Testimonia

{"author":null,"backreferences":[{"context_html":"<p class=\"c006\">And he continues: “What is the meaning of such a descent\r\nupon the part of God?” not observing that, according to our\r\nteaching, the meaning of the descent is pre-eminently to convert\r\nwhat are called in the Gospel the lost “sheep of the house\r\nof Israel;” and secondly, to take away from them, on account\r\nof their disobedience, what is called the “kingdom of God,”\r\nand to give to other husbandmen than the ancient Jews, viz.\r\nto the Christians, who will render to God the fruits of His\r\nkingdom in due season (each action being a “fruit of the\r\nkingdom”).<a id=\"r484\"></a><a class=\"c008 pginternal\" href=\"#f484\"><sup>[484]</sup></a> We shall therefore, out of a greater number,\r\nselect a few remarks by way of answer to the question of\r\nCelsus, when he says, “What is the meaning of such a descent\r\nupon the part of God?” And Celsus here returns to himself\r\nan answer which would have been given neither by Jews nor\r\nby us, when he asks, “Was it in order to learn what goes on\r\namongst men?” For not one of us asserts that it was in order\r\nto learn what goes on amongst men that Christ entered into\r\nthis life. Immediately after, however, as if some would reply\r\nthat it <i>was</i> “in order to learn what goes on among men,” he\r\nmakes this objection to his own statement: “Does he not know\r\n<span class=\"pageno\" id=\"Page_164\">164</span>all things?” Then, as if we were to answer that He <i>does</i>\r\nknow all things, he raises a new question, saying, “Then he\r\ndoes know, but does not make [men] better, nor is it possible\r\nfor him by means of his divine power to make [men] better.”\r\nNow all this on his part is silly talk;<a id=\"r485\"></a><a class=\"c008 pginternal\" href=\"#f485\"><sup>[485]</sup></a> for God, by means\r\nof His word, which is continually passing from generation to\r\ngeneration into holy souls, and constituting them friends of\r\nGod and prophets, <i>does</i> improve those who listen to His words;\r\nand by the coming of Christ He improves, through the doctrine\r\nof Christianity, not those who are unwilling, but those who\r\nhave chosen the better life, and that which is pleasing to God.\r\nI do not know, moreover, what kind of improvement Celsus\r\nwished to take place when he raised the objection, asking, “Is\r\nit then not possible for him, by means of his divine power,\r\nto make [men] better, unless he send some one for that special\r\npurpose?”<a id=\"r486\"></a><a class=\"c008 pginternal\" href=\"#f486\"><sup>[486]</sup></a> Would he then have the improvement to take\r\nplace by God’s filling the minds of men with new ideas,\r\nremoving at once the [inherent] wickedness, and implanting\r\nvirtue [in its stead]?<a id=\"r487\"></a><a class=\"c008 pginternal\" href=\"#f487\"><sup>[487]</sup></a> Another person now would inquire\r\nwhether this was not inconsistent or impossible in the very\r\nnature of things; we, however, would say, “Grant it to be so,\r\nand let it be possible.” Where, then, is our free will?<a id=\"r488\"></a><a class=\"c008 pginternal\" href=\"#f488\"><sup>[488]</sup></a> and\r\nwhat credit is there in assenting to the truth? or how is the\r\nrejection of what is false praiseworthy? But even if it were\r\nonce granted that such a course was not only possible, but\r\ncould be accomplished with propriety [by God], why would not\r\none rather inquire (asking a question like that of Celsus) why\r\nit was not possible for God, by means of His divine power, to\r\ncreate men who needed no improvement, but who were of\r\nthemselves virtuous and perfect, evil being altogether non-existent?\r\nThese questions may perplex ignorant and foolish\r\nindividuals, but not him who sees into the nature of things;\r\n<span class=\"pageno\" id=\"Page_165\">165</span>for if you take away the spontaneity of virtue, you destroy its\r\nessence. But it would need an entire treatise to discuss these\r\nmatters; and on this subject the Greeks have expressed themselves\r\nat great length in their works on providence. They\r\ntruly would not say what Celsus has expressed in words, that\r\n“God knows [all things] indeed, but does not make [men]\r\nbetter, nor is able to do so by His divine power.” We ourselves\r\nhave spoken in many parts of our writings on these\r\npoints to the best of our ability, and the Holy Scriptures have\r\nestablished the same to those who are able to understand them.</p>","headings":["The writings of Origen, Vol. 2 of 2","BOOK IV.","Chapter III."],"marker_anchor":null,"paragraph_id":"pg70693-paragraph-222"}],"canonical_references":[],"date_end":null,"date_start":null,"deduplication_fingerprint":"0ba4de74bdab86163a30b2ce8dbb3f8eae7d96e08f9fba71e5c9fa5cae9b6c14","edition_title":"The writings of Origen, Vol. 2 (of 2)","edition_translators":["Frederick Crombie","W. H. Cairns"],"edition_year":1872,"explicit_reference_candidates":[],"headings":[],"id":"pg70693-f486","license_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html","public_import_allowed":false,"record_kind":"original-editor-translator-note","review_required":["work and recension attribution","original-work chronology","Bible reference numbering and citation kind","English edition rights and attribution"],"review_status":"needs_review","rights_evidence":"Project Gutenberg metadata: Public domain in the USA. Existing 1872 English edition; listed translators died 1889 and 1872. Electronic transcription subject to Project Gutenberg reuse terms.","source_anchor":"f486","source_ebook":70693,"source_html":"<div class=\"footnote\" id=\"f486\">\n<p class=\"c007\"><span class=\"label\"><a class=\"pginternal\" href=\"#r486\">486</a>.  </span>The word <span lang=\"grc\">φυσει</span> which is found in the text seems out of place, and\r\nhas been omitted in the translation, agreeably to the emendation of\r\nBoherellus.</p>\n</div>","source_sha256":"76ed9a9fd752c1d5095189e38fe3dcbbea0fd23d6be719db17360e4da14552fa","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/70693/pg70693-images.html#f486","text_sha256":"36a4f6e9d5d83d4f2c71969feb0b4f6b64401399d247e876f4941f27f52e01b9","verified":false,"work_id":null}

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