WHAT IS THE PHILOSOPHY WHICH THE APOSTLE BIDS US SHUN?
This, then, “the wisdom of the world is foolishness with God,” and
of those who are “the wise the Lord knoweth their thoughts that they
are vain.”[895] Let no man therefore glory on account of pre-eminence
in human thought. For it is written well in Jeremiah, “Let not the
wise man glory in his wisdom, and let not the mighty man glory in his
might, and let not the rich man glory in his riches: but let him that
glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth that I am
the Lord, that executeth mercy and judgment and righteousness upon the
earth: for in these things is my delight, saith the Lord.”[896] “That
we should trust not in ourselves, but in God who raiseth the dead,”
says the apostle, “who delivered us from so great a death, that our
faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”
“For the spiritual man judgeth all things, but he himself is judged
of no man.”[897] I hear also those words of his, “And these things I
say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words, or one should
enter in to spoil you.”[898] And again, “Beware lest any man spoil you
through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after
the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ;”[899] branding not
all philosophy, but the Epicurean, which Paul mentions in the Acts of
the Apostles,[900] which abolishes providence and deifies pleasure,
and whatever other philosophy honours the elements, but places not
over them the efficient cause, nor apprehends the Creator.
The Stoics also, whom he mentions too, say not well that the Deity,
being a body, pervades the vilest matter. He calls the jugglery
of logic “the tradition of men.” Wherefore also he adds, “Avoid
juvenile[901] questions. For such contentions are puerile.” “But virtue
is no lover of boys,” says the philosopher Plato. And our struggle,
according to Gorgias Leontinus, requires two virtues--boldness and
wisdom,--boldness to undergo danger, and wisdom to understand the
enigma. For the Word, like the Olympian proclamation, calls him who is
willing, and crowns him who is able to continue unmoved as far as the
truth is concerned. And, in truth, the Word does not wish him who has
believed to be idle. For He says, “Seek, and ye shall find.”[902] But
seeking ends in finding, driving out the empty trifling, and approving
of the contemplation which confirms our faith. “And this I say, lest
any man beguile you with enticing words,”[903] says the apostle,
evidently as having learned to distinguish what was said by him, and
as being taught to meet objections. “As ye have therefore received
Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him, and
stablished in the faith.”[904] Now persuasion is [the means of] being
established in the faith. “Beware lest any man spoil you of faith in
Christ by philosophy and vain deceit,” which does away with providence,
“after the tradition of men;” for the philosophy which is in accordance
with divine tradition establishes and confirms providence, which,
being done away with, the economy of the Saviour appears a myth, while
we are influenced “after the elements of the world, and not after
Christ.”[905] For the teaching which is agreeable to Christ deifies
the Creator, and traces providence in particular events, and knows
the nature of the elements to be capable of change and production,
and teaches that we ought to aim at rising up to the power which
assimilates to God, and to prefer the dispensation[906] as holding the
first rank and superior to all training.
The elements are worshipped,--the air by Diogenes, the water by Thales,
the fire by Hippasus; and by those who suppose atoms to be the first
principles of things, arrogating the name of philosophers, being
wretched creatures devoted to pleasure. “Wherefore I pray,” says the
apostle, “that your love may abound yet more and more, in knowledge and
in all judgment, that ye may approve things that are excellent.”[907]
“Since, when we were children,” says the same apostle, “we were kept
in bondage under the rudiments of the world. And the child, though
heir, differeth nothing from a servant, till the time appointed of the
father.”[908] Philosophers, then, are children, unless they have been
made men by Christ. “For if the son of the bond woman shall not be heir
with the son of the free,”[909] at least he is the seed of Abraham,
though not of promise, receiving what belongs to him by free gift. “But
strong meat belongeth to those that are of full age, even those who
by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and
evil.”[910] “For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of
righteousness; for he is a babe,”[911] and not yet acquainted with the
word, according to which he has believed and works, and not able to
give a reason in himself. “Prove all things,” the apostle says, “and
hold fast that which is good,”[912] speaking to spiritual men, who
judge what is said according to truth, whether it seems or truly holds
by the truth. “He who is not corrected by discipline errs, and stripes
and reproofs give the discipline of wisdom,” the reproofs manifestly
that are with love. “For the right heart seeketh knowledge.”[913] “For
he that seeketh the Lord shall find knowledge with righteousness; and
they who have sought it rightly have found peace.”[914] “And I will
know,” it is said, “not the speech of those which are puffed up, but
the power.” In rebuke of those who are wise in appearance, and think
themselves wise, but are not in reality wise, he writes: “For the
kingdom of God is met in word.”[915] It is not in that which is not
true, but which is only probable according to opinion; but he said
“in power,” for the truth alone is powerful. And again: “If any man
thinketh that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought
to know.” For truth is never mere opinion. But the “supposition of
knowledge inflates,” and fills with pride; “but charity edifieth,”
which deals not in supposition, but in truth. Whence it is said, “If
any man loves, he is known.”[916]