Tag: Augustine

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The chief good

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Let the ancient sages, then, make known their sayings to those who are capable of understanding them. Suppose that Plato, for example, the son of Ariston, in one of his Epistles, is discoursing about the “chief good,” and that he says, “The chief good can by no means be described in words, but is produced by long habit, and bursts forth suddenly as a light in the soul, as from a fire which had leapt forth.” We, then, on hearing these words, admit that they are well said, for it is God who revealed to men these as well as … Continue reading The chief good

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The philosophers vs Jesus

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Origen’s response to Celsus’ claim that the philosophers better put truth than does the Holy Scriptures: Now we maintain, that if it is the object of the ambassadors of the truth to confer benefits upon the greatest possible number, and, so far as they can, to win over to its side, through their love to men, every one without exception—intelligent as well as simple—not Greeks only, but also Barbarians (and great, indeed, is the humanity which should succeed in converting the rustic and the ignorant), it is manifest that they must adopt a style of address fitted to do good … Continue reading The philosophers vs Jesus

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A Divine Hand

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Origin 248AD “No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the Lord.” – Isaiah 54:17 “Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon … Continue reading A Divine Hand

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Our Teacher Isaiah 49:6, Acts 1:6,7

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And if Celsus would maintain that there is no difference between us and the Egyptians, who worship the goat, or the ram, or the crocodile, or the ox, or the river-horse, or the dog-faced baboon, or the cat, he can ascertain if it be so, and so may any other who thinks alike on the subject. We, however, have to the best of our ability defended ourselves at great length in the preceding pages on the subject of the honour which we render to our Jesus, pointing out that we have found the better part; and that in showing that … Continue reading Our Teacher Isaiah 49:6, Acts 1:6,7

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Unbecoming of Himself

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Moreover, as we have already said that for God to desire anything unbecoming Himself would be destructive of His existence as Deity Origen. 1885. “Origen against Celsus.” In Fathers of the Third Century: Tertullian, Part Fourth; Minucius Felix; Commodian; Origen, Parts First and Second, edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe, translated by Frederick Crombie, 4:553. The Ante-Nicene Fathers. Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company. “Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; In hope of eternal life, … Continue reading Unbecoming of Himself

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To be incredible

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Origen 248AD Is a miracle necessarily something that violates God’s good natural laws? Scripture never says that a miracle violates natural law. It could simply be that when God performs a miracle, He is acting in perfect harmony with His own natural laws—laws He understands far better and more completely than we do. Think of it like the magicians (or “natural philosophers”) of old who knew principles of electricity or magnetism that were unknown to most people. They used that superior knowledge to create effects that astonished and amazed their audiences. This view resolves some philosophical problems: it means God … Continue reading To be incredible

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By any other means

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But that we say that God brings fire upon the world, not like a cook, but like a God, who is the benefactor of them who stand in need of the discipline of fire, will be testified by the prophet Isaiah, in whose writings it is related that a sinful nation was thus addressed: “Because thou hast coals of fire, sit upon them: they shall be to thee a help.” Now the Scripture is appropriately adapted to the multitudes of those who are to peruse it, because it speaks obscurely of things that are sad and gloomy, in order to … Continue reading By any other means

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Distractions

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For to invoke angels without having obtained a knowledge of their nature greater than is possessed by men, would be contrary to reason. But, conformably to our hypothesis, let this knowledge of them, which is something wonderful and mysterious, be obtained. Then this knowledge, making known to us their nature, and the offices to which they are severally appointed, will not permit us to pray with confidence to any other than to the Supreme God, who is sufficient for all things, and that through our Saviour the Son of God, who is the Word, and Wisdom, and Truth, and everything … Continue reading Distractions

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The Mind of Christ

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I just loved the opening of Book 5 by Origen who is responding to a critic of Christianity in the 3rd Century named Celsus! Loved this…!!! It is not, my reverend Ambrosius, because we seek after many words—a thing which is forbidden, and in the indulgence of which it is impossible to avoid sin—that we now begin the fifth book of our reply to the treatise of Celsus, but with the endeavour, so far as may be within our power, to leave none of his statements without examination, and especially those in which it might appear to some that he … Continue reading The Mind of Christ

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Jesus endured all things

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Origen 248AD “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus … Continue reading Jesus endured all things