The Sources of Celsus’s Criticism of Jesus
Theological Developments in the Second Century AD
By (author) E. Tijsseling
This book is about what Celsus wrote about Jesus in the Second Century, what Celsus’s image of God was like, and especially where Celsus found the ammunition to criticize Jesus so fiercely. Why did Christianity’s growth bother a pagan philosopher, who was committed to Roman religion? Why did it bother a Platonic philosopher, although Christianity was never meant to be a philosophy? Egge Tijsseling explores the idea that Christians finished the Roman Empire, because they did not want to join the army – Jesus preached nonviolence, and if they did join the army, they only recruited more Christians, and finally because Christianity was “soft”, and therefore attractive for many in the strict and hierarchic Roman world. This book investigates Celsus’ reasons to write such a versatile book against Jesus, that Origen almost a century later needed eight books to refute him.
This book is about what Celsus wrote about Jesus in the Second Century, what Celsus’s image of God was like, and especially where Celsus found the ammunition to criticize Jesus so fiercely. Why did Christianity’s growth bother a pagan philosopher, who was committed to Roman religion? Why did it bother a Platonic philosopher, although Christianity was never meant to be a philosophy? Egge Tijsseling explores the idea that Christians finished the Roman Empire, because they did not want to join the army – Jesus preached nonviolence, and if they did join the army, they only recruited more Christians, and finally because Christianity was “soft”, and therefore attractive for many in the strict and hierarchic Roman world. This book investigates Celsus’ reasons to write such a versatile book against Jesus, that Origen almost a century later needed eight books to refute him.
- By (author) E. Tijsseling
"As a whole, Tijsseling has offered a helpful and intriguing volume on Celsus's critiques of the Gospels and Jesus. . . . Scholars of second-century Christianity will benefit from simply reading through these testimonials, conveniently gathered into one volume." Kruger, Michael J., Church History, October 2, 2023
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In the Footsteps of Sherlock Holmes
Studies in the Biblical Text in Honour of Anneli Aejmelaeus
Volume 72
“If Christ is Preached as Raised from the Dead…”
Studies in Honour of Riemer Roukema on the Occasion of His Retirement
Volume 123
Three Versions of Esther
Their Relationship to Anti-Semitic and Feminist Critique of the Story
Volume 74
A Cosmic Leap of Faith
An Authorial, Structural, and Theological Investigation of the Cosmic Christology in Col 1:15-20
Volume 41
Anthropology in the New Testament and its Ancient Context
Papers from the EABS-Meeting in Piliscsaba / Budapest
Volume 54
“Have You Not Read this Scripture?”
Memory Variation and Context-Based Modification in the Old Testament Quotations in the Gospel of Mark
Volume 116
My Shepherd, though You Do not Know Me
The Persian Royal Propaganda Model in the Nehemiah Memoir
Volume 78
Happy the One who Meditates on Wisdom (Sir. 14,20)
Collected Essays on the Book of Ben Sira
Volume 43
The Old Greek of Isaiah: Issues and Perspectives
Papers read at the Conference on the Septuagint of Isaiah, held in Leiden 10-11 April 2008
Volume 55
Meaningful Meetings with Foreigners in the World of the Bible
Essays in Honour of Klaas Spronk on the Occasion of His Retirement
Volume 119
Jesus, the Eschatological Temple
An Exegetical Study of Jn 2,13-22 in the Light of the Pre 70 C.E. Eschatological Temple Hopes and the Synoptic Temple Action
Volume 58
A Divine Round Trip
The Literary and Christological Function of the Descent/Ascent Leitmotif in the Gospel of John
Volume 79
Oh God of Battles! Steal My Soldier’s Hearts!
A Study of the Hebrew and Greek Text Forms of Jeremiah 10:1-18
Volume 83
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