Apologetics -- History -- Early church, ca. 30-600; Celsus (Platonic philosopher), active 180; Theology -- History -- Early Church, ca. 30-600
certainly, since the overthrow of the temple, victims are neither
offered, nor any altar found, nor any priesthood exists, it is most
certain that, as it is written, princes have departed from Judah, and a
leader from between his thighs, until the coming of him for whom it has
been reserved. It is established, then, that he is come for whom it has
been reserved, and in whom is the expectation of the Gentiles. And this
manifestly seems to be fulfilled in the multitude of those who have
believed on God through Christ out of the different nations.
FROM THE GREEK.
3. And what need is there to mention also that it was predicted of
Christ[790] that then would the rulers fail from Judah, and the leaders
from his thighs,[791] when He came for whom it is reserved (the kingdom,
namely); and that the expectation of the Gentiles should dwell in the
land?[792] For it is clearly manifest from the history, and from what is
seen at the present day, that from the times of Jesus there were no
longer any who were called kings of the Jews;[793] all those Jewish
institutions on which they prided themselves—I mean those arrangements
relating to the temple and the altar, and the offering of the service,
and the robes of the high priest—having been destroyed. For the prophecy
was fulfilled which said, “The children of Israel shall sit many days,
there being no king, nor ruler, nor sacrifice, nor altar, nor
priesthood, nor responses.”[794] And these predictions we employ to
answer those who, in their perplexity as to the words spoken in Genesis
by Jacob to Judah, assert that the Ethnarch,[795] being of the race of
Judah, is the ruler of the people, and that there will not fail some of
his seed, until the advent of that Christ whom they figure to their
imagination. But if “the children of Israel are to sit many days without
a king, or ruler, or altar, or priesthood, or responses;” and if, since
the temple was destroyed, there exists no longer sacrifice, nor altar,
nor priesthood, it is manifest that the ruler _has_ failed out of Judah,
and the leader from between his thighs. And since the prediction
declares that “the ruler shall not fail from Judah, and the leader from
between his thighs, until what is reserved for him shall come,” it is
manifest that He is come to whom [belongs] what is reserved—the
expectation of the Gentiles. And this is clear from the multitude of the
heathen who have believed on God through Jesus Christ.
FROM THE LATIN.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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