Homily XVI
Homily XVI
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Chapter I.-Simon Wishes to Discuss with Peter the Unity of God.
At break of day Peter went out, and reaching the place where he was wont to discourse, he saw a great multitude assembled. At the very tithe when he was going to discourse, one of his deacons entered, and said: "Simon has come from Antioch,(1) starting as soon as it was evening, having learned that you promised to speak on the unity(2) of God; and he is ready, along with Athnedorus the Epicurean, to come to hear your speech, in order that he may publicly oppose all the arguments ever adduced by you for the unity of God." Just as the deacon said this, lo! Simon himself entered, accompanied by Athenodorus and some other friends. And before Peter spoke at all, he took the first word, and said:-
Chapter II.-The Same Subject Continued.
"I heard that you promised yesterday to Faustus to prove this day giving out your arguments in regular order, and beginning with Him who is Lord of the universe, that we ought to say that He alone is God. and that we ought neither to say nor to think that there are other gods, because he that acts contrary to this will be punished eternally. But, above all, I am truly amazed at your madness in hoping to convert a wise man, and one far advanced in years, to your state of mind. But you will not succeed in your designs; and all the more that I am present, and can thoroughly refute your false arguments. For perhaps, if I had not been present, the wise old man might have been led astray, because he has no critical acquaintance(3) with the books publicly believed in amongst the Jews.(4) At present I shall omit much, in order that I may the more speedily refute that which yon have promised to prove. Wherefore begin to speak what you promised to say before us, who know the Scriptures. But if, fearing our refutation, you are unwilling to fulfil your promise In our presence, this of itself will be sufficient proof that you are wrong, because you did venture to speak in the presence of those who know the Scriptures. And now, why should I wait till you tell me, when I have a most satisfactory witness of your promise in the old man who is present? "And, saying this, he looked to my father, and said: "Tell me, most excellent of all men, is not this the man who promised to prove to you to-day that God is one, and that we ought not to say or think that there is any other god, and that he who acts contrary to this will be punished eternally, as committing the most heinous sin? Do you, then, refuse to reply to me? "
Chapter III.-The Mode of the Discussion.
And our father said: "Well might you have demanded testimony from me, Simon, if Peter had first denied that he had made the promise. But now I shall feel no shame in saying what I am bound to say. I think that you wish to enter on the discussion inflamed with anger. Now this is a state of mind in which it is improper for you to speak and for us to listen to you; for we are no longer being helped on to the truth. but we are watching the progress of a contest. And now, having learned from Hellenic culture how those who seek the truth ought to act, I shall remind you. Let each of you give an exposition of his own opinion,(5) and let the right of speech pass from the one to the other.(6) For if Peter alone should wish to expound his thought, but you should be silent as to yours, it is possible that some argument adduced by you might crush both your and his opinion; and both of you, though defeated by this argument, would not appear defeated, but only the one who expounded his opinion; while he who did not expound his, though equally defeated, would not appear defeated, but would even be thought to have conquered." And Simon answered: "I will do as you say; but I am afraid lest you do not turn out a truth-loving judge, as you have been already prejudiced by his arguments."
Chapter IV.-The Prejudices of Faustus Rather on the Side of Simon Than on that of Peter.
Our father answered: "Do not compel me to agree with you without any exercise of my judgment in order that I may seem to be a truth-loving judge; but if you wish me to tell you the truth, my prepossessions are rather the side of your opinions." And Simon said "How is this the case, when you do not know what my opinions are? "And our father said: "It is easy to know this, and I will tell you how. You promised that you would convict Peter of error in maintaining the unity of God; but if one undertakes to convict of error him who maintains the unity of God. it is perfectly plain that he, as being in the right,(7) does not hold the same opinion. For if he holds the same opinion as the man who is thoroughly in error, then he himself is in error; but if he gives his proofs holding opposite opinions, then he is in the right. Not well(8) then do you assert that he who maintains the unity of God is wrong, unless you believe that there are many gods. Now I maintain that there are many gods. Holding, therefore, the same opinion as you before the discussion, I am prepossessed rather in your favour. For this reason you ought to have no anxiety in regard to me, but Peter ought, for I still hold opinions contrary to his. And so after your discussion I hope that, as a truth-loving judge, who has stripped himself of his prepossessions, I shall agree to that doctrine which gains the victor." When my father said this, a murmur of applause burst insensibly from the multitudes because my father had thus spoken.
Chapter V.-Peter Commences the Discussion.
Peter then said: "I am ready to do as the umpire of our discussion has said; and straight-way without any delay I shall set forth my opinion in regard to God. I then assert that there is one God who made the heavens and the earth, and all things that are in them. And it is not right to say or to think that there is any other." And Simon said: "But I maintain that the Scriptures believed in amongst the Jews say that there are many gods, and that God is not angry at this, because He has Himself spoken of many gods in His Scriptures.
Chapter VI.-Simon Appeals to the Old Testament to Prove that There are Many Gods.
