' Now, in order to grant that there did exist a healing spirit named ^sculapius, who used to cure the bodies of men, I would say to those who are astonished at such an occurrence, that since the cure of bodies is a thing indifferent, and a tnatter within the reach not merely of the good, hut also of the bad, you must show that they who practise healing are in no respect wicked ' (iii. 25 [Migne, vol. xi. col. 948]).
On the other hand, Celsus is willing to acknow- ledge that signs and wonders were wrought by Jesus, but he thinks the inference from these is unwarranted. Tliey are to him no proof of Deity. He compares them to —
' the feats performed by those who have been taught by Egyp- tians, who in the middle of the market-place, in return for a few obols, will impart the knowledge of their most venerated arts, and will expel demons from men, and dispel diseases, and invoke the souls of heroes, and exhibit expensive banquets and tables and dishes and dainties having no real existence, and who will put in motion, as if alive, what are not really living animals, but which have only the appearance of life. Then he asks : " Since, then, these persons can perform such feats, shall we of necessity conclude that they are sons of God, or must we admit that they are the proceedings of wicked men under the influence of an evil spirit?'" (i. 68).
It was easy for Origen to answer that Jesus never wrought His signs and wonders only for sliow, as magicians did, and that His constant aim was the reformation of character, as that of tlie magicians most evidently was not. Then he adds :
' How should not He, who by the miracles which He did induced those who beheld the excellent results to undertake the reforma- tion of theircharacters, manifest Himself not only to His genuine disciples, but also to others, as a pattern of most virtuous life, in order that His disciples might devote themseh es to the work of instructing men in the will of God, and that tht others, after being more f idly inntrticted by His word and character than by Uin mirai-les as to how they were to direct their lives, might in all their conduct have a constant reference to the good pleasure of the universal God ? ' (i. 08 [Migne, vol. xi. col. 788 J).
Origen seems to have caught the very mind of tlie Master at this point. Jesus made use of signs and wonders to antlienticate His mission, but His chief emphasis was always upon His ' word and character ' rather tlian upon His miracles. Botli Origen and Celsus, however, as tliese passages show, are willing to grant tliat signs and wonders were wrouglit by Jesus and by false prophets alike. Origen calls attention to tlie fact that Jesus, as
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indeed the entire NT, never calls miracles by the name r^para alone, but always joins this to some other term suggesting higher things {in Joan, xviii. 60 [Migne, vol. xiv. col. 521]). The repas was to the heathen merely a portent or prodigy, something unusual and extraordinary, something strange and abnormal, or, as Augustine put it, 'quidquid arduum aut insolitum supra spem vel facultatem mirantis apparet,' and more closely, ' quaedam sunt quae solam faciunt admirationem ' {de Utilitate cre- dendi, cap. xvi. [Migne, vol. xlii. col. 90]). Jesus could not be content to allow this name to stand alone for any of His miracles. It had to do merely with the outward effect or the temporary impression caused by the marvel, and some other term was added to show that the marvel was an exhibition of Divine jsower and a sign of a Divine presence among men. The wonder caught the attention and impressed the memory, and was subservient to the interests of the Kingdom in attracting men to listen and investigate, to hear and be saved. Jesus used it for an immediate indi- vidual benefit, but always with an eye to a further spiritual end. For the discussion of the nature and credibility of miracles in general, see art. Miracles.
D. A. Hayes.
WORD. — (X670S, pTjixa) is employed in the Gospels in a large variety of senses: (1) articulate utter- ance of any kind ; (2) the inspired word of Scripture (cf. Mk 7^^^' making the word of God of none effect through your traditions'); (3) a Divine message generally (Lk 3^ 'The word of God came to John in the wilderness,' so Lk 4-i 8" IP*) ; (4) the ' word of the kingdom,' i.e. the gospel message (Mt 13''"^-, Mk 1620, Lk 51) ; (5) Christ's word of authority (Lk 4^® ' What a word is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him ') ; (6) in the Prologue to the Fourth Gospel, Christ Himself is the ' Word made flesh ' (see LOGOS).
The peculiar significance attached to the spoken ' word ' is to be explained in the light of Hebrew usage. In the OT, as in all primitive thought, a word is something more than an articulate sound with a given import. It is endowed with a certain power and reality. It carries with it some portion of the life and personality of the speaker. This is true more especially of a word spoken by God. Such a word is instinct with the Divine will, and effects by its own inherent power the thing which it indicates. ' As the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven, so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth ; it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please' (Is 55^"'-). The 'word' delivered to the prophets is here conceived as an active power, which will bring about its own fulfilment. So in His creation and government of the world, God effects His purpose by His ' word ' (Gn 1, Ps SS*'- ** 107^*'). It is regarded not simply as a command- ment, but as a vital energy which is sent forth from God and realizes His will.