a prophet, and who could restrain such as, from a desire to
know the future, were ready to desert [3195] to the demons [3196] of
other nations? Judge, then, whether it were not a necessity, that as the
whole nation had been taught to despise the deities of other lands, they
should have had an abundance of prophets, who made known events which were
of far greater importance in themselves, [3197] and which surpassed the
oracles of all other countries.
Chapter III.
In the next place, miracles were performed in all countries, or at least in
many of them, as Celsus himself admits, instancing the case of Aesculapius,
who conferred benefits on many, and who foretold future events to entire
cities, which were dedicated to him, such as Tricca, and Epidaurus, and Cos,
and Pergamus; and along with Aesculapius he mentions Aristeas of
Proconnesus, and a certain Clazomenian, and Cleomedes of Astypalaea. But
among the Jews alone, who say they are dedicated to the God of all things,
there was wrought no miracle or sign which might help to confirm their faith
in the Creator of all things, and strengthen their hope of another and
better life! But how can they imagine such a state of things? For they would
immediately have gone over to the worship of those demons which gave oracles
and performed cures, and deserted the God who was believed, as far as words
went, [3198] to assist them, but who never manifested to them His visible
presence. But if this result has not taken place, and if, on the contrary,
they have suffered countless calamities rather than renounce Judaism and
their law, and have been cruelly treated, at one time in Assyria, at another
in Persia, and at another under Antiochus, is it not in keeping with the
probabilities of the case [3199] for those to suppose who do not yield
their belief to their miraculous histories and prophecies, that the events
in question could not be inventions, but that a certain divine Spirit being
in the holy souls of the prophets, as of men who underwent any labour for
the cause of virtue, did move them to prophesy some things relating to their
contemporaries, and others to their posterity, but chiefly regarding a
certain personage who was to come as a Saviour to the human race?
And if the above be the state of the case, how do Jews and Christians search
after "the shadow of an ass," in seeking to ascertain from those prophecies
which they believe in common, whether He who was foretold has come, or has
not yet arrived, and is still an object of expectation? But even suppose
[3200] it be granted to Celsus that it was not Jesus who was announced by
the prophets, then, even on such a hypothesis, the investigation of the
sense of the prophetic writings is no search after "the shadow of an ass,"
if He who was spoken of can be clearly pointed out, and it can be shown both
what sort of person He was predicted to be, and what He was to do, and, if
possible, when He was to arrive. But in the preceding pages we have already
spoken on the point of Jesus being the individual who was foretold to be the
Christ, quoting a few prophecies out of a larger number. Neither Jews nor
Christians, then, are wrong in assuming that the prophets spoke under divine
influence; [3201] but they are in error who form erroneous opinions
respecting Him who was expected by the prophets to come, and whose person
and character were made known in their "true discourses."
Chapter V.
Immediately after these points, Celsus, imagining that the Jews are
Egyptians by descent, and had abandoned Egypt, after revolting against the
Egyptian state, and despising the customs of that people in matters of
worship, says that "they suffered from the adherents of Jesus, who believed
in Him as the Christ, the same treatment which they had inflicted upon the
Egyptians; and that the cause which led to the new state of things [3202]
in either instance was rebellion against the state." Now let us observe what
Celsus has here done. The ancient Egyptians, after inflicting many cruelties
upon the Hebrew race, who had settled in Egypt owing to a famine which had
broken out in Judea, suffered, in consequence of their injustice to
strangers and suppliants, that punishment which divine Providence had
decreed was to fall on the whole nation for having combined against an
entire people, who had been their guests, and who had done them no harm; and
after being smitten by plagues from God, they allowed them, with difficulty,
and after a brief period, to go wherever they liked, as being unjustly
detained in slavery. Because, then, they were a selfish people, who
hon-outer those who were in any degree related to them far more than they
did strangers of better lives, there is not an accusation which they have
omitted to bring against Moses and the Hebrews,'not altogether denying,
indeed, the miracles and wonders done by him, but alleging that they were
wrought by sorcery, and not by divine power. Moses, however, not as a
magician, but as a devout man, and one devoted to the God of all things, and
a partaker in the divine Spirit, both enacted laws for the Hebrews,
according to the suggestions of the Divinity, and recorded events as they
happened with perfect fidelity.
Chapter VI.
Celsus, therefore, not investigating in a spirit of impartiality the facts,
which are related by the Egyptians in one way, and by the Hebrews in
another, but being bewitched, as it were, [3203] in favour of the former,
accepted as true the statements of those who had oppressed the strangers,
and declared that the Hebrews, who had been unjustly treated, had departed
from Egypt after revolting against the Egyptians,'not observing how
impossible it was for so great a multitude of rebellious Egyptians to become
a nation, which, dating its origin from the said revolt, should change its
language at the time of its rebellion, so that those who up to that time
made use of the Egyptian tongue, should completely adopt, all at once, the
language of the Hebrews! Let it be granted, however, according to his
supposition, that on abandoning Egypt they did conceive a hatred also of
their mother tongue, [3204] how did it happen that after so doing they did
not rather adopt the Syrian or Phoenician language, instead of preferring
the Hebrew, which is different from both? But reason seems to me to
demonstrate that the statement is false, which makes those who were
Egyptians by race to have revolted against Egyptians, and to have left the
country, and to have proceeded to Palestine, and occupied the land now
called Judea. For Hebrew was the language of their fathers before their
descent into Egypt; and the Hebrew letters, employed by Moses in writing
those five books which are deemed sacred by the Jews, were different from
those of the Egyptians.
Chapter VII.
In like manner, as the statement is false "that the Hebrews, being
(originally) Egyptians, dated the commencement (of their political
existence) from the time of their rebellion," so also is this, "that in the
days of Jesus others who were Jews rebelled against the Jewish state, and
became His followers; "for neither Celsus nor they who think with him are
able to point out any act on the part of Christians which savours of
rebellion. And yet, if a revolt had led to the formation of the Christian
commonwealth, so that it derived its existence in this way from that of the
Jews, who were permitted to take up arms in defence of the members of their
families, and to slay their enemies, the Christian Lawgiver would not have
altogether forbidden the putting of men to death; and yet He nowhere teaches
that it is right for His own disciples to offer violence to any one, however
wicked. For He did not deem it in keeping with such laws as His, which were
derived from a divine source, to allow the killing of any individual
whatever. Nor would the Christians, had they owed their origin to a
rebellion, have adopted laws of so exceedingly mild a character as not to
allow them, when it was their fate to be slain as sheep, on any occasion to
resist their persecutors. And truly, if we look a little deeper into things,
we may say regarding the exodus from Egypt., that it is a miracle if a whole
nation at once adopted the language called Hebrew, as if it had been a gift
from heaven, when one of their own prophets said, "As they went forth from
Egypt, they heard a language which they did not understand." [3205]
Chapter VIII.
In the following way, also, we may conclude that they who came out of Egypt
with Moses were not Egyptians; for if they had been Egyptians, their names
also would be Egyptian, because in every language the designations (of
persons and things) are kindred to the language. [3206] But if it is
certain, from the names being Hebrew, that the people were not
Egyptians,'and the Scriptures are full of Hebrew names, and these bestowed,
too, upon their children while they were in Egypt,'it is clear that the
Egyptian account is false, which asserts that they were Egyptians, and went
forth from Egypt with Moses. Now it is absolutely certain [3207] that,
being descended, as the Mosaic history records, from Hebrew ancestors, they
employed a language from which they also took the names which they conferred
upon their children. But with regard to the Christians, because they were
taught not to avenge themselves upon their enemies (and have thus observed
laws of a mild and philanthropic character); and because they would not,
although able, have made war even if they had received authority to do
so,'they have obtained this reward from God, that He has always warred in
their behalf, and on certain occasions has restrained those who rose up
against them and desired to destroy them. For in order to remind others,
that by seeing a few engaged in a struggle for their religion, they also
might be better fitted to despise death, some, on special occasions, and
these individuals who can be easily numbered, have endured death for the
sake of Christianity,'God not permitting the whole nation to be
exterminated, but desiring that it should continue, and that the whole world
should be filled with this salutary and religious doctrine. [3208] And
again, on the other hand, that those who were of weaker minds might recover
their courage and rise superior to the thought of death, God interposed His
providence on behalf of believers, dispersing by an act of His will alone
all the conspiracies formed against them; so that neither kings, nor rulers,
nor the populace, might be able to rage against them beyond a certain point.
Such, then, is our answer to the assertions of Celsus, "that a revolt was
the original commencement of the ancient Jewish state, and subsequently of
Christianity."
Chapter IX.
But since he is manifestly guilty of falsehood in the statements which
follow, let us examine his assertion when he says, "If all men wished to
become Christians, the latter would not desire such a result." Now that the
above statement is false is clear from this, that Christians do not neglect,
as far as in them lies, to take measures to disseminate their doctrine
throughout the whole world. Some of them, accordingly, have made it their
business to itinerate not only through cities, but even villages and country
houses, [3209] that they might make converts to God. And no one would
maintain that they did this for the sake of gain, when sometimes they would
not accept even necessary sustenance; or if at any time they were pressed by
a necessity of this sort, were contented with the mere supply of their
wants, although many were willing to share (their abundance) with them, and
to bestow help upon them far above their need. At the present day, indeed,
when, owing to the multitude of Christian believers, not only rich men, but
persons of rank, and delicate and high-born ladies, receive the teachers of
Christianity, some perhaps will dare to say that it is for the sake of a
little glory [3210] that certain individuals assume the office of
Christian instructors. It is impossible, however, rationally to entertain
such a suspicion with respect to Christianity in its beginnings, when the
danger incurred, especially by its teachers, was great; while at the present
day the discredit attaching to it among the rest of mankind is greater than
any supposed honour enjoyed among those who hold the same belief, especially
when such honour is not shared by all. It is false, then, from the very
nature of the case, to say that "if all men wished to become Christians, the
latter would not desire such a result."
Chapter X.
But observe what he alleges as a proof of his statement: "Christians at
first were few in number, and held the same opinions; but when they grew to
be a great multitude, they were divided and separated, each wishing to have
his own individual party: [3211] for this was their object from the
beginning." That Christians at first were few in number, in comparison with
the multitudes who subsequently became Christian, is undoubted; and yet, all
things considered, they were not so very few. [3212] For what stirred up
the envy of the Jews against Jesus, and aroused them to conspire against
Him, was the great number of those who followed Him into the
wilderness,'five thousand men on one occasion, and four thousand on another,
having attended Him thither, without including the women and children. For
such was the charm [3213] of Jesus' words, that not only were men willing
to follow Him to the wilderness, but women also, forgetting [3214] the
weakness of their sex and a regard for outward propriety [3215] in thus
following their Teacher into desert places. Children, too, who are
altogether unaffected by such emotions, [3216] either following their
parents, or perhaps attracted also by His divinity, in order that it might
be implanted within them, became His followers along with their parents. But
let it be granted that Christians were few in number at the beginning, how
does that help to prove that Christians would be unwilling to make all men
believe the doctrine of the Gospel?
Chapter XI.
He says, in addition, that "all the Christians were of one mind," not
observing, even in this particular, that from the beginning there were
differences of opinion among believers regarding the meaning [3217] of the
books held to be divine. At all events, while the apostles were still
preaching, and while eye-witnesses of (the works of) Jesus were still
teaching His doctrine, there was no small discussion among the converts from
Judaism regarding Gentile believers, on the point whether they ought to
observe Jewish customs, or should reject the burden of clean and unclean
meats, as not being obligatory on those who had abandoned their ancestral
Gentile customs, and had become believers in Jesus. Nay, even in the
Epistles of Paul, who was contemporary with those who had seen Jesus,
certain particulars are found mentioned as having been the subject of
dispute,'viz., respecting the resurrection, [3218] and whether it were
already past, and the day of the Lord, whether it were nigh at hand [3219]
or not. Nay, the very exhortation to "avoid profane and vain babblings, and
oppositions of science falsely so called: which some professing, have erred
concerning the faith," [3220] is enough to show that from the very
beginning, when, as Celsus imagines, believers were few in number, there
were certain doctrines interpreted in different ways. [3221]
Chapter XII.
In the next place, since he reproaches us with the existence of heresies in
Christianity as being a ground of accusation against it, saying that "when
Christians had greatly increased in numbers, they were divided and split up
into factions, each individual desiring to have his own party; "and further,
that "being thus separated through their numbers, they confute one another,
still having, so to speak, one name in common, if indeed they still retain
it. And this is the only thing which they are yet ashamed to abandon, while
other matters are determined in different ways by the various sects." In
reply to which, we say that heresies of different kinds have never
originated from any matter in which the principle involved was not important
and beneficial to human life. For since the science of medicine is useful
and necessary to the human race, and many are the points of dispute in it
respecting the manner of curing bodies, there are found, for this reason,
numerous heresies confessedly prevailing in the science of medicine among
the Greeks, and also, I suppose, among those barbarous nations who profess
to employ medicine. And, again, since philosophy makes a profession of the
truth, and promises a knowledge of existing things with a view to the
regulation of life, and endeavours to teach what is advantageous to our
race, and since the investigation of these matters is attended with great
differences of opinion, [3222] innumerable heresies have consequently
sprung up in philosophy, some of which are more celebrated than others. Even
Judaism itself afforded a pretext for the origination of heresies, in the
different acceptation accorded to the writings of Moses and those of the
prophets. So, then, seeing Christianity appeared an object of veneration to
men, not to the more servile class alone, as Celsus supposes, but to many
among the Greeks who were devoted to literary pursuits, [3223] there
necessarily originated heresies,'not at all, however, as the result of
faction and strife, but through the earnest desire of many literary men to
become acquainted with the doctrines of Christianity. The consequence of
which was, that, taking in different acceptations those discourses which
were believed by all to be divine, there arose heresies, which received
their names from those individuals who admired, indeed, the origin of
Christianity, but who were led, in some way or other, by certain plausible
reasons, to discordant views. And yet no one would act rationally in
avoiding medicine because of its heresies; nor would he who aimed at that
which is seemly [3224] entertain a hatred of philosophy, and adduce its
many heresies as a pretext for his antipathy. And so neither are the sacred
books of Moses and the prophets to be condemned on account of the heresies
in Judaism.
Chapter XIII.
