Apologetics -- History -- Early church, ca. 30-600; Celsus (Platonic philosopher), active 180; Theology -- History -- Early Church, ca. 30-600
In addition to all this, the Jew further says: “All these statements are
taken from your own books, in addition to which we need no other
witness; for ye fall upon your own swords.”[221]
Now we have proved that many foolish assertions, opposed to the
narratives of our Gospels, occur in the statements of the Jew, either
with respect to Jesus or ourselves. And I do not think that he has shown
that “we fall upon our own swords;” but he only so imagines. And when
the Jew adds, in a general way, this to his former remarks: “O most high
and heavenly one! what God, on appearing to men, is received with
incredulity?” we must say to him, that according to the accounts in the
law of Moses, God is related to have visited the Hebrews in a most
public manner, not only in the signs and wonders performed in Egypt, and
also in the passage of the Red Sea, and in the pillar of fire and cloud
of light, but also when the Decalogue was announced to the whole people,
and yet was received with incredulity by those who saw these things: for
had they believed what they saw and heard, they would not have fashioned
the calf, nor changed their own glory into the likeness of a
grass-eating calf; nor would they have said to one another with
reference to the calf, “These be thy gods, O Israel, who brought thee up
out of the land of Egypt.”[222] And observe whether it is not entirely
in keeping with the character of the same people, who formerly refused
to believe such wonders and such appearances of divinity, throughout the
whole period of wandering in the wilderness, as they are recorded in the
law of the Jews to have done, to refuse to be convinced also, on
occasion of the glorious advent of Jesus, by the mighty words which were
spoken by Him with authority, and the marvels which He performed in the
presence of all the people.
Footnote 221:
αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἑαυτοῖς περιπίπτετε.
Footnote 222:
Cf. Ex. xxxii. 4.
Chapter LXXV.
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