Against Celsus 5.47
Summary: Jewish circumcision differs from that of Egyptians and Colchians because its purpose and law differ, just as 'justice' and 'courage' mean different things to Epicureans, Stoics, and Platonists.
Greek text · Koetschau 2:51–52
Τὸ δʼ αἴτιον τῆς Ἰουδαίων περιτομῆς οὐ ταὐτὸν ἐστι τῷ αἰτίῳ τῆς Αἰγυπτίων περιτομῆς ἢ Κόλχων· διὸ οὐχ ἡ αὐτὴ νομισθείη ἂν περιτομή. καὶ ὥσπερ ὁ θύων οὐ τῷ αὐτῷ θύει, εἰ καὶ ὁμοίως θύειν δοκεῖ. καὶ ὁ εὐχόμενος οὐ τῷ αὐτῷ εὔχεται, εἰ καὶ τὰ αὐτὰ ἐν ταῖς εὐχαῖς ἀξιοῖ· οὕτως οὐδʼ εἴ τις περιτέμνεται, ἀδιαφορεῖ πάντως τῆς πρὸς ἕτερον περιτομῆς. ἡ γὰρ πρόθεσις καὶ ὁ νόμος καὶ τὸ βούλημα τοῦ περιτέμνοντος ἀλλοῖον ποιεῖ τὸ πρᾶγμα. ἵνα δʼ ἔτι μᾶλλον νοηθῇ τὸ κατὰ τὸν τόπον, λεκτέον ὅτι τὸ τῆς δικαιοσύνης ὄνομα ταὐτὸν μέν ἐστι παρὰ πᾶσιν Ἕλλησιν· ἤδη δὲ ἀποδείκνυται ἄλλη μὲν ἡ κατʼ Ἐπίκουρον δικαιοσύνη, ἄλλη δὲ ἡ κατὰ τοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς Στοᾶς, ἀρνουμένους τὸ τριμερὲς τῆς ψυχῆς, ἄλλη δὲ κατὰ τοὺς ἀπὸ Πλάτωνος, ἰδιοπραγίαν τῶν μερῶν τῆς ψυχῆς φάσκοντας εἶναι τὴν δικαιοσύνην. οὕτω δὲ καὶ ἄλλη μὲν ἡ Ἐπικούρου ἀνδρεία, ὑπομένοντος πόνους διὰ φυγὴν πόνων πλειόνων, ἄλλη δʼ ἡ τοῦ ἀπὸ τῆς Στοᾶς, διʼ αὐτὴν αἱρουμένου πᾶσαν ἀρετὴν. ἄλλη δʼ ἡ ἀπὸ Πλάτωνος, τοῦ θυμικοῦ μέρους τῆς ψυχῆς φάσκοντος αὐτὴν εἶναι ἀρετὴν καὶ ἀποτάσσοντος αὐτῇ τόπον τὸν περὶ τὸν θώρακα. οὕτως δʼ εἴη ἂν κατὰ τὰ διάφορα τῶν περιτεμνομένων δόγματα διάφορος ἡ περιτομὴ, περὶ ἧς ἐν τοιούτῳ συγγράμματι οὐκ ἀναγκαῖον νῦν λέγειν· ὅτῳ γὰρ φίλον ἰδεῖν τὰ κινήσαντα ἡμᾶς εἰς τὸν τόπον, ἀναγνώτω περὶ αὐτοῦ ἐν τοῖς εἰς τὴν πρὸς Ῥωμαίους ἐπιστολὴν Παύλου πραγματευθεῖσιν ἡμῖν.
English · Claude translation
The reason for the circumcision of the Jews is not the same as the reason for the circumcision of the Egyptians or the Colchians; so it would not be considered the same circumcision. And just as one who sacrifices does not sacrifice to the same being, even if he seems to sacrifice in the same way, and one who prays does not pray to the same being, even if he asks for the same things in his prayers, so, if someone is circumcised, it is not at all indifferent compared with another's circumcision. For the purpose, the law, and the intent of the one who circumcises make the thing different. To make the subject still more understood, it must be said that the name of justice is the same among all the Greeks; yet it is shown that justice according to Epicurus is one thing, according to the Stoics, who deny that the soul has three parts, another, and according to the Platonists, who say that justice is each part of the soul doing its own work, another. So too Epicurus's courage, who endures pains to escape greater pains, is one thing; that of the Stoic, who chooses every virtue for its own sake, another; and that of the Platonist, who says it is the virtue of the spirited part of the soul and assigns it a place about the chest, another. So too circumcision would differ according to the different doctrines of those circumcised; but there is no need to speak of it now in such a treatise. Whoever wishes to see what moved us on this subject, let him read about it in what we have written on Paul's Letter to the Romans.
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The Platonic definitions are from Plato, Republic 4 (433a–b, 441e–442c). Origen refers to his Commentary on Romans (on Rom 2:25–29).
Cite this passage
Origen, Cels. 5.47 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-celsum/5/47/).
Plain text
Origen, Cels. 5.47 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-celsum/5/47/).
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