Against Celsus 6.9

Celsus also sets out another passage of Plato which runs thus: “I have it in mind to speak about these things at still greater length; for perhaps what I am saying would be clearer if this were said. There is a true argument that stands against anyone who dares to write anything at all about such matters, an argument I have often stated before, but it seems that it must be stated now too. For each of the things that exist there are three things through which knowledge must come; knowledge itself is the fourth; and as fifth one must posit the thing itself, which is knowable and truly real. Of these, one is the name, the second the definition, the third the image, and the fourth knowledge.” Along these lines we might say that John, “the voice of one crying in the wilderness,” was brought in before Jesus as the counterpart of Plato's name; and second, after John and pointed out by him, is Jesus, to whom applies “The Word became flesh,” being the counterpart of Plato's definition (logos). Plato says the third is the image. But we, assigning the term image to something else, will say more clearly that the imprint of the wounds which comes to be in the soul after the Word, that is, the Christ in each person that comes from Christ the Word, is the third. And whether Christ, the wisdom “among” our “perfect,” is the counterpart of the fourth, which is knowledge, anyone who is able will consider.