Chapter LXX.

Celsus has made a statement regarding evils of the following nature, viz., that “although a thing may seem to you to be evil, it is by no means certain that it is so; for you do not know what is of advantage to yourself, or to another, or to the whole world.”  Now this assertion is made with a certain degree of caution;909    ἔχει τὶ εὐλαβές. and it hints that the nature of evil is not wholly wicked, because that which may be considered so in individual cases, may contain something which is of advantage to the whole community.  However, lest any one should mistake my words, and find a pretence of wrongdoing, as if his wickedness were profitable to the world, or at least might be so, we have to say, that although God, who preserves the free-will of each individual, may make use of the evil of the wicked for the administration of the world, so disposing them as to conduce to the benefit of the whole; yet, notwithstanding, such an individual is deserving of censure, and as such has been appointed for a use, which is a subject of loathing to each separate individual, although of advantage to the whole community.910    καὶ ὡς ψεκτὸς κατατέτακται εἰς χρείαν ἀπευκταίαν μὲν ἑκάστῳ, χρήσιμον δὲ τῷ παντί.  It is as if one were to say that in the case of a city, a man who had committed certain crimes, and on account of these had been condemned to serve in public works that were useful to the community, did something that was of advantage to the entire city, while he himself was engaged in an abominable task,911    ἐν ἀπευκταίῳ πράματι. in which no one possessed of moderate understanding would wish to be engaged.  Paul also, the apostle of Jesus, teaches us that even the very wicked will contribute to the good of the whole, while in themselves they will be amongst the vile, but that the most virtuous men, too, will be of the greatest advantage to the world, and will therefore on that account occupy the noblest position.  His words are:  “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.  If a man therefore purge himself, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified and meet for the Master’s use, prepared unto every good work.”912    Cf. 2 Tim. ii. 20, 21.  These remarks I have thought it necessary to make in reply to the assertion, that “although a thing may seem to you to be evil, it is by no means certain that it is so, for you do not know what is of advantage either to yourself or to another,” in order that no one may take occasion from what has been said on the subject to commit sin, on the pretext that he will thus be useful to the world.

Ἔθηκε δέ τινα λόγον ὁ Κέλσος περὶ τῶν κακῶν τοιοῦτον, ὅτι κἂν σοί τι δοκῇ κακόν, οὔπω δῆλον εἰ κακόν ἐστιν· οὐ γὰρ οἶσθα ὅ τι ἢ σοὶ ἢ ἄλλῳ ἢ τῷ ὅλῳ συμφέρει. Καὶ ἔχει μέν τι ὁ λόγος εὐλαβές, ὑπονοεῖ δὲ καὶ τὴν τῶν κακῶν φύσιν οὐ πάντῃ εἶναι μοχθηρὰν διὰ τὸ ἐνδέχεσθαι τῷ ὅλῳ συμφέρειν τὸ νομιζόμενον ἐν τοῖς καθ' ἕκαστον εἶναι κακόν. Πλὴν ἵνα μὴ παρακούσας τις τοῦ λεγομένου ἐπιτριβῆς εὕρῃ ἀφορμήν, ὡς καὶ τῆς κακίας αὐτοῦ χρησίμου τυγχα νούσης τῷ παντὶ ἢ δυναμένης γε εἶναι χρησίμου, λελέξεται ὅτι σῳζομένου τοῦ ἐφ' ἡμῖν ἑκάστῳ κἂν συγχρήσηται τῇ κακίᾳ τῶν φαύλων εἰς τὴν διάταξιν τοῦ παντὸς ὁ θεός, κατατάσσων αὐτοὺς εἰς χρείαν τοῦ παντός, οὐδὲν ἧττον ψεκτός τε ἐστὶν ὁ τοιόσδε καὶ ὡς ψεκτὸς κατατέτακται εἰς χρείαν ἀπευκταίαν μὲν ἑκάστῳ χρήσιμον δὲ τῷ παντί. Ὡς εἰ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν πόλεών τις ἔλεγε τὸν τάδε τινὰ ἡμαρτηκότα καὶ διὰ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα εἴς τινα δημόσια ἔργα χρήσιμα τῷ παντὶ καταδικαζόμενον ποιεῖν μέν τι χρήσιμον τῇ ὅλῃ πόλει, αὐτὸν δὲ γεγονέναι ἐν ἀπευκταίῳ πράγματι καὶ ἐν ᾧ οὐδεὶς τῶν κἂν μέτριον νοῦν ἐχόντων ἐβούλετο γενέσθαι. Καὶ ὁ ἀπόστολος δὲ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ Παῦλος, διδάσκων ἡμᾶς συνοίσειν μὲν τῇ χρείᾳ τι τοῦ παντὸς καὶ τοὺς φαυλοτάτους, παρ' ἑαυτοὺς δὲ ἔσεσθαι ἐν τοῖς ἀπευκτοῖς, χρησιμωτάτους δ' ἔσεσθαι καὶ τοὺς σπουδαιοτάτους τῷ παντί, παρ' ἑαυτῶν αἰτίαν ἐν καλλίστῃ χώρᾳ ταχθησομένους, φησίν· "Ἐν μεγάλῃ δ' οἰκίᾳ οὐκ ἔστι μόνον σκεύη χρυσᾶ καὶ ἀργυρᾶ ἀλλὰ καὶ ξύλινα καὶ ὀστράκινα, καὶ ἃ μὲν εἰς τιμὴν ἃ δὲ εἰς ἀτιμίαν· ἐὰν οὖν τις ἐκκαθάρῃ ἑαυτόν, ἔσται σκεῦος εἰς τιμήν, ἡγιασμένον καὶ εὔχρηστον τῷ δεσπότῃ, εἰς πᾶν ἔργον ἀγαθὸν ἡτοιμασμένον." Καὶ ταῦτα δ' ἀναγκαίως ὑπολαμβάνω ἐκτεθεῖσθαι πρὸς τὸ κἂν σοί τι δοκῇ κακόν, οὔπω δῆλον εἰ κακόν· οὐ γὰρ οἶσθα ὅ τι ἢ σοὶ ἢ ἄλλῳ συμφέρει, ἵνα μὴ ἀφορμὴν λαμβάνῃ τις ἐκ τῶν κατὰ τὸν τόπον πρὸς τὸ ἁμαρτάνειν ὡς χρήσιμος τῷ ὅλῳ διὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐσόμενος.