Chapter I.

1. Archelaus said to Manes: Give us a statement now of the doctrines you promulgate.—Thereupon the man, whose mouth was like an open sepulchre,²¹⁵⁷ began at once with a word of blasphemy against the Maker of all things, saying: The God of the Old Testament is the inventor of evil, who speaks thus of Himself: “I am a consuming fire.”²¹⁵⁸—But the sagacious Archelaus completely undid this blasphemy. For he said: If the God of the Old Testament, according to your allegation, calls Himself a fire, whose son is He who says, “I am come to send fire upon the earth?”²¹⁵⁹ If you find fault with one who says, “The Lord killeth and maketh alive,”²¹⁶⁰ why do you honour Peter, who raised Tabitha to life,²¹⁶¹ but also put Sapphira to death?²¹⁶² And if again, you find fault with the one because He has prepared a fire,²¹⁶³ why do you not find fault with the other, who says, “Depart from me into everlasting fire?”²¹⁶⁴ If you find fault with Him who says, “I, God, make peace, and create evil,”²¹⁶⁵ explain to us how Jesus says, “I came not to send peace, but a sword.”²¹⁶⁶ Since both persons speak in the same terms, one or other of these two things must follow: namely, either they are both good²¹⁶⁷ because they use the same language; or, if Jesus passes without censure though He speaks in such terms, you must tell us why you reprehend Him who employs a similar mode of address in the Old Testament.