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Chapter III.
And he continues: “What is the meaning
of such a descent upon the part of God?” not observing that,
according to our teaching, the meaning of the descent is pre-eminently
to convert what are called in the Gospel the lost “sheep of the
house of Israel;” and secondly, to take away from them, on
account of their disobedience, what is called the “kingdom of
God,” and to give to other husbandmen than the ancient Jews, viz.
to the Christians, who will render to God the fruits of His kingdom in
due season (each action being a “fruit of the
kingdom”).3691
3691 τοὺς
καρποὺς τῆς
τοῦ Θεοῦ
βασιλείας
ἀποδώσουσι
τῷ Θεῷ, ἐν
τοῖς ἑκάστης
πράξεως
οὔσης καρποῦ
τῆς
βασιλείας
καιροῖς. | We shall
therefore, out of a greater number, select a few remarks by way of
answer to the question of Celsus, when he says, “What is the
meaning of such a descent upon the part of God?” And Celsus
here returns to himself an answer which would have been given neither
by Jews nor by us, when he asks, “Was it in order to learn what
goes on amongst men?” For not one of us asserts that it was
in order to learn what goes on amongst men that Christ entered into
this life. Immediately after, however, as if some would reply
that it was “in order to learn what goes on among
men,” he makes this objection to his own statement:
“Does he not know all things?” Then, as if we were to
answer that He does know all things, he raises a new question,
saying, “Then he does know, but does not make (men) better, nor
is it possible for him by means of his divine power to make (men)
better.” Now all this on his part is silly talk;3692 for God, by means of His word, which is
continually passing from generation to generation into holy souls, and
constituting them friends of God and prophets, does improve
those who listen to His words; and by the coming of Christ He improves,
through the doctrine of Christianity, not those who are unwilling, but
those who have chosen the better life, and that which is pleasing to
God. I do not know, moreover, what kind of improvement Celsus
wished to take place when he raised the objection, asking, “Is it
then not possible for him, by means of his divine power, to make (men)
better, unless he send some one for that special
purpose?”3693
3693 The word φύσει which is found
in the text seems out of place, and has been omitted in the
translation, agreeably to the emendation of Boherellus. | Would he then
have the improvement to take place by God’s filling the minds of
men with new ideas, removing at once the (inherent) wickedness, and
implanting virtue (in its stead)?3694
3694 ῏Αρα
γὰρ ἤθελε
φαντασιουμένοις
τοῖς
ἀνθρώποις
ὑπὸ Θεοῦ,
ἀπειληφότος
μὲν ἀθρόως
τὴν κακίαν,
ἐμφύοντος δὲ
τὴν ἀρετὴν,
τὴν
ἐπανόρθωσιν
γενέσθαι; | Another
person now would inquire whether this was not inconsistent or
impossible in the very nature of things; we, however, would say,
“Grant it to be so, and let it be possible.” Where,
then, is our free will?3695
3695 ποῦ οὖν τὸ
ἐφ᾽ ἡμῖν; | and what credit is
there in assenting to the truth? or how is the rejection of what is
false praiseworthy? But even if it were once granted that such a
course was not only possible, but could be accomplished with propriety
(by God), why would not one rather inquire (asking a question like that
of Celsus) why it was not possible for God, by means of His divine
power, to create men who needed no improvement, but who were of
themselves virtuous and perfect, evil being altogether
non-existent? These questions may perplex ignorant and foolish
individuals, but not him who sees into the nature of things; for if you
take away the spontaneity of virtue, you destroy its essence. But
it would need an entire treatise to discuss these matters; and on this
subject the Greeks have expressed themselves at great length in their
works on providence. They truly would not say what Celsus has
expressed in words, that “God knows (all things) indeed, but does
not make (men) better, nor is able to do so by His divine
power.” We ourselves have spoken in many parts of our
writings on these points to the best of our ability, and the Holy
Scriptures have established the same to those who are able to
understand them.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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