BOOKVII.,425-491
Celsus denies that the Jewish prophets predicted any of the events which occurred in the life of Christ, and asserts that those who believe in the existence of another God, besides that of the Jews, cannot refute his objections; while Christians, who recognise the God of the Jews, rely for their defence on the alleged predictions regarding Christ: Remarks—chap.ii.Celsus declares Christians inconsistent in rejecting the ancient Grecian oracles of Delphi, Dodona, Clarus, Branchidæ, Jupiter Ammon, etc., which nevertheless were of high importance, while insisting that the sayings uttered in Judea are marvellous and unchangeably true: Detailed answer to this objection—chaps.iii.-viii.Asserts that many individuals assume the attitude of inspiration, and claim to be God, or the Son of God, or the divine Spirit, and to have come down to save a perishing world, and promise rewards to those who do them homage, and threaten vengeance upon others; and, moreover, to these promises add strange and unintelligible words, which may be applied by any impostor to his own purposes—chap.ix.Answer to these charges—chaps.x.-xii.Falsity of Celsus’ statement that God favours the commission of evil—chap.xiii.Celsus objects, that even if the prophets foretold that the great God would become a slave, or die,there was no necessity that He should do so simply because such things had been predicted: Answers—chaps.xiv.-xvii.Celsus objects further, that if the prophets of the God of the Jews foretold that Jesus was to be the Son of the same God, how could commands have been given through Moses that the Jews should accumulate wealth, extend their dominion, fill the earth, put their enemies to the sword, under threat of being treated by God as His enemies; whilst the man of Nazareth, His Son, delivered commands of a totally opposite kind? Errors of Celsus pointed out in detail, and the nature of the two dispensations explained—chaps.xviii.-xxvi.Falsity of assertion that Christians believe the Divine Being to be corporeal in His nature, and to possess a body like a man—chap.xxvii.Celsus alleges that the idea of a better land than this, to which Christians hope to go after death, has been borrowed from the divine men of a former age, and quotes from Homer and Plato in support of his assertion: Answers—chaps.xxviii.-xxxi.Celsus next assails the doctrine of the resurrection, and asserts that we uphold this doctrine in order that we may see and know God: Answer—chaps.xxxii.-xxxiv.The oracles of Trophonius, etc., to which Celsus would direct Christians, assuring them that there they would see God distinctly, shown to be demons—chap.xxxv.Language of Christians as to the manner in which they see God misrepresented by Celsus—chaps.xxxvi.-xxxix.Language of Celsus quite inappropriate as addressed to Christians, and applicable only to those whose doctrines differ widely from theirs—chap.xl.Celsus recommends Christians to follow the guidance of divinely inspired poets, wise men, and philosophers, without mentioning their names: Remarks on this—chap.xli.Proceeds to name Plato as an effective teacher of theological truth, quoting from theTimæusto the effect that it is a hard matter to find out the Maker and Father of the universe, and an impossibility to make Him known to all after having found Him; and remarking that Christians cannot follow the example of Plato and others, who proceed by analysis and synthesis, because they are wedded to the flesh: Answers—chaps.xlii.-xlv.General remarks upon the tone in which Christians carry on controversy with their opponents—chap.xlvi.Actions of those who, although seeming to be wise, did not yield themselves to the divine teaching—chap.xlvii.Purity of life exhibited by Christians—chap.xlviii.Even by those who are unable to investigate the deeper questions of theology—chap.xlix.Explanation of certain scriptural expressions regarding “birth” or “generation”—chap.l.Difference between Christians and those who received a portion of the divine Spirit before the dispensation of Christianity—chap.li.Celsus proceeds to say to Christians that they would have done better to have selected as the object of their homage some one who had died a glorious death, whose divinity might have received the support ofsome myth to perpetuate his memory, and names Hercules, Æsculapius, Anaxarchus, and Epictetus, as instances, alleging that Jesus never uttered under suffering any words that could be compared to their utterances—chap.liii.Answers—chaps.liv.-lv.Sneering remark of Celsus that we might better have given the name of Son of God to the Sibyl than to Jesus—chap.lvi.Scoffing advice of Celsus, that we had better choose Jonah than Jesus for our God: Answer—chap.lvii.Celsus asserts that the Christian precept, “Whosoever shall strike thee on the one cheek, turn to him the other also,” is an ancient saying, admirably expressed long ago, and reported by Christians in a coarser way, and quotes from Plato in support of his statement: Answer—chaps.lviii.-lxi.Celsus goes on to say that Christians cannot tolerate temples, altars, or images, and that in this peculiarity they resemble Scythians and other barbarous nations, adducing quotations from Herodotus and Heraclitus in support of his opinion that none, save those who are utterly childish, can take these things for gods—chap.lxii.Detailed answer—chaps.lxiii.-lxvi.Celsus remarks that Christians will not admit that these images are erected in honour of certain beings who are gods, but maintain that these are demons, and ought not to be worshipped: Remarks in answer—chap.lxvii.Asks why demons are not to be worshipped, and asserts that everything, whether the work of angels, demons, or heroes, is part of the providential government of the Most High God: Answers—chaps.lxviii.-lxx.
