shineth even to the west, so also shall the coming of the Son of man be.”* And in another passage: * Many will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not eaten and drunk in Thy name, and by Thy name have cast out demons, and done many wonderful works? And then will I say unto them, De- part from me, because ye are workers of iniquity."? But Celsus, wishing to assimilate the miracles of Jesus to the works of human sorcery, says in express terms as follows: “Ὁ light and truth! he distinctly declares, with his own voice, as ye yourselves have recorded, that there will come to you even others, employing miracles of a similar kind, who are wicked men, and sorcerers; and he calls him who makes use of such devices, one Satan. So that Jesus himself does not deny that these works at least are not at all divine, but are the acts of wicked men; and being compelled by the force of truth, he at the same time not only laid open the doings of others, but con- victed himself of the same acts. Is it not, then, a miserable inference, to conclude from the same works that the one is God and the others sorcerers? Why ought the others, because of these acts, to be accounted wicked rather than this man, seeing they have him as their witness against himself? For he has himself acknowledged that these are not the works of a divine nature, but the inventions of certain deceivers, and of thoroughly wicked men.” Observe, now, whether Celsus is not clearly convicted of slandering the gospel by such statements, since what Jesus says regarding those who are to work signs and wonders is different from what this Jew of Celsus alleges it to be. For if Jesus had simply told His disciples to be on their guard against those who professed to work miracles, without declaring what they would give themselves out to be, then perhaps there would have been some ground for his suspicion. Bat since those against whom Jesus would have us to be on our guard give themselves out as the Christ—which is not a claim put forth by sorcerers—and since he says that even some who lead wicked lives will perform miracles in the name of Jesus, and expel demons out of men, sorcery in the case ‘of these individuals, or any suspicion of such, is rather, if we may so 1 Matt. xxiv. 29-27. 2 Cf. Matt, vii. 22, 29, with Luke xiii. 26, 27.
52 ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. [Book ir.
speak, altogether banished, and the divinity of Christ established, as well as the divine mission! of His disciples; seeing that it is possible that one who makes use of His name, and who is wrought upon by some power, in some way unknown, to make the pretence that he is the Christ, should seem to perform miracles like those of Jesus, while others through His name should do works resembling those of His genuine disciples.
CHAPTER L.
Paul, moreover, in the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians, shows in what manner there will one day be revealed “ the man of sin, the son of perdition, who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God."? And again he says to the 'Thessalonians: * And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only He who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way: and then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the bright- ness of His coming: even him, whose coming is after the work- ing of Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish.” * And in assigning the reason why the man of sin is permitted to continue in existence, he says: ‘ Because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie; that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”* Let any one now say whether any of the statements in the Gospel, or in the writings of the apostle, could give occasion for the suspicion that there is therein contained any prediction of sorcery. Any one, more- over, who likes may find the prophecy in Daniel respecting antichrist But Celsus falsifies the words of Jesus, since He did not say that others would come working similar miracles to Himself, but who are wicked men and sorcerers, although Celsus asserts that He uttered such words. For as the power Book 1.7 ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. 53 of the Egyptian magicians was not similar to the divinely- bestowed grace of Moses, but the issue clearly proved that the acts of the former were the effect of magic, while those of Moses were wrought by divine power; so the proceedings of the antichrists, and of those who feign that they can work miracles as being the disciples of Christ, are said to be lying signs and wonders, prevailing with all deceivableness of un- righteousness among them that perish; whereas the works of Christ and His disciples had for their fruit, not deceit, but the salvation of human souls. And who would rationally maintain that an improved moral life, which daily lessened the number of a man’s offences, could proceed from a system of deceit? CHAPTER LI.
