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Translated from the Greek original by Frederick Crombie.
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This Part: 128 Pages
Page 48
Chapter LXXVI.
Celsus, in adopting the character of a Jew, could not discover any objections to be urged against the Gospel which might not be retorted on him as liable to be brought also against the law and the prophets. For he censures Jesus in such words as the following: "He makes use of threats, and reviles men on light grounds, when he says, 'Woe unto you,' and 'I tell you beforehand.' For by such expressions he manifestly acknowledges his inability to persuade; and this would not be the case with a God, or even a prudent man." Observe, now, whether these charges do not manifestly recoil upon the Jew. For in the writings of the law and the prophets God makes use of threats and revilings, when He employs language of not less severity than that found in the Gospel, such as the following expressions of Isaiah: "Woe unto them that join house to house, and lay field to field;" [3413] and, "Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning that they may follow strong drink;" [3414] and, "Woe unto them that draw their sins after them as with a long rope;" [3415] and, "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil;" [3416] and, "Woe unto those of you who are mighty to drink wine;" [3417] and innumerable other passages of the same kind. And does not the following resemble the threats of which he speaks: "Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters?" [3418] and so on, to which he subjoins such threats as are equal in severity to those which, he says, Jesus made use of. For is it not a threatening, and a great one, which declares, "Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers?" [3419] And are there not revilings in Ezekiel directed against the people, when the Lord says to the prophet, "Thou dwellest in the midst of scorpions?" [3420]
[3413] Isa. v. 8.
[3414] Isa. v. 11.
[3415] Isa. v. 18.
[3416] Isa. v. 20.
[3417] Isa. v. 22.
[3418] Cf. Isa. i. 4.
[3419] Isa. i. 7.
[3420] Ezek. ii. 6.
Reference address : https://ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/fathers/origen/contra-celsum.asp?pg=48
