---
title: "Fathers of the Third Century: Tertullian, Minucius Felix, Commodian and Origen"
author: "Various Church Fathers"
translator: "S. Thelwall and others; A. Cleveland Coxe (ed.)"
languages: [en]
shelf: "Church Fathers"
section: 59 of 199
url: https://scriptura.si/works/church-fathers-tertullian-minucius-felix-commodian-origen/59/
cite: "Various Church Fathers, tr. S. Thelwall and others; A. Cleveland Coxe (ed.), Fathers of the Third Century: Tertullian, Minucius Felix, Commodian and Origen, section 59. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/church-fathers-tertullian-minucius-felix-commodian-origen/59/"
---

# Fathers of the Third Century: Tertullian, Minucius Felix, Commodian and Origen

*Various Church Fathers, tr. S. Thelwall and others; A. Cleveland Coxe (ed.)*

Tertullian, Minucius Felix, Commodian, and Origen's On First Principles and Against Celsus.

## 59. Of the Divine Unity, and the Resurrection of the Flesh · 3 of 8

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/church-fathers-tertullian-minucius-felix-commodian-origen/59/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/church-fathers-tertullian-minucius-felix-commodian-origen/59/#p-N

[¶0] Forthwith he dares,—to scatter everywhere

[¶1] A word for ears to shudder at, nor meet

[¶2] For voice to speak. Accosting men cast off

[¶3] From God’s community, men wandering

[¶4] 90 Without the light, found mindless, following

[¶5] Things earthly, them he teaches to become

[¶6] Depraved teachers of depravity.

[¶7] By them he preaches that there are two Sires,

[¶8] And realms divided: ill’s cause is the Lord

[¶9] 95 Who built the orb, fashioned breath-quickened flesh,

[¶10] And gave the law, and by the seers’ voice spake.

[¶11] Him he affirms not good, but owns Him just;

[¶12] Hard, cruel, taking pleasure fell in war;

[¶13] In judgment dreadful, pliant to no prayers.

[¶14] 100 His suasion tells of other one, to none

[¶15] E’er known, who nowhere is, a deity

[¶16] False, nameless, constituting nought, and who

[¶17] Hath spoken precepts none. Him he calls good;

[¶18] Who judges none, but spares all equally,

[¶19] 105 And grudges life to none. No judgment waits

[¶20] The guilty; so he says, bearing about

[¶21] A gory poison with sweet honey mixt

[¶22] For wretched men. That flesh can rise—to which

[¶23] Himself was cause of ruin, which he spoiled

[¶24] 110 Iniquitously with contempt (whence, cursed,

[¶25] He hath grief without end), its ever-foe,—

[¶26] He doth deny; because with various wound

[¶27] Life to expel and the salvation whence

[¶28] He fell he strives: and therefore says that Christ

[¶29] 115 Came suddenly to earth, but was not made,

[¶30] By any compact, partner of the flesh;

[¶31] But Spirit-form, and body feigned beneath

[¶32] A shape imaginary, seeks to mock

[¶33] Men with a semblance that what is not is.

[¶34] 120 Does this, then, become God, to sport with men

[¶35] By darkness led? to act an impious lie?

[¶36] Or falsely call Himself a man? He walks,

[¶37] Is carried, clothed, takes due rest, handled is,

[¶38] Suffers, is hung and buried: man’s are all

[¶39] 125 Deeds which, in holy body conversant,

[¶40] But sent by God the Father, who hath all

[¶41] Created, He did perfect properly,

[¶42] Reclaiming not another’s but His own;

[¶43] Discernible to peoples who of old

[¶44] 130 Were hoping for Him by His very work,