A Philosophical Dictionary, Volume 05 — Voltaire — John Shaqi
A Philosophical Dictionary, Volume 05
Voltaire · en
Epiphanius in vain alleges that to deny the miracles ascribed by some to
Jesus during His infancy, would furnish heretics with a specious pretext
for saying that He became Son of God only in consequence of the effusion
of the Holy Spirit, which descended upon Him at His baptism; we are
contending here, not against heretics, but against Jews.
Mr. Wagenseil has presented us with a Latin translation of a Jewish work
entitled "_Toldos Jeschu_," in which it is related that Jeschu, being at
Bethlehem in Judah, the place of his birth, cried out aloud, "Who are
the wicked men that pretend I am a bastard, and spring from an impure
origin? They are themselves bastards, themselves exceedingly impure! Was
I not born of a virgin mother? And I entered through the crown of her
head!"
This testimony appeared of such importance to M. Bergier, that that
learned divine felt no scruple about employing it without quoting his
authority. The following are his words, in the twenty-third page of the
"Certainty of the Proofs of Christianity": "Jesus was born of a virgin
by the operation of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Himself frequently assured us
of this with His own mouth; and to the same purpose is the recital of
the apostles." It is certain that these words are only to be found in
the "_Toldos Jeschu_"; and the certainty of that proof, among those
adduced by M. Bergier, subsists, although St. Matthew applies to Jesus
the passage of "Isaiah": "He shall not dispute, he shall not cry aloud,
and no one shall hear his voice in the streets."