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Justin Martyr
(ca. 150 A.D.)
Justin was born at Flavia Neapolis near Mount Gerazim in Samaritan Palestine about
100 A.D. He was first a Stoic and then a student of Plato before his conversion and
this Platonism marks his writings. He converted to Christianity about 130 A.D. and
was martyred under Marcus Aurelius.
I will tell you what seems to me; for philosophy is, in fact, the greatest
possession, and most honourable before God, to whom it leads us
and alone commends us; and these are truly holy men who have
bestowed attention on philosophy. Trypho, 2.
To the question, "Are you, then, a philologian, but no lover of works or of truth? (cf.
1 John 3:18) And do you not aim at being a practical man as much as being a
sophist?", Justin answers:
What greater work could one accomplish than this, to show the
reason which governs all, and having laid hold of it, and being mounted
upon it, to look down on the errors of others.... it is necessary for every
man to philosophize, and to esteem this the greatest and most
honourable work but other things only of second-rate or third-rate
importance, though, indeed, if they be made to depend on philosophy,
they are of moderate value, and worthy of acceptance; but deprived of
it, and not accompanying it, they are vulgar and coarse to those who
pursue them. (Trypho 3). Trypho 3.
And to the question, "Does philosophy, then, make happiness?", Justin answers:
Given the above mindset, it should not surprise anyone that Justin's disciple, Tatian,
became a Gnostic shortly after Justin's death.
Justin readily refers to Jesus as "God," and even "Yahweh of Hosts", in his writings.
However, he also refers to Jesus as "another god" who is subject to the "most true
God" whom he identifes as the Father of Jesus. Justin also identifies Jesus as the
Holy Spirit. None of these ideas would be acceptable in Trinitarian theology.
First Apology
For not only among the Greeks did the Word prevail to condemn these
things through Socrates, but also among the barbarians were they
condemned by the Word Himself, who took shape, and became
man, and was called Jesus Christ, and in obedience to him, we not
only deny that those who did such things as these are gods, but assert
that they are wicked and ungodly demons, whose actions will not bear
comparison with those even of men desirous of virtue. (5).
Hence are we called atheists. And we confess that we are atheists, so
far as gods of this kind are concerned, but not concerning the most
true God, the Father of righteousness and temperance and the other
virtues, who is free from all impurity. But both Him, and the Son who
came forth from Him, and taught us these things, and the host of the
other good angels who follow and are made like to him, and the
prophetic Spirit, we worship and adore, knowing them in reason and
truth, and declaring without grudging to every one who wishes to learn,
as we have been taught. (6)
And that you will not succeed is declared by the Word, than whom,
after God who begat him, we know there is no ruler more kingly and
righteous. For as all shrink from succeeding to the poverty or sufferings
or obscurity of their fathers, so whatever the Word forbids us to
choose, the sensible man will not choose. That all these things should
come to pass, I say, our Teacher foretold, he who is both Son and
Apostle of God the Father of all and the Ruler, Jesus Christ, from
whom also we have the name of Christians. (12).
Our Teacher of these things is Jesus Christ, who also was born for this
purpose, and was crucified under Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judaea,
in the times of Tiberius Caesar, and that we reasonably worship him,
having learned that he is the Son of the true God Himself, and holding
him in the second place, and the prophetic Spirit in the third, we will
prove. For they proclaim our madness to consist in this, that we give to
a crucified man a place second to the unchangeable and eternal God,
the Creator of all. (13).
And when we say also that the Word, who is the firstborn of God, was
brought forth without sexual union, and that he, Jesus Christ, our
Teacher, was crucified and died, and rose again, and ascended into
heaven... (21).
Jesus Christ is the only proper Son who has been begotten by God,
being His Word and first-begotten. (23).
For what is called by the Divine Spirit through the prophet "his robe,"
are those men who believe in him in whom abides the seed of God, the
Word. And what is spoken of as "the blood of the grape," signifies that
he who should appear would have blood, though not of the seed of
man, but of the power of God. And the first power after God the
Father and Lord of all is the Word, who is also the Son; and of
Him we will, in what follows, relate how He took flesh and became
man. (32).
And, as we said before, the devils put forward Marcion of Pontus, who
is even now teaching men to deny that God is the maker of all things in
heaven and on earth, and that the Christ predicted by the prophets
is His Son, and preaches another god besides the Creator of all, and
likewise another son. (58).
Now the Word of God is His Son, as we have before said. And He is
called Angel and Apostle. For He declares whatever we ought to
know, and is sent forth to declare whatever is revealed; as our Lord
Himself says, He that hears Me, hears Him that sent Me.... But so
much is written for the sake of proving that Jesus the Christ is the Son
of God and His Apostle, being of old the Word, and appearing
sometimes in the form of fire, and sometimes in the likeness of angels;
but now, by the will of God, having become man for the human race....
the Son of God, who is called both Angel and Apostle.... to know that
the Father of the universe has a Son; who also, being the first-begotten
Word of God, is even God. And of old He appeared in the shape of
fire and in the likeness of an angel to Moses and to the other prophets;
but now in the times of your reign, having, as we before said, become
Man by a virgin, according to the counsel of the Father, for the
salvation of those who believe on Him. (63).
Second Apology
For next to God, we worship and love the Word who is out of the
unbegotten and ineffable God, since also He became man for our
sakes, that, becoming a partaker of our sufferings, He might also bring
us healing. (13).
There is, and that there is said to be, another God and Lord subject
to the Maker of all things who is also called an Angel, because He
announces to men whatsoever the Maker of all things, above whom
there is no other God, wishes to announce to them.... I shall endeavour
to persuade you, that He who is said to have appeared to Abraham,
and to Jacob, and to Moses, and who is called God, is distinct from
Him who made all things, I mean numerically, not in will. For I affirm
that He has never at any time done anything which He who made the
world--above whom there is no other God--has not wished Him both
to do and to engage Himself with...it must be admitted absolutely that
some other one is called Lord by the Holy Spirit besides Him who is
considered Maker of all things; not solely[for what is said] by Moses,
but also[for what is said] by David. For there is written by him: 'The
Lord says to my Lord, Sit on My right hand, until I make Thine enemies
Thy footstool,' as I have already quoted. (56).
But this Offspring, which was truly brought forth from the Father, was
with the Father before all the creatures, and the Father communed with
Him; even as the Scripture by Solomon has made clear, that He whom
Solomon calls Wisdom, was begotten as a Beginning before all His
creatures and as Offspring by God. (62).
For if you had understood what has been written by the prophets, you
would not have denied that He was God, Son of the only, unbegotten,
unutterable God. (126).
Other
And God, the Father of the cosmos, who is the perfect intelligence,
the truth. And the Word, being His Son, came to us, having put on
flesh, revealing both himself and the Father, giving to us in himself
resurrection from the dead, and eternal life afterwards. And this is Jesus
Christ, our Saviour and Lord. (On the Resurrection, 1).
From the one God, who both made this world and formed us....
there came to us the only-begotten Son. (Fragments, II).
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