Ante-Nicene Fathers • VOLUME 2
Fathers of the Second Century
SECTION 41
Chapter XXXVI.--Testimony of the Chaldeans to the Antiquity of Moses.
Chapter XXXVI.--Testimony of the Chaldeans to the Antiquity of Moses. But let Homer be not later than the Trojan war; let it be granted that he was contemporary with it, or even that he was in the army of Agamemnon, and, if any so please, that he lived before the invention of letters. The Moses before mentioned will be shown to…
931 wordsSECTION 42Chapter XL.--Moses More Ancient and Credible Than the Heathen Heroes.
Chapter XL.--Moses More Ancient and Credible Than the Heathen Heroes. Therefore, from what has been said it is evident that Moses was older than the ancient heroes, wars, and demons. And we ought rather to believe him, who stands before them in point of age, than the Greeks, who, without being aware of it, [513] drew his doctri…
2,285 wordsSECTION 43Book I.
Theophilus is said by Eusebius, Jerome, and others, to have written several works against the heresies which prevailed in his day. He himself refers in the following treatise (ii. 30) to another of his compositions. Commentaries on the Gospels, arranged in the form of a harmony, and on the Book of Proverbs, are also ascribed to …
1,030 wordsSECTION 44Chapter III.--Nature of God.
Chapter III.--Nature of God. You will say, then, to me, "Do you, who see God, explain to me the appearance of God." Hear, O man. The appearance of God is ineffable and indescribable, and cannot be seen by eyes of flesh. For in glory He is incomprehensible, in greatness unfathomable, in height inconceivable, in power incomparabl…
852 wordsSECTION 45Chapter VI.--God is Known by His Works.
Chapter VI.--God is Known by His Works. Consider, O man, His works,--the timely rotation of the seasons, and the changes of temperature; the regular march of the stars; the well-ordered course of days and nights, and months, and years; the various beauty of seeds, and plants, and fruits; and the divers species [533] of quadrupe…
707 wordsSECTION 46Chapter VIII.--Faith Required in All Matters.
Chapter VIII.--Faith Required in All Matters. But you do not believe that the dead are raised. When the resurrection shall take place, then you will believe, whether you will or no; and your faith shall be reckoned for unbelief, unless you believe now. And why do you not believe? Do you not know that faith is the leading princi…
872 wordsSECTION 47Chapter XI.--The King to Be Honoured, God to Be Worshipped.
Chapter XI.--The King to Be Honoured, God to Be Worshipped. Wherefore I will rather honour the king [than your gods], not, indeed, worshipping him, but praying for him. But God, the living and true God, I worship, knowing that the king is made by Him. You will say, then, to me, "Why do you not worship the king?" Because he is n…
983 wordsSECTION 48Chapter XIV.--Theophilus an Example of Conversion.
Chapter XIV.--Theophilus an Example of Conversion. Therefore, do not be sceptical, but believe; for I myself also used to disbelieve that this would take place, but now, having taken these things into consideration, I believe. At the same time, I met with the sacred Scriptures [544] of the holy prophets, who also by the Spirit …
864 wordsSECTION 49Chapter III.--What Has Become of the Gods?
Chapter III.--What Has Become of the Gods? And of the gods of former times, if indeed they were begotten, the generation was sufficiently prolific. But now, where is their generation exhibited? For if of old they begot and were begotten, it is plain that even to the present time there should be gods begotten and born; or at lea…
916 wordsSECTION 50Chapter V.--Opinions of Homer and Hesiod Concerning the Gods.
Chapter V.--Opinions of Homer and Hesiod Concerning the Gods. So that the opinion of your philosophers and authors is discordant; for while the former have propounded the foregoing opinions, the poet Homer is found explaining the origin not only of the world, but also of the gods, on quite another hypothesis. For he says somewh…
897 wordsSECTION 51Chapter VII.--Fabulous Heathen Genealogies.
Chapter VII.--Fabulous Heathen Genealogies. Why need I recount the Greek fables,--of Pluto, king of darkness, of Neptune descending beneath the sea, and embracing Melanippe and begetting a cannibal son,--or the many tales your writers have woven into their tragedies concerning the sons of Jupiter, and whose pedigree they regist…
1,127 wordsSECTION 52Chapter IX.--The Prophets Inspired by the Holy Ghost.
Chapter IX.--The Prophets Inspired by the Holy Ghost. But men of God carrying in them a holy spirit [565] and becoming prophets, being inspired and made wise by God, became God-taught, and holy, and righteous. Wherefore they were also deemed worthy of receiving this reward, that they should become instruments of God, and contai…
851 wordsSECTION 53Chapter XI.--The Six Days' Work Described.
Chapter XI.--The Six Days' Work Described. Now, the beginning of the creation is light; since light manifests the things that are created. Wherefore it is said: "And God said, Let light be, [572] and light was; and God saw the light, that it was good," manifestly made good for man. "And God divided the light from the darkness; …
920 wordsSECTION 54Chapter XII.--The Glory of the Six Days' Work.