Now, if these arguments hold good, why should we not defend, in the same
way, the existence of heresies in Christianity? And respecting these, Paul
appears to me to speak in a very striking manner when he says, "For there
must be heresies among you, that they who are approved may be made manifest
among you." [3225] For as that man is "approved" in medicine who, on
account of his experience in various (medical) heresies, and his honest
examination of the majority of them, has selected the preferable system,'and
as the great proficient in philosophy is he who, after acquainting himself
experimentally with the various views, has given in his adhesion to the
best,'so I would say that the wisest Christian was he who had carefully
studied the heresies both of Judaism and Christianity. Whereas he who finds
fault with Christianity because of its heresies would find fault also with
the teaching of Socrates, from whose school have issued many others of
discordant views. Nay, the opinions of Plato might be chargeable with error,
on account of Aristotle's having separated from his school, and founded a
new one,'on which subject we have remarked in the preceding book. But it
appears to me that Celsus has become acquainted with certain heresies which
do not possess even the name of Jesus in common with us. Perhaps he had
heard of the sects called Ophites and Cainites, or some others of a similar
nature, which had departed in all points from the teaching of Jesus. And yet
surely this furnishes no ground for a charge against the Christian doctrine.
Chapter XIV.
After this he continues: "Their union is the more wonderful, the more it can
be shown to be based on no substantial reason. And yet rebellion is a
substantial reason, as well as the advantages which accrue from it, and the
fear of external enemies. Such are the causes which give stability to their
faith." To this we answer, that our union does thus rest upon a reason, or
rather not upon a reason, but upon the divine working, [3226] so that its
commencement was God's teaching men, in the prophetical writings, to expect
the advent of Christ, who was to be the Saviour of mankind. For in so far as
this point is not really refuted (although it may seem to be by
unbelievers), in the same proportion is the doctrine commended as the
doctrine of God, and Jesus shown to be the Son of God both before and after
His incarnation. I maintain, moreover, that even after His incarnation, He
is always found by those who possess the acutest spiritual vision to be most
God-like, and to have really come down to us from God, and to have derived
His origin or subsequent development not from human wisdom, but from the
manifestation [3227] of God within Him, who by His manifold wisdom and
miracles established Judaism first, and Christianity afterwards; and the
assertion that rebellion, and the advantages attending it, were the
originating causes of a doctrine which has converted and improved so many
men was effectually refuted.
Chapter XV.
But again, that it is not the fear of external enemies which strengthens our
union, is plain from the fact that this cause, by God's will, has already,
for a considerable time, ceased to exist. And it is probable that the secure
existence, so far as regards the world, enjoyed by believers at present,
will come to an end, since those who calumniate Christianity in every way
are again attributing the present frequency of rebellion to the multitude of
believers, and to their not being persecuted by the authorities as in old
times. For we have learned from the Gospel neither to relax our efforts in
days of peace, and to give ourselves up to repose, nor, when the world makes
war upon us, to become cowards, and apostatize from the love of the God of
all things which is in Jesus Christ. And we clearly manifest the illustrious
nature of our origin, and do not (as Celsus imagines) conceal it, when we
impress upon the minds of our first converts a contempt for idols, and
images of all kinds, and, besides this, raise their thoughts from the
worship of created things instead of God, and elevate them to the universal
Creator; dearly showing Him to be the subject of prophecy, both from the
predictions regarding Him'of which there are many'and from those traditions
which have been carefully investigated by such as are able intelligently to
understand the Gospels, and the declarations of the apostles.
Chapter XVI.
"But what the legends are of every kind which we gather together, or the
terrors which we invent," as Celsus without proof asserts, he who likes may
show. I know not, indeed, what he means by "inventing terrors," unless it be
our doctrine of God as Judge, and of the condemnation of men for their
deeds, with the various proofs derived partly from Scripture, partly from
probable reason. And yet'for truth is precious'Celsus says, at the close,
"Forbid that either I, or these, or any other individual should ever reject
the doctrine respecting the future punishment of the wicked and the reward
of the good!" What terrors, then, if you except the doctrine of punishment,
do we invent and impose upon mankind? And if he should reply that "we weave
together erroneous opinions drawn from ancient sources, and trumpet them
aloud, and sound them before men, as the priests of Cybele clash their
cymbals in the ears of those who are being initiated in their mysteries; "
[3228] we shall ask him in reply, "Erroneous opinions from what ancient
sources? "For, whether he refers to Grecian accounts, which taught the
existence of courts of justice under the earth, or Jewish, which, among
other things, predicted the life that follows the present one; he will be
unable to show that we who, striving to believe on grounds of reason,
regulate our lives in conformity with such doctrines, have failed correctly
to ascertain the truth. [3229]
Chapter XVII.
He wishes, indeed, to compare the articles of our faith to those of the
Egyptians; "among whom, as you approach their sacred edifices, are to be
seen splendid enclosures, and groves, and large and beautiful gateways,
[3230] and wonderful temples, and magnificent tents around them, and
ceremonies of worship full of superstition and mystery; but when you have
entered, and passed within, the object of worship is seen to be a cat, or an
ape, or a crocodile, or a goat, or a dog!" Now, what is the resemblance
[3231] between us and the splendours of Egyptian worship which are seen by
those who draw near their temples? And where is the resemblance to those
irrational animals which are worshipped within, after you pass through the
splendid gateways? Are our prophecies, and the God of all things, and the
injunctions against images, [3232] objects of reverence in the view of
Celsus also, and Jesus Christ crucified, the analogue to the worship of the
irrational animal? But if he should assert this'and I do not think that he
will maintain anything else'we shall reply that we have spoken in the
preceding pages at greater length in defence of those charges affecting
Jesus, showing that what appeared to have happened to Him in the capacity of
His human nature, was fraught with benefit to all men, and with salvation to
the whole world.
Chapter XVIII.
In the next place, referring to the statements of the Egyptians, who talk
loftily about irrational animals, and who assert that they are a sort of
symbols of God, or anything else which their prophets, so termed, are
accustomed to call them, Celsus says that "an impression is produced in the
minds of those who have learned these things; that they have not been
initiated in vain; " [3233] while with regard to the truths which are
taught in our writings to those who have made progress in the study of
Christianity (through that which is called by Paul the gift consisting in
the "word of wisdom" through the Spirit, and in the "word of knowledge"
according to the Spirit), Celsus does not seem even to have formed an
idea, [3234] judging not only from what he has already said, but from what
he subsequently adds in his attack upon the Christian system, when he
asserts that Christians "repel every wise man from the doctrine of their
faith, and invite only the ignorant and the vulgar; "on which assertions we
shall remark in due time, when we come to the proper place.
Chapter XIX.
He says, indeed, that "we ridicule the Egyptians, although they present many
by no means contemptible mysteries [3235] for our consideration, when they
teach us that such rites are acts of worship offered to eternal ideas, and
not, as the multitude think, to ephemeral animals; and that we are silly,
because we introduce nothing nobler than the goats and dogs of the Egyptian
worship in our narratives about Jesus." Now to this we reply, "Good sir,
[3236] (suppose that) you are right in eulogizing the fact that the
Egyptians present to view many by no means contemptible mysteries, and
obscure explanations about the animals (worshipped) among them, you
nevertheless do not act consistently in accusing us as if you believed that
we had nothing to state which was worthy of consideration, but that all our
doctrines were contemptible and of no account, seeing we unfold [3237] the
narratives concerning Jesus according to the 'wisdom of the word' to those
who are 'perfect' in Christianity. Regarding whom, as being competent to
understand the wisdom that is in Christianity, Paul says: 'We speak wisdom
among them that are perfect; yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the
princes of this world, who come to nought, but we speak the wisdom of God in
a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto
our glory; which none of the princes of this world knew.'" [3238]
Chapter XX.
And we say to those who hold similar opinions to those of Celsus: "Paul
then, we are to suppose, had before his mind the idea of no pre-eminent
wisdom when he professed to speak wisdom among them that are perfect? "Now,
as he spoke with his customary boldness when in making such a profession he
said that he was possessed of no wisdom, we shall say in reply: first of all
examine the Epistles of him who utters these words, and look carefully at
the meaning of each expression in them'say, in those to the Ephesians, and
Colossians, and Thessalonians, and Philippians, and Romans,'and show two
things, both that you understand Paul's words, and that you can demonstrate
any of them to be silly or foolish. For if any one give himself to their
attentive perusal, I am well assured either that he will be amazed at the
understanding of the man who can clothe great ideas in common language; or
if he be not amazed, he will only exhibit himself in a ridiculous light,
whether he simply state the meaning of the writer as if he had comprehended
it, or try to controvert and confute what he only imagined that he
understood!
Chapter XI.
And I have not yet spoken of the observance [3239] of all that is written
in the Gospels, each one of which contains much doctrine difficult to be
understood, not merely by the multitude, but even by certain of the more
intelligent, including a very profound explanation of the parables which
Jesus delivered to "those without," while reserving the exhibition of their
full meaning [3240] for those who had passed beyond the stage of exoteric
teaching, and who came to Him privately in the house. And when he comes to
understand it, he will admire the reason why some are said to be
"without," and others "in the house." And again, who would not be filled
with astonishment that is able to comprehend the movements [3241] of
Jesus; ascending at one time a mountain for the purpose of delivering
certain discourses, or of performing certain miracles, or for His own
transfiguration, and descending again to heal the sick and those who were
unable to follow Him whither His disciples went? But it is not the
appropriate time to describe at present the truly venerable and divine
contents of the Gospels, or the mind of Christ'that is, the wisdom and the
word'contained in the writings of Paul. But what we have said is sufficient
by way of answer to the unphilosophic sneers [3242] of Celsus, in
Comparing the inner mysteries of the Church of God to the cats, and apes,
and crocodiles, and goats, and dogs of Egypt.
Chapter XXII.
But this low jester [3243] Celsus, omitting no species of mockery and
ridicule which can be employed against us, mentions in his treatise the
Dioscuri, and Hercules, and Aesculapius, and Dionysus, who are believed by
the Greeks to have become gods after being men, and says that "we cannot
bear to call such beings gods, because they were at first men, [3244] and
yet they manifested many noble qualifies, which were displayed for the
benefit of mankind, while we assert that Jesus was seen after His death by
His own followers; "and he brings against us an additional charge, as if we
said that "He was seen indeed, but was only a shadow!" Now to this we reply,
that it was very artful of Celsus not here clearly to indicate that he did
not regard these beings as gods, for he was afraid of the opinion of those
who might peruse his treatise, and who might suppose him to be an atheist;
whereas, if he had paid respect to what appeared to him to be the truth, he
would not have feigner to regard them as gods. [3245] Now to either of the
allegations we are ready with an answer. Let us, accordingly, to those who
do not regard them as gods reply as follows: These beings, then, are not
gods at all; but agreeably to the view of those who think that the soul of
man perishes immediately (after death), the souls of these men also
perished; or according to the opinion of those who say that the soul
continues to subsist or is immortal, these men continue to exist or are
immortal, and they are not gods but heroes,'or not even heroes, but simply
souls. If, then, on the one hand, you suppose them not to exist, we shall
have to prove the doctrine of the soul's immortality, which is to us a
doctrine of pre-eminent importance; [3246] if, on the other hand, they do
exist, we have still to prove [3247] the doctrine of immortality, not only
by what the Greeks have so well said regarding it, but also in a manner
agreeable to the teaching of Holy Scripture. And we shall demonstrate that
it is impossible for those who were polytheists during their lives to obtain
a better country and position after their departure from this world, by
quoting the histories that are related of them, in which is recorded the
great dissoluteness of Hercules, and his effeminate bondage with Omphale,
together with the statements regarding Aesculapius, that their Zeus struck
him dead by a thunderbolt. And of the Dioscuri, it will be said that they
die often'
"At one time live on alternate days, and at another
Die, and obtain honour equally with the gods." [3248]
How, then, can they reasonably imagine that one of these is to be regarded
as a god or a hero?
Chapter XXIII.
But we, in proving the facts related of our Jesus from the prophetic
Scriptures, and comparing afterwards His history with them, demonstrate that
no dissoluteness on His part is recorded. For even they who conspired
against Him, and who sought false witnesses to aid them, did not find even
any plausible grounds for advancing a false charge against Him, so as to
accuse Him of licentiousness; but His death was indeed the result of a
conspiracy, and bore no resemblance to the death of Aesculapius by
lightning. And what is there that is venerable in the madman Dionysus, and
his female garments, that he should be worshipped as a god? And if they who
would defend such beings betake themselves to allegorical interpretations,
we must examine each individual instance, and ascertain whether it is well
founded, [3249] and also in each particular case, whether those beings can
have a real existence, and are deserving of respect and worship who were
torn by the Titans, and cast down from their heavenly throne. Whereas our
Jesus, who appeared to the members of His own troop [3250] 'for I will
take the word that Celsus employs'did really appear, and Celsus makes a
false accusation against the Gospel in saying that what appeared was a
shadow. And let the statements of their histories and that of Jesus be
carefully compared together. Will Celsus have the former to be true, but the
latter, although recorded by eye-witnesses who showed by their acts that
they clearly understood the nature of what they had seen, and who manifested
their state of mind by what they cheerfully underwent for the sake of His
Gospel, to be inventions? Now, who is there that, desiring to act always in
conformity with right reason, would yield his assent at random [3251] to
what is related of the one, but would rush to the history of Jesus, and
without examination refuse to believe what is recorded of Him? [3252]
Chapter XXIV.
And again, when it is said of Aesculapius that a great multitude both of
Greeks and Barbarians acknowledge that they have frequently seen, and still
see, no mere phantom, but Aesculapius himself, healing and doing good, and
foretelling the future; Celsus requires us to believe this, and finds no
fault with the believers in Jesus, when we express our belief in such
stories, but when we give our assent to the disciples, and eye-witnesses of
the miracles of Jesus, who clearly manifest the honesty of their convictions
(because we see their guilelessness, as far as it is possible to see the
conscience revealed in writing), we are called by him a set of "silly"
individuals, although he cannot demonstrate that an incalculable [3253]
number, as he asserts, of Greeks and Barbarians acknowledge the existence of
Aesculapius; while we, if we deem this a matter of importance, can clearly
show a countless multitude of Greeks and Barbarians who acknowledge the
existence of Jesus. And some give evidence of their having received through
this faith a marvellous power by the cures which they perform, revoking no
other name over those who need their help than that of the God of all
things, and of Jesus, along with a mention of His history. For by these
means we too have seen many persons freed from grievous calamities, and from
distractions of mind, [3254] and madness, and countless other ills, which
could be cured neither by men nor devils.
Chapter XXV.