BOOKVIII.,492-559
Celsus, after his question regarding the worship of demons, proceeds to represent us as saying that it is impossible to serve many masters, and remarks that this is the language of sedition, and used only by those who stand aloof from all human society, etc. Consideration of the true language of Scripture upon this and kindred points, in answer to this statement—chaps.ii.-viii.Reckless language of Celsus, who would have us believe that we are led by our worship of God to that of other things which belong to God, without injury to ourselves, and who yet adds, “We may honour none except those to whom that right has been given by God:” Remarks—chap.ix.Nature of the honour which Christians pay to the Son of God—chap.x.Celsus asserts that those who uphold the unity of God are guilty of impiety: Answer—chap.xi.That if Christians worshipped one God alone, they would have valid arguments against the worship of others, but they pay excessive reverence to one who is the servant of God: Refutation—chaps.xii.-xiv.Celsus quotes from the opinions of some obscure heretical sect, contained in what is called aHeavenly Dialogue, to the effect that we suppose another God, who is above the heavens, to be the father of Him whom we honour, in order that we may honour the Son of Man alone; whomalso we assert to be stronger than God, who rules the world and who rules over them: Answers—chaps.xv.-xvi.Celsus goes on to say, that our shrinking from raising altars, statues, and temples, has been agreed upon among us as the badge of a secret society: Answer—chaps.xvii.-xx.Assertion of Celsus, that those devoted to the service of God may take part in public feasts or idol offerings: Answer—chap.xxi.Answer to objection that Christians themselves observe certain days, as the Preparation, the Passover, and Pentecost—chaps.xxii.,xxiii.Reasons urged by Celsus why Christians may make use of idol offerings and public sacrifices at public feasts; examination of these—chaps.xxiv.-xxvii.Celsus proceeds to state that if Christians abstain from idol offerings, they ought, in consistency, to abstain from all animal food, like the Pythagoreans: Answer—chaps.xxviii.-xxxii.Celsus alleges that if we come into the world at all, we must give thanks, and first-fruits, and prayers to demons, that they may prove good and kind: Answer—chaps.xxxiii.,xxxiv.Celsus remarks that the satraps of a Persian or Roman monarch could do great injury to those who despised them, and asks, will the satraps and ministers of air and earth be insulted with impunity? Answer—chaps.xxxv.,xxxvi.Asserts that if Christians invoke those whom they address by barbarous names they will have power, but not if invoked in Latin and Greek; falsity and absurdity of this statement—chap.xxxvii.Misrepresents the language addressed by Christians to the Grecian statues—chap.xxxviii.Scoffing language of Celsus to the Christians on the rejection of Jesus, whom he terms a demon, and on his inability to save His followers from being put to death—chap.xxxix.Contrast between the Christian and heathen doctrine of punishment—chap.xl.Railing address of Celsus, to the effect that although Christians may revile the statues of the gods, they would not have reviled the gods themselves with impunity; that nothing happened to those who crucified Jesus; that no father was ever so inhuman as was the father of Jesus, etc. etc.: Answers—chaps.xli.-xliv.Celsus asserts that it is of no use to collect all the oracular responses that have been delivered, for the world is full of them, and many remarkable events have happened in consequence of them, which establish their reality and divinity; general remark in answer—chap.xlv.Contrast between conduct of Pythian priestess, who frequently allowed herself to be bribed, and that of the prophets, who were admired for their downright truthfulness—chap.xlvi.Assertion of Greeks, that the Jewish history contains fabulous accounts, refuted—chap.xlvii.Endeavour of Celsus to show that the doctrines delivered at the celebration of the pagan mysteries are the same as those of the Christians; absurdity of this—chap.xlviii.Celsus reproaches Christians with inconsistency in their treatment of the body: Answer—chaps.xlix.,l.Celsus approves the Christian doctrine that the righteousshall enjoy everlasting life, and the wicked shall suffer everlasting punishment; inconsistency of this on the part of Celsus—chap.li.Anxiety of Origen to bring all men to receive the whole system of Christian truth—chap.lii.Doubtful manner in which Celsus speaks of certain weighty matters, and reluctance on his part to set down any of them as false; inconsistency of this with the manner in which he treats the doctrines of Christianity, which he regards with a hostile spirit—chaps.liii.,liv.Celsus asserts that Christians must make their choice between two alternatives; nature of these: Answer—chaps.lv.-lvii.Seeks to degrade the souls of men to the worship of demons, by referring to certain practices and beliefs prevalent among the Egyptians: Answer—chaps.lviii.-lix.Admits that there is a dangerous tendency in demon-worship: Remarks—chaps.lx.-lxii.Yet adds that the more just opinion is that demons desire and need nothing, but that they take pleasure in those who discharge towards them offices of piety: Answer—chaps.lxiii.-lxv.Celsus admits that no worshipper of God should submit to anything base, but should encounter any torments or death, rather than do anything unworthy of God; and yet to celebrate the sun, or the praises of Minerva, is only to render higher praise to God; inconsistency of this—chaps.lxvi.,lxvii.Maintains that the Homeric saying must be observed, “Let one be king, whom the son of crafty Saturn appointed;” sense in which this must be understood by Christians—chap.lxviii.Inconsistency on the part of Celsus, after what he has said, in asking whether God would fight for the Romans, if they were to become converts to the worship of the Most High—chaps.lxix.,lxx.Further misrepresentations of Celsus pointed out—chap.lxxi.Time will come when the Word will change every soul into His own perfections—chap.lxxii.Celsus enjoins us to help the king with all our might, and, if required, to fight under him, or lead an army along with him: Answer—chap.lxxiii.Also to take office in the government of the country, if necessary for the maintenance of the laws and the support of religion: Answer—chap.lxxv.Conclusion, in which Origen mentions that Celsus had announced his intention of writing a second treatise, which Origen requests Ambrose to send him if he should have carried his intentions into execution.