27. He escapes from the prison, and comes
into Mesopotamia: but there Bishop Archelaus, a shield of
righteousness, encounters him The account of the
discussion in this and the two following chapters is not now found in
the Latin Version of the “Disputation,” but is regarded by
Dr. Routh as having been derived by Cyril from some different copies of
the Greek. The last paragraph of § 29, “These
mysteries, &c.,” is evidently a caution addressed to the
hearers by Cyril himself (Routh, Rell. Sac. V. 199).: and having
accused him before philosophers as judges, and having assembled an
audience of Gentiles, lest if Christians gave judgment, the judges
might be thought to shew favour,—Tell us what thou preachest,
said Archelaus to Manes. And he, whose mouth was as an open
sepulchre Ps. v. 9., began first with
blasphemy against the Maker of all things, saying, The God of the Old
Testament is the author of evils, as He says of Himself, I am a
consuming fire Deut. iv. 24.. But the wise
Archelaus undermined his blasphemous argument by saying, “If the
God of the Old Testament, as thou sayest, calls Himself a fire, whose
Son is He who saith, I came to send fire on the earth Luke xii. 49.? If thou findest fault with Him who
saith, The Lord killeth, and maketh alive 1 Sam. ii. 6., why
dost thou honour Peter, who raised up Tabitha, but struck Sapphira
dead? If again thou findest fault, because He prepared fire,
wherefore dost thou not find fault with Him who saith, Depart from
Me into everlasting fire Matt. xxv. 41.? If thou
findest fault with Him who saith, I am God that make peace, and
create evil Is. xlv. 7., explain how Jesus
saith, I came not to send peace but a sword Matt. x. 34.. Since both speak alike, of two things
one, either both are good, because of their agreement, or if Jesus is
blameless in so speaking. why blamest thou Him that saith the like in
the Old Testament?”