Now, in order to grant that there did exist a healing spirit named
Aesculapius, who used to cure the bodies of men, I would say to those who
are astonished at such an occurrence, or at the prophetic knowledge of
Apollo, that since the cure of bodies is a thing indifferent, [3255] and a
matter within the reach not merely of the good, [3256] but also of the
bad; and as the foreknowledge of the future is also a thing indifferent'for
the possessor of foreknowledge does not necessarily manifest the possession
of virtue'you must show that they who practise healing or who forefell the
future are in no respect wicked, but exhibit a perfect pattern of virtue,
and are not far from being regarded as gods. But they will not be able to
show that they are virtuous who practise the art of healing, or who are
gifted with foreknowledge, seeing many who are not fit to live are related
to have been healed; and these, too, persons whom, as leading improper
lives, no wise physician would wish to heal. And in the responses of the
Pythian oracle also you may find some injunctions which are not in
accordance with reason, two of which we will adduce on the present occasion;
viz., when it gave commandment that Cleomedes [3257] 'the boxer, I
suppose'should be honoured with divine honours, seeing some great importance
or other attaching to his pugilistic skill, but did not confer either upon
Pythagoras or upon Socrates the honours which it awarded to pugilism; and
also when it called Archilochus "the servant of the Muses"'a man who
employed his poetic powers upon topics of the most wicked and licentious
nature, and whose public character was dissolute and impure'and entitled him
"pious," [3258] in respect of his being the servant of the Muses, who are
deemed to be goddesses! Now I am inclined to think that no one would assert
that he was a "pious" man who was not adorned with all moderation and
virtue, or that a decorous [3259] man would utter such expressions as are
contained in the unseemly [3260] iambics of Archilochus. And if nothing
that is divine in itself is shown to belong either to the healing skill of
Aesculapius or the prophetic power of Apollo, how could any one, even were I
to grant that the facts are as alleged, reasonably worship them as pure
divinities?'and especially when the prophetic spirit of Apollo, pure from
any body of earth, secretly enters through the private parts the person of
her who is called the priestess, as she is seated at the mouth of the
Pythian cave! [3261] Whereas regarding Jesus and His power we have no such
notion; for the body which was born of the Virgin was composed of human
material, and capable of receiving human wounds and death.
Chapter XXVI.
Let us see what Celsus says next, when he adduces from history marvellous
occurrences, which in themselves seem to be incredible, but which are not
discredited by him, so far at least as appears from his words. And, in the
first place, regarding Aristeas of Proconnesus, of whom he speaks as
follows: "Then, with respect to Aristeas of Proconnesus, who disappeared
from among men in a manner so indicative of divine intervention, [3262]
and who showed himself again in so unmistakeable a fashion, and on many
subsequent occasions visited many parts of the world, and announced
marvellous events, and whom Apollo enjoined the inhabitants of Metapontium
to regard as a god, no one considers him to be a god." This account he
appears to have taken from Pindar and Herodotus. It will be sufficient,
however, at present to quote the statement of the latter writer from the
fourth book of his histories, which is to the following effect: "Of what
country Aristeas, who made these verses, was, has already been mentioned,
and I shall now relate the account I heard of him in Proconnesus and
Cyzicus. They say that Aristeas, who was inferior to none of the citizens by
birth, entering into a fuller's shop in Proconnesus, died suddenly, and that
the fuller, having closed his workshop, went to acquaint the relatives of
the deceased. When the report had spread through the city that Aristeas was
dead, a certain Cyzicenian, arriving from Artace, fell into a dispute with
those who made the report, affirming that he had met and conversed with him
on his way to Cyzicus, and he vehemently disputed the truth of the report;
but the relations of the deceased went to the fuller's shop, taking with
them what was necessary for the purpose of carrying the body away; but when
the house was opened, Aristeas was not to be seen, either dead or alive.
They say that afterwards, in the seventh year, he appeared in Proconnesus,
composed those verses which by the Greeks are now called Arimaspian, and
having composed them, disappeared a second time. Such is the story current
in these cities. But these things I know happened to the Metapontines in
Italy 340 years after the second disappearance of Aristeas, as I discovered
by computation in Proconnesus and Metapontium. The Metapontines say that
Aristeas himself, having appeared in their country, exhorted them to erect
an altar to Apollo, and to place near it a statue beating the name of
Aristeas the Proconnesian; for he said that Apollo had visited their country
only of all the Italians, and that he himself, who was now Aristeas,
accompanied him; and that when he accompanied the god he was a crow; and
after saying this he vanished. And the Metapontines say they sent to Delphi
to inquire of the god what the apparition of the man meant; but the Pythian
bade them obey the apparition, and if they obeyed it would conduce to their
benefit. They accordingly, having received this answer, fulfilled the
injunctions. And now, a statue beating the name of Aristeas is placed near
the image of Apollo, and around it laurels are planted: the image is placed
in the public square. Thus much concerning Aristeas." [3263]
Chapter XXVII.
Now, in answer to this account of Aristeas, we have to say, that if Celsus
had adduced it as history, without signifying his own assent to its truth,
it is in a different way that we should have met his argument. But since he
asserts that he "disappeared through the intervention of the divinity," and
"showed himself again in an unmistakeable manner," and "visited many parts
of the world," and "made marvellous announcements; "and, moreover, that
there was "an oracle of Apollo, enjoining the Metapontines to treat Aristeas
as a god," he gives the accounts relating to him as upon his own authority,
and with his full assent. And (this being the case), we ask, How is it
possible that, while supposing the marvels related by the disciples of Jesus
regarding their Master to be wholly fictitious, and finding fault with those
who believe them, you, O Celsus, do not regard these stories of yours to be
either products of jugglery [3264] or inventions? And how, [3265] while
charging others with an irrational belief in the marvels recorded of Jesus,
can you show yourself justified in giving credence to such statement as the
above, without producing some proof or evidence of the alleged occurrences
having taken place? Or do Herodotus and Pindar appear to you to speak the
truth, while they who have made it their concern to die for the doctrine of
Jesus, and who have left to their successors writings so remarkable on the
truths which they believed, entered for the sake of "fictions" (as you
consider them), and "myths," and "juggleries," upon a struggle which entails
a life of danger and a death of violence? Place yourself, then, as a neutral
party, between what is related of Aristeas and what is recorded of Jesus,
and see whether, from the result, and from the benefits which have accrued
from the reformation of morals, and to the worship of the God who is over
all things, it is not allowable to conclude that we must believe the events
recorded of Jesus not to have happened without the divine intervention, but
that this was not the case with the story of Aristeas the Proconnesian.
Chapter XXVIII.
For with what purpose in view did Providence accomplish the marvels related
of Aristeas? And to confer what benefit upon the human race did such
remarkable events, as you regard them, take place? You cannot answer. But
we, when we relate the events of the history of Jesus, have no ordinary
defence to offer for their occurrence;'this, viz., that God desired to
commend the doctrine of Jesus as a doctrine which was to save mankind, and
which was based, indeed, upon the apostles as foundations of the rising
[3266] edifice of Christianity, but which increased in magnitude also in the
succeeding ages, in which not a few cures are wrought in the name of Jesus,
and certain other manifestations of no small moment have taken place. Now
what sort of person is Apollo, who enjoined the Metapontines to treat
Aristeas as a god? And with what object does he do this? And what advantage
was he procuring to the Metapontines from this divine worship, if they were
to regard him as a god, who a little ago was a mortal? And yet the
recommendations of Apollo (viewed by us as a demon who has obtained the
honour of libation and sacrificial odours [3267] ) regarding this Aristeas
appear to you to be worthy of consideration; while those of the God of all
things, and of His holy angels, made known beforehand through the
prophets'not after the birth of Jesus, but before He appeared among men'do
not stir you up to admiration, not merely of the prophets who received the
Divine Spirit, but of Him also who was the object of their predictions,
whose entrance into life was so clearly predicted many years beforehand by
numerous prophets, that the whole Jewish people who were hanging in
expectation of the coming of Him who was looked for, did, after the advent
of Jesus, fall into a keen dispute with each other; and that a great
multitude of them acknowledged Christ, and believed Him to be the object of
prophecy, while others did not believe in Him, but, despising the meekness
of those who, on account of the teaching of Jesus, were unwilling to cause
even the most trifling sedition, dared to inflict on Jesus those cruelties
which His disciples have so truthfully and candidly recorded, without
secretly omitting from their marvellous history of Him what seems to the
multitude to bring disgrace upon the doctrine of Christianity. But both
Jesus Himself and His disciples desired that His followers should believe
not merely in His Godhead and miracles, as if He had not also been a
partaker of human nature, and had assumed the human flesh which "lusteth
against the Spirit; " [3268] but they saw also that the power which had
descended into human nature, and into the midst of human miseries, and which
had assumed a human soul and body, contributed through faith, along with its
divine elements, to the salvation of believers, [3269] when they see that
from Him there began the union of the divine with the human nature, in order
that the human, by communion with the divine, might rise to be divine, not
in Jesus alone, but in all those who not only believe, but [3270] enter
upon the life which Jesus taught, and which elevates to friendship with God
and communion with Him every one who lives according to the precepts of
Jesus.
Chapter XXIX.
According to Celsus, then, Apollo wished the Metapontines to treat Aristeas
as a god. But as the Metapontines considered the evidence in favour of
Aristeas being a man'and probably not a virtuous one'to be stronger than the
declaration of the oracle to the effect that he was a god or worthy of
divine honours, they for that reason would not obey Apollo, and consequently
no one regarded Aristeas as a god. But with respect to Jesus we would say
that, as it was of advantage to the human race to accept him as the Son of
God'God come in a human soul and body'and as this did not seem to be
advantageous to the gluttonous appetites [3271] of the demons which love
bodies, and to those who deem them to be gods on that account, the demons
that are on earth (which are supposed to be gods by those who are not
instructed in the nature of demons), and also their worshippers, were
desirous to prevent the spread of the doctrine of Jesus; for they saw that
the libations and odours in which they greedily delighted were being swept
away by the prevalence of the instructions of Jesus. But the God who sent
Jesus dissipated all the conspiracies of the demons, and made the Gospel of
Jesus to prevail throughout the whole world for the conversion and
reformation of men, and caused Churches to be everywhere established in
opposition to those of superstitious and licentious and wicked men; for such
is the character of the multitudes who constitute the citizens [3272] in
the assemblies of the various cities. Whereas the Churches of God which are
instructed by Christ, when carefully contrasted with the assemblies of the
districts in which they are situated, are as beacons [3273] in the world;
for who would not admit that even the inferior members of the Church, and
those who in comparison with the better are less worthy, are nevertheless
more excellent than many of those who belong to the assemblies in the
different districts?
Chapter XXX.
For the Church [3274] of God, e.g., which is at Athens, is a meek and
stable body, as being one which desires to please God, who is over all
things; whereas the assembly [3275] of the Athenians is given to sedition,
and is not at all to be compared to the Church of God in that city. And you
may say the same thing of the Church of God at Corinth, and of the assembly
of the Corinthian people; and also of the Church of God at Alexandria, and
of the assembly of the people of Alexandria. And if he who hears this be a
candid man, and one who investigates things with a desire to ascertain the
truth, he will be filled with admiration of Him who not only conceived the
design, but also was able to secure in all places the establishment of
Churches of God alongside [3276] of the assemblies of the people in each
city. In like manner, also, in comparing the council [3277] of the Church
of God with the council in any city, you would find that certain
councillors [3278] of the Church are worthy to rule in the city of God, if
there be any such city in the whole world; [3279] whereas the councillors
in all other places exhibit in their characters no quality worthy of the
conventional [3280] superiority which they appear to enjoy over their
fellow-citizens. And so, too, you must compare the ruler of the Church in
each city with the ruler of the people of the city, in order to observe that
even amongst those councillors and rulers of the Church of God who come very
far short of their duty, and who lead more indolent lives than others who
are more energetic, it is nevertheless possible to discover a general
superiority in what relates to the progress of virtue over the characters of
the councillors and rulers in the various cities. [3281]
Chapter XXXI.
Now if these things be so, why should it not be consistent with reason to
hold with regard to Jesus, who was able to effect results so great, that
there dwelt in Him no ordinary divinity? while this was not the case either
with the Proconnesian Aristeas (although Apollo would have him regarded as a
god), or with the other individuals enumerated by Celsus when he says, "No
one regards Abaris the Hyperborean as a god, who was possessed of such power
as to be borne along like an arrow from a bow." [3282] For with what
object did the deity who bestowed upon this Hyperborean Abaris the power of
being carried along like an arrow, confer upon him such a gift? Was it that
the human race might be benefited thereby, [3283] or did he himself
obtain any advantage from the possession of such a power?'always supposing
it to be conceded that these statements are not wholly inventions, but that
the thing actually happened through the co-operation of some demon. But if
it be recorded that my Jesus was received up into glory, [3284] I
perceive the divine arrangement [3285] in such an act, viz., because God,
who brought this to pass, commends in this way the Teacher to those who
witnessed it, in order that as men who are contending not for human
doctrine, but for divine teaching, they may devote themselves as far as
possible to the God who is over all, and may do all things in order to
please Him, as those who are to receive in the divine judgment the reward of
the good or evil which they have wrought in this life.
Chapter XXXII.
But as Celsus next mentions the case of the Clazomenian, subjoining to the
story about him this remark, "Do they not report that his soul frequently
quitted his body, and flitted about in an incorporeal form? and yet men did
not regard him as a god," we have to answer that probably certain wicked
demons contrived that such statements should be committed to writing (for I
do not believe that they contrived that such a thing should actually take
place), in order that the predictions regarding Jesus, and the discourses
uttered by Him, might either be evil spoken of, as inventions like these, or
might excite no surprise, as not being more remarkable than other
occurrences. But my Jesus said regarding His own soul (which was separated
from the body, not by virtue of any human necessity, but by the miraculous
power which was given Him also for this purpose): "No one taketh my life
from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I
have power to take it again." [3286] For as He had power to lay it down,
He laid it down when He said, "Father, why hast Thou forsaken Me? And when
He had cried with a loud voice, He gave up the ghost," [3287]
anticipating the public executioners of the crucified, who break the legs of
the victims, and who do so in order that their punishment may not be further
prolonged. And He "took His life," when He manifested Himself to His
disciples, having in their presence foretold to the unbelieving Jews,
"Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again," [3288]
and "He spake this of the temple of His body; "the prophets, moreover,
having predicted such a result in many other passages of their writings, and
in this, "My flesh also shall rest in hope: for Thou wilt not leave my soul
in hell, neither wilt Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption."
[3289]
Chapter XXXIII.
