First Christian Voices: Practices of the Apostolic Fathers

Chapter 4: The Defense of the Faith

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earthenware that is no degree more valuable than that which is formed for the humblest purposes? Are not all these of corruptible matter? Are they not fabricated by means of iron and fire? Did not the sculptor fashion one of them, the brazier a second, the silversmith a third, and the potter a fourth? Was not each one of them subject to change in its own way before they were crafted into the shape of these forms? Might not those things which are now utensils, formed from the same materials, become the same things if they were crafted by the same artisans? Might not these things which are now worshiped by you be crafted by human hands similar to others? Are they not all deaf? Are they not blind? Are they not without life? Are they not deprived of feeling? Are they not incapable of motion? Are they not all liable to rot? Are they not all corruptible? These are the things you call gods. These you serve, these you worship. In the end, you become just like them. For this reason, you hate the Christians because they do not believe these to be gods. But do you yourselves who regard and worship these not cast much more contempt upon them than they? Do you not mock and insult them much more when you worship those that are made of stone and earthenware without appointing anyone to guard them while those made of silver and gold you shut up by night and by day you appoint watchmen to look after them in case they be stolen? And those gifts by which you mean to honor them, do you not rather insult them if they do indeed possess awareness? However, if they do not possess awareness, then you condemn them while you worship them with the blood and fat of sacrifices. Let any one of you