Celsus, indeed, evinced a slight knowledge of Scripture when he made Jesus say, that it is a certain Satan who con- trives such devices;" although he begs the question! when he asserts that “ Jesus did not deny that these works have in them nothing of divinity, but proceed from wicked men,” for he makes things which differ in kind to be the same. Now, asa wolf is not of the same species as a dog, although it may appear to have some resemblance in the figure of its body and in its voice, nor a common wood-pigeon? the same as a dove,’ so there is no resemblance between what is done by the power of God and what is the effect of sorcery. And we might further say, in answer to the calumnies of Celsus, Are those to be regarded as miracles which are wrought through sorcery by wicked demons, but those not which are performed by a nature that is holy and divine? and does human life endure the worse, but never receive the better? Now it appears to me that we must lay it down as a general principle, that as, wherever anything that is evil would make itself to be of the same nature with the good, there must by all means be something that is good opposed to the evil; so also, in opposition to those things which are brought about by sorcery, there must also of necessity be some things in human life which are the result of divine power. And it follows from the same, that we must either annihilate both, and assert that neither exists, or, assuming the one, and particularly 1 συναρκάξει τὸν λόγον. 3 φάσσα. 3 περιστερώ.
54 | ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. [Booz ur.
the evil, admit also the reality of the good. Now, if one were to lay it down that works are wrought by means of sorcery, but would not grant that there are also works which are the pro- duct of divine power, he would seem to me to resemble him who should admit the existence of sophisms and plausible argu- ments, which have the appearance of establishing the truth, although really undermining it, while denying that truth had anywhere a home among men, or a dialectic which differed from sophistry. But if we once admit that it is consistent with the existence of magic and sorcery (which derive their power from evil demons, who are spell-bound by elaborate incantations, and become subject to sorcerers) that some works must be found among men which proceed from a power that is divine, why shall we not test those who profess to perform them by their lives and morals, and the consequences of their miracles, viz. whether they tend to the injury of men or to the reformation of conduct? What minister of evil demons, e.g., can do such things? and by means of what incantations and magic arts? And who, on the other hand, is it that, having his soul and his spirit, and I imagine also his body, in a pure and holy state, receives a divine spirit, and performs such works in order to benefit men, and to lead them to believe on the true God? But if we must once investigate (without being carried away by the miracles themselves) who it is that performs them by help of a good, and who by help of an evil power, so that we may neither slander all without discrimination, nor yet admire and accept all as divine, will it not be manifest, from what occurred in the times of Moses and Jesus, when entire nations were established in consequence of their miracles, that these men wrought by means of divine power what they are recorded to have performed? For wickedness and sorcery would not have led a whole nation to rise not only above idols and images erected by men, but also above all created things, and to ascend to the uncreated origin of the God of the universe.
CHAPTER 1,11.
But since it is a Jew who makes these assertions in the treatise of Celsus, we would say to him: Pray, friend, why do you believe the works which are recorded in your writings as Boox n.] ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS.. 55 having been performed by God through the instrumentality of Moses to be really divine, and endeavour to refute those who slanderously assert that they were wrought by sorcery, like those of the Egyptian magicians; while, in imitation of your Egyptian opponents, you charge those which were done by Jesus, and which, you admit, were actually performed, with not being divine? For if the final result, and the founding of an entire nation by the miracles of Moses, manifestly demonstrate that it was God who brought these things to pass in the time of Moses the Hebrew lawgiver, why should not such rather be shown to be the case with Jesus, who accomplished far greater works than those of Moses? For the former took those of his own nation, the descendants of Abraham, who had observed the rite of circumcision transmitted by tradition, and who were careful observers of the Abrahamic usages, and led them out of Egypt, enacting for them those laws which you believe to be divine; whereas the latter ventured upon a greater under- taking, and superinduced upon the pre-existing constitution, and upon ancestral customs and modes of life agreeable to the existing laws, & constitution in conformity with the gospel. And as it was necessary, in order that Moses should find credit not only among the elders, but the common people, that there should be performed those miracles which he is recorded to have performed, why should not Jesus also, in order that He may be believed on by those of the people who had learned to ask for signs and wonders, require to work such miracles as, on account of their greater grandeur and divinity (in comparison with those of Moses), were able to convert men from Jewish fables, and from the human traditions which prevailed among them, and make them admit that He who taught and did such things was greater than the prophets? For how was not He greater than the prophets, who was proclaimed by them to be the Christ, and the Saviour of the human race?
CHAPTER LIII.