Celsus, however, shows that he has read a good many Grecian histories, when
he quotes further what is told of Cleomedes of Astypalaea, "who," he
relates, "entered into an ark, and although shut up within it, was not found
therein, but through some arrangement of the divinity, flew out, when
certain persons had cut open the ark in order to apprehend him." Now this
story, if an invention, as it appears to be, cannot be compared with what is
related of Jesus, since in the lives of such men there is found no
indication of their possessing the divinity which is ascribed to them;
whereas the divinity of Jesus is established both by the existence of the
Churches of the saved, [3290] and by the prophecies uttered concerning
Him, and by the cures wrought in His name, and by the wisdom and knowledge
which are in Him, and the deeper truths which are discovered by those who
know how to ascend from a simple faith, and to investigate the meaning which
lies in the divine Scriptures, agreeably to the injunctions of Jesus, who
said, "Search the Scriptures," [3291] and to the wish of Paul, who taught
that "we ought to know how to answer every man; " [3292] nay, also of him
who said, "Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh of you
a reason of the faith [3293] that is in you." [3294] If he wishes to
have it conceded, however, that it is not a fiction, let him show with what
object this supernatural power made him, through some arrangement of the
divinity, flee from the ark. For if he will adduce any reason worthy of
consideration, and point out any purpose worthy of God in conferring such a
power on Cleomedes, we will decide on the answer which we ought to give; but
if he fail to say anything convincing on the point, clearly because no
reason can be discovered, then we shall either speak slightingly of the
story to those who have not accepted it, and charge it with being false, or
we shall say that some demoniac power, casting a glamour over the eyes,
produced, in the case of the Astypalaean, a result like that which is
produced by the performers of juggling tricks, [3295] while Celsus thinks
that with respect to him he has spoken like an oracle, when he said that "by
some divine arrangement he flew away from the ark."
Chapter XXXIV.
I am, however, of opinion that these individuals are the only instances with
which Celsus was acquainted. And yet, that he might appear voluntarily to
pass by other similar cases, he says, "And one might name many others of the
same kind." Let it be granted, then, that many such persons have existed who
conferred no benefit upon the human race: what would each one of their acts
be found to amount to in comparison with the work of Jesus, and the miracles
related of Him, of which we have already spoken at considerable length? He
next imagines that, "in worshipping him who," as he says, "was taken
prisoner and put to death, we are acting like the Getae who worship
Zamolxis, and the Cilicians who worship Mopsus, and the Acarnanians who pay
divine honours to Amphilochus, and like the Thebans who do the same to
Amphiaraus, and the Lebadians to Trophonius." Now in these instances we
shall prove that he has compared us to the foregoing without good grounds.
For these different tribes erected temples and statues to those individuals
above enumerated, whereas we have refrained from offering to the Divinity
honour by any such means (seeing they are adapted rather to demons, which
are somehow fixed in a certain place which they prefer to any other, or
which take up their dwelling, as it were, after being removed (from one
place to another) by certain rites and incantations), and are lost in
reverential wonder at Jesus, who has recalled our minds from all sensible
things, as being not only corruptible, but destined to corruption, and
elevated them to honour the God who is over all with prayers and a righteous
life, which we offer to Him as being intermediate between the nature of the
uncreated and that of all created things, [3296] and who bestows upon us
the benefits which come from the Father, and who as High Priest conveys our
prayers to the supreme God.
Chapter XXXV.
But I should like, in answer to him who for some unknown reason advances
such statements as the above, to make in a conversational way [3297] some
such remarks as the following, which seem not inappropriate to him. Are then
those persons whom you have mentioned nonentities, and is there no power in
Lebadea connected with Trophonius, nor in Thebes with the temple of
Amphiaraus, nor in Acarnania with Amphilochus, nor in Cilicia with Mopsus?
Or is there in such persons some being, either a demon, or a hero, or even a
god, working works which are beyond the reach of man? For if he answer that
there is nothing either demoniacal or divine about these individuals more
than others, then let him at once make known his own opinion, as being that
of an Epicurean, and of one who does not hold the same views with the
Greeks, and who neither recognises demons nor worships gods as do the
Greeks; and let it be shown that it was to no purpose that he adduced the
instances previously enumerated (as if he believed them to be true),
together with those which he adds in the following pages. But if he will
assert that the persons spoken of are either demons, or heroes, or even
gods, let him notice that he will establish by what he has admitted a result
which he does not desire, viz., that Jesus also was some such being; for
which reason, too, he was able to demonstrate to not a few that He had come
down from God to visit the human race. And if he once admit this, see
whether he will not be forced to confess that He is mightier than those
individuals with whom he classed Him, seeing none of the latter forbids the
offering of honour to the others; while He, having confidence in Himself,
because He is more powerful than all those others, forbids them to be
received as divine [3298] because they are wicked demons, who have taken
possession of places on earth, through inability to rise to the purer and
diviner region, whither the grossnesses of earth and its countless evils
cannot reach.
Chapter XXXVI.
But as he next introduces the case of the favourite of Adrian (I refer to
the accounts regarding the youth Antinous, and the honours paid him by the
inhabitants of the city of Antinous in Egypt), and imagines that the honour
paid to him falls little short of that which we render to Jesus, let us show
in what a spirit of hostility this statement is made. For what is there in
common between a life lived among the favourites of Adrian, by one who did
not abstain even from unnatural lusts, and that of the venerable Jesus,
against whom even they who brought countless other charges, and who told so
many falsehoods, were not able to allege that He manifested, even in the
slightest degree, any tendency to what was licentious? [3299] Nay,
further, if one were to investigate, in a spirit of truth and impartiality,
the stories relating to Antinous, he would find that it was due to the
magical arts and rites of the Egyptians that there was even the appearance
of his performing anything (marvellous) in the city which bears his name,
and that too only after his decease,'an effect which is said to have been
produced in other temples by the Egyptians, and those who are skilled in the
arts which they practise. For they set up in certain places demons claiming
prophetic or healing power, and which frequently torture those who seem to
have committed any mistake about ordinary kinds of food, or about touching
the dead body of a man, that they may have the appearance of alarming the
uneducated multitude. Of this nature is the being that is considered to be a
god in Antinoopolis in Egypt, whose (reputed) virtues are the lying
inventions of some who live by the gain derived therefrom; [3300] while
others, deceived by the demon placed there, and others again convicted by a
weak conscience, actually think that they are paying a divine penalty
inflicted by Antinous. Of such a nature also are the mysteries which they
perform, and the seeming predictions which they utter. Far different from
such are those of Jesus. For it was no company of sorcerers, paying court to
a king or ruler at his bidding, who seemed to have made him a god; but the
Architect of the universe Himself, in keeping with the marvellously
persuasive power of His words, [3301] commended Him as worthy of honour,
not only to those men who were well disposed, but to demons also, and other
unseen powers, which even at the present time show that they either fear the
name of Jesus as that of a being of superior power, or reverentially accept
Him as their legal ruler. [3302] For if the commendation had not been
given Him by God, the demons would not have withdrawn from those whom they
had assailed, in obedience to the mere mention of His name.
Chapter XXXVII.
The Egyptians, then, having been taught to worship Antinous, will, if you
compare him with Apollo or Zeus, endure such a comparison, Antinous being
magnified in their estimation through being classed with these deities; for
Celsus is clearly convicted of falsehood when he says, "that they will not
endure his being compared with Apollo or Zeus." Whereas Christians (who have
learned that their eternal life consists in knowing the only true God, who
is over all, and Jesus Christ, whom He has sent; and who have learned also
that all the gods of the heathen are greedy demons, which flit around
sacrifices and blood, and other sacrificial accompaniments, [3303] in
order to deceive those who have not taken refuge with the God who is over
all, but that the divine and holy angels of God are of a different nature
and will [3304] from all the demons on earth, and that they are known to
those exceedingly few persons who have carefully and intelligently
investigated these matters) will not endure a comparison to be made between
them and Apollo or Zeus, or any being worshipped with odour and blood and
sacrifices; some of them, so acting from their extreme simplicity, not being
able to give a reason for their conduct, but sincerely observing the
precepts which they have received; others, again, for reasons not to be
lightly regarded, nay, even of a profound description, and (as a Greek would
say) drawn from the inner nature of things; [3305] and amongst the latter
of these God is a frequent subject of conversation, and those who are
honoured by God, through His only-begotten Word, with participation in His
divinity, and therefore also in His name. They speak much, too, both
regarding the angels of God and those who are opposed to the truth, but have
been deceived; and who, in consequence of being deceived, call them gods or
angels of God, or good demons, or heroes who have become such by the
transference into them of a good human soul. [3306] And such Christians
will also show, that as in philosophy there are many who appear to be in
possession of the truth, who have yet either deceived themselves by
plausible arguments, or by rashly assenting to what was brought forward and
discovered by others; so also, among those souls which exist apart from
bodies, both angels and demons, there are some which have been induced by
plausible reasons to declare themselves gods. And because it was impossible
that the reasons of such things could be discovered by men with perfect
exactness, it was deemed safe that no mortal should entrust himself to any
being as to God, with the exception of Jesus Christ, who is, as it were, the
Ruler over all things, and who both beheld these weighty secrets, and made
them known to a few.
Chapter XXXVIII.
The belief, then, in Antinous, [3307] or any other such person, whether
among the Egyptians or the Greeks, is, so to speak, unfortunate; while the
belief in Jesus would seem to be either a fortunate one, or the result of
thorough investigation, having the appearance of the former to the
multitude, and of the latter to exceedingly few. [3308] And when I speak
of a certain belief being, as the multitude would call it, unfortunate, I in
such a case refer the cause to God, who knows the reasons of the various
fates allotted to each one who enters human life. The Greeks, moreover, will
admit that even amongst those who are considered to be most largely endowed
with wisdom, good fortune has had much to do, as in the choice of teachers
of one kind rather than another, and in meeting with a better class of
instructors (there being teachers who taught the most opposite doctrines),
and in being brought up in better circumstances; for the bringing up of many
has been amid surroundings of such a kind, that they were prevented from
ever receiving any idea of better things, but constantly passed their life,
from their earliest youth, either as the favourites of licentious men or of
tyrants, or in some other wretched condition which forbade the soul to look
upwards. And the causes of these varied fortunes, according to all
probability, are to be found in the reasons of providence, though it is not
easy for men to ascertain these; but I have said what I have done by way of
digression from the main body of my subject, on account of the proverb, that
"such is the power of faith, because it seizes that which first presents
itself." [3309] For it was necessary, owing to the different methods of
education, to speak of the differences of belief among men, some of whom are
more, others less fortunate in their belief; and from this to proceed to
show that what is termed good or bad fortune would appear to contribute even
in the case of the most talented, to their appearing to be more fully
endowed with reason and to give their assent on grounds of reason to the
majority of human opinions. But enough on these points.
Chapter XXXIX.
We must notice the remarks which Celsus next makes, when he says to us, that
"faith, having taken possession of our minds, makes us yield the assent
which we give to the doctrine of Jesus; "for of a truth it is faith which
does produce such an assent. Observe, however, whether that faith does not
of itself exhibit what is worthy of praise, seeing we entrust ourselves to
the God who is over all, acknowledging our gratitude to Him who has led us
to such a faith, and declaring that He could not have attempted or
accomplished such a result without the divine assistance. And we have
confidence also in the intentions of the writers of the Gospels, observing
their piety and conscientiousness, manifested in their writings, which
contain nothing that is spurious, or deceptive, [3310] or false, or
cunning; for it is evident to us that souls unacquainted with those
artifices which are taught by the cunning sophistry of the Greeks (which is
characterized by great plausibility and acuteness), and by the kind of
rhetoric in vogue in the courts of justice, would not have been able thus to
invent occurrences which are fitted of themselves to conduct to faith, and
to a life in keeping with faith. And I am of opinion that it was on this
account that Jesus wished to employ such persons as teachers of His
doctrines, viz., that there might be no ground for any suspicion of
plausible sophistry, but that it might clearly appear to all who were
capable of understanding, that the guileless purpose of the writers being,
so to speak, marked with great simplicity, was deemed worthy of being
accompanied by a diviner power, which accomplished far more than it seemed
possible could be accomplished by a periphrasis of words, and a weaving of
sentences, accompanied by all the distinctions of Grecian art.
Chapter XL.
But observe whether the principles of our faith, harmonizing with the
general ideas implanted in our minds at birth, do not produce a change upon
those who listen candidly to its statements; for although a perverted view
of things, with the aid of much instruction to the same effect, has been
able to implant in the minds of the multitude the belief that images are
gods, and that things made of gold, and silver, and ivory, and stone are
deserving of worship, yet common sense [3311] forbids the supposition
that God is at all a piece of corruptible matter, or is honoured when made
to assume by men a form embodied in dead matter, fashioned according to some
image or symbol of His appearance. And therefore we say at once of images
that they are not gods, and of such creations (of art) that they are not to
be compared with the Creator, but are small in contrast with the God who is
over all, and who created, and upholds, and governs the universe. And the
rational soul recognising, as it were, its relationship (to the divine), at
once rejects what it for a time supposed to be gods, and resumes its natural
love [3312] for its Creator; and because of its affection towards Him,
receives Him also who first presented these truths to all nations through
the disciples whom He had appointed, and whom He sent forth, furnished with
divine power and authority, to proclaim the doctrine regarding God and His
kingdom.
Chapter XLI.
But since he has charged us, I know not how often already, "with regarding
this Jesus, who was but a mortal body, as a God, and with supposing that we
act piously in so doing," it is superfluous to say any more in answer to
this, as a great deal has been said in the preceding pages. And yet let
those who make this charge understand that He whom we regard and believe to
have been from the beginning God, and the Son of God, is the very Logos, and
the very Wisdom, and the very Truth; and with respect to His mortal body,
and the human soul which it contained, we assert that not by their communion
merely with Him, but by their unity and intermixture, [3313] they
received the highest powers, and after participating in His divinity, were
changed into God. And if any one should feel a difficulty at our saying this
regarding His body, let him attend to what is said by the Greeks regarding
matter, which, properly speaking, being without qualities, receives such as
the Creator desires to invest it with, and which frequently divests itself
of those which it formerly possessed, and assumes others of a different and
higher kind. And if these opinions be correct, what is there wonderful in
this, that the mortal quality of the body of Jesus, if the providence of God
has so willed it, should have been changed into one that was ethereal and
divine? [3314]
Chapter XLII.
Celsus, then, does not speak as a good reasoner, [3315] when he compares
the mortal flesh of Jesus to gold, and silver, and stone, asserting that the
former is more liable to corruption than the latter. For, to speak
correctly, that which is incorruptible is not more free from corruption than
another thing which is incorruptible, nor that which is corruptible more
liable to corruption than another corruptible thing. But, admitting that
there are degrees of corruptibility, we can say in answer, that if it is
possible for the matter which underlies all qualities to exchange some of
them, how should it be impossible for the flesh of Jesus also to exchange
qualities, and to become such as it was proper for a body to be which had
its abode in the ether and the regions above it, and possessing no longer
the infirmities belonging to the flesh, and those properties which Celsus
terms "impurities," and in so terming them, speaks unlike a philosopher? For
that which is properly impure, is so because of its wickedness. Now the
nature of body is not impure; for in so far as it is bodily nature, it does
not possess vice, which is the generative principle of impurity. But, as he
had a suspicion of the answer which we would return, he says with respect to
the change of the body of Jesus, "Well, after he has laid aside these
qualities, he will be a God: "(and if so), why not rather Aesculapius, and
Dionysus, and Hercules? To which we reply, "What great deed has Aesculapius,
or Dionysus, or Hercules wrought? "And what individuals will they be able to
point out as having been improved in character, and made better by their
words and lives, so that they may make good their claim to be gods? For let
us peruse the many narratives regarding them, and see whether they were free
from licentiousness or injustice, or folly, or cowardice. And if nothing of
that kind be found in them, the argument of Celsus might have force, which
places the forenamed individuals upon an equality with Jesus. But if it is
certain that, although some things are reported of them as reputable, they
are recorded, nevertheless, to have done innumerable things which are
contrary to right reason, how could you any longer say, with any show of
reason, that these men, on putting aside their mortal body, became gods
rather than Jesus?
