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Contra Celsum

56.

Εἰ δὲ τὰ καταχρηστικῶς οὕτως ὀνομαζόμενα λεγόμενα σωματικὰ κακὰ καὶ ἐκτός τίς φησι, δεδόσθω ἔσθ' ὅτε τούτων τινὰ πεποιηκέναι τὸν θεόν, ἵνα διὰ τούτων ἐπιστρέψῃ τινάς. Καὶ τί ἄτοπον ὁ λόγος ἔχειν δύναται; Ὥσπερ γάρ, εἰ καταχρηστικῶς ἀκουόντων ἡμῶν κακὰ τοὺς προσαγομένους πόνους τοῖς παιδευομένοις ὑπὸ πατέρων καὶ διδασκάλων καὶ παιδαγωγῶν, ἢ ὑπὸ ἰατρῶν τοῖς θεραπείας ἕνεκεν τεμνομένοις ἢ καυτηριαζομένοις, λέγομεν τὸν πατέρα κακοποιεῖν τοῖς υἱοῖς ἢ τοὺς παιδαγωγοὺς ἢ τοὺς διδασκάλους ἢ τοὺς ἰατρούς, οὐδὲν ἂν κατηγοροῖντο οἱ τύπτοντες ἢ οἱ τέμνοντες· οὕτως, εἰ ὁ θεὸς λέγεται τὰ τοιαδὶ ἐπάγειν ἐπιστροφῆς καὶ θεραπείας ἕνεκεν τῶν δεομένων τοιούτων πόνων, οὐδὲν ἂν ἄτοπον ὁ λόγος ἔχοι· οὔτ' ἂν καταβαίνῃ «κακὰ παρὰ κυρίου ἐπὶ πύλας Ἱερουσαλήμ», τὴν ὑπόστασιν ἔχοντα ἐν τοῖς ἀπὸ τῶν πολεμίων πόνοις, προσαγομένοις αὐτοῖς εἰς ἐπιστροφήν, οὔτ' ἂν ἐπισκέπτηται «ἐν ῥάβδῳ τὰς ἀνομίας» τῶν ἐγκαταλιπόντων «τὸν νόμον» τοῦ θεοῦ «καὶ ἐν μάστιξι τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν», οὔτ' ἂν λέγῃ τό· «Ἔχεις ἄνθρακας πυρός, κάθισαι ἐπ' αὐτούς, οὗτοι ἔσονταί σοι βοήθεια.» Τοῦτον δὲ τὸν τρόπον καὶ τὸ «ὁ ποιῶν εἰρήνην καὶ κτίζων κακὰ» διηγούμεθα· κτίζει γὰρ τὰ σωματικὰ ἢ τὰ ἐκτὸς κακά, καθαίρων καὶ παιδεύων τοὺς μὴ βουληθέντας παιδευθῆναι λόγῳ καὶ διδασκαλίᾳ ὑγιεῖ. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν εἰς τό· πῶς μὲν ὁ θεὸς κακὰ ἐποίει;

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Origen Against Celsus

Chapter LVI.

If we speak, however, of what are called "corporeal" and "external" evils,--which are improperly so termed,--then it may be granted that there are occasions when some of these have been called into existence by God, in order that by their means the conversion of certain individuals might be effected. And what absurdity would follow from such a course? For as, if we should hear those sufferings ¹ improperly termed "evils" which are inflicted by fathers, and instructors, and pedagogues upon those who are under their care, or upon patients who are operated upon or cauterized by the surgeons in order to effect a cure, we were to say that a father was ill-treating his son, or pedagogues and instructors their pupils, or physicians their patients, no blame would be laid upon the operators or chastisers; so, in the same way, if God is said to bring upon men such evils for the conversion and cure of those who need this discipline, there would be no absurdity in the view, nor would "evils come down from the Lord upon the gates of Jerusalem," ² --which evils consist of the punishments inflicted upon the Israelites by their enemies with a view to their conversion; nor would one visit "with a rod the transgressions of those who forsake the law of the Lord, and their iniquities with stripes;" ³ nor could it be said, "Thou hast coals of fire to set upon them; they shall be to thee a help." ⁴ In the same way also we explain the expressions, "I, who make peace, and create evil;" ⁵ for He calls into existence "corporeal" or "external" evils, while purifying and training those who would not be disciplined by the word and sound doctrine. This, then, is our answer to the question, "How is it that God created evil?"