The Divine Father of the Universe from the Presocratics to Celsus: The Graeco-Roman Background to the “Father of All” in Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians

Abstract

This chapter sketches the emergence of the term of from Homer onwards, and then focuses on its appropriation and development by the Greek philosophers up to the second century C.E. It examines how Jews of the Graeco-Roman period adopted this terminology, comparing the use of the term by Philo of Alexandria and the author of Ephesians. The chapter concludes with reflections on the debate between Christians and pagan philosophers about the status of the of all, as revealed in the polemics between Origen and Celsus. It comments on Celsus' critical remarks and on their rebuttal by Origen in his Contra Celsum . It seems that this controversy between Celsus and Origen centred on two issues: the question of whether God can easily be known as the Father of all or is nameless and indescribable; and the question of how this supreme God relates to the other gods. Keywords: Celsus; Christians philosophers; Ephesians; Graeco-Roman period; Greek philosophers; Jews; Origen; pagan philosophers