Required reading
Ante-Nicene Fathers (Vol 4) (Available from Amazon or free here) - Commence Book VII of Origen against Celsus by reading up to Chapter XXXV.
My summary
Today we start the seventh book from Origen that answers accusations from Celsus against Christianity.
The focus is now on the prophecies of Christianity.
Origen defends:
(i) prophecy in general;
(ii) the piety of the Jewish prophets;
(iii) the goodness of Jewish prophecies;
(iv) prophecy concerning the death of Christ;
(v) prophecies concerning the persecution of the Jews;
(vi) prophecies concerning the incarnation;
(vii) prophecies concerning the resurrection.
What grabbed me
I appreciated Origen's point regarding the piety of God's prophets: 'We therefore for this reason set at nought the oracles of the Pythian priestess, or those delivered at Dodona, at Clarus, at Branchidæ, at the temple of Jupiter Ammon, or by a multitude of other so-called prophets; whilst we regard with reverent awe the Jewish prophets: for we see that the noble, earnest, and devout lives of these men were worthy of the inspiration of the Divine Spirit, whose wonderful effects were widely different from the divination of demons.'
There is no comparison between God's prophets and those of demons.
Next week's reading
Conclude Book VII of Origen against Celsus.
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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