Against Celsus 2.76
Summary: Origen answers that Jesus' “woes” are no different from God's in the prophets and the curses of the Law, spoken to bring people to repentance, and that even Greek sages could not persuade everyone.
Greek text · Koetschau 1:196–199
Οὐχ εὗρε δʼ ὁ Κέλσος προσωποποιῶν τὸν Ἰουδαῖον τοιαῦτα αὐτῷ περιθεῖναι ἐν τῷ λόγῳ, ὁποῖα οὐκ ἂν αὐτῷ ἀπὸ τῶν νομίμων καὶ προφητικῶν προφέροιτο γραφῶν. μέμφεται γὰρ τὸν Ἰησοῦν τοιαῦτα λέγων περὶ αὐτοῦ· ἀπειλεῖ καὶ λοιδορεῖ κούφως ὁπόταν λέγῃ· „οὐαὶ ὑμῖν“ καὶ „προλέγω ὑμῖν.“ ἐν γὰρ τούτοις ἄντικρυς ὁμολογεῖ ὅτι πεῖσαι ἀδυνατεῖ, ὅπερ οὐκ ἂν θεὸς ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ἄνθρωπος φρόνιμος πάθοι. ὅρα δὲ εἰ μὴ ταῦτα ἄντικρυς ἀναστρέφει ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰουδαῖον. ἀπειλεῖ γὰρ ἐν ταῖς νομικαῖς καὶ προφητικαῖς γραφαῖς ὁ θεὸς καὶ λοιδορεῖ, ὁπόταν λέγῃ, οὐκ ἐλάττονα τῶν ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ „οὐαί·“ ὁποῖά ἐστι τὰ ἐν Ἡσαΐᾳ οὕτως ἔχοντα· „οὐαὶ οἱ συνάπτοντες οἰκίαν πρὸς οἰκίαν, καὶ ἀγρὸν πρὸς ἀγρὸν ἐγγίζοντες“ καὶ „οὐαὶ οἱ ἐγειρόμενοι τὸ πρωῒ καὶ τὸ σίκερα διώκοντες“ καὶ „οὐαὶ οἱ ἐπισπώμενοι τὰς ἁμαρτίας ὡς σχοινίῳ μακρῷ“ καὶ „οὐαὶ οἱ λέγοντες τὸ πονηρὸν καλὸν καὶ τὸ καλὸν πονηρὸν“ καὶ „οὐαὶ οἱ ἰσχύοντες ὑμῶν, οἱ πίνοντες τὸν οἶνον.“ καὶ ἄλλα δʼ ἂν εὕροις μυρία. πῶς δʼ οὐ παραπλήσια αἷς λέγει ἀπειλαῖς ἐστι τὸ „οὐαὶ ἔθνος ἁμαρτωλὸν, λαὸς πλήρης ἁμαρτιῶν. σπέρμα πονηρὸν, υἱοὶ ἄνομοι“ καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς; οἷς ἐπιφέρει τηλικαύτας ἀπειλὰς. αἵ εἰσιν οὐκ ἐλάττους ὧν φησι τὸν Ἰησοῦν εἰρηκέναι. ἢ οὐκ ἔστιν ἀπειλὴ καὶ μεγάλη γε ἡ φάσκουσα· „ἡ γῆ ὑμῶν ἔρημος. αἱ πόλεις ὑμῶν πυρίκαυστοι· τὴν χώραν ὑμῶν ἐνώπιον ὑμῶν ἀλλότριοι κατεσθίουσιν αὐτὴν, καὶ ἠρήμωται κατεστραμμένη ὑπὸ λαῶν ἀλλοτρίων“; πῶς δʼ οὐ λοιδορίαι καὶ ἐν τῷ Ἰεζεκιήλ εἰσι πρὸς τὸν λαὸν. ἔνθα ὁ κύριός ἐστι λέγων πρὸς τὸν προφήτην· „ἐν μέσῳ σκορπίων σὺ κατοικεῖς“; ἆρʼ οὖν, ὦ Κέλσε, συνῃσθημένος πεποίηκας τὸν Ἰουδαῖον λέγοντα περὶ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ὅτι ἀπειλεῖ καὶ λοιδορεῖ κούφως, ὁπόταν λέγῃ· „οὐαὶ ὑμῖν„ καὶ „προλέγω ὑμῖν“; οὐχ ὁρᾷς ὅτι ἅπερ κατηγορῶν λέγει ὁ παρὰ σοὶ Ἰουδαῖος τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ταῦτα ἂν λέγοιτο πρὸς αὐτὸν περὶ τοῦ θεοῦ; ἄντικρυς γὰρ ἐν τοῖς ὁμοίοις εὑρίσκεται ὢν, ὡς οἴεται ὁ Ἰουδαῖος, ἐγκλήμασιν ὁ ἐν τοῖς προφήταις θεὸς ὡς πεῖσαι ἀδυνατῶν. ἔτι δὲ φήσαιμʼ ἂν περὶ αὐτῶν τοῖς οἰομένοις τὸν παρὰ τῷ Κέλσῳ Ἰουδαῖον εὖ ταῦτα τῷ Ἰησοῦ ἐγκαλεῖν ὅτι ἀραὶ πλεῖσται ὅσαι ἀναγεγραμμέναι εἰσὶν ἐν Λευϊτικῷ καὶ Δευτερονομίῳ, περὶ ὧν ὡς ἐὰν ἀπολογήσηται ὁ Ἰουδαῖος παριστάμενος τῇ γραφῇ. ἢ τοιούτως ἢ καὶ ἔτι βέλτιον ἀπολογησόμεθα περὶ τῶν νομιζομένων ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ εἰρῆσθαι λοιδοριῶν καὶ ἀπειλῶν. καὶ περὶ αὐτοῦ δὲ τοῦ Μωϋσέως νόμου ἡμεῖς μᾶλλον δυνησόμεθα ἀπολογήσασθαι, ἅτε συνετώτερον διδαχθέντες ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἀκούειν τῶν νομικῶν γραμμάτων ἤπερ ὁ Ἰουδαῖος. ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ Ἰουδαῖος ἐὰν ἴδῃ τὸ βούλημα τῶν προφητικῶν λόγων, παραστῆναι δυνήσεται τῷ μὴ κούφως ἀπειλεῖν καὶ λοιδορεῖν τὸν θεὸν λέγοντα τὸ „οὐαὶ“ καὶ „προλέγω ὑμῖν, “ καὶ πῶς θεὸς ὑπὲρ ἐπιστροφῆς ἀνθρώπων τὰ τοιαῦτα ἂν λέγοι, ἅπερ οἴεται οὐδὲ φρόνιμον ἄνθρωπον ποιῆσαι ὁ Κέλσος. καὶ Χριστιανοὶ δὲ ἕνα θεὸν γινώσκοντες. τὸν ἐν τοῖς προφήταις καὶ τῷ κυρίῳ, παραστήσουσι τὸ εὔλογον τῶν νομιζομένων ἀπειλῶν καὶ λεγομένων παρὰ τῷ Κέλσῳ λοιδοριῶν. καὶ ὀλίγα εἰς τὸν τόπον λελέξεται πρὸς τὸν Κέλσον, ἐπαγγελλόμενον καὶ φιλοσοφεῖν καὶ τὰ ἡμέτερα εἰδέναι· ὅτι ἆρα. ὦ οὗτος, ἐὰν μὲν ὁ παρὰ τῷ Ὁμήρῳ Ἑρμῆς λέγῃ τῷ Ὀδυσσεῖ· τίπτʼ αὖ, ὦ δύστηνε, διʼ ἄκριας ἔρχεαι οἶος; ἀνέχῃ ἀπολογίας, λεγούσης ὅτι ὑπὲρ ἐπιστροφῆς τῷ Ὀδυσσεῖ τοιαῦτα προσδιαλέγεται ὁ Ὁμηρικὸς Ἑρμῆς (ἐπεὶ τὸ κολακεύειν καὶ κεχαρισμένα λέγειν Σειρήνων ἐστὶν, αἷς πάρεστιν ἀμφʼ ὀστεόφιν θὶς λεγούσαις· δεῦρʼ ἄγʼ ἰὼν, πολύαινʼ Ὀδυσεῦ, μέγα κῦδος Ἀχαιῶν)· ἐὰν δʼ οἱ παρʼ ἐμοὶ προφῆται καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Ἰησοῦς ὑπὲρ ἐπιστροφῆς τῶν ἀκουόντων λέγῃ τὸ οὐαὶ καὶ ἃς νομίζεις λοιδορίας. οὐδὲν οἰκονομεῖται πρὸς τοὺς ἀκούοντας διὰ τῶν τοιούτων λόγων οὐδὲ προσάγει αὐτοῖς ὡς Παιώνιον φάρμακον τὸν τοιοῦτον λόγον; εἰ μὴ ἄρα βούλει τὸν θεὸν ἢ τὸν θείας μετέχοντα φύσεως ἀνθρώποις διαλεγόμενον σκοπεῖν μὲν τὰ τῆς ἰδίας φύσεως καὶ τὰ κατʼ ἀξίαν ἑαυτοῦ μηκέτι δʼ ἐνορᾶν. τί πρέπει τοῖς οἰκονομουμένοις καὶ ἀγομένοις ἀνθρώποις ὑπὸ τοῦ λόγου αὐτοῦ ἐπαγγέλλεσθαι καὶ ἑκάστῳ γε κατὰ τὸ ὑποκείμενον ἦθος διαλέγεσθαι. πῶς δὲ καὶ οὐ γελοῖον τὸ πεῖσαι ἀδυνατεῖν λεγόμενον περὶ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ καὶ κοινοποιούμενον οὐ μόνον πρὸς τὸν Ἰουδαῖον. πολλὰ τοιαῦτα ἔχοντα ἐν ταῖς προφητείαις. ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς Ἕλληνας, ἐν οἷς ἕκαστος τῶν μεγάλην δόξαν ἐπὶ σοφίᾳ ἀπενεγκαμένων οὐ δεδύνηται πεῖσαι τοὺς ἐπιβουλεύοντας ἢ τοὺς δικαστὰς ἢ τοὺς κατηγοροῦντας παύσασθαι μὲν τῆς κακίας ὁδεῦσαι δὲ διὰ φιλοσοφίας ἐπʼ ἀρετήν;
English · Claude translation
In giving the Jew his part, Celsus did not manage to put into his speech anything that could not be turned back on him from the writings of the law and the prophets. For he blames Jesus, saying of him: “He threatens and reviles lightly whenever he says, ‘Woe to you,’ and ‘I tell you beforehand.’ For in these words he openly admits that he is unable to persuade, which would not happen to a god, nor even to a sensible man.” See whether these words do not recoil directly on the Jew. For in the writings of the law and the prophets God threatens and reviles, whenever he says “woe,” no less than in the Gospel, as in these words in Isaiah: “Woe to those who join house to house and add field to field,” and “Woe to those who rise early in the morning and pursue strong drink,” and “Woe to those who draw sins after them as with a long rope,” and “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil,” and “Woe to the mighty among you who drink wine.” And you could find countless others. How is “Woe, sinful nation, a people full of sins, an evil seed, lawless sons,” and what follows, not like the threats he speaks of? To these he adds threats so great that they are no less than those he says Jesus spoke. Or is it not a threat, and a great one, that says: “Your land is desolate, your cities burned with fire; strangers devour your country before you, and it is laid waste, overthrown by foreign peoples”? And how are there not revilings of the people in Ezekiel too, where the Lord says to the prophet: “You dwell in the midst of scorpions”? Did you, Celsus, make the Jew say knowingly of Jesus that “he threatens and reviles lightly whenever he says, ‘Woe to you’ and ‘I tell you beforehand’”? Do you not see that what the Jew in your book says against Jesus could be said against him about God? For the God in the prophets