Chapter VI: Book VI: , 336-424

Object of Sixth Book specially to refute those objections which _Celsus_ brings against Christians, and not those derived from writers on philosophy—chap. i. Explanation of the reasons which led the writers of Scripture to adopt a simple style of address—chap. ii. Quotation from Plato regarding the “chief good,” and remarks upon it—chap. iii. Inconsistent conduct of those who can so express themselves pointed out—chap. iv. Comparison of the Platonic phraseology, regarding the kindling of a light in the soul, with the language of Scripture—chap. v. Examination of the question whether Plato was acquainted with doctrines more profound than those which are contained in his writings, and demonstration of the fact that the prophets did know of greater things than any in Scripture, but did not commit them to writing—chaps. vi.-x. Celsus inquires whether, amid the perplexity arising from the existence of different Christs, men are to cast the dice to divine which of them they ought to follow? Answer—chap. xi. Perversion of the language of Paul regarding wisdom corrected—chaps. xii., xiii. Examination of Celsus’ charge that Christians are uninstructed, servile, and ignorant—chap. xiv. Sneer of Celsus at the humility of Christians answered—chap. xv. Celsus charges Jesus with having perverted the language of Plato in His saying regarding the impossibility of a rich man’s entering the kingdom of heaven: Answer—chap. xvi. Comparison of some points of Scripture doctrine with statements of Plato—chaps. xvii., xviii. Charge of Celsus that Christians have misunderstood language of Plato, in boasting of a “super-celestial” God: Answer—chap. xix. Explanation of certain terms referring to heaven—chaps. xx., xxi. Assertion of Celsus, that the Persian mysteries of Mithras contain many obscure allusions to those heavenly things mentioned in the Christian writings; absurdity of his statements—chaps. xxii., xxiii. Celsus refers to a certain diagram, the statements regarding which he appears to have borrowed from the sect of the Ophites; which statements, however, are of no credibility—chap. xxiv. Description of said diagram, and explanation of the names inscribed in it—chaps. xxv., xxvi. Certain statements of Celsus regarding the “seal” examined—chap. xxvii. Celsus asserts that Christians term the Creator an “accursed” divinity, and asks what could be more foolish or insane than such senseless wisdom? Examination of these statements—chaps. xxviii., xxix. Celsus returns to the subject of the seven ruling demons, and makes reference to the diagram—chap. xxx. Quotations illustrating the manner of invoking said demons—chap. xxxi. Remarks on the procedure of Celsus—chap. xxxii. Further statements of Celsus—chap. xxxiii. Continuation of statements of Celsus, to the effect that Christians heap together one thing after another,—discourses of prophets, circles upon circles, effluents from an earthly church, and from circumcision; and a power flowing from one Prunicos, a virgin and living soul; and a heaven slain in order to live, etc. etc.—chap. xxxiv. Detailed examination and answer to these statements—chaps. xxxv.-xxxvii. Celsus introduces other charges, stating that there are inscriptions in the diagram containing two words, “a greater and a less,” which are referred to Father and Son: Answer—chap. xxxviii. Statement of Celsus, that names of demons among the Greeks are different from what they are among the Scythians; gives illustrations: Answer—chap. xxxix. Statement of Celsus, on the authority of Dionysius, an Egyptian magician, that magic arts have no power over philosophers, but only over uneducated men and persons of corrupt morals: Falsity of this shown—chap. xli. Allegation of Celsus, that Christians have invented the fiction of the devil or Satan, as an adversary to God, who counterworks His plans and defeats them; that the Son of God, even, has been vanquished by the devil; and that the devil will exhibit great and marvellous works, and claim for himself the glory of God: Examination and refutation of these statements—chaps. xlii.-xliv. Celsus has misunderstood the statements of Scripture regarding Antichrist: Explanation of these—chaps. xlv., xlvi. Celsus perverts the language of Christians regarding the “Son of God:” Answer—chap. xlvii. Mystical meaning of “Son of God” explained—chap. xlviii. Celsus characterizes the Mosaic cosmogony as extremely silly, and alleges that Moses and the prophets, from ignorance, have woven together a web of sheer nonsense: Answers—chaps. xlix.-li. Celsus will not decide whether the world was uncreated and indestructible, or created but not destructible—chap. lii. Brings forward objections that were raised against Marcion, and after several disparaging observations on the manner of the divine procedure towards men, asks how it is that God created evil, etc.—chap. liii. Answer to the foregoing—chaps. liv.-lix. Celsus repeats charges formerly made regarding the days of creation—chaps. lx., lxi. Comments on the expression, “The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it:” Answer—chap. lxii. Asserts that “the first-born of every creature” is the image of God, and that God did not make man in His image, because he is unlike to any other species of being; explanation of the expression, “Man is made after the image of God”—chap. lxiii. God partakes neither of form nor colour, nor can motion be predicated of Him; explanation of passages that seem to imply the reverse—chap. lxiv. Inconsistency of Celsus with his declared opinions, in saying that God is the source of all things; asserts that He cannot be reached by word: Explanation and distinction—chap. lxv. Celsus asks, in the person of another, how it is possible to know God, or to learn the way that leads to Him, because darkness is thrown before the eyes, and nothing distinctly seen: Answer to this query, and remark of Celsus retorted upon himself—chaps. lxvi.-lxviii. Celsus represents our answer as being this: “Since God is great and difficult to see, He put His own Spirit into a body that resembled ours, and sent it down to us, that we might be enabled to hear Him, and become acquainted with Him:” Examination of this statement—chaps. lxix., lxx. According to Celsus, our doctrine regarding the spirit is the same as that of the Stoics, who maintain that “God is a spirit, diffused through all things, and containing all things within Himself:” Answer—chap. lxxi. Assertion that the Son of God would not be immortal, because He was a spirit existing in a human body: Answer—chap. lxxii. Criticises, in scoffing language, the incarnation; exposure of his errors—chap. lxxiii. Returns to the subject of Marcion’s opinions; introduces “two sons of God,” and speaks scoffingly of the supposed controversies between them—chap. lxxiv. Maintains that the body of Jesus must have been different from that of other beings, in virtue of His divine qualities. Consideration of the prophecies regarding Jesus: Answers to his statements—chaps. lxxv.-lxxvii. Celsus ridicules the sending of God’s Spirit into _one_ corner of the world alone, and compares God to Jupiter in the comedy, who sent Mercury to the Athenians and Lacedemonians: Answer—chaps. lxxviii., lxxix. Celsus terms the Chaldeans a divinely-inspired nation; speaks of the Egyptian people as also inspired, although he condemned them formerly, and refuses this title to the Jews; inconsistency of all this—chap. lxxx. Pretends not to understand how God could send His Son amongst wicked men, who were to inflict punishment upon Him: Answer—chap. lxxxi.