Against Celsus 2.24

Next, wishing to show that what befell him was painful and grievous, and that it was not possible for him to make it otherwise by willing it, he says: “Why then does he cry out and lament and pray to escape the fear of destruction, saying something like this: ‘O Father, if this cup could pass by’?” Here too see Celsus's malice. He does not acknowledge the love of truth of those who wrote the Gospels, who could have passed over in silence what Celsus thinks blameworthy, yet did not keep silent, for many reasons which someone will set out at the proper time in expounding the Gospel. Instead he accuses the Gospel text, adding tragic exaggeration and putting down what is not written; for it is not found that Jesus laments. He paraphrases “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass,” but no longer cites what is written right after it, which plainly shows his reverence toward the Father and his greatness of soul, and which runs: “Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Nor does he pretend to have read the ready obedience of Jesus to his Father's will concerning what had been decided that he should suffer, shown in the words: “If this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” He is doing something like the impious who hear the divine Scriptures maliciously and “speak unrighteousness on high.” For they seem to have heard “I will kill,” and they often reproach us with it, but they do not even remember “I will make alive.” Yet the whole saying shows that those who live to the common harm and act in wickedness are killed by God, and a better life is brought in for them in exchange, one that God would give to those who have died to sin. So too they have heard “I will strike,” but do not see “and I will heal.” This is like what a physician says when he has cut into bodies and made severe wounds in order to remove what harms them and hinders their health, and does not stop at the pain and the cutting, but by his treatment restores the body to the health he intends for it. Nor have they heard the whole of “For he causes pain and restores again,” but only “he causes pain.” In the same way the Jew presented by Celsus has set out “O Father, if only this cup could pass by,” but not what follows, which displays Jesus' readiness and firmness toward his passion. These matters too, which admit of a long exposition from the wisdom of God, fittingly to be handed on to those whom Paul called “perfect” when he said, “We speak wisdom among the perfect,” we put off for the present and briefly recall only what is useful for the matter at hand.