Folia Theologica 19. (2008)
Perendy László: Judging Philosophers - Theophilus of Antioch on Hellenic inconsistency
JUDGING PHILOSOPHERS 199 Kai óuvápecov Kai eÍKÓvcov vosîxav xôv 5è 0eôv où ßoüXei ai) voeîaGai 8ià epycov Kai Suvápecov; "Just as the soul in a man is not seen, since it is invisible to men, but is apprehended through the movement of the body, so it may be that God cannot be seen by human eyes but is seen and apprehended through his providence and his works. As when one observes a ship at sea, fitted out and cruising and returning to port, one will obviously infer that in her there is a pilot who steers her, so one must suppose that the pilot of the universe is God, even if he is not visible to merely human eyes because he is unconfined. If a man cannot stare at the sun, though it is a very small star, because of its overwhelming heat and power, how much more is it the case that a mortal man cannot view the glory of God which is inexpressible! As a pomegranate, with a rind surrounding it, has inside many cells and cases, separated by membranes, and has many seeds dwelling in it, so the whole creation is surrounded by the spirit of God and the surrounding spirit, along with the creation, is enclosed by the hand of God. As the pomegranate seed, dwelling inside, cannot see what is outside the rind since it is itself inside, so man, who with the whole creation is enclosed by the hand of God, cannot see God. A king on earth is believed to exist even if he is not seen by all; he is apprehended by means of his laws and commands and authorities and powers and images. Are you unwilling to apprehend God through this works and powers?" (I 5) "Evioi pcv xrjç Zxoaç àpvoùvxai | Kai xô èE, oàod 0eôv (äip0ap- xov) eîvai, rj, ei Kai ëaxiv, p.rj8evôç cpaoiv cppovxiÇeiv xôv 0eôv 7tÀ.fjv èavxoû- Kai xaûxa pèv TtavxeXxiùç ’EniKoúpou Kai Xpuain- ttoi) fi avoia ànecpfivaxo. "Exepoi 8é cpaoiv aùxopaxiapàv xœv navxcov eîvai, Kai xôv KÓopov áyévrixov Kai cpúaiv (á)'í'5iav Kai xô ovvoXov 7ipôvoiav pf] eîvai 0eoû èxôÀ,pr|oav èÇemeîv, àXXà 0eôv eîvai póvov cpaciv xf)v émaxov ai)vei8r|aiv. "AXhoi 5’ ai) xô 81’ ÖA.OU Kexcopr|KÔç nveùpa 0eôv ôoypaxi^ouaiv. "Some of the Stoics absolutely deny the existence of God or assert that if God exists he takes thought for no one but himself. Such views certainly exhibit the folly of Epicurus and Chrysippus alike. Others say that everything happens spontaneously, that the universe is uncreated and that nature is eternal; in general they venture to declare that there is no divine providence but that God is only the individual's con
