Chapter V.
But that a light is suddenly kindled in the soul, as by a fire leaping forth, is a fact known long ago to our Scriptures; as when the prophet said, "Light ye for yourselves the light of knowledge." [4298] John also, who lived after him, said, "That which was in the Logos was life, and the life was the light of men;" [4299] which "true light lighteneth every man that cometh into the world" (i.e., the true world, which is perceived by the understanding [4300] ), and maketh him a light of the world:" For this light shone in our hearts, to give the light of the glorious Gospel of God in the face of Christ Jesus." [4301] And therefore that very ancient prophet, who prophesied many generations before the reign of Cyrus (for he was older than he by more than fourteen generations), expressed himself in these words: "The Lord is my light and my salvation: whom shall I fear?" [4302] and, "Thy law is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path;" [4303] and again, "The light of Thy countenance, O Lord, was manifested towards us;" [4304] and, "In Thy light we shall see light." [4305] And the Logos, exhorting us to come to this light, says, in the prophecies of Isaiah: "Enlighten thyself, enlighten thyself, O Jerusalem; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee." [4306] The same prophet also, when predicting the advent of Jesus, who was to turn away men from the worship of idols, and of images, and of demons, says, "To those that sat in the land and shadow of death, upon them hath the light arisen;" [4307] and again, "The people that sat in darkness saw a great light." [4308] Observe now the difference between the fine phrases of Plato respecting the "chief good," and the declarations of our prophets regarding the "light" of the blessed; and notice that the truth as it is contained in Plato concerning this subject did not at all help his readers to attain to a pure worship of God, nor even himself, who could philosophize so grandly about the "chief good," whereas the simple language of the holy Scriptures has led to their honest readers being filled with a divine spirit; [4309] and this light is nourished within them by the oil, which in a certain parable is said to have preserved the light of the torches of the five wise virgins.
[4298] Hos. x. 12. photisate heautois phos gnoseos (LXX.). The Masoretic text is, t"v ryn skl vryn, where for t"v (and time) the Septuagint translator apparently read td (knowledge), d and v being interchanged for their similarity.
[4299] Cf. John i. 3, 4.
[4300] ton alethinon kai noeton.
[4301] Cf. 2 Cor. iv. 6.
[4302] Ps. xxvii. 1 (attributed to David).
[4303] Ps. cxix. 105.
[4304] Ps. iv. 6 (Heb. "Lift up upon us," etc.)
[4305] Ps. xxxvi. 9.
[4306] Cf. Isa. lx. 1.
[4307] Cf. Isa. ix. 2.
[4308] Cf. Isa. ix. 2.
[4309] enthousian.
[4310] Cf. Matt. xxv. 4.
Chapter VI.
Seeing, however, that Celsus quotes from an epistle of Plato another statement to the following effect, viz.: "If it appeared to me that these matters could be adequately explained to the multitude in writing and in oral address, what nobler pursuit in life could have been followed by me, than to commit to writing what was to prove of such advantage to human beings, and to lead the nature of all men onwards to the light?"--let us then consider this point briefly, viz., whether or not Plato were acquainted with any doctrines more profound than are contained in his writings, or more divine than those which he has left behind him, leaving it to each one to investigate the subject according to his ability, while we demonstrate that our prophets did know of greater things than any in the Scriptures, but which they did not commit to writing. Ezekiel, e.g., received a roll, [4311] written within and without, in which were contained "lamentations," and "songs," and "denunciations;" [4312] but at the command of the Logos he swallowed the book, in order that its contents might not be written, and so made known to unworthy persons. John also is recorded to have seen and done a similar thing. [4313] Nay, Paul even heard "unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter." [4314] And it is related of Jesus, who was greater than all these, that He conversed with His disciples in private, and especially in their sacred retreats, concerning the Gospel of God; but the words which He uttered have not been preserved, because it appeared to the evangelists that they could not be adequately conveyed to the multitude in writing or in speech. And if it were not tiresome to repeat the truth regarding these illustrious individuals, I would say that they saw better than Plato (by means of the intelligence which they received by the grace of God), what things were to be committed to writing, and how this was to be done, and what was by no means to be written to the multitude, and what was to be expressed in words, and what was not to be so conveyed. And once more, John, in teaching us the difference between what ought to be committed to writing and what not, declares that he heard seven thunders instructing him on certain matters, and forbidding him to commit their words to writing. [4315]
[4311] kephalida bibliou.
[4312] ouai: cf. Ezek. ii. 9, 10.
[4313] Cf. Rev. x. 9.
[4314] 2 Cor. xii. 4.
[4315] Cf. Rev. x. 4.