Chapter XLIII.
He next says of us, that "we ridicule those who worship Jupiter, because his
tomb is pointed out in the island of Crete; and yet we worship him who rose
from the tomb, [3316] although ignorant of the grounds [3317] on which
the Cretans observe such a custom." Observe now that he thus undertakes the
defence of the Cretans, and of Jupiter, and of his tomb, alluding obscurely
to the allegorical notions, in conformity with which the myth regarding
Jupiter is said to have been invented; while he assails us who acknowledge
that our Jesus has been buried, indeed, but who maintain that He has also
been raised from the tomb,'a statement which the Cretans have not yet made
regarding Jupiter. But since he appears to admit that the tomb of Jupiter is
in Crete, when he says that "we are ignorant of the grounds on which the
Cretans observe such a custom," we reply that Callimachus the Cyrenian, who
had read innumerable poetic compositions, and nearly the whole of Greek
history, was not acquainted with any allegorical meaning which was contained
in the stories about Jupiter and his tomb; and accordingly he accuses the
Cretans in his hymn addressed to Jupiter, in the words: [3318] '
"The Cretans are always liars: for thy tomb, O king,
The Cretans have reared; and yet thou didst not die,
For thou ever livest."
Now he who said, "Thou didst not die, for thou ever livest," in denying that
Jupiter's tomb was in Crete, records nevertheless that in Jupiter there was
the beginning of death. [3319] But birth upon earth is the beginning of
death. And his words run:'
"And Rhea bore thee among the Parrhasians; "'
whereas he ought to have seen, after denying that the birth of Jupiter took
place in Crete because of his tomb, that it was quite congruous with his
birth in Arcadia that he who was born should also die. And the following is
the manner in which Callimachus speaks of these things: "O Jupiter, some say
that thou weft born on the mountains of Ida, others in Arcadia. Which of
them, O father, have lied? The Cretans are always liars," etc. Now it is
Celsus who made us discuss these topics, by the unfair manner in which he
deals with Jesus, in giving his assent to what is related about His death
and burial, but regarding as an invention His resurrection from the dead,
although this was not only foretold by innumerable prophets, but many proofs
also were given of His having appeared after death.
Chapter XLIV.
After these points Celsus quotes some objections against the doctrine of
Jesus, made by a very few individuals who are considered Christians, not of
the more intelligent, as he supposes, but of the more ignorant class, and
asserts that "the following are the rules laid down by them. Let no one come
to us who has been instructed, or who is wise or prudent (for such
qualifications are deemed evil by us); but if there be any ignorant, or
unintelligent, or uninstructed, or foolish persons, let them come with
confidence. By which words, acknowledging that such individuals are worthy
of their God, they manifestly show that they desire and are able to gain
over only the silly, and the mean, and the stupid, with women and
children." [3320] In reply to which, we say that, as if, while Jesus
teaches continence, and says, "Whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after
her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart," one were to
behold a few of those who are deemed to be Christians living licentiously,
he would most justly blame them for living contrary to the teaching of
Jesus, but would act most unreasonably if he were to charge the Gospel with
their censurable conduct; so, if he found nevertheless that the doctrine of
the Christians invites men to wisdom, the blame then must remain with those
who rest in their own ignorance, and who utter, not what Celsus relates (for
although some of them are simple and ignorant, they do not speak so
shamelessly as he alleges), but other things of much less serious import,
which, however, serve to turn aside men from the practice of wisdom.
Chapter XLV.
But that the object of Christianity [3321] is that we should become wise,
can be proved not only from the ancient Jewish writings, which we also use,
but especially from those which were composed after the time of Jesus, and
which are believed among the Churches to be divine. Now, in the Psalms 50,
David is described as saying in his prayer to God these words: "The unseen
and secret things of Thy wisdom Thou hast manifested to me." [3322]
Solomon, too, because he asked for wisdom, received it; and if any one were
to peruse the Psalms, he would find the book filled with many maxims of
wisdom: and the evidences of his wisdom may be seen in his treatises, which
contain a great amount of wisdom expressed in few words, and in which you
will find many laudations of wisdom, and encouragements towards obtaining
it. So wise, moreover, was Solomon, that "the queen of Sheba, having heard
his name, and the name of the Lord, came to try him with difficult
questions, and spake to him all things, whatsoever were in her heart; and
Solomon answered her all her questions. There was no question omitted by the
king which he did not answer her. And the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom
of Solomon, and the possessions which he had [3323] and there was no more
spirit in her. [3324] And she said to the king, The report is true which
I heard in mine own land regarding thee and thy wisdom; and I believed not
them who told me, until I had come, and mine eyes have seen it. And, lo,
they did not tell me the half. Thou hast added wisdom and possessions above
all the report which I heard." [3325] It is recorded also of him, that
"God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of
heart, even as the sand that is on the seashore. And the wisdom that was in
Solomon greatly excelled the wisdom of all the ancients, and of all the wise
men of Egypt; and he was wiser than all men, even than Gethan the Ezrahite,
and Emad, and Chalcadi, and Aradab, the sons of Madi. And he was famous
among all the nations round about. And Solomon spake three thousand
proverbs, and his songs were five thousand. And he spake of trees, from the
cedar that is in Lebanon even to the hyssop which springeth out of the wall;
and also of fishes and of beasts. And all nations came to hear the wisdom of
Solomon, and from all the kings of the earth who had heard of the fame of
his wisdom." [3326]
And to such a degree does the Gospel desire that there should be wise men
among believers, that for the sake of exercising the understanding of its
hearers, it has spoken certain truths in enigmas, others in what are called
"dark" sayings, others in parables, and others in problems. [3327] And
one of the prophets'Hosea'says at the end of his prophecies: "Who is wise,
and he will understand these things? or prudent, and he shall know them?
" [3328] Daniel, moreover, and his fellow-captives, made such progress in
the learning which the wise men around the king in Babylon cultivated, that
they were shown to excel all of them in a tenfold degree. And in the book of
Ezekiel it is said to the ruler of Tyre, who greatly prided himself on his
wisdom, "Art thou wiser than Daniel? Every secret was not revealed to
thee." [3329]
Chapter XLVI.
And if you come to the books written after the time of Jesus, you will find
that those multitudes of believers who hear the parables are, as it were,
"without," and worthy only of exoteric doctrines, while the disciples learn
in private the explanation of the parables. For, privately, to His own
disciples did Jesus open up all things, esteeming above the multitudes those
who desired to know His wisdom. And He promises to those who believe upon
Him to send them wise men and scribes, saying, "Behold, I will send unto you
wise men and scribes, and some of them they shall kill and crucify."
[3330] And Paul also, in the catalogue of "charismata" bestowed by God,
placed first "the word of wisdom," and second, as being inferior to it, "the
word of knowledge," but third, and lower down, "faith." [3331] And
because he regarded "the word" as higher than miraculous powers, he for that
reason places "workings of miracles" and "gifts of healings" in a lower
place than the gifts of the word. And in the Acts of the Apostles Stephen
bears witness to the great learning of Moses, which he had obtained wholly
from ancient writings not accessible to the multitude. For he says: "And
Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians." [3332] And
therefore, with respect to his miracles, it was suspected that he wrought
them perhaps, not in virtue of his professing to come from God, but by means
of his Egyptian knowledge, in which he was well versed. For the king,
entertaining such a suspicion, summoned the Egyptian magicians, and wise
men, and enchanters, who were found to be of no avail as against the wisdom
of Moses, which proved superior to all the wisdom of the Egyptians.
Chapter XLVII.
But it is probable that what is written by Paul in the first Epistle to the
Corinthians, [3333] as being addressed to Greeks who prided themselves
greatly on their Grecian wisdom, has moved some to believe that it was not
the object of the Gospel to win wise men. Now, let him who is of this
opinion understand that the Gospel, as censuring wicked men, says of them
that they are wise not in things which relate to the understanding, and
which are unseen and eternal; but that in busying themselves about things of
sense alone, and regarding these as all-important, they are wise men of the
world: for as there are in existence a multitude of opinions, some of them
espousing the cause of matter and bodies, [3334] and asserting that
everything is corporeal which has a substantial existence, [3335] and
that besides these nothing else exists, whether it be called invisible or
incorporeal, it says also that these constitute the wisdom of the world,
which perishes and fades away, and belongs only to this age, while those
opinions which raise the soul from things here to the blessedness which is
with God, and to His kingdom, and which teach men to despise all sensible
and visible things as existing only for a season, and to hasten on to things
invisible, and to have regard to those things which are not seen,'these, it
says, constitute the wisdom of God. But Paul, as a lover of truth, says of
certain wise men among the Greeks, when their statements are true, that
"although they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were
thankful." [3336] And he bears witness that they knew God, and says, too,
that this did not happen to them without divine permission, in these words:
"For God showed it unto them; " [3337] dimly alluding, I think, to those
who ascend from things of sense to those of the understanding, when he adds,
"For the invisible things of God from the creation of the world are Clearly
seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power
and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: because that, when they knew
God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful." [3338]
Chapter XLVIII.
And perhaps also from the words, "For ye see your calling, brethren, how
that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are
called: but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the
wise; and the base things, and the things which are despised, hath God
chosen, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are, that
no flesh may glory in His presence; [3339] some have been led to suppose
that no one who is instructed, or wise, or prudent, embraces the Gospel.
Now, in answer to such an one, we would say that it has not been stated that
"no wise man according to the flesh," but that "not many wise men according
to the flesh," are called. It is manifest, further, that amongst the
characteristic qualifications of those who are termed "bishops," Paul, in
describing what kind of man the bishop ought to be, lays down as a
qualification that he should also be a teacher, saying that he ought to be
able to convince the gainsayers, that by the wisdom which is in him he may
stop the mouths of foolish talkers and deceivers. [3340] And as he
selects for the episcopate a man who has been once married [3341] rather
than he who has twice entered the married state, [3342] and a man of
blameless life rather than one who is liable to censure, and a sober man
rather than one who is not such, and a prudent man rather than one who is
not prudent, and a man whose behaviour is decorous rather than he who is
open to the charge even of the slightest indecorum, so he desires that he
who is to be chosen by preference for the office of a bishop should be apt
to teach, and able to convince the gainsayers. How then can Celsus justly
charge us with saying, "Let no one come to us who is 'instructed, 'or 'wise,
'or 'prudent? '" Nay, let him who wills come to us "instructed," and
"wise," and "prudent; "and none the less, if any one be ignorant and
unintelligent, and uninstructed and foolish, let him also come: for it is
these whom the Gospel promises to cure, when they come, by rendering them
all worthy of God.
Chapter XLIX.
This statement also is untrue, that it is "only foolish and low individuals,
and persons devoid of perception, and slaves, and women, and children, of
whom the teachers of the divine word wish to make converts." Such indeed
does the Gospel invite, in order to make them better; but it invites also
others who are very different from these, since Christ is the Saviour of all
men, and especially of them that believe, whether they be intelligent or
simple; and "He is the propitiation with the Father for our sins; and not
for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." [3343] After
this it is superfluous for us to wish to offer a reply to such statements of
Celsus as the following: "For why is it an evil to have been educated, and
to have studied the best opinions, and to have both the reality and
appearance of wisdom? What hindrance does this offer to the knowledge of
God? Why should it not rather be an assistance, and a means by which one
might be better able to arrive at the truth? "Truly it is no evil to have
been educated, for education is the way to virtue; but to rank those amongst
the number of the educated who hold erroneous opinions is what even the wise
men among the Greeks would not do. On the other hand, who would not admit
that to have studied the best opinions is a blessing? But what shall we call
the best, save those which are true, and which incite men to virtue?
Moreover, it is an excellent thing for a man to be wise, but not to seem so,
as Celsus says. And it is no hindrance to the knowledge of God, but an
assistance, to have been educated, and to have studied the best opinions,
and to be wise. And it becomes us rather than Celsus to say this, especially
if it be shown that he is an Epicurean.
Chapter L.
But let us see what those statements of his are which follow next in these
words: "Nay, we see, indeed, that even those individuals, who in the
market-places perform the most disgraceful tricks, and who gather crowds
around them, would never approach an assembly of wise men, nor dare to
exhibit their arts among them; but wherever they see young men, and a mob of
slaves, and a gathering of unintelligent persons, thither they thrust
themselves in, and show themselves off." Observe, now, how he slanders us in
these words, comparing us to those who in the market-places perform the most
disreputable tricks, and gather crowds around them! What disreputable
tricks, pray, do we perform? Or what is there in our conduct that resembles
theirs, seeing that by means of readings, and explanations of the things
read, we lead men to the worship of the God of the universe, and to the
cognate virtues, and turn them away from contemning Deity, and from all
things contrary to right reason? Philosophers verily would wish to collect
together such hearers of their discourses as exhort men to virtue,'a
practice which certain of the Cynics especially have followed, who converse
publicly with those whom they happen to meet. Will they maintain, then, that
these who do not gather together persons who are considered to have been
educated, but who invite and assemble hearers from the public street,
resemble those who in the market-places perform the most disreputable
tricks, and gather crowds around them? Neither Celsus, however, nor any one
who holds the same opinions, will blame those who, agreeably to what they
regard as a feeling of philanthropy, address their arguments to the ignorant
populace.
Chapter LI.
And if they are not to be blamed for so doing, let us see whether Christians
do not exhort multitudes to the practice of virtue in a greater and better
degree than they. For the philosophers who converse in public do not pick
and choose their hearers, but he who likes stands and listens. The
Christians, however, having previously, so far as possible, tested the souls
of those who wish to become their hearers, and having previously
instructed [3344] them in private, when they appear (before entering the
community) to have sufficiently evinced their desire towards a virtuous
life, introduce them then, and not before, privately forming one class of
those who are beginners, and are receiving admission, but who have not yet
obtained the mark of complete purification; and another of those who have
manifested to the best of their ability their intention to desire no other
things than are approved by Christians; and among these there are certain
persons appointed to make inquiries regarding the lives and behaviour of
those who join them, in order that they may prevent those who commit acts of
infamy from coming into their public assembly, while those of a different
character they receive with their whole heart, in order that they may daily
make them better. And this is their method of procedure, both with those who
are sinners, and especially with those who lead dissolute lives, whom they
exclude from their community, although, according to Celsus, they resemble
those who in the market-places perform the most shameful tricks. Now the
venerable school of the Pythagoreans used to erect a cenotaph to those who
had apostatized from their system of philosophy, treating them as dead; but
the Christians lament as dead those who have been vanquished by
licentiousness or any other sin, because they are lost and dead to God, and
as being risen from the dead (if they manifest a becoming change) they
receive them afterwards, at some future time, after a greater interval than
in the case of those who were admitted at first, but not placing in any
office or post of rank in the Church of God those who, after professing the
Gospel, lapsed and fell.
