- ANF06. Fathers of the Third Century: Gregory Thaumaturgus, Dionysius the Great, Julius Africanus, Anatolius, and Minor Writers, Methodius, Arnobius

1. Archelaus said to Manes: Give us a statement now of the doctrines you promulgate.—Thereupon the man, whose mouth was like an open sepulchre,²¹⁵⁷

²¹⁵⁷ Ps. v. 9.
began at once with a word of blasphemy against the Maker of all things, saying: The God of the Old Testament is the inventor of evil, who speaks thus of Himself: “I am a consuming fire.”²¹⁵⁸

²¹⁵⁸ Deut. iv. 24.
—But the sagacious Archelaus completely undid this blasphemy. For he said: If the God of the Old Testament, according to your allegation, calls Himself a fire, whose son is He who says, “I am come to send fire upon the earth?”²¹⁵⁹

²¹⁵⁹ Luke xii. 49.
If you find fault with one who says, “The Lord killeth and maketh alive,”²¹⁶⁰

²¹⁶⁰ 1 Sam. ii. 6.
why do you honour Peter, who raised Tabitha to life,²¹⁶¹

²¹⁶¹ Acts ix. 40.
but also put Sapphira to death?²¹⁶²

²¹⁶² Acts v. 10.
And if again, you find fault with the one because He has prepared a fire,²¹⁶³

²¹⁶³ Deut. xxxii. 22.
why do you not find fault with the other, who says, “Depart from me into everlasting fire?”²¹⁶⁴

²¹⁶⁴ Matt. xxv. 41.
If you find fault with Him who says, “I, God, make peace, and create evil,”²¹⁶⁵

²¹⁶⁵ Isa. xlv. 7.
explain to us how Jesus says, “I came not to send peace, but a sword.”²¹⁶⁶

²¹⁶⁶ Matt. x. 34. Various of the mss. add, ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, upon the earth.
Since both persons speak in the same terms, one or other of these two things must follow: namely, either they are both good²¹⁶⁷

²¹⁶⁷ The text gives καλοί. Routh seems to prefer κακοί, evil.
because they use the same language; or, if Jesus passes without censure though He speaks in such terms, you must tell us why you reprehend Him who employs a similar mode of address in the Old Testament.
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