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CHAPTER III.

THE CULTURE OF CELSUS.

APART altogether from its refutation by Origen, the work of Celsus, who, though an unsympathetic was a fair and thorough inquirer, is indirectly a valuable contribution to the history of Christian thought and life in the second century. To a philosopher who was a hostile critic, questions of government and organisation were of little interest, partly because they furnished no scope for attack; and hence, with the exception of a passing reference to the "Great Church," and an uncomplimentary allusion to certain presbyters, he sheds no light on such problems. But nowhere else do we see so clearly what it was in Christianity that aroused the hostility of the State, the opposition of the philosophers, and the fanatical attacks of the populace; nowhere else do we find such unbiassed evidence for the source and nature of Christian dogmas, and for the facts and teaching recorded in the Gospels. The greater and more

minute his knowledge of the principles of Christianity, the more important is the place occupied by his work in the history of Apologetics. What, then, did Celsus know of the sacred books of the Christians? In particular, what, according to him, were the distinctive dogmas of the Christians in his age, and from what source were they drawn?

I. Regarding the accuracy and extent of his knowledge of the Old Testament Scriptures, it is impossible to speak with confidence. He is fully cognisant of the claims of the Jews to be regarded as a chosen people, specially beloved of God, to whom a revelation had been granted which gave their Scriptures a unique character;1 of the general tenor of the teaching of Moses and the prophets,2 of the promises of material prosperity given to Israel,3 and of the place and characteristics of the Messianic hope in the national life. An interested observer of the conflict between Christianity and Judaism as represented by the system of Marcion, he knows the distinctive tenets of Judaism both in their affinity and in their apparent antagonism to Christian doctrine; a careful reader of the Gospel of St Matthew, and a student of Messianic literature, he must have been familiar with the Messianic prophecies, if not in their context, at least in the form of numerous quotations from the 2 vii. 18; iv. 71; vii. 12, 13; vi. 50. 5 vi. 51, 52, 74; v. 59. 6 iv. 52.

1 v. 41; iv. 31. 3 vii. 18.

4 ii. 29.

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various prophetic books. He shows a detailed knowledge of the Book of Genesis from the first chapter to the last; and from his minute and verbal criticism 2 of the Mosaic cosmogony it is plain that he has read the Septuagint. He has read the Book of Exodus.3 So much is certain; but little or nothing else can be established. He may have known the Book of Isaiah or Micah. There is a possible allusion to the Book of Job or Zechariah.5 He has read the Books of Daniel and Jonah, at least those sections which he regarded as legendary. He quotes, without naming it, the Book of Enoch as an authoritative Christian scripture.7

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When we turn from the Old Testament to the New Testament, we are on more certain ground. Christians, we learn from Celsus, were worshippers of one Jesus, who had appeared but a few years before,8 whom they believed to be the Son of God," the Word,10 very God.11 He was held to be God in such a sense that Celsus could argue that the whole universe would

1 Cf. Gen. i., ii., with i. 19; iv. 23; v. 50, 51, 59; vi. 29, 47, 50, 51, 60, 61, 63; vii. 62: Gen. iii. with vi. 28, 42; iv. 36: Gen. vii., viii., with i. 19; iv. 21, 41: Gen. xi. with iv. 21: Gen. xviii., xxvii., with iv. 43: Gen. xxx., xxxi., xxvi., with iv. 44: Gen. xix. with iv. 45: Gen. xxvii., xxxiv., xxxvii., with iv. 46: Gen. xl., xli., xlvii., 1., with iv. 47.

2 Cf. Gen. i. 26: ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον κατ' εἰκόνα ἡμετέραν, with ὅταν φῶσιν ὅτι ὁ θεὸς ἐποιήσε τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἰδίαν εἰκόνα—vii. 62. Cf. vi. 63.

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be thrown into disorder by His descent to earth.1 He came down to earth for the salvation of sinners.2 The disciples regarded Him as a Saviour-the Son of the Most High. In books which were written by His disciples, it was declared that He was conceived by the Spirit of God 5 in the womb of a Jewish woman, who, though poor, was held to be of royal descent. The suspicions of her husband, who was a carpenter, were dispelled by the visit of an angel.8 At His birth Chaldeans came from the East under divine inspiration, and by their questioning excited the suspicion of Herod, who, in alarm, slew all the children that had been born at the same time. By the visit of another angel His kindred were warned, and fled with Him to Egypt.10 Egypt,11 wrought as a carpenter,12 was called the Nazarene.13 At His baptism it was averred on His own authority, and that of one who was punished along with Him, that the Spirit appeared in the form of a dove,14 and that a voice from heaven was heard adopting Him as the Son of God.15 It was alleged that He healed the blind and the lame, multiplied loaves, and raised the dead.16 Accompanied by ten or eleven publicans and sailors, He went up and down

He returned from

12 vi. 34.

13 vii. 18.

14 i. 40.

15 i. 41; ii. 72.

16 i. 68; ii. 48.

6 ii. 32.

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the country, living meanly,1 preaching everywhere.2 He spoke with authority, and in opposition to the religious beliefs of His age. He spoke of the kingdom of heaven, giving prominence to the virtues of humility and faith,5 to the doctrines of the resurrection of the dead, and a judgment to come.7 He predicted that He would suffer and die and rise again; that one disciple would betray and another deny Him. He ate and drank with His disciples.10 On the eve of His sufferings He prayed passionately that the cup would pass from Him." He was taken prisoner,12 and treated with ignominy before His judges.13 They put on Him in mockery a purple robe, on His head they put a crown of thorns, and in His hand a reed.14 He was crucified.15 On the cross He thirsted.16 As He expired, He cried out with a loud voice; an earthquake and thick darkness emphasised the catastrophe.17 He was buried,18 but He rose again. An angel of God rolled away the stone, and He came forth, showing Himself first to a frenzied woman, and afterwards to the disciples, to whom He displayed His pierced hands. To others than the disciples He did not show Himself.19 The