Against Celsus 2.61
Summary: Against Celsus's view that the risen Jesus was an apparition, Origen points to Thomas, who doubted a bodily resurrection until Jesus invited him to touch his wounds.
Greek text · Koetschau 1:183–184
Ἦν οὖν καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς μετὰ θάνατον, ὡς μὲν ὁ Κέλσος οἴεται. φαντασίαν ἐξαποστέλλων τῶν ἐπὶ τῷ σταυρῷ τραυμάτων καὶ οὐκ ἀληθῶς τοιοῦτος ὢν τραυματίας· ὡς δὲ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον διδάσκει. οὗ τισὶ μὲν μέρεσιν. οἷς βούλεται. ἵνα κατηγορῇ. πιστεύει ὁ Κέλσος. τισὶ δʼ ἀπιστεῖ. ὁ Ἰησοῦς προσεκαλέσατό τινα τῶν μαθητῶν ἀπιστοῦντα καὶ ἀδύνατον οἰόμενον τὸ παράδοξον. συγκατετέθειτο μὲν γὰρ ἐκεῖνος τῇ φασκούσῃ αὐτὸν ἑωρακέναι, ὡς οὐκ ἀδυνάτου ὄντος τοῦ τὴν ψυχὴν τοῦ τεθνηκότος ὀφθῆναι. οὐκέτι δʼ ἐνόμιζεν ἀληθὲς εἶναι τὸ ἐν σώματι αὐτὸν ἀντιτύπῳ ἐγηγέρθαι. ὅθεν εἶπε μέν· „ἐὰν μὴ ἴδω, “ „οὐ μὴ πιστεύσω, “ προσέθηκε δὲ καὶ τό· „ἐὰν μὴ βάλω τὴν χεῖρά μου εἰς τὸν τύπον τῶν ἥλων καὶ ψηλαφήσω αὐτοῦ τὴν πλευρὰν, οὐ μὴ πιστεύσω.“ ταῦτα δʼ ἐλέγετο ὑπὸ τοῦ Θωμᾶ, κρίνοντος ὅτι δύναται ὀφθαλμοῖς αἰσθητοῖς φανῆναι ψυχῆς σῶμα. „πάντα“ τῷ προτέρῳ εἴδει „μέγεθός τε καὶ ὄμματα κάλʼ ἐϊκυίης καὶ φωνὴν“ πολλάκις δὲ „καὶ τοῖα περὶ χροῒ εἵματʼ ἐχούσης.“ καὶ προσκαλεσάμενός γε ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὸν Θωμᾶν εἶπε· „φέρε τὸν δάκτυλόν σου ὧδε καὶ ἴδε τὰς χεῖράς μου. καὶ φέρε τὴν χεῖρά σου καὶ βάλε εἰς τὴν πλευράν μου, καὶ μὴ γίνου ἄπιστος ἀλλὰ πιστός.“
English · Claude translation
So, as Celsus thinks, Jesus after death sent out an image of the wounds on the cross, and was not truly so wounded. But as the Gospel teaches, which Celsus believes in some parts when he wishes, so as to accuse, and disbelieves in others, Jesus called to him one of the disciples who disbelieved and thought the marvel impossible. For that disciple had agreed with the woman who said she had seen him, as though it were not impossible for the soul of a dead man to be seen; but he no longer thought it true that he had been raised in a solid body. So he said, “Unless I see,” “I will not believe,” and added: “Unless I put my hand into the mark of the nails and touch his side, I will not believe.” These things were said by Thomas, who judged that a soul's body could appear to the eyes of sense, “like in all things” to its former form, “in stature, and fair eyes, and voice,” and often “with such garments about its skin.” And Jesus called Thomas and said: “Bring your finger here and see my hands; and bring your hand and put it into my side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The quotations are John 20:25 and 20:27; the description of a ghost is Homer, Iliad 23.66–67 (the shade of Patroclus).
Cite this passage
Origen, Cels. 2.61 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-celsum/2/61/).
Plain text
Origen, Cels. 2.61 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-celsum/2/61/).
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