"For instance, in the very first words of the law, He evidently speaks of them as being like even unto Himself. For thus it is written, that, when the first man received a commandment from God to eat of every tree that was in the garden,(9) but not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the serpent having persuaded them by means of the woman, through the promise that they would become gods, made them look up;(10) and then, when they had thus looked up, God said,(11) `Behold, Adam is become as one of us.' When, then, the serpent said,(12) `Ye shall be as gods, 'he plainly speaks in the belief that gods exist; all the more as God also added His testimony, saying, `Behold, Adam is become as one of us.' The serpent, then, who said that there are many gods, did not speak falsely. Again, the scripture,(13) `Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the rulers of thy people, 'points out many gods whom it does not wish even-to be cursed. But it is also somewhere else written,(14) ` `Did another god dare to enter and take him a nation from the midst of another nation, as did I the Lord God? 'When He says, `Did another God dare? 'He speaks on the supposition that other gods exist. And elsewhere:(15) `Let the gods that have not made the heavens and the earth perish; 'as if those who had made them were not to perish. And in another place, when it says,(16) `Take heed to thyself lest thou go and serve other gods whom thy fathers knew not, 'it speaks as if other gods existed whom they were not to follow. And again:(17) `The names of other gods shall not ascend upon thy lips.' Here it mentions many gods whose names it does not wish to be uttered. And again it is written,(18) `Thy God is the Lord, He is God of gods.' And again:(19) `Who is like unto Thee, O Lord, among the Gods? 'And again:(20) `God is Lord of gods.' And again:(21) `God stood in the assembly of gods: He judgeth among the gods.' Wherefore I wonder how, when there are so many passages in writing which testify that there are many gods, you have asserted that we ought neither to say nor to think that there are many.(22) Finally, if you have anything to say against what has been spoken so distinctly, say it in the presence of all."
Chapter VII.-Peter Appeals to the Old Testament to Prove the Unity of God.
And Peter said: "I shall reply briefly to what you have said. The law, which frequently speaks of gods, itself says to the Jewish multitude,(23) `Behold , the heaven of heavens is the Lord's thy God, with all that therein is; 'implying that, even if there are gods, they are under Him, that is, under the God of the Jews. And again:(24) `The Lord thy God, He is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath, and there is none other except Him.' And somewhere else the Scripture says to the Jewish multitude,(25) `The Lord your God is God of gods; 'so that, even if there are gods, they are under the God of the Jews. And somewhere else the Scripture says in regard to Him?(26) God, the great and true, who regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward, He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow. `The Scripture, in calling the God of the Jews great and true, and executing judgment, marked out the others as small, and not true. But also somewhere else the Scripture says,(27) `As I live, saith the Lord, there is no other God but me. I am the first, I am after this; except me there is no God.' And again:(28) `Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.' And again:(29) `Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God is one Lord.' And many passages besides seal with an oath that God is one, and except Him there is no God. Whence I wonder how, when so many passages testify that there is one God, you say that there are many."
Chapter VIII.-Simon and Peter Continue the Discussion.
And Simon said: "My original stipulation with you was that I should prove from the Scriptures that you were wrong in maintaining that we ought not to speak of many gods." Accordingly I adduced many written passages to show that the divine Scriptures themselves speak of many gods." And Peter said: "Those very Scriptures which speak of many gods, also exhorted us, saying, `The names of other gods shall not ascend upon thy lips.'(30) Thus, Simon, I did not speak contrary to what was written." And Simon said: "Do you, Peter, listen to what I have to say. You seem to me to sin in speaking against them,(31) when the Scripture says,(32) `Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the rulers of thy people.'"And Peter said: "I am not sinning, Simon, in pointing out their destruction according to the Scriptures; for thus it is written:(33) `Let the gods who did not make the heavens and the earth perish.' And He said thus, not as though Some had made the heavens and were not to perish, as you interpreted the passage. For it is plainly declared that He who made them is one in the very first part of Scripture:(34) `In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And it did not say, `the gods.' And somewhere else it says,(35) `And the firmament showeth His handiwork.' And in another place it is written,(36) `The heavens themselves shall perish, but Thou shalt remain for ever.'"
Chapter IX.-Simon Tries to Show that the Scriptures Contradict Themselves.
And Simon said: "I adduced clear passages from the Scriptures to prove that there are many gods; and you, in reply, brought forward as many or more from the same Scriptures, showing that God is one, and He the God of the Jews. And when I said that we ought not to revile gods, you proceeded to show that He who created is one, because those who did not create will perish. And in reply to my assertion that we ought to maintain that there are gods, because the Scriptures also say so, you showed that we ought not to utter their names, because the same Scripture tells us not to utter the names of other gods. Since, then, these very Scriptures say at one time that there are many gods, and at another that there is only one; and sometimes that they ought not to be reviled, and at other times that they ought; what conclusion ought we to come to in consequence of this, but that the Scriptures themselves lead us astray? "
Chapter X.-Peter's Explanation of the Apparent Contradictions of Scripture.
