Chapter II: Book II: , 1 -84

This book contains Origen’s answers to the charges which Celsus, in the person of a Jew, brings against the converts from Judaism to Christianity. Main charge is, that “they have forsaken the law of their fathers, in consequence of their minds being led captive by Jesus; that they have been most ridiculously deceived; and that they have become deserters to another name and to another mode of life.” Answer to these charges—chap. i. Digression upon certain declarations of Jesus in the Gospels—chap. ii. Ignorance of Celsus evinced by the manner in which he represents the Jew as addressing the Israelitish converts—chap. iii. Objection of Jew, that Christianity takes its origin from Judaism, and that after a certain point it discards Judaism: Answer—chap. iv. Assertion of Celsus, that Jesus was punished by the Jews for His crimes, already answered—chap. v. Observance by Jesus of Jewish usages and sacrificial observances, no argument against His recognition as the Son of God—chap. vi. Language of Jesus furnishes not the slightest evidence, but the reverse, of arrogance: Quotations—chap. vii. Allegation, that when men are willing to be deceived, many persons like Jesus would find a friendly reception; inconsistency of this; various other charges disposed of—chap. viii. Assertion of Celsus, that Jesus could not be deemed a god because he was currently reported to have performed none of his promises, and, after conviction and sentence, was found attempting to conceal himself and endeavouring to escape, and was then betrayed by his disciples; impossibility of such things, according to Celsus, happening to a god: Answer to these calumnies and objections—chaps. ix.-xi. Assertion of Celsus, that Jesus was inferior to a brigand chief, because He was betrayed by His disciples: Answer—chap. xii. Celsus asserts that he omits mention of many things in the life of Christ which he could state to His disadvantage; challenged to produce such: Several predictions of Jesus quoted and commented on—chap. xiii. Celsus makes light of the admission that future events were predicted by Jesus: Remarks of Origen in answer—chap. xiv. Assertion of Celsus, that the disciples of Jesus devised the fiction that He foreknew everything before it happened: Answer—chap. xv. Asserts that the disciples wrote the accounts they have given by way of extenuating the charges against Him: Answer—chap. xvi. Celsus alleges that a prudent man—much more a god or spirit—would have tried to escape dangers that were foreseen, whereas Jesus did the reverse: Answer—chap. xvii. Objection of Celsus, that the announcements which Jesus made regarding those disciples who were to betray and deny Him had not the effect of deterring them from their treason and perjury, shown to be self-contradictory—chap. xviii. Further statement of Celsus, that in such cases intending criminals abandon their intentions, shown to be untrue—chap. xix. Objection, that if Jesus had been a God, His predictions must infallibly have come to pass; and assertion, that He plotted against the members of His own table: Refuted—chaps. xx.-xxii. Assertion, that the things which He suffered could have been neither painful nor distressing, because He submitted to them voluntarily and as a God—chap. xxiii. Misrepresentation of Celsus as to the language employed by Jesus during His sufferings—chaps. xxiv., xxv. Celsus charges the disciples with having invented statements: Answer—chap. xxvi. Alleges that Christian believers have corrupted the gospel in order to be able to reply to objections: Answer—chap. xxvii. The Jew of Celsus reproaches Christians with making use of the prophets: Answer—chap. xxviii. Assertion of Celsus, that from such signs and misinterpretations, and from proofs so mean, no one could prove Jesus to be God and the Son of God: Answer—chap. xxx. Charges Christians with sophistical reasoning in saying that the Son of God is the Logos Himself: Refutation—chap. xxxi. Objection of Celsus to our Lord’s genealogy: Refutation—chap. xxxii. Celsus ridicules the actions of Jesus as unworthy of a God: Refutation—chap. xxxiii. Inconsistency of Celsus in representing the Jew as conversant with Greek literature; various remarks of Celsus answered—chap. xxxiv. Question of Celsus, why Jesus does not give some manifestation of His divinity by taking vengeance upon those who insult Him and His Father: Answered—chap. xxxv. Celsus scoffingly inquires, What was the nature of the ichor in the body of Jesus? and asserts that Jesus rushed with open mouth to drink of the vinegar and gall: Answer—chaps. xxxvi., xxxvii. Sneer of the Jew, that Christians find fault with Jews for not recognising Jesus as God: Answer—chap. xxxviii. Falsehood of the assertion of this Jew of Celsus, that Jesus gained over to His cause no one during His life, not even His own disciples—chap. xxxix. Jew goes on to assert that Jesus did not show Himself to be pure from all evil: Answer—chaps. xli., xlii. Falsity of the statement, that Jesus, after failing to gain over those who were in this world, went to Hades to gain over those who were there—chap. xliii. Celsus asserts further, that other individuals who have been condemned and died miserable deaths ought to be regarded as greater and more divine messengers of heaven than Jesus: Answer—chap. xliv. Argument of Celsus against the truth of Christianity, from the different behaviour of the actual followers of Jesus during His life and that of Christians at the present day: Answer—chap. xlv. Falsehood of the assertion, that Jesus when on earth gained over to Himself only sailors and tax-gatherers of the most worthless character—chap. xlvi. Answer to the question, By what train of argument were Christians led to regard Jesus as the Son of God?—chap. xlvii. Assertion of Celsus, that Jesus is deemed by Christians to be the Son of God because He healed the lame and the blind and is asserted to have raised the dead: Answer—chap. xlviii. Statement of Celsus, that Jesus convicted Himself of being a sorcerer: Refuted by His predictions regarding false prophets, etc.—chaps. xlix., l. No resemblance between the works of Jesus and those of a sorcerer—chap. li. Inconsistency of the Jew in raising the objections which he does, seeing that the same objections might be raised against the divinity of Mosaism—chaps. lii.-liv. Jew objects further, that the predictions, although actually uttered, prove nothing, because many have been deceived by juggling tricks; asserts also, that there is no satisfactory evidence of the resurrection of Jesus, the report of which can be explained in other ways: Answer—chaps. lv.-lxii. Celsus proceeds to bring, as a serious charge against Jesus, that He did not appear after His resurrection to those who had ill-treated Him and condemned Him, and to men in general: Answer—chaps. lxiii.-lxvii. Celsus asserts, that it would have helped to manifest His divinity if He had at once disappeared from the cross: Answer—chaps. lxviii., lxix. Inconsistency of Celsus’ statement (that Jesus concealed Himself) with the facts of the case, pointed out—chap. lxx. Certain declarations of Jesus regarding Himself, noticed—chap. lxxi. Celsus asks why, if Jesus wished to remain hid, a voice was heard from heaven proclaiming Him to be the Son of God? or, if He did not seek concealment, why was He punished? or, why did He die? Answer—chap. lxxii. Celsus asserts, that no witness is needed to refute the statements of the Christians, because these are taken from their own books, which are self-contradictory: Answer—chap. lxxiv. Impossibility, according to Celsus, that a god, who was expected to appear among men, should be received with incredulity on his coming, or should fail to be recognised by those who have been looking for him: Answer—chap. lxxv. All objections brought by the Jew against Christianity might be retorted on himself: Illustrations—chap. lxxvi. Jew professes his belief in a bodily resurrection and in eternal life—chap. lxxvii. Asks if Jesus came into the world to produce unbelief in the minds of men: Answer—chap. lxxviii. Conclusion of the Jew is that everything proves Jesus to have been a man: General refutation.