Against Celsus 3.44

Then next Celsus, bringing forward what is said, contrary to the teaching of Jesus, by very few who are considered Christians (not, as he thinks, the more intelligent, but the most ignorant), says that commands like these are given by them: “Let no one educated approach, no one wise, no one sensible; for these things are thought evil among us. But if anyone is ignorant, if anyone is foolish, if anyone is uneducated, if anyone is a child, let him come with confidence.” “For by acknowledging outright that such people are worthy of their God, they show that they want and are able to persuade only the simple-minded, the ignoble, the dull, slaves, silly women, and little children.” To this too we say: just as, if someone, while Jesus teaches about chastity and says, “Whoever looks at a woman so as to desire her has already committed adultery with her in his heart,” were to see a few out of so many who are considered Christians living licentiously, he would very reasonably accuse them of living contrary to the teaching of Jesus, but would act most unreasonably if he attached the charge against them to the teaching itself; so, if the Christians' teaching is found to invite people to wisdom as much as any, the blame will belong to those who defend their own ignorance and say, not what Celsus recorded (for even if some are uneducated and ignorant, they do not speak so shamelessly), but other things much less serious, which yet turn people away from the pursuit of wisdom.