It appears to me that Celsus has also misunderstood this statement, “Let
us make man in our image and likeness;”[591] and has therefore
represented the “worms” as saying that, being created by God, we
altogether resemble Him. If, however, he had known the difference
between man being created “in the image of God” and “after His
likeness,” and that God is recorded to have said, “Let us make man after
our image and likeness,” but that He made man “after the image” of God,
but not then also “after His likeness,”[592] he would not have
represented us as saying that “we are altogether like Him.” Moreover, we
do not assert that the stars are subject to us; since the resurrection
which is called the “resurrection of the just,” and which is understood
by wise men, is compared to the sun, and moon, and stars, by him who
said, “There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and
another glory of the stars; for one star differeth from another star in
glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead.”[593] Daniel also
prophesied long ago regarding these things.[594] Celsus says further,
that we assert that “all things have been arranged so as to be subject
to us,” having perhaps heard some of the intelligent among us speaking
to that effect, and perhaps also not understanding the saying, that “he
who is the greatest amongst us is the servant of all.”[595] And if the
Greeks say, “Then sun and moon are the slaves of mortal men,”[596] they
express approval of the statement, and give an explanation of its
meaning; but since such a statement is either not made at all by us, or
is expressed in a different way, Celsus here too falsely accuses us.
Moreover, we who, according to Celsus, are “worms,” are represented by
him as saying that, “seeing some among us are guilty of sin, God will
come to us, or will send His own Son, that He may consume the wicked,
and that we other frogs may enjoy eternal life with Him.” Observe how
this venerable philosopher, like a low buffoon,[597] turns into ridicule
and mockery, and a subject of laughter, the announcement of a divine
judgment, and of the punishment of the wicked, and of the reward of the
righteous; and subjoins to all this the remark, that “such statements
would be more endurable if made by worms and frogs than by Christians
and Jews who quarrel with one another!” We shall not, however, imitate
his example, nor say similar things regarding those philosophers who
profess to know the nature of all things, and who discuss with each
other the manner in which all things were created, and how the heaven
and earth originated, and all things in them; and how the souls [of
men], being either unbegotten, and not created by God, are yet governed
by Him, and pass from one body to another;[598] or being formed at the
same time with the body, exist for ever or pass away. For instead of
treating with respect and accepting the intention of those who have
devoted themselves to the investigation of the truth, one might
mockingly and revilingly say that such men were “worms,” who did not
measure themselves by their corner of their dung-heap in human life, and
who accordingly gave forth their opinions on matters of such importance
as if they understood them, and who strenuously assert that they have
obtained a view of those things which cannot be seen without a higher
inspiration and a diviner power. “For no man knoweth the things of a
man, save the spirit of man which is in him: even so the things of God
knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.”[599] We are not, however, mad,
nor do we compare such human wisdom (I use the word “wisdom” in the
common acceptation), which busies itself not about the affairs of the
multitude, but in the investigation of truth, to the wrigglings of worms
or any other such creatures; but in the spirit of truth, we testify of
certain Greek philosophers that they knew God, seeing “He manifested
Himself to them,”[600] although “they glorified Him not as God, neither
were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations; and professing
themselves to be wise, they became foolish, and changed the glory of the
incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to
birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.”[601]
Footnote 591:
Cf. Gen. i. 26.
Footnote 592:
Cf. Gen. i. 27.
Footnote 593:
Cf. 1 Cor. xv. 41, 42.
Footnote 594:
Cf. Dan. xii. 3.
Footnote 595:
Cf. Matt. xx. 28.
Footnote 596:
Cf. Eurip. _Phœniss._ 512.
Footnote 597:
βωμολόχος.
Footnote 598:
καὶ ἀμείβουσι σώματα.
Footnote 599:
Cf. 1 Cor. ii. 11.
Footnote 600:
Cf. Rom. i. 19.
Footnote 601:
Rom. i. 21-23.