Chapter XIII.
According to the foregoing, then, the one kind of wisdom is human, and the other divine. Now the "human" wisdom is that which is termed by us the wisdom of the "world," which is "foolishness with God;" whereas the "divine"--being different from the "human," because it is "divine"--comes, through the grace of God who bestows it, to those who have evinced their capacity for receiving it, and especially to those who, from knowing the difference between either kind of wisdom, say, in their prayers to God, "Even if one among the sons of men be perfect, while the wisdom is wanting that comes from Thee, he shall be accounted as nothing." [4343] We maintain, indeed, that "human" wisdom is an exercise for the soul, but that "divine" wisdom is the "end," being also termed the "strong" meat of the soul by him who has said that "strong meat belongeth to them that are perfect, [4344] even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." [4345] This opinion, moreover, is truly an ancient one, its antiquity not being referred back, as Celsus thinks, merely to Heraclitus and Plato. For before these individuals lived, the prophets distinguished between the two kinds of wisdom. It is sufficient for the present to quote from the words of David what he says regarding the man who is wise, according to divine wisdom, that "he will not see corruption when he beholds wise men dying." [4346] Divine wisdom, accordingly, being different from faith, is the "first" of the so-called "charismata" of God; and the "second" after it--in the estimation of those who know how to distinguish such things accurately--is what is called "knowledge;" [4347] and the "third"--seeing that even the more simple class of men who adhere to the service of God, so far as they can, must be saved--is faith. And therefore Paul says: "To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit." [4348] And therefore it is no ordinary individuals whom you will find to have participated in the "divine" wisdom, but the more excellent and distinguished among those who have given in their adherence to Christianity; for it is not "to the most ignorant, or servile, or most uninstructed of mankind," that one would discourse upon the topics relating to the divine wisdom.
[4343] Cf. Wisd. of Sol. ix. 6.
[4344] teleioi.
[4345] Heb. v. 14.
[4346] Ps. xlix. 9, 10. (LXX.).
[4347] gnosis.
[4348] 1 Cor. xii. 8, 9. [See Gieseler's Church History, on "The Alexandrian Theology," vol. i. p. 212. S.]
Chapter XIV.
In designating others by the epithets of "uninstructed, and servile, and ignorant," Celsus, I suppose, means those who are not acquainted with his laws, nor trained in the branches of Greek learning; while we, on the other hand, deem those to be "uninstructed" who are not ashamed to address (supplications) to inanimate objects, and to call upon those for health that have no strength, and to ask the dead for life, and to entreat the helpless for assistance. [4349] And although some may say that these objects are not gods, but only imitations and symbols of real divinities, nevertheless these very individuals, in imagining that the hands of low mechanics [4350] can frame imitations of divinity, are "uninstructed, and servile, and ignorant;" for we assert that the lowest [4351] among us have been set free from this ignorance and want of knowledge, while the most intelligent can understand and grasp the divine hope. We do not maintain, however, that it is impossible for one who has not been trained in earthly wisdom to receive the "divine," but we do acknowledge that all human wisdom is "folly" in comparison with the "divine." In the next place, instead of endeavouring to adduce reasons, as he ought, for his assertions, he terms us "sorcerers," [4352] and asserts that "we flee away with headlong speed [4353] from the more polished [4354] class of persons, because they are not suitable subjects for our impositions, while we seek to decoy [4355] those who are more rustic." Now he did not observe that from the very beginning our wise men were trained in the external branches of learning: Moses, e.g., in all the wisdom of the Egyptians; Daniel, and Ananias, and Azariah, and Mishael, in all Assyrian learning, so that they were found to surpass in tenfold degree all the wise men of that country. At the present time, moreover, the Churches have, in proportion to the multitudes (of ordinary believers), a few "wise" men, who have come over to them from that wisdom which is said by us to be "according to the flesh;" [4356] and they have also some who have advanced from it to that wisdom which is "divine."
[4349] tous me aischunomenous en to tois apsuchois proslalein, kai peri men hugeias to asthenes epikaloumenous, peri de zoes to nekron axiountas, peri de epikourias to aporotaton hiketeuontas.
[4350] banauson.
[4351] tous eschatous.
[4352] goetas.
[4353] protropadn.
[4354] tous chariesterous.
[4355] paleuomen. [See note supra, p. 482. S.]
[4356] Cf. 1 Cor. i. 26.