Against Celsus 5.13
Summary: Christians do not regard the heavenly bodies as nothing: Scripture calls them to praise God and says they too await creation's liberation, but they are not to be worshipped.
Greek text · Koetschau 2:14–15
Ἑαυτῷ δὲ λαμβάνει Κέλσος ὅτι ἥλιον καὶ σελήνην καὶ ἀστέρας ἡγούμεθα εἶναι τὸ μηδέν. περὶ ὧν ὁμολογοῦμεν ὅτι καὶ αὐτοὶ „τὴν ἀποκάλυψιν τῶν υἱῶν τοῦ θεοῦ“ ἀπεκδέχονται, „τῇ“ τῶν ὑλικῶν σωμάτων „ματαιότητι“ ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος ὑποτεταγμένοι, „διὰ τὸν ἐπʼ ἐλπίδι ὑποτάξαντα.“ εἰ δʼ ἀνεγνώκει ὁ Κέλσος καὶ ἄλλα μὲν μυρία. ὅσα περὶ ἡλίου καὶ σελήνης καὶ ἄστρων φαμὲν, καὶ τὸ „αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸν πάντα τὰ ἄστρα καὶ τὸ φῶς“ καὶ τὸ „αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸν οἱ οὐρανοὶ τῶν οὐρανῶν, “ οὐκ ἂν περὶ ἡμῶν ἀπεφήνατο ὅτι λέγομεν τὰ τηλικαῦτα, αἰνοῦντα μεγάλως τὸν θεὸν, εἶναι τὸ μηδέν. οὐκ οἶδε δʼ ὁ Κέλσος οὐδὲ τὸ „ἡ γὰρ ἀποκαραδοκία τῆς κτίσεως τὴν ἀποκάλυψιν τῶν υἱῶν τοῦ θεοῦ ἀπεκδέχεται. τῇ γὰρ ματαιότητι ἡ κτίσις ὑπετάγη, οὐχ ἑκοῦσα, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸν ὑποτάξαντα, ἐπʼ ἐλπίδι, ὅτι καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ κτίσις ἐλευθερωθήσεται ἀπὸ τῆς δουλείας τῆς φθορᾶς εἰς τὴν ἐλευθερίαν τῆς δόξης τῶν τέκνων τοῦ θεοῦ.“ καὶ ἐν τούτοις δὴ τέλος ἐχέτω ἡ περὶ τοῦ μὴ σέβειν ἡμᾶς ἥλιον καὶ σελήνην καὶ ἀστέρας ἀπολογία. ἐκθώμεθα δὲ καὶ τὴν ἑξῆς λέξιν, ἵνα μετὰ τοῦτο πρὸς αὐτὴν θεοῦ διδόντος εἴπωμεν τὰ ἀπὸ τοῦ τῆς ἀληθείας φωτὸς δοθησόμενα ἡμῖν.
English · Claude translation
Celsus takes it for granted that we regard the sun and moon and stars as nothing. About them we acknowledge that they too await "the revelation of the sons of God," being subjected for the present "to the futility" of material bodies, "because of the one who subjected them in hope." If Celsus had read the countless other things we say about the sun and moon and stars, and "Praise him, all you stars and light," and "Praise him, you heavens of heavens," he would not have declared that we say such great beings, which greatly praise God, are nothing. Nor does Celsus know this: "For the eager longing of the creation awaits the revelation of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of the one who subjected it, in hope; because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God." With this let our defence for not revering the sun and moon and stars come to an end. Let us set out the next passage too, so that after this we may say in reply to it, God granting, what will be given us from the light of truth.
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The quotations are Rom 8:19–21 and Ps 148:3–4. Origen held that the heavenly bodies are subject to 'futility' through their bodies.
Cite this passage
Origen, Cels. 5.13 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-celsum/5/13/).
Plain text
Origen, Cels. 5.13 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-celsum/5/13/).
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