is found, as the Jew thinks, plainly liable to the same charges, as being unable to persuade. I would further say to those who think the Jew in Celsus rightly accuses Jesus of these things that very many curses are recorded in Leviticus and Deuteronomy; and however the Jew defends them, standing by Scripture, in that way or even better we shall defend what are thought to be Jesus' revilings and threats. And we shall be better able than the Jew to defend the law of Moses itself, since we have been taught by Jesus to understand the writings of the law more intelligently. And the Jew too, if he sees the intent of the prophetic words, will be able to show that God does not threaten and revile lightly when he says “woe” and “I tell you beforehand,” and how God would say such things for the conversion of human beings, which Celsus thinks not even a sensible man would do. And Christians, who know one God, the same in the prophets and in the Lord, will show the reasonableness of what are thought to be threats and what Celsus calls revilings. And a few words on this passage will be said to Celsus, who professes to be a philosopher and to know our affairs: “Sir, if Homer's Hermes says to Odysseus, ‘Why again, unhappy man, do you go alone over the hilltops?’, you accept the defense that the Homeric Hermes speaks thus to Odysseus to turn him back (since flattery and pleasing words belong to the Sirens, around whom lies a heap of bones, who say: ‘Come here, much-praised Odysseus, great glory of the Achaeans’); but if my prophets and Jesus himself say ‘woe,’ and what you consider revilings, for the conversion of their hearers, is nothing accomplished for the hearers by such words, and does such a word not bring them a healing, Paean-like remedy? Unless, perhaps, you want God, or one who shares in the divine nature, when he converses with human beings, to look only to what belongs to his own nature and is worthy of himself, and no longer to consider what is fitting to promise to those who are guided and led by his word, and to speak to each according to his existing character.” And how is it not ridiculous to say of Jesus that he was unable to persuade, when this applies equally not only to the Jew, who has many such things in the prophecies, but also to the Greeks, among whom each of those who won great fame for wisdom could not persuade those plotting against him, or his judges, or his accusers, to cease from wickedness and to travel through philosophy to virtue?
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The quotations are Isa 5:8, 5:11, 5:18, 5:20, 5:22 (loosely), Isa 1:4, Isa 1:7, and Ezek 2:6; Jesus' words echo Matt 23:13 and Matt 24:25. The Homeric lines are Odyssey 10.281 (Hermes to Odysseus), Odyssey 12.45 (the heap of bones), and Odyssey 12.184 (the Sirens). “Paean-like remedy” alludes to Paean, the physician of the gods.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (misread letter in the digital text; misspelling in the digital text; wrong accent in the digital text): ἀπιλεῖ γὰρ → ἀπειλεῖ γὰρ; τὰ ποιαῦτα → τὰ τοιαῦτα; ἐν οἶς ἕκαστος → ἐν οἷς ἕκαστος.
Cite this passage
Origen, Cels. 2.76 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-celsum/2/76/).
Plain text
Origen, Cels. 2.76 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-celsum/2/76/).
Download citation:BibTeX ·RIS (Zotero, EndNote)
Whole work:BibTeX ·RIS ·Markdown text