Origen, AGAINST CELSUS, Part V, Complete

Translated from the Greek original by Frederick Crombie.

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This Part: 128 Pages

Page 17

I am well aware that those who would daringly assert that these evils were created by God will quote certain expressions of Scripture (in their support), because we are not able to show one consistent series [4558] of passages; for although Scripture (generally) blames the wicked and approves of the righteous, it nevertheless contains some statements which, although comparatively [4559] few in number, seem to disturb the minds of ignorant readers of holy Scripture. I have not, however, deemed it appropriate to my present treatise to quote on the present occasion those discordant statements, which are many in number, [4560] and their explanations, which would require a long array of proofs. Evils, then, if those be meant which are properly so called, were not created by God; but some, although few in comparison with the order of the whole world, have resulted from His principal works, as there follow from the chief works of the carpenter such things as spiral shavings and sawdust, [4561] or as architects might appear to be the cause of the rubbish [4562] which lies around their buildings in the form of the filth which drops from the stones and the plaster.

[4558] huphos.

[4559] oliga must be taken comparatively, on account of the pollas that follows afterwards.

[4560] pollas. See note 11.

[4561] ta helikoeide xesmata kai prismata.

[4562] ta parakeimena.

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