Chapter LII.
Observe now with regard to the following statement of Celsus, "We see also
those persons who in the market-places perform most disreputable tricks, and
collect crowds around them," whether a manifest falsehood has not been
uttered, and things compared which have no resemblance. He says that these
individuals, to whom he compares us, who "perform the most disreputable
tricks in the market-places and collect crowds, would never approach an
assembly of wise men, nor dare to show off their tricks before them; but
wherever they see young men, and a mob of slaves, and a gathering of foolish
people, thither do they thrust themselves in and make a display." Now, in
speaking thus he does nothing else than simply load us with abuse, like the
women upon the public streets, whose object is to slander one another; for
we do everything in our power to secure that our meetings should be composed
of wise men, and those things among us which are especially excellent and
divine we then venture to bring forward publicly in our discussions when we
have an abundance of intelligent hearers, while we conceal and pass by in
silence the truths of deeper import when we see that our audience is
composed of simpler minds, which need such instruction as is figuratively
termed "milk."
Chapter LIII.
For the word is used by our Paul in writing to the Corinthians, who were
Greeks, and not yet purified in their morals: "I have fed you with milk, not
with meat; for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye
able, for ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying and
strife, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? " [3345] Now the same
writer, [3346] knowing that there was a certain kind of nourishment
better adapted for the soul, and that the food of those young [3347]
persons who were admitted was compared to milk, continues: "And ye are
become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that
useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness; for he is a babe. But
strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason
of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." [3348]
Would then those who believe these words to be well spoken, suppose that the
noble doctrines of our faith would never be mentioned in an assembly of wise
men, but that wherever (our instructors) see young men, and a mob of slaves,
and a collection of foolish individuals, they bring publicly forward divine
and venerable truths, and before such persons make a display of themselves
in treating of them? But it is clear to him who examines the whole spirit of
our writings, that Celsus is animated with a hatred against the human race
resembling that of the ignorant populace, and gives utterance to these
falsehoods without examination.
Chapter LIV.
We acknowledge, however, although Celsus will not have it so, that we do
desire to instruct all men in the word of God, so as to give to young men
the exhortations which are appropriate to them, and to show to slaves how
they may recover freedom of thought, [3349] and be ennobled by the word.
And those amongst us who are the ambassadors of Christianity sufficiently
declare that they are debtors [3350] to Greeks and Barbarians, to wise
men and fools, (for they do not deny their obligation to cure the souls even
of foolish persons,) in order that as far as possible they may lay aside
their ignorance, and endeavour to obtain greater prudence, by listening also
to the words of Solomon: "Oh, ye fools, be of an understanding heart,"
[3351] and "Who is the most simple among you, let him turn unto me; "
[3352] and wisdom exhorts those who are devoid of understanding in the
words, "Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mixed for
you. Forsake folly that ye may live, and correct understanding in
knowledge." [3353] This too would I say (seeing it bears on the
point), [3354] in answer to the statement of Celsus: Do not philosophers
invite young men to their lectures? and do they not encourage young men to
exchange a wicked life for a better? and do they not desire slaves to learn
philosophy? Must we find fault, then, with philosophers who have exhorted
slaves to the practice of virtue? with Pythagoras for having so done with
Zamolxis, Zeno with Perseus, and with those who recently encouraged
Epictetus to the study of philosophy? Is it indeed permissible for you, O
Greeks, to call youths and slaves and foolish persons to the study of
philosophy, but if we do so, we do not act from philanthropic motives in
wishing to heal every rational nature with the medicine of reason, and to
bring them into fellowship with God, the Creator of all things? These
remarks, then, may suffice in answer to what are slanders rather than
accusations [3355] on the part of Celsus.
Chapter LV.
But as Celsus delights to heap up calumnies against us, and, in addition to
those which he has already uttered, has added others, let us examine these
also, and see whether it be the Christians or Celsus who have reason to be
ashamed of what is said. He asserts, "We see, indeed, in private houses
workers in wool and leather, and fullers, and persons of the most
uninstructed and rustic character, not venturing to utter a word in the
presence of their elders and wiser masters; [3356] but when they get hold
of the children privately, and certain women as ignorant as themselves, they
pour forth wonderful statements, to the effect that they ought not to give
heed to their father and to their teachers, but should obey them; that the
former are foolish and stupid, and neither know nor can perform anything
that is really good, being preoccupied with empty trifles; that they alone
know how men ought to live, and that, if the children obey them, they will
both be happy themselves, and will make their home happy also. And while
thus speaking, if they see one of the instructors of youth approaching, or
one of the more intelligent class, or even the father himself, the more
timid among them become afraid, while the more forward incite the children
to throw off the yoke, whispering that in the presence of father and
teachers they neither will nor can explain to them any good thing, seeing
they turn away with aversion from the silliness and stupidity of such
persons as being altogether corrupt, and far advanced in wickedness, and
such as would inflict punishment upon them; but that if they wish (to avail
themselves of their aid) they must leave their father and their instructors,
and go with the women and their playfellows to the women's apartments, or to
the leather shop, or to the fuller's shop, that they may attain to
perfection;'and by words like these they gain them over."
Chapter LVI.
Observe now how by such statements he depreciates those amongst us who are
teachers of the word, and who strive in every way to raise the soul to the
Creator of all things, and who show that we ought to despise things
"sensible," and "temporal," and "visible," and to do our utmost to reach
communion with God, and the contemplation of things that are
"intelligent," and "invisible," and a blessed life with God, and the friends
of God; comparing them to "workers in wool in private houses, and to
leather-cutters, and to fullers, and to the most rustic of mankind, who
carefully incite young boys to wickedness, and women to forsake their
fathers and teachers, and follow them." Now let Celsus point out from what
wise parent, or from what teachers, we keep away children and women, and let
him ascertain by comparison among those children and women who are adherents
of our doctrine, whether any of the opinions which they formerly heard are
better than ours, and in what manner we draw away children and women from
noble and venerable studies, and incite them to worse things. But he will
not be able to make good any such charge against us, seeing that, on the
contrary, we turn away women from a dissolute life, and from being at
variance with those with whom they live, from all mad desires after theatres
and dancing, and from superstition; while we train to habits of
self-restraint boys just reaching the age of puberty, and feeling a desire
for sexual pleasures, pointing out to them not only the disgrace which
attends those sins, but also the state to which the soul of the wicked is
reduced through practices of that kind, and the judgments which it will
suffer, and the punishments which will be inflicted.
Chapter LVII.
But who are the teachers whom we call triflers and fools, whose defence is
undertaken by Celsus, as of those who teach better things? (I know not,)
unless he deem those to be good instructors of women, and no triflers, who
invite them to superstition and to unchaste spectacles, and those, moreover,
to be teachers not devoid of sense who lead and drag the young men to all
those disorderly acts which we know are often committed by them. We indeed
call away these also, as far as we can, from the dogmas of philosophy to our
worship of God, by showing forth its excellence aud purity. But as Celsus,
by his statements, has declared that we do not do so, but that we call only
the foolish, I would say to him, "If you had charged us with withdrawing
from the study of philosophy those who were already preoccupied with it, you
would not have spoken the truth, and yet your charge would have had an
appearance of probability; but when you now say that we draw away our
adherents from good teachers, show who are those other teachers save the
teachers of philosophy, or those who have been appointed to give instruction
in some useful branch of study." [3357]
He will be unable, however, to show any such.; while we promise, openly and
not in secret, that they will be happy who live according to the word of
God, and who look to Him in all things, and who do everything, whatever it
is, as if in the presence of God. Are these the instructions of workers in
wool, and of leather-cutters, and fullers, and uneducated rustics? But such
an assertion he cannot make good.
Chapter LVIII.
But those who, in the opinion of Celsus, resemble the workers in wool in
private houses, and the leather-cutters, and fullers, and uneducated
rustics, will, he alleges, in the presence of father or teachers be
unwilling to speak, or unable to explain to the boys anything that is good.
In answer to which, we would say, What kind of father, my good sir, and what
kind of teacher, do you mean? If you mean one who approves of virtue, and
turns away from vice, and welcomes what is better, then know, that with the
greatest boldness will we declare our opinions to the children, because we
will be in good repute with such a judge. But if, in the presence of a
father who has a hatred of virtue and goodness, we keep silence, and also
before those who teach what is contrary to sound doctrine, do not blame us
for so doing, since you will blame us without good reason. You, at all
events, in a case where fathers deemed the mysteries of philosophy an idle
and unprofitable occupation for their sons, and for young men in general,
would not, in teaching philosophy, make known its secrets before worthless
parents; but, desiring to keep apart those sons of wicked parents who had
been turned towards the study of philosophy, you would observe the proper
seasons, in order that the doctrines of philosophy might reach the minds of
the young men. And we say the same regarding our teachers. For if we turn
(our hearers) away from those instructors who teach obscene comedies and
licentious iambics, and many other things which neither improve the speaker
nor benefit the bearers (because the latter do not know how to listen to
poetry in a philosophic frame of mind, nor the former how to say to each of
the young men what tends to his profit), we are not, in following such a
course, ashamed to confess what we do. But if you will show me teachers who
train young men for philosophy, and who exercise them in it, I will not from
such turn away young men, but will try to raise them, as those who have been
previously exercised in the whole circle of learning and in philosophical
subjects, to the venerable and lofty height of eloquence which lies hid from
the multitude of Christians, where are discussed topics of the greatest
importance, and where it is demonstrated and shown that they have been
treated philosophically both by the prophets of God and the apostles of
Jesus.
Chapter LIX.
Immediately after this, Celsus, perceiving that he has slandered us with too
great bitterness, as if by way of defence expresses himself as follows:
"That I bring no heavier charge than what the truth compels me, any one may
see from the following remarks. Those who invite to participation in other
mysteries, make proclamation as follows: 'Every one who has clean hands, and
a prudent tongue; ' [3358] others again thus: 'He who is pure from all
pollution, and whose soul is conscious of no evil, and who has lived well
and justly.' Such is the proclamation made by those who promise purification
from sins. [3359] But let us hear what kind of persons these Christians
invite. Every one, they say, who is a sinner, who is devoid of
understanding, who is a child, and, to speak generally, whoever is
unfortunate, him will the kingdom of God receive. Do you not call him a
sinner, then, who is unjust, and a thief, and a housebreaker, and a
poisoner, and a committer of sacrilege, and a robber of the dead? What
others would a man invite if he were issuing a proclamation for an assembly
of robbers? "Now, in answer to such statements, we say that it is not the
same thing to invite those who are sick in soul to be cured, and those who
are in health to the knowledge and study of divine things. We, however,
keeping both these things in view, at first invite all men to be healed, and
exhort those who are sinners to come to the consideration of the doctrines
which teach men not to sin, and those who are devoid of understanding to
those which beget wisdom, and those who are children to rise in their
thoughts to manhood, and those who are simply [3360] unfortunate to good
fortune, [3361] or'which is the more appropriate term to use'to
blessedness. [3362] And when those who have been turned towards virtue
have made progress, and have shown that they have been purified by the word,
and have led as far as they can a better life, then and not before do we
invite them to participation in our mysteries. "For we speak wisdom among
them that are perfect." [3363]
Chapter LX.
And as we teach, moreover, that "wisdom will not enter into the soul of a
base man, nor dwell in a body that is involved in sin," [3364] we say,
Whoever has clean hands, and therefore lifts up holy hands to God, and by
reason of being occupied with elevated and heavenly things, can say, "The
lifting up of my hands is as the evening sacrifice," [3365] let him come
to us; and whoever has a wise tongue through meditating on the law of the
Lord day and night, and by "reason of habit has his senses exercised to
discern between good and evil," let him have no reluctance in coming to the
strong and rational sustenance which is adapted to those who are athletes in
piety and every virtue. And since the grace of God is with all those who
love with a pure affection the teacher of the doctrines of immortality,
whoever is pure not only from all defilement, but from what are regarded as
lesser transgressions, let him be boldly initiated in the mysteries of
Jesus, which properly are made known only to the holy and the pure. The
initiated of Celsus accordingly says, "Let him whose soul is conscious of no
evil come." But he who acts as initiator, according to the precepts of
Jesus, will say to those who have been purified in heart, "He whose soul
has, for a long time, been conscious of no evil, and especially since he
yielded himself to the healing of the word, let such an one hear the
doctrines which were spoken in private by Jesus to His genuine disciples."
Therefore in the comparison which he institutes between the procedure of the
initiators into the Grecian mysteries, and the teachers of the doctrine of
Jesus, he does not know the difference between inviting the wicked to be
healed, and initiating those already purified into the sacred mysteries!
Chapter LXI.
Not to participation in mysteries, then, and to fellowship in the wisdom
hidden in a mystery, which God ordained before the world to the glory of His
saints, [3366] do we invite the wicked man, and the thief, and the
housebreaker, and the poisoner, and the committer of sacrilege, and the
plunderer of the dead, and all those others whom Celsus may enumerate in his
exaggerating style, but such as these we invite to be healed. For there are
in the divinity of the word some helps towards the cure of those who are
sick, respecting which the word says, "They that be whole need not a
physician, but they that are sick; " [3367] others, gain, which to the
pure in soul and body exhibit "the revelation of the mystery, which was kept
secret since the world began, but now is made manifest by the Scriptures of
the prophets," [3368] and "by the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,"
[3369] which "appearing" is manifested to each one of those who are perfect,
and which enlightens the reason [3370] in the true [3371] knowledge of
things. But as he exaggerates the charges against us, adding, after his list
of those vile individuals whom he has mentioned, this remark, "What other
persons would a robber summon to himself by proclamation? "we answer such a
question by saying that a robber summons around him individuals of such a
character, in order to make use of their villany against the men whom they
desire to slay and plunder. A Christian, on the other hand, even though he
invite those whom the robber invites, invites them to a very different
vocation, viz. to bind up these wounds by His word, and to apply to the
soul, festering amid evils, the drugs obtained from the word, and which are
analogous to the wine and oil, and plasters, and other healing appliances
which belong to the art of medicine.
