Apologetics -- History -- Early church, ca. 30-600; Celsus (Platonic philosopher), active 180; Theology -- History -- Early Church, ca. 30-600
But how is it that this Jew of Celsus could say that Jesus concealed
Himself? For his words regarding Him are these: “And who that is sent as
a messenger ever conceals himself when he ought to make known his
message?” Now, He did not conceal Himself, who said to those who sought
to apprehend Him, “I was daily teaching openly in the temple, and ye
laid no hold upon me.” But having once already answered this charge of
Celsus, now again repeated, we shall content ourselves with what we have
formerly said. We have answered, also, in the preceding pages, this
objection, that “while he was in the body, and no one believed upon him,
he preached to all without intermission; but when he might have produced
a powerful belief in himself after rising from the dead, he showed
himself secretly only to one woman, and to his own boon
companions.”[207] Now it is not true that He showed Himself only to one
woman; for it is stated in the Gospel according to Matthew, that “in the
end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn towards the first day of the
week, came Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, to see the sepulchre.
And, behold, there had been a great earthquake: for the angel of the
Lord had descended from heaven, and come and rolled back the
stone.”[208] And, shortly after, Matthew adds: “And, behold, Jesus met
_them_”—clearly meaning the afore-mentioned Marys—“saying, All hail. And
they came and held Him by the feet, and worshipped Him.”[209] And we
answered, too, the charge, that “while undergoing his punishment he was
seen by all, but after his resurrection only by one,” when we offered
our defence of the fact that “He was not seen by all.” And now we might
say that His merely human attributes were visible to all men, but those
which were divine in their nature—I speak of the attributes not as
related, but as distinct[210]—were not capable of being received by all.
But observe here the manifest contradiction into which Celsus falls. For
having said, a little before, that Jesus had appeared secretly to one
woman and His own boon companions, he immediately subjoins: “While
undergoing his punishment he was seen by all men, but after his
resurrection by one, whereas the opposite ought to have happened.” And
let us hear what he means by “ought to have happened.” The being seen by
all men while undergoing His punishment, but after His resurrection only
by one individual, are opposites.[211] Now, so far as his language
conveys a meaning, he would have that to take place which is both
impossible and absurd, viz., that while undergoing His punishment He
should be seen only by one individual, but after His resurrection by all
men! or else how will you explain his words, “The opposite ought to have
happened?”
Footnote 207:
τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ θιασώταις.
Footnote 208:
Matt. xxviii. 1, 2.
Footnote 209:
Matt. xxviii. 9.
Footnote 210:
λέγω δὲ οὐ περὶ τῶν σχέσιν πρὸς ἕτερα ἐχόντων, ἀλλὰ περὶ τῶν κατὰ
διαφοράν.
Footnote 211:
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