Chapter XII.--The Glory of the Six Days' Work. Of this six days' work no man can give a worthy explanation and description of all its parts, not though he had ten thousand tongues and ten thousand mouths; nay, though he were to live ten thousand years, sojourning in this life, not even so could he utter anything worthy of these…
986 wordsSECTION 55Chapter XIV.--The World Compared to the Sea.
Chapter XIV.--The World Compared to the Sea. Consider, further, their variety, and diverse beauty, and multitude, and how through them resurrection is exhibited, for a pattern of the resurrection of all men which is to be. For who that considers it will not marvel that a fig-tree is produced from a fig-seed, or that very huge t…
900 wordsSECTION 56Chapter XVI.--Of the Fifth Day.
Chapter XVI.--Of the Fifth Day. On the fifth day the living creatures which proceed from the waters were produced, through which also is revealed the manifold wisdom of God in these things; for who could count their multitude and very various kinds? Moreover, the things proceeding from the waters were blessed by God, that this …
756 wordsSECTION 57Chapter XIX.--Man is Placed in Paradise.
Chapter XIX.--Man is Placed in Paradise. God having thus completed the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and all that are in them, on the sixth day, rested on the seventh day from all His works which He made. Then holy Scripture gives a summary in these words: "This is the book of the generation of the heavens and the earth,…
870 wordsSECTION 58Chapter XXI.--Of the Fall of Man.
Chapter XXI.--Of the Fall of Man. "Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And the serpent said to the woman, Why hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We eat of every tree of the garden, but of the fruit of the tree whi…
1,081 wordsSECTION 59Chapter XXIII.--The Truth of the Account in Genesis.
Chapter XXIII.--The Truth of the Account in Genesis. Man, therefore, God made on the sixth day, and made known this creation after the seventh day, when also He made Paradise, that he might be in a better and distinctly superior place. And that this is true, the fact itself proves. For how can one miss seeing that the pains whi…
1,051 wordsSECTION 60Chapter XXVI.--God's Goodness in Expelling Man from Paradise.
Chapter XXVI.--God's Goodness in Expelling Man from Paradise. And God showed great kindness to man in this, that He did not suffer him to remain in sin for ever; but, as it were, by a kind of banishment, cast him out of Paradise, in order that, having by punishment expiated, within an appointed time, the sin, and having been di…
898 wordsSECTION 61Chapter XXIX.--Cain's Crime.
Chapter XXIX.--Cain's Crime. When, then, Adam knew Eve his wife, she conceived and bare a son, whose name was Cain; and she said, "I have gotten a man from God." And yet again she bare a second son, whose name was Abel, "who began to be a keeper of sheep, but Cain tilled the ground." [607] Their history receives a very full nar…
764 wordsSECTION 62Chapter XXXI.--The History After the Flood.
Chapter XXXI.--The History After the Flood. After the flood was there again a beginning of cities and kings, in the following manner:--The first city was Babylon, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. And their king was called Nebroth [Nimrod]. From these came Asshur, from whom also the Assyrians receive thei…
921 wordsSECTION 63Chapter XXXII.--How the Human Race Was Dispersed.
Chapter XXXII.--How the Human Race Was Dispersed. Hence, therefore, may the loves of learning and of antiquity understand the history, and see that those things are recent which are told by us apart from the holy prophets. [616] For though at first there were few men in the land of Arabia and Chaldæa, yet, after their languages…
802 wordsSECTION 64Chapter XXXV.--Precepts from the Prophetic Books.
Chapter XXXV.--Precepts from the Prophetic Books. The divine law, then, not only forbids the worshipping of idols, but also of the heavenly bodies, the sun, the moon, or the other stars; yea, not heaven, nor earth, nor the sea, nor fountains, nor rivers, must be worshipped, but we must serve in holiness of heart and sincerity o…
1,497 wordsSECTION 65Chapter XXXVII.--The Testimonies of the Poets.
Chapter XXXVII.--The Testimonies of the Poets. And that evil-doers must necessarily be punished in proportion to their deeds, has already been, as it were, oracularly uttered by some of the poets, as a witness both against themselves and against the wicked, declaring that they shall be punished. Æschylus said:-- "He who has do…
952 wordsSECTION 66Book III.
Book III. Chapter I.--Autolycus Not Yet Convinced. Theophilus to Autolycus, greeting: Seeing that writers are fond of composing a multitude of books for vainglory,--some concerning gods, and wars, and chronology, and some, too, concerning useless legends, and other such labour in vain, in which you also have been used to emplo…
769 wordsSECTION 67Chapter IV.--How Autolycus Had Been Misled by False Accusations Against the Christians.
Chapter IV.--How Autolycus Had Been Misled by False Accusations Against the Christians. Nor indeed was there any necessity for my refuting these, except that I see you still in dubiety about the word of the truth. For though yourself prudent, you endure fools gladly. Otherwise you would not have been moved by senseless men to y…
814 wordsSECTION 68Chapter VII.--Varying Doctrine Concerning the Gods.