Chapter LXII.
In the next place, throwing a slur [3372] upon the exhortations spoken
and written to those who have led wicked lives, and which invite them to
repentance and reformation of heart, he asserts that we say "that it was to
sinners that God has been sent." Now this statement of his is much the same
as if he were to find fault with certain persons for saying that on account
of the sick who were living in a city, a physician had been sent them by a
very benevolent monarch. [3373] God the Word was sent, indeed, as a
physician to sinners, but as a teacher of divine mysteries to those who are
already pure and who sin no more. But Celsus, unable to see this
distinction,'for he had no desire to be animated with a love of
truth,'remarks, "Why was he not sent to those who were without sin? What
evil is it not to have committed sin? "To which we reply, that if by those
"who were without sin" he means those who sin no more, then our Saviour
Jesus was sent even to such, but not as a physician. While if by those "who
were without sin" he means such as have never at any time sinned,'for he
made no distinction in his statement,'we reply that it is impossible for a
man thus to be without sin. And this we say, excepting, of course, the man
understood to be in Christ Jesus, [3374] who "did no sin." It is with a
malicious intent, indeed, that Celsus says of us that we assert that "God
will receive the unrighteousness man if he humble himself on account of his
wickedness, but that He will not receive the righteous man, although he look
up to Him, (adorned) with virtue from the beginning." Now we assert that it
is impossible for a man to look up to God (adorned) with virtue from the
beginning. For wickedness must necessarily first exist in men. As Paul also
says, "When the commandment came, sin revived, and I died." [3375]
Moreover, we do not teach regarding the unrighteous man, that it is
sufficient for him to humble himself on account of his wickedness in order
to his being accepted by God, but that God will accept him if, after passing
condemnation upon himself for his past conduct, he walk humbly on account of
it, and in a becoming manner for the time to come.
Chapter LXIII.
After this, not understanding how it has been said that "every one who
exalted himself shall be abased; " [3376] nor (although taught even by
Plato) that "the good and virtuous man walketh humbly and orderly; "and
ignorant, moreover, that we give the injunction, "Humble yourselves,
therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time;
" [3377] he says that "those persons who preside properly over a trial
make those individuals who bewail before them their evil deeds to cease from
their piteous wailings, lest their decisions should be determined rather by
compassion than by a regard to truth; whereas God does not decide in
accordance with truth, but in accordance with flattery." [3378] Now, what
words of flattery and piteous walling are contained in the Holy Scriptures
when the sinner says in his prayers to God, "I have acknowledged my sin, and
mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgression to the
Lord," etc., etc.? For is he able to show that a procedure of this kind is
not adapted to the conversion of sinners, who humble themselves in their
prayers under the hand of God? And, becoming confused by his efforts to
accuse us, he contradicts himself; appearing at one time to know a man
"without sin," and "a righteous man, who can look up to God (adorned) with
virtue from the beginning; "and at another time accepting our statement that
there is no man altogether righteous, or without sin; [3379] for, as if
he admitted its truth, he remarks, "This is indeed apparently true, that
somehow the human race is naturally inclined to sin." In the next place, as
if all men were not invited by the word, he says, "All men, then, without
distinction, ought to be invited, since all indeed are sinners." And yet, in
the preceding pages, we have pointed out the words of Jesus: "Come unto Me,
all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." [3380]
All men, therefore, labouring and being heavy laden on account of the nature
of sin, are invited to the rest spoken of in the word of God, "for God sent
His word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions."
[3381]
Chapter LXIV.
But since he says, in addition to this, "What is this preference of sinners
over others? "and makes other remarks of a similar nature, we have to reply
that absolutely a sinner is not preferred before one who is not a sinner;
but that sometimes a sinner, who has become conscious of his own sin, and
for that reason comes to repentance, being humbled on account of his sins,
is preferred before one who is accounted a lesser sinner, but who does not
consider himself one, but exalts himself on the ground of certain good
qualities which he thinks he possesses, and is greatly elated on their
account. And this is manifest to those who are willing to peruse the Gospels
in a spirit of fairness, by the parable of the publican, who said, "Be
merciful to me a sinner," [3382] and of the Pharisee who boasted with a
certain wicked self-conceit in the words, "I thank Thee that I am not as
other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this
publican." [3383] For Jesus subjoins to his narrative of them both the
words: "This man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for
every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth
himself shall be exalted." [3384] We utter no blasphemy, then, against
God, neither are we guilty of falsehood, when we teach that every man,
whoever he may be, is conscious of human infirmity in comparison with the
greatness of God, and that we must ever ask from Him, who alone is able to
supply our deficiencies, what is wanting to our (mortal) nature.
Chapter LXV.
He imagines, however, that we utter these exhortations for the conversion of
sinners, because we are able to gain over no one who is really good and
righteous, and therefore open our gates to the most unholy and abandoned of
men. But if any one will fairly observe our assemblies we can present a
greater number of those who have been converted from not a very wicked life,
than of those who have committed the most abominable sins. For naturally
those who are conscious to themselves of better things, desire that those
promises may be true which are declared by God regarding the reward of the
righteous, and thus assent more readily to the statements (of Scripture)
than those do who have led very wicked lives, and who are prevented by their
very consciousness (of evil) from admitting that they will be punished by
the Judge of all with such punishment as befits those who have sinned so
greatly, and as would not be inflicted by the Judge of all contrary to fight
reason. [3385] Sometimes, also, when very abandoned men are willing to
accept the doctrine of (future) punishment, on account of the hope which is
based upon repentance, they are prevented from so doing by their habit of
sinning, being constantly dipped, [3386] and, as it were, dyed [3387]
in wickedness, and possessing no longer the power to turn from it easily to
a proper life, and one regulated according to right reason. And although
Celsus observes this, he nevertheless, I know not why, expresses himself in
the following terms: "And yet, indeed, it is manifest to every one that no
one by chastisement, much less by merciful treatment, could effect a
complete change in those who are sinners both by nature and custom, for to
change nature is an exceedingly difficult thing. But they who are without
sin are partaken of a better life."
Chapter LXVI.
Now here Celsus appears to me to have committed a great error, in refusing
to those who are sinners by nature, and also by habit, the possibility of a
complete transformation, alleging that they cannot be cured even by
punishment. For it clearly appears that all men are inclined to sin by
nature, [3388] and some not only by nature but by practice, while not all
men are incapable of an entire transformation. For there are found in every
philosophical sect, and in the word of God, persons who are related to have
undergone so great a change that they may be proposed as a model of
excellence of life. Among the names of the heroic age some mention Hercules
and Ulysses, among those of later times, Socrates, and of those who have
lived very recently, Musonius. [3389] Not only against us, then, did
Celsus utter the calumny, when he said that "it was manifest to every one
that those who were given to sin by nature and habit could not by any
means'even by punishments'be completely changed for the better," but also
against the noblest names in philosophy, who have not denied that the
recovery of virtue was a possible thing for men. But although he did not
express his meaning with exactness, we shall nevertheless, though giving his
words a more favourable construction, convict him of unsound reasoning. For
his words were: "Those who are inclined to sin by nature and habit, no one
could completely reform even by chastisement; "and his words, as we
understood them, we refuted to the best of our ability. [3390]
Chapter LXVII.
It is probable, however, that he meant to convey some such meaning as this,
that those who were both by nature and habit given to the commission of
those sins which are committed by the most abandoned of men, could not be
completely transformed even by punishment. And yet this is shown to be false
from the history of certain philosophers. For who is there that would not
rank among the most abandoned of men the individual who somehow submitted to
yield himself to his master, when he placed him in a brothel, [3391] that
he might allow himself to be polluted by any one who liked? And yet such a
circumstance is related of Phaedo! And who will not agree that he who burst,
accompanied with a flute-player and a party of revellers, his profligate
associates, into the school of the venerable Xenocrates, to insult a man who
was the admiration of his friends, was not one of the greatest miscreants
[3392] among mankind? Yet, notwithstanding this, reason was powerful enough
to effect their conversion, and to enable them to make such progress in
philosophy, that the one was deemed worthy by Plato to recount the discourse
of Socrates on immortality, and to record his firmness in prison, when he
evinced his contempt of the hemlock, and with all fearlessness and
tranquillity of mind treated of subjects so numerous and important, that it
is difficult even for those to follow them who are giving their utmost
attention, and who are disturbed by no distraction; while Polemon, on the
other hand, who from a profligate became a man of most temperate life, was
successor in the school of Xenocrates, so celebrated for his venerable
character. Celsus then does not speak the truth when he says "that sinners
by nature and habit cannot be completely reformed even by chastisement."
Chapter LXVIII.
That philosophical discourses, however, distinguished by orderly arrangement
and elegant expression, [3393] should produce such results in the case of
those individuals just enumerated, and upon others [3394] who have led
wicked lives, is not at all to be wondered at. But when we consider that
those discourses, which Celsus terms "vulgar," [3395] are filled with
power, as if they were spells, and see that they at once convert multitudes
from a life of licentiousness to one of extreme regularity, [3396] and
from a life of wickedness to a better, and from a state of cowardice or
unmanliness to one of such high-toned courage as to lead men to despise even
death through the piety which shows itself within them, why should we not
justly admire the power which they contain? For the words of those who at
the first assumed the office of (Christian) ambassadors, and who gave their
labours to rear up the Churches of God,'nay, their preaching also,'were
accompanied with a persuasive power, though not like that found among those
who profess the philosophy of Plato, or of any other merely human
philosopher, which possesses no other qualities than those of human nature.
But the demonstration which followed the words of the apostles of Jesus was
given from God, and was accredited [3397] by the Spirit and by power. And
therefore their word ran swiftly and speedily, or rather the word of God
through their instrumentality, transformed numbers of persons who had been
sinners both by nature and habit, whom no one could have reformed by
punishment, but who were changed by the word, which moulded and transformed
them according to its pleasure.
Chapter LXIX.
Celsus continues in his usual manner, asserting that "to change a nature
entirely is exceedingly difficult." We, however, who know of only one nature
in every rational soul, and who maintain that none has been created evil by
the Author of all things, but that many have become wicked through
education, and perverse example, and surrounding influences, [3398] so
that wickedness has been naturalized [3399] in some individuals, are
persuaded that for the word of God to change a nature in which evil has been
naturalized is not only not impossible, but is even a work of no very great
difficulty, if a man only believe that he must entrust himself to the God of
all things, and do everything with a view to please Him with whom it cannot
be [3400] that
"Both good and bad are in the same honour,
Or that the idle man and he who laboured much
Perish alike." [3401]
But even if it be exceedingly difficult to effect a change in some persons,
the cause must be held to lie in their own will, which is reluctant to
accept the belief that the God over all things is a just Judge of all the
deeds done during life. For deliberate choice and practice [3402] avail
much towards the accomplishment of things which appear to be very difficult,
and, to speak hyperbolically, almost impossible. Has the nature of man, when
desiring to walk along a rope extended in the air through the middle of the
theatre, and to carry at the same time numerous and heavy weights, been able
by practice and attention to accomplish such a feat; but when desiring to
live in conformity with the practice of virtue, does it find it impossible
to do so, although formerly it may have been exceedingly wicked? See whether
he who holds such views does not bring a charge against the nature of the
Creator of the rational animal [3403] rather than against the creature,
if He has formed the nature of man with powers for the attainment of things
of such difficulty, and of no utility whatever, but has rendered it
incapable of securing its own blessedness. But these remarks may suffice as
an answer to the assertion that "entirely to change a nature is exceedingly
difficult." He alleges, in the next place, that "they who are without sin
are partakers of a better life; "not making it clear what he means by "those
who are without sin," whether those who are so from the beginning (of their
lives), or those who become so by a transformation. Of those who were so
from the beginning of their lives, there cannot possibly be any; while those
who are so after a transformation (of heart) are found to be few in number,
being those who have become so after giving in their allegiance to the
saving word. And they were not such when they gave in their allegiance. For,
apart from the aid of the word, and that too the word of perfection, it is
impossible for a man to become free from sin.
Chapter LXX.
In the next place, he objects to the statement, as if it were maintained by
us, that "God will be able to do all things," not seeing even here how these
words are meant, and what "the all things" are which are included in it, and
how it is said that God "will be able." But on these matters it is not
necessary now to speak; for although he might with a show of reason have
opposed this proposition, he has not done so. Perhaps he did not understand
the arguments which might be plausibly used against it, or if he did, he saw
the answers that might be returned. Now in our judgment God can do
everything which it is possible for Him to do without ceasing to be God, and
good, and wise. But Celsus asserts'not comprehending the meaning of the
expression "God can do all things "'" that He will not desire to do anything
wicked," admitting that He has the power, but not the will, to commit evil.
We, on the contrary, maintain that as that which by nature possesses the
property of sweetening other things through its own inherent sweetness
cannot produce bitterness contrary to its own peculiar nature, [3404] nor
that whose nature it is to produce light through its being light can cause
darkness; so neither is God able to commit wickedness, for the power of
doing evil is contrary to His deity and its omnipotence. Whereas if any one
among existing things is able to commit wickedness from being inclined to
wickedness by nature, it does so from not having in its nature the ability
not to do evil.
Chapter LXXI.
He next assumes what is not granted by the more rational class of believers,
but what perhaps is considered to be true by some who are devoid of
intelligence,'viz., that "God, like those who are overcome with pity, being
Himself overcome, alleviates the sufferings of the wicked through pity for
their wailings, and casts off the good, who do nothing of that kind, which
is the height of injustice." Now, in our judgment, God lightens the
suffering of no wicked man who has not betaken himself to a virtuous life,
and casts off no one who is already good, nor yet alleviates the suffering
of any one who mourns, simply because he utters lamentation, or takes pity
upon him, to use the word pity in its more common acceptation. [3405] But
those who have passed severe condemnation upon themselves because of their
sins, and who, as on that account, lament and bewail themselves as lost, so
far as their previous conduct is concerned, and who have manifested a
satisfactory change, are received by God on account of their repentance, as
those who have undergone a transformation from a life of great wickedness.
For virtue, taking up her abode in the souls of these persons, and expelling
the wickedness which had previous possession of them, produces an oblivion
of the past. And even although virtue do not effect an entrance, yet if a
considerable progress take place in the soul, even that is sufficient, in
the proportion that it is progressive, to drive out and destroy the flood of
wickedness, so that it almost ceases to remain in the soul.
Chapter LXXII.
