Chapter XIX.

Others, then, may concede to Celsus that God does not undergo a change, but leads the spectators to imagine that He does; whereas we who are persuaded that the advent of Jesus among men was no mere appearance, but a real manifestation, are not affected by this charge of Celsus.  We nevertheless will attempt a reply, because you assert, Celsus, do you not, that it is sometimes allowable to employ deceit and falsehood by way, as it were, of medicine?686    ὅμως δ᾽ ἀπολογησόμεθα, ὅτι οὐ φῂς, ὦ Κέλσε, ὧς ἐν φαρμάκου μοίρα ποτὲ δίδοται χρῆσθαι τῷ πλανᾷν καὶ τῷ ψεύδεσθαι ;  Where, then, is the absurdity, if such a saving result were to be accomplished, that some such events should have taken place?  For certain words, when savouring of falsehood, produce upon such characters a corrective effect (like the similar declarations of physicians to their patients), rather than when spoken in the spirit of truth.  This, however, must be our defence against other opponents.  For there is no absurdity in Him who healed sick friends, healing the dear human race by means of such remedies as He would not employ preferentially, but only according to circumstances.687    προηγουμένως, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ περιστάσεως.  The human race, moreover, when in a state of mental alienation, had to be cured by methods which the Word saw would aid in bringing back those so afflicted to a sound state of mind.  But Celsus says also, that “one acts thus towards enemies when taking measures to escape danger.  But God does not fear any one, so as to escape danger by leading into error those who conspire against him.”  Now it is altogether unnecessary and absurd to answer a charge which is advanced by no one against our Saviour.  And we have already replied, when answering other charges, to the statement that “no one who is either in a state of sickness or mental alienation is a friend of God.”  For the answer is, that such arrangements have been made, not for the sake of those who, being already friends, afterwards fell sick or became afflicted with mental disease, but in order that those who were still enemies through sickness of the soul, and alienation of the natural reason, might become the friends of God.  For it is distinctly stated that Jesus endured all things on behalf of sinners, that He might free them from sin, and convert them to righteousness.

Ἄλλοι μὲν οὖν διδότωσαν τῷ Κέλσῳ ὅτι οὐ μεταβάλλει μέν, ποιεῖ δὲ τοὺς ὁρῶντας δοκεῖν αὐτὸν μεταβεβληκέναι· ἡμεῖς δὲ πειθόμενοι οὐ δόκησιν ἀλλ' ἀλήθειαν εἶναι καὶ ἐνάργειαν κατὰ τὴν Ἰησοῦ εἰς ἀνθρώπους ἐπιδημίαν, οὐχ ὑποκείμεθα τῇ Κέλσου κατηγορίᾳ. Ὅμως δ' ἀπολογησόμεθα ὅτι οὐ φῄς, ὦ Κέλσε, ὡς ἐν φαρμάκου μοίρᾳ ποτὲ δίδοται χρῆσθαι τῷ πλανᾶν καὶ τῷ ψεύδεσθαι; Τί οὖν ἄτοπον, εἰ τοιοῦτόν τι ἔμελλε σῴζειν, τοιοῦτόν τι γεγονέναι; Καὶ γάρ τινες τῶν λόγων τὰ τοιαδὶ ἤθη κατὰ τὸ ψεῦδος μᾶλλον λεγόμενοι ἐπιστρέφουσιν, ὥσπερ καὶ τῶν ἰατρῶν ποτε λόγοι τοιοίδε πρὸς τοὺς κάμνοντας, ἤπερ κατὰ τὸ ἀληθές. Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν περὶ ἑτέρων ἀπολελογήσθω ἡμῖν. Καὶ γὰρ οὐκ ἄτοπόν ἐστι τὸν ἰώμενον φίλους νοσοῦντας ἰάσασθαι τὸ φίλον τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένος τοῖς τοιοῖσδε, οἷς οὐκ ἄν τις χρήσαιτο προηγουμένως ἀλλ' ἐκ περιστάσεως. Καὶ μεμηνὸς δὲ τὸ γένος τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἔδει θεραπευθῆναι διὰ μεθόδων, ὧν ἑώρα ὁ λόγος χρησίμων τοῖς μεμηνόσιν, ἵνα σωφρονήσωσι. Φησὶ δ' ὅτι καὶ τὰ τοιάδε τις ποιεῖ πρὸς ἐχθρούς, κίνδυνον ἐκφυγεῖν προμηθούμενος. Οὐ φοβεῖται δέ τινας ὁ θεός, ἵνα πλανήσας τοὺς ἐπιβουλεύοντας κίνδυνον διαφύγῃ. Πάντῃ δὲ περισσὸν καὶ ἄλογον ἀπολογήσασθαι πρὸς τὸ ὑπ' οὐδενὸς περὶ τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν λεγόμενον. Προείρηται δ' εἰς τὴν περὶ ἑτέρων ἡμῖν ἀπολογίαν πρὸς τὸ οὔτε δὲ νοσῶν ἢ μεμη νὼς οὐδεὶς φίλος τῷ θεῷ· ὁ γὰρ ἀπολογησάμενός φησιν οὐχ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἤδη φίλων νοσούντων ἢ μεμηνότων τὴν τοιάνδε οἰκονομίαν γίνεσθαι ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ τῶν διὰ νόσον τῆς ψυχῆς καὶ ἔκστασιν τοῦ κατὰ φύσιν λογισμοῦ ἔτι ἐχθρῶν, ἵνα γένωνται φίλοι τῷ θεῷ. Καὶ γὰρ σαφῶς ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτωλῶν λέγεται πάντα ἀναδεδέχθαι ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ἵν' αὐτοὺς "ἀπαλ λάξῃ" τῆς ἁμαρτίας καὶ ποιήσῃ "δικαίους".