All the arguments, indeed, which this Jew of Celsus ad- vances against those who believe on Jesus, may, by parity of reasoning, be urged as ground of accusation against Moses: so that there is no difference in asserting that the sorcery prac- 56 ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. [Book 11.
tised by Jesus and that by Moses were similar to each other,!— both of them, so far as the language of this Jew of Celsus is concerned, being liable to the same charge; as, e.g., when this Jew says of Christ, * But, O light and truth! Jesus with his own voice expressly declares, as you yourselves have recorded, that there will appear among you others also, who will perform miracles like mine, but who are wicked men and sorcerers," some one, either Greek or Egyptian, or any other party who 'disbelieved the Jew, might say respecting Moses, “ But, O light and truth! Moses with his own voice expressly declares, as ye also have recorded, that there will appear among you others also, who will perform miracles like mine, but who are wicked men and sorcerers. For it is written in your law, * If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder come to pass whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; thou shalt not hearken to the words of that prophet or dreamer of dreams, "* etc. Again, perverting the words of Jesus, he says, * And he terms him who devises such things, one Satan;" while one, applying this to Moses, might say, * And he terms him who devises such things, a prophet who dreams dreams And as this Jew asserts regarding Jesus, that * even he himself does not deny that these works have in them nothing of divinity, but are the acts of wicked men;" so any one who disbe- lieves the writings of Moses might say, quoting what has been already said, the same thing, viz., that “ even Moses does not deny that these works have in them nothing of divinity, but are the acts of wicked men.” And he will do the same thing also with respect to this: “ Being compelled by the force of truth, Moses at the same time both exposed the doings of others, and convicted himself of the same.” And when the Jew says, * Is it not a wretched inference from the same acts, to con- clude that the one is a God, and the others sorcerers?” one might object to him, on the ground of those words of Moses already quoted, “Is it not then a wretched inference from 1 ὥστε μηδὲν διαφέρειν παραπλήσιον εἶναι λέγειν γοητείαν τὴν ᾿Ιησοῦ τῇ Movoíog. 2 Deut. xiii. 1-3.
Boox 11. } ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. 57 the same acts, to conclude that the one is a prophet and servant of God, and the others sorcerers?” But when, in addition to those comparisons which I have already mentioned, Celsus, dwelling upon the subject, adduces this also: * Why from these works should the others be accounted wicked, rather than this man, seeing they have him as a witness against himself?” —we, too, shall adduce the following, in addition to what has been already said: “ Why, from those passages in which Moses forbids us to believe those who exhibit signs and wonders, ought we to consider such persons as wicked, rather than Moses, because he calumniates some of them in respect of their signs and wonders?” And urging more to the same effect, that he may appear to strengthen his attempt, he says: ‘ He himself acknowledged that these were not the works of a divine nature, but were the inventions of certain deceivers, and of very wicked men." Who, then, is * himself?” You, O Jew, say that it is Jesus; but he who accuses you as liable to the same charges, will transfer this * himself" to the person of Moses.
CHAPTER LIV.
CHAPTER LIV.
After this, forsooth, the Jew of Celsus, to keep up the character assigned to the Jew from the beginning, in his address to those of liis countrymen who had become believers, says: * By what, then, were you induced [to become his fol- lowers|? Was it because he foretold that after his death he would rise again?” Now this question, like the others, can be retorted upon Moses..For we might say to the Jew: “ By what, then, were you induced [to become the follower of Moses]? Was it because he put on record the following state- ment about his own death: ‘And Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there, in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord; and they buried him in Moab, near the house of Phogor: and no one knoweth his sepulchre until this day?' "! For as the Jew casts discredit upon the statement, that * Jesus foretold that after His death He would rise again," another person might make a similar assertion about Moses, and would say in reply, that Moses also put on record (for the book of Deuteronomy is his composition) the statement, that “ no one 1 Cf. Deut. xxxiv. 5, 6.
58 ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. [Boox rr. knoweth his sepulchre until this day," in order to magnify and enhance the importance of his place of burial, as being un- known to mankind.
CHAPTER LV.
