Against Celsus 5.53

What was said earlier, in our separate examination of Celsus's words about our Saviour Jesus Christ, would suffice; but so that we may not seem to pass over any part of his writing deliberately, as though unable to answer him, come, even if we are going to repeat ourselves, since Celsus challenges us to it, let us cut the discussion as short as we can, in case something clearer or newer on the same subjects occurs to us. He says that he passes over the arguments by which Christians are refuted about their teacher, though he has passed over nothing he could say, as is evident from what he said above; he does this simply following a rhetorical device. But that we are not refuted about so great a Saviour of ours, even if the accuser seems to refute us, will be clear to those who read, with love of truth and careful examination, all that has been prophesied and recorded about him. Next, since he is thought to speak by way of concession about the Saviour, "let him be regarded as truly an angel," we say that we do not accept this as conceded by Celsus, but look to the work of the one who came to the whole human race according to his own word and teaching, as each of those who received him could contain it. This was the work of one who, as the prophecy about him named him, is not simply an angel but the angel "of great counsel"; for he announced to human beings the great counsel of God, the Father of the universe, concerning them: of those who yield to live in pure worship of God, as ascending to God through great deeds, and of those who do not receive it, as putting themselves far from God and travelling toward destruction through unbelief concerning God. Then he says next: "If this one too came to human beings as an angel, did he come first and alone, or did others come before?" And he thinks he answers both alternatives at length, though no true Christian says that Christ alone came to the human race; and Celsus says that others too appeared to human beings, "if they said that he alone came."