Bad Advertisement?
Are you a Christian?
Online Store:Visit Our Store
| Chapter LIV
PREVIOUS SECTION - NEXT SECTION - HELP 
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,3599
| 3599 ἐλεύθερον
ἀναλαβόντες
φρόνημα. | and be ennobled by
the word. And those amongst us who are the ambassadors of
Christianity sufficiently declare that they are debtors3600
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,”3601
and “Who is
the most simple among you, let him turn unto me;”3602
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.”3603
This too
would I say (seeing it bears on the point),3604
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 accusations3605
| 3605 λοιδορίας
μᾶλλον ἢ
κατηγορίας. | on the part of Celsus.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
|