In the next place, speaking as in the person of a teacher of our doctrine,
he expresses himself as follows: "Wise men reject what we say, being led
into error, and ensnared by their wisdom." In reply to which we say that,
since wisdom is the knowledge of divine and human things and of their
causes, or, as it is defined by the word of God, "the breath of the power of
God, and a pure influence flowing from the glory of the Almighty; and the
brightness of the everlasting light, and the unspotted mirror of the power
of God, and the image of His goodness," [3406] no one who was really wise
would reject what is said by a Christian acquainted with the principles of
Christianity, or would be led into error, or ensnared by it. For true wisdom
does not mislead, but ignorance does, while of existing things knowledge
alone is permanent, and the truth which is derived from wisdom. But if,
contrary to the definition of wisdom, you call any one whatever who
dogmatizes with sophistical opinions wise, we answer that in conformity with
what you call wisdom, such an one rejects the words of God, being misled and
ensnared by plausible sophisms. And since, according to our doctrine, wisdom
is not the knowledge of evil, but the knowledge of evil, so to speak, is in
those who hold false opinions and who are deceived by them, I would
therefore in such persons term it ignorance rather than wisdom.
Chapter LXXIII.
After this he again slanders the ambassador of Christianity, and gives out
regarding him that he relates "ridiculous things," although he does not show
or clearly point out what are the things which he calls "ridiculous." And in
his slanders he says that "no wise man believes the Gospel, being driven
away by the multitudes who adhere to it." And in this he acts like one who
should say that owing to the multitude of those ignorant persons who are
brought into subjection to the laws, no wise man would yield obedience to
Solon, for example, or to Lycurgus, or Zaleucus, or any other legislator,
and especially if by wise man he means one who is wise (by living) in
conformity with virtue. For, as with regard to these ignorant persons, the
legislators, according to their ideas of utility, caused them to be
surrounded with appropriate guidance and laws, so God, legislating through
Jesus Christ for men in all parts of the world, brings: to Himself even
those who are not wise in the way in which it is possible for such persons
to be brought to a better life. And God, well knowing this, as we have
already shown in the preceding pages, says in the books of Moses "They have
moved Me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked Me to
anger with their idols: and I will move them to jealousy with those which
are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation."
[3407] And Paul also, knowing this, said, "But God hath chosen the foolish
things of the world to confound the wise," [3408] calling, in a general
way, wise all who appear to have made advances in knowledge, but have fallen
into an atheistic polytheism, since "professing themselves to be wise they
became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image
made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and
creeping things." [3409]
Chapter LXXIV.
He accuses the Christian teacher, moreover of" seeking after the
unintelligent." In answer we ask, Whom do you mean by the "unintelligent?
"For, to speak accurately, every wicked man is "unintelligent." If then by
"unintelligent" you mean the wicked, do you, in drawing men to philosophy,
seek to gain the wicked or the virtuous? [3410] But it is impossible to
gain the virtuous, because they have already given themselves to philosophy.
The wicked, then, (you try to gain;) but if they are wicked, are they
"unintelligent? "And many such you seek to win over to philosophy, and you
therefore seek the "unintelligent." But if I seek after those who are thus
termed "unintelligent," I act like a benevolent physician, who should seek
after the sick in order to help and cure them. If, bow-ever, by
"unintelligent" you mean persons who are not clever, [3411] but the
inferior class of men intellectually, [3412] I shall answer that I
endeavour to improve such also to the best of my ability, although I would
not desire to build up the Christian community out of such materials. For I
seek in preference those who are more clever and acute, because they are
able to comprehend the meaning of the hard sayings, and of those passages in
the law, and prophecies, and Gospels, which are expressed with obscurity,
and which you have despised as not containing anything worthy of notice,
because you have not ascertained the meaning which they contain, nor tried
to enter into the aim of the writers.
Chapter LXXV.
But as he afterwards says that "the teacher of Christianity acts like a
person who promises to restore patients to bodily health, but who prevents
them from consulting skilled physicians, by whom his ignorance would be
exposed," we shall inquire in reply, "What are the physicians to whom you
refer, from whom we turn away ignorant individuals.? For you do not suppose
that we exhort those to embrace the Gospel who are devoted to philosophy, so
that you would regard the latter as the physicians from whom we keep away
such as we invite to come to the word of God." He indeed will make no
answer, because he cannot name the physicians; or else he will be obliged to
betake himself to those of them who are ignorant, and who of their own
accord servilely yield themselves to the worship of many gods, and to
whatever other opinions are entertained by ignorant individuals. In either
case, then, he will be shown to have employed to no purpose in his argument
the illustration of "one who keeps others away from skilled physicians." But
if, in order to preserve from the philosophy of Epicurus, and from such as
are considered physicians after his system, those who are deceived by them,
why should we not be acting most reasonably in keeping such away from a
dangerous disease caused by the physicians of Celsus,'that, viz., which
leads to the annihilation of providence, and the introduction of pleasure as
a good? But let it be conceded that we do keep away those whom we encourage
to become our disciples from other philosopher-physicians,'from the
Peripatetics, for example, who deny the existence of providence and the
relation of Deity to man,'why shall we not piously train [3413] and heal
those who have been thus encouraged, persuading them to devote themselves to
the God of all things, and free those who yield obedience to us from the
great wounds inflicted by the words of such as are deemed to be
philosophers? Nay, let it also be admitted that-we turn away from physicians
of the sect of the Stoics, who introduce a corruptible god, and assert that
his essence consists of a body, which is capable of being changed and
altered in all its parts, [3414] and who also maintain that all things
will one day perish, and that God alone will be left; why shall we not even
thus emancipate our subjects from evils, and bring them by pious arguments
to devote themselves to the Creator, and to admire the Father of the
Christian system, who has so arranged that instruction of the most
benevolent kind, and fitted for the conversion of souls, [3415] should be
distributed throughout the whole human race? Nay, if we should cure those
who have fallen into the folly of believing in the transmigration of souls
through the teaching of physicians, who will have it that the rational
nature descends sometimes into all kinds of irrational animals, and
sometimes into that state of being which is incapable of using the
imagination, [3416] why should we not improve the souls of our subjects
by means of a doctrine which does not teach that a state of insensibility or
irrationalism is produced in the wicked instead of punishment, but which
shows that the labours and chastisements inflicted upon the wicked by God
are a kind of medicines leading to conversion? For those who are intelligent
Christians, [3417] keeping this in view, deal with the simple-minded, as
parents do with very young [3418] children. We do not betake ourselves
then to young persons and silly rustics, saying to them, "Flee from
physicians." Nor do we say, "See that none of you lay hold of knowledge;
"nor do we assert that "knowledge is an evil; "nor are we mad enough to say
that "knowledge causes men to lose their soundness of mind." We would not
even say that any one ever perished through wisdom; and although we give
instruction, we never say, "Give heed to me," but "Give heed to the God of
all things, and to Jesus, the giver of instruction concerning Him." And none
of us is so great a braggart [3419] as to say what Celsus put in the
mouth of one of our teachers to his acquaintances, "I alone will save
you." Observe here the lies which he utters against us! Moreover, we do not
assert that "true physicians destroy those whom they promise to cure."
Chapter LXXVI.
And he produces a second illustration to our disadvantage, saying that "our
teacher acts like a drunken man, who, entering a company of drunkards,
should accuse those who are sober of being drunk." But let him show, say
from the writings of Paul, that the apostle of Jesus gave way to
drunkenness, and that his words were not those of soberness; or from the
writings of John, that his thoughts do not breathe a spirit of temperance
and of freedom from the intoxication of evil. No one, then, who is of sound
mind, and teaches the doctrines of Christianity, gets drunk with wine; but
Celsus utters these calumnies against us in a spirit very unlike that of a
philosopher. Moreover, let Celsus say who those "sober" persons are whom the
ambassadors of Christianity accuse. For in our judgment all are intoxicated
who address themselves to inanimate objects as to God. And why do I say
"intoxicated?" "Insane" would be the more appropriate word for those who
hasten to temples and worship images or animals as divinities. And they too
are not less insane who think that images, fashioned by men of worthless and
sometimes most wicked character, confer any honour upon genuine
divinities. [3420]
Chapter LXXVII.
He next likens our teacher to one suffering from ophthalmia, and his
disciples to those suffering from the same disease, and says that "such an
one amongst a company of those who are afflicted with ophthalmia, accuses
those who are sharp-sighted of being blind." Who, then, would we ask, O
Greeks, are they who in our judgment do not see, save those who are unable
to look up from the exceeding greatness of the world and its contents, and
from the beauty of created things, and to see that they ought to worship,
and admire, and reverence Him alone who made these things, and that it is
not befitting to treat with reverence anything contrived by man, and applied
to the honour of God, whether it be without a reference to the Creator, or
with one? [3421] For, to compare with that illimitable excellence, which
surpasses all created being, things which ought not to be brought into
comparison with it, is the act of those whose understanding is darkened. We
do not then say that those who are sharp-sighted are suffering from
ophthalmia or blindness; but we assert that those who, in ignorance of God,
give themselves to temples and images, and so-called sacred seasons,
[3422] are blinded in their minds, and especially when, in addition to their
impiety, they live also in licentiousness, not even inquiring after any
honourable work whatever, but doing everything that is of a disgraceful
character.
Chapter LXXVIII.
After having brought against us charges of so serious a kind, he wishes to
make it appear that, although he has others to adduce, he passes them by in
silence. His words are as follows: "These charges I have to bring against
them, and others of a similar nature, not to enumerate them one by one, and
I affirm that they are in error, and that they act insolently towards God,
in order to lead on wicked men by empty hopes, and to persuade them to
despise better things, saying that if they refrain from them it will be
better for them." In answer to which, it might be said that from the power
which shows itself in those who are converted to Christianity, it is not at
all the "wicked" who are won over to the Gospel, as the more simple class of
persons, and, as many would term them, the "unpolished." [3423] For such
individuals, through fear of the punishments that are threatened, which
arouses and exhorts them to refrain from those actions which are followed by
punishments, strive to yield themselves up to the Christian religion, being
influenced by the power of the word to such a degree, that through fear of
what are called in the word "everlasting punishments," they despise all the
tortures which are devised against them among men,'even death itself, with
countless other evils,'which no wise man would say is the act of persons of
wicked mind. How can temperance and sober-mindedness, or benevolence and
liberality, be practised by a man of wicked mind? Nay, even the fear of God
cannot be felt by such an one, with respect to which, because it is useful
to the many, the Gospel encourages those who are not yet able to choose that
which ought to be chosen for its own sake, to select it as the greatest
blessing, and one above all promise; for this principle cannot be implanted
in him who prefers to live in wickedness.
Chapter LXXIX.
But if in these matters any one were to imagine that it is superstition
rather than wickedness which appears in the multitude of those who believe
the word, and should charge our doctrine with making men superstitious, we
shall answer him by saying that, as a certain legislator [3424] replied
to the question of one who asked him whether he had enacted for his citizens
the best laws, that he had not given them absolutely the best, but the best
which they were capable of receiving; so it might be said by the Father of
the Christian doctrine, I have given the best laws and instruction for the
improvement of morals of which the many were capable, not threatening
sinners with imaginary labours and chastisements, but with such as are real,
and necessary to be applied for the correction of those who offer
resistance, although they do not at all understand the object of him who
inflicts the punishment, nor the effect of the labours. For the doctrine of
punishment is both attended with utility, and is agreeable to truth, and is
stated in obscure terms with advantage. [3425] Moreover, as for the most
part it is not the wicked whom the ambassadors of Christianity gain over,
neither do we insult God. For we speak regarding Him both what is true, and
what appears to be clear to the multitude, but not so clear to them as it is
to those few who investigate the truths of the Gospel in a philosophical
manner.
Chapter LXXX.
Seeing, however, that Celsus alleges that "Christians are won over by us
through vain hopes," we thus' reply to him when he finds fault with our
doctrine of the blessed life, and of communion with God: "As for you, good
sir, they also are won over by vain hopes who have accepted the doctrine of
Pythagoras and Plato regarding the soul, that it is its nature to ascend to
the vault [3426] of heaven, and in the super-celestial space to behold
the sights which are seen by the blessed spectators above. According to you,
O Celsus, they also who have accepted the doctrine of the duration of the
soul (after death), and who lead a life through which they become heroes,
and make their abodes with the gods, are won over by vain hopes. Probably
also they who are persuaded that the soul comes (into the body) from
without, and that it will be withdrawn from the power of death, [3427]
would be said by Celsus to be won over by empty hopes. Let him then come
forth to the contest, no longer concealing the sect to which he belongs, but
confessing himself to be an Epicurean, and let him meet the arguments, which
are not lightly advanced among Greeks and Barbarians, regarding the
immortality of the soul, or its duration (after death), or the immortality
of the thinking principle; [3428] and let him prove that these are words
which deceive with empty hopes those who give their aSsent to them; but that
the adherents of his philosophical system are pure from empty hopes, and
that they indeed lead to hopes of good, or'what is more in keeping with his
opinions'give birth to no hope at all, on account of the immediate and
complete destruction of the soul (after death). Unless, perhaps, Celsus and
the Epicureans will deny that it is a vain hope which they entertain
regarding their end,'pleasure,'which, according to them, is the supreme
good, and which consists in the permanent health of the body, and the hope
regarding it which is entertained by Epicurus. [3429]
Chapter LXXXI.
And do not suppose that it is not in keeping with the Christian religion for
me to have accepted, against Celsus, the opinions of those philosophers who
have treated of the immortality or after-duration of the soul; for, holding
certain views in common with them, we shall more conveniently establish our
position, that the future life of blessedness shall be for those only who
have accepted the religion which is according to Jesus, and that devotion
towards the Creator of all things which is pure and sincere, and un-mingled
with any created thing whatever. And let him who likes show what "better
things" we persuade men to despise, and let him compare the blessed end with
God in Christ,'that is, the word, and the wisdom, and all virtue; -which,
according to our view, shall be bestowed, by the gift of God, on those who
have lived a pure and blameless life, and who have felt a single and
undivided love for the God of all things, with that end which is to follow
according to the teaching of each philosophic sect, whether it be Greek or
Barbarian, or according to the professions of religious mysteries; [3430]
and let him prove that the end which is predicted by any of the others is
superior to that which we promise, and consequently that that is true, and
ours not befitting the gift of God, nor those who have lived a good life; or
let him prove that these words were not spoken by the divine Spirit, who
filled the souls of the holy prophets. And let him who likes show that those
words which are acknowledged among all men to be human, are superior to
those which are proved to be divine, and uttered by inspiration. [3431]
And what are the "better" things from which we teach those who receive them
that it would be better to abstain? For if it be not arrogant so to speak,
it is self-evident that nothing can be denied which is better than to
entrust oneself to the God of all, and yield oneself up to the doctrine
which raises us above all created things, and brings us, through the animate
and living word'which is also living wisdom and the Son of God'to God who is
over all. However, as the third book of our answers to the treatise of
Celsus has extended to a sufficient length, we shall here bring our present
remarks to a close, and in what is to follow shall meet what Celsus has
subsequently written.
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