1. Our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ was silent when false witnesses spoke against him, and answered nothing when he was accused; he was convinced that all his life and actions among the Jews were better than any speech in refutation of the false witness and superior to any words that he might say in reply to the accusations. And, God-loving Ambrose, I do not know why you wanted me to write an answer to Celsus' false accusations in his book against the Christians and the faith of the churches. It is as though there was not in the mere facts a clear refutation better than any written reply, which dispels the false charges and deprives the accusations of any plausibility and force. Concerning the silence of Jesus when false witnesses spoke against him, it is enough here to quote Matthew's version; for Mark's words amount to the same thing. The text of Matthew reads as follows: ‘The high priest and the sanhedrin sought for false witness against Jesus, that they might put him to death; and they found it not, though many false witnesses came. But afterward there came two who said, This man said, I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it up again in three days. And the high priest stood up and said to him, Answerest thou nothing to what they witness against thee? But Jesus kept silence.’ Moreover, of the fact that he did not reply when accused it is written as follows: ‘And Jesus stood before the governor; and he questioned him saying, Art thou the king of the Jews? And Jesus said to him, Thou sayest.