Chapter LXII.

Now it followed from all the predictions which were uttered regarding Him—amongst which was this prediction of the resurrection—and, from all that was done by Him, and from all the events which befell Him, that this event should be marvellous above all others.  For it had been said beforehand by the prophet in the person of Jesus:  “My flesh shall rest in hope, and Thou wilt not leave my soul in Hades, and wilt not suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption.”292    Ps. xvi. 9, 10.  And truly, after His resurrection, He existed in a body intermediate, as it were, between the grossness of that which He had before His sufferings, and the appearance of a soul uncovered by such a body.  And hence it was, that when His disciples were together, and Thomas with them, there “came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.  Then saith He to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger,”293    John xx. 26, 27. etc.  And in the Gospel of Luke also, while Simon and Cleopas were conversing with each other respecting all that had happened to them, Jesus “drew near, and went with them.  And their eyes were holden, that they should not know Him.  And He said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk?”  And when their eyes were opened, and they knew Him, then the Scripture says, in express words, “And He vanished out of their sight.”294    Luke xxiv. 15, 31.  And although Celsus may wish to place what is told of Jesus, and of those who saw Him after His resurrection, on the same level with imaginary appearances of a different kind, and those who have invented such, yet to those who institute a candid and intelligent examination, the events will appear only the more miraculous.

Καὶ ἀκόλουθόν γε ἦν πᾶσι τοῖς τε προφητευθεῖσι περὶ αὐτοῦ, ἐν οἷς καὶ τοῦτο ἦν, καὶ τοῖς πραχθεῖσιν αὐτῷ καὶ τοῖς συμβεβηκόσι τοῦτο παρὰ πάντα παράδοξον γενέσθαι. Προελέλεκτο γὰρ ἐκ προσώπου Ἰησοῦ ἐν τῷ προφήτῃ· "Ἡ σάρξ μου κατασκηνώσει ἐπ' ἐλπίδι· καὶ οὐκ ἐγκατα λείψεις τὴν ψυχήν μου εἰς τὸν ᾅδην, καὶ οὐ δώσεις τὸν ὅσιόν σου ἰδεῖν διαφθοράν". Καὶ ἦν γε κατὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν αὐτοῦ ὡσπερεὶ ἐν μεθορίῳ τινὶ τῆς παχύτητος τῆς πρὸ τοῦ πάθους σώματος καὶ τοῦ γυμνὴν τοιούτου σώματος φαίνεσθαι ψυχήν. Ὅθεν, ὅτ' ἦσαν "οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ Θωμᾶς" ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ "μετ' αὐτῶν, ἔρχεται ὁ Ἰησοῦς τῶν θυρῶν κεκλεισμένων καὶ ἔστη εἰς τὸ μέσον καὶ εἶπεν· Εἰρήνη ὑμῖν. Εἶτα λέγει τῷ Θωμᾷ· Φέρε τὸν δάκτυλόν σου ὧδε" καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Καὶ ἐν τῷ κατὰ Λουκᾶν δὲ εὐαγγελίῳ ὁμι λούντων "πρὸς ἀλλήλους" Σίμωνος καὶ Κλεόπα "περὶ πάντων τῶν συμβεβηκότων" αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐπιστὰς αὐτοῖς "συνεπορεύετο μετ' αὐτῶν. Καὶ οἱ μὲν ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτῶν ἐκρατοῦντο τοῦ μὴ ἐπιγνῶναι αὐτόν· ὁ δὲ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτούς· Τίνες οἱ λόγοι, οὓς ἀντιβάλλετε πρὸς ἀλλήλους περιπατοῦντες;" Καὶ ἡνίκα "διηνοίχθησαν αὐτῶν οἱ ὀφθαλμοί, καὶ ἐπέγνωσαν αὐτόν", τότε αὐταῖς λέξεσί φησιν ἡ γραφή· "Καὶ αὐτὸς ἄφαντος ἐγένετο ἀπ' αὐτῶν." Κἂν βούληται οὖν κοινοποιεῖν πρὸς ἕτερα φάσματα καὶ ἄλλους φαντασθέντας τὰ κατὰ τὸν Ἰησοῦν καὶ τοὺς ἰδόντας αὐτὸν μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν ὁ Κέλσος, ἀλλὰ τοῖς εὐγνωμόνως καὶ φρονίμως ἐξετάζουσι τὰ πράγματα φανεῖται τὸ παραδο ξότερον.