How they argued with pagans and Jews.
See how this topic lines up over time
But having asserted that our religion is supported by the writings of the Jews, the oldest which exist, though it is generally known, and we fully admit that it dates from a comparatively recent period — no further back indeed than the reign of Tiberius — a question may perhaps be raised on this ground about its…
But, as appears, the philosophers of the Greeks, while naming God, do not know Him. But their philosophical speculations, according to Empedocles, as passing over the tongue of the multitude, are poured out of mouths that know little of the whole.
As many men drawing down the ship, cannot be called many causes, but one cause consisting of many — for each individual by himself is not the cause of the ship being drawn, but along with the rest — so also philosophy, being the search for truth, contributes to the comprehension of truth;
On the plagiarizing of the dogmas of the philosophers from the Hebrews, we shall treat a little afterwards. But first, as due order demands, we must now speak of the epoch of Moses, by which the philosophy of the Hebrews will be demonstrated beyond all contradiction to be the most ancient of all wisdom.
Begin we, therefore, to prove that the Birth of Christ was announced by prophets; as Isaiah ( e.g.,) foretells, Listen, house of David; have no petty contest with men, since God is proposing a struggle.