Chapter XXVII.

After this Celsus relates at length opinions which he ascribes to us, but which we do not hold, regarding the Divine Being, to the effect that “he is corporeal in his nature, and possesses a body like a man.”  As he undertakes to refute opinions which are none of ours, it would be needless to give either the opinions themselves or their refutation.  Indeed, if we did hold those views of God which he ascribes to us, and which he opposes, we would be bound to quote his words, to adduce our own arguments, and to refute his.  But if he brings forward opinions which he has either heard from no one, or if it be assumed that he has heard them, it must have been from those who are very simple and ignorant of the meaning of Scripture, then we need not undertake so superfluous a task as that of refuting them.  For the Scriptures plainly speak of God as of a being without body.  Hence it is said, “No man hath seen God at any time;”1659    John i. 18. and the First-born of all creation is called “the image of the invisible God,”1660    Col. i. 15. which is the same as if it were said that He is incorporeal. However, we have already said something on the nature of God while examining into the meaning of the words, “God is a Spirit, and they who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”

Ἑξῆς δὲ τούτοις ὁ Κέλσος διὰ πλειόνων τὰ μὴ λεγό μενα ὑφ' ἡμῶν τιθεὶς ὡς λεγόμενα ὑφ' ἡμῶν περὶ τοῦ θεοῦ, ὡς σώματος τῇ φύσει τυγχάνοντος καὶ ἀνθρωποειδοῦς σώματος, ἀνατρέπειν ἐθέλει τὰ μὴ τεθειμένα ὑφ' ἡμῶν, ἅπερ περισσὸν παραθέσθαι ἢ τὴν ἀνατροπὴν αὐτῶν. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἃ λέγει ἡμᾶς φάσκειν περὶ θεοῦ ἐλέγομεν, καὶ πρὸς αὐτὰ ἵστατο, ἀναγκαῖον ἦν ἡμῖν τὸ τιθέναι τὰς λέξεις αὐτοῦ καὶ κατασ κευάζειν μὲν τὰ ἡμέτερα λύειν δὲ τὰ ἐκείνου· εἰ δ' ἑαυτῷ συνείρει ἃ ἤτοι ἀπ' οὐδενὸς ἤκουσεν ἤ, ἵνα καὶ δοθῇ ὅτι ἤκουσεν, ἀπό τινων ἁπλῶν καὶ ἀκεραίων καὶ μὴ εἰδότων τὸ τοῦ λόγου βούλημα, οὐ χρὴ ἡμᾶς τευτάζειν περὶ τὰ μὴ ἀναγκαῖα. Σαφῶς γὰρ ἀσώματόν φασιν οἱ λόγοι τὸν θεόν· διὸ καὶ "θεὸν οὐδεὶς ἑώρακε πώποτε", καὶ "εἰκὼν" λέγεται εἶναι "τοῦ ἀοράτου θεοῦ ὁ πρωτότοκος πάσης κτίσεως", ὡς εἰ ἔλεγεν ἀσωμάτου. Μετρίως δ' ἐν τοῖς πρὸ τούτων καὶ περὶ θεοῦ διειλήφαμεν ἐξετάζοντες, πῶς νοοῦμεν τὸ "Πνεῦμα ὁ θεός, καὶ τοὺς προσκυνοῦντας αὐτὸν ἐν πνεύματι καὶ ἀληθείᾳ δεῖ προσκυνεῖν".