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 state- ments; 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? forbids the sup- position that God is at alla 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 1 χυβεντικόν. 3 ἡ κοινὴ ἔννοια.
122 ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. [Boor mr.
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! 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,’ 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 cor- rect, 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?
CHAPTER XLII.
CHAPTER XLII.
Celsus, then, does not speak as a good reasoner, when he 1 φίλτρον φυσικὸν. 35 ἀλλὰ καὶ ἑνώσει καὶ ὠνακράσε. ὃ διαλεχτικὸς.
Boox rii. } ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. 123 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 cor- ruption 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 infirmi- ties 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 sus- picion 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 /Esculapius, and Dionysus, and Hercules? To which we reply, * What great deed has ZEsculapius, 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 licen- tiousness, 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 con- trary 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? | 124 ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. [Boox rni.
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,’ although ignorant of the grounds? 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 igno- rant of the grounds on which the Cretans observe such a cus- tom,” 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:?
** 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 Jupiters tomb was in Crete, records never- theless that in Jupiter there was the beginning of death.* 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 Árcadia that he who was born should also die. And the following is the manner in which 1 ro» ὠπὸ TOU τάφου. 3 οὐχ εἰδότες was καὶ καθὸ. 3 Cf. Callimach. Hymn i. Cf. also Tit. i. 19.
: * τὴν dox» τοῦ θανάτον γεγονέναι περὶ τὸν Δία, Boox ri.) ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS.. 125 Callimachus speaks of these things: “O Jupiter, some say that thou wert 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 Cliristians, not of the more intelligent, as he sup- poses, 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." In reply to which, we say that, as if, while Jesus teaches con- tinence, 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.
126 ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. [Book mr.
CHAPTER XLV.
But that the object of Christianity’ is that we should be- come 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 fiftieth Psalm, 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."? 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, and there was no more spirit in her 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."? 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 sea-shore. 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 1 à λόγος. 3 τὰ ἄδηλα καὶ τὼ κρύφια τῆς σοφίας cov ἐδήλωσας μοι. $ rà κατ᾽ αὐτόν. 4 καὶ ἐξ αὑτῆς ἐγένετο. 5 Cf. 1 Kings x. 1-9.
Boox m.] ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. 127 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."!
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? And one of the prophets— Hosea—says at the end of his prophecies: “ Who is wise, and he wil understand these things? or prudent, and he shall know them?"? 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."* CHAPTER XLVI.
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." 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 1 Cf. 1 Kings iv. 29-84. The text reads, rsp) σάντων τῶν βασιλέων τῆς yas, for which xap2 has been substituted.
3 καὶ ἄλλα διὰ προβλημάτων. 8 Hos. x. 9. | * C£. Ezek. xx. 3. 5 Cf. Matt. xxiii. 94.
128 ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. [Boox 111.
of knowledge,” but third, and lower down, “ faith.’ 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."? 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.
CHAPTER XLVII.
But it is probable that what is written by Paul in the First Epistle to the Corinthians,’ 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,* and asserting that everything is corporeal which has a substantial existence,’ 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 blessed- ness which is with God, and to His kingdom, and which teach men to despise all sensible and visible things as existing only 1 Cf. 1 Cor. xii. 8. 2 Acts vii. 22. — * Cf. 1 Cor. i. 18, etc. * rd μὲν συναγορεύοντα ὑλὴ καὶ σώμασι. 5 τὰ προηγουμένως ὑφεστηχότα, Book 111. } ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. 129 for a season, and to hasten on to things invisible, and to have regard to those things which are not seen,—these, it says, con- stitute 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.” 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;”? 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.” ® CHAPTER XLVIII.
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;”* 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 accoriing tothe 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 de- scribing 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) And as he selects for the episcopate a man who has been once married? rather than he who has twice entered the * ORIG.— VOL. II. I 180 ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. [Boox ur.
married state, 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 render- ing them all worthy of God.
CHAPTER XLIX.
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.”* 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 τὸ βάπτισμα, ἢ παλλακὴν κτητάμενος, οὗ δύναται εἶναι ἐπίσκοπος, 9) πρεσ- βύτερος, ἢ διάκονος, ἢ ὅλως τοῦ κατωλόγον τοῦ ἱερατικοῦ." Cf. note in Bene- dictine ed.
1 Cf. 1 John ii. 2, Boox ut. | ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. 131 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? More- over, it is an excellent thing for a man to Je wise, but not to seem 50, as Celsus says. And it is no hindrance to the know- ledge 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 dis- graceful 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 turh 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 feel- 132 ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. {Boox rr.
ing 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 Chris- tians, however, having previously, so far as possible, tested the souls of those who wish to become their hearers, and having previously instructed’ 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 be- ginners, 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 Chris- tians; 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 assem- bly, 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 per- form.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 after- wards, at some future time, after a greater interval than in the case of those who were admitted at first, but not placing l προεπάσαντες.
* Book 111. } ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. 133 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 indi- viduals, to whom he compares us, who * perform the most dis- reputable 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 discus- sions 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.
CHAPTER LIII.
For the word is used by our Paul in writing to the Corin- thians, who were Greeks, and not yet purified in their morals: * [ 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?” Now the same writer, knowing that there was a certain kind of nourishment better adapted for the soul, and that the food of those young! 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 FAIA.
134 ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. [Book m1.
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"! 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.
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 appro- priate to them, and to show to slaves how they may recover freedom of thought,” and be ennobled by the word. And those amongst us who are the ambassadors of Christianity sufficiently declare that they are debtors* 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 Solo- mon: ‘Qh, ye fools, be of an understanding heart,"* and “Who is the most simple among you, let him turn unto me;"? 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." 'This too would I say (seeing it bears on the point),’ 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 1 Heb. v. 12-14. 3 ἐλεύθερον ἀναλαβόντες Φρόνημαι.
8 Cf. Rom. i. 14. * Cf. Prov. viii. 5. 5 Cf. Prov. ix. 4.
6 Cf. Prov. ix. 5, 6. T διὰ τὰ ἐγκείμενα.
Book n1. } ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. 135