The Jew continues his address to those of his countrymen who are converts, as follows: “ Come now, let us grant to you that the prediction was actually uttered. Yet how many others are there who practise such juggling tricks, in order to deceive their simple hearers, and who make gain by their deception?— as was the case, they say, with Zamolxis! in Scythia, the slave of Pythagoras; and with Pythagoras himself in Italy; and with Rhampsinitus? in Egypt (the latter of whom, they say, played at dice with Demeter in Hades, and returned to the upper world with a golden napkin which he had received from her as a gift); and also with Orpheus? among the Odrysians, and Protesilaus in Thessaly, and Hercules* at Cape Teenarus, and Theseus. But the question is, whether any one who was really dead ever rose with a veritable body. Or do you imagine the statements of others not only to be myths, but to have the appearance of such, while you have discovered a becoming and credible termination to your drama in the voice from the cross, when he breathed his last, and in the earthquake and the dark- ness? That while alive he was of no assistance to himself, but that when dead he rose again, and showed the marks of his punishment, and how his hands were pierced with nails: who beheld this? A half-frantic? woman, as you state, and some other one, perhaps, of those who were engaged in the same system of delusion, who had either dreamed so, owing to a peculiar state of mind,’ or under the influence of a wandering imagination had formed to himself an appearance according to his own wishes? which has been the case with numberless individuals; or, which is most probable, one who desired to impress others with this portent, and by such a falsehood to furnish an occasion to impostors like himself."
1 Cf. Herodot. iv. 95. * Cf. Herodot. ii. 122. 3 Cf. Diodor. iv. Bibl. Hist. * Cf. Diodor. iv. Bibl. Hist. 5 αὑτῷ σώματι. 6 γυνὴ πάροιστρος. T xara τινα διάθεσιν ὀνειρώξας.
8 καὶ κατὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ βούλησιν δοξὴ πεπλανημένη φαντασιωθεί;.
Boox 1.] ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. 59 Now, since it is a Jew who makes these statements, we shall conduct the defence of our Jesus as if we were replying toa Jew, still continuing the comparison derived from the accounts regarding Moses, and saying to him: * How many others are there who practise similar juggling tricks to those of Moses, in order to deceive their silly hearers, and who make gain by their deception?” Now this objection would be more appropriate in the mouth of one who did not believe in Moses (as we might quote the instances of Zamolxis and Pythagoras, who were engaged in such juggling tricks) than in that of a Jew, who is not very learned in the histories of the Greeks. An Egyptian, moreover, who did not believe the miracles of Moses, might credibly adduce the instance of Rhampsinitus, saying that it was far more credible that he had descended to Hades, and had played at dice with Demeter, and that after stealing from her a golden napkin he exhibited it as a sign of his having been in : Hades, and of his having returned thence, than that Moses should have recorded that he entered into the darkness, where God was, and that he alone, above all others, drew near to God. For the following is his statement: ‘“ Moses alone shall come near the Lord; but the rest shall not come nigh."! We, then, who are the disciples of Jesus, say to the Jew who urges these objections: ** While assailing our belief in Jesus, defend your- self, and answer the Egyptian and the Greek objectors: what will you say to those charges which you brought against our Jesus, but which also might be brought against Moses first? And if you should make a vigorous effort to defend Moses, as indeed his history does admit of a clear and powerful defence, you will unconsciously, in your support of Moses, be an unwilling assistant in establishing the greater divinity of Jesus.”
CHAPTER LVI.
But since the Jew says that these histories of the alleged descent of heroes to Hades, and of their return thence, are juggling impositions,? maintaining that these heroes disap- peared for a certain time, and secretly withdrew themselves from 1 Cf. Ex. xxiv. 2.
τερατείας.
60 ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. [Boox rr.
the sight of all men, and gave themselves out afterwards as having returned from Hades,—for such is the meaning which his words seem to convey respecting the Odrysian Orpheus, and the Thessalian Protesilaus, and the Tzenarian Hercules, and Theseus also,—let us endeavour to show that the account of Jesus being raised from the dead cannot possibly be compared to these. For each one of the heroes respectively mentioned might, had he wished, have secretly withdrawn himself from the sight of men, and returned again, if so determined, to those whom he had left; but seeing that Jesus was crucified before all the Jews, and His body slain in the presence of His nation, how can they bring themselves to say that He practised a similar deception! with those heroes who are related to have gone down to Hades, and to have returned thence? But we say that the following consideration might be adduced, perhaps, as a defence of the public crucifixion of Jesus, especially in connection with the existence of those stories of heroes who are supposed to have been compelled? to descend to Hades: that if we were to suppose Jesus to have died an obscure death, so that the fact of His decease was not patent to the whole nation of the Jews, and afterwards to have actually risen from the dead, there would, in such a case, have been ground for the same suspicion entertained regarding the heroes being also enter- tained regarding Himself. Probably, then, in addition to other causes for the crucifixion of Jesus, this also may have con- tributed to His dying a conspicuous death upon the cross, that no one might have it in his power to say that He voluntarily withdrew from the sight of men, and seemed only to die, with- out really doing so; but, appearing again, made a juggler's trick? of the resurrection from the dead. But a clear and un- mistakeable proof of the fact I hold to be the undertaking of His disciples, who devoted themselves to the teaching of a doctrine which was attended with danger to human life,—a doctrine which they would not have taught with such courage had they invented the resurrection of Jesus from the dead; 1 etc.
