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The Resurrection of the Dead

Athenagoras of Athens

Chapter 9

About this work

A philosophical defense of bodily resurrection arguing from God’s power and purpose, the unity of human body and soul, moral judgment, and the intended end of human creation.

Author: Athenagoras of Athens
Date: Late 2nd century
Origin: Athens (traditional)
Genre: Theological Treatise

Its relationship to Athenagoras and to the Plea is traditional but has received scholarly discussion.

Chapter IX.—Absurdity of Arguing from Man’s Impotency.

As there are many things of more

‹ Chapter 8 Chapter 10 ›

importance

to

the

inquiry

before

us

,

I

beg

to

be

excused

from

replying

for

the

present

to

those

who

take

refuge

in

the

works

of

men

,

and

even

the

constructors

of

them

,

who

are

unable

to

make

anew

such

of

their

works

as

are

broken

in

pieces

,

or

worn

out

by

time

,

or

otherwise

destroyed

,

and

then

from

the

analogy

of

potters

and

carpenters

attempt

to

show

that

God

neither

can

will

,

nor

if

He

willed

would

be

able

,

to

raise

again

a

body

that

is

dead

,

or

has

been

dissolved

,

—

not

considering

that

by

such

reasoning

they

offer

the

grossest

insult

to

God

,

putting

,

as

they

do

,

on

the

same

level

the

capabilities

of

things

which

are

altogether

different

,

or

rather

the

natures

of

those

who

use

them

,

and

comparing

the

works

of

art

with

those

of

nature

.

To

bestow

any

serious

attention

on

such

arguments

would

be

not

undeserving

of

censure

,

for

it

is

really

foolish

to

reply

to

superficial

and

trifling

objections

.

It

is

surely

far

more

probable

,

yea

,

most

absolutely

true

,

to

say

that

what

is

impossible

with

men

is

possible

with

God

.

And

if

by

this

statement

of

itself

as

probable

,

and

by

the

whole

investigation

in

which

we

have

just

been

engaged

reason

shows

it

to

be

possible

,

it

is

quite

clear

that

it

is

not

impossible

.

No

,

nor

is

it

such

a

thing

as

God

could

not

will

.