Against Celsus 3.40
Summary: Origen argues that Christian teaching agrees with the common human notion that God is not a material image, so that the rational soul, hearing it, recognizes its Creator, abandons idols, and welcomes Christ.
Greek text · Koetschau 1:236–237
Ὅρα δὲ εἰ μὴ τὰ τῆς πίστεως ἡμῶν ταῖς κοιναῖς ἐννοίαις ἀρχῆθεν συναγορεύοντα μετατίθησι τοὺς εὐγνωμόνως ἀκούοντας τῶν λεγομένων. εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἡ διαστροφὴ δεδύνηται, πολλῆς αὐτῇ κατηχήσεως συναγορευούσης, τοῖς πολλοῖς ἐμφυτεῦσαι τὸν περὶ ἀγαλμάτων λόγον ὡς θεῶν καὶ τὸν περὶ τῶν γενομένων ἐκ χρυσοῦ καὶ ἀργύρου καὶ ἐλέφαντος καὶ λίθου ὡς προσκυνήσεως ἀξίων· ἀλλʼ ἡ κοινὴ ἔννοια ἀπαιτεῖ ἐννοεῖν ὅτι θεὸς οὐδαμῶς ἐστιν ὕλη φθαρτὴ οὐδὲ τιμᾶται ἐν ἀψύχοις ὕλαις ὑπὸ ἀνθρώπων μορφούμενος, ὡς „κατʼ εἰκόνα“ ἤ τινα σύμβολα ἐκείνου γινομέναις. διόπερ εὐθέως λέγεται τὰ περὶ ἀγαλμάτων, „ὅτι οὐκ εἰσὶ θεοὶ, “ καὶ τὰ περὶ τῶν τοιούτων δημιουργημάτων, ὅτι οὐκ εἰσὶ συγκριτὰ πρὸς τὸν δημιουργὸν, ὀλίγα τε περὶ τοῦ ἐπὶ πᾶσι θεοῦ δημιουργήσαντος καὶ συνέχοντος καὶ κυβερνῶντος τὰ ὅλα. καὶ εὐθέως ὡσπερεὶ τὸ συγγενὲς ἐπιγνοῦσα ἡ λογικὴ ψυχὴ ἀποῤῥίπτει μὲν ἃ τέως ἐδόξαζεν εἶναι θεοὺς φίλτρον δʼ ἀναλαμβάνει φυσικὸν τὸ πρὸς τὸν κτίσαντα, καὶ διὰ τὸ πρὸς ἐκεῖνον φίλτρον ὑπεραποδέχεται καὶ τὸν ταῦτα πρῶτον πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσι παραστήσαντα διʼ ὧν κατεσκεύασε μαθητῶν, οὓς ἐξέπεμψε μετὰ θείας δυνάμεως καὶ ἐξουσίας κηρύξαι τὸν περὶ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ λόγον.
English · Claude translation
See whether the teachings of our faith, agreeing from the beginning with the common notions, do not change those who hear what is said with good will. For even if perversion, aided by much instruction, has been able to implant in the many the doctrine that images are gods, and that things made of gold, silver, ivory, and stone are worthy of worship, yet the common notion requires one to think that God is in no way corruptible matter, and is not honored when shaped by human beings in lifeless materials made as his “image” or certain symbols of him. Therefore it is said at once of images “that they are not gods,” and of such works of craftsmen that they are not comparable with the Creator; and a little is said about the God over all, who created, holds together, and governs the universe. And at once, as if recognizing its kin, the rational soul casts away what it formerly thought to be gods and takes up a natural love for its Creator; and because of this love for him it welcomes all the more the one who first presented these things to all the nations through the disciples he trained, whom he sent out with divine power and authority to proclaim the word about God and his kingdom.
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- “Common notions” (κοιναὶ ἔννοιαι) is a Stoic term for concepts shared by all rational beings. “That they are not gods” echoes Acts 19:26 (cf. Gal 4:8); “image” echoes Gen 1:26.
Cite this passage
Origen, Cels. 3.40 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-celsum/3/40/).
Plain text
Origen, Cels. 3.40 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-celsum/3/40/).
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