Chapter XLI.—The Answer, Continued.

“Listen, then,” says Peter, “that you may know, first of all, that even if there are many gods, as you say, they are subject to the God of the Jews, to whom no one is equal, than whom no one can be greater; for it is written that the prophet Moses thus spoke to the Jews:  ‘The Lord your God is the God of gods, and the Lord of lords, the great God.’⁶⁴⁰⁶⁴⁰    Deut. x. 17.  Thus, although there are many that are called gods, yet He who is the God of the Jews is alone called the God of gods.  For not every one that is called God is necessarily God.  Indeed, even Moses is called a god to Pharaoh,⁶⁴¹⁶⁴¹    Exod. vii. 1. and it is certain that he was a man; and judges were called gods, and it is evident that they were mortal.  The idols also of the Gentiles are called gods, and we all know that they are not; but this has been inflicted as a punishment on the wicked, that because they would not acknowledge the true God, they should regard as God whatever form or image should occur to them.  Because they refused to receive the knowledge of the One who, as I said, is God of all, therefore it is permitted to them to have as gods those who can do nothing for their worshippers.  For what can either dead images or living creatures confer upon men, since the power of all things is with One?