Chapter LIX.

He imagines also that both the earthquake and the darkness were an invention;282    τερατείαν. but regarding these, we have in the preceding pages, made our defence, according to our ability, adducing the testimony of Phlegon, who relates that these events took place at the time when our Saviour suffered.283    [See cap. xxxiii., note, p. 455, supra.]  And he goes on to say, that “Jesus, while alive, was of no assistance to himself, but that he arose after death, and exhibited the marks of his punishment, and showed how his hands had been pierced by nails.”  We ask him what he means by the expression, “was of no assistance to himself?”  For if he means it to refer to want of virtue, we reply that He was of very great assistance.  For He neither uttered nor committed anything that was improper, but was truly “led as a sheep to the slaughter, and was dumb as a lamb before the shearer;”284    Isa. liii. 7. and the Gospel testifies that He opened not His mouth.  But if Celsus applies the expression to things indifferent and corporeal,285    εἰ δὲ τὸ “ἐπήρκεσεν ” ἀπὸ τῶν μέσων καὶ σωματικῶν λαμβάνει. (meaning that in such Jesus could render no help to Himself,) we say that we have proved from the Gospels that He went voluntarily to encounter His sufferings.  Speaking next of the statements in the Gospels, that after His resurrection He showed the marks of His punishment, and how His hands had been pierced, he asks, “Who beheld this?”  And discrediting the narrative of Mary Magdalene, who is related to have seen Him, he replies, “A half-frantic woman, as ye state.”  And because she is not the only one who is recorded to have seen the Saviour after His resurrection, but others also are mentioned, this Jew of Celsus calumniates these statements also in adding, “And some one else of those engaged in the same system of deception!”

Οἴεται δὲ τερατείαν εἶναι καὶ τὸν σεισμὸν καὶ τὸν σκότον· περὶ ὧν κατὰ τὸ δυνατὸν ἐν τοῖς ἀνωτέρω ἀπελογη σάμεθα, παραθέμενοι τὸν Φλέγοντα ἱστορήσαντα κατὰ τὸν χρόνον τοῦ πάθους τοῦ σωτῆρος τοιαῦτα ἀπηντηκέναι, καὶ ὅτι ζῶν μὲν οὐκ ἐπήρκεσεν ἑαυτῷ, νεκρὸς δ' ἀνέστη καὶ τὰ σημεῖα τῆς κολάσεως ἔδειξεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς καὶ τὰς χεῖρας ὡς ἦσαν πεπερονημέναι. Καὶ πυνθανόμεθα αὐτοῦ, τί τὸ ἐπήρκεσεν ἑαυτῷ; Εἰ μὲν γὰρ πρὸς ἀρετήν, φήσομεν ὅτι καὶ πάνυ γε ἐπήρκεσεν· οὐδὲν γὰρ ἄτοπον οὔτ' ἐφθέγξατο οὔτ' ἐποίησεν, ἀλλ' ἀληθῶς "ὡς πρόβατον ἐπὶ σφαγὴν ἤχθη, καὶ ὡς ἀμνὸς ἐναντίον τοῦ κείροντος ἄφωνος"· καὶ μαρτυρεῖ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ὅτι "οὕτως οὐκ" ἤνοιξε "τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ." Εἰ δὲ τὸ ἐπήρκεσεν ἀπὸ τῶν μέσων καὶ σωματικῶν λαμβάνει, φαμὲν ὅτι ἀπεδείξαμεν ἐκ τῶν εὐαγγε λίων ὅτι ἑκὼν ἐπὶ ταῦτ' ἐλήλυθεν. Εἶθ' ἑξῆς τούτοις εἰπὼν τὰ ἀπὸ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, ὅτι τὰ σημεῖα τῆς κολάσεως ἔδειξεν ἀναστὰς ἐκ νεκρῶν καὶ τὰς χεῖρας ὡς ἦσαν πεπερονημέναι, πυνθάνεται καὶ λέγει· Τίς τοῦτο εἶδε; Καὶ τὰ περὶ Μαρίας τῆς Μαγδαληνῆς διαβάλλων ἀναγραφομένης ἑωρακέναι εἶπε· Γυνὴ πάροιστρος, ὥς φατε. Καὶ ἐπεὶ μὴ μόνη αὕτη ἀναγέγ ραπται ἑωρακέναι ἀναστάντα τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄλλοι, καὶ ταῦτα κακηγορῶν ὁ Κέλσου Ἰουδαῖός φησι· καὶ εἴ τις ἄλλος τῶν ἐκ τῆς αὐτῆς γοητείας.