Apologetics -- History -- Early church, ca. 30-600; Celsus (Platonic philosopher), active 180; Theology -- History -- Early Church, ca. 30-600
But observe whether this Jew of Celsus does not talk very blindly, in
saying that it is impossible for any one to rise from the dead with a
veritable body, his language being: “But this is the question, whether
any one who was really dead ever rose again with a veritable body?” Now
a Jew would not have uttered these words, who believed what is recorded
in the third and fourth books of Kings regarding little children, of
whom the one was raised up by Elijah,[164] and the other by Elisha.[165]
And on this account, too, I think it was that Jesus appeared to no other
nation than the Jews, who had become accustomed to miraculous
occurrences; so that, by comparing what they themselves believed with
the works which were done by Him, and with what was related of Him, they
might confess that He, in regard to whom greater things were done, and
by whom mightier marvels were performed, was greater than all those who
preceded Him.
Footnote 164:
Cf. 1 Kings xvii. 21, 22.
Footnote 165:
Cf. 2 Kings iv. 34, 35.
Chapter LVIII.
Further, after these Greek stories which the Jew adduced respecting
those who were guilty of juggling practices,[166] and who pretended to
have risen from the dead, he says to those Jews who are converts to
Christianity: “Do you imagine the statements of others not only to be
myths, but to have the appearance of such, while you have discovered a
becoming and credible termination to your drama in the voice from the
cross, when he breathed his last?” We reply to the Jew: “What you adduce
as myths, we regard also as such; but the statements of the Scriptures
which are common to us both, in which not you only, but we also, take
pride, we do not at all regard as myths. And therefore we accord our
belief to those who have therein related that some rose from the dead,
as not being guilty of imposition; and to Him especially there mentioned
as having risen, who both predicted the event Himself, and was the
subject of prediction by others. And His resurrection is more miraculous
than that of the others in this respect, that they were raised by the
prophets Elijah and Elisha, while He was raised by none of the prophets,
but by His Father in heaven. And therefore His resurrection also
produced greater results than theirs. For what great good has accrued to
the world from the resurrection of the children through the
instrumentality of Elijah and Elisha, such as has resulted from the
preaching of the resurrection of Jesus, accepted as an article of
belief, and as effected through the agency of divine power?”
Footnote 166:
τερατευομένοις.
Chapter LIX.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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