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Banquet of the Ten Virgins

Methodius of Olympus

Chapter 3

About this work

A literary symposium in which ten women offer speeches on virginity, creation, Scripture, virtue, and Christian perfection, consciously adapting the form of a classical philosophical banquet.

Author: Methodius of Olympus
Date: Late 3rd century
Origin: Eastern Mediterranean
Genre: Dialogue

Chapter III.—An Ambiguous Passage of Scripture; Not Only the Faithful But Even Prelates Sometimes Illegitimate.

But Marcella, interrupting, said, “O

‹ Chapter 2 Chapter 4 ›

Theophila

,

there

appears

here

a

great

mistake

,

and

something

contrary

to

what

you

have

said

;

and

do

you

think

to

escape

under

cover

of

the

cloud

which

you

have

thrown

around

you

?

For

there

comes

that

argument

,

which

perhaps

any

one

who

addresses

you

as

a

very

wise

person

will

bring

forward

:

What

do

you

say

of

those

who

are

begotten

unlawfully

in

adultery

?

For

you

laid

it

down

that

it

was

inconceivable

and

impossible

for

any

one

to

enter

into

the

world

unless

he

was

introduced

by

the

will

of

the

divine

Ruler

,

his

frame

being

prepared

for

him

by

God

.

And

that

you

may

not

take

refuge

behind

a

safe

wall

,

bringing

forward

the

Scripture

which

says

,

‘

As

for

the

children

of

the

adulterers

,

they

shall

not

come

to

their

perfection

,

’

he

will

answer

you

easily

,

that

we

often

see

those

who

are

unlawfully

begotten

coming

to

perfection

like

ripe

fruit

.

And if, again, you answer sophistically, ‘O, my friend, by those who come not to perfection I understand being perfected in Christ-taught righteousness;’ he will say, ‘But, indeed, my worthy friend, very many who are begotten of unrighteous seed are not only numbered among those who are gathered into the flock of the brethren, but are often called even to preside over them. Since, then, it is clear, and all testify, that those who are born of adultery do come to perfection, we must not imagine that the Spirit was teaching respecting conceptions and births, but rather perhaps concerning those who adulterate the truth, who, corrupting the Scriptures by false doctrines, bring forth an imperfect and immature wisdom, mixing their error with piety.’ And, therefore, this plea being taken away from you, come now and tell us if those who are born of adultery are begotten by the will of God; for you said that it was impossible that the offspring of a man should be brought to perfection unless the Lord formed it and gave it life.”

Notes

1
Wisd. iii. 16.
2
[Bastardy seems to have been regarded as washed out by baptism, thousands of pagan converts having been born under this stain.]