And Peter said: "They do not lead astray, but convict and bring to light the evil disposition against God which lurks like a serpent in each one. For the Scriptures lie before each one like many divers types. Each one, then, has his own disposition like wax, and examining the Scriptures and finding everything in them, he moulds his idea of God according to his wish, laying upon them, as I said, his own disposition, which is like wax.(37) Since, then, each one finds in the Scriptures whatever opinion he wishes to have in regard to God, for this reason he, Simon, moulds from them the forms(38) of many gods, while we moulded the form of Him who truly exists, coming to the knowledge of the true type from our own shape.(39) For assuredly the soul within us is clothed with His image for immortality. If I abandon the parent of this soul, it also will abandon me to just judgment, making known the injustice by the very act of daring;(40) and as coming from one who is just, it will justly abandon me; and so, as far as the soul is concerned, I shall, after punishment, be destroyed, having abandoned the help that comes from it. But if there is another god, first let him put on another form, another shape, in order that by the new shape of the body I may recognise the new god. But if he should change the shape, does he thereby change the substance of the soul? But if he should change it also, then I am no longer myself, having become another both in shape and in substance. Let him, therefore, create others, if there is another. But there is not. For if there had been, he would have created. But since he has not created, then let him, as nonexistent, leave him who is really existent.(41) For he is nobody,(42) except only in the opinion of Simon. I do not accept of any other god but Him alone who created me."
Chapter XI.-Gen. I. 26 Appealed to by Simon.
And Simon said: "Since I see that you frequently speak of the God who created you, learn from me how you are impious even to him. For there are evidently two who created, as the Scripture says:(43) `And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.' Now `let us make, 'implies two or more; certainly not one only."
Chapter XII.-Peter's Explanation of the Passage.
And Peter answered: "One is He who said to His Wisdom, `Let us make a man.' But His Wisdom(44) was that with which He Himself always rejoiced(45) as with His own spirit. It is united as soul to God, but it is extended by Him, as hand, fashioning the universe. On this account, also, one man was made, and from him went forth also the female. And being a unity generically, it is yet a duality, for by expansion and contraction the unity is thought to be a duality. So that I act rightly in offering up all the honour to one God as to parents." And Simon said: "What then? Even if the Scriptures say that there are other gods, will you not accept the opinion? "
Chapter XIII.-The Contradictions of the Scriptures Intended to Try Those Who Read Them.
And Peter answered:(46) "If the Scriptures or prophets speak of gods, they do so to try those who hear. For thus it is written:(47) `If there arise among you a prophet, giving signs and wonders, and that sign and wonder shall then come to pass, and he say to thee, Let us go after and worship other gods which thy fathers have not known, ye(48) shall not hearken to the words of that prophet; let thy hands be among the first to stone him. For he hath tried to turn thee from the Lord thy God. But if thou say in thy heart, How did he do that sign or wonder? thou shalt surely know that he who tried thee, tried thee to see if thou dost fear the Lord thy God.' The words `he who tried thee, tried thee, 'have reference to the earliest times;(49) but it appears to be otherwise after the removal to Babylon. For God, who knows all things, would not, as can be proved by many arguments, try in order that He Himself might know, for He fore-knows all things. But, if you like, let us discuss this point, and I shall show that God foreknows. But it has been proved that the opinion is false that He does not know, and that this was written to try us. Thus we, Simon, can be led astray(50) neither by the Scriptures nor by any one else; nor are we deceived into the admission of many gods, nor do we agree to any statement that is made against God.
Chapter XIV.-Other Beings Called Gods.
"For we ourselves also know that angels are called gods by the Scriptures,-as, for instance, He who spake at the bush, and wrestled with Jacob,-and the name is likewise applied to Him who is born Emmanuel, and who is called the mighty God.(51) Yea, even Moses became a god to Pharaoh, though in reality he was a man. The same is the case also with the idols of the Gentiles. But we have but one God, one who made creation and arranged the universe, whose Son is the Christ. Obeying Christ,(52) we learn to know what is false from the Scriptures. Moreover, being furnished by our ancestors with the truths of the Scriptures, we know that there is only one who has made the heavens and the earth, the God of the Jews, and of all who choose to worship Him. Our fathers, with pious thought, setting down a fixed belief in Him as the true God, handed down this belief to us, that we may know that if any thing is said against God, it is a falsehood. I shall add this remark over and above what I need say: If the case be not as I have said, then may I, and all who love the truth, incur danger in regard to the praise of the God who made us."
Chapter XV.-Christ Not God, But the Son of God.
When Simon heard this, he said: "Since you say that we ought not to believe even the prophet that gives signs and wonders if he say that there is another god, and that you know that he even incurs the penalty of death, therefore your, teacher also was with reason cut off for having given signs and wonders." And Peter answered: "Our Lord neither asserted that there were gods except the Creator of all, nor did He proclaim Himself to be God, but He with reason pronounced blessed him who called Him the Son of that God who has arranged the universe." And Simon answered: "Does it not seem to you, then, that he who comes from God is God? "(53) And Peter said: "Tell us how this is possible; for we cannot affirm this, because we did not hear it from Him.
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