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Chapter
XXIII.
From what has been said, it is clear then that
Jesus, “the man of Nazareth,” did not promulgate laws
opposed to those just considered in regard to riches, when He said,
“It is hard for the rich man to enter into the kingdom of
God;”4722 whether we take the
word “rich” in its simplest sense, as referring to the man
whose mind is distracted by his wealth, and, as it were, entangled with
thorns, so that he brings forth no spiritual fruit; or whether it is
the man who is rich in the sense of abounding in false notions, of whom
it is written in the Proverbs, “Better is the poor man who is
just, than the rich man who is false.”4723 Perhaps it is the following passages
which have led Celsus to suppose that Jesus forbids ambition to His
disciples: “Whoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be
servant of all;”4724 “The princes
of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them,”4725 and “they that exercise authority upon
them are called benefactors.”4726 But
there is nothing here inconsistent with the promise, “Thou shalt
rule over many nations, and they shall not rule over thee,”
especially after the explanation which we have given of these
words. Celsus next throws in an expression in regard to wisdom,
as though he thought that, according to the teaching of Christ, no wise
man could come to the Father. But we would ask in what sense he
speaks of a wise man. For if he means one who is wise in
“the wisdom of this world,” as it is called, “which
is foolishness with God,”4727 then we would
agree with him in saying that access to the Father is denied to one who
is wise in that sense. But if by wisdom any one means Christ, who
is “the power and wisdom of God,” far from such a wise man
being refused access to the Father, we hold that he who is adorned by
the Holy Spirit with that gift which is called “the word of
wisdom,” far excels all those who have not received the same
grace.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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