Origen of Alexandria, Against Celsus

Before proceeding to the next point, it may be well for us to see whether we do not accept with approval the saying, “No man can serve two masters,” with the addition, “for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other,” and further, “Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”1767 Matt. vi. 24. The defence of this passage will lead us to a deeper and more searching inquiry into the meaning and application of the words “gods” and “lords.” Divine Scripture teaches us that there is “a great Lord above all gods.”1768 Ps. xcvii. 9. And by this name “gods” we are not to understand the objects of heathen worship (for we know that “all the gods of the heathen are demons”1769 Ps. xcvi. 5.), but the gods mentioned by the prophets as forming an assembly, whom God “judges,” and to each of whom He assigns his proper work. For “God standeth in the assembly of the gods: He judgeth among the gods.”1770 Ps. lxxxii. 1. For “God is Lord of gods,” who by His Son “hath called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.”1771 Ps. l. 1. We are also commanded to “give thanks to the God of gods.”1772 Ps. cxxxvi. 2. Moreover, we are taught that “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”1773 Matt. xxii. 32. Nor are these the only passages to this effect; but there are very many others.

Ἴδωμεν δὴ πρὸ τῶν ἑξῆς εἰ μὴ εὐλόγως ἀποδεχόμεθα τὴν "Οὐδεὶς δύναται δυσὶ κυρίοις δουλεύειν" φωνήν, ᾗ ἐπιφέρεται τὸ "Ἢ γὰρ τὸν ἕνα μισήσει καὶ τὸν ἕτερον ἀγαπήσει, ἢ ἑνὸς ἀνθέξεται καὶ τοῦ ἑτέρου καταφρονήσει", καὶ ἑξῆς αὐτῷ τὸ "Οὐ δύνασθε θεῷ δουλεύειν καὶ μαμωνᾷ". Καλεῖ δ' ἡμᾶς ἡ ἀπολογία εἰς βαθύτερόν τινα καὶ ἀπόρρητον περὶ θεῶν καὶ κυρίων λόγον. Ἐπίσταται γὰρ ἡ θεία γραφὴ τὸν μέγαν εἶναι κύριον παρὰ "πάντας τοὺς θεούς"· ἐν οἷς "θεοὺς" οὐ τοὺς προσκυνουμένους ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἐξακούομεν, ἅτε μαθόντες ὅτι "Πάντες οἱ θεοὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν δαιμόνια", ἀλλὰ "θεούς", ὧν οἶδέ τινα συναγωγὴν ὁ προφητικὸς λόγος, καὶ τὸν ἐπὶ πᾶσι θεὸν τούτους διακρίνοντα καὶ διατασσόμενον ἑκάστῳ τὸ οἰκεῖον αὐτῷ ἔργον. "Ὁ θεὸς" γὰρ "ἔστη ἐν συναγωγῇ θεῶν, ἐν μέσῳ δὲ θεοὺς διακρινεῖ". Καὶ γάρ ἐστι "θεὸς θεῶν κύριος", ὃς διὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ "ἐκάλεσε τὴν γῆν ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν ἡλίου ἕως δυσμῶν". Καὶ προστασ σόμεθα ἐξομολογεῖσθαι "τῷ θεῷ τῶν θεῶν", μαθόντες καὶ τὸ "Ὁ θεὸς οὐκ ἔστι νεκρῶν ἀλλὰ ζώντων"· ἅπερ δὴ λέγεται οὐ μόνον διὰ τῶν ἐκκειμένων ἀλλὰ καὶ δι' ἄλλων μυρίων.