Chapter VII.--Varying Doctrine Concerning the Gods. For after they had said that these are gods, they again made them of no account. For some said that they were composed of atoms; and others, again, that they eventuate in atoms; and they say that the gods have no more power than men. Plato, too, though he says these are gods, …
839 wordsSECTION 69Chapter IX.--Christian Doctrine of God and His Law.
Chapter IX.--Christian Doctrine of God and His Law. Now we also confess that God exists, but that He is one, the creator, and maker, and fashioner of this universe; and we know that all things are arranged by His providence, but by Him alone. And we have learned a holy law; but we have as lawgiver Him who is really God, who tea…
900 wordsSECTION 70Chapter XII.--Of Righteousness.
Chapter XII.--Of Righteousness. Moreover, concerning the righteousness which the law enjoined, confirmatory utterances are found both with the prophets and in the Gospels, because they all spoke inspired by one Spirit of God. Isaiah accordingly spoke thus: "Put away the evil of your doings from your souls; learn to do well, see…
771 wordsSECTION 71Chapter XV.--The Innocence of the Christians Defended.
Chapter XV.--The Innocence of the Christians Defended. Consider, therefore, whether those who teach such things can possibly live indifferently, and be commingled in unlawful intercourse, or, most impious of all, eat human flesh, especially when we are forbidden so much as to witness shows of gladiators, lest we become partaker…
860 wordsSECTION 72Chapter XVIII.--Errors of the Greeks About the Deluge.
Chapter XVIII.--Errors of the Greeks About the Deluge. For Plato, as we said above, when he had demonstrated that a deluge had happened, said that it extended not over the whole earth, but only over the plains, and that those who fled to the highest hills saved themselves. But others say that there existed Deucalion and Pyrrha,…
833 wordsSECTION 73Chapter XXI.--Of Manetho's Inaccuracy.
Chapter XXI.--Of Manetho's Inaccuracy. And Manetho, who among the Egyptians gave out a great deal of nonsense, and even impiously charged Moses and the Hebrews who accompanied him with being banished from Egypt on account of leprosy, could give no accurate chronological statement. For when he said they were shepherds, and enemi…
727 wordsSECTION 74Chapter XXIII.--Prophets More Ancient Than Greek Writers.
Chapter XXIII.--Prophets More Ancient Than Greek Writers. So then let what has been said suffice for the testimony of the Phoenicians and Egyptians, and for the account of our chronology given by the writers Manetho the Egyptian, and Menander the Ephesian, and also Josephus, who wrote the Jewish war, which they waged with the R…
869 wordsSECTION 75Chapter XXV.--From Saul to the Captivity.
Chapter XXV.--From Saul to the Captivity. And after the judges they had kings, the first named Saul, who reigned 20 years; then David, our forefather, who reigned 40 years. Accordingly, there are to the reign of David [from Isaac] 496 years. And after these kings Solomon reigned, who also, by the will of God, was the first to b…
767 wordsSECTION 76Chapter XXVII.--Roman Chronology to the Death of M. Aurelius.
Chapter XXVII.--Roman Chronology to the Death of M. Aurelius. When Cyrus, then, had reigned twenty-nine years, and had been slain by Tomyris in the country of the Massagetæ, this being in the 62d Olympiad, then the Romans began to increase in power, God strengthening them, Rome having been founded by Romulus, the reputed child …
1,257 wordsSECTION 77Chapter XXX.--Why the Greeks Did Not Mention Our Histories.
Chapter XXX.--Why the Greeks Did Not Mention Our Histories. But the Greeks make no mention of the histories which give the truth: first, because they themselves only recently became partakers of the knowledge of letters; and they themselves own it, alleging that letters were invented, some say among the Chaldæans, and others wi…
2,186 wordsSECTION 78Chapter I.--Injustice Shown Towards the Christians.
Chapter I.--Injustice Shown Towards the Christians. In your empire, greatest of sovereigns, different nations have different customs and laws; and no one is hindered by law or fear of punishment from following his ancestral usages, however ridiculous these may be. A citizen of Ilium calls Hector a god, and pays divine honours t…
779 wordsSECTION 79Chapter II.--Claim to Be Treated as Others are When Accused.
Chapter II.--Claim to Be Treated as Others are When Accused. If, indeed, any one can convict us of a crime, be it small or great, we do not ask to be excused from punishment, but are prepared to undergo the sharpest and most merciless inflictions. But if the accusation relates merely to our name--and it is undeniable, that up t…
900 wordsSECTION 80Chapter IV.--The Christians are Not Atheists, But Acknowledge One Only God.
Chapter IV.--The Christians are Not Atheists, But Acknowledge One Only God. As regards, first of all, the allegation that we are atheists--for I will meet the charges one by one, that we may not be ridiculed for having no answer to give to those who make them--with reason did the Athenians adjudge Diagoras guilty of atheism, in…
1,343 wordsSource & rights
Historical text source: Christian Classics Ethereal Library. The downloaded text itself records Public Domain.