3 χαταβεβηκέναι Big. Bohereau proposes the omission of βιᾷ. 3 ἐτερατεύσατο.
Bas Ol0yTO TO παρα ÀWCIU «χλαάσασθαι λέγειν αὐτὸν TOig ἱστορου μένοις, Book 11. ] ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. 61 and who also, at the same time, not only prepared others to despise death, but were themselves the first to manifest their disregard for its terrors.
CHAPTER LVII.
But observe whether this Jew of Celsus does not talk very blindly, in saying that it is impossible for any one to rise from the dead with a veritable body, his language being: “ But this is the question, whether any one who was really dead ever rose again with a veritable body?” Now a Jew would not have uttered these words, who believed what is recorded in the third and fourth books of Kings regarding little children, of whom the one was raised up by Elijah, and the other by Elisha.? And on this account, too, I think it was that Jesus appeared to no other nation than the Jews, who had become accustomed to miraculous occurrences; so that, by comparing what they themselves believed with the works which were done by Him, - and with what was related of Him, they might confess that He, in regard to whom greater things were done, and by whom mightier marvels were performed, was greater than all those who preceded Him.
CHAPTER LVIII.
CHAPTER LVIII.
Further, after these Greek stories which the Jew adduced respecting those who were guilty of juggling practices, and who pretended to have risen from the dead, he says to those Jews who are converts to Christianity: * Do you imagine the statements of others not only to be myths, but to have the appearance of such, while you have discovered a becoming and credible termination to your drama in the voice from the cross, when he breathed his last?” We reply to the Jew: “ What you adduce as myths, we regard also as such; but the state- ments of the Scriptures which are common to us both, in which not you only, but we also, take pride, we do not at all regard as myths. And therefore we accord our belief to those who have therein related that some rose from the dead, as not being guilty of imposition; and to Him especially there mentioned 3 τερατινομένοις.
62 ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. [Book rr.
as having risen, who both predicted the event Himself, and was the subject of prediction by others. And His resurrection is more miraculous than that of the others in this respect, that they were raised by the prophets Elijah and Elisha, while He was raised by none of the prophets, but by His Father in heaven. And therefore His resurrection also produced greater results than theirs. For what great good has accrued to the world from the resurrection of the children through the instru- mentality of Elijah and Elisha, such as has resulted from the preaching of the resurrection of Jesus, accepted as an article of belief, and as effected through the agency of divine power?”
CHAPTER LIX.
CHAPTER LIX.
He imagines also that both the earthquake and the darkness were an invention;! but regarding these, we have in the pre- ceding pages made our defence, according to our ability, ad- ducing the testimony of Phlegon, who relates that these events took place at the time when our Saviour suffered. And he goes on to say, that “ Jesus, while alive, was of no assistance to himself, but that he arose after death, and exhibited the marks of his punishment, and showed how his hands had been pierced by nails.” We ask him what he means by the expression, “ was of no assistance to himself?” For if he means it to refer to want of virtue, we reply that He was of very great assistance. For He neither uttered nor committed anything that was improper, but was truly “led as a sheep to the slaughter, and was dumb as a lamb before the shearer;"? and the Gospel testifies that He opened not His mouth. But if Celsus applies the expression to things indifferent and corporeal! [meaning that in such Jesus could render no help to Himself,] we say that we have proved from the Gospels that He went voluntarily to encounter His sufferings. Speaking next of the statements in the Gospels, that after His resurrection He showed the marks of His punish- ment, and how His hands had been pierced, he asks, * Who beheld this?” And discrediting the narrative of Mary Mag- dalene, who is related to have seen